‘Action needed’ behind statements calling for end to Gaza famine
A political scientist says a joint statement by the EU’s top diplomat and foreign ministers from 24 countries calling for an end to “famine” in Gaza is a welcome step, but more action is needed.
Xavier Abu Eid, a former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said the recent statement, signed by the foreign ministers of European countries, as well as those of Australia, Japan and Canada, was important. But its demands – for international aid shipments to be allowed into Gaza, and an end to lethal force at distribution sites – should have been happening already.
“It’s something we have been witnessing for the past two years,” Abu Eid told Al Jazeera from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
“Some of the countries that signed … were actually among those who gave a blessing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu back in October 2023 to launch this genocide.”
He said a number of the signatories of the statement had also announced that next month they would recognise a Palestinian state, which he said would be a positive step towards statehood, but would also require further concrete action, including sanctions on Israel.
“Recognition on its own is not going to work,” he said.
European countries ‘should ban Netanyahu from their airspace’
Xavier Abu Eid, a former adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), says that Western countries that signed a joint statement calling for an end to “famine” in Gaza need to follow up their word with actions, including preventing the Israeli leader from using their airspace.
“Let’s remember that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, is a wanted person by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he said.
He said some of the signatories to Tuesday’s joint statement, including France and Greece, had been allowing Netanyahu to travel through their airspace during his trips to the United States.
“Are they going to take the same action now that Prime Minister Netanyahu will most probably be going to the United Nations next month? That’s a question that they should be asking,” he said.
He said other signatories should back up their condemnation of Israel with action by preventing Israeli weapons from travelling through their ports.
“It’s very important to remember that when countries issue such a statement, it means that they have all the information to know what’s going on on the ground,” he said. “What we’re talking about here is a genocide.”
Israeli firm Elbit inks $1.64bn weapons deal with unnamed European country: Report
Israeli military technology company Elbit Systems has secured a $1.64bn deal with a European country for the supply of its long-range precision strike artillery-rocket systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, The Times of Israel newspaper has reported.
The newspaper said the unnamed European country ordered a suite of AI-powered unmanned aerial combat systems, including personally operated drones for tactical and operational use.
The five-year contract is for the supply of Elbit’s long-range precision artillery rockets, and defence products equipped with its advanced intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, known as ISTAR, as well as communications and signal intelligence systems, it reported.
It also includes the delivery of advanced electro-optical and night-vision systems, the report said.
FUCK Europe.
