Palestinian ministry warns widened war shifts attention away from Gaza
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned of Israel’s attempt to widen the conflict to divert attention away from its war on Gaza, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
The ministry cautioned that Israel is attempting to distract from its actions against Palestinians there and reiterated its call for a ceasefire, the agency said.
In a separate statement, the ministry condemned Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
“The Ministry views these actions as blatant violations of international law and humanitarian principles, as well as an attempt to further escalate war to destabilise the region,” it stated.
UN chief’s spokesman calls for need for more journalists in Gaza
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General, has backed the need for more journalists in Gaza to report about the ground situation.
“There are not enough journalists in Gaza to get a sense of what is going on on the ground, and it is a shame. The world needs to know and needs to have an objective view of what’s happening in Gaza,” he told Al Jazeera.
Dujarric also expressed his concerns about the closing of Al Jazeera office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. “We would continue to speak out in defence of press freedom,” Dujarric told Al Jazeera on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly session.
The shutting down of Al Jazeera bureau in Ramallah, Dujarric said, was “a sign of what we see around the world where journalists are kept out of the conflict areas”. “I think when free press is kept out of wars of conflict the world goes blind. We do not know what’s happening and it leads to even more suffering for people.”
Islamic-Christian Commission urges UNGA to boycott Israel
An organisation that works for the safety of holy sites in Jerusalem has urged the UN General Assembly to boycott Israel.
The Islamic-Christian Commission for the Defense of Jerusalem and Holy Sites also asked the global body, which is holding its annual session, to “take effective legal measures to hold Israeli war criminals accountable”.
The commission called for measures to urge the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue warrants against Israeli politicians accused of war crimes.
The ICC prosecutor has requested arrest warrants for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Warrants have also been sought against two Hamas leaders.
Morocco to try Israeli soldier for war crimes in Gaza: Report
An Israeli soldier detained while on holiday in Marrakesh will be tried in a Morocco court for committing war crimes in Gaza after widespread protests and a high-profile national lawsuit, The New Arab reported.
“The Court of Appeal in Rabat agreed to review the lawsuit after some effort, classifying it under terrorism-related crimes,” said Moroccan lawyer Najia El-Hadjaji, one of the seven lawyers behind the lawsuit, the outlet reported.
Moche Avichzer, the Israeli soldier, had shared posts from his Moroccan holiday on Instagram shortly after posting photos amid the rubble while on duty in Gaza, where he was stationed for three months, The New Arab said.
In late July, hundreds protested demanding that Avichzer be tried as a war criminal, the outlet reported. “[His] actions are considered terrorist under both international and Moroccan law,” the lawsuit against the soldier states.
