Al-Azhar welcomes Security Council’s endorsement of Gaza truce call

Special Al-Azhar welcomes Security Council’s endorsement of Gaza truce call
Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb receives a delegation of students from Gaza. (X/@AlAzhar)
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Updated 12 June 2024
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Al-Azhar welcomes Security Council’s endorsement of Gaza truce call

Al-Azhar welcomes Security Council’s endorsement of Gaza truce call
  • Grand imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, hailed the resolution endorsed by the Security Council, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza
  • Al-Tayeb received a group of senior secondary students from the Gaza Al-Azhar Institute, Gaza Institute, Khan Yunis Institute, and North Gaza Institute

CAIRO: Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Sunni Islam’s highest seat of learning, has welcomed the UN Security Council’s endorsement of the resolution to stop the aggression against the Gaza Strip.

The grand imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, hailed the resolution endorsed by the Security Council, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, the full withdrawal of Israeli forces, the bilateral release of prisoners and hostages, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, the immediate entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, and moving toward the reconstruction of Gaza. ‎

A statement from Al-Azhar said the seminary hopes that the Security Council will be able to ensure all the guarantees required for the implementation of the resolution and for all parties to adhere to it and save the lives of innocent people.

It stressed that the resolution, issued after the loss of more than 37,000 lives, “is a step in the right direction and represents a final opportunity to restore peace and trust in the international community and international institutions, promote global peace and security, and grant the Palestinian people their right to establish their independent state.” ‎

Meanwhile, Al-Tayeb received a group of senior secondary students from the Gaza Al-Azhar Institute, Gaza Institute, Khan Yunis Institute, and North Gaza Institute. The male and female students joined Al-Azhar institutes in Cairo to pursue their studies after Israel launched its offensives against Gaza.

Al-Tayeb welcomed the Gazan students to Egypt and Al-Azhar, saying: “Our hearts have been broken over the past six months since the onset of the aggression, and we have felt for you during this human tragedy that has afflicted you day after day. However, our meeting with you today has induced hope in us anew. You have taught the world the meaning of steadfastness, perseverance, hope, and trust in God.

“I see this in your steadfastness and your determination to pursue your education. We at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif are happy to have you with us, and we will work to provide all the amenities that ensure your excellence. My door and the door of Al-Azhar are open to you at any hour of the day or night.” ‎

He listened attentively to the students who recounted their ordeals during Israel’s invasion and expressed fears about the difficult days ahead.

The students offered Al-Azhar’s imam a Palestinian keffiyeh in appreciation for his role in supporting them and advocating for the Palestinian cause.


Blinken tells Israel escalation will make civilian return more difficult

Blinken tells Israel escalation will make civilian return more difficult
Updated 16 sec ago
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Blinken tells Israel escalation will make civilian return more difficult

Blinken tells Israel escalation will make civilian return more difficult
  • Despite Israel’s stance, the US and France sought to keep prospects alive for an immediate 21-day truce they proposed on Wednesday
  • Washington has faced mounting global and domestic criticism over its backing of Israel amid the escalation of conflict in Lebanon

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israel on Thursday that further escalation to the conflict involving Lebanon will only make it harder for civilians to return home on both sides of the border, the State Department said.
Israel rejected global calls on Thursday for a ceasefire with the Hezbollah movement, defying its biggest ally in Washington and pressing ahead with strikes that have killed hundreds in Lebanon and heightened fears of an all-out regional war.
Despite Israel’s stance, the US and France sought to keep prospects alive for an immediate 21-day truce they proposed on Wednesday, and said negotiations continued, including on the sidelines of a United Nations meeting in New York.
“The Secretary discussed the importance of reaching an agreement on the 21 day ceasefire across the Israel-Lebanon border,” the State Department said in a statement referring to talks between Blinken and Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.
“He underscored that further escalation of the conflict will only make that objective (of civilian return) more difficult.”
The State Department added that Blinken also discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and steps that Israel needs to take to improve delivery of humanitarian assistance in the enclave where nearly the entire 2.3 million population is displaced and a hunger crisis exists.
US President Joe Biden laid out a three-phase ceasefire proposal for Gaza on May 31 but the deal has run into obstacles, mostly over Israeli demands to maintain presence in the Philadelphi corridor on Gaza’s border with Egypt and specifics about exchanges of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
Washington has faced mounting global and domestic criticism over its backing of Israel amid the escalation of conflict in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have killed hundreds in recent days.
Critics say Washington has not leveraged its assistance to pressure Israel into accepting ceasefire calls. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to address the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.
The latest bloodshed in the decades old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subequent military assault on Gaza has killed over 41,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.


What obstacles stand in the way of an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire?

What obstacles stand in the way of an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire?
Updated 27 September 2024
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What obstacles stand in the way of an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire?

What obstacles stand in the way of an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire?
  • Hezbollah wants a truce in Gaza as a condition for striking a deal with Israel
  • For Israel, the condition is a high price to pay and Netanyahu's partners want him to fight on

Israel and Hezbollah each have strong incentives to heed international calls for a ceasefire that could avert all-out war — but that doesn’t mean they will.
Hezbollah is reeling after a sophisticated attack on personal devices killed and wounded hundreds of its members. Israeli airstrikes have killed two top commanders in Beirut in less than a week, and warplanes have pounded what Israel says are Hezbollah sites across large parts of Lebanon, killing over 600 people.
So far, Israel clearly has the upper hand militarily, which could make it less willing to compromise. But it’s unlikely to achieve its goal of halting Hezbollah rocket fire with air power alone, and a threatened ground invasion of Lebanon poses major risks.
After nearly a year of war, Israeli troops are still fighting Hamas in Gaza. And Hezbollah is a much more formidable force.
“Hezbollah has yet to employ 10 percent of its capabilities,” military affairs correspondent Yossi Yehoshua wrote in Yediot Ahronot, Israel’s largest daily newspaper. “The euphoria that is evident among the decision-makers and some of the public should be placed back in the attic: the situation is still complex and flammable.”
The United States and its allies, including Gulf Arab countries, have tried to offer a way out, proposing an immediate 21-day ceasefire to “provide space for diplomacy.”
But any deal would require both sides to back away from their core demands, and they may decide the price is too high.
 

Hezbollah wants a truce in Gaza, too
Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into northern Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in the south triggered the war in Gaza. Hezbollah and Hamas are both allies of Iran, and the Lebanese militant group says it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians.
Israel has responded with waves of airstrikes. Overall, the fighting has killed dozens of people in Israel, more than 1,500 in Lebanon and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from communities on both sides of the border.
Hezbollah has said it will halt the attacks if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. But months of negotiations over Gaza led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled, and Hamas might be less motivated to reach a deal if it thinks Hezbollah and Iran will join a wider war against Israel.
For Hezbollah, halting its rocket fire without securing any tangible gains for the Palestinians would be seen as a capitulation to Israeli pressure, with all of its recent casualties suffered in vain.
Any deal involving a ceasefire in Gaza would be a hard sell for Israel, which would view it as a reward for Hezbollah rocket attacks that have displaced tens of thousands of its citizens for nearly a year.
For Israel, a ceasefire might not be enough
Israel’s goals in Lebanon are far narrower than in Gaza, where Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu has vowed “total victory” over Hamas and the return of scores of hostages.
Israel wants the tens of thousands of people who were evacuated from northern communities nearly a year ago to return safely to their homes. And it wants to ensure that Hezbollah never carries out an Oct. 7-style attack.
A weekslong ceasefire — which would give Hezbollah a chance to reset after major attacks on its chain of command and communications — might not be enough.

Few Israelis are likely to return if they know it’s only temporary, and even an agreement for a lasting ceasefire would face skepticism.
The UN Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah called for the militants to withdraw north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the border, and for the area between to be patrolled by Lebanese forces and UN peacekeepers.
Israel says that provision was never implemented and is likely to demand additional guarantees in any new ceasefire. But Hezbollah is far stronger than Lebanon’s regular armed forces and the UN detachment, neither of which would be able to impose any agreement by force.
Netanyahu’s partners want him to fight on
Netanyahu leads the most religious and nationalist government in Israel’s history. His far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions to Hamas, and they are also likely to oppose any deal with Hezbollah.
Bezalel Smotrich, Netanyahu’s hard-line finance minister, said Thursday that Israel’s campaign in the north “should only end in one scenario – crushing Hezbollah and denying its ability to harm residents of the north.”
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right National Security Minister, said he would not support a temporary ceasefire and would leave the government if it becomes permanent.
Although opposition parties would likely support the ceasefire, the defection of his partners would eventually bring down Netanyahu’s government and force early elections, potentially leaving him even more exposed to investigations into the security failures of Oct. 7 and corruption charges that predate the war. It could even mean the end of his long political career.
Iran has sent mixed signals
In Lebanon, Prime Minister Najib Mikati has welcomed the ceasefire proposal, but he has little power to impose an agreement on Hezbollah.
Iran, which helped establish Hezbollah in the 1980s and is the source of its advanced weapons, has more sway over the group, but it has yet to express a position on any ceasefire. It likely fears a wider war that could bring it into direct conflict with the United States, but can’t stand by indefinitely while its most powerful proxy force is dismantled.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, a relative moderate elected over the summer, struck a more conciliatory tone toward the West than his predecessors when he addressed the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
But he had sharp words for Israel and said its heavy bombardment of Lebanon in recent days “cannot go unanswered.”
 


Iran shows ‘willingness’ to re-engage on nuclear issue: IAEA chief

Iran shows ‘willingness’ to re-engage on nuclear issue: IAEA chief
Updated 27 September 2024
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Iran shows ‘willingness’ to re-engage on nuclear issue: IAEA chief

Iran shows ‘willingness’ to re-engage on nuclear issue: IAEA chief

UNITED NATIONS: The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Thursday said Iran is showing “willingness” to re-engage on the nuclear issue, but that Tehran will not reconsider its decision to deny access to top UN inspectors.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said Tehran was “showing signs of willingness to reengage, not only with the IAEA, but also... with our former partners in the nuclear agreement of 2015.”

Grossi spoke after meeting this week with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who played a key role in the negotiations that culminated in the 2015 landmark nuclear deal with world powers which has since unraveled.

“It’s a moment where there is a possibility to do something” on the nuclear question, Grossi told AFP on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

“The advantage Araghchi has is that he knows everything about this process, so that allows us to move faster,” Grossi said at the IAEA’s New York offices.

In recent years, Tehran has decreased its cooperation with the IAEA, while significantly ramping up its nuclear program, including amassing large stockpiles of uranium enriched to 60 percent — close to the 90 percent needed to develop an atomic bomb.

But since the July election of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Tehran has signaled openness to relaunching talks to revive the nuclear agreement.

The landmark deal — also known by its acronym JCPOA — started to unravel in 2018 when then-US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from it and reimposed sanctions, and Iran retaliated by stepping up its nuclear activities.

Efforts to revive the deal — bringing the United States back on board and Iran back into compliance — have so far been fruitless.

“If things move in a positive way... and I think this is the intention of the president and the foreign minister (of Iran), there will be a return to the conversations with the former partners,” Grossi said.

Tehran, however, is not willing to walk back on a decision it took last year to ban some of the IAEA’s “best inspectors,” Grossi said, a move Teheran initially described as retaliation for “political abuses” by the United States, France, Germany and Britain.

“They are not going to restore the inspectors to the list,” Grossi said.

“Maybe there will be a review of that. I will keep pushing,” he added, explaining that he is due to visit Tehran in the “coming weeks.”

During his visit, Grossi plans to discuss “different monitoring and verification measures that we could agree on prior to a wider agreement.”

“I think getting an agreement with Iran on these things would be a very constructive indication... toward a future negotiation,” Grossi said.

“If you do not allow me to establish a baseline of all the capacities that the country has at the moment, then what kind of confidence and trust are you injecting in the system for a negotiation with other partners?” he added.

According to a diplomatic source, the European side is skeptical about the possibility of returning to the framework of the initial pact.

Grossi said the actual framework of the deal would be left to Iran and Western powers.

“Will it be the same? Will it be updated? Will it be something completely different? This is for them to decide,” Grossi said.


UNRWA earning ‘global vote of confidence’: Jordanian FM

UNRWA earning ‘global vote of confidence’: Jordanian FM
Updated 27 September 2024
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UNRWA earning ‘global vote of confidence’: Jordanian FM

UNRWA earning ‘global vote of confidence’: Jordanian FM
  • Ayman Safadi: Agency for Palestinian refugees is victim of Israeli ‘political assassination campaign’
  • UNRWA chief: Gaza ‘definitely horrifies even the most seasoned humanitarians’

NEW YORK CITY: A high-level meeting on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugee produced a “global vote of confidence” in the agency despite Israel’s “political assassination campaign” against it, Jordan’s foreign minister said on Thursday.

Ayman Safadi was speaking at a joint press conference with UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini following the meeting at the UN headquarters.

Safadi said: “Today rallied international support behind an agency which carries out heroic work in helping the Palestinian people through the misery that Israel continues to bring to Gaza.

“Nobody can do the job that UNRWA is doing. It’s irreplaceable. It’s indispensable. It’s needed now more than ever before.

“UNRWA and its staff made the ultimate sacrifice. Israel has killed 222 UNRWA staff members. It targets them. It doesn’t allow them to operate.”

Safadi said more than 50 countries attended the meeting. He hailed UNRWA’s “noble job” in saving the lives of thousands of Palestinian children from paralysis through a polio vaccination campaign.

The agency has become the victim of an Israeli “political assassination campaign” designed to undermine support for the Palestinian people, Safadi said.

It is “incomprehensible” that a UN member state would designate a UN agency as a terrorist organization, he added.

“That can’t happen, and we must stand against that,” Safadi said, because “it’s undermining the whole UN system, and the world mustn’t allow that, and we’ll stand up to it, along with all our partners who showed up in support of UNRWA today.”

He added: “We’ll continue to do everything to ensure that UNRWA stands because UNRWA is also a beacon of hope for Palestinians, and that’s why Israel has launched the political assassination campaign on UNRWA, because it wants to liquidate the cause of the Palestinian refugees, which shouldn’t be done and won’t be done.”

Lazzarini echoed Safadi’s words, describing the Israeli campaign against the agency as “relentless” and “coming from every corner.” 

He said: “These aren’t just attacks against UNRWA. They’re attacks against the broader UN system, attacks against the broader international community.

“They aim, first, at stripping Palestinians from the refugee statute, but secondly, they aim at weakening or putting an end to the aspirations of the Palestinians for self-determination.”

The UNRWA chief said his agency and others, as well as international NGOs, have seen staff being “phased out” in the Occupied Territories as a result of Israeli practices.

Calls to dissolve UNRWA or end its presence in the Middle East would be “unconscionable, unprecedented, and would open an extraordinary Pandora’s Box,” Lazzarini warned.

To counter the Israeli campaign, “we’ll continue to push the true narrative that UNRWA deserves to be supported,” Safadi said.

“UNRWA deserves to be thanked for the tremendous sacrifices that it continues to do in the execution of its global mandate.”

Both officials described conditions on the ground in Gaza almost one year on from Israel’s invasion.

The UNRWA chief warned that the Palestinian enclave is a “place which definitely horrifies even the most seasoned humanitarians who’ve seen it all over the last 20, 30 years.”

He said more than 1 million school-age children in Gaza are “deeply traumatized” and living amongst rubble.

“An entire generation might be sacrificed if they aren’t brought back to learning,” he added. “Obviously learning in this environment is extraordinary difficult, but we’re trying to make sure that they lose as little as possible.”

Lazzarini discussed the financing of his agency, warning that the shortfall in funding from October to the end of the year stood at $60-$80 million.

But he said UNRWA would make sure to “bridge the gap” despite some donor countries signaling a decline in foreign aid due to austerity measures.

Lazzarini also highlighted UNRWA operations in Lebanon, saying shelters are now open to “not only Palestinian refugees, but also Lebanese and Syrian refugees.”

The UNRWA meeting on Thursday was backed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot.

“Virtually all donors have reversed their funding suspensions” to UNRWA, Guterres said in a statement, adding that “123 countries have signed up to the declaration on shared commitments to UNRWA.

“This underscores the consensus that UNRWA’s role across the West Bank and the region is vital. Friends, there is no alternative to UNRWA.”

Barrot said: “The role of UNRWA is necessary in the Gaza Strip to provide vital humanitarian aid to a civilian population of Gaza whose needs are immense.

“France pays tribute to the UNRWA personnel and to all the humanitarian personnel killed in Gaza while they were trying to rescue civilians.”


Macron says would be ‘mistake’ for Israeli PM to ‘refuse’ Lebanon ceasefire

Macron says would be ‘mistake’ for Israeli PM to ‘refuse’ Lebanon ceasefire
Updated 27 September 2024
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Macron says would be ‘mistake’ for Israeli PM to ‘refuse’ Lebanon ceasefire

Macron says would be ‘mistake’ for Israeli PM to ‘refuse’ Lebanon ceasefire

MONTREAL: French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday it would be “a mistake” for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refuse a ceasefire in Lebanon, and that he would have to take “responsibility” for a regional escalation.

“The proposal that was made is a solid proposal,” Macron said at a news conference in Montreal, specifying that the plan supported by the United States and the EU had been prepared with Netanyahu himself.