UN Security Council adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate ceasefire and release of hostages

Update UN Security Council adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate ceasefire and release of hostages
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In this photo taken on March 25, 2024, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (2nd R) abstains during a resolution vote calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. After repeatedly vetoing previous drafts, the US abstained to signal its displeasure with Israeli intransigence. https://arab.news/wcmun
Update UN Security Council adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate ceasefire and release of hostages
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Members of the United Nations Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York City. (Reuters)
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Updated 11 June 2024
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UN Security Council adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate ceasefire and release of hostages

UN Security Council adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate ceasefire and release of hostages
  • The plan consists of three phases, culminating in a permanent halt to hostilities and the start of reconstruction
  • Slovenian envoy says hostage-rescue operations resulting in scores of civilian deaths, like the one at the weekend, must not become the ‘new normal’

NEW YORK CITY: A US-led resolution endorsing a ceasefire plan aimed at ending the eight-month war in Gaza was adopted by the UN Security Council on Monday, with 14 of the 15 members voting in favor and Russia abstaining.

It was the 11th time the council had voted on a draft resolution relating to the war in Gaza. Only three have been adopted.

Resolution 2735, a copy of which was obtained by Arab News, welcomes a three-phase ceasefire proposal announced by US President Joe Biden on May 31, which Washington said Israeli authorities have accepted, and calls on Hamas to accept it as well. It urges both sides “to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”

After it was adopted, the US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the council has sent “a clear message to Hamas: accept the ceasefire deal on the table.” If it does so, “the fighting would stop today,” she added.

Hamas can now see the international community is united behind a deal that will save lives, help Gazans “to rebuild and heal” and reunite Israeli hostages with their families, she said.

The deal will also lead to “a more secure Israel and unlock the possibility of more progress, including calm along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon,” Thomas-Greenfield continued.

“We cannot forget the Israelis displaced from their homes in northern Israel, under threat from Hezbollah. These attacks from terrorist groups backed by Iran must stop. They have to stop.”

She said Palestinians have endured “sheer hell in this war started by Hamas. There’s an opportunity to chart a different course; Hamas must take it.”

Phase one of the plan, as outlined by the resolution, requires “an immediate, full and complete ceasefire, with the release of hostages, including women, the elderly and the wounded, the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed, (and) the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.”

It also calls for the “withdrawal of Israeli forces from the populated areas in Gaza, the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes and neighborhoods in all areas of Gaza, including in the north, as well as the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout the Gaza Strip to all Palestinian civilians who need it, including housing units delivered by the international community.”

Phase two would include “a permanent end to hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.” Phase 3 would begin “a major, multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages still in Gaza to their families.”

The proposal states that should negotiations between the two sides during phase one take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will be maintained as long as the talks continue, and it “welcomes the readiness of the United States, Egypt and Qatar to work to ensure negotiations keep going until all the agreements are reached and phase two is able to begin.”

It rejects any potential attempts to impose “demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reduce the territory of Gaza,” reiterates the commitment to a two state solution, and stresses the importance of “unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.”

Slovenia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, Ondina Blokar Drobic, told council members after the vote: “We have been saying this for months now: The suffering in Gaza must end.

“We have been constantly calling for the immediate release of hostages. However, military operations for the release of hostages, leaving hundreds of civilians killed and injured, like the one in the Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday, cannot be the new normal. The principles of international humanitarian law and human rights law apply to hostage-rescue operations as well.”

Listing the many atrocities and horrors witnessed during the war, Drobic added: “The denial of aid to civilians, including women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons; humanitarian and UN personnel killed; UN premises targeted; hospitals besieged; children’s limbs amputated without anesthesia; women giving birth without appropriate assistance; mass graves; civilian areas in Gaza and in Israel targeted, attacked and destroyed — none of this should be taking place.

“Photos of children, some of them born during this war, dying because of malnutrition” will go down in history among the defining images of a conflict “this council should have prevented.”

She added: “It is for this reason we once again call for an immediate ceasefire. This is the first step toward achieving a comprehensive solution.”


Detained Palestinian activist in Vermont prison says he’s ‘in good hands,’ focused on peacemaking

Updated 11 sec ago
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Detained Palestinian activist in Vermont prison says he’s ‘in good hands,’ focused on peacemaking

Detained Palestinian activist in Vermont prison says he’s ‘in good hands,’ focused on peacemaking
“I’m staying positive by reassuring myself in the ability of justice and the deep belief of democracy,” Mahdawi said
The US Justice Department has not said why he’s being detained

VERMONT, USA: A Palestinian man who led protests against the war in Gaza as a student at Columbia University and was recently arrested during an interview about finalizing his US citizenship says he’s “in good hands” at the Vermont prison where he is being held.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident, was arrested April 14 in Colchester, Vermont. He met Monday with US Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont, a Democrat, who posted it on X.
“I’m staying positive by reassuring myself in the ability of justice and the deep belief of democracy,” Mahdawi said in Welch’s video. “This is the reason I wanted to become a citizen of this country, because I believe in the principles of this country.”
Welch’s office said Mahdawi was being detained at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, Vermont. His case is scheduled for a status conference Wednesday. His lawyers have called for his release.
The US Justice Department has not said why he’s being detained. The New York Times reported April 15 that Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote a memo that says Mahdawi’s activities could “potentially undermine” the Middle East peace process.
“We do not comment on on any ongoing litigation,” the State Department press office said in response to an email seeking comment.
Rubio has cited a rarely used statute to justify the deportation of Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. It gives Rubio power to deport those who pose “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”
An immigration judge ruled April 11 that Khalil can be forced out of the country as a national security risk, after lawyers argued the legality of deporting the activist who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. His lawyers plan to appeal.
Mahdawi said that in studying for his citizenship test, he learned “that the freedom of speech and religion and assembly is guaranteed to everyone in the United States, which is part of the foundation of this country.”
Mahdawi said his work “has been centered on peacemaking.”
“My empathy, as I mentioned before, extends beyond the Palestinian people and my empathy extends to the Jews and to the Israelis,” he said. “And my hope and my dream is to see this conflict, if one might say, to see an end to the war, an end to the killing, to see a peaceful resolution between Palestinians and Israelis. How could this be a threat to anybody, except the war machine that is feeding this?”
Welch responded, “It would be good for everybody for us to have peace.”
Mahdawi said, “I want to tell everyone that I feel so loved and so supported. And I am here in good hands. I am centered, I am clear, I am grounded. And I don’t want you to worry about me.”
According to the court filing, Mahdawi was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank and moved to the United States in 2014. He recently completed coursework at Columbia and was expected to graduate in May before beginning a master’s degree program there in the fall.
As a student, Mahdawi was an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and organized campus protests until March 2024.

Man missing after reported shark attack off Israel’s coast

Man missing after reported shark attack off Israel’s coast
Updated 22 min 10 sec ago
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Man missing after reported shark attack off Israel’s coast

Man missing after reported shark attack off Israel’s coast
  • Shark attacks have not been reported in Israel for decades
  • Police spokesman Aryeh Doron said that “several findings have been sent for examination“

HADERA, Israel: Israeli police have been searching for a man reported missing following a suspected shark attack off the country’s Mediterranean coast, the force said on Tuesday.
Shark attacks have not been reported in Israel for decades.
Police spokesman Aryeh Doron said that “several findings have been sent for examination,” without specifying the nature of the recovered evidence.
Search operations continued Tuesday in the southeastern Mediterranean, near the area of the central city of Hadera where the swimmer had disappeared.
“The search area is very large, very complex, especially due to the danger posed by diving near sharks,” said Doron Elmashali, commander of the fire and rescue unit involved in the operation.
He said underwater cameras were being used in the operation.
Emergency organizations Magen David Adom and Zaka on Monday said they had been informed of a man’s disappearance off the coast near Hadera, after witnesses said he had been attacked by a shark.
An AFP journalist at the site saw shark silhouettes with dorsal fins breaking through the water’s surface.
Israeli media have broadcast several videos in recent days showing sharks swimming near bathers, including children. One video appears to show a swimmer being attacked.
Police said Tuesday that a ban on entering the sea along large stretches of the coast would remain in effect.
Shark attacks in the calm waters of the Mediterranean are rare, but shark sightings, particularly off the coast of Hadera, are well documented, as dozens are known to gather near the local power station in winter months.
The plant uses sea water to cool its turbines, then discharges the warm water which is believed to attract sandbar and dusky sharks.
Although these species can grow to several meters in length, they are generally not aggressive toward humans.
The seasonal shark population off Hadera has increased in recent years, likely due to the expansion of the power plant and the implementation of legislation prohibiting their capture.
The Israeli Nature and Parks Authority and the Israeli diving association have issued warnings urging divers drawn by the presence of the sharks not to approach them.


Oman, China discuss strategic relations in political, economic sectors

Oman, China discuss strategic relations in political, economic sectors
Updated 22 April 2025
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Oman, China discuss strategic relations in political, economic sectors

Oman, China discuss strategic relations in political, economic sectors
  • China commended Oman’s role ‘in promoting the settlement of regional hotspot issues’
  • Two sides discussed their bilateral cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields

LONDON: Oman and China held the 14th round of strategic consultations in Beijing to deepen their political, economic and cultural cooperation this week.

Khalifa Ali Al-Harthy, the undersecretary of the Omani foreign ministry for political affairs, and Liu Bin, the Chinese assistant minister of foreign affairs, led their respective delegations.

The two sides discussed their bilateral cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields on Monday, exploring ways to enhance strategic relations, the Oman News Agency reported.

Special Envoy Zhai Jun, of the Chinese government on the Middle East issue, said that the strategic partnership between Beijing and Muscat had continued to develop steadily, with successful cooperation in various fields.

“China appreciates the important role played by Oman in promoting the settlement of regional hotspot issues and easing regional tensions,” Jun said, according to a statement on the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.

Khalifa met Jun and Zhang Xiaoqiang, executive vice chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, the ONA reported.

Nasser Mohammed Al-Busaidi, the Omani ambassador to China, and Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Hosni, head of the Asia and Pacific Department at the Foreign Ministry, attended the consultations session.


Jordan’s prime minister warns against threat of ‘political opportunism’ and external loyalties

Jordan’s prime minister warns against threat of ‘political opportunism’ and external loyalties
Updated 22 April 2025
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Jordan’s prime minister warns against threat of ‘political opportunism’ and external loyalties

Jordan’s prime minister warns against threat of ‘political opportunism’ and external loyalties
  • Jafar Hassan’s comments follow arrest of 16 people accused of planning acts of chaos and sabotage, and seizures of missiles, explosives and firearms
  • ‘Nothing transcends Jordan’s interests’ and there is no tolerance for ‘subversive elements seeking to propagate instability and impede national progress,’ he says

LONDON: Jordan’s Prime Minister Jafar Hassan cautioned on Tuesday against acts of “political opportunism” and any activities that might undermine public safety.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting in Ajloun, he said: “The Jordanian state’s forbearance cannot be subjected to testing, nor can any entity prevail against it through performative displays or populist demagoguery, or jeopardize public welfare for any cause whatsoever,” the Jordan News Agency reported.

“Nothing transcends Jordan’s interests” and there is “no space for external loyalties or subversive elements seeking to propagate instability and impede national progress,” he added.

“Within Jordan’s borders, sovereignty is exclusively vested in constitutional legitimacy, with authority concentrated solely in state institutions and our independent judiciary.”

The prime minister’s comments came a week after Jordanian authorities said they foiled a series of plots that threatened the country’s national security. They arrested 16 people accused of planning acts of chaos and sabotage, and seized weapons including missiles, explosives and firearms.

Hassan said national unity is essential to the country’s strength and any attempt to compromise it “constitutes direct opposition to Jordan’s national interests and its citizenry.”


Syria arrests Assad-era officer accused of ‘war crimes’: ministry

Interior ministry announced that security forces had arrested the “criminal brigadier-general Sultan Al-Tinawi.”
Interior ministry announced that security forces had arrested the “criminal brigadier-general Sultan Al-Tinawi.”
Updated 22 April 2025
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Syria arrests Assad-era officer accused of ‘war crimes’: ministry

Interior ministry announced that security forces had arrested the “criminal brigadier-general Sultan Al-Tinawi.”
  • The statement accused Tinawi of involvement in “committing war crimes against civilians, including a massacre” in the Damascus countryside in 2016

DAMASCUS: Syrian authorities said Tuesday they had arrested a former officer in the feared security apparatus of ousted ruler Bashar Assad, the latest such announcement as the new government pursues ex-officials accused of atrocities.
The interior ministry announced in a statement that security forces in the coastal province of Latakia had arrested the “criminal brigadier-general Sultan Al-Tinawi,” saying he was a key officer in the air force intelligence, one of the Assad family’s most trusted security agencies.
The statement accused Tinawi of involvement in “committing war crimes against civilians, including a massacre” in the Damascus countryside in 2016.
It said he was responsible for “coordinating between the leadership of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and a number of sectarian groups in Syria.”
Tinawi has been referred to the public prosecution for further investigation, the statement said.
A security source, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to the media, said that Tinawi held senior administrative positions in the air force intelligence when Jamil Hassan was head of the notorious agency.
Hassan has been sentenced in absentia in France for complicity in crimes against humanity and war crimes, while the United States has accused him of “war crimes,” including overseeing barrel bomb attacks on Syrian people that killed thousands of civilians.
Tinawi had been “head of the information branch of the air force intelligence” before Assad’s ouster late last year, the security source told AFP, describing the branch as “one of the most powerful and secret security agencies in the country.”
Since taking power in December, Syria’s new authorities have announced a number of arrests of Assad-era security officials.
Assad fled to Moscow with only a handful of confidants, abandoning senior officials and security officers, some of whom have reportedly fled to neighboring countries or taken refuge in the coastal heartland of Assad’s Alawite minority community.