5 Minutes Read

Antony Blinken denies US human rights ‘double standard’ for Israel

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

“Do we have a double standard? The answer is no,” Antony Blinken said in response to questions about the Joe Biden administration’s handling of allegations of abuses by Israeli forces in Gaza, compared with those attributed to Hamas.

The US is examining allegations of human rights and international law violations in Gaza — by both Israel and Hamas — and will not apply a double standard, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Washington on Monday.

“Do we have a double standard? The answer is no,” Blinken said in response to questions about the Biden administration’s handling of allegations of abuses by Israeli forces in Gaza, compared with those attributed to Hamas.

The top US diplomat’s comments follow criticism that the administration isn’t putting enough pressure on Israel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israeli forces are seeking to defeat Hamas following its Oct. 7 attack. He also spoke as reports emerged that the administration is planning to sanction an Israeli ultra-Orthodox army battalion over human rights abuses in the West Bank.

Blinken said the administration was engaged in a “very deliberate” process of assessing Israel’s actions under the so-called “Leahy law” provisions barring the US government from providing assistance to foreign security forces that engage in gross violations of human rights. He declined to provide a time-line for a formal assessment, but added that “we will have more to say” within days.

“We are looking into reports — incidents that are brought to our attention, and we have a process to do that,” Blinken said. “Particularly if there are questions about whether US arms have been involved. And that is ongoing. We continue to be focused on that.”

Blinken spoke Monday as the State Department released its 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, which he called “a factual, systematic account of human rights records” around the world. The document contains a section on Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians.

“We apply the same standard to everyone,” Blinken said. “And that doesn’t change whether the country in question is an adversary, a competitor, a friend or an ally.”

The secretary said the administration would make its own determinations regarding potential violations in Gaza, and also touted Israel’s ability to examine its own actions, pointing to “many open investigations based on reports that have come forward with allegations about abuses of human rights or abuse of international humanitarian law, laws of war, et cetera.”

Democracies have a responsibility to police themselves and to uphold the same standards they demand of others, he added.

“We have to do our best to collect the facts and follow the facts, and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

 

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Why US vetoed the Palestinian bid for recognition as full UN member state

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

While 12 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, including Russia, China and France, voted in favour of the measure, the United States opposed, with abstentions from Switzerland and Britain.

The US, a close ally of Israel, vetoed a widely backed UN Security Council resolution that would have paved the way for Palestine to be recognised as a full member state at the United Nations. The country vetoed a draft resolution that recommended to the 193-member UNSC that “the State of Palestine be admitted to membership” of the world body.

While 12 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, including Russia, China and France, voted in favour of the measure, one — the United States — opposed, with abstentions from Switzerland and Britain.

Why the US vetoed

The vote comes amid Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza after militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7 last year, killing at least 1,200 people, while more than 250 people were taken hostage. Israel has claimed to be retaliating against Hamas in Gaza, where nearly 34,000 people have been killed so far.

US President Joe Biden and his government are facing intense pressure internationally to do more to address the dire humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

Ahead of the US presidential elections slated for November this year, the Biden administration has faced criticism from within the party and a few Democrats for its continued support to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government in its ongoing war in Gaza.

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations had renewed the request for a full membership for Palestine a few weeks ago. A UNSC committee later discussed the request and stated on Tuesday that the council members were divided about whether they should recommend accepting Palestine as a full member, reports said.

In the meantime, the Biden administration had been pressing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his advisers to avoid moving forward with their request. But, Abbas rejected the move.

‘Direct negotiations’

When asked about the US move, a State Department spokesperson said, “It remains the US view that the most expeditious path toward statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the US and other partners.”

Earlier, Deputy US Ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, said the same thing before the council. “This vote does not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood, but instead is an acknowledgement that it will only come from direct negotiations between the parties,” Wood noted.

How did Palestine react?

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the UN, described the bid for full-member status as its effort “to take our rightful place among the community of nations.”

Palestinians at present are a non-member observer state, a de facto recognition of statehood which was earlier granted by the UN General Assembly in 2012. Its application to become a full member of the world body had to be approved by the Security Council and later by at least two-thirds of the General Assembly.

“Our right to self-determination is a natural right — a historical right — to live in our homeland Palestine as an independent state that is free and that is sovereign,” Mansour said after the vote.

For a long time, the UNSC has endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognised borders. On the other hand, the Palestinians have asked for a state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip — territories captured by Israel in 1967.

The Palestinian Authority, headed by Abbas, exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank region, while it was ousted from power by Hamas in Gaza in 2007.

‘Shameful proposal’

After the vote, Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz said “the shameful proposal was rejected” by the UN, adding that “terrorism will not be rewarded.”

Israel was admitted as a full member of the United Nations in 1949.

 

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Hezbollah strikes northern Israel with missiles and drones, 14 soldiers wounded

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

The incident comes as retaliation for Israeli airstrikes that claimed the lives of Hezbollah members, including a field commander, in southern Lebanon just a day prior, as confirmed by Lebanese security sources.

Lebanese-based militant group Hezbollah has launched a barrage of missiles and drones targeting a military facility in northern Israel on Wednesday, April 17. The attack reportedly resulted in the injury of 14 Israeli soldiers, with six of them in serious condition, according to statements from the Israeli military.

The incident comes as retaliation for Israeli airstrikes that claimed the lives of Hezbollah members, including a field commander, in southern Lebanon just a day prior, as confirmed by Lebanese security sources.

Israeli forces responded to the missile and drone launches by striking the sources of fire, identified as originating from Lebanon towards the Bedouin village of Arab al-Aramshe. According to reports from the Israeli Ynet news site, the targeted soldiers were situated in a community center within the village at the time of the attack.

The exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has been ongoing for over six months, occurring concurrently with the conflict in Gaza. These hostilities mark the most significant confrontation since the 2006 war between the two parties.

Concerns over further escalation have been mounting, particularly following Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel, involving the launch of hundreds of explosive drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Israeli officials have vowed to respond to the Iranian attack.

The toll from the prolonged conflict includes at least 370 Lebanese casualties, comprising over 240 Hezbollah fighters and 68 civilians, according to a Reuters tally. On the Israeli side, 18 individuals, including both soldiers and civilians, have lost their lives amidst the clashes.

With inputs from Reuters

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Gaza fertility clinic destroyed by Israeli strike, over 4,000 IVF embryos lost

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

As the ultra-cold liquid evaporated, the temperature inside the tanks rose, destroying more than 4,000 embryos plus 1,000 more specimens of sperm and unfertilised eggs stored at Gaza City’s Al Basma IVF centre.

When an Israeli shell struck Gaza’s largest fertility clinic in December, the explosion blasted the lids off five liquid nitrogen tanks stored in a corner of the embryology unit.

As the ultra-cold liquid evaporated, the temperature inside the tanks rose, destroying more than 4,000 embryos plus 1,000 more specimens of sperm and unfertilised eggs stored at Gaza City’s Al Basma IVF centre.

The impact of that single explosion was far-reaching — an example of the unseen toll Israel’s six-and-a-half-month-old assault has had on the 2.3 million people of Gaza.

The embryos in those tanks were the last hope for hundreds of Palestinian couples facing infertility.

“We know deeply what these 5,000 lives, or potential lives, meant for the parents, either for the future or for the past,” said Bahaeldeen Ghalayini, 73, the Cambridge-trained obstetrician and gynaecologist who established the clinic in 1997.

At least half of the couples — those who can no longer produce sperm or eggs to make viable embryos — will not have another chance to get pregnant, he said.

“My heart is divided into a million pieces,” he said.

Three years of fertility treatment was a psychological roller coaster for Seba Jaafarawi. The retrieval of eggs from her ovaries was painful, the hormone injections had strong side-effects and the sadness when two attempted pregnancies failed seemed unbearable.

Jaafarawi, 32, and her husband could not get pregnant naturally and turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is widely available in Gaza.

Large families are common in the enclave, where nearly half the population is under 18 and the fertility rate is high at 3.38 births per woman, according to the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics. Britain’s fertility rate is 1.63 births per woman.

Despite Gaza’s poverty, couples facing infertility pursue IVF, some selling TVs and jewellery to pay the fees, Al Ghalayini said.

NO TIME TO CELEBRATE

At least nine clinics in Gaza performed IVF, where eggs are collected from a woman’s ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. The fertilized eggs, called embryos, are often frozen until the optimal time for transfer to a woman’s uterus. Most frozen embryos in Gaza were stored at the Al Basma centre.

In September, Jaafarawi became pregnant, her first successful IVF attempt.

“I did not even have time to celebrate the news,” she said.

Two days before her first scheduled ultrasound scan, Hamas launched the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel vowed to destroy Hamas and launched an all-out assault that has since killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Jaafarawi worried: “How would I complete my pregnancy? What would happen to me and what would happen to the ones inside my womb?”

Her ultrasound never happened and Ghalayini closed his clinic, where an additional five of Jaafarawi’s embryos were stored.

As the Israeli attacks intensified, Mohammed Ajjour, Al Basma’s chief embryologist, started to worry about liquid nitrogen levels in the five specimen tanks. Top ups were needed every month or so to keep the temperature below -180C in each tank, which operate independent of electricity.

After the war began, Ajjour managed to procure one delivery of liquid nitrogen, but Israel cut electricity and fuel to Gaza, and most suppliers closed.

At the end of October, Israeli tanks rolled into Gaza and soldiers closed in on the streets around the IVF centre. It became too dangerous for Ajjour to check the tanks.

Jaafarawi knew she should rest to keep her fragile pregnancy safe, but hazards were everywhere: she climbed six flights of stairs to her apartment because the elevator stopped working; a bomb levelled the building next door and blasted out windows in her flat; food and water became scarce.

Instead of resting, she worried.

“I got very scared and there were signs that I would lose (the pregnancy),” she said.

Jaafarawi bled a little bit after she and her husband left home and moved south to Khan Younis. The bleeding subsided, but her fear did not.

‘5,000 LIVES IN ONE SHELL’

They crossed into Egypt on Nov. 12 and in Cairo, her first ultrasound showed she was pregnant with twins and they were alive.

But after a few days, she experienced painful cramps, bleeding and a sudden shift in her belly. She made it to hospital, but the miscarriage had already begun.

“The sounds of me screaming and crying at the hospital are still (echoing) in my ears,” she said.

The pain of loss has not stopped.

“Whatever you imagine or I tell you about how hard the IVF journey is, only those who have gone through it know what it’s really like,” she said.

Jaafarawi wanted to return to the war zone, retrieve her frozen embryos and attempt IVF again.

But it was soon too late.

Ghalayini said a single Israeli shell struck the corner of the centre, blowing up the ground floor embryology lab. He does not know if the attack specifically targeted the lab or not.

“All these lives were killed or taken away: 5,000 lives in one shell,” he said.

In April, the embryology lab was still strewn with broken masonry, blown-up lab supplies and, amid the rubble, the liquid nitrogen tanks, according to a Reuters-commissioned journalist who visited the site.

The lids were open and, still visible at the bottom of one of the tanks, a basket was filled with tiny colour-coded straws containing the ruined microscopic embryos.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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US president Joe Biden criticises Israeli PM Netanyahu’s approach to Gaza conflict, calls for ceasefire

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Summary

Israel has received more US foreign aid than any other country since World War Two, although annual assistance has been dwarfed for two years by funding and military equipment sent to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the war in Gaza is a “mistake,” US President Joe Biden said in an interview published on Tuesday, offering further criticism of Israel’s handling of the conflict.

“I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,” Biden said in comments to Univision, a US Spanish-language TV network.

Biden has also previously called Israel’s bombing in Gaza “indiscriminate” and its military actions “over the top.”

The White House said last week that the president, in a call with Netanyahu, threatened to make conditional US support for Israel’s offensive on it taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians. That call followed an Israeli airstrike that killed seven staff of the aid group World Central Kitchen.

“What I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” Biden said in Tuesday’s interview.

Israel’s military assault on Gaza has been the subject of mounting international criticism. Domestically, Biden has also faced months of protests from anti-war activists, Muslims and Arab Americans across the country, who have demanded a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and restrictions on US military assistance for Israel.

Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s subsequent military assault on Hamas-governed Gaza has killed over 33,000, according to the local health ministry, displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million population and led to genocide allegations that Israel denies. The coastal enclave also suffers widespread hunger.

Israel has received more US foreign aid than any other country since World War Two, although annual assistance has been dwarfed for two years by funding and military equipment sent to Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion.

The United States has traditionally shielded Israel in the UN Security Council and vetoed three draft resolutions on the war in Gaza. It abstained last month when the Security Council demanded an immediate ceasefire.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Israeli officials express optimism over ceasefire talks with Hamas

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Defence minister Yoav Gallant told military recruits that progress in the war has allowed Israel “to make difficult decisions to return the hostages. I think we are at an appropriate point.”

Senior Israeli officials said progress has been made in negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza that would include the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, a move that drew criticism from far-right ministers who threatened to bring down the government.

Defence minister Yoav Gallant told military recruits that progress in the war has allowed Israel “to make difficult decisions to return the hostages. I think we are at an appropriate point.” A session of the security cabinet, which generally meets on Thursday evening, has been called for Tuesday, Israeli TV channels reported.

“We’ve reached a critical point,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Army Radio on Monday. “If matters work out, a large number of hostages will return home and then, in stages, everyone. But remember that we are dealing with Hamas and there is not a lot of time. I am more optimistic than I was.”

The comments are the most positive in months from top officials on the talks between Israel and Hamas, which have been mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar. Just last week, Israeli officials said large gaps remained between the two sides, with the Iran-backed militant group demanding a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza before any hostages would be freed.

For its part, Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, said on Monday there’d been no progress in the talks. A senior Hamas official, who asked not to be identified, said Israel hasn’t agreed to the group’s demands for a total cease-fire, full withdrawal of troops and free return of the displaced to the north. No new round of talks has been scheduled, the official said.

International Pressure

International pressure has intensified on the Israelis since a missile strike killed seven aid workers delivering food to displaced Palestinians a week ago, with President Joe Biden telling Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that ongoing US support depends on improved steps to protect civilians.

The US again expressed its concerns when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Gallant on Monday. The two discussed the “urgent need to dramatically increase humanitarian assistance delivery to Gaza,” and make sure incidents like the deadly strike on aid workers never happen again, the Pentagon said in a statement.

On Sunday, Netanyahu announced a withdrawal of combat troops from the city of Khan Younis after four months of fighting, the first significant scaling back of ground forces since a week-long cease-fire that ended in early December. Some have interpreted the move as a signal to Hamas a deal is on the table.

Israeli assets rallied on Monday, in part because of optimism a truce is nearer. The main stock index gained 1.5% as of 12:30 p.m. in Tel Aviv, while the shekel strengthened 2.2% against the dollar to head for its best daily performance since mid-November.

The scaling back of ground forces — alongside the ministers’ comments — angered Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners who want the war to continue until Hamas is destroyed. They threatened to bring down the government if there’s a permanent cease-fire, or the prime minister decides against an offensive on the Gazan city of Rafah — seen as the last bastion of Hamas and its leaders.

Rafah Invasion

Gallant said the soldiers were being withdrawn from Khan Younis so they could prepare for an eventual invasion of Rafah, and Netanyahu reiterated on Monday an attack would take place to eliminate the remaining Hamas battalions and a date had been set.

Yet the latest rhetoric has still raised the idea that the long-promised assault may not happen, something which is alarming some of the far-right coalition partners Netanyahu relies on to keep his government intact.

“If the prime minister decides to end the war without an extensive attack on Rafah in order to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue serving as Prime Minister,” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, posted on X.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, from the Religious Zionism party, called on Netanyahu to convene an urgent meeting of the extended cabinet to discuss the developments in the war.

“I have been warning for weeks that instead of taking our foot off the gas we should increase the pressure on Hamas in Gaza, and this is the only way we can return the hostages and destroy Hamas,” he said.

Israeli public broadcaster Kan said Smotrich is sending a message to Netanyahu that his party won’t go along with a permanent cease-fire nor a hostage deal that goes too far.

US Pressure

Israeli officials say US negotiators in Cairo are pressing both Israel and Hamas hard to reach an agreement. The US wants Gaza to receive far more humanitarian aid to combat disease and hunger, alongside a long pause in fighting and the freeing of hostages. From there, the US hopes to extend the truce and start rebuilding the decimated Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu has said that unless Israel defeats Hamas entirely, it will not have won the war. But he’s also under intense domestic pressure to bring back as many as possible of the more than 100 hostages still held in Gaza.

The war started on Oct. 7 when thousands of Hamas operatives broke into Israel from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 250. Israel attacked by air, sea and land, and has killed some 33,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Israel withdraws some troops from southern Gaza, Egyptian media says truce talks progress in Cairo

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Meanwhile progress has been made in discussions in Cairo, Egypt and there is a agreement on the basic points between all the involved parties, Egypt’s Al-Qahera News state-affiliated TV channel said early on Monday, citing a senior Egyptian source.

Israel said it has withdrawn some of its troops from southern Gaza, with just one Brigade left.

Meanwhile progress has been made in discussions in Cairo, Egypt and there is a agreement on the basic points between all the involved parties, Egypt’s Al-Qahera News state-affiliated TV channel said early on Monday, citing a senior Egyptian source.

On Sunday, both Israel and Hamas sent teams to Egypt for fresh talks on a potential ceasefire in the six-month conflict. (nL2N3GG053)

There was no immediate comment from Hamas and none of the parties to the Cairo talks has confirmed the Al-Qahera news report.

According to Al-Qahera, Hamas and Qatar’s delegations left Cairo and will return within two days to agree on the terms of the final agreement, while the Israeli and the U.S. delegations will leave the Egyptian capital within a few hours. It added that consultations were ongoing during the next 48 hours.

Hamas reiterated on Sunday their demands including a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a return of the displaced, and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.

The war erupted after Hamas militants broke through the border and rampaged through communities in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

More than 33,100 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

With inputs from Reuters

Also Read: Watch | WHO shares inside view of Gaza’s largest hospital that is now an ’empty shell’

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Israel pledges enhanced humanitarian aid after Biden’s warning, experts weigh in

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has passed a resolution condemning Israel for alleged war crimes in Gaza and has called for a cessation of arms sales to Israel, citing concerns about the situation possibly escalating to genocide.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 33,000 Palestinians have been reportedly killed in the war.

Political analyst Waiel Awwad in an interview with CNBC-TV18 highlighted the internal isolation of Netanyahu, stating, “The street of Israel is also calling for his resignation, they wanted to expel him out of the government, and also the Americans felt that most of their international partners have been also shying away from the United States and saying that they have lost patience with Netanyahu continuing this war.

All these factors have really complicated the American situation. So now Israel is under tremendous pressure, and they are opening an investigation to absorb the international outcry of the killing of the 7 aid workers. But the crocodile tears do not solve the suffering of the Palestinians.”

In a phone conversation, US President Joe Biden gave Netanyahu an ultimatum citing that if Israel doesn’t comply, then the bidden administration will stop providing aid to Israel in its fight with Hamas. The ultimatum comes after Israel ‘accidentally’ killed 7 aid workers who were delivering food and other supplies to Gaza civilians earlier this week.

Following the US President’s warning, Israel has pledged to enhance humanitarian aid in Gaza, with plans to reopen the Erez Crossing connecting Israel and northern Gaza. The move is likely to help civilians in the area to get more access to humanitarian aid.

Watch the accompanying video for the entire conversation.

 5 Minutes Read

Israel says it will reopen border crossing with hard-hit northern Gaza

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the plans, just hours after US President Joe Biden told him that future US support for the war in Gaza depends on Israel taking more action to protect civilians and aid workers. The announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in.

Israel on Friday said it is taking steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, including reopening a key border crossing into hard-hit northern Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced the plans, just hours after President Joe Biden told him that future US support for the war in Gaza depends on Israel taking more action to protect civilians and aid workers. The announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in.

Still, despite their differences, the Biden administration has continued to provide Israel crucial military aid and diplomatic support for Israel’s six-month war against Hamas. Israel faces growing international isolation after its forces killed seven aid workers helping deliver food in Gaza. The Palestinian death toll soared above 33,000 people on Thursday, with another 75,600 wounded, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its tally, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.

The United Nations says much of the population in northern Gaza is on the brink of starvation. The top United Nations court has concluded there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza – a charge Israel strongly denies – and the UN Security Council has issued a legally binding demand for a cease-fire. The war began on Oct 7, when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

Also Read: US pressures Russia to embrace UN push against nukes in space

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
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Joe Biden tells Benjamin Netanyahu US support hinges on protecting civilians

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

 Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Summary

The warning, delivered in a Thursday phone call between the two leaders, signaled that Joe Biden is toughening his stance after an Israeli strike that killed seven people delivering food to displaced Palestinians in Gaza. Biden called the incident “unacceptable,” according to a White House description of the conversation.

President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that US support for his war in Gaza depends on new steps to protect civilians, a shift in position for the American leader who has faced increased pressure to take a harder line against Israel amid mounting deaths.

The warning, delivered in a Thursday phone call between the two leaders, signaled that Biden is toughening his stance after an Israeli strike that killed seven people delivering food to displaced Palestinians in Gaza. Biden called the incident “unacceptable,” according to a White House description of the conversation.

Hours later, the prime minister’s office announced that the country’s security cabinet had authorized action to bolster assistance and “prevent a humanitarian crisis.”

Israel will allow the temporary delivery of aid to Gaza through the Ashdod and Erez checkpoints in Israel, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, which added that more Jordanian aid could flow through a crossing at Kerem Shalom. The decision, according to the statement, would also “ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goals of the war.”

Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said “We welcome the steps announced by the Israeli government tonight at the president’s request following his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

The prime minister’s office has not released an account of the Biden-Netanyahu call, which came amid heightened tensions between the two men.

Biden said Israel must “announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a statement earlier Thursday. Biden said an “immediate” cease-fire is necessary to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and urged Netanyahu to secure a deal in long-running, indirect negotiations with Hamas.

“He made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps,” according to the statement. “President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable.”

Biden did not specify when and how he might shift his approach to the Israel-Hamas war, which is in its sixth month and has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. But his statement is the closest he has come to placing new requirements on US support for Israel’s military operations.

Earlier Thursday, Netanyahu vowed to press on with its war effort.

White House spokesman John Kirby declined to elaborate on what steps the US would take if Israel does not do more to protect civilians, including if Biden would withhold military assistance.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed during a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels that “if we don’t see the changes we need to see, there’ll be changes in our policy.” He did not detail the nature of those potential changes.

The US for weeks has urged Netanyahu to curb civilian deaths and has objected to a plan to invade the southern enclave of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians fled during Israel’s war with Hamas.

This week’s air strike on a convoy of workers from World Central Kitchen, a disaster relief group founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, signaled a breaking point for the White House.

Kirby said Thursday’s call, which he said lasted around 30 minutes and described as “direct” and “businesslike,” was scheduled in response to the bombing. Biden was “shaken by the attack” that killed the aid workers and “felt strongly” it was time to talk to Netanyahu, the spokesman said. It was their first call since mid-March.

Israel has said the strike inadvertently hit the aid workers and is conducting an investigation to determine how the strike occurred. Kirby said that probe is “close to complete.”

The president is facing mounting political pressure from progressives, as well as Arab- and Muslim-Americans, who object to his support for Israel’s war effort. The aid-worker attack prompted Democrats to issue fresh calls for placing conditions on American military backing for Israel.

Israel’s conduct of its war against Hamas, designated a terrorist group by the US and European Union, has also drawn criticism from Republican Donald Trump, who vocally supported Netanyahu during his presidency.

Trump in a Thursday interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt said Israel had to finish the war quickly and that it is “losing the PR war,” while declining to answer whether he still remains 100% behind Israel.

“You’ve got to get it over with, and you have to get back to normalcy. And I’m not sure that I’m loving the way they’re doing it, because you’ve got to have victory,” he said. “They shouldn’t be releasing tapes like that. They’re doing, that’s why they’re losing the PR war.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

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Oil Fluctuates as Traders Assess China’s Vow, Unrest in Libya

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index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -72.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +28.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +30.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -14.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95
index Price Change
nifty 50 ₹16,986.00 -7.15
sensex ₹1,882.60 +8.30
nifty IT ₹2,206.80 +3.85
nifty bank ₹1,318.95 -1.95

Currency

Company Price Chng %Chng
Dollar-Rupee 73.3500 0.0000 0.00
Euro-Rupee 89.0980 0.0100 0.01
Pound-Rupee 103.6360 -0.0750 -0.07
Rupee-100 Yen 0.6734 -0.0003 -0.05
Quiz
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Should Elon Musk be able to buy Twitter?