Former Mossad chief says Netanyahu chooses ‘revenge’ over captives: Report
A former head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service has accused Netanyahu’s government of prioritizing revenge over the lives of Israeli captives still held in Gaza, according to a report.
Tamir Pardo, a director of Mossad between 2011 and 2016, said the government should have accepted Hamas’s offer for a prisoner swap on October 8, 2023.
“Israel, however, chose revenge. It knew that the captives could not all be freed through a military offensive,” Pardo said in an interview with Israeli news outlet Srugim, adding that Israel was aware that captives would be killed in ongoing attacks on Gaza.
“However, the government was not bothered … Instead of pursuing revenge, the government should have reached a deal to secure the captives’ release first and then pursued military objectives,” the former chief told the outlet.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Vienna call for Gaza ceasefire
Dozens of Austrian and Arab pro-Palestinian demonstrators organised a rally in the Austrian capital of Vienna to demand an end to the “genocidal war” being perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
The video below, verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad agency, shows protesters holding up banners and chanting slogans for peace on Saturday.
UK foreign minister says more sanctions possible over Israeli settler violence
Britain will keep under review possible new sanctions against Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and will act if it has to, foreign minister David Lammy has said.
Britain announced sanctions against Israeli settlers in February and May this year over extremist groups perpetrating settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Lammy, who became foreign minister in July after a Labour election victory, indicated the new government would take a similar approach and said that further sanctions were possible.
He added: “We are very worried about escalatory behaviour, very worried about inflamed tensions.” “I’m absolutely clear: if we have to act, we will act, and I’m in discussions with G7 partners particularly and European partners on that,” Lammy said.
“I’m not announcing further sanctions today, but that is kept under close review, and as you would expect, I am deeply, deeply concerned.”
You had to act many years ago, what are you still waiting for.
