UN human rights office to send team to Syria next week

UN human rights office to send team to Syria next week
Residents stand in line to buy bread from a bakery in Aleppo, Syria. (File/AP)
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Updated 20 December 2024
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UN human rights office to send team to Syria next week

UN human rights office to send team to Syria next week
  • Under Assad, the UN human rights team has not been allowed in Syria for years
  • Large-scale refugee returns could overwhelm Syria, UN migration agency chief warns

GENEVA: The UN human rights office will send a small team of human rights officers to Syria next week for the first time in years following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, UN spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told a press briefing on Friday.
As part of the takeover, rebels have flung open prisons and government offices and raising fresh hopes for accountability for crimes committed during Syria’s more than 13-year civil war.
Under Assad, the UN human rights team has not been allowed in Syria for years, Al-Kheetan said, and has been monitoring abuses remotely.
He said that the team would support human rights issues and help ensure that any power transition is “inclusive and within the framework of international law.” “It is important for us to start establishing a presence,” he said. A UN investigative body also hopes to travel to Syria to secure evidence that could implicate top officials of the former government.

Earlier on Friday, the head of the UN migration agency warned that large-scale returns of refugees to Syria could overwhelm the country and even stoke conflict at a fragile moment with the fall of Assad regime.
The UN refugee agency has estimated that 1 million people will return to Syria in the first six months of 2025. Some European countries have already frozen asylum applications for Syrians.
“We believe that millions of people returning would create conflict within an already fragile society,” Amy Pope, director-general of the International Organization for Migration, told a Geneva press briefing after a trip to Syria.
“We are not promoting large-scale returns. The communities, frankly, are just not ready to absorb the people who are displaced,” she said, calling for support from donors to help stabilize and rebuild the country.
Pope said she was urging governments to “slow down on any plans to sent people back.”
She said some communities could yet flee because of uncertainties about life under the new authorities, led by the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham group which once had ties to Al-Qaeda.
“We heard from communities, for example, the Christian community, who hasn’t yet left, but are very much worried about the next several months and want to make sure that they don’t become the targets of attack,” Pope said.
Syrian rebels seized control of Damascus on Dec. 8, forcing Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war and ending his family’s decades-long rule.
The United States, other Western powers and many Syrians welcomed Assad’s fall, but it is not clear whether HTS will impose strict Islamic rule or show flexibility.
There is widespread apprehension among Syrians that the new administration will gravitate toward hard-line religious rule, marginalizing minority communities and excluding women from public life.
 


Qatar delivers more than 60,000 tonnes of fuel to Lebanese army

Qatar delivers more than 60,000 tonnes of fuel to Lebanese army
Updated 11 May 2025
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Qatar delivers more than 60,000 tonnes of fuel to Lebanese army

Qatar delivers more than 60,000 tonnes of fuel to Lebanese army
  • Delivery is third and final shipment of fuel for 25
  • Qatar’s actions indicate its support for the Lebanese people

LONDON: Qatar dispatched more than 60,000 tonnes of fuel to Lebanon on Sunday as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s security capabilities.

The Qatar Fund for Development delivered the third and final fuel shipment for 2025, which comprised 62,000 tonnes of fuel, to the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli.

The fund stated that the shipment is intended to strengthen the Lebanese army’s operational capabilities and contribute to Lebanon's security and stability, the Qatar News Agency reported.

The delivery is a sign of Qatar’s support for the Lebanese people, as well as a contribution to prosperity and stability in the country, the QNA added.


Palestinian vice president discusses Gaza, West Bank with Qatar’s prime minister

Palestinian vice president discusses Gaza, West Bank with Qatar’s prime minister
Updated 11 May 2025
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Palestinian vice president discusses Gaza, West Bank with Qatar’s prime minister

Palestinian vice president discusses Gaza, West Bank with Qatar’s prime minister
  • Hussein Al-Sheikh calls for Palestinian Authority to take on civil, security responsibilities in Gaza
  • Qatari official briefed on latest developments in West Bank

LONDON: Hussein Al-Sheikh, the vice president of Palestine, has discussed in Doha the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and West Bank with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani.

Al-Sheikh spoke of the Palestinian stance on Gaza, calling for the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave to allow the Palestinian Authority to take on civil and security responsibilities, the Palestine News Agency reported.

The officials looked at the preparations for the upcoming Arab League Summit in Baghdad and the anticipated visit of US President Donald Trump to the region this week.

Al-Sheikh also briefed the Qatari official on the latest developments in the West Bank, highlighting the urgent need for a ceasefire and the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Qatar’s prime minister reaffirmed his country’s strong support for the Palestinian cause, emphasizing the importance of international law and the establishment of a Palestinian state, the WAFA Agency added.

Al-Sheikh was appointed vice president by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas after being selected as the deputy chairman of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization in April.

He met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Jeddah last week during his first regional visit following his appointment.


UK maritime agency reports incident northwest of UAE port

UK maritime agency reports incident northwest of UAE port
Updated 21 min 32 sec ago
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UK maritime agency reports incident northwest of UAE port

UK maritime agency reports incident northwest of UAE port

CAIRO: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday it received a report of an incident 80 nautical miles off the United Arab Emirates’ Jebel Ali port.
UKMTO said a vessel in the area reported a small craft colliding with it and was seen attempting to collide with other vessels in the area, adding that all crew were safe.


Gaza war cannot be solved by military means, says German foreign minister in Jerusalem

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (L), accompanied by his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, gives a press conference.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (L), accompanied by his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, gives a press conference.
Updated 12 min 30 sec ago
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Gaza war cannot be solved by military means, says German foreign minister in Jerusalem

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (L), accompanied by his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, gives a press conference.
  • “That is why we are appealing for a return to serious negotiations on a ceasefire,” Wadephul said
  • He also said it was clear that Gaza is part of the Palestinian territory

JERUSALEM: The conflict in Gaza cannot be solved by military means and a political solution must be found to end the war permanently, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in Jerusalem on Sunday.
“I do not believe that this conflict can be permanently resolved by military means,” Wadephul said. “Nevertheless, it is urgently necessary that Hamas is disarmed and that it can no longer have military control over Gaza.”
He said that Germany would do whatever it takes to guarantee Israel’s security, but this does not mean that his country cannot criticize Israel’s course of action, adding that this “must not lead to antisemitism.”
Hamas’ attacks on October 7, 2023 killed 1,200 people and 251 were taken hostage back to Gaza, according to Israel. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
“I am not sure whether all of Israel’s strategic goals can be achieved in this way (through a military campaign) and whether this will serve Israel’s security in the long term,” Wadephul said. “That is why we are appealing for a return to serious negotiations on a ceasefire.”
Wadephul repeated that the return of hostages is the German government’s priority. He also said it was clear that Gaza is part of the Palestinian territory.
“We need a political solution for the reconstruction of Gaza without Hamas,” Wadephul said.


UAE launches 4th phase of Gaza water supply project

UAE launches 4th phase of Gaza water supply project
A Palestinian man drinks water to cool off during a demonstration against the siege of Gaza and in solidarity with Al-Aqsa Mosqu
Updated 11 May 2025
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UAE launches 4th phase of Gaza water supply project

UAE launches 4th phase of Gaza water supply project
  • The UAE-supported project focuses on maintaining and restoring central wells across Gaza’s municipalities, ensuring the continuity of essential water services

DUBAI: The UAE has launched the fourth phase of its humanitarian water supply initiative in the Gaza Strip this week.
The project is part of the ongoing “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3,” aimed at alleviating the suffering of Palestinian civilians amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The UAE-supported project focuses on maintaining and restoring central wells across Gaza’s municipalities, ensuring the continuity of essential water services.
This latest phase includes the repair of 28 non-operational wells across several governorates, a move expected to benefit nearly 700,000 residents.
Sharif Al-Nayrab, media director for Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, praised the long-standing support of Emirati humanitarian organizations for Gaza’s critical sectors.
“This initiative reflects the UAE’s firm commitment to supporting the Palestinian people, especially during times of acute need,” he said.
This is the fourth water-related project implemented under the UAE initiative.
Earlier phases included daily distribution of water via tankers, the drilling of emergency wells along southern coastal areas and the construction of submersible wells to increase supply.
Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 has provided critical relief and development efforts across Gaza, delivering food, health and utility support.