Israel blocks visa for top UN official after Gaza comments
JERUSALEM : Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar on Sunday said he had ordered the withdrawal of a senior UN humanitarian official's residency permit, accusing him of spreading lies about the war in Gaza.
'I have instructed not to extend the residency permit of the head of the OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) office in Israel, Jonathan Whittall,' Saar wrote on X.
Whittall, a South African who lives in Jerusalem and frequently visits the Gaza Strip, has repeatedly condemned the humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people living in the Palestinian territory.
In April, he said that Gazans were 'slowly dying' due to the effects of Israel's war against Hamas militants.
Saar's decision, which he said came after 'biased and hostile conduct against Israel which distorted reality' and broke UN neutrality rules, is the latest taken against senior UN officials.
Since the war began in Oct 2023, Israel has made it harder to get visas for those working for OCHA, the UN human rights office OHCHR and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA.
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He cited Malaysia's neutral role in the southern Thailand peace process and in facilitating the Bangsamoro peace agreement in southern Philippines. Azmi said that Malaysia's approach, while inclusive of superpowers like the US and China, remains firmly anchored in Asean's own interests and leadership. 'Malaysia isn't conceding power, it's using diplomacy to ensure that Asean leads, with external powers supporting rather than dominating,' he said. At the joint press conference, Anwar reiterated Malaysia's commitment to regional peace. He confirmed both parties' readiness to de-escalate tensions, establish direct communication channels and maintain ceasefire efforts under Asean guidance. Anwar's leadership throughout the crisis has been widely acknowledged, not only for calming a potential regional flashpoint but also for positioning Asean as a unified, credible force in global diplomacy. This ceasefire marks a testament to the effectiveness of regional negotiation, the quiet power of diplomacy and Malaysia's evolving role as a trusted peacemaker in Southeast Asia.
