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Israel summons Turkish envoy over half-mast salute for Hamas leader

Israel summons Turkish envoy over half-mast salute for Hamas leader
FILE photo of Hamas Prime minister Ismail Haniya (L) and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan salute together the lawmakers of Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party at the Parliament in Ankara on January 3, 2012. (AFP)
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Updated 02 August 2024
Reuters
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Israel summons Turkish envoy over half-mast salute for Hamas leader

Israel summons Turkish envoy over half-mast salute for Hamas leader
  • Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared Friday, Aug 2, a day of national mourning for Haniyeh
Updated 02 August 2024
Reuters
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JERUSALEM: Israel’s foreign ministry summoned the deputy Turkish ambassador for a reprimand on Friday after Turkiye’s embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag to half mast in response to the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
“The State of Israel will not tolerate expressions of mourning for a murderer like Ismail Haniyeh,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
Haniyeh was killed in Tehran while there to attend the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Israel has not made any official claim of responsibility for his death but Iran and allies including Hamas and Hezbollah have accused Israel of the assassination and vowed revenge.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan declared Friday, Aug 2, a day of national mourning for Haniyeh.
Katz’s statement said Haniyeh had been Hamas leader during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 Israelis and foreigners and saw more than 250 taken hostage into Gaza, triggering Israel’s assault on the coastal enclave.
Tensions between Israel and Turkiye have risen sharply since the start of the war in Gaza, in which more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed.

Topics: War on Gaza Turkiye Hamas Gaza Israel

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Jordan, UN agencies meet to discuss strengthening social development

Jordan, UN agencies meet to discuss strengthening social development
Updated 10 sec ago
Arab News
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Jordan, UN agencies meet to discuss strengthening social development

Jordan, UN agencies meet to discuss strengthening social development
  • The meeting, attended by ministry stakeholders, focused on enhancing social programs and services
Updated 10 sec ago
Arab News

AMMAN: Jordan’s minister of social development met UN Resident Coordinator Sheri Ritsema-Anderson and representatives of UN agencies in Amman on Monday to discuss bolstering collaboration on social development initiatives.

The meeting, attended by ministry stakeholders, focused on enhancing social programs and services. Minister Wafa Bani Mustafa lauded the strong partnership between the ministry and UN agencies, highlighting their contributions to a range of projects.

“The collaboration has been instrumental in advancing key initiatives, including the National Social Protection Strategy 2026-2033,” she said.

Among the measures discussed was the professionalization of social work through a newly introduced system, which aims to improve service quality by creating a registry of certified social workers who will undergo specialized training, Jordan News Agency reported.

Bani Mustafa also stressed the significance of fostering partnerships with associations, forming coalitions and launching sustainable, productive projects.

She highlighted the impact of programs supported by UN agencies, including the UN Women Oasis Program, which empowers women and girls through training opportunities, and the Makani project, which equips children and youth with education and entrepreneurial skills.

Discussions also reviewed future plans to enhance support for vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities, orphans and those without family support.

Key topics included improving services under the National Aid Fund and advancing women’s empowerment strategies within the framework of Jordan’s economic modernization vision.

UN agency representatives reiterated their commitment to supporting the ministry’s initiatives, commending its dedication to improving social services and empowering women, Jordan News Agency reported.

Topics: Jordan UN

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‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye

‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP
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‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye

‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP

ANKARA: Turkiye, which backs militant factions in Syria, rejected Monday any suggestion that “foreign interference” was behind the offensive launched by Islamists in the country’s north.
“It would be a mistake at this time to try to explain the events in Syria by any foreign interference,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint press conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
The recent flareup which saw Damascus losing swathes of territory in northwestern Syria, including Aleppo, during a lightning offensive by militants, was due to the government’s failure to engage in dialogue with armed opposition groups, he said.
“The lack of talks between [Damascus] and the opposition has brought the problem to this point,” he said, describing it as “a mistake to ignore the legitimate demands of the opposition.”
“Damascus must reconcile with its own people and the legitimate opposition,” he added.
Turkiye did “not want an escalation of the civil war,” said the minister who told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call Sunday that Ankara would support moves “to reduce tension” in Syria.
Araghchi said it was crucial “to protect the achievements of the Astana process” to end Syria’s civil war, which groups Ankara, Moscow and Tehran, and pledged to convene fresh ministerial talks in the Kazakh capital “soon.”
The last such meeting took place in mid-November.
“Syria must not become a center for terrorist groups,” warned Araghchi in reference to the militant factions that staged last week’s attack.
Fidan also said it was “important that terror organizations do not take advantage of the instability” although he was referring to Kurdish-led rebels that Ankara sees as an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK has led a led a decades-long insurgency against Turkiye.
Turkish troops and Turkiye-backed militant factions control much of northern Syria, and Ankara is concerned that the recent outbreak of fighting could swell the flow of people fleeing across the border.
“We don’t want civilians to be killed or cities bombarded or people being displaced. We want these displaced people to be able to go back. The flow of refugees must be reversed,” he said.
Turkiye is already hosting some 3.2 million Syrian refugees, according to UN data.
Syria’s Bashar Assad on Monday branded the Islamist-led offensive as a bid to redraw the map of the region in line with US interests in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.
Both Iran and Russia, which have backed Assad since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, have said they will help Damascus fight back after losing Aleppo, with Tehran confirming it would keep its military advisers in Syria.

Topics: Syria Turkiye Iran

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Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists

Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP
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Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists

Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists
  • The Zamzam camp, south of the regional capital El-Fasher, was hit by heavy rocket and artillery fire from the RSF on Sunday morning
  • Both sides face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas, and blocking or looting aid
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP

Port Sudan, Sudan: At least two people were killed when Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacked a camp for displaced people in the North Darfur region, activists said on Monday.
The Zamzam camp, south of the regional capital El-Fasher, was hit by heavy rocket and artillery fire from the RSF on Sunday morning, said the local resistance committee in El-Fasher.
The “indiscriminate” attack killed at least two people and wounded a dozen others, said the committee, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid in Sudan.
The northeast African country has been gripped by a war between the regular army and RSF that has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 11 million since April last year.
Both sides face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas, and blocking or looting aid.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, after visiting Sudan and neighboring Chad last week, called for immediate international action to address the crisis.
“It is a tough situation out there, the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world. And I’ve been talking to local people to host communities,” Fletcher said in a weekend statement.
Nearly 26 million people — about half the population — face the threat of mass starvation in Sudan as both warring sides have been accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.
“These numbers are staggering, and we cannot turn our backs,” Fletcher said.

Topics: Sudan

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ICC member states must act against Israeli, US threats: HRW

ICC member states must act against Israeli, US threats: HRW
Updated 02 December 2024
Arab News
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ICC member states must act against Israeli, US threats: HRW

ICC member states must act against Israeli, US threats: HRW
  • International Criminal Court has faced ‘extreme pressure’ since issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant
  • Human Rights Watch: ‘Crucial work’ at The Hague must continue ‘without obstruction’
Updated 02 December 2024
Arab News

LONDON: International Criminal Court member countries must oppose Israeli and US efforts to undermine the court follows its issuing of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, Human Rights Watch said on Monday.

The organization released a 24-page report outlining recommendations to member countries ensuring that the ICC receives the “political backing, resources and cooperation” it needs to carry out its mandate.

The world’s top international court has faced “extreme pressure” since issuing the warrants on Nov. 21, HRW said.

Warrants were issued for the arrests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Mohammed Deif, a Hamas commander.

US lawmakers renewed threats of sanctions against the court and its officials after the warrants were issued.

Liz Evenson, HRW’s international justice director, said ICC warrants “send a critical message that no one is above the law. ICC member countries should make a commitment during their annual meeting (on Dec. 2-7) to take all necessary steps to ensure that the ICC’s crucial work for justice can continue without obstruction.”

HRW warned that US sanctions against the ICC would have “wide-reaching consequences for global justice.”

Legal uncertainty and apprehension for NGOs, consultants and lawyers could arise as a result of sanctions, which are “a tool to be used against those responsible for the most serious crimes, not against those promoting justice,” HRW said.

After the issuing of the warrants, many ICC member countries voiced support for the court’s decision, yet some avoided making explicit commitments to enforcing them.

Hungary’s President Viktor Orban said he would invite Netanyahu to visit his country despite Hungary, an ICC member, being obliged to arrest anyone wanted by The Hague.

The French government last week appeared to claim that Netanyahu enjoys immunity from arrest as Israel is not an ICC member. Judges at The Hague have rejected this view.

Member countries must condemn Israeli and US threats against the court and its supporters, including civil society organizations, NGOs and human rights defenders, HRW said.

The annual meeting should result in “concrete steps” aimed at protecting the court from “coercive measures,” the organization added.

“The ICC needs the support of its member countries to fulfill its ambitious global mandate of delivering justice for the most serious crimes,” Evenson said.

“Member country support needs to be consistent over time and across situations to avoid double standards, and uphold the court’s legitimacy for victims and affected communities.”

Topics: International Criminal Court Human Rights Watch Yoav Gallant Benjamin Netanyahu

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Iran says it will keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria

Iran says it will keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP
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Iran says it will keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria

Iran says it will keep ‘military advisers’ in Syria
Updated 02 December 2024
AFP

TEHRAN: Iran said on Monday that it plans to keep military advisers in Syria after its ally’s second city Aleppo was overrun by militants in a surprise offensive.
The Islamic republic, which has backed President Bashar Assad since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, says it only deploys military advisers in the country at the invitation of Damascus.
“We entered Syria many years ago at the official invitation of the Syrian government, when the Syrian people faced the threat of terrorism,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaeil.
“Our military advisers were present in Syria, and they are still present” and would remain in the country “in accordance with the wishes” of its government, he told a news conference in Tehran.
Baqaeil did not specify whether or not Iran would be increasing its forces in Syria in the wake of the lightning militant offensive.
His remarks come a day after Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Assad in Damascus to show support for the Syrian president.
Aleppo fell to an Islamist-dominated militant alliance over the course of the past week, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

Topics: Syria Iran

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