G7 seeks unity on ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu
The G7 is seeking a common position on Netanyahu’s arrest warrant issued last week by the International Criminal Court, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says. “We need to be united on this,” Tajani said at the start of a meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 nations.
The United States, part of the G7, has rejected the ICC decision.
US Middle East envoy to head to Saudi Arabia for ceasefire talks
Brett McGurk will be in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to discuss using the potential Lebanon ceasefire deal as a catalyst for ending the conflict in Gaza, the White House has said.
Previous attempts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza have repeatedly failed, with Israel refusing to accept a permanent end to the fighting.
Smotrich calls for Gaza’s population to be cut in half
The far-right Israeli finance minister has made the suggestion during a conference organised by the Yesha Council, an organisation representing illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
“It is possible to create a situation where Gaza’s population in two years will be less than half its current size,” Smotrich said, according to comments translated into English by Haaretz. “Encouraging voluntary emigration is an opportunity that arises with the new [Trump] administration.”
“It is possible and necessary to take civilian responsibility for Gaza. … The [Israeli military] will need to be there to maintain security, prevent Gaza from rearming and becoming a threat to Israeli citizens again, and, in the process, oversee civilian [affairs],” he added.
Why is there no warrant for Smotrich.
Israeli far-right may take advantage of Lebanon deal to continue Gaza war
Yossi Mekelberg, a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, told Al Jazeera that while the proposed ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon would not deviate much from previous deals, the key would be what happens in the coming weeks and months.
“From Israel’s point of view, the government has been able to eliminate much of the Hezbollah leadership and reduce its capabilities… and an agreement for Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River,” Mekelberg said. “Much of it will depend on domestic affairs within Lebanon: how strong is Hezbollah going to be after the war, can it rearm itself, the relationship with Iran.”
Mekelberg added that there were a lot of unknowns, but that the Israeli goal now was to create a buffer zone patrolled by UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army and allow for the return of Israeli civilians to the north of Israel.
However, he also pointed out that the far-right might seek to take advantage of any deal, and that there would be a trade-off with some of their goals, such as a “permanent presence in at least some of Gaza”.
