Ever since the October 7 2023 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, the Albanese government has consistently said Australia respects Israel’s right to defend itself, but how it does so matters. To an international lawyer, those words are code for simultaneously exercising the right of self defence and respecting international humanitarian law. In effect, remaining compliant […]
Read MoreIsrael war: Palestinians adrift after UNRWA aid ban
There is no alternative to the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, its chief insisted, following Israel’s order to ban the organisation that coordinates nearly all aid in war-ravaged Gaza. “There is no plan B,” head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, told reporters in Geneva. Within the UN […]
Read MoreAustralia legally obliged to act on Israel war warrants
Australia would be forced to arrest Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister on charges of war crimes under an international court ruling that’s splitting the global community. The International Criminal Court (ICC) found there were reasonable grounds that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant bore criminal responsibility for alleged war […]
Read MoreHamas urges Donald Trump to pressure Israel to agree to a ceasefire
In short: A senior Hamas official says its mediators would accept “any proposal submitted to it” that would lead to a ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Donald Trump repeatedly said during his presidential campaign that he would bring peace to the Middle East. Iran has also backed Lebanon’s stance in ongoing […]
Read MoreMinister defends UN vote for Palestine resource rights
Australia is supporting a push for Palestinian sovereignty over natural resources, arguing Israel impeding access undermines stability and peace prospects. A United Nations draft resolution that passed overwhelmingly demanded Israel “the occupying power, cease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. It further […]
Read MoreAlmost unparalleled suffering’ in Gaza as UN says nearly 70% of those killed are women and children
Head of the Norwegian Refugee Council calls for peace process to begin as new figures reveal civilians have borne the brunt of the war Nearly 70% of the people killed in the war in Gaza are women and children, according to a UN analysis of verified deaths that highlights the heavy civilian toll of the […]
Read MoreKnesset law to allow deportation of Palestinian attackers’ families
Israel’s parliament has passed a law that would allow it to deport family members of Palestinian attackers, including the country’s own citizens, to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip or other locations. The law, championed by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and his far-right allies, passed with a 61-41 vote on Thursday. However, […]
Read MoreIsrael sends rescue planes after attacks on soccer fans
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered two rescue planes be sent to the Netherlands on Friday after violence targeting Israeli football fans broke out in Amsterdam overnight. Videos circulating on social media showed street clashes overnight and riot police intervening. The order to send planes was taken after “a very violent incident” targeting Israeli […]
Read MoreNew law allows Israel to deport the relatives of attackers, sparking criticism from human rights advocates
In short: Israel has passed a law that would allow it to deport family members of Palestinian attackers, possibly to the Gaza Strip. The legislation will allow first-degree relatives, who knew about terror attacks in advance, to be expelled for up to 20 years. It has been criticised as “a dangerous escalation in Israel’s […]
Read MoreIsraeli strike on Syria-Lebanon crossing ‘puts at risk main lifeline for people to escape conflict’, warns UN
More than half a million people, mostly Syrians, had crossed into Syrian territory since Israel began heavily striking Lebanon late last month, according to figures by the Lebanese authorities on Friday. A statement from the country’s disaster management unit stated that since 23 September, Lebanon has “recorded the crossing of 348,237 Syrian citizens and 156,505 […]
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