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SvennoJ on 17 February 2024
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China’s top diplomat: Fighting in Gaza root cause of Red Sea tensions

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says “the root cause” of the Red Sea tensions is the ongoing fighting in Gaza. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he reiterated China’s stance, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of channels for humanitarian aid into the besieged coastal enclave.

“We cannot allow this humanitarian disaster to continue,” Wang said. “An international peace conference [must be held] as soon as possible to revive the two-state solution.”



African Union Commission head says Gaza being ‘annihilated’

In his remarks at the African Union Summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the president of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, has voiced alarm about the continuing conflict in Gaza. “Gaza is being completely annihilated and its people are deprived of all their rights,” Faki said. “We denounce the Israeli operation, which has no parallel in the history of humanity.”

He added that the Palestinian people “must enjoy their full freedom and independent, sovereign state”. Faki added that the African continent stands in full solidarity with the Palestinian people and their demands for justice, backing South Africa’s demands that the International Court of Justice take action to end the killings in Gaza.

Palestinians have right to establish state with Jerusalem as capital: AU chair

African Union chairperson Azali Assoumani says the Palestinian people have the right to establish their own state with Jerusalem as its capital. In his remarks at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, he demanded an immediate cessation of the Israeli bombings in Gaza.

Assoumani, the Comoros president, had previously criticised Israel’s military campaign, stressing that there will be no peace in this region unless a two-state solution is reached.

In AU speech, Shtayyeh draws parallel with Africa’s anti-colonial fight

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has called for Israel to be ostracised internationally and for sanctions to be imposed in response to its crimes and violations of international law. Speaking at the two-day African Union Summit in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Shtayyeh drew a parallel between the Palestinian struggle and Africa’s fight against European colonialism.

“We defend our land, our people, and our sacred places, just as you defended your homelands against colonialism,” he said. Shtayyeh called on the international community to recognise the State of Palestine and for the UN Security Council to set a timetable for ending the occupation. He added that illegal settlement activities should be placed under international sanctions.

Crucial moment for Palestinians to have voices heard at AU Summit

Palestine has always had a strong presence at the African Union. But this summit comes after over four months of war in Gaza, so it’s a very crucial moment for the Palestinians to have their voice heard. This is exactly what just happened. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has thanked Africa for its support, mentioning, for instance, the genocide case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice.

But he wants more. He wants Africa to boycott Israeli goods because Israel is waging a “war of revenge”, as he described it, which is going to continue until the last Palestinian because Netanyahu wants to stay in power. He said Palestinians are grateful and need more support from the continent, including the boycotting of settlers’ activities in the West Bank.




Fear pervades West Bank hospital after deadly Israeli raid

A climate of fear pervades Jenin’s Ibn Sina Hospital in the occupied West Bank, where patients and doctors are reeling from last month’s deadly raid by Israeli agents disguised as medics. At the rehabilitation ward, two patients recalled hearing the screams of a nurse as Israeli forces reached the third floor.



“I opened the door and saw a man. I didn’t know they were special forces,” says a patient, a grey hoodie pulled up over his head to conceal his face. “The man was choking the nurse with his hand and hit her with the butt of his gun.” His account matched that of an elderly patient, who recalled hearing shouting while he stayed put in his room. Neither knew that through a sky-blue door just metres away, the Israeli unit shot dead three Palestinians, including a paraplegic patient hospitalised for months.

“It’s toughest at night,” said the patient, who had been shouted at by the undercover agents to shut his door during the assault.



Israeli commandos arrest 100 people at besieged Nasser Hospital

The Israeli army arrested about 100 people at Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis during its raid there in recent days, according to Israeli broadcaster Kan. Israeli forces have kept the hospital – Gaza’s largest functioning medical facility – under siege for weeks now. Hundreds of people, including patients, medical staff and displaced Palestinians remain trapped there.

“Special forces are operating at Nasser Hospital based on intelligence indicating terrorist activity at the hospital,” the military said in a post.

Hamas has dismissed accusations of using the health facility for military operations as “lies”.

Translation: In the south of the Gaza Strip, forces continue to operate against terrorist targets in the Khan Younis area. The commando formation, Sheitat 13 fighters and special forces under Division 98 are operating at Nasser Hospital based on intelligence indicating terrorist activity at the hospital. This activity led to the arrest of about 100 suspects.




Hamas won’t accept anything less than ‘complete’ cessation of hostilities

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh says the Palestinian group will not accept anything less than a “complete cessation of the aggression, the withdrawal of the occupation army from Gaza and the lifting of the unjust siege”. Israel must also free Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences in any upcoming swap deal, Haniyeh said in a statement. The Hamas leader blamed Israel for the lack of progress in achieving a ceasefire agreement.

Here’s what Ismail Haniyeh said:

  • We hold Israel responsible for the lack of progress in reaching a ceasefire agreement.
  • We will not accept anything less than a complete cessation of the aggression, the withdrawal of the occupation army from Gaza, and the lifting of the unjust siege.
  • We responded positively and responsibly to the mediators in order to stop the aggression against our people.
  • The occupation continues to procrastinate on important issues to our people, while its position is focused on the release of the prisoners held by the resistance.
  • Our goal is to achieve a prisoner exchange deal by which our prisoners, especially the old ones and those with long sentences, will be released.
  • We will use all available means to stop the bloodbath carried out by the enemy against our defenceless people.

Hamas warns of suspending talks until aid delivered

A leading official has spoken to Al Jazeera about the ongoing negotiations to end the war in Gaza. Here are their translated comments:

  • The movement intends to suspend negotiations until aid and relief are brought into the northern Gaza Strip.
  • Negotiations cannot be held while our Palestinian people are struggling to fend off starvation.

 


‘We should do everything we can to prevent attack on Rafah’: Slovenian PM

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob tells Al Jazeera on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that “there is a common consensus in saying that we should do everything we can to prevent an attack on Rafah.” “There is a call for an urgent ceasefire, but unfortunately some of my colleagues in the European Union are not backing this call and we’ll need to do more in this regard,” Golob said.

“The same goes for humanitarian aid: We need to do whatever we can to get more aid on the ground, as well,” he added.

Golob said there was some hope to negotiate a two-state solution in the future, but that the priority at present remained Rafah. “Hopefully, there will be some developments in the next days or perhaps weeks,” he said.