27 july 2019
A child suffering from malnutrition caused by the Saudi aggression lies on a bed at a treatment center in al-Sabeen Maternal Hospital in the Yemeni capital Sana'a on June 22, 2019
The United Nations has for the third year put Saudi Arabia and its allies in their military campaign against Yemen on the world body's blacklist of child killers.
According to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in 2018, the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen killed or injured 729 children, nearly half the total child casualties of the year.
The UN chief's report, which was presented to the Security Council on Friday, also states that Palestinian casualties caused by the Israeli regime, mainly its military, hit a four-year high in 2018.
The report shows that 59 Palestinian children were killed - 56 by Israeli forces - and another 2,756 were injured last year.
Guterres urged "Israel to immediately put in place preventive and protective measures to end the excessive use of force".
"I condemn the increasing number of child casualties, which are often a result of attacks in densely populated areas and against civilian objects, including schools and hospitals," Guterres said in the report, produced by UN Children and Armed Conflict envoy Virginia Gamba and issued in Guterres' name.
The report does not subject those listed to action; however, it shames parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to stop killing children.
Diplomats say Saudi Arabia and Israel both have exerted pressure in recent years in a bid to stay off the list, but no to avail.
In reaction to the Friday report, Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdadllah Al-Mouallimi claimed that "every child's life is precious" to Riyadh, and questioned the sourcing and accuracy of the report, describing the numbers as "exaggerated."
His claims come as over 80,000 Yemeni children under five years have died as a result of severe malnutrition caused by the Saudi-led coalition's aggression against the people of Yemen, Guterres cited a report as saying earlier this year.
The war that began in March 2015 has so far killed thousands of Yemeni women and children and destroyed Yemen’s infrastructure.
The Yemeni Health Ministry announced in a report on Friday that one Yemeni child is dying of malnutrition every 10 minutes. The report, cited by al-Mayadeen TV, said malnutrition has affected 2.3 million children in Yemen during the past five years.
It also pointed to the outbreak of cholera as a result of the Saudi-led coalition's aggression, saying that children account for 40 percent of the 3,700 people diagnosed with the disease in the war-torn country.
Israel Blacklisted by UN Among Top Child Killers of 2018
The United Nations has, for the third year in a row, put Israel on the world body’s blacklist of child killers.
According to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in 2018, Israel killed 59 Palestinian children during that year.
The UN chief’s report, which was presented to the Security Council on Friday, states that Palestinian casualties caused by the Israel, mainly its military, hit a four-year high in 2018.
The report shows that 59 Palestinian children were killed – 56 by Israeli forces – and another 2,756 were injured last year.
Guterres urged “Israel to immediately put in place preventive and protective measures to end the excessive use of force,” PNN further reports.
“I condemn the increasing number of child casualties, which are often a result of attacks in densely populated areas and against civilian objects, including schools and hospitals,” Guterres said in the report, produced by UN Children and Armed Conflict envoy Virginia Gamba and issued in Guterres’ name.
The report does not subject those listed to action; however, it shames parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to stop killing children.
Diplomats say Israel have exerted pressure, in recent years, in a bid to stay off the list, but no to avail.
The United Nations has for the third year put Saudi Arabia and its allies in their military campaign against Yemen on the world body's blacklist of child killers.
According to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in 2018, the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen killed or injured 729 children, nearly half the total child casualties of the year.
The UN chief's report, which was presented to the Security Council on Friday, also states that Palestinian casualties caused by the Israeli regime, mainly its military, hit a four-year high in 2018.
The report shows that 59 Palestinian children were killed - 56 by Israeli forces - and another 2,756 were injured last year.
Guterres urged "Israel to immediately put in place preventive and protective measures to end the excessive use of force".
"I condemn the increasing number of child casualties, which are often a result of attacks in densely populated areas and against civilian objects, including schools and hospitals," Guterres said in the report, produced by UN Children and Armed Conflict envoy Virginia Gamba and issued in Guterres' name.
The report does not subject those listed to action; however, it shames parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to stop killing children.
Diplomats say Saudi Arabia and Israel both have exerted pressure in recent years in a bid to stay off the list, but no to avail.
In reaction to the Friday report, Saudi Ambassador to the UN Abdadllah Al-Mouallimi claimed that "every child's life is precious" to Riyadh, and questioned the sourcing and accuracy of the report, describing the numbers as "exaggerated."
His claims come as over 80,000 Yemeni children under five years have died as a result of severe malnutrition caused by the Saudi-led coalition's aggression against the people of Yemen, Guterres cited a report as saying earlier this year.
The war that began in March 2015 has so far killed thousands of Yemeni women and children and destroyed Yemen’s infrastructure.
The Yemeni Health Ministry announced in a report on Friday that one Yemeni child is dying of malnutrition every 10 minutes. The report, cited by al-Mayadeen TV, said malnutrition has affected 2.3 million children in Yemen during the past five years.
It also pointed to the outbreak of cholera as a result of the Saudi-led coalition's aggression, saying that children account for 40 percent of the 3,700 people diagnosed with the disease in the war-torn country.
Israel Blacklisted by UN Among Top Child Killers of 2018
The United Nations has, for the third year in a row, put Israel on the world body’s blacklist of child killers.
According to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in 2018, Israel killed 59 Palestinian children during that year.
The UN chief’s report, which was presented to the Security Council on Friday, states that Palestinian casualties caused by the Israel, mainly its military, hit a four-year high in 2018.
The report shows that 59 Palestinian children were killed – 56 by Israeli forces – and another 2,756 were injured last year.
Guterres urged “Israel to immediately put in place preventive and protective measures to end the excessive use of force,” PNN further reports.
“I condemn the increasing number of child casualties, which are often a result of attacks in densely populated areas and against civilian objects, including schools and hospitals,” Guterres said in the report, produced by UN Children and Armed Conflict envoy Virginia Gamba and issued in Guterres’ name.
The report does not subject those listed to action; however, it shames parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to stop killing children.
Diplomats say Israel have exerted pressure, in recent years, in a bid to stay off the list, but no to avail.
25 july 2019
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Congress has backed legislation that would impose some sanctions on the Saudi ruling family and block some weapons sales, pushing back against US President Donald Trump’s close ties to Riyadh.
The committee voted on Thursday 13-9, with three Republicans aligning with Democrats in the committee in backing the measure despite expected opposition from Trump.
To become law, the legislation must still pass the whole Senate, as well as the US House of Representatives and either be signed by Trump or gather the two-thirds majorities in both chambers of Congress to override a veto.
Historically, Congress has overridden fewer than ten percent of all presidential vetoes.
The measure was co-sponsored by Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Todd Young.
The committee’s chairman, Republican Senator Jim Risch, opposed the bill, saying he wanted legislation to hold Riyadh accountable but argued that there was no point in passing a bill that Trump would veto.
On Wednesday, Trump vetoed three congressional resolutions barring billions of dollars in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have been committing war crimes in Yemen for over four years.
In a statement released by the White House, Trump argued that the bills would “weaken America’s global competitiveness and damage the important relationships we share with our allies and partners.”
Many members of Congress have sought to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its human rights abuses, including last year’s murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey, as well as the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which has led to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Leading a coalition of its allies, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the former regime, which had been friendly to Riyadh, but whose officials fled the country.
The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead and has taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories.
The UN has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Congress has backed legislation that would impose some sanctions on the Saudi ruling family and block some weapons sales, pushing back against US President Donald Trump’s close ties to Riyadh.
The committee voted on Thursday 13-9, with three Republicans aligning with Democrats in the committee in backing the measure despite expected opposition from Trump.
To become law, the legislation must still pass the whole Senate, as well as the US House of Representatives and either be signed by Trump or gather the two-thirds majorities in both chambers of Congress to override a veto.
Historically, Congress has overridden fewer than ten percent of all presidential vetoes.
The measure was co-sponsored by Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and Todd Young.
The committee’s chairman, Republican Senator Jim Risch, opposed the bill, saying he wanted legislation to hold Riyadh accountable but argued that there was no point in passing a bill that Trump would veto.
On Wednesday, Trump vetoed three congressional resolutions barring billions of dollars in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have been committing war crimes in Yemen for over four years.
In a statement released by the White House, Trump argued that the bills would “weaken America’s global competitiveness and damage the important relationships we share with our allies and partners.”
Many members of Congress have sought to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its human rights abuses, including last year’s murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Turkey, as well as the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which has led to a humanitarian catastrophe.
Leading a coalition of its allies, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the former regime, which had been friendly to Riyadh, but whose officials fled the country.
The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead and has taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories.
The UN has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.
Israeli ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, on Thursday, canceled a visit to Switzerland for fear of being arrested on charges of the war launched on the Gaza Strip in 2008.
Ynet newspaper reported, according to Al Ray, that Swiss authorities informed the Israeli Ministry of Justice that Olmert will be questioned upon arrival into the country, so the visit was canceled.
Lawsuits have been filed against Olmert over the war he waged against Gaza between 2008 and 2009, when he was Prime Minister. About one thousand Palestinians were killed and thousands were injured in the operation, called “Cast Lead”
Ynet newspaper reported, according to Al Ray, that Swiss authorities informed the Israeli Ministry of Justice that Olmert will be questioned upon arrival into the country, so the visit was canceled.
Lawsuits have been filed against Olmert over the war he waged against Gaza between 2008 and 2009, when he was Prime Minister. About one thousand Palestinians were killed and thousands were injured in the operation, called “Cast Lead”
The United States on Wednesday blocked an attempt by Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa to have the UN Security Council adopt a resolution condemning Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in Sur Baher town, on the outskirts of Occupied Jerusalem.
Ignoring widespread international criticism, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) embarked last Monday on demolishing dozens of homes in the Palestinian town of Sur Baher near the separation wall in Jerusalem.
The IOA claims the homes, which are close to the separation barrier that criss-crosses the West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the "apartheid wall,” a security risk.
According to Reuters, Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa circulated a five-paragraph draft statement at the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday that expressed grave concern and warned that the demolitions “undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace.”
Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and on Wednesday the US told its council counterparts it could not support the text before another revised three-paragraph draft statement was circulated, but the US again rejected the text.
In this regard, the UN demanded Israel to halt its demolition policy and confiscation of homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Addressing the UN Security Council last Tuesday, Rosemary DiCarlo, head of the UN's Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said Israel’s recent demolitions breached international rules and had hurt the livelihoods of some 300 Palestinian locals.
"Israel's policy of destroying Palestinian property is not compatible with its obligations under international humanitarian law and contributes to the risk of forcible transfer facing many Palestinians in the West Bank," DiCarlo added.
Ignoring widespread international criticism, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) embarked last Monday on demolishing dozens of homes in the Palestinian town of Sur Baher near the separation wall in Jerusalem.
The IOA claims the homes, which are close to the separation barrier that criss-crosses the West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the "apartheid wall,” a security risk.
According to Reuters, Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa circulated a five-paragraph draft statement at the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday that expressed grave concern and warned that the demolitions “undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace.”
Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and on Wednesday the US told its council counterparts it could not support the text before another revised three-paragraph draft statement was circulated, but the US again rejected the text.
In this regard, the UN demanded Israel to halt its demolition policy and confiscation of homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Addressing the UN Security Council last Tuesday, Rosemary DiCarlo, head of the UN's Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said Israel’s recent demolitions breached international rules and had hurt the livelihoods of some 300 Palestinian locals.
"Israel's policy of destroying Palestinian property is not compatible with its obligations under international humanitarian law and contributes to the risk of forcible transfer facing many Palestinians in the West Bank," DiCarlo added.
24 july 2019
Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Saeb Erekat, has strongly condemned the recent demolition of a cluster of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds as war crime, calling on the international community to push the International Criminal Court (ICC) into opening an immediate investigation into the incident.
On Tuesday, Erekat called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to implement her mandate under the Human Rights Council resolution 31/36, which demands a database of all business enterprises engaged in Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to strive for international protection of Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation.
He also slammed the measures taken by Israeli authorities to expel Palestinians from Jerusalem al-Quds, including land grab, confiscations of identity paper, revocations of residency status and rejections of family reunification.
“The Israeli occupation forces, with the support of the Israeli Supreme Court, have ordered the demolition of these buildings using a security pretext, but the demolitions in Sur Baher are another example of Israel’s illegal policies and practices aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem (al-Quds) and defending the existence of the Israeli occupation,” Erekat highlighted.
The high-ranking Palestinian official further noted that the Israeli regime continues to “escape punishment time and time again” despite repeated calls for the international community to intervene and stop demolition of Palestinian homes, which result in forced displacement.
“The international community has not only failed to stop demolitions and forced displacement in Sur Baher, but also failed to hold Israel accountable for its continued violations of international law. Israel’s actions are not only serious violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention, but are war crimes pursuant to the Rome Statute of the ICC. Therefore, we call for the urgent cessation of crimes being committed in the occupied State of Palestine,” Erekat said.
The remarks came a day after hundreds of Israeli troops with bulldozers tore down homes in Sur Baher despite local protests and international criticism.
Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Sufian Qudah has reiterated his country’s rejection of the Israeli regime’s settlement expansion policies, its land confiscation policy and forced displacement of Palestinians.
He urged Israel to immediately halt such practices, emphasizing that such moves would increase tensions, deepen despair, and have a fundamental impact on the so-called two-state solution.
Separately, the French Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli demolition of Palestinian buildings in Sur Baher.
The ministry said in a statement that demolitions in occupied territories run contrary to international law, particularly the international humanitarian law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The statement highlighted that the demolitions will set a dangerous precedent, and will harm the so-called two-state solution.
On Tuesday, Erekat called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to implement her mandate under the Human Rights Council resolution 31/36, which demands a database of all business enterprises engaged in Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to strive for international protection of Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation.
He also slammed the measures taken by Israeli authorities to expel Palestinians from Jerusalem al-Quds, including land grab, confiscations of identity paper, revocations of residency status and rejections of family reunification.
“The Israeli occupation forces, with the support of the Israeli Supreme Court, have ordered the demolition of these buildings using a security pretext, but the demolitions in Sur Baher are another example of Israel’s illegal policies and practices aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem (al-Quds) and defending the existence of the Israeli occupation,” Erekat highlighted.
The high-ranking Palestinian official further noted that the Israeli regime continues to “escape punishment time and time again” despite repeated calls for the international community to intervene and stop demolition of Palestinian homes, which result in forced displacement.
“The international community has not only failed to stop demolitions and forced displacement in Sur Baher, but also failed to hold Israel accountable for its continued violations of international law. Israel’s actions are not only serious violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention, but are war crimes pursuant to the Rome Statute of the ICC. Therefore, we call for the urgent cessation of crimes being committed in the occupied State of Palestine,” Erekat said.
The remarks came a day after hundreds of Israeli troops with bulldozers tore down homes in Sur Baher despite local protests and international criticism.
Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Sufian Qudah has reiterated his country’s rejection of the Israeli regime’s settlement expansion policies, its land confiscation policy and forced displacement of Palestinians.
He urged Israel to immediately halt such practices, emphasizing that such moves would increase tensions, deepen despair, and have a fundamental impact on the so-called two-state solution.
Separately, the French Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli demolition of Palestinian buildings in Sur Baher.
The ministry said in a statement that demolitions in occupied territories run contrary to international law, particularly the international humanitarian law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The statement highlighted that the demolitions will set a dangerous precedent, and will harm the so-called two-state solution.
23 july 2019 page 2
The purported apology Ehud Barak made today for the October 2000 killing of 13 Palestinian citizens of Israel lacks all value so long as no indictments have been filed against the Israeli police officers responsible for the killings, said Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel.
"This purported apology also has no meaning while police violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel continues to this very day," it said in a press release responding to the apology by Barak, then prime minister of Israel, for the police killing of the 13 Palestinians.
Adalah represented the families of the 13 young Palestinians killed by Israel police in October 2000.
"Ehud Barak was directly responsible for the killing of 13 Arab youths in October 2000. He ordered Israeli police to deploy deadly means – including snipers – to reopen Highway 65 during the demonstrations, and he remained indifferent to the resultant killing and wounding of hundreds of protestors on 1-2 October 2000," said Adalah. "Barak's orders also justified the police's continued use of snipers during the subsequent days of protest."
Barak, who now heads the Israel Democratic Party and intends to run in the September Israeli elections, said in a radio interview today that protesters should not be killed by their country's security.
"There is no place for protesters to be killed by their country's security forces. I bear responsibility for everything that happened during my tenure as prime minister, including the October 2000 events,” he said. "Once again I want to expresses condolences and apologize to the families whose pain must be infinite."
Not a single Israeli officer or official has been indicted for the killings and the Police Investigation Unit decided in 2005 not to pursue any indictments against its members. In January 2007, the Israeli Attorney General also closed the investigation files into the killings.
"This purported apology also has no meaning while police violence against Palestinian citizens of Israel continues to this very day," it said in a press release responding to the apology by Barak, then prime minister of Israel, for the police killing of the 13 Palestinians.
Adalah represented the families of the 13 young Palestinians killed by Israel police in October 2000.
"Ehud Barak was directly responsible for the killing of 13 Arab youths in October 2000. He ordered Israeli police to deploy deadly means – including snipers – to reopen Highway 65 during the demonstrations, and he remained indifferent to the resultant killing and wounding of hundreds of protestors on 1-2 October 2000," said Adalah. "Barak's orders also justified the police's continued use of snipers during the subsequent days of protest."
Barak, who now heads the Israel Democratic Party and intends to run in the September Israeli elections, said in a radio interview today that protesters should not be killed by their country's security.
"There is no place for protesters to be killed by their country's security forces. I bear responsibility for everything that happened during my tenure as prime minister, including the October 2000 events,” he said. "Once again I want to expresses condolences and apologize to the families whose pain must be infinite."
Not a single Israeli officer or official has been indicted for the killings and the Police Investigation Unit decided in 2005 not to pursue any indictments against its members. In January 2007, the Israeli Attorney General also closed the investigation files into the killings.
The former PM says 'there's no place for protesters to be killed by their country's security forces' in response to an op-ed written by the left-wing politician, calling on Barak to apologize for his part in the killing of 13 Israeli Arabs
A former prime minister has apologized for his role in the violent thwarting of Palestinian riots that resulted in 13 Arab demonstrators being shot by police nearly two decades ago.
Ehud Barak, who has made a political comeback ahead of September's elections, now heads the Israel Democratic Party and hopes to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has recently become the longest serving primer in Israel's history.
"There is no place for protesters to be killed by their country's security forces," Barak said Tuesday in an Israel Radio interview. "I bear responsibility for everything that happened during my tenure as prime minister, including the October 2000 events,” he added.
"Once again I want to expresses condolences and apologize to the families whose pain must be infinite."
Barak was responding to an op-ed written by a parliament member from the left-wing Meretz party who called on him to apologize for the October 2000 killings, which came in the opening weeks of the Second Intifada, when he was serving as prime minister.
The episode - dubbed by the media as “the October events” - were a series of protests in Arab cities in northern Israel that swiftly turned violent, escalating into large-scale rioting by Israeli Arabs throughout the entire country.
This led to counter-protests by Israeli Jews, which resulted in clashes with the police and eventually in the deaths of 13 Arab demonstrators.
A former prime minister has apologized for his role in the violent thwarting of Palestinian riots that resulted in 13 Arab demonstrators being shot by police nearly two decades ago.
Ehud Barak, who has made a political comeback ahead of September's elections, now heads the Israel Democratic Party and hopes to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has recently become the longest serving primer in Israel's history.
"There is no place for protesters to be killed by their country's security forces," Barak said Tuesday in an Israel Radio interview. "I bear responsibility for everything that happened during my tenure as prime minister, including the October 2000 events,” he added.
"Once again I want to expresses condolences and apologize to the families whose pain must be infinite."
Barak was responding to an op-ed written by a parliament member from the left-wing Meretz party who called on him to apologize for the October 2000 killings, which came in the opening weeks of the Second Intifada, when he was serving as prime minister.
The episode - dubbed by the media as “the October events” - were a series of protests in Arab cities in northern Israel that swiftly turned violent, escalating into large-scale rioting by Israeli Arabs throughout the entire country.
This led to counter-protests by Israeli Jews, which resulted in clashes with the police and eventually in the deaths of 13 Arab demonstrators.
Arab MKs hold a banner with faces of those killed during October 2000 riots
Barak's apology was met with a lukewarm response from members of both the Meretz party and the ruling Likud.
"Barak is desperate … his party is barely passing the threshold and his political comeback has failed,” said the Meretz party in a statement. “The main question is why Barak insists on staying in politics, knowing he won’t be prime minister again.”
"We are still waiting for Ehud Barak's apology for being the worst prime minister in Israel's history," said Likud's statement.
Barak's apology was met with a lukewarm response from members of both the Meretz party and the ruling Likud.
"Barak is desperate … his party is barely passing the threshold and his political comeback has failed,” said the Meretz party in a statement. “The main question is why Barak insists on staying in politics, knowing he won’t be prime minister again.”
"We are still waiting for Ehud Barak's apology for being the worst prime minister in Israel's history," said Likud's statement.
