Israel says investigation under way in Palestinian prisoner abuse case
Israel is conducting a “robust investigation” of suspects accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian prisoner, the Foreign Ministry has claimed.
The UN special rapporteur on torture had previously condemned what she called a “particularly gruesome” case of the alleged sexual abuse of a Palestinian prisoner by Israeli soldiers and said the perpetrators must be held accountable.
“Israel remains steadfast in its commitment to the rule of law and the humane treatment of all detainees with all allegations of violence of any sort being methodically investigated by Israeli authorities,” the ministry said.
The United Nations said it has received multiple reports of alleged torture against Palestinians detained since October 7, 2023.
In the case of an attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy that killed six foreign aid workers and their Palestinian driver, the Israeli army acknowledged misconduct by its forces and only dismissed two soldiers. But other investigations remain open, and admissions of guilt are rare.
Israel’s military advocate general, Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, said in June that the military is investigating about 70 cases of alleged wrongdoing.
PA ‘takes steps’ to get Abbas, wider leadership to Gaza
The Palestinian Authority (PA) says it is taking necessary steps to prepare for President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership to travel to the besieged Gaza Strip.
In a statement carried by the official news agency Wafa, the PA said these steps are being taken to ensure that “the president and leadership are with their people who are being subject to genocide, and to ensure national unity”.
On August 15, Abbas pledged to travel to Gaza. Addressing the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Abbas also called on Muslim leaders to join him in the enclave.
“I have decided to go to Gaza with all my brothers in Palestine,” Abbas said to applause from Turkish lawmakers at the time. “I will go even if the price is my life. My life, our lives, are not more valuable than the life of any child who died in Gaza.”
The PA said that it has reached out to the United Nations, permanent members of the UN Security Council, Arab and Muslim states, the Arab League, the European Union and the African Union, among others, “to ensure the success of this endeavour, to provide support and to join if possible”. Israel, it said, has also been informed.
‘Colombian coal is used to make bombs to kill Palestinian children’
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has said in a post on X that coal from his country is being used for bombs that kill Palestinian children. Petro also linked to a post showing a decree issued by the government on August 14 prohibiting the export of coal to Israel.
According to the document signed by Petro, Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo and the ministers of finance, mines and commerce, the measure will go into effect five days after its publication in the official journal.
Con el carbón colombiano hacen bombas para matar los niños de Palestina https://t.co/YXqGFSoKC0
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) August 18, 2024
UK diplomat quits Foreign Office over arms sales to Israel
Mark Smith, listed as a second secretary in the United Kingdom’s embassy in the Republic of Ireland, wrote in a resignation letter to colleagues that was posted online that members of the Israeli government and military have expressed “open genocidal intent”.
Smith also said that it was “deeply troubling” that the department had “disregarded” his concerns on what he termed the “illegality of continued arms sales“.
In a letter to colleagues, he wrote: “It is with sadness that I resign after a long career in the diplomatic service, however I can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in war crimes.”
Smith said he is a former penholder on the arms export licensing assessment in the Middle East and North African Department, experience he said makes him a “subject matter expert” on arms sales policy.
“Each day we witness clear and unquestionable examples of war crimes and breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza perpetuated by the state of Israel,” Smith said.
