Four US state depts raise concerns in internal memo that Israel may be violating international law in Gaza
Some senior US officials have advised Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find “credible or reliable” Israel’s assurances that it is using US-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law, according to an internal State Department memo reviewed by Reuters.
Under a National Security Memorandum (NSM) issued by President Joe Biden in February, Blinken must report to Congress by May 8 whether he finds credible Israel’s assurances that its use of US weapons does not violate US or international law.
By March 24, at least seven State Department bureaus had sent their contributions to an initial “options memo” to Blinken. “Some components in the department favoured accepting Israel’s assurances, some favoured rejecting them, and some took no position,” an unnamed US official quoted by Reuters said.
A joint submission from four bureaus raised “serious concern over non-compliance” with international humanitarian law during Israel’s prosecution of the war on Gaza. The assessment from the four bureaus said Israel’s assurances were “neither credible nor reliable.” It cited eight examples of Israeli military actions that the officials said raise “serious questions” about potential violations of international humanitarian law.
These included repeatedly striking protected sites and civilian infrastructure; “unconscionably high levels of civilian harm to military advantage”; taking little action to investigate violations or to hold to account those responsible for significant civilian harm and “killing humanitarian workers and journalists at an unprecedented rate”.
Palestinians search for bodies and survivors amidst the rubble of a destroyed house following an Israeli air raid in Nuseirat refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, April 27
Husam Zomlot, Jeremy Corbyn lead pro-Palestine protest in London
The official account of the Palestinian Mission to the UK has posted a picture of Husam Zomlot, Palestine’s ambassador to the UK, leading a protest in London.
Also pictured is Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the UK Labour Party and vocal critic of Israel’s war on Gaza.
#HappeningNow: Ambassador @hzomlot leading the massive protest in London to demand an end to the Israeli genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/oHPECFV7fC
— Palestine in the UK (@PalMissionUK) April 27, 2024
A 74-year-old Palestinian activist spends six months in Israeli jail
Omar Assaf has just been released from an Israeli prison after six months in custody. Our cameras caught him reuniting with his family and a little bit of his story.
491 Palestinians killed in West Bank since Oct 7: Ministry
The Palestinian Authority (PA) Ministry of Health has said that the number includes 123 children, five women, five elderly people and 10 detainees in Israeli prisons.
Earlier today, we reported that Israeli troops killed two men, ages 20 and 21, in Jenin, and injured two others moderately, according to medics at Jenin’s government hospital.
