German parliament passes motion to combat anti-Semitism

The German Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, has overwhelmingly approved a resolution to combat anti-Semitism. The text calls for a ban on public funding for any group “that spreads anti-Semitism, calls into question Israel’s right to exist or calls for a boycott of Israel”. In cases of anti-Semitic acts in schools and universities, it calls for those responsible to be excluded from classes or even expelled.

The motion received broad support from a range of political parties, including the centre-left Social Democrats, the conservative CDU-CSU, the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats.

About 100 Jewish artists and intellectuals living in Germany said in a statement the resolution would “weaken, rather than strengthen, the diversity of Jewish life in Germany by associating all Jews with the actions of the Israeli government”.

The general secretary of Amnesty International’s Germany chapter, Julia Duchrow, said that while the rights group “explicitly welcomes the goal of adopting measures to fight anti-Semitism, … the resolution adopted today not only fails to achieve this, it could lead to serious violations of basic human rights and legal uncertainty”.

Ireland to join South Africa’s ICJ ‘genocide’ case against Israel

The Republic of Ireland intends to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) before the end of the year, its foreign minister said. Micheal Martin’s comments came as the Irish parliament passed a non-binding motion agreeing that “genocide is being perpetrated before our eyes by Israel in Gaza”.

In December, South Africa brought a case before the ICJ, arguing that the war in Gaza breached the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, an accusation Israel has strongly denied. Several nations have added their weight to the proceedings, including Spain, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Turkey, Chile and Libya.

Ireland said it would file a submission to the court once South Africa had submitted a document supporting its claims, which it did on Monday.

“The government’s decision to intervene in the South African case was based on detailed and rigorous legal analysis,” Martin told lawmakers in the Dail Eireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament. “Ireland is a strong supporter of the work of the court and is deeply committed to international law and accountability.”

South Africa announced on Monday that it had filed a so-called memorial with the ICJ claiming “evidence” of a “genocide” committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

Survey reveals majority of Danes want ban on weapon parts sale to Israel

An opinion poll on the war on Gaza shows that 54.3 percent of Danes are in favour of banning the export of Danish weapon parts to Israel. International rights groups, including Amnesty International, have repeatedly called for an arms embargo on Israel, citing numerous human rights violations.

The survey, conducted by Analyse Danmark for the Danish news outlet Puls48 between October 31 and November 5, also found:

France considers new sanctions on Israeli settlement enablers in occupied West Bank

France is mulling new sanctions on those enabling the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on a visit to the territory.

“France has been a driving force to establish the first sanction regime at the European level targeting individuals or entities, either actors or accomplices of settlement activities,” Barrot said after talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

“This regime has been activated two times already and we’re working on a third batch of sanctions targeting these activities that again are illegal with respect to international law.”

Barrot renewed France’s commitment to a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and warned settlement activities “threaten the political perspective that can ensure durable peace for Israel and Palestine”.

Fallout after armed Israeli police detain 2 French gendarmes in Jerusalem

Laws passed by Knesset are part of an ‘institutionalised apartheid’: Lawyer

Sawsan Zaher, a Palestinian human rights lawyer, told Al Jazeera that the two laws recently approved by the Knesset are “a dream come true for the right-wing coalition in the government”.

The laws allow the government to deport family members of so-called “terrorists” to Gaza and elsewhere, even if they are Israeli citizens and grant the Education Ministry the authority to fire, without notice, teachers who have identified with a “terrorist act”.

She says the issue is there is a “political interpretation of what a terror attack is”, and her experience as a lawyer in Israel is that these laws will be interpreted in a “biased way” against Palestinians.

“We’re talking about collective punishment, against parents, against siblings, against spouses of people who committed attacks that the family member most probably didn’t know about,” she said.

Zaher said that the laws will not be implemented when there is a terror attack against Palestinians.

The laws, she said, should not be seen in isolation but rather as part of “the institutionalised apartheid laws against Palestinians”.

Israel’s opposition leader blasts Netanyahu for appointing ‘puppet’ defence minister

Opposition leader Yair Lapid says Prime Minister Netanyahu had appointed Israel Katz “as a puppet for evasion matters”.

The comments by Lapid on X come after Netanyahu fired Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, saying he had lost confidence in Gallant over the management of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Katz was previously serving as Israel’s foreign minister.

For months, there had been open disagreements between Netanyahu and Gallant, reflecting a wider split between Israel’s right-wing governing coalition and the military, which has long favoured reaching a deal to halt the assault on Gaza and bring home dozens of captives held by Hamas.

Protests erupted across Israel following the announcement as thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv, blocking the city’s main highway.

Gallant says Israel will face consequences if military presence in Gaza continues

Israel’s recently fired Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has warned that it will prove costly for Israel if it continues its military presence in Gaza.

“I don’t know if it is possible to influence him [Netanyahu] into a ceasefire,” he told families of Israeli captives in Gaza, according to media outlet Days of Palestine.

“I tried and failed. I was isolated in the cabinet, and both the head of the Shin Bet, the chief of staff, and the head of the Mossad agreed with me on the necessity of reaching a deal.”

Moreover, Gallant pointed out that Netanyahu’s stance on the matter was driven by “neither security or political” concerns.

“At the beginning of July, Hamas agreed to a prisoner swap deal, and the conditions have been favourable since then. But until now, we’ve been in disagreement about whether it is ripe or not. I believed, and still believe, that we should be prepared to make a prisoner exchange deal and withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor,” he added.

Israeli attacks killed 53 people across Lebanon in last 24 hours

Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours have killed at least 53 people and wounded 161, Lebanon’s Health Ministry says.

This brings the total to 3,103 deaths and 13,856 injuries as a result of those attacks since October 2023.

Location of Israeli attack on UNIFIL ‘crucial’

We have a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) statement now. It says this afternoon, a uniform convoy bringing newly arrived peacekeepers to South Lebanon was passing side up when a drone strike occurred nearby.

Five peacekeepers were lightly injured and treated by the Lebanese Red Cross on the spot. The Lebanese army also says that three of their soldiers were injured as well, and three people have been killed.

A number of cars were also destroyed in that attack.

What is crucial about this attack is the location. The Awali checkpoint is one of the places where Israel issues a forced evacuation order. It tells people to go north of the Awali River. That’s where the checkpoint is.

So they’re telling people to go north of that particular checkpoint, but they’re also hitting that checkpoint as well. This is very, very concerning for UNIFIL, which has been attacked nearly 20 times since Israel announced its ground invasion.

Same thing that has been happening in Gaza for over a year now. Stay and get bombed or evacuate and get bombed.

Aftermath of an Israeli strike near Beirut airport


_{A Middle East Airlines (MEA) plane takes off from Beirut international airport as people inspect the damage at the area on the southern outskirts of Beirut that was targeted by overnight Israeli air strikes}

UNESCO to consider Lebanese cultural site protection amid Israeli bombardment

The UN’s cultural body says it would hold a meeting later this month to consider enhanced protection of cultural sites in Lebanon as Israel presses its bombardment campaign on Lebanon.

An extraordinary session of a UNESCO committee will be held at the body’s Paris base on November 18 to consider the inscription of Lebanese cultural properties on UNESCO’s international list of sites under “enhanced protection” as well as more funding, it said.

Over 1,500 Palestinians killed in Israeli siege of northern Gaza

More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing offensive in northern Gaza since last month, the Health Ministry said.

“The Israeli army has killed more than 1,500 Palestinians during its military operations in northern Gaza,” Munir al-Bursh, the ministry’s director-general, told Anadolu news agency.

“The army continues to commit massacres and target shelters and civilians in northern Gaza, causing fatalities amid a strained healthcare system.”

At least 52 Palestinians killed today

Medical sources told Al Jazeera that 52 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza today.

At least 42 of those were killed in northern Gaza.

Palestinians in northern Gaza at ‘imminent risk of dying’

Stephanie Tremblay, associate spokesperson for the UN chief, said that “the entire population in north Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence”. More than 1,500 people have been killed and no aid has entered northern Gaza since Israel’s siege there since last month.

“Palestinians there have no protection as bombardment continues our humanitarian colleagues stress once again that civilians in the north, and across Gaza, must be protected.”

Recently displaced Palestinians among casualties at bombed Gaza shelter

In Gaza City, there were people inside a school that was converted into an evacuation centre recently.

Many of those displaced sought shelter and protection inside this school. Some of them who had arrived there in the past few days were among the casualties when the school was bombed.

Once again, we are seeing the same patterns of targeting. Over the past few months, women and children have made up the vast majority of the casualties.

Now, the tragedy is those with injuries are taken to hospital either in civilian vehicles or on carts pulled by animals, arriving with severe burns and wounds – without the proper medical care needed to save their lives.

Israeli settlers attack house, torch vehicle south of Jenin

Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian house and torched a vehicle in the Jaba town, south of the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, Wafa news agency reported.

The report added that the settlers mounted an attack on the house of Aysar Saleh Khaliliya, physically assaulted his family and set a vehicle belonging to his brother, Muntaser, ablaze.

In violation of international law, more than 700,000 Israeli settlers are living across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Main points on November 7th

• At least 52 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza today.
• At least 12 people have been killed and many others wounded following an Israeli attack on a school in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City.
• Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours have killed at least 53 people and injured 161.
• Malaysia’s Defence Ministry said six of its peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were injured in a blast near the Saida Stadium in Lebanon.
• Israel’s parliament has given final approval to legislation allowing the government to deport family members of so-called “terrorists” to Gaza and elsewhere, even if they are Israeli citizens.
• Israel has signed a deal for the purchase of 25 advanced US-made F-15 aircraft worth $5.2bn, the country’s Defence Ministry has said.
• Ireland intends to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ before the end of the year.
  
  

Israel has made progress on Gaza aid but more needs to be done: Lloyd Austin

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has reiterated that though Israel has made “some progress” on allowing aid into Gaza, “more needs to be made”, as a US-imposed deadline to improve the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave approaches.

In a letter sent to Israel dated October 13, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Austin said Israel must take steps in the next 30 days to improve Gaza’s humanitarian situation or face potential restrictions on US military aid.

It stipulated that Israel must enable a minimum of 350 trucks to enter Gaza per day, put in place pauses in fighting to allow aid delivery and rescind civilian evacuation orders when there is no operational need.

The UN warned again on Thursday that “the entire population in north Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence” due to Israel’s weeks-long besiegement of the area.

"some progress"... There was a brief spike on October 30th of 120 trucks, but right after the avg is down to 50 daily at best again.
There might be another little 'spike' at the 'deadline' then the US can ignore it again.

UN aid official presses Netanyahu on aid to Gaza, Palestinians

Sigrid Kaag, the UN’s humanitarian aid representative for Gaza, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the urgent need for humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians in the war-torn territory.

Kaag “raised measures that require urgent implementation to address the dramatic humanitarian situation in Gaza and underlined the UN’s position regarding UNRWA”, a UN spokesperson said on Thursday.

Israel’s military has imposed a blockade of Gaza since October 2023, denying the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-torn enclave and causing severe shortages of food, medicine and clean water for the territory’s population.

The severity of Israel’s restrictions on food and other humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza has been described as an Israeli state policy to ” weaponise ” hunger in the Palestinian territory.

Israel’s parliament also voted on October 28 to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which the UN and aid groups have described as a catastrophe for the people of Gaza and Palestinian communities in need in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.

Israeli siege denying food, water to as many as 95,000 in north Gaza, UN warns

UN associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said Israel’s military is preventing food and water from entering besieged northern Gaza where an estimated 75,000 to 95,000 Palestinians are trapped and in need of supplies for their survival.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Tremblay said the only UN assistance Israel has allowed into the north since the beginning of its siege a month ago has been hospital supplies during medical evacuation missions.

Israeli bombardments and ground operations are also preventing humanitarian workers from reaching people in need, she said.

At least 75,000 Palestinians in north Gaza need immediate aid: UN

The United Nations humanitarian office says Israel’s monthlong offensive in northern Gaza is preventing the estimated 75,000 to 95,000 Palestinians from receiving essential items for their survival.

Israel says it is preparing to open a new aid crossing into Gaza as the deadline for a US deadline to increase desperately needed assistance into the war-ravaged territory approaches.

The Israeli military body handling aid to Gaza, COGAT, said it has built inspection facilities and paved roads around the Kissufim crossing, located near the centre of Gaza.

It says food, aid, and fuel will soon be able to be delivered through the crossing, but did not say when it will open or if aid will be delivered to northern of Gaza, where the UN and aid groups say the humanitarian situation is most severe.

France accuses Israel of harming ties after French officials detained by Israeli forces

Israeli forces entered the Church of the Pater Noster on the Mount of Olives, a holy site under French administration in occupied East Jerusalem, and briefly detained two French officials with diplomatic status.

France accused Israel of harming bilateral ties between the countries following Thursday’s incident, which occurred as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot was due to visit the compound. The site is one of four administered by France in Jerusalem and is deemed part of France.

Israeli authorities had been told not to enter the site before Barrot’s visit, and they were aware the two detained men were from the consulate and had diplomatic status, the Reuters news agency reports, citing unnamed French diplomatic sources.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has said an argument arose between Israeli forces and the French guards, but the pair were released immediately after they identified themselves as diplomats.

Israeli soldier who fired grenades in Gaza to celebrate Trump victory will be ‘disciplined’

The Israeli military said it will take action against a soldier who was featured firing an automatic grenade launcher at buildings in the Gaza Strip to celebrate Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, The Associated Press news agency reports.

In a video circulated widely on social media, the soldier is seen sitting behind what appears to be a US-made MK19 grenade launcher and, turning to a video camera, declares: “This is on the occasion of Donald Trump’s presidency. God bless America! God bless Israel!”

He then cheers as he fires a burst of at least six grenades towards what appears to be already heavily bombed residential buildings in Gaza. Laughter can be heard in the background as the camera turns towards the ruins of buildings in the distance and the sound of the grenades detonating.

The Israeli army said the soldier’s actions were “severe” and do not align with its values, the AP reports. “The soldier will be disciplined by his commanders,” the military said in a statement.

“This is on the occasion of Donald Trump’s presidency”

An Israeli soldier congratulates Trump on his victory by firing at the homes of civilians in the Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/jaQ3PheYtZ

— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) November 6, 2024

A slap on the wrist, not even. Still nobody 'disciplined' for Hind's murder nor the WCK murders. This guy will just get reminded not to post his war crimes on twitter.

Israel sends ‘rescue planes’ after Israeli football fans in clashes in Amsterdam     

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the dispatch of two rescue planes to Amsterdam to assist Israeli football supporters who are in the Dutch capital for a match between the Maccabi Tel Aviv club and Ajax Amsterdam.

Israel’s public broadcaster Kan news said the decision was made by Netanyahu after a “situation assessment” with the country’s foreign minister and military.

“The Prime Minister demands that the Dutch government and the Dutch security forces act decisively and quickly against the rioters and ensure the peace of our citizens,” Kan news reported.

According to media reports, scuffles broke out between Maccabi fans and pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the city, while there were also clashes between Israeli fans and police hours before the game kicked off.

Hundreds of Maccabi fans had gathered in the central Dam Square and illegally set off fireworks, the DPA news agency reports and police reported that about 20 people were arrested for disturbing public order and illegal possession of fireworks.

Clashes were also reported between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and police before the Europa League game when some 200 protesters tried to march to the stadium and push through a police blockade.

Police kept the demonstrators away from the stadium where Ajax strolled to a 5-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv.

_{Dutch police talk to a pro-Palestinian activist as Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters gather in Amsterdam ahead of the UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Thursday}

Israeli authorities say 10 football fans injured in Amsterdam violence


_{Israeli supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv gather in Amsterdam before the UEFA Europa League match with Ajax on Thursday}

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has said 10 Israelis have been injured and two others are “missing” after clashes between football supporters in the Dutch capital Amsterdam.

Palestinian and Israeli media reports suggest the violence erupted between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans when Israeli supporters damaged Palestinian flags in Amsterdam before the Europa League match – which the Dutch side won 5-0.

There were also clashes with police before the game as hundreds of Maccabi fans gathered in the central Dam Square and set off fireworks. Police reported that about 20 people were arrested for disturbing public order and illegal possession of fireworks.

Israeli authorities have advised Israelis in Amsterdam to avoid the streets and stay in their hotel rooms. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also ordered the dispatch of two rescue planes to assist Israeli football supporters.

Load of nonsense. Football fans rioting is nothing new in Amsterdam. I've lived there for over a decade. The Jordaan (Jewish quarter) has nothing to fear.

But soccer hooligans were using anti Jewish racist slogans during the 90s. "Hamas, Hamas, Jews to the gas" was one of the chants when Rotterdam played Amsterdam. Matches were halted to stop that despicable behavior.

I see it made a resurgence a few years ago.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/dutch-soccer-fans-chant-hamas-jews-to-the-gas-before-match-against-ajax/

Yet sending rescue planes for your misbehaving soccer hooligans, how dramatic can you get.

#شاهد | فيديو آخر يظهر تمزيق مشجعين صهاينة للعلم الفلسطيني في العاصمة الهولندية قبيل مباراة فريق"مكابي تل أبيب" مع أياكس أمستردام، وهو ما تسبب في اندلاع احتجاجات. pic.twitter.com/zKAzlCDUSn

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) November 8, 2024

Top diplomats of Israel, Netherlands discuss Amsterdam incident

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has spoken with his Dutch counterpart, Caspar Veldkamp, about the attack against Israeli football fans in Amsterdam, according to the ministry.

It said on X that Saar requested the Dutch government’s assistance in securing the departure of the fans from the hotels to the airport in Amsterdam. “Minister Saar emphasised the seriousness with which Israel views the widespread violent attacks against its citizens throughout Amsterdam tonight,” the ministry said.

The Netherlands should indeed deport these soccer hooligans.

Fast facts: Maccabi Tel Aviv football clu

Five injured, 62 arrested in Amsterdam riots involving Israeli football fans

Investigations are under way into multiple violent incidents involving fans of Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv football club and pro-Palestinian protesters. Amsterdam police said five injured people were taken to hospital and 62 others arrested after a spate of incidents on Thursday.

“The police are aware of reports about a possible hostage situation and missing persons, but currently have no confirmation that this has actually happened. This is also being investigated,” a statement said. “A number of people who were reported missing have now been found.”

EU chief condemns ‘vile attacks’ on Israelis in Amsterdam

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says she’s “outraged” by “vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam” after clashes following a football match led to arrests and hospitalisations.

“I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts,” von der Leyen wrote after speaking with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. “Anti-Semitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred.”

Outraged by last night’s vile attacks targeting Israeli citizens in Amsterdam.

I just spoke with @MinPres Schoof.

I strongly condemn these unacceptable acts.

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in Europe. And we are determined to fight all forms of hatred.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 8, 2024