Latest news with #foreignministers
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Backing Malaysian mediation, Asean urges ‘maximum restraint' in Thai-Cambodia clashes
KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Asean foreign ministers have called for an immediate ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, expressing deep concern over the rising death toll and humanitarian impact along their contested border. In a joint statement, the ministers urged both nations to halt all hostilities and return to dialogue to prevent further casualties and destruction. The ministers pointed to the displacement of thousands and the damage to public property, warning that continued violence risks destabilising the region. 'We emphasise the need for both sides to exercise maximum restraint and undertake an immediate ceasefire,' the statement said. The crisis has escalated rapidly since a Cambodian soldier was killed in late May, triggering weeks of sporadic clashes that reignited last Thursday into the worst fighting in over a decade. More than 30 people have been killed so far, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia, while over 200,000 have been forced to flee border areas. The joint statement reaffirmed Asean's commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means based on the Asean Charter, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and the United Nations Charter. The ministers expressed full support for efforts by Malaysia, the Asean Chair, to mediate the dispute and bring both sides to the negotiating table. Peace talks between Cambodia and Thailand were scheduled to begin in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, with US officials also present to assist in mediation efforts. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said officials from his State Department are in Malaysia to assist negotiations for a ceasefire. Thailand and Cambodia previously said their representatives would meet in Malaysia today for discussions.
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Countries denounce Israel but keep trading with it
As Israel's killing of Palestinians continues fast and slow, through air strikes and starvation, the foreign ministers of 28 countries have signed a statement calling for an end to Israel's war on Gaza. As these countries deploy words months after the United Nations and other groups warned of an oncoming famine, there has been little action on other fronts. Some of these countries have recognised the Palestinian state while France last week angered Israeli officials by announcing it would do the same in September. Still, many critics have pointed out that as countries make these statements, many of them continue to benefit from trade with Israel and have not imposed sanctions or taken any other action that could push Israel to end its genocidal war on Gaza. The war has killed at least 59,821 people in Gaza and wounded 144,477. Here's all you need to know about the countries profiting from Israel while condemning its military action: How much do the signatories of the statement trade with Israel? Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom all have more than $1bn in imports, exports or both with Israel, according to 2023 figures from the Observatory of Economic Complexity. What do these countries trade with Israel? Among the top items being traded are cars and other motor vehicles, integrated circuits, vaccines and perfumes. About $3.58bn in integrated circuits is the largest individual product going to Ireland, making up the overwhelming majority of Ireland's imports from Israel. Meanwhile, Italy exports to Israel more than any other country that signed the statement. Its $3.49bn of exports included $116m in cars in 2023. Do these countries recognise Palestine? Of those countries that issued the statement, Ireland and Spain recognised Palestine in 2024 and have spoken strongly against Israel's actions in Gaza. Still, that hasn't stopped them from continuing trade with Israel. Seven other countries that signed the statement also recognise the State of Palestine, including Cyprus, Malta and Poland, all of which recognised Palestine in 1988, shortly after the Palestinian Declaration of Independence. Iceland (2011), Sweden (2014), Norway (2024) and Slovenia (2024) also recognise the State of Palestine while France said it will do so in September at the United Nations General Assembly. Who signed the statement? Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. All of them are still trading with Israel. What was Israel's reaction to the statement? As expected. Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote on X that Israel rejects the statement, saying 'it is disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas.' What else are countries trading with Israel doing? France, Germany and the UK called for an 'immediate ceasefire' in Gaza and 'unconditional release of all hostages' after they held an emergency call to discuss the war and the hunger crisis created by Israel's siege and aid blockade on the enclave. Has any of this made Israel change its behaviour? Attention has turned heavily towards the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza, leading even longtime Israeli stalwart supporters like former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to address the issue. Aid organizations report that thousands of children in Gaza are at risk of starvation while trucks full of food sit waiting across the border. The full flow of humanitarian assistance must be restored — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 24, 2025 This pressure has led Israel to announce 'tactical pauses' for 'humanitarian purposes' from 10am to 8pm (07:00 to 17:00 GMT) in al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah and Gaza City. They started on Sunday. Despite the pauses, Israeli forces killed at least 43 Palestinians early on Sunday. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Sunday that it had recorded six more deaths over 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition, including two children. This brings the total number of starvation deaths to 133, including 87 children.
The Sun
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Britain joins 24 nations demanding Israel end war in Gaza claiming bloody conflict has plumbed ‘new depths'
BRITAIN joined 24 other nations demanding Israel end its war in Gaza yesterday claiming the bloody conflict had plumbed 'new depths.' The joint statement said it was 'horrifying' that more than 800 Palestinians in the strife-torn Hamas terror stronghold have been killed seeking food - including dozens yesterday. But Israeli forces stepped up action in the central Gazan city of Deir al-Balah yesterday - despite fears October 7 hostages are being held there. An unprecedented joint statement condemning the war was signed by the foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. It said: 'We come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now. The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. 'We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. 'The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. "A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.' Israel's strongman president Benjamin Netanyahu was urged to heed Donald Trump's US peace moves. The statement added: 'Further bloodshed serves no purpose. We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt. 'We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.' Hamas -controlled health officials said yesterday that the toll of Palestinians killed since Israel attacked following the October 7 terror attacks which killed 1,200 has now topped 59,000. Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli is being treated after Israel hit Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza 1
Al Jazeera
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Western foreign ministers denounce Israeli attacks on Gaza aid seekers
Western foreign ministers denounce Israeli attacks on Gaza aid seekers NewsFeed A group of over two dozen mostly European foreign ministers denounced Israeli attacks on Palestinian aid seekers in a joint statement condemning the 'drip feeding' of aid and saying 'the war in Gaza must end now.' Video Duration 01 minutes 24 seconds 01:24 Video Duration 00 minutes 58 seconds 00:58 Video Duration 01 minutes 18 seconds 01:18 Video Duration 02 minutes 24 seconds 02:24 Video Duration 00 minutes 58 seconds 00:58 Video Duration 01 minutes 01 seconds 01:01 Video Duration 00 minutes 36 seconds 00:36
South China Morning Post
21-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
UK, France, and Canada demand Gaza war ‘end now', criticise ‘dangerous' aid model
Britain and more than 20 other countries called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza on Monday, and criticised the Israeli government's aid delivery model after hundreds of Palestinians were killed near sites distributing food. Advertisement France, Italy, Japan, Australia, Canada, Denmark and other countries said more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid and condemned what it called the 'drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians'. Most of those killed were in the vicinity of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, which the United States and Israel backed to take over aid distribution in Gaza from a network led by the United Nations. 'The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity,' the countries' foreign ministers said in a joint statement. A woman mourns Palestinians who were killed in an incident while seeking aid in Khan Younis, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 16. Photo: Reuters The call for an end to the war and the way Israel delivers aid comes from several countries that are allied with Israel and its most important backer, the United States.
