Israel - The African Mirror

Apr

2024

Reaction to Israel’s military response to Iran’s attack on Israel

ISRAEL carried out an attack on Iranian territory, sources said, days after Iran struck Israel with a barrage of drones and missiles. Here are reactions to the Israeli military response, from official statements and postings on social media: UN SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES: "It is high time to stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East. The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond." EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN: "It is absolutely necessary…

Apr

2024

By JAMES MACKENZIE and NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI

Israel will defend itself, Netanyahu says, as West calls for restraint

WORLD

ISRAEL will make its own decisions about how to defend itself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as Western countries pleaded for restraint in responding to a volley of attacks from Iran. The United States, European Union and G7 group of industrialised nations all announced plans to consider tighter sanctions on Iran, seen as aimed at mollifying Israel and persuading it to rein in its retaliation for the first ever direct Iranian strikes after decades of confrontation by proxy. Iran attacked in retaliation for a suspected Israeli airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1. Israel and its allies mostly shot…

Apr

2024

By JEFF MASON, AHMED RASHEED and SAMIA NAKHOUL

Iran says it gave warning before attacking Israel. US says that’s not true

WORLD

TURKISH, Jordanian and Iraqi officials said that Iran gave wide notice days before its drone and missile attack on Israel, but U.S. officials said Tehran did not warn Washington and that it was aiming to cause significant damage. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles on Saturday in a retaliatory strike after a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria. Most of the drones and missiles were downed before reaching Israeli territory, though a young girl was critically injured and there were widespread concerns of further escalation. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday that Iran gave neighbouring…

Apr

2024

By NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI

Iran’s attack on Israel stirs admiration among Gaza Palestinians

WORLD

IRAN'S attack on Israel drew applause from many Palestinians in Gaza as rare payback for the Israeli offensive on their enclave, although some said they suspected Tehran had staged the assault more for show than to inflict real damage. "For the first time, we saw some rockets that didn’t land in our areas. These rockets were going into the occupied Palestine,” said Abu Abdallah, referring to land that became Israel in 1948 rather than the occupied West Bank and Gaza. “We are hopeful that if Iran or any other country enters the war a solution for Gaza might be nearer than ever. The Americans may…

Apr

2024

By The African Mirror

Russia, Germany, UK urge restraint as Iranian threat puts Middle East on edge

WORLD

RUSSIA, Germany and Britain urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint and Israel said it was preparing to "meet all its security needs" in a region on edge over an Iranian threat to strike Israel. The German airline Lufthansa, one of only two Western carriers flying to Tehran, extended a suspension of its flights to the Iranian capital and Russia warned against travel to the Middle East. Iran has vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus that killed a top Iranian general and six other Iranian military officers, ratcheting up tension in a region already…

Apr

2024

By The African Mirror

Colombia seeks to join Gaza genocide case against Israel at World Court

WORLD

COLOMBIA has asked the International Court of Justice to allow the country to intervene in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip, the court. In its application, Colombia called on the court to ensure "the safety and, indeed, the very existence of the Palestinian people". The ICJ, the highest U.N. court, can allow states to intervene and give their views. Several states have said they would also seek to intervene in the case but so far only Colombia and Nicaragua have filed a public request. Last week ICJ judges ordered Israel to take all necessary and effective action to ensure…

Mar

2024

By STEPHANIE VAN DEN BERG and NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI

World Court orders Israel to halt Gaza famine; Hamas says ceasefire needed

WORLD

THERE was no immediate comment from Israel's Foreign Ministry on the World Court ruling. Israel has said it is making efforts to expand access for humanitarian groups to Gaza overland, through airdrops and by ship. Israeli leaders have said Hamas can end the war by surrendering, freeing all hostages it holds in Gaza and handing over for trial those involved in the October 7 attack. The Israeli army said it continued to operate around the Al Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza City after storming it more than a week ago. Its forces had killed around 200 gunmen since the start…

Mar

2024

By RILEY SPARKS, HAJAR HARB and OMAR NABIL ABDEL HAMID

Gaza in-depth: Why Israel wants to end UNRWA and what its closure would mean

SPECIAL FEATURES: ANALYSIS

FACING allegations of violations of humanitarian neutrality, a funding freeze by major donors, and calls by Israeli officials for it to be dismantled, UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestine refugees is at a breaking point, according to its director-general Philippe Lazzarini. The crisis is threatening to collapse the largest aid agency in the Gaza Strip even as children have begun to die of malnutrition and dehydration due to Israel’s five-month bombardment and siege of the enclave. The immediate cause of UNRWA’s troubles stems from Israeli allegations in January that 12 of its around 13,000 staff members in Gaza were involved…

Mar

2024

By NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI and BASSAM MASOUD

Israel strikes landmark residential tower in southern Rafah as truce talks stall

WORLD

ISRAEL struck one of the largest residential towers in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, residents said, stepping up pressure on the last area of the enclave it has not yet invaded and where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The 12-floor building was damaged in the strike, and residents said dozens of families were made homeless, though no casualties were reported. Israel's military said the block was being used by Hamas to plan attacks on Israelis. One of the 300 residents of the tower, which is located some 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the border with Egypt, told Reuters…

Mar

2024

By The African Mirror

South Africa asks World Court for more measures against Israel

NEWS

SOUTH Africa has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order additional emergency measures against Israel, which it says is breaching the measures already in place, the U.N.'s top court said. In its application, South Africa warned that Palestinians in Gaza were facing starvation and asked the court to order that all parties cease hostilities and release all hostages and detainees. In a statement issued Wednesday the South African presidency warned that the people of Gaza cannot wait. "The threat of all-out famine has now materialised. The court needs to act now to stop the imminent tragedy by immediately and effectively…