Category: 2. Middle East

Rights groups, lawyers and some governments are describing the Gaza war as “genocide” and calling for a ceasefire but Israel, created in the aftermath of the Nazi Holocaust of Jews, vehemently rejects the explosive term.

Israel says it is seeking to wipe out Gaza’s Islamist rulers and free its hostages still held in the occupied Palestinian coastal strip since the Hamas militant attack in Israel on October 7, 2023.

But Israel’s devastating war on Gaza — largely populated by descendants of…

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Thursday that recognising a Palestinian state now would send “the wrong signal”, despite moves by other European countries in that direction.

Speaking at a Berlin press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, Wadephul stressed German support for a two-state solution but said “negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians must be concluded” first.

Spain, Ireland and Norway a year ago recognised a Palestinian state and President…

Residents of the Libyan capital were preparing for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha in relative peace after deadly clashes last month, but they were unconvinced it would outlast the festivities.

With celebrations set for Friday, Randa al-Mahmoudi, a schoolteacher in her thirties, said she was trying to keep life steady for her three children.

“We try, at least for the children, to do things as usual, without thinking about what might happen,” she said, shopping in a supermarket in Siyahiya,…

French dock workers at a southern port are blocking the shipment of military material bound for Israel in protest at Israeli actions against Palestinians in Gaza, their union said.

The stevedores at the port in Fos-sur-Mer outside Marseille have refused to load crates of links used to assist the rapid fire of bullets aboard the cargo vessel, the CGT trade union said.

Links are small metal pieces, used to connect machine gun bullets and allowing rapid bursts of fire. There has been concern in…

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Former leader of the UK Labour Party and independent MP Jeremy Corbyn, who submitted a bill to Parliament yesterday calling for an independent inquiry into the UK’s role in Israel’s war on Gaza, said a potential investigation would focus on the government’s military, economic or political cooperation with the occupation state.

“This bill is demanding an independent public inquiry into British policy. Supply of weapons, use of the Royal Air Force bases in…