Author: Steven Sahiounie

The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Israeli regime’s months-long genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. The 193-member assembly adopted the resolution with 153 votes in favor on Tuesday. Nine countries voted the resolution down, including the United States in line with its unfaltering political support for the Israeli regime. The US, however, does not hold a veto power at the assembly, unlike the UN Security Council, where it has blocked successive such resolutions. Washington has also provided Tel Aviv with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment since…

Nearly $9 billion in private funds is blocked in the country’s institutions due to sanctions Some Swiss financial institutions have begun charging their Russian clients fees on frozen accounts, sometimes accruing interest payments years in advance, Vedomosti reported on Tuesday, citing bankers and a brokerage firm. Commissions on the blocked assets of Russian citizens are charged years in advance, an auditing company source told the outlet, citing an employee at a Swiss bank. “The idea is that there is an account, it needs to be serviced, and it doesn’t matter that a person cannot use the banking service, in fact it…

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Geneva on Monday to lead the Kingdom’s delegation at an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. Prince Faisal also led a delegation from the ministerial committee formed by the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit, which also held multiple meetings in Geneva. The high-level event, which runs from Dec. 11-12, focuses on boosting international cooperation for the protection of human rights amid various global challenges, including wars. Discussions at the event also center on the importance of upholding and promoting respect…

As part of an overall $35 million package of support, the World Bank announced $20 million in new financing to provide emergency relief for the affected people of Gaza. This includes $10 million in new financing for food vouchers and parcels, approved by the World Bank board of Directors, that will reach an estimated 377,000 people. The urgently needed assistance will be delivered through the World Food Programme. This additional financing comes from the Emergency Social Protection and Jobs COVID-19 Response Project. In addition, the World Bank’s Health Emergency & Preparedness Trust Fund Program has allocated $10 million, provided by…

The Jordanian foreign ministry slammed Israel’s decision to expropriate Palestinian-ownded land in and around Silwan for the purposes of erecting a cable car from the area to Abu Tor in West Jerusalem going through the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem. “This is a rejected and condemned step that represents a grave violation of international law and UNESCO resolutions,” the Jordanian government said in a statement posted on X. “These Israeli steps to change the features of the Old City of Jerusalem and its legal status are null and void,” the statement said. According to Daniel Seidemann, an expert on…

A young Palestinian man has died of wounds sustained after being shot by Israeli forces. Fawaz Hammad, head of the al-Razi Hospital in Jenin, identified him as 18-year-old Rashad Turkman, who had been shot in the abdomen. Turkman died in the facility despite efforts to resuscitate him. This brings the death toll from Israel’s ongoing raid in Jenin to six. Earlier today, five Palestinians were killed in Jenin, either in a drone attack or by being shot. Separately, the ministry said a 13-year-old boy, who had previously been sick, died in his father’s arms after Israeli forces prevented an ambulance…

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said that Gaza is experiencing dangerous humanitarian conditions. “If you look at the humanitarian situation at the moment, it is so precarious… extremely precarious,” Turk said. “It’s on the verge of well beyond breakdown.” The UN rights chief previously called for a ceasefire to end the crisis, stressing that the only way forward is “through an immediate end to the violence”. Source: AlJazeera

Biden has warned that Israel is starting to lose support from the international community because of its relentless bombing of Gaza. “They’re starting to lose that support,” Biden said at a campaign fundraising event in Washington, as reported by the Reuters news agency. Biden also said Netanyahu needs to change his hardline government. Source: AlJazeera

Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh today received in his office in Ramallah the United Nations Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Lynn Hastings, due to the end of her official duties as a result of Israel not renewing her work and residence visa after the Israeli Foreign Minister had attacked her several times. Shtayyeh thanked Hastings for her courage and firm and clear position as she represents the voice of truth and justice, noting that Israel is fighting at all levels all voices that reject the injustice and occupation to which the Palestinian people are subjected, and advocate for…

The prime ministers of the three countries back urgent international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, a joint statement says. “We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza. The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians,” they said in the statement. A ceasefire cannot be one-sided and Hamas must release all hostages and stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields, they added. Source: AlJazeera