Barghouti: US Veto Show Complicity in Gaza Genocide

The US administration’s use of the veto to frustrate the Security Council’s draft resolution to a Gaza ceasefire confirms it is a partner to the crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated by Israel said Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Movement.

America’s lone vote against the resolution in the face of all Security Council members, including its traditional allies, confirms the political isolation of the United States with Israel Barghouti told Jordan24.

He noted that this isolation was also evident in the last vote in the United Nations General Assembly, where it voted alone with Israel along with four weightless islands against 175 countries in the world.

Barghouti denounced the insistence of the Joe Biden administration – even in its last days – on its hostile approach to the Palestinian people, international law and international humanitarian law.

Barghouti pointed out that the American positions confirm the United States’ partnership in all Israeli crimes, not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank.

Barghouti pointed out that the US partnership with Israel is not limited to providing protection through the UN Security Council, but also through operating the largest air bridge to deliver American weapons and ammunition to the occupation, in addition to American aid and economic support for the occupation, stressing that “Israel cannot complete a week in its war on Gaza and Lebanon without American support.”

Continue reading
US Vetoes Gaza Ceasefire at Security Council

The United States, Wednesday, vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution that demanded an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Despite having secured 14 votes in favour, the draft resolution put forward by the 10 elected members of the Security Council (E10), failed to pass owing to the negative vote by a permanent member, the US.

The text also reiterated the Council’s demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

For a resolution to be adopted, it must secure at least nine votes in favour, and no negative votes – or vetoes – by any of the five permanent members.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility to uphold international peace and security.

Had the draft resolution been adopted, it would have also demanded immediate access by civilians in the Gaza Strip to basic services.

It would have rejected “any effort to starve Palestinians” – the threat of famine grows in the north as the Israeli siege there continues – while also demanding the facilitation of full, rapid, safe and unhindered entry of aid at scale to and throughout the Strip and its delivery to all those in need.

The text also demanded that the parties “fully, unconditionally, and without delay” implement all the provisions of Security Council resolution 2735 (2024).

This includes the release of hostages, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, the return of the remains of hostages who have been killed, the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes and neighbourhoods in all areas of Gaza – including in the north – and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The draft further underscored the role of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) as the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza.

It called on all parties to enable UNRWA to carry out its mandate as adopted by the General Assembly, with full respect for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

It also urged respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of UN and humanitarian facilities, while welcoming the Secretary-General’s and UNRWA’s commitment to fully implement the recommendations of an independent review of the agency led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.

UN News

Continue reading
Norway Asks ICJ On Israeli Ban

Norway is to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an advisory opinion after the Israeli occupation Knesset prevented UNRWA from practicing its work in Israel-occupied territories which makes the agency unable to enter aid to the Gaza Strip, according to The Guardian.

Norway’s deputy foreign minister, Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, discussed at the United Nations in New York to draft resolution about this issue for the UN General Assembly.

“The international community cannot accept that the UN, international humanitarian organisations, and states continue to face systematic obstacles when working in Palestine and delivering humanitarian assistance to Palestinians under occupation,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said.

Continue reading
‘UNRWA Will Operate Until The Last Day’ – Lazzarini

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) pledged Wednesday to continue activities until the agency can no longer operate amid the Israeli Knesset’s recent decision to ban it from operating.

Emphasizing that the situation in the Gaza Strip has become more dire, Philippe Lazzarini told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that “we are experiencing the darkest moment for the agency in 75 years.”

Lazzarini noted that UNRWA and its staff are under continued attacks by Israeli forces, adding that “as of today, 243 staff have been killed” on UNRWA premises.

Highlighting the “intense and aggressive” disinformation campaign against the agency, Lazzarini said the adoption of Israeli Knesset’s recent bill aiming to ban the activities of UNRWA, starting in January, has further exacerbated the situation.

He stated that there is “deep anxiety” among UNRWA staff on the ground as the environment in the occupied West Bank and in Gaza is putting staff “even more at risk.”

“I’m afraid that much worse is to come if we have this pervasive environment,” Lazzarini added.

Asked about the possibility of the Knesset bill being implemented, Lazzarini affirmed that, (UNRWA) “will be operating until the day we cannot operate anymore.”

He pledged to provide and deliver services to those in need “until we are forced to stop.”

The UNRWA chief noted that Israel, as the occupying power, has the responsibility to provide the needs and services for not only those in Gaza but also in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, if the agency can no longer operate according to Anadolu.

“UNRWA is a softer target for anyone who views its presence or its activities as a threat,” he said. “The intention to undermine UNRWA is politically motivated.”

“The (political) objective is to strip the Palestinians from the refugee stature, and also to unilaterally change the parameters for a political solution,” he said, adding that the political motivation also aims to undermine Palestinians’ aspiration for self-determination and a two-state solution.

Lazzarini described attacks on UNRWA as an attack on the UN, the General Assembly and the Security Council, and said the attacks are “further weakening the rule-based order that we have inherited after World War II.”

He emphasized the importance of “political will” for the success of the agency as “there is a race against the clock.”

Asked about Israeli envoy to UN Danny Danon’s demand for Lazzarini to resign, the UNRWA chief said he would “envisage” the demand if it were to make a difference but “it is not my person, it is my function which is the primary target today.”

“It is part of this broader campaign to delegitimize the agency,” he added.

Responding to Anadolu’s question on the death toll in Gaza as well as his view about the situation if he were not a UN official, Lazzarini said: “It has been a war of all possible superlative.”

He said journalists, health care workers and UN personnel have been killed at “unprecedented” levels, noting that the scale of destruction is “certainly” higher than the numbers reported.

Lazzarini pointed to deaths caused by “sub-human” living conditions, highlighting that children are living amid garbage and sewage.

Saying that nearly every word has been used to describe the situation in Gaza, Lazzarini said, “Sometimes I’m just wordless or speechless.”

He noted that even using “massacre” may not fully capture the severity, adding, “It’s just unbelievable the suffering inflicted on these communities.”

Adding that some people in Gaza hope for death, Lazzarini said, “We heard at the beginning of the war, the expression ‘human animal.’ That’s how people start to feel. They have lost everything, and they feel that they have lost also the dignity.”

Continue reading
Neo Sora: World Cinema Failed Gaza

Japanese-American film director Neo Sora said the world of cinema has failed to adequately respond to the genocide in Gaza, stressing the need for a stronger reaction during his appearance at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.

US-born Sora, who posed with a Palestinian keffiyeh and a flag reading “Free Palestine” at the festival, discussed the art world’s attitude towards Palestine with Anadolu.

Describing the positive response he received at the festival, Sora said: “In Venice, there was a resounding applause for the keffiyeh and the Palestinian flag. People were shouting from the audience, ‘Free Palestine,’ and I was responding by saying, ‘Free Palestine.’

“Making films and having the privilege to attend international festivals like Venice gives me a huge platform to have my voice heard by people globally, including Japanese audiences,” he said.

Sora also expressed disappointment with the festival’s programing, saying: “I was a little disappointed because you could tell they were trying to create an equivalency by including one Israeli film and one Palestinian film in the same section of Orizzonti, where my film was featured.”

Oct. 7 and reality of genocide

“I was in New York on Oct. 7, 2023, when it happened. It was really difficult to stay motivated to finish my film in the face of such extreme, livestreamed genocide, the likes of which I’ve never seen in my lifetime. I think it’s the worst genocide we’ve witnessed.

“I questioned whether I could continue making films because what’s the point of telling stories about human dignity when we’re witnessing such horrific violence that strips people of their humanity? After reflecting on the past year, I am 100% convinced that it is indeed genocide,” said Sora, recalling events from Oct. 7 last year.

Sora added that Israel’s settler colonialism isn’t just a Palestinian narrative. “It’s not something I’ve only been convinced of through Palestinian voices. Israelis themselves say it’s a settler colonial project. Look at the words of people like David Ben-Gurion or the founders of the Zionist movement; they called it a settler colonialist project.”

Palestinian culture being destroyed

Sora emphasized the importance of boycotting organizations that support Israel, saying: “As consumers, boycot is critical. We need to show these big corporations that if they make films like Wonder Woman, or Marvel featuring Gal Gadot, who’s basically a spokesperson for the IDF, they’ll lose money because we won’t support those projects.”

“We’re at the start of an AI dystopia. More concerning, though, is that the responsibility for these war crimes is being shifted to military AI systems created by Israeli military and software companies. This is a disastrous situation, especially given the environmental impact of these AI systems,” Sora said, highlighting Israel’s attempts to evade accountability.

‘We are at a historic turning point’

Sora pointed out that artists and others are not doing enough to stop the genocide in Gaza.

“The fact that this genocide has continued for 367 days and now these atrocities by Israel are spreading to other countries, like Lebanon, shows we’re not doing enough. We all need to do more, whether we’re filmmakers, businessmen, lawyers, or professionals in any other field,” he concluded.

Continue reading
Guterres: ‘We Failed Gaza’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged world leaders to increase support for UNRWA, which provides vital humanitarian services for the Palestinian refugees, especially for those living in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

Guterres made his plea at a high-level meeting co-organized by Jordan and Sweden in support of UNRWA, which was held on the margins of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.

Continue reading
Colombia’s President Calls Netanyahu a ‘Criminal’

Colombian President Gustavo Petro criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Tuesday, for his continual attacks on the Gaza Strip during his speech to the UN General Assembly.

“It is in this inequality … that we find the logic of the mass destruction unleashed by the climate crisis and the logic of the bombs dropped by a criminal like Netanyahu on Gaza.”

Continue reading
Colombia Uni: First Protest Against Gaza Genocide

A large group of Columbia University students gathered at the university gates on the first day of the academic semester, reigniting protests that began last year in opposition to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The students called for an academic and economic boycott of Israel and urged their peers to boycott the first day of classes in response to the destruction of universities in Gaza according to the Quds News Network.

Continue reading
Rep Jamaal Bowman ‘Disgusted’ at Netanyahu

United States Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York says:

“I am disgusted that we are allowing the man (Benjamin Netanyahu) who is responsible for ripping families apart and killing Israeli and Palestinian civilians to be given a platform before Congress to try and win support and funding for his indiscriminate bombing campaign.”

Continue reading