UN draft resolution demands Israel’s withdrawal from Palestinian territory

The UN General Assembly has adopted a draft resolution calling for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem.

It also called upon states not to recognise any changes to the pre‑1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, and not to provide any assistance to illegal settlement activities, directly or indirectly.

The draft resolution, which was penned by Djibouti, Jordan, Mauritania, Qatar, Senegal and Palestine, was approved with 151 votes in favour, 11 against and 11 abstentions.

In July last year, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should come to an end “as rapidly as possible”.

UNGA passes resolution declaring Israel occupation of Golan Heights illegal

The UN General Assembly adopted another resolution yesterday, declaring Israel’s occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights “illegal” and demanding its full withdrawal.

The text, submitted by Egypt, passed with 123 votes in favour, seven against and 41 abstentions. The vote drew the ire of Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, who slammed the international body as “disconnected” from reality.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 war and later illegally annexed the area, a move recognised by the US but rejected by most of the international community.

There, it has built more than 30 illegal settlements where more than 25,000 Jewish Israelis live. The Israeli army seized on the chaos that followed the fall last year of Bashar al-Assad, entrenching its presence deeper into Syria, occupying also the UN buffer zone that was established between the occupied territory and the rest of Syria.

UN calls for opening of ‘all available’ border crossings into Gaza

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric says the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and its partners are working to increase assistance for civilians, especially children, in Gaza who have “suffered immensely” throughout the war.

“We continue to call for the opening of all available border crossings and corridors – including so that patients can seek treatment in the West Bank – and stress the need for unimpeded access for international emergency medical teams to enter Gaza,” he added.

He added that in the past two days alone, nearly two dozen Palestinian families have been displaced from their homes in the occupied West Bank, which were turned into military posts.

Over 200 international celebrities call for Marwan Barghouti’s release from Israeli prison

Hundreds of prominent cultural figures have signed an open letter urging Israel to release Marwan Barghouti, the most prominent Palestinian detainee in Israeli custody.

Barghouti has been in an Israeli prison since the early 2000s. He is a prominent member of Fatah, the Palestinian political faction that dominates the Palestinian Authority, which governs limited parts of the occupied West Bank.

He is serving five life sentences plus 40 years on murder and attempted murder charges, which he has consistently denied.

“We express our grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned,” read a statement signed by more than 200 prestigious names.

The list includes actors Tilda Swinton, Josh O’Connor and Mark Ruffalo; writers Margaret Atwood, Zadie Smith and Annie Ernaux; and musicians Brian Eno, Sting and Paul Simon.

Palestinians had called for Barghouti to be released as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, but Israel refused to free him.

In an interview with Al Jazeera in October, his son, Arab Barghouti, expressed fear for his father’s life amid witness reports that he was beaten by guards.

YouTuber Ms Rachel nominated for ‘Antisemite of the Year’ award

Kids’ YouTube presenter Rachel Accurso, known as Ms Rachel, has been nominated for ‘Antisemite of the Year’ by advocacy group StopAntisemitism.

Supporters say the backlash coming in over the nomination is due to her advocacy for children in Gaza.

Bahrain hosts GCC summit amid shifting regional security dynamics

Bahrain is hosting the 46th Gulf Cooperation Council today. The summit comes as the sense of security that the US, British and French bases spread across the region provide is not perceived as solid as it once was.

Some experts argue that the West is no longer a reliable protector for the Gulf, pointing to evidence such as Israel’s air raids on Doha in September.

The uncertainty seems to have prompted GCC member states to consider other options for their security, with perhaps the most notable example being the defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan last month.

How the US and Israel Are in Lockstep on Middle East Goals

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese explains how the goals of Israel and the US are the same when it comes to foreign policy in the Middle East.

US-led ceasefire monitoring team convenes in Lebanon for discussions

A US-led ceasefire monitoring team is meeting in the Lebanese border town of Naqoura. The meeting will also be attended by US deputy special envoy to the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, who was in Israel on Tuesday for talks focused on Lebanon.

Historic shift as ex-ambassador heads Lebanon-Israel discussions

Today’s meeting in southern Lebanon is significant. For the first time, Lebanon’s delegation will be headed not by a military official but a civilian – a diplomat, Lebanon’s former ambassador to the US, Simon Karam.

This is a proposal the US put on the table a few weeks ago for civilians to take part in these talks as Lebanon is under diplomatic pressure to engage in direct talks with Israel. But this is a very divisive and sensitive issue in Lebanon, where many people see Israel as the enemy. So sending a civilian to the meeting is seen as a concession from the Lebanese government.

A few weeks ago, President Joseph Aoun said more than once that Lebanon offered to hold negotiation with Israel, saying that the country had no choice – but he never mentioned “direct talks”. Under this mechanism, you are going to have Lebanese and Israeli – as well as French, US and UN – officials discussing security issues and what is going on in the south.

Hezbollah’s position has been very clear: no direct talks with Israel, no full disarmament – which the group considers a surrender. It says that every political concession made by the Lebanese government to date did not achieve much and did not stop Israeli strikes.

Israel sends envoy to Lebanon for economic talks

PM Netanyahu has instructed the National Security Council’s acting director to send a representative on his behalf to meet officials in Lebanon to establish economic cooperation between the two countries.

This comes as the Lebanese government is under growing US pressure to engage in direct talks with Israel – a highly divisive issue in the country.

Israel and Hezbollah entered a US-brokered ceasefire agreement last year, but Israel has not halted strikes against Lebanon, especially in the country’s south, where it claims that Hezbollah is rearming.

How Netanyahu’s war crimes probe at The Hague was derailed

The International Criminal Court (or ICC) is the world’s only permanent international court with the power to prosecute senior officials for international crimes. It’s currently investigating a dozen situations including in Palestine, Ukraine, Sudan, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Philippines.

But since it began investigating Israeli leaders, the court has been hit by existential difficulties– threats of defunding over these very investigations, a prolonged and opaque investigation into its chief prosecutor; and a series of sanctions by Netanyahu ally, US President Donald Trump.

Ana, Cenk & Ms. Rachel Nominated For "Antisemite" Award

Stopantisemitism.org's Liora Rez nominated Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian for an "Antisemite Of The Year" award.


When facts and empathy become anti-semitic....

I don't know what you mean by work, its not like I read anything on this thread.  I just get a little OCD when I see a little orange text on the home screen.

Personally I think this thread is actually a bit egotistical of you.  Clearly no one is replying to it, and it's just an endless stream/spam of your own posts.

If people stop reading I'll give up posting. Recent views are between 400 and 600 every day, going up to 1200 when something breaks through to mainstream media. 

I fail to see what's egotistical about drawing attention to a genocide and the geopolitical forces behind it. I don't get paid $7,000 a post like Israeli Zionist spam on social media lol.
 
This is what news is, an endless stream of events... Posting it does organize and correlate what's going on in that part of the world in my mind. Hopefully it will make other people aware as well of why these things are happening and slowly break through the main stream media conditioning.

Unfortunately I have OCD as well, when I start something, I have to finish it. The power outage has been cancelled / postponed, no break from the world :/

Maybe try asking here
https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread/249876/website-changes-updates-and-improvements/

I can make a part 2 thread to help you get rid of the orange icon, but my OCD wants to keep it together :/

Hamas, Islamic Jihad members search for remains of captives in northern Gaza


_{Islamic Jihad and Hamas fighters search for the remains of deceased captives in Beit Lahiya, the northern Gaza Strip}

Netanyahu’s office says Israeli troops have received the body of a captive

The Israeli prime minister’s office says that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has transferred the body of a captive to Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas also said it had transferred the body of an Israeli captive to the ICRC.


_{Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters wait for Red Cross members to receive a body before it is handed over to Israel to determine whether it belongs to a captive, in Beit Lahiya, the Gaza Strip, December 3}


Israeli army carries out demolitions in Gaza

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in the Gaza Strip reports that the army has carried out a demolition operation within the so-called yellow line, in the southeast area of Khan Younis.

The yellow line demarcates areas of the Strip still under Israeli army control.

The army continues to demolish buildings inside its area of control, further exacerbating Gaza’s displacement crisis, with tens of thousands living in tents with no homes to return to.

Hence Egypt is not on board, doesn't want any more refugees.

‘Israeli manoeuvring’ over Rafah border crossing, says former Egyptian diplomat

Under the terms of the ceasefire, the long-closed Rafah crossing is to be opened for medical evacuations and travel to and from Gaza.

Israel says Palestinians will not be able to return to Gaza through the crossing until the last captive remains are returned from Gaza. Egypt, which controls the other side, said the crossing will open only if movement goes both ways.

Hussein Haridy, a former Egyptian assistant foreign minister, said Egypt remains “committed to UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted on October 17 last year, which endorsed a ceasefire plan”.

All crossings should be opened under the resolution, and Egypt is working with the European Union and the Palestinian Authority on operating the posts, including Rafah, when conditions allow, he told Al Jazeera from Cairo.

“We need to operate the Rafah crossing according to the [US President Donald] Trump peace plan. Ever since 1948, the date Israel was established, we’ve become accustomed to Israeli manoeuvring when it comes to implementing ceasefire agreements,” said Haridy.

Israeli military says four soldiers injured in Rafah clash

The Israeli army says that during an operation in eastern Rafah, its forces encountered several fighters who emerged from a “subterranean structure in the area”.

During the encounter, an Israeli solidier was seriously wounded and three moderately wounded. The soldiers were evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment.

Let me guess, they were hunting down the remaining resistance fighters stuck behind the yellow line. Not waiting for negotiations, drove them out and got injured when they defended themselves.

What 'operation', they should be doing squat during the ceasefire.

Israel labels Rafah incident a ceasefire violation

The Israeli military has called the incident in which four Israeli troops were injured in southern Gaza a violation of the ceasefire agreement, despite carrying out attacks on the Palestinian enclave on 43 out of the 54 days of the ceasefire, according to Al Jazeera’s analysis of news reports.

After the incident, Israel’s Army Radio reported that the PM said Israel will not “tolerate harm” to Israeli soldiers and “we will respond accordingly”.

Since the ceasefire agreement on October 10, Israel has violated it at least 591 times through the continuation of attacks by air, artillery and direct shootings, the Government Media Office in Gaza has said.

Israeli drone strikes hit south Gaza

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic report that a total of four strikes have hit the city of Khan Younis.

Five killed in Israeli strikes on Khan Younis

The Kuwaiti Hospital says that five people, including two children, were killed when an Israeli drone hit tents housing displaced people in al-Mawasi, west of Khan Younis.