More than 30 countries call for greater scrutiny of Israel’s role in destroying Gaza health system
The countries are backing a proposal at the World Health Organization’s annual assembly in Geneva that would require the agency to boost documentation of the “catastrophic humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and possible “starvation”, according to the Reuters news agency.
They also condemned ongoing Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza and appealed for more scrutiny of Israel’s role in the enclave’s health crisis. The WHO has recorded hundreds of attacks on health facilities in the occupied Palestinian territory since the beginning of the conflict began, but does not attribute blame.
Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi urged countries to support the motion, saying: “We cannot allow Israel to destroy everything, to destroy health care facilities and to allow this to happen.”
A vote on the proposal is expected later today.
Brazil withdraws ambassador to Israel over war on Gaza
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva withdrew the country’s ambassador to Israel in the latest back-and-forth over the war on Gaza.
The move was announced in Brazil’s official gazette, although Israel’s foreign ministry said no official message has yet been received, according to The Associated Press.
Lula earlier this year compared Israel’s war to the Holocaust. In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned Brazil’s envoy for a public reprimand at the national Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.
EU’s foreign policy chief assures UNRWA head of full support
Josep Borrell says on X that he met today with Philippe Lazzarini of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), assuring him of the EU’s continued financial support to the agency, which was hit hard after donor states suspended funding to it earlier this year when Israel accused several of its staff members of participating in the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
“[EU member states] resumed their financial support. The next tranche of EU funding is on its way”, Borrell wrote.
Israel did present credible evidence to support its claims that UNRWA staff were members of “terrorist” groups, an independent review for the United Nations led by a former French foreign minister said in late April.
Borrell also said that the EU rejects “any attempt to label UNRWA as a terrorist organisation”, which the Israeli parliament, called the Knesset, moved to do two days ago.
“[UNRWA] remains an indispensable life line to Palestinians”, Borrell added.
Met w/ @UNLazzarini. He had no more words to describe the situation in Gaza. Day after day, the death follows the cortège. People are not only losing their lives: hope & social fabric are being destroyed.
We must put an end to a tragedy that offends our conscience & humanity 1/2 pic.twitter.com/XHbJLtNvQG
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) May 29, 2024
Credible evidence? You mean faked evidence. Nothing turned up in the independent investigation. At least the EU restored funding. Don't be so gullible next time.
(I'm guessing it's a typo in the article as the link states "Israel has not presented credible evidence")
