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SvennoJ on 02 April 2024
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Some positive news, doesn't last long

Japan restores UNRWA funding: Report

Japan has become the latest country to lift its suspension of funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, the Japanese news agency Jiji is reporting.

The European Commission, Canada, Australia, Sweden and Finland have also lifted funding pauses to UNRWA in recent weeks, while the United States formalised its ban until March 2025.

Established by the UN General Assembly in 1949, UNRWA supports six million Palestinian refugees in several countries and is the largest provider of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

The US repeating Israeli lies without question is luckily being questioned more and more by other countries. The US is losing its credibility along with Israel.

Spain to recognise Palestinian statehood by July: Reports

Spain will recognise Palestinian statehood by July, says Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, according to reports in Spanish media. Sanchez’s remark came in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on the first day of visits to Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, state news agency EFE and newspapers El Pais and La Vanguardia reported.

At a European Council meeting last month, Sanchez said he agreed with the leaders of Ireland, Malta and Slovenia to “take the first steps” towards such a move.

In response, Israel told the four countries their plan constituted a “prize for terrorism”, which would decrease the chances of a negotiated resolution to the war in Gaza.


And that's it for the positive news

Media watchdog ‘extremely alarmed’ by Israel’s Al Jazeera ban

Jodie Ginsberg from the Committee to Protect Journalists says the announcement by Benjamin Netanyahu of his intention to ban Al Jazeera follows a similar pattern of media interference, including the killing of media workers.

“We’ve seen this kind of language before from Netanyahu and Israeli officials in which they try to paint journalists as terrorists, as criminals. This is nothing new,” Ginsberg told Al Jazeera.

“It’s another example of the tightening of the free press and the stranglehold the Israeli government would like to exercise. It’s an incredibly worrying move by the government.”

Netanyahu wrote on X on Monday that “Al Jazeera harmed Israel’s security, actively participated in the October 7 massacre, and incited against Israeli soldiers.”

Translation: The terrorist channel Al Jazeera will no longer broadcast from Israel. I intend to act immediately in accordance with the new law to stop the channel’s activity.



‘Food being blocked at every turn’: Aid group

The Save the Children charity has accused Israel of restricting the flow of much-needed humanitarian relief as the population of Gaza faces the threat of famine. “Life-saving supplies which could be used to treat malnourished children are being delayed and denied entry by the Government of Israel,” it said in a statement.

“Essential food and medical items are obstructed from entering Gaza for days, weeks, or even months. Others are being denied entry altogether by the Israeli authorities, with reports of oxygen cylinders, ventilators and water purifiers being turned away at the border.”

Country Director Xavier Joubert said: “Starvation must never be used as a weapon of war – 27 children have already been killed by starvation and disease. If the world fails to act now countless more children will be added to that number.”