Sources to LBCI: Palestinian disarmament to begin in Beirut's three main camps
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L'Orient-Le Jour
4 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
UK, France, Germany say Gaza 'humanitarian catastrophe must end now'
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany said Friday the "humanitarian catastrophe" in the Gaza Strip "must end now," as the war-ravaged Palestinian territory faces a deepening crisis. "We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and urgently allow the U.N. and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their work to take action against starvation," they said in a joint statement released by Berlin. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that "the most basic needs of the civilian population, including access to water and food, must be met without any further delay." "Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable," they said. "Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law." More than 100 aid and human rights groups warned this week that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza after more than 21 months of war. Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for the deepening crisis in Gaza, which the World Health Organization has called "man-made." Israel placed the Gaza Strip under an aid blockade in March, which it only partially eased two months later while sidelining the longstanding U.N.-led distribution system. The European leaders also stressed that "the time has come to end the war in Gaza." "We urge all parties to bring an end to the conflict by reaching an immediate cease-fire." "We stand ready to take further action to support an immediate cease-fire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region," they said. Starmer had earlier said he would hold an "emergency call" on Gaza on Friday with Macron and Merz. Palestinian militant group Hamas triggered the conflict with its Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel. The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has so far killed 59,676 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Why has France decided to recognise Palestinian statehood?
France's President Emmanuel Macron hopes that his country's formal recognition of a Palestinian state in September will encourage other countries to follow suit, according to analysts. International envoys are set to discuss a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict early next week in New York, ahead of a further summit co-hosted by France, scheduled for September, just before the U.N. General Assembly. Why now? Macron's announcement on Thursday came as international alarm grew about the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel's war against the Hamas militant group has triggered a dire humanitarian crisis and warnings of mass starvation. "The sense of urgency may have driven the president to move forward alone," France's former ambassador to Israel, Gerard Araud, told the France Inter broadcaster. Besides the humanitarian crisis and "the shocking declarations of certain Israeli ministers" on the fate they wish for all Palestinians in Gaza, Macron may also have been influenced by the political climate in France, said David Khalfa of the Jean Jaures Foundation. The war has triggered tensions in France, which is home to the largest Muslim community in the European Union, as well as the biggest Jewish population outside Israel and the United States. What's the plan? France has long advocated for the so-called "two-state solution" for a Palestinian state to live in peace side-by-side with an Israeli one. Macron's original idea was for France and other countries to recognize a Palestinian state at the same time as other nations — including Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia — would have normalized ties with Israel. As that proposal did not appear to gain traction, Macron made his announcement in the hope of spurring others to do likewise in the run-up to September's U.N. General Assembly, said analyst Amelie Ferey. "The idea is to have a little over a month to potentially rally other countries to make a larger announcement in New York," said Ferey, an analyst at the French Institute of International Relations. "The United Kingdom and Canada could perhaps follow suit," she added. Will it work? Canada, France and Britain were among 25 countries on Monday to say the Gaza war "must end now," arguing that the suffering of civilians had "reached new depths." Mujtaba Rahman, the Europe director of political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was under pressure from his Labour party to act. "He wants to move in concert with other countries and use recognition as a card in negotiations on a cease-fire in Gaza," he said. "But the timing is awkward," as U.S. President Donald Trump arrives in Scotland on Friday evening, he added. "Starmer will be reluctant to upset him when there are still things to be done on the U.K.-U.S. trade deal." Why team up with Riyadh? As France has no leverage to end the current Gaza war, "the idea in Paris is to let the United States impose a cease-fire, and for Paris to then be an important actor afterwards, along with the Saudis," said Ferey. Camille Lons, an expert from the European Council on Foreign Relations, stated that France and Saudi Arabia are working on a post-cease-fire roadmap. This would include proposals for "the isolation and disarmament of Hamas, Palestinian elections in 2026, a new legal framework for political parties," and "the prospect of having a technocratic government," she said. Other options on the table could include a U.N. peacekeeping mission, including personnel from neighboring Egypt, she said. "The goal is to garner support from countries in the region for the sidelining of Hamas, including Qatar," an ally of the Palestinian Islamist group, she added. Is it realistic? But "this is all quite detached from reality," warned Lons. For Ferey, "the Israeli government's goal is for there to be no Palestinian state." After almost 22 months of war in Gaza, sparked by an unprecedented attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the blockaded Palestinian territory has been largely ravaged by bombardment. And Israel's far-right government is pushing for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Many Israelis now live in what would become a Palestinian state. Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem and its 200,000 Jewish residents, the occupied West Bank is home to around 500,000 Israelis in settlements considered illegal under international law. Three million Palestinians also live in the West Bank. Khalfa added that Saudi Arabia had no intention to normalise its ties with Israel for as long as Prime Minister Netanyahu, who critics accuse of prolonging the Gaza war to stay in office, remains in power.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
NGOs sue Belgium to do more to stop Israel's war in Gaza
Two Belgian NGOs launched a court case on Friday seeking to pressure the country to do more to help stop Israel's war in Gaza, as the European Union struggles to take action. Belgium has been one of the most outspoken of the EU's 27 countries in seeking to call out Israel over its devastating military operation in Gaza. The EU's top diplomat floated a raft of options after Israel was found to have breached a cooperation agreement with the EU on human rights grounds. But the bloc's member states are deeply divided over their approach to the conflict and have failed to act together to take any significant measures against Israel. The two organisations behind the court case, the Belgian-Palestinian Association and National Coordination for Peace and Democracy, are pushing for Belgium to try to unilaterally halt the EU's cooperation deal with Israel. They are also demanding other steps, including the closure of the country's airspace for any flights taking military equipment to Israel. "Unless there is a sudden change, the European Union will not be able to suspend the association agreement with Israel," Vincent Letellier, a lawyer representing the NGOs, told AFP, alluding to the bloc's divisions. "Countries must now be put under pressure by their voters and by the courts." A preliminary hearing in the case was held before a judge in Brussels on Friday and complete proceedings were scheduled for Sept. 15. International criticism of Israel is growing over the plight of the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 100 aid and rights groups have warned that "mass starvation" is spreading. Hamas' October 2023 attacks in Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27, the Israeli military says, are dead. Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The United Nations considers the Ministry's figures to be reliable.
