Latest news with #WestBank-based
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
First-hand view of peacemaking challenge in the ‘Holy Land'
West Bank-based Kiwi journalist Cole Martin asks who are the peacemakers? As a Kiwi journalist living in the occupied West Bank, I can list endless reasons why there is no peace in the "Holy Land". I live in a refugee camp, alongside families who were expelled from their homes by Israel's violent establishment in 1948 — never allowed to return and repeatedly targeted by Israeli military incursions. Daily I witness suffocating checkpoints, settler attacks against rural towns, arbitrary imprisonment with no charge or trial, a crippled economy, expansion of illegal settlements, demolition of entire communities, genocidal rhetoric, and continued expulsion. No form of peace can exist within an active system of domination. To talk about peace without liberation and dignity is to suggest submission to a system of displacement, imprisonment, violence and erasure. I often find myself alongside a variety of peacemakers, putting themselves on the line to end these horrific systems — let me outline the key groups. — Palestinian civil society and individuals have spent decades committed to creative non-violence in the face of these atrocities — from court battles to academia, education, art, co-ordinating demonstrations, general strikes, hīkoi (marches), sit-ins, civil disobedience. Google "Iqrit village", "The Great March of Return", "Tent of Nations farm". These are the overlooked stories that don't make catchy headlines. — Protective Presence activists are a mix of about 150 Israeli and international civilians who volunteer their days and nights physically accompanying Palestinian communities. They aim to prevent Israeli settler violence, state-sanctioned home demolitions, and military/police incursions. They document the injustice and often face violence and arrest themselves. Foreigners face deportation and blacklisting — as a journalist I was arrested and barred from the West Bank short-term and my passport was withheld for over a month. — Reconciliation organisations have been working for decades to bridge the disconnect between political narratives and human realities. The effective groups don't seek "co-existence" but "co-resistance" because they recognise there can be no peace within an active system of apartheid. They reiterate that dialogue alone achieves nothing while the Israeli regime continues to murder, displace and steal. Yes there are "opposing narratives", but they do not have equal legitimacy when tested against the reality on the ground. — Journalists continue to document and report key developments, chilling statistics and the human cost. They ensure people are seen. Over 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza. High-profile Palestinian Christian journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh was killed by Israeli forces in 2022. They continue reporting despite the risk, and without their courage world leaders wouldn't know which undeniable facts to brazenly ignore. — Humanitarians serve and protect the most vulnerable, treating and rescuing people selflessly. Over 400 aid workers and 1000 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza. All 38 hospitals have been destroyed or damaged, with just a small number left partially functioning. NGOs have been crippled by USAID cuts and targeted Israeli policies, marked by a mass exodus of expats who have spent years committed to this region — severing a critical lifeline for Palestinian communities. All these groups emphasise change will not come from within. Protective presence barely stems the flow. Reconciliation means nothing while the system continues to displace, imprison and slaughter Palestinians en masse. Journalism, non-violence and humanitarian efforts are only as effective as the willingness of states to uphold international law. Those on the frontlines of peacebuilding express the urgent need for global accountability across all sectors; economic, cultural and political sanctions. Systems of apartheid do not stem from corrupt leadership or several extremists, but from widespread attitudes of supremacy and nationalism across civil society. Boycotts increase the economic cost of maintaining such systems. Divestment sends a strong financial message that business as usual is unacceptable. Many other groups across the world are picketing weapons manufacturers, writing to elected leaders, educating friends and family, challenging harmful narratives, fundraising aid to keep people alive. Where are the peacemakers? They're out on the streets. They're people just like you and me. — Cole Martin is a New Zealand journalist in the West Bank.
Miami Herald
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Hamas Takes Aim at Rival ‘Outcast' Group Amid Gaza Infighting
A senior Hamas official has slammed a rival Palestinian militia in Gaza, telling Newsweek the group has received direct support from Israel and has ties to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) and criminal organizations. The opposition faction, known as the Popular Forces and led by Rafah native Yasser Abu Shabab, has entered the spotlight in recent weeks for its open calls to challenge Hamas' authority in Gaza some 20 months into its war with Israel. The Popular Forces' rise has been surrounded with controversy as current and former Israeli officials had claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was actively backing the group to undermine Hamas from within its territory—an allegation confirmed by the premier himself on Thursday. The Popular Forces have denied any connection, claiming they operated under the mandate of the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority (PA). The group has previously been accused of looting humanitarian assistance throughout the conflict, while former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has claimed that the Popular Forces had also fostered ties with ISIS. As Abu Shabab and his militia continue to fend off the allegations, Basem Naim, Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson, asserted that the group had little influence in Gaza, marking an apparent blow to Israel's efforts to challenge Hamas' rule in the territory. "For more than 20 months, Israel has failed to create a Palestinian alternative to the resistance to achieve its goals in Gaza, whether by creating chaos or administering the Gaza Strip," Naim told Newsweek. "Now, it is trying again, through a group of criminals and extremists, to create an alternative." "This group is ostracized among Palestinians," he added, "some of whom are agents, others drug dealers, thieves, or extremists linked to ISIS." Naim argued "Israel will not succeed again" in its strategy, " as they forget [German physicist Albert] Einstein's definition of insanity: "using the same inputs and expecting different outputs." "These groups pose no threat to anyone and are Palestinian outcasts," Naim said. "The only thing they are capable of is murder and banditry." Newsweek has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Popular Forces for comment. The Popular Forces first garnered media coverage in May 2024 as the IDF conducted an offensive in the southern city of Rafah. It has sometimes operated under the title of the "Counter-Terrorism Service." In a December interview with The New York Times, Abu Shabab acknowledged that his group had been involved in stealing humanitarian aid from convoys after being accused by multiple truck drivers, aid workers and locals. He argued then that these actions were undertaken out of a necessity to survive at a time when Hamas also stood accused of raiding supplies and reselling them to raise funds, something Hamas has denied. The European Council on Foreign Relations think tank describes the Popular Forces as a "Palestinian armed group and criminal gang," estimated to have "have several hundred members, drawn primarily from Abu Shabab's clan which has reported ties to ISIS." Hamas, on the other hand, is estimated by the IDF to have had a pre-war strength of around 30,000 fighters. Lieberman, now head of the Yisrael Beiteinu opposition party, was the first to draw a purported connection between the Popular Forces and ISIS, which has a presence in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula that borders Gaza, during an interview on Thursday with Israel's Kan Bet radio station. Lieberman described the Popular Forces and its leader as being linked to the Hamasha clan, referring to them as "lawless criminals who in recent years wanted to give themselves an ideological angle or spin, so they became Salafi and began identifying with ISIS." He warned that any weapons delivered by Israel to the Popular Forces "will eventually be turned against us." French newspaper Le Monde reported that Abu Shabab was a prominent member of the Bedouin Tarabin tribe, which is present in both Gaza and Sinai. Allegations of ties between the Popular Forces and ISIS have also since been voiced by other prominent Israeli opposition figures such as Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and The Democrats head Yair Golan. Following Lieberman's revelation, Netanyahu downplayed the notion of his former minister having leaked information, acknowledging that "on the advice of security officials, we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas." "What is bad about that?" Netanyahu said in a video posted to social media on Thursday. "It is only good. It is saving lives of Israeli soldiers." The Popular Forces have repeatedly denied receiving support from Israel. In a post to a Facebook page attributed to the group that same day, the Popular Forces warned that "Israeli media has published false allegations claiming that our Popular Forces received weapons from the occupation." "We categorically reject these accusations and consider them a blatant attempt to distort the image of a grassroots force born from suffering—one that stood up to injustice, looting, and corruption," the group said. "Our weapons are simple, outdated, and came through the support of our own people," the group added, "through the sacrifices of families, the donations of civilians, and the determination of young men who found no other way but to protect the aid from being stolen and to defend the families of eastern Rafah." Abu Shabab reiterated this denial during an interview published Sunday with IDF Radio, though he did not rule out the potential for coordination on humanitarian issues. He also rejected alleged ties with ISIS, saying such "rumors are intended to damage our reputation and create a situation of hostility between us and Israel and the Arab countries." Abu Shabab's open calls for civilians to seek protection from his group and oppose Hamas have made him and his organization a target for Gaza's most powerful faction. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Abu Shabab was arrested by Hamas for a time until managing to escape amid Israeli airstrikes. A number of Popular Forces personnel have also reportedly been killed and detained by Hamas, including in operations conducted in recent days. A Quds News Network report published Monday and shared with Newsweek by Naim stated that a Popular Forces member with the initials "A.N." and described as Abu Shabab's right-hand man had been arrested, accused of killing a police officer before the start of the war in Gaza and of colluding with Israel. A report by Palestinian outlet Al-Resalah described the detainee as a "takfiri"— a term used by critics to describe adherents of extremist interpretations of Salafi Islam, such as ISIS—who had previously traveled to Sinai, according to unnamed security sources. The report also identified another leading member of the Popular Forces as Ghassan al-Dahini, who was said to have pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015 and to have participated in the March 2007 kidnapping of BBC News journalist Alan Johnston, who was released that July. While Hamas and ISIS are both widely viewed as Islamist militant groups designated terrorist organizations by Israel and the United States, they clash ideologically and often condemn one another. The former has its roots as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood movement in the 1980s and seeks to establish an Islamist Palestinian state in place of Israel, while the latter emerged from Al-Qaeda in Iraq in the early 2010s, seeking to establish a multinational caliphate spanning vast territory across Africa, Asia and Europe. Since taking over Gaza in a violent rift with the PA's leading nationalist Fatah faction in 2007, Hamas has sought to suppress Salafi jihadi groups tied to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Amid the current war, sparked by a Hamas-led surprise attack against Israel in October 2023, Hamas has coalesced with groups across a broad ideological spectrum, from fellow Islamists to far-leftists. They include Palestinian Islamic Jihad; the Popular Resistance Committees; the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine; the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine—General Command; the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades; and the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement. These factions have increasingly participated in joint operations against the IDF, and the coalition has thus far largely withstood wartime pressure. At the same time, following several instances of rare protests among Gaza residents calling for Hamas to end the war, pressure has also built on the group to produce results amid deadlocked negotiations being mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine recently urged Hamas "to intensify efforts, in cooperation with the Arab mediators, to reach an agreement to halt the aggression—even if only for 60 days." A spokesperson for the group later told Newsweek that the message "was an attempt by us to reach a 'partial step' that would guarantee a ceasefire, open the crossings, and meet the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza because we observed that living conditions had worsened and that the specter of famine was beginning to loom large." Meanwhile, Netanyahu has also faced mounting pressure from the international community and domestic voices to reach a ceasefire. But with talks being hosted in Qatar dragging on without a breakthrough, Israel and the United States have yet to outline a clear plan for what Gaza's postwar governance would look like despite asserting that Hamas would have to be removed from power. Israeli Deputy Consul General in New York Tsach Saar has previously told Newsweek that neither Hamas nor Israel would be in control of Gaza in a postwar landscape. Last week, he reiterated this stance, telling Newsweek that "it's not for us to determine who is going to be there the day after [the war is over]." "We are making sure that it's not going to be Hamas," Saar said. "And when Hamas is defeated, we will have to work together with our allies, with regional countries, surrounding countries, neighboring countries to find a solution for the day after." President Donald Trump's administration has said relatively little about its ally's announced ties to the Popular Forces in Gaza. U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Thomas Pigott declined to delve into the specifics of the issue when asked by reporters on Thursday but reiterated the broader U.S. policy on the conflict. "What I can say is our approach and our policy remains that we stand with Israel, and we stand for peace," Pigott said. "And those are our goals that we want to see." In addition to providing Israel with extensive military and political support throughout the war, the U.S. has also backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as the only organization approved by Israel to distribute aid in the territory. While an unnamed diplomatic official cited by CNN on Sunday claimed that Abu Shabab had established some level of direct or indirect contact with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the organization denied any connection in comments shared with the outlet. Related Articles Hamas Ally Calls on Group to Accept 'Partial' Ceasefire in GazaGreta Thunberg Boat Tracker as 'Freedom Flotilla' Sails Toward GazaHamas Says US Ceasefire Veto Violates 'American Values'Israel Fears Arms Race in Fight to Remain Middle East's Only Nuclear Power 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Hamas Takes Aim at Rival 'Outcast' Group Amid Gaza Infighting
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A senior Hamas official has slammed a rival Palestinian militia in Gaza, telling Newsweek the group has received direct support from Israel and has ties to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) and criminal organizations. The opposition faction, known as the Popular Forces and led by Rafah native Yasser Abu Shabab, has entered the spotlight in recent weeks for its open calls to challenge Hamas' authority in Gaza some 20 months into its war with Israel. The Popular Forces' rise has been surrounded with controversy as current and former Israeli officials had claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was actively backing the group to undermine Hamas from within its territory—an allegation confirmed by the premier himself on Thursday. The Popular Forces have denied any connection, claiming they operated under the mandate of the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority (PA). The group has previously been accused of looting humanitarian assistance throughout the conflict, while former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has claimed that the Popular Forces had also fostered ties with ISIS. As Abu Shabab and his militia continue to fend off the allegations, Basem Naim, Hamas Political Bureau member and spokesperson, asserted that the group had little influence in Gaza, marking an apparent blow to Israel's efforts to challenge Hamas' rule in the territory. "For more than 20 months, Israel has failed to create a Palestinian alternative to the resistance to achieve its goals in Gaza, whether by creating chaos or administering the Gaza Strip," Naim told Newsweek. "Now, it is trying again, through a group of criminals and extremists, to create an alternative." "This group is ostracized among Palestinians," he added, "some of whom are agents, others drug dealers, thieves, or extremists linked to ISIS." Naim argued "Israel will not succeed again" in its strategy, " as they forget [German physicist Albert] Einstein's definition of insanity: "using the same inputs and expecting different outputs." "These groups pose no threat to anyone and are Palestinian outcasts," Naim said. "The only thing they are capable of is murder and banditry." Newsweek has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Popular Forces for comment. A Hamas sniper in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, on February 22. A Hamas sniper in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli hostages to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, on February 22. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Who Are the Popular Forces? The Popular Forces first garnered media coverage in May 2024 as the IDF conducted an offensive in the southern city of Rafah. It has sometimes operated under the title of the "Counter-Terrorism Service." In a December interview with The New York Times, Abu Shabab acknowledged that his group had been involved in stealing humanitarian aid from convoys after being accused by multiple truck drivers, aid workers and locals. He argued then that these actions were undertaken out of a necessity to survive at a time when Hamas also stood accused of raiding supplies and reselling them to raise funds, something Hamas has denied. The European Council on Foreign Relations think tank describes the Popular Forces as a "Palestinian armed group and criminal gang," estimated to have "have several hundred members, drawn primarily from Abu Shabab's clan which has reported ties to ISIS." Hamas, on the other hand, is estimated by the IDF to have had a pre-war strength of around 30,000 fighters. Lieberman, now head of the Yisrael Beiteinu opposition party, was the first to draw a purported connection between the Popular Forces and ISIS, which has a presence in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula that borders Gaza, during an interview on Thursday with Israel's Kan Bet radio station. Lieberman described the Popular Forces and its leader as being linked to the Hamasha clan, referring to them as "lawless criminals who in recent years wanted to give themselves an ideological angle or spin, so they became Salafi and began identifying with ISIS." He warned that any weapons delivered by Israel to the Popular Forces "will eventually be turned against us." French newspaper Le Monde reported that Abu Shabab was a prominent member of the Bedouin Tarabin tribe, which is present in both Gaza and Sinai. Allegations of ties between the Popular Forces and ISIS have also since been voiced by other prominent Israeli opposition figures such as Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and The Democrats head Yair Golan. Following Lieberman's revelation, Netanyahu downplayed the notion of his former minister having leaked information, acknowledging that "on the advice of security officials, we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas." "What is bad about that?" Netanyahu said in a video posted to social media on Thursday. "It is only good. It is saving lives of Israeli soldiers." The Popular Forces have repeatedly denied receiving support from Israel. In a post to a Facebook page attributed to the group that same day, the Popular Forces warned that "Israeli media has published false allegations claiming that our Popular Forces received weapons from the occupation." "We categorically reject these accusations and consider them a blatant attempt to distort the image of a grassroots force born from suffering—one that stood up to injustice, looting, and corruption," the group said. "Our weapons are simple, outdated, and came through the support of our own people," the group added, "through the sacrifices of families, the donations of civilians, and the determination of young men who found no other way but to protect the aid from being stolen and to defend the families of eastern Rafah." Abu Shabab reiterated this denial during an interview published Sunday with IDF Radio, though he did not rule out the potential for coordination on humanitarian issues. He also rejected alleged ties with ISIS, saying such "rumors are intended to damage our reputation and create a situation of hostility between us and Israel and the Arab countries." An undated photo shows a man identified as Popular Forces leader Yasser Abu Shabab, as published to the group's Facebook page. An undated photo shows a man identified as Popular Forces leader Yasser Abu Shabab, as published to the group's Facebook page. Popular Forces Hamas Cracks Down Abu Shabab's open calls for civilians to seek protection from his group and oppose Hamas have made him and his organization a target for Gaza's most powerful faction. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Abu Shabab was arrested by Hamas for a time until managing to escape amid Israeli airstrikes. A number of Popular Forces personnel have also reportedly been killed and detained by Hamas, including in operations conducted in recent days. A Quds News Network report published Monday and shared with Newsweek by Naim stated that a Popular Forces member with the initials "A.N." and described as Abu Shabab's right-hand man had been arrested, accused of killing a police officer before the start of the war in Gaza and of colluding with Israel. A report by Palestinian outlet Al-Resalah described the detainee as a "takfiri"— a term used by critics to describe adherents of extremist interpretations of Salafi Islam, such as ISIS—who had previously traveled to Sinai, according to unnamed security sources. The report also identified another leading member of the Popular Forces as Ghassan al-Dahini, who was said to have pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015 and to have participated in the March 2007 kidnapping of BBC News journalist Alan Johnston, who was released that July. While Hamas and ISIS are both widely viewed as Islamist militant groups designated terrorist organizations by Israel and the United States, they clash ideologically and often condemn one another. The former has its roots as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood movement in the 1980s and seeks to establish an Islamist Palestinian state in place of Israel, while the latter emerged from Al-Qaeda in Iraq in the early 2010s, seeking to establish a multinational caliphate spanning vast territory across Africa, Asia and Europe. Since taking over Gaza in a violent rift with the PA's leading nationalist Fatah faction in 2007, Hamas has sought to suppress Salafi jihadi groups tied to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Palestinian Salafists wave a flag identical to that of ISIS during a protest against satirical French weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, outside the French Cultural Centre in Gaza City on January... Palestinian Salafists wave a flag identical to that of ISIS during a protest against satirical French weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo's cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, outside the French Cultural Centre in Gaza City on January 19, 2015. More Ashraf Amra/SIPA/AP The Players in Gaza Amid the current war, sparked by a Hamas-led surprise attack against Israel in October 2023, Hamas has coalesced with groups across a broad ideological spectrum, from fellow Islamists to far-leftists. They include Palestinian Islamic Jihad; the Popular Resistance Committees; the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine; the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine—General Command; the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades; and the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement. These factions have increasingly participated in joint operations against the IDF, and the coalition has thus far largely withstood wartime pressure. At the same time, following several instances of rare protests among Gaza residents calling for Hamas to end the war, pressure has also built on the group to produce results amid deadlocked negotiations being mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar. The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine recently urged Hamas "to intensify efforts, in cooperation with the Arab mediators, to reach an agreement to halt the aggression—even if only for 60 days." A spokesperson for the group later told Newsweek that the message "was an attempt by us to reach a 'partial step' that would guarantee a ceasefire, open the crossings, and meet the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza because we observed that living conditions had worsened and that the specter of famine was beginning to loom large." Meanwhile, Netanyahu has also faced mounting pressure from the international community and domestic voices to reach a ceasefire. But with talks being hosted in Qatar dragging on without a breakthrough, Israel and the United States have yet to outline a clear plan for what Gaza's postwar governance would look like despite asserting that Hamas would have to be removed from power. Israeli Deputy Consul General in New York Tsach Saar has previously told Newsweek that neither Hamas nor Israel would be in control of Gaza in a postwar landscape. Last week, he reiterated this stance, telling Newsweek that "it's not for us to determine who is going to be there the day after [the war is over]." "We are making sure that it's not going to be Hamas," Saar said. "And when Hamas is defeated, we will have to work together with our allies, with regional countries, surrounding countries, neighboring countries to find a solution for the day after." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on May 21. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on May 21. Ronen Zvulun/Pool/AFP/Getty Images Where the US Stands President Donald Trump's administration has said relatively little about its ally's announced ties to the Popular Forces in Gaza. U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Thomas Pigott declined to delve into the specifics of the issue when asked by reporters on Thursday but reiterated the broader U.S. policy on the conflict. "What I can say is our approach and our policy remains that we stand with Israel, and we stand for peace," Pigott said. "And those are our goals that we want to see." In addition to providing Israel with extensive military and political support throughout the war, the U.S. has also backed the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as the only organization approved by Israel to distribute aid in the territory. While an unnamed diplomatic official cited by CNN on Sunday claimed that Abu Shabab had established some level of direct or indirect contact with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the organization denied any connection in comments shared with the outlet.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why UK suspended free trade talks with Israel as tensions escalate over the Gaza war
The United Kingdom has suspended free trade negotiations with Israel amid mounting tensions over the ongoing war in Gaza, marking the most serious diplomatic rift between the two countries in decades. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the decision in Parliament, condemning what he called 'repellent' and 'monstrous' rhetoric by senior Israeli ministers, including calls to 'purify Gaza' by forcibly expelling Palestinians. Lammy also criticized Israel for blocking humanitarian aid from entering the besieged strip, calling the actions morally unjustifiable and warning that such policies are damaging Israel's global reputation and standing. Israeli Ministers' 'purify Gaza' comments trigger tensions David Lammy's strongest condemnation was aimed at extremist rhetoric from within the Israeli government. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other senior figures reportedly used language calling to 'cleanse' or 'purify' Gaza, suggesting the displacement of Palestinians to third countries. Lammy described these remarks as 'monstrous, repellent, and extremist,' warning that such views have no place in international diplomacy and are 'dangerously inflammatory. ' UK Government 's concerns over the Gaza aid The UK government expressed deep concern over Israel's refusal to allow thousands of humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza, where civilians are facing mass displacement, starvation, and trauma. Lammy stated that fewer than 10 trucks had been allowed through recently, despite UN and WHO warnings of a looming humanitarian catastrophe. The UK joined international calls urging Israel to lift the blockade and allow aid to reach the most vulnerable populations. Israel's response Israel's Foreign Ministry responded harshly, accusing the UK of 'anti-Israel obsession.' Spokesperson Oren Marmorstein claimed Britain was harming its own economy for political optics and dismissed the move as symbolic. He asserted that Israel would not be swayed by external pressure in its military and security operations, defending the ongoing actions as necessary for national defence against Hamas. Trade and diplomatic ties reassessed In addition to suspending the trade talks, the UK is now reviewing its broader strategic roadmap with Israel. L ammy indicated that further actions, including sanctions and arms export restrictions, are being considered in coordination with international partners. Three Israeli settlers and four West Bank-based entities have already been sanctioned for human rights violations. However, some MPs are pressing for even more decisive action, including a recognition of Palestinian statehood and a total arms embargo. Growing political divide in the UK parliament Lammy's statement received strong backing from Labour backbenchers and some Conservative MPs, though others expressed frustration that the UK government's response remained largely symbolic. Calls were made for concrete steps such as halting arms sales and taking a tougher stance at the United Nations. Critics argued that powerful rhetoric must be backed with meaningful policy changes to influence Israeli behavior and alleviate Palestinian suffering. The UK's decision to suspend free trade talks with Israel highlights growing international concern over the intensifying conflict in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian crisis. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have reached a low point, with strong criticism of Israeli ministerial comment and aid restrictions. While the UK cites moral and humanitarian obligations, Israel defends its actions as necessary for national security. This marks a significant moment in their bilateral ties, raising questions about the future direction of diplomacy. Whether this pause results in constructive dialogue or deepens divisions will depend on actions taken by both sides in the coming weeks.
Axios
13-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
New Orleans' grocery wars: Costco rises as Walmart dips
Costco grew its market share of grocery shoppers in New Orleans last year, while Walmart's slightly shrunk. Why it matters: We all have to eat. The big picture: Walmart held onto its title as the most popular grocery chain in New Orleans metro, according to Chain Store Guide, which tracks the retail and food service industries. Walmart had 38.2% of market share in 2024, down from 39.2% the previous year. Costco, which opened a second store in the region last year in Covington, made a notable climb up the chart. It went from 4% to 7.8%. Sam's, Winn-Dixie, Whole Foods, Dollar General and Target were the other heavy hitters. Zoom in: The Top 10 list is dominated by national chains, but three local brands made the cut. Thibodaux-based Rouses Markets slightly lost market share, dipping from 12.4% to 12.1%. Dorignac's, a family-owned store in Metairie, held steady at 1.5%. And, Laborie's Budget Saver cracked the Top 10 list this year. The West Bank-based brand has four locations. The intrigue: Trader Joe's, Aldi, Robért, Breaux Mart, Fresh Market, Langenstein's and Zuppardo's each had 1% market share or less. Aldi has made in-roads in South Louisiana after buying several Winn-Dixie locations in metro New Orleans. It converted the W-D store on Airline Highway in Metairie into an Aldi and is the process of flipping the MacArthur location on the West Bank. By the numbers: Dollar General has the most stores (84) of any retailers on Top 10 list, the data shows. Then it is Walmart (24), Winn-Dixie (19), Rouses (19), Target (5), Sam's (5), Aldi (5), Whole Foods (4) and Budget Saver (4). Between the lines: Family Dollar has 45 locations in the region and only 1.25% market share for grocery shoppers.
