‘The killing must stop’: Actor urges UK gov’t to end arms supply to Israel
British actor Juliet Stevenson has released a video statement calling on the UK government to end the supply of arms to Israel.
Stevenson said although the government in September suspended export licences for some weapons, it continues to license the supply of parts for F-35 fighter jets used in deadly attacks such as the one on the densely populated al-Mawasi camp in southern Gaza on July 13.
“The bombs which shredded some 90 people to bits were launched from F-35 jets,” she said, noting that the aircraft is made by the US and its closest allies, principally the UK.
“Building and maintaining the F-35s has been Britain’s biggest contribution to the war on Gaza – has been and still is,” Stevenson said, urging viewers to support a campaign by the Global Legal Action Network and Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq calling for the suspension of all UK weapons sales to Israel.
“Every day brings a new atrocity. This government, our government, cannot go on pretending this isn’t happening,” Stevenson said, adding that Britain “must not aid and abet war crimes”.
40 firefighters and ambulance workers killed in Lebanon over past 3 days, health minister says
Forty ambulance and firefighting staff have been killed in the past three days across Lebanon, Health Minister Firass Abiad said Thursday.
Abiad said 97 paramedics and firefighters in the country have been killed by Israeli strikes since October 8 last year, as the death toll across the country from the same date climbed to 1,974, of whom 127 are children and 261 are women.
Overnight, seven medics working for Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Authority were killed by an Israeli strike on central Beirut.
“We know that there are international laws protecting medical institutions, ambulances and health care workers,” the health minister said.
Biden leaves door open to Israel striking Iran's oil reserves, but says no counterstrike planned for today
President Joe Biden speaks to the press as he prepares to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on October 3
US President Joe Biden fielded questions on the ongoing Middle East conflict before departing the White House for Florida and Georgia Thursday.
Asked if he would support Israel striking Iran’s oil reserves in retaliation for the massive Tuesday missile strike against Israel, Biden left the door open, telling reporters, “We’re in discussions of that” but “there’s nothing going to happen today; we’ll talk about that later.”
Yesterday, Biden made clear he does not support an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites.
The president declined to outline what sanctions the US is considering against Iran, telling one reporter, “I’ll tell them before I tell you.”
He added that there was no update to share on the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Israel must respond to Iran "disproportionately," former US national security adviser argues
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton — who has called for Israel to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program in the wake of Iran’s ballistic missile attacks this week — criticized President Joe Biden for urging Israel to exercise restraint in retaliating against the attack.
“Even if that’s his opinion, why do you tell Israel’s adversary, and by the way, America’s adversary in Tehran, what you’re not going to do?, ” Bolton told Kasie Hunt on CNN This Morning of Biden saying Israel should respond to Iran’s attacks proportionately. “Let them worry about it.”
Bolton added that Biden’s “position itself is wrong” and argued that Israel must respond “disproportionately” to actually deter Iran by targeting its nuclear proliferation program.
“I think the administration is paralyzed by this fear of wider war … the wider war is already here,” he added.
Bolton continued, “Can you assure Israel that the next time Iran fires a ballistic missile from its territory, that under the nose cone of that missile there’s not going to be a nuclear weapon? … Is the threat of nuclear extinction a bigger or a smaller threat than a wider war?”
Can Iran even make a nuclear weapon without ever conducting any tests? (which would be noticed)
Striking out of fear is what got us here. The best way to ensure Iran doesn't fire missiles again is to stop attacking Iran...
