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traditions and partner in crimes....

crimescrimes

Above 40, 000 confirmed casualties in Gaza, there is a possibility that other 186000 – 240000 have been killed indirectly, going by lower limits of known ratios of direct and indirect deaths in wars. This range suggests that 8-10% of Gaza’s prewar population of 2.3 million has been killed as the world watched.

 

EU as a long-term Partner to Israeli’s Genocide in Palestine

 

BY Simon Chege Ndiritu

 

The European Union (EU) is a partner in these deaths, as it has declined to sanction Israel, supplied weapons, facilitated transit of US weapons, and invested in developing war technologies used currently in Gaza.

40,000 directly and, at least 3 times indirectly killed Gazans

International bodies (UN, UNICEF, ICJ, and ICC) have decried Israel’s action in Gaza and called for action against the Jewish state, which makes EU’s failure to act indefensible. Besides Gaza’s official death toll of 40, 000, the real fatalities could be higher, while considering unretrieved bodies and indirect deaths (those killed by conditions of war) which can be three to 15 times higher than direct deaths. On 19th June 2024, Lancet study reported that Israel had directly killed 37 396 since October 7th, 2023, and estimated that indirect deaths could be over 186,000, taking the lower limit of 4 indirect deaths to every direct one. Using Lancets estimates seen earlier, about 8% of Gaza’s prewar population has been killed, a percentage that is close to what can be arrived at using the daily rate of 250 directly killed, expressed by Oxfam for the first three months of the war, which made Gaza war the deadliest conflict in the 21st century. Gaza’s official death toll is underreported due to authority’s increasing inability to access most areas and retrieve bodies. For instance, over 300 bodies were found on July, 30th, 2024, when IDF withdrew from Khan Yunis after only a week of operation. Therefore, more bodies remain under the ruins or in mass graves in areas where IDF operates, as can be interpreted in Mass grave found in Gaza Hospital in April 23rd,, 2024. Assuming 250 average directdeaths daily, the death toll by July 31st would be 80, 000, and 3 times indirect deaths would reach 240,000. Therefore, about 10% of Gaza’s population may have already been killed by Israel, with EU facilitation in 8 months, and over two million are displaced, face starvation, and health crisis. However, the EU has not sanctioned Israel or blocked transit of US military equipment, but continue to provide weapons and investments to Israel.

The EU has ignored signals from international bodies, mentioned earlier to continue aiding Israel. On 31st October 2023, UNICEF spokesperson declared in Geneva, Switzerland that Gaza had become a graveyard for children as 3, 450 children had been killed. While Switzerland, is not an EU member, it is at the center of Europe, and Geneva prides itself as the center of world diplomacy by hosting UN bodies, including UNICEF. Just before, the head of EU commission, Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Israel and pledged the entity’s support to Israel, approving IDF’s action in Gaza. Later, in July 2024, IDF had killed 13, 000 children in Gaza, meaning UNICEF’s concern was ignored by the EU, but von der Leyen’s proposal was implemented, even against March 2024 UN expert report that Israel was committing genocide. Similarly, the international Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued verdicts the former ordering Israel to halt practices that constitutes Genocide, and the latter indicting Israeli leadership for war crimes in Gaza. However, the EU which sanctions parties in other conflicts even without UN approval, has refused to take similar measures to halt genocide and instead continue its partnership in Israeli crime.

EU Sanctioning others but Aiding Israel

The EU has actively dished out sanctions to parties in other ongoing conflicts, for instance, against Sudanese government, Congolese rebels, and 14 installments against Russian entities, but has not raised a finger against Israel. The explanation for its inaction is that it has been Israel’s partner before and after October 7th, 2023 Hamas raid on Israel. 2023 EU’s ambassador’s conference revealed Europe’s duplicity as it pretends to support two-state solution while facilitating Israel to eliminate Palestinians. Joseph Borell, EU’s ‘foreign minister’ admitted that the outbreak of Israel-Palestinian conflict was caused by the West’s moral and political failure to balance interests of Israelis and Palestinians, before demonstrating how the failed policy should be maintained for Europe’s interest. He described how Israel was facilitating violent settlers to commit crimes in The West Bank, but could not mention how such provocations and others warranted Hamas’ raid, maybe due to his racist inclination. He added that the ongoing conflict was precipitated by the frustration of some (Palestinians) and hubris of others (Israelis). Looking back, it is clear that the EU chose to inflame Palestinians frustrations by augmenting Israeli’s hubris through continuing to support the latter’s actions. Astoundingly, Borell continued that the EU would continue unconditionally supporting Israel, to “defend itself against terrorists”, but could not mention a single terror attack in Europe that was orchestrated by Palestinians. Clearly, the EU would sustain the policy that precipitated the undesirable status quo, for ideological, and economic benefits.

EU putting its Economy above Palestinian Lives

EU’s partnership in Israeli crimes has intensified post October 7th. An article by war and peace expert Mark Akkerman published in TNI in June 2024, (link) summarizes its finding as; “the EU and Israel have adopted a ‘business as usual’ attitude throughout the ongoing genocide in Gaza, with the EU, and its member states, continuing to provide political cover and material support”. The term ‘business as usual’ denotes EU’s long-standing involvement in Israeli activities before and after October 7th, the kind that was revealed by Borell as mentioned earlier. The EU has continued to approve ammunition-making projects jointly with Israel, and invested hundreds of millions of euros, after October 7th 2023, meaning some of the products and proceeds of these projects are used in the ongoing genocide. In addition, Top arm manufacturers in EU including German Rheinmetall, and Norwegian Nammo continue to provide tank shells and bunker bursting munitions respectively, using funds from the EU. In addition, the EU has approved and funded 130 research collaboration projects with Israel at a cost of €126 million, to work with Israeli companies including Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) which is embedded with IDF in reconnaissance and bombing missions in Gaza. It has also been funding Israeli universities that produce technologies utilized by IDF, which bombed the University of Gaza under the pretexts that it aided Hamas with technologies, showing sheer hypocrisy. Equally, other learning institutions within the EU including Dublin City University in Ireland have partnered with IDF in ‘war games’ in surveillance to produce findings that will be used in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. If any party was aiding Palestinians in a similar way as EU has done to Israel, it would automatically face EU sanctions and have its name smeared by western MSM. Maybe global conditions will change and have EU held to account for its part in supporting Israeli genocide.

 

Simon Chege Ndiritu, is a political observer and research analyst from Africa, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”

 

https://journal-neo.su/2024/08/04/eu-as-a-long-term-partner-to-israelis-genocide-in-palestine/

 

 

YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

negotiating with the devil....

The Israeli Army has apprehended 26 people in their latest raids across the occupied West Bank, said the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society. This brings the total number of Israeli arrests in the occupied territories since the Gaza war broke out to about 10,000, said the group.

In a statement, the group announced Israel’s mass arrest campaign has been accompanied by:

  • Field executions
  • Shootings or the threat of shootings
  • Severe beatings
  • Field interrogations
  • Use of police dogs
  • Use of citizens as human shields
  • Confiscation of people’s belongings, vehicles, money, jewellery and electronic devices
  • Demolition of homes belonging to Palestinians in Israeli jails.

Over the past few years, the Israeli military has conducted regular raids in the West Bank, which have escalated with the beginning of the war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinians have also been violently attacked by illegal Israeli settlers.

At least 620 Palestinians have since been killed and nearly 5,400 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

In a landmark opinion on July 19, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land “illegal” and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

https://ifpnews.com/israel-10000-west-bank-october-7-report/

 

Another Palestinian journalist was killed in an Israeli attack in the southern Gaza Strip, bringing the death toll among Palestinian media staff to 166 since October 2023, local authorities have reported.

Gaza’s government media office identified the new victim as Mohammed Abu Saada, a photojournalist, without providing details about the circumstances of his death.

According to the media office, the new fatality brought the number of Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza to 166 since Oct. 7, 2023.

Flouting a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an attack last October by Hamas.

More than 39,650 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 91,600 injured, according to local health authorities.

Ten months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the coastal enclave.

https://ifpnews.com/166-journalists-israeli-attacks-gaza-start-war-report/

 

Israel immediately informed US officials that it was behind the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, The Washington Post daily reported, citing sources.

“While Israel has declined to comment on Haniyeh’s killing, it informed US officials immediately afterward that it was responsible,” the WaPO reported, quoting three people familiar with the White House’s thinking, but without mentioning their names.

White House officials reacted to the death of Haniyeh with surprise and outrage, seeing it as a serious setback in their attempts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the newspaper added.

It noted that “behind the scenes” there is growing friction between the US administration and Israel, as the latter continues to take unilateral steps in the conflict that has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which claimed 1,200 lives and around 250 were taken as hostages.

“US officials are also outraged over Israel failing to inform them before launching other operations to assassinate Hezbollah or Iranian commanders,” the WaPo added.

Several administration officials have also told the outlet that many in the White House now see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, not Iran, as “the chief wild card in containing a broader regional conflagration”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday the United States has communicated to Iran and Israel that conflict in the Middle East must not escalate, even as the Pentagon warned that it would not tolerate attacks against its forces in the region.

“We’ve been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We’ve communicated that message directly to Israel,” Blinken stated.

The United States will continue to defend Israel against attacks, Blinken continued. He added that everyone in the region should understand the risks of escalation and miscalculation.

“Further attacks only raise the risk of dangerous outcomes that no one can predict and no one can fully control.”

Fears are rising that the Middle East could be tipped into full-blown war following vows by Hezbollah to avenge top commander Fuad Shukr’s killing by Israel in Lebanon, and by Iran to respond to the assassination in Tehran last week of Haniyeh.

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and ceasefire in the besieged enclave, but efforts have yet to bear fruit. A brief truce in November saw the exchange of some prisoners and hostages.

https://ifpnews.com/israel-us-involvement-killing-haniyeh-report/

 

Hamas will continue Gaza ceasefire negotiations after the selection of Yahya Sinwar as its new political chief, a Palestinian group leader stated on Wednesday.

“The negotiations were managed by the leadership, and Sinwar was not far from the negotiation process. He was part of its details,” Osama Hamdan told Anadolu.

Hamas named Sinwar as its new political chief on Tuesday to succeed Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran last Wednesday.

Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination, but Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied responsibility.

“The negotiation process will continue,” Hamdan affirmed.

“The problem was not Hamas, but Israel, (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, and the US, which was not sincere in its mediation or in its attempt to push for a ceasefire.”

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip.

But the mediation efforts have been stalled due to Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’s demands to stop the war.

Hamdan added Hamas will remain committed to working for a ceasefire in Gaza, full Israeli withdrawal, ending the siege, rebuilding the enclave and swapping prisoners.

Sinwar “will continue moving in this direction”, he continued.

“Sinwar has a high degree of flexibility in managing public affairs and preserves the rights of the Palestinian people.”

Sinwar is on Israel’s kill list, with Tel Aviv accusing him of masterminding the group’s Oct. 7 attack last year, which prompted Israel to launch a devastating military campaign in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 39,600 people, according to local health authorities.

Hamas has been flexible in talks to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza, Hamdan said, adding, “Netanyahu knows well that his attempts for evading will not work.”

“If assassinating Haniyeh was one of Netanyahu’s goals to change the course of the negotiations, he is delusional. The basis of the negotiations is fixed, and the men who negotiated under Haniyeh will continue to work with Sinwar, who was present in all the details of the negotiations.”

On Monday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt and the US held separate talks to discuss their mediation efforts and the importance of reaching a ceasefire in the besieged enclave.

Flouting a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an attack last October by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Over 10 months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

https://ifpnews.com/hamas-gaza-ceasefire-talks-sinwar/

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.