UN chief says world should not be intimidated by Israel
Antonio Guterres says the world should not be intimidated by Israel in taking action against its war.
“What we are witnessing in Gaza is horrendous,” Guterres told the AFP news agency. “It is the worst level of death and destruction that I’ve seen in my time as secretary-general, probably my life, and the suffering of the Palestinian people cannot be described – famine, total lack of effective healthcare, people living without adequate shelters in huge concentration areas,” he said.
Guterres was speaking to the AFP before the UN’s signature high-level week, at which 10 countries will recognise a Palestinian state, over fierce Israeli objections. Israel has reportedly threatened to annex the West Bank if Western nations press ahead with the recognition plan at the UN gathering.
But Guterres said, “We should not feel intimidated by the risk of retaliation. “With or without doing what we are doing, these actions would go on, and at least there is a chance to mobilise the international community to put pressure for them not to happen,” he said.
Portugal to recognise a Palestinian state
Portugal has joined Australia, Canada, France and the United Kingdom in announcing plans to recognise a Palestinian state.
In a statement on Friday, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the recognition will take place on Sunday, a day before a high-level conference on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that Portugal will recognise the State of Palestine,” the ministry wrote in a statement on its website. “The Official Declaration of Recognition will take place on Sunday, September 21st, before next week’s High-Level Conference.”
Saudi Arabia, France, Norway, Spain launch PA fundraising campaign: Report
As Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has withheld tax revenue that it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) for four consecutive months, it has brought the Palestinian body that oversees parts of the occupied West Bank to the brink of collapse.
Preventing the collapse is “essential for a future of peace and security in the Middle East”, Saudi Arabia, France, Norway and Spain said in a letter to potential donor countries set to attend a two-state solution conference next week at the UN, The Times of Israel reports.
Participants at Monday’s conference are expected to demand that Israel release the PA’s funds. But anticipating that Israel will not budge, they have set a fundraising goal of $200m each month for six months to meet the PA’s operating expenses.
“Financial shortcoming cannot be the cause of the failure of the Palestinian State and destabilisation of the Middle East,” the letter said.
