OPINION

Al-Aqsa Flood: Dealing with the aftermath

October 22, 2023 

Israeli forces establish heavily armed control points along the border as Israel tightens measures by the army, police and other security forces after Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in Sderot, Israel on October 08, 2023.

 [Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency]

by Dr Mohsen M. Saleh
MohsenMSaleh1

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, launched by Al-Qassam Brigades on 7 October, dealt an unprecedented, historic blow to Israel since its founding 75 years ago. It was a stunning strategic military and security attack, storming a significant area of the 1948 occupied territories and inflicting the highest toll of killed, wounded and captured Israelis compared to all the battles the Palestinians have fought since Israel’s establishment, and even most Arab-Israeli wars.

Confused and shocked, Israel was humiliated as it witnessed its security doctrine’s failure and the fall of its physical and psychological deterrence walls. Witnessing how Al-Qassam Brigades took over about 20 settlements and 11 military sites in just a few hours made it certain of its failure to subjugate the Palestinian people and crush their resistance.

Israeli conduct

Israel tried to pull itself together in order to comprehend the colossal magnitude of the attack that shocked it to the core and made it recall the “existential threat” to its survival in such a hostile environment. Therefore, with all its might, it will strive first to unify its internal front to demonstrate unity and cohesion so that the political and military decision expresses a state of “national unity”. Hence, it formed an emergency unity government.

READ: The strategic implications of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

On the other hand, Israel will seek to restore its deterrent image that was destroyed by Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by launching a massive, devastating military campaign against the Gaza Strip, its infrastructure and service and civil institutions, causing widespread terror to civilians and making them pay the price for the military attack of their leadership. Israel will make Palestinians pay a heavy price by assassinating a number of political and military resistance leaders, especially those of Hamas, at home and abroad. It will strive to seize the initiative and re-impose its conditions of the game.

Israel may consider more options than just restoring its pre-7 October conditions. It is clear that the barbaric and systematic bombing of the Gaza Strip and the demand for the people of northern Gaza (about half the population) to move to the south or Egypt means that there is a desire to try to reshape the political and security map of the Gaza Strip. Possibilities may include a comprehensive invasion of it. Due to the strong resistance infrastructure, this would be very costly and fraught with failure or a partial invasion, either to establish a “safe” border zone inside the strip or to bring about a territorial break-up of it by separating its north from its middle and its middle from its south. The third possibility is large incursions into the strip to carry out limited operations to break the power of the resistance, then withdraw after a few days, give or take, depending on the achievement of the goals.

The most likely scenario is a limited, flexible ground invasion, rolling through the strip, which could develop and change based on what happens on the ground. If Israel encounters fierce resistance and incurs significant losses, it will scale back its goals, whereas if it operates in a favourable environment, it will expand its goals.

Israel will benefit from the full support of the US and Europe, who have put aside their concerns and are providing both moral and material assistance, including cover for the brutal aggression against the Gaza Strip.

READ: Biden thanks Qatar, Israel after 2 American hostages freed by Hamas

It will also benefit from the global Zionist media and its political and economic influence to distort the resistance image, legitimise its aggression, provide international support and ignore its violations of international law while committing war crimes. It will even seek to compare Hamas and the resistance forces to Daesh, even if based on alleged lies and slander.

Resistance conduct

Perhaps the resistance is aware of the expected costs of this operation and that it is a do-or-die battle. It is aware that the harsh and humiliating blow Israel has received will force the latter to resort to barbaric revenge in an attempt to restore self-confidence and the deterrence image it had maintained for decades. The resistance had realised before that Israel, under the leadership of its extremist government, was seeking to resolve the conflict, whether over the fate of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem or the West Bank or by closing the resistance file in the Gaza Strip and the surrounding strategic environment. It has also realised that the Israeli-US desire to proceed with the normalisation process means seeking to end the resistance inside and outside Palestine. It recognises that there are normalised Arab countries (or normalising ones) that consider resistance an obstacle to their normalisation process and that it inspires and incites their people against their political behaviour. It knows that these countries will try to silence the resistance voice in the media, absorb their people’s reactions and pass the attack on the resistance with the least possible losses. Therefore, the Gaza Strip is expected to be under perilous pressure.

In pursuit of its goals, the resistance must thoroughly assess the situation and its position and maximise its abilities and resources in these crucial times. It must not be overconfident based on the success of the first strike while underestimating the capabilities of Israel and its allies.

It is expected first that the resistance will focus on consolidating its internal front, making it more cohesive, building a wider base of support for the resistance, achieving the aspirations of the Palestinian people and protecting the Gaza Strip, avoiding side disputes and temporary disagreements, safeguarding and nurturing its advocates and supporters, especially in the Gaza Strip, and giving them full support in any way possible.

READ: Israel settler: ‘Israel forces killed hostages, not Hamas’

Second, now is the time to make the “unity of the fronts” strategy a reality, with the participation of resistance forces inside and outside Palestine. If Israel launches a full or partial invasion of the Gaza Strip, the importance and vitality of this option will increase. The resistance forces outside Palestine cannot leave Gaza alone to bear the brunt of this aggression supported by a global coalition because the head of the resistance in Lebanon and other forces will be the next target, so the map of the Middle East would be redrawn to meet Israeli-US conditions.

Third, the resistance can benefit from the Israeli prisoners’ card to stop the aggression and targeting of civilians and to achieve honourable prisoner swap deals that would empty prisons of all Palestinian prisoners.

Fourth, it is necessary to galvanise public opinion and build the momentum of resistance supporters and advocates, increasing their interaction in the West Bank, the 1948 territories, the Arab and Muslim world and internationally, similar to what happened during the Sword of Jerusalem Battle. This would build a situation that supports the resistance and puts pressure on Israel to end its aggression against Gaza and stop targeting civilians. It would also expose its true nature, holding it accountable for its crimes.

READ: Erdogan calls on Israel to stop Gaza attacks

Fifth, it is of utmost importance that the resistance communicates with Arab, Muslim and other countries, especially those who understand the resistance’s point of view, exposes all forms of pro-Israel deceptive propaganda, and reminds these countries of their historical responsibilities. In addition to the Arab and Muslim countries, prominent countries, such as Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa, reject the Gaza siege and the aggression against it, oppose the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and understand the causes of armed resistance. They can have a role in stopping the aggression, while many countries, including European ones, can denounce targeting civilians.

In such an atmosphere, the resistance steadfastness, the refusal to yield to any form of pressure or blackmail, the alignment of military performance with political performance and the measures taken to ensure that the war does not drag on after the desired outcomes have been achieved, combined with choosing the time to withdraw from the battle with dignity while preserving the gains, will all provide a more conducive environment for managing the confrontations.

Finally, Israel struggles between its desire to seek revenge and crush the resistance in the Gaza Strip with its dread of failure. Therefore, it will do everything in its power to achieve victory or give the “appearance of victory.” However, the chances of its failure are not small, and this may mean that 7 October will go down in history, whether as a qualitative achievement for the resistance or as an important milestone on the path to ending the occupation and liberating Palestine.

READ: Israel threatens to bomb Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza: Palestinian Red Crescent

3 Israeli ministers mull resignation to hold Netanyahu responsible for Hamas attack: Report


October 23, 2023 

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the 78th Session of the General Assembly of the UN [Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images]

Three Israeli ministers are considering resigning to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take responsibility for the cross-border attack by Hamas into Israeli border towns, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported Monday, Anadolu Agency reports.

The newspaper did not name the three ministers.

“We can’t believe this situation. Netanyahu simply must not be allowed to continue,” the newspaper quoted one of the ministers as saying.

Several Israeli security officials and politicians have admitted that they could not foresee the attack.

OPINION: Why should the world believe Netanyahu and his army?

“Netanyahu refuses to take responsibility for the 7 October events, although a few believe that he will withstand the wave of anger that awaits him following the end of the war,” the newspaper said.

Israelis have staged protests demanding Netanyahu’s resignation amid the Gaza conflict.

Israel launched a relentless bombardment campaign on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas into Israeli border towns.

Nearly 6,500 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 5,087 Palestinians and more than 1,400 Israelis.

Palestinian politician explains the media’s ‘double standards’ to BBC presenter

The UN has described the Israeli occupation of Palestinians as “apartheid”, and likened the situation in Gaza to an “open-air prison”. Israeli forces have killed thousands of Palestinian civilians. And yet the media is almost always more favourable towards Israeli politicians than it is towards Palestinian ones.

On Sunday 22 October, veteran Palestinian politician Dr Hanan Ashrawi laid out the issue in an interview with the BBC‘s Victoria Derbyshire:

Double standards

In the interview, Derbyshire said:

I wonder if you do have to acknowledge the barbarity – the brutality – of the attack on Israelis in Southern Israel by Hamas before this can move forwards?

Ashrawi responded:

Oh god [shakes head]. I mean I can’t believe I’m hearing this same thing over and over again. This is a preoccupation with the Western media because something happened to Israel for the first time in its history everybody’s up in arms, and its [Palestinian] victims have to condemn themselves.

While it’s hardly the “first time” something has happened to Israelis, the attack did result in Hamas killing an unprecedented number of Israelis – 1,405. On the Palestinian side, of course, high casualty counts are the norm. The following chart – provided by Statista – shows the unbalanced nature of the situation over a 12-year period:

Ashrawi continued [0:29]:

Israel has been doing this to us for decades. Piecemeal, day in, day out, people killed, homes demolished. And we’re telling you how many Palestinians have been killed by a brutal Israeli occupation. Total siege on Gaza; total destruction and land theft in the West Bank. Nobody brings… Israeli spokespeople and says ‘do you condemn this? Isn’t this brutal? Isn’t this genocide?’ No. But the moment people under siege look at Gaza – it’s an area where people haven’t had a day of normal life – and then, when they lash out; when they break out, immediately all sorts of horrific labels are used.

Ignoring all that, Derbyshire asked:

Were the Israeli citizens legitimate targets?

After a short exchange, Ashrawi answered:

No, I don’t believe in civilians being legitimate targets at all – at all. In the same way as we are not legitimate targets of Israel. Our homes, our lands are not at [Israel’s] disposal; our freedom, our rights have been denied. No, don’t put words in my mouth.

“Okay” Derbyshire responded quietly before Ashrawi continued:

Civilians are never legitimate targets, but what I’m talking about is the double standard. Israel is an occupying power. This has to be acknowledged. Israel has been torturing the Palestinians since 1947. It is time this stops, without constantly looking for excuses and blaming the victim.
The future

The ideal situation for all is one in which Palestinians do not have to live in “apartheid” conditions. It’s a situation which will be impossible to realise unless the oppressive conditions that Israel is subjecting Palestinians to are openly acknowledged.

Featured image via BBC – screengrab

The terror narratives protecting Israel’s colonial violence

October 19, 2023 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) hold a joint press conference in Tel Aviv, Israel on October 12, 2023. [GPO – Anadolu Agency]

by Ramona Wadi
walzerscent

“As long as the United States stands and we will stand forever, we’ll not ever let you be alone,” US President Joe Biden told Israelis in an address from Tel Aviv, before proceeding to repeat the same propaganda which NATO and mainstream media utilised to justify foreign intervention in Libya. His next move was to bring ISIS into the narrative: “atrocities that recall the worst ravages of ISIS”.

This manipulation follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks after meeting US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in Tel Aviv last week. “Hamas is ISIS, and just as ISIS was crushed, so too will Hamas be crushed. And Hamas should be treated exactly the way ISIS was treated,” Netanyahu stated.

One must also not forget Blinken’s threat. “Here in Israel, and everywhere, we will reaffirm the crystal-clear warning that President Biden issued yesterday to any adversary – state or non-state – thinking of taking advantage of the current crisis to attack Israel: Don’t. The United States has Israel’s back,” Blinken warned, while referring to the US deploying the largest aircraft carrier in the world to bolster Israel’s genocidal actions against Palestinians in Gaza.

Report: Israel’s heavy reliance on technology failed to protect it

Only the terror narrative sustains Israel’s current bloodbath against the Palestinians in Gaza. And only because the international community is too cowardly and complicit to call out Israel’s colonial violence. Meanwhile, the US promotes a false narrative that, together with Israel, both allegedly believe in “the fundamental dignity of every human life”. Basic empathy aside, which is non-existent anyway when speaking about colonial powers, how does the US$100 million in aid to Palestinians compare next to the $10 billion Biden will be requesting the US Congress for Israel?

The US is reciprocating Israel’s terror narrative with comparisons to 9/11, and justifying Israel’s colonial violence from the same narrative that brought the world’s powers together in the so-called “war on terror”. Positioning a US aircraft carrier against a besieged enclave, with a population that has been repeatedly displaced since 1948, and which is now estimated to have one million forcibly displaced Palestinians since 7 October, speaks of international engagement in colonial violence against Gaza. Not to mention the 3,785 Palestinians killed in Israel’s bombing of the area.

According to EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, “there is no contradiction in standing in solidarity with Israel and acting on the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people”. But there is. There is contradiction in standing in solidarity with a colonial enterprise built over the remnants and buried history of ethnic cleansing, stolen land and massacred people. Unless, of course, it is former colonial powers and their weaker allies depending on political allegiances that do not want a true decolonial reversal – one that restores land ownership to its rightful people – the Palestinians. Acting in solidarity with Israel is violating the Palestinian people’s humanitarian needs – there is and will never be any equivalence.

But such is the politics guiding the international community, sheltering Israel from facing a reversal of the terror narrative that would shatter its core.

Israel’s war on Gaza is counterproductive

October 23, 2023 

People gather in Chicago, United States to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and condemn recent actions by the government of Israel on October 18, 2023. [Jacek Boczarski – Anadolu Agency]

by Aiza Mohamad


The Israeli war against the Gaza Strip will soon enter its third week. More than 6,000 air strikes have killed 4,651 Palestinians in Gaza as of yesterday, compared with 1,400 Israeli victims of the Hamas attack on 7 October. Aside from matters of ethics and legality, it is difficult to see the calculated rationale behind Israel’s bombing campaign against a largely civilian population. It neither targets resistance bases nor helps hostages taken by Hamas; both are reportedly in underground passages that the resistance groups use. Furthermore, the war is taking hundreds of thousands of Israelis away from their jobs, risking economic damage. At this stage, the military campaign appears far more reactive than it is productive. Which begs the question: Did Israel not have a contingency plan in place for such events as the 7 October attack?

READ: More than 400 killed by Israel in Gaza in 24 hours

A more logical response would have been to implement measured military and political moves. Military actions solely targeting Hamas bases, rather than bombing civilians in a widely criticised display of “collective punishment” could have complemented diplomatic engagement with neighbouring countries to gain their support for a proportionate response.

Israel would have been especially well-positioned to do this given its recent establishment of diplomatic ties with Turkiye, the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan initially offered to mediate in the crisis with Hamas, an unusually balanced response from a leader who has previously used strong, anti-Israel language. However, Israel rejected this offer and continued its air strikes on residential areas, medical facilities and evacuation routes, leading Erdogan to publicly castigate the occupation state.

This war will continue to challenge Israel’s ties in the region as it threatens to spill over into neighbouring countries. Egyptian concerns about Palestinian refugees in the already unstable Sinai have led President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to pressure Israel to allow aid into Gaza. The conflict may test the 44-year bilateral relationship between Egypt and Israel, as Al-Sisi wards off the possibility of around one million displaced Palestinians suddenly becoming his responsibility. The security implications for neighbouring countries are significant. Attacks of such a scale, on both adults and children alike, risk radicalising thousands of surviving and traumatised youths in Gaza. Even in the event that the Israel Defence Forces eliminate Hamas as a fighting force, this will create a power vacuum in Gaza that will only further destabilise the nominal border, creating more enemies on Israel’s and Egypt’s doorsteps in the long run.

READ: Israel: protesters demand end to war in Gaza and return of hostages

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has halted normalisation talks with Israel in light of current events. One of Riyadh’s main conditions for normalisation had been the improvement of conditions for the Palestinians, and the pursuit of the two-state solution. The long-term implications of the war for this deal are presently unclear. This is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s first time in dealing with an Israel-related conflict of this scale. With anti-Zionist sentiments and worries about the economy running high, he may be reconsidering the direction of his leadership’s Israel policy. Diplomacy with Saudi Arabia would have been an immense boost for Israel’s quest for wider recognition, but its attacks on Gaza have slowed, not advanced, progress. They have also jeopardised its standing with other Arab states. Israel may have normalised ties with more countries in the Middle East, but it must learn to stop behaving like an outlier. Creating those ties means prioritising their stability over destructive retaliation.


The conflict escalating into a multilateral war is, at this stage, a possibility

The most worrying implication for regional security, however, centres on the role of Iran. President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian each stated recently that Israel would face consequences for its alleged attack on a hospital in Gaza. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon has also been exchanging missile fire with the IDF across the border since the Gaza war began. The conflict escalating into a multilateral war is, at this stage, a possibility. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, France and Germany have all issued warnings to their respective nationals living in Lebanon to leave the country.




Hundreds killed in Israeli attack on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]Reactions from the international community have shifted gradually over the past couple of weeks. The continuous bombardment of primarily civilian-populated areas has earned public disapproval in countries such as Ireland, Norway, Spain and Russia. There is potential for a rift to emerge between European countries over their stances on the issue. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has faced strong criticism for declaring support for Israel without first getting the consensus of EC member states. The consequences go far beyond her own role: Europe may face a significant test of unity and shared values concerning Israel’s actions.

‘From river to sea’: Thousands attend latest pro-Palestine rally in London

Even Israel’s closest ally may eventually tire of its reckless behaviour. Aside from undertaking rapid and “frenzied diplomacy” on Tel Aviv’s behalf with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Egypt, the US has been taking punches for it. Bin Salman snubbed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken when the latter flew to Riyadh to meet the de facto ruler of the Kingdom. It may soon occur to the White House that no matter how strong the alliance, a superpower should not be expending such significant energy and last-minute attempts at political cajoling on a small state’s behalf. Nor should the said superpower’s senior diplomat risk being publicly embarrassed in the pursuit of that task, not least if the small state’s actions are exposing US President Joe Biden himself to accusations that his Middle East policy is crumbling. The conflict has also stirred internal issues for the US government, with at least one State Department official resigning in protest and rumours of a mutiny brewing in the Pentagon, seemingly unheeded by Blinken. Washington would be particularly wise to consider at length whether it wants to be dragged into another protracted war in the Middle East, which would probably mean the waste of the diplomatic achievements of the past few years, such as the Abraham Accords.

Tel Aviv is playing a peculiar game, one in which it has the endless patience of the White House, the undivided support of Europe, and immunity to short- and long-term regional repercussions. But it appears to be playing it alone.

OPINION

Israel-Palestine war: Archbishop of Canterbury calls for Gaza ceasefire in break from UK policy


October 22, 2023 


Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby [Facebook]

by Peter Oborne



In a break from official British policy, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby on Sunday issued an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israel’s bombing of civilians.

The archbishop joined forces with other Christian leaders in Jerusalem to demand an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire so that food, water, and vital medical supplies can safely be delivered to the relief agencies ministering to the hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians in Gaza”.

The statement from the leader of England’s state church directly contradicts the policy of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who last week ordered Britain to abstain on a United Nations ceasefire resolution.

However, it aligns the Church of England with the estimated 100,000 demonstrators who marched through London on Saturday calling for an immediate end to the Israeli bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip.

On 7 October, hundreds of Palestinian fighters attacked Israeli communities near the boundary with Gaza, killing around 1,400 Israelis. More than 200 Israelis were taken captive and taken back to Gaza in the Hamas-led assault.

Since then, Israel has waged a relentless bombing campaign on the coastal enclave, killing more than 4,300 Palestinians. The majority of casualties on both sides have been civilians, many of them children.

READ: The world stands against genocide in Gaza

The archbishop’s strongly worded call for a ceasefire, issued jointly with the patriarchs and heads of several Jerusalem churches, opens an unprecedented rift between Britain’s political and religious establishment over the Gaza war.

It comes after a strike on Thursday night on a 1,600-year-old church, where an Israeli bomb hit an annex sheltering Palestinians. Eighteen people, including nine children, were killed in the attack.

The church leaders’ statement expressed “in the strongest possible terms, our condemnation of the Israeli air strikes that exploded without warning at the Orthodox church compound of Saint Porphyrios in Gaza”.

“We cannot ignore that this is but the latest instance of innocent children being injured or killed as a result of missile strikes against other shelters of last resort,” it added.

Follow Middle East Eye’s live coverage for the latest on the Israel-Palestine war

The statement continued: “Among these are schools and hospitals where refugees had fled because their homes were demolished in the relentless bombing campaign waged against residential areas in Gaza over the past two weeks.

READ: The most dangerous man in the world is enabled by hypocrites in the West

“We call upon all warring parties to de-escalate the violence, cease from indiscriminately targeting civilians on all sides, and operate within the international rules of warfare.”

Speaking to Middle East Eye after communion at the Sunday service at St George’s Anglican Cathedral in occupied East Jerusalem, Welby said that “all bombings of civilians is wrong. We have already called for a ceasefire and safe humanitarian passage.”

Israel-Palestine war: A quick history of Christianity in GazaRead More »He added: “Everyone knows how difficult and chaotic wars are. The essential is that the principles of just fighting a war and the discrimination principal between combatants and non-combatants is held to really, really strictly. In an urban environment it’s hard to exaggerate how hard that is but also how necessary that is.”

Asked if Israel should delay its planned ground offensive in Gaza to allow time to free more captives, the archbishop said it was not for him to say.

On Friday, Hamas released two US citizens, and claimed the next day it had been prevented from releasing two more by Israel, which the Israelis denied.

Earlier on Sunday, the archbishop had served communion to approximately 150 worshippers at St George’s Anglican Cathedral.

During his sermon, he condemned deadly Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, as well as bombing in Gaza. The service was taken by the archbishop at the end of a three-day visit to Jerusalem.

UPDATED

More than 20 councillors have resigned from the Labour Party over Keir Starmer’s position on Gaza

Chris Jarvis 

22 October 2023 


The Labour Party is facing a full scale rebellion over its position on Israel’s siege and bombardment of Gaza, with more than a dozen of its councillors having resigned their party membership.

At the time of publishing, more than 20 councillors who were elected under the Labour banner have resigned from the party and become independents. The councillors have resigned at various points over the last week, with Keir Starmer’s comments about Israel’s siege on Gaza on LBC being an initial trigger.

Asked by Nick Ferrari whether he thought that the siege on Gaza – including the cutting off of power and water – was appropriate, Starmer said that Israel “does have that right”. In the interview he also said that Israel must act within international law, but failed to acknowledge that the siege on Gaza is illegal by virtue of constituting collective punishment.

Starmer has since claimed that he did not support the siege on Gaza and was merely saying that Israel has a right to defend itself.

Anger has also been caused by the Labour Party previously strongly encouraging its elected representatives not to attend demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Councils to have seen resignations include Cambridge, Gloucester, Haringey, Islington, Kensington, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham and Stroud.

Eight councillors in Oxford have left Labour, leaving the party without a majority for the first time in over a decade. Six of these resignations came at a meeting of Oxford and District and Labour Party on October 20.

In a speech announcing her resignation at the meeting, Oxford City Councillor Imogen Thomas said: “The Labour leadership, locally and nationally, has sought to actively silence members and representatives who have acted to highlight violations of international law, banning motions, as we’ve seen, from branches, strongly advising councillors against attending demonstrations.”


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Image credit: Rwendland – Creative Commons

Sir Keir Starmer seeks to clarify Gaza remarks following backlash from Labour councillors

The Labour leader said Israel did not have the right to withhold humanitarian aid after previous comments he made in an interview prompted resignations from within the party.

Alexandra Rogers

Sky News

Sir Keir Starmer has sought to clarify remarks he made about Israel's decision to limit supplies to Gaza after they sparked concern and even resignations among Labour councillors.

The Labour leader reiterated today that Israel had a "right to self-defence", but said that did not mean it should withhold humanitarian aid to Gaza, which is home to 2.2 million civilians.

In the immediate days after Hamas launched its surprise attack on 7 October, Sir Keir gave an interview to LBC in which he appeared to suggest that Israel had a right to limit essential supplies, including water and electricity, to Gaza.

Politics latest: Starmer says Labour 'humble' in victory as leaked messages reveal Tory dismay

In the widely shared clip, the Labour leader was asked what a "proportionate" response would look like, to which Sir Keir replied that responsibility "lies with Hamas" and that Israel "has the right to defend herself".

Presenter Nick Ferrari interjected: "A siege is appropriate? Cutting off power, cutting off water?"

The Labour leader replied: "I think that Israel does have that right. It is an ongoing situation."

He added: "Obviously everything should be done within international law, but I don't want to step away from the core principles that Israel has a right to defend herself and Hamas bears responsibility for the terrorist acts."

Sir Keir's comments sparked criticism among some Labour councillors, several of whom resigned over his remarks - including Amna Abdullatif, the first Arab Muslim woman elected to Manchester City Council, Russell Whiting in Colwick, Nottinghamshire, and Mona Ahmed, a Labour councillor in Kensington and Chelsea.

A source with knowledge of the situation told Sky News that councillors wanted an apology and retraction from Sir Keir and that the anger was "palpable".


This morning a number of pro-Palestine activists held a protest outside the Labour Party's headquarters in London over Sir Keir's previous comments.

But speaking today, the Labour leader denied he had suggested withholding supplies was appropriate, saying: "I know that LBC clip has been widely shared and caused real concern and distress in some Muslim communities so let me be clear about what I was saying and what I wasn't saying.

"I was saying that Israel has the right to self-defence, and when I said that right I meant it was that right to self-defence. I was not saying that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines.

"On the contrary. For over a week now, I have been leading the charge calling for that humanitarian aid to come in.

"We all know there are innocent civilians in Gaza in a humanitarian crisis, a million children that aid urgently needs to get in.

"So I was saying yes, they have the right to self-defence - that right they do have - but not the right to withhold that humanitarian aid that needs to get in. It is now absolutely urgent."

In a bid to address the concern, Sir Keir wrote to Labour councillors earlier this week in which he expressed sympathy for the situation of civilians living inside Gaza.

In the letter, seen by Sky News, the Labour leader said Gaza was facing a "humanitarian emergency".

"This is an urgent situation and innocent Palestinians need to know the world is not simply watching, but acting, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe," he added.

The discontent felt among some councillors is understood to be shared by some Labour MPs, a number of whom backed an early-day motion in parliament calling for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

Sky News has seen a letter written to MPs by Labour's chief whip, Sir Alan Campbell, in which he tells them to be cautious about going to vigils related to Palestinians.

Sir Alan said "colleagues should use their own judgement about whether or not to attend" community events and vigils.

Read more:
Sir Keir Starmer 'renewed' by double by-election win
Israel-Hamas war: Eight children killed after blast reduces Gaza block to rubble
Instagram apologises after inserting 'terrorist' into some Palestinian profiles

But he said MPs should be "especially careful not to put themselves in a position where they could be seen to share a platform with, or are close to, people that would undermine the Labour Party in any way".

In a sign of possible discontent with the positions adopted by the government and Labour, 59 MPs have now signed an early day motion calling for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

Both the Tories and Labour have dismissed calls for a ceasefire.

In response to a question from the SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, the prime minster said Israel has a "right to defend itself, to protect its people and to act against terrorism and ensure that the awful attack we've seen from Hamas cannot happen

 again".

Resigning Oxford City councillors say Starmer ‘complicit in war crimes’

“As Starmer has said, ‘Israel has that right’ to continue deadly attacks on Gazans. This is complicity in war crimes."

 by Joseph Connor
2023-10-21 


Six Labour councillors on Oxford City Council have resigned after remarks from Sir Keir Starmer on the Israel-Hamas conflict sparked concern.

Councillors Imogen Thomas, Edward Mundy, Paula Dunne, Duncan Hall, Dr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini and Jabu Nala-Hartley said on Friday they were stepping down from the party in the wake of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appearing to suggest that Israel has “the right” to withhold energy and water from Gaza.

The councillors said in a statement: “At a time when it’s been crucial to call for an immediate ceasefire and a de-escalation, and to insist Israel abides by international law, Keir Starmer and the shadow Foreign Secretary have instead endorsed collective punishment, blockade, siege and mass civilian casualties.

“As Starmer has said, ‘Israel has that right’ to continue deadly attacks on Gazans. This is complicity in war crimes.

“The Labour party leadership has sought to silence members and representatives who have sought to highlight these violations of international law, banning motions from branches, and strongly advising councillors against attending demonstrations.

“This is a direct threat to our democratic rights.”

The statement continued: “In light of both the abdication of the Labour Party’s historic responsibility to stand for international law and human rights, and the typically authoritarian and undemocratic manner in which this position was enforced, we no longer feel we can serve as Labour councillors.

“We have been proud to represent our communities and do not take the decision to resign from Labour lightly.


“In a choice between serving our parties or justice, we have chosen justice.”

Starmer’s comments were made in an interview with LBC in the wake of Hamas launching a murderous assault on Israeli civilians.

But Starmer argued on Friday that he had intended to say that Israel has the right to defend itself and retrieve the around 200 hostages being held – “within international law”

Sir Keir has met with councillors as he works to repair the damage caused by the remarks on the politically fraught subject (Joe Giddens/PA)

Speaking to broadcasters, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to “clarify precisely what I was saying” during the “grave and urgent” situation for more than two million Palestinians.

“I know that LBC clip has been widely shared and caused real concern and distress in some Muslim communities, so let me be clear about what I was saying and what I wasn’t saying,” he said.

“I was saying that Israel has the right to self-defence, and when I said that right I meant it was that right to self-defence. I was not saying that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines.

“On the contrary. For over a week now, I have been leading the charge calling for that humanitarian aid to come in.”

Starmer has met with councillors as he works to repair the damage caused by the remarks on the politically fraught subject.

The most recent resignations come after fellow Oxford City councillors Shaista Aziz and Amar Latif also said they would resign over the comments.

All eight councillors will continue to serve as independents.

Their resignations mean Labour is now down to 24 councillors on Oxford City Council, with 24 in opposition.

You may also like: Protesters say Labour has blood on its hands outside party’s HQ
Tags: keir starmer

British Steel owner preparing to cut as many as 2,000 jobs, report says


China’s Jingye Group said to be considering move as part of switch to using greener electric arc furnaces


Sarah Butler
@whatbutlersaw

Sun 22 Oct 2023 

A worker at British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant in north-east England Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images

British Steel’s Chinese owner is preparing to cut as many as 2,000 jobs as it battles losses believed to be running at £30m a month, according to reports.

The potential cuts, which amount to almost half of the Scunthorpe-based firm’s 4,500 workforce, are part of a switch to greener steel production using electric arc furnaces instead of polluting blast furnaces, which use coke to melt iron ore.

The cuts, first reported in the Sunday Times, are still under consideration and it is understood that no firm decision on the restructure has been made.

The UK government has offered the company’s owner, Jingye Group, £300m to support a shift to electric arc furnaces, but negotiations on finalising the deal are understood to be ongoing. The cash was reportedly linked to protecting jobs and a £1bn investment by the Chinese group, and it is not clear how job cuts might affect the government’s investment.

The government recently agreed a £500m support package for Tata Steel to fund the transition to electric arc at the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade said: “We continue to work closely with industry, including British Steel, to secure a sustainable and competitive future for the UK steel industry.”

The UK’s steel industry – which is one of the most difficult to decarbonise because of its huge energy requirements and the use of coking coal in iron smelting, a process that emits carbon dioxide directly – is suffering from rising costs and competition from cheap steel made in China and elsewhere.

A British Steel spokesman said: “While decarbonisation is a major challenge for our business, we’re committed to transforming British Steel into a green and sustainable company providing long-term, skilled and well-paid careers for thousands of employees and many more in our supply chains.

“As part of our journey to net zero, it is prudent to evaluate different operational scenarios to help us achieve our ambitious goals and we are continuing to assess our options.”

The restructure emerged after British Steel, which was rescued from collapse by Jingye in 2020, admitted in an industry meeting with other organisations last week that it was losing up to £30m a month, according to the Mail on Sunday.

Steel production has been hit by the increased cost of carbon credits as well as much higher energy prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The company did not confirm its financial position, but admitted it was struggling with a “temporary production issue” and said it was “taking decisive action to minimise the potential impact on customer orders”.

It said in a statement: “The matter will be resolved at the earliest opportunity. We are manufacturing iron and steel and continue to work closely with our customers to satisfy demand and ensure they get the high-quality products they require.”

EXCLUSIVE:
Tories 'risk pushing steel industry over the edge with Port Talbot deal'

The leader of the sector's biggest trade union has raised fears for its future following

 the controversial agreement over the plant, which will lead to 3,000 job cuts

Plans to overhaul production at Port Talbot will trigger 3,000 job cuts

Ben Glaze

Deputy Political Editor

MIRROR
 22 OCT 2023

Tory ministers risk pushing Britain’s steel industry “over the edge” as it stands “at the brink”, a union leader warned today.

Writing for the Mirror, Community steelworkers’ union general secretary Roy Rickhuss hit out at a £1.25billion deal struck between the Government and Tata, which owns the UK’s biggest steel plant at Port Talbot, South Wales. The agreement to help the firm switch from traditional coal-fired blast furnaces to electric arc systems will cost taxpayers £500million and trigger 3,000 job losses.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies hosted the first meeting of the Tata Steel-Port Talbot Transition Board at the site on Thursday. It aims to “support the people, businesses and communities affected by the proposed transition to low-CO2 steelmaking”, as the town and surrounding communities brace for the devastating jobs blow.

Mr Davies said: “We know that there are challenges ahead but I’m clear that we have the right people around the table who will all be doing their absolute best to facilitate the transition to greener steel and the impact that has on the community.” But in his article, Mr Rickhuss writes: “However, you look at it, the deal Tory ministers have struck with Tata is a bad one - disastrous for steelworkers and damaging for our country. Moving Port Talbot to an electric-arc furnace model would result in the potential loss of thousands of jobs on site and at other steel plants across the country.”

Closing the blast furnaces will slash Tata’s carbon emissions and boost the Government’s fight to hit net-zero by 2050. But campaigners want a mix of power at the plant to help save jobs.

Labour unveiled a £3bn plan to revolutionise the steel industry at its conference two years ago, including moving to less polluting manufacturing. Since then, thousands of job cuts have been announced and economic growth has stalled.

Mr Rickhuss warns: “After 13 years of inaction and neglect, this Conservative Government have less than 12 months left in office. They should use their remaining time to back our steel industry and support a just transition for Britain’s steelworkers - or they will be remembered in history as the Government that pushed us over the edge when we stood at the brink. Ultimately, we need a robust industrial strategy with steel at its heart – something only Keir Starmer and Labour will deliver.”

Steelworker Gary Keogh, 59, who has worked at Port Talbot for 37 years, told the Mirror: “Electric arc is not a silver bullet. We don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket and get caught up in something that could make it too late for the industry, because once it’s gone it’s gone. We welcome investment, of course we do, but I do not welcome annihilation of the British steelworkers.”

Local MP Stephen Kinnock, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Steel, said: “The Tata Steel-UK Government decarbonisation deal is unacceptable because it focuses narrowly on the electric arc furnace model, whereas it should also be ensuring that we continue to produce virgin steel in Port Talbot through low carbon technologies such as direct reduced iron. The EAF-only strategy will lead to far more job losses than is necessary, so I fully support Community and the other steel unions as they seek to persuade Tata to think again.”

Shadow Business Minister Sarah Jones said Labour “has a plan for steel, we want to invest in steel”. She added: “We want to work with the industry and work with unions to work out how we get high-paid, good-skilled jobs and the steel of the future that we need for this country.” Vowing to “see how we can make the steel industry core to everything we are doing going forward”, she added: “The steel industry is so important for our country.”

The Mirror has been campaigning to Save Our Steel since 2015.
Community steelworkers’ union general secretary Roy Rickhuss writes for the Mirror

However you look at it, the deal Tory ministers have struck with Tata is a bad one - disastrous for steelworkers and damaging for our country.

Moving Port Talbot to an electric-arc furnace (EAF) model would result in the potential loss of thousands of jobs on site and at other steel plants across the country. It’s also hugely short-sighted - an EAF-only future would see the UK importing primary steel; our own industry would no longer be self-sufficient and carbon emissions would be offshored to heavy polluters overseas.

Ploughing ahead with EAF and removing blast furnaces – without considering other sustainable direct reduced iron and hydrogen options – would be an irresponsible and, potentially, irreversible, gamble. As a union, we’ve long called on the Government to help our steel sector to go green, following the example of other administrations in Europe and the US which have already taken far-ranging action.

LORD OF THE MANOR

Rishi Sunak submits plans for fence around his home following protest

It follows a protest by Greenpeace in August that saw activists demonstrating on the roof of the grade II-listed mansion.

Iona Young
Claire Hayhurst

22 OCT 2023

Rishi Sunak (Image: Getty Images)

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has submitted plans to build a fence around his country home following a protest by Greenpeace activists earlier this year.

The application, to North Yorkshire Council, says the wooden fence is to “provide a simple visual and modest physical barrier to discourage incursion onto the residential property”.

It follows a protest by Greenpeace in August that saw activists demonstrating on the roof of the grade II-listed mansion.

Campaigners draped the property with oil-black fabric to protest against the Government’s plans to grant more than 100 new licences for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea.


Five people were arrested by officers from North Yorkshire Police following the protest, which took place while Mr Sunak and his family were on holiday in California.

A planning application, which is currently awaiting a decision, to erect a “a timber post and rail fence” measuring 165ft long and 4ft high was submitted on October 11.

The document states that it has been made: “with the intention to provide a simple visual and modest physical barrier to discourage incursion onto the residential property”.

It adds: “It is considered that the proposal gives rise to no perceivable harm in heritage terms or from a wider planning perspective and planning permission should be duly granted.”

The application calls for “a prompt decision given the simplicity of the proposals and site circumstances”.

The Mail On Sunday, which first reported the application, said Downing Street had confirmed that Mr Sunak would pay for the fence himself.

WW3.0

China says ‘stop groundless hype’ about naval deployment to Middle East


October 23, 2023


A general view of naval weaponry on a Task Group 162 Chinese warship on July 4, 2023 [PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images]

Amid growing speculation that China has deployed six warships to the Middle East while Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza risks spiralling into a wider regional war, the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, has called for an end to “groundless hype” about the move.

The six warships, including a guided-missile destroyer, have been operating in the Middle East since last week as part of a joint exercise with the Royal Navy of Oman.

“The fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy set sail for an escort mission and is paying friendly visits to relevant countries,” Liu told Sputnik yesterday, stressing that, “The relevant parties should respect the facts and stop groundless hype.”

A report by Israel’s Ynet News yesterday notes that, “It is still unclear whether this task force is returning to China or staying in the region. The concerns that have arisen on social media since this morning appear to be excessive and reflect a heightened sensitivity in Israel.”

READ: Israel’s actions in Gaza ‘beyond scope of self-defence’

Meanwhile, Washington is deploying the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier strike group to the Persian Gulf amid an escalation of attacks on US forces in the region by Iranian-backed resistance groups in Iraq and Syria. Furthermore, the Houthi-led forces in Yemen claimed to have successfully targeted Israel, despite reports of their missiles being intercepted by a US Navy guided-missile destroyer, the USS Carney.

The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is currently positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent to any third parties that might consider joining the conflict against Israel, according to the Pentagon. Washington is concerned primarily about Hezbollah.

The Lebanese resistance movement has been stepping up attacks against Israeli military positions across the border. It claims to have killed 40 Israeli occupation soldiers and destroyed 10 Merkava tanks and four troop carriers since 7 October, the day when Hamas-led Operation Al-Aqsa Flood was launched.

China's PLA deployed six warships in Middle East amid Israel-Hamas war: Reports

 22 Oct 2023, 

The development comes at a time when the US has sent USS Gerald R Ford, its most advanced carrier, along with a battle group to the sensitive West Asia region.

 A Chinese warship fires towards the shore during a military drill near Fuzhou near the Taiwan controlled Matsu Islands that are close to the Chinese coast, China, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo (REUTERS)

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed six warships in the Middle East as tensions escalate in the region due to the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, reports said.

The six warships, which include the Zibo, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, the frigate Jingzhou and the integrated supply ship Qiandaohu, were part of the PLA's 44th naval escort task force that recently took part in a joint military exercise with Oman

The warships left the Muscat shores on October 14 for an undisclosed destination, the Chinese state media reported.

The development comes at a time when the US has sent USS Gerald R Ford, its most advanced carrier, along with a battle group to the West Asia region. Washington is also assisting Israel with A-10 Warthog and F-15E attack planes, along with the latest munitions as the Benjamin Netanyahu-led regime continues its offensive on Gaza.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 19 reiterated Beijing's long-held view that supports the creation of a sovereign state of Palestine. This is "the fundamental way" out of the war, the state media reported him as saying.

“The top priority now is a ceasefire as soon as possible, to avoid the conflict from expanding or even spiraling out of control and causing a serious humanitarian crisis," Jinping said.

The war erupted on October 7, hours after fighters of Palestinian militant group Hamas raided locations in southern Israel, and fired hundreds of rockets. The Hamas attacks, according to the Israeli government figures, have claimed the lives of over 1,400 persons, including soldiers and civilians. The attack, claimed the Hamas leadership, was in retaliation to the “killing of civilians and worshippers" in Jerusalem and rest of West Bank in recent months, and the raids carried out by Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa mosque – the third-holiest site in Islam.

Israel has, since October 8, snapped the food, water and fuel supplies of the besieged Gaza Strip, which has a population of 2.2 million. The country has launched a spree of bombings over the past two weeks, which, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has killed over 4,300 persons including more than 1,400 children.