RELIGIOUS FETISH

Thousands gather to honor Mexico’s Virgen of Guadalupe on anniversary of 1531 apparition

Pilgrims sleep outside the Basilica of Guadalupe on her feast day in Mexico City, early Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. Devotees of Our Lady of Guadalupe gather for one of the world’s largest religious pilgrimages on the anniversary of one of … more >

By Fernanda Pesce - Associated Press - Tuesday, December 12, 2023

MEXICO CITY — Thousands of people sang the traditional Mexican birthday song “Las mañanitas” at Mexico City‘s Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe Tuesday to honor the virgin on the 492th anniversary of her apparition in 1531.

Authorities estimated that over five million faithful visited the Basilica during the days leading up to the annual celebration of the country’s patroness.

Many had walked from distant villages, others had ridden bicycles or buses to reach the Basilica’s enormous patio, where a sea of tents held pilgrims who had slept overnight to greet the virgin in the morning.

The journey was not without dangers and risks. Mexico City prosecutors said Tuesday that three pilgrims, who were among a group on motorcycles, had been run over and killed on a highway leading from Mexico City east toward the city of Puebla.

Ten others were injured when a pickup truck ran into the group late Monday. The driver was arrested at the scene. Such groups of pilgrims walking or riding to or from the Basilica are a common sight on highways in December, when they sometimes occupy a lane or two of roadways.

The cold temperature, long walks and the wait to see the virgin’s cloak inside the Basilica did not discourage the pilgrims, many of whom walked the last mile or so carrying flowers or large paintings of the virgin.

According to church tradition, in 1531 the dark-skinned virgin appeared to the Indigenous peasant Juan Diego and her image was imprinted on his cloak, which is on display inside the church. Juan Diego was made a saint in 2002 by Saint John Paul II.

Parents furious as pastor dressed as Grinch tells kindergartners 'Santa is fake': report

Travis Gettys
December 12, 2023

The Grinch (Shutterstock)


A man wearing a Grinch costume tried to spoil Christmas for children at an Albuquerque school, according to a report.

The man parked himself Monday morning outside the kindergarten entrance at Osuna Elementary School, where he greeted students with a sign saying, "Santa is fake ... Jesus is real," reported KRQE-TV.

“Take that in front of little kids and try to destroy their wonder, destroy the magic of Christmas," said parent Hannah Dalton. "It makes my blood boil."

The man, who was identified in several news reports as 63-year-old pastor David Grisham, spent about 45 minutes walking up and down the sidewalk outside the school, and video shows parents confronting him and asking whether there were other ways to spread his religious message.

“This is a great way, trust me," the man told parents. "Jesus said go into all the world, including elementary, and preach the gospel to every preacher.”

Grisham, who has been pulling similar stunts for years, set up as the Grinch last week at another school in Amarillo, Texas, and principal Hanna Myers told parents in a letter that the protest was part of a nationwide movement.

"While I respect freedom of speech and religion, I am saddened that some individuals think it’s okay to elevate their beliefs by taunting children," Myers wrote. "No public display that frightens or traumatizes our students, staff, or members of the community is acceptable."

Zelensky had to smack down debunked conspiracy theories at Capitol Hill meeting: Senator

Sarah K. Burris
December 12, 2023 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (AFP/Ukraine Presidency/Handout)

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) told reporters that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky faced off against conspiracy theories while meeting members of Congress Tuesday — including one that he used aid from the United States to buy a $75 million yacht.

The Associated Press reported in September that a conspiracy theory broke out on social media when someone posted a YouTube video claiming "Ukrainian President Zelensky uses proxies to hide ownership of two yachts worth $75,000,000."

The account hasn't posted any other videos. According to the BBC, the source was "very suspect" and has no other presence anywhere online.

The company selling the yachts also confirmed to the AP that it wasn't true.

“We can confirm that the yacht has not been sold and therefore remains for sale," the company's spokesperson, Nicci Perides, told the AP.

ALSO READ: Mention ‘Liz Cheney 2024’ and things get very, very awkward on Capitol Hill

But the conspiracy that spread online is now apparently influencing whether or not Republicans will back Zelensky's request for funds necessary to continue fighting off Russia.

Fox reporter Chad Pergram paraphrased Tillis saying in passing that, "It was helpful that President Zelensky focused on some of the myths around yachts being bought with the money coming from the United States."

Tillis went on to say that he and others are aware of what is happening on the ground in Ukraine and he is confident that the money is being sent properly. He cautioned that if lawmakers failed to support Ukraine, the U.S. would be spending a lot more money if they walked away from them.

Tenants describe Bronx building collapse as ‘disaster from hell’

New York Daily News
2023/12/12

Firefighters respond to a partial building collapse on West Burnside Avenue and Phelan Place in the Bronx, New York City, on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. 

- Gardiner Anderson/New York Daily News/TNS

NEW YORK — When a seven-story Bronx apartment building partially collapsed Monday afternoon, creating a jaw-dropping scene of devastation, some residents were away on vacation, others at work and still others were at home, forced to spring into action to save themselves.

“Let’s go, let’s go, just leave everything,” tenant Sadie Martinez recounted telling her brother before they snatched up her 1-year-old and the family dog. “I was scared for my baby, not me.”

There was no immediate warning the building would crumble, but Martinez recalled hearing a loud noise that afternoon as she was preparing food.

“I heard like a boom, and you know when the wind is hard? I heard that at the same time,” she told the New York Daily News. “I thought it was an earthquake or they were fixing the street.”

Miraculously, no one among the building’s 46 households was killed or seriously injured. A small army of first responders confirmed no one was trapped under the 12-foot pile of rubble at Billingsley Terrace and West Burnside Avenue in Morris Heights.

Still, residents were left Tuesday to cope with trauma and uncertainty about their futures.

Jacqueline Tomlinson was in bed in her sixth-floor apartment when she felt a “big shake.” Moments later, her son, who was outside smoking, called her on the phone.

“He said, ‘Mom, get out, the whole front of the building collapsed,’ ” said Tomlinson, 64. “So I just grabbed my coat and I ran outside and and I haven’t been able to go back in since.”

Another resident feared for the life of a neighbor’s ailing mom.

“My neighbor called me and she was crying frantically,” said tenant Renee Glasford, 48. “She wanted to know where my mom was because she has dementia.”

Fortunately, Glasford’s mother was with her, and the two made their way back home.

“When we got to the neighborhood, it was a disaster from hell,” she said. “I was devastated.”

The building had been flagged for more than 100 building violations, according to city records, with over 25 complaints sent to city agencies over the past month.

Two people suffered minor injuries as they escaped Monday’s carnage.

While harm to humans was mercifully minimal, some tenants still have loved ones in the building: their pets.

“My two cats are inside,” said Ivan Schoop, 32, who lives on the sixth floor with his father and was at work when the building fell.

Tomlinson is worried about her feline, Panda, who is “probably starving.”

“My dog is still trapped in the apartment. There are other people who were able to go get their dogs, but they told us we could not,” said Glasford, who is desperate to get to Sparky.

She added that the pet’s company is especially helpful to her mother with dementia.

The Red Cross says it has provided 153 displaced residents with emergency assistance, including temporary housing and meals. Red Cross workers will be on hand to assist tenants with disaster health services, including mental health, the organization said in a statement.

The tenants are now scattered throughout the city at hotels and relatives’ homes with none of their possessions, missing school and work as the holidays are on the way.

Glasford was put into a hotel in Brooklyn with her mother, sister and 9-year-old son, who wasn’t able to go to school Tuesday.

“They didn’t get us here until late, there’s no way he could have come back up,” she said.

Sadie Martinez said her family is staying with an uncle, but they have none of their possessions and have not heard if or when they will get them back.

The items cover “everything — memories personal papers, Christmas gifts,” she said.

Even with a tough, unknown road ahead, residents feel fortunate that a bad situation didn’t end up being tragic.

“That was one of my biggest things, I was hoping that no one got hurt,” said Glasford. “I’m happy no one got hurt.”

_____

(New York Daily News staff writer Téa Kvetenadze contributed to this story.)

_____


Bronx apartment building partially collapses with people inside: police

New York Daily News
2023/12/11


NEW YORK — An entire corner of a six-story Bronx apartment building collapsed Monday, officials said.

First responders raced to the scene of the destruction on Billingsley Terrace near Phelan Place in Morris Heights just before 3:40 p.m. EST, according to police.

A man who works in a bodega across the street watched as two men worked on the building, which a Department of Buildings source said is under construction inside and out.

“Before it came down, the scaffolding started creaking, then the whole thing started coming apart,” said Ahmed Bendary, 23. “People were screaming.”

One of the men working on the building quickly left as warning noises started, but the other kept on drilling.

“When it started coming down, he jumped immediately and ran across the street,” said Bendary. “It just missed him. He was almost killed.”

Bendary stepped outside and watched as a line of bedrooms fell to the street below.

“Big rocks started coming down from the building,” he recalled. “Then it went down floor by floor in a second.”

Numerous people were inside when the northeast corner of the 47-unit building crumbled, officials said.

The rest of the building was evacuated after the collapse.

A police spokesperson described to the scene as “chaotic” as first responders continued to search debris for any trapped people.

“It was like an action movie,” Bendary said of the collapse. “It was like something that happened at Palestine.”

In a post on X about an hour after the collapse, FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said there were no immediately reported injuries but members of the Fire Department, including a K-9 team, were still canvassing the rubble for potential victims.

The building has 103 open violations with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, records show.

_____

© New York Daily News

White supremacist who dined with Trump calls for ‘death penalty’ for non-Christians

David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement
December 12, 2023 

Nick Fuentes

Last year Donald Trump dined with two anti-Semites, Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, at his Mar-a-Lago resort and residence, drawing massive outrage while revealing to many Americans for the first time who Fuentes is: a white supremacist, Christian nationalist, anti-LGBTQ, authoritarian extremist who supports Trump's "America First" doctrine.

In his livestream show on Sunday titled, "The Great Replacement is about White GENOCIDE," Fuentes called for the "death penalty" for non-Christians, according to Right Wing Watch (video below). "Antisemitic white nationalist Christian fascist Nick Fuentes says that when his America First movement takes power, all non-Christians will be executed," RWW reported.

NCRM has located the full video and is publishing a longer version of Fuentes' remarks.

"There is an occult element at the high levels of society, and specifically among the Jews, and you know, whenever I see that stuff that just makes me want to proclaim louder and more firmly and more rigidly that it is nothing other than Jesus Christ. No, no pagan stuff, no false gods, no deities, no demons. It is Jesus Christ and we need to start saying that name," Fuentes said.

"It's the name Jesus, talk about it, say it. Pray to Him, talk about the sacrifice on the cross, that's the answer. Because so many of the people that are perpetrating the lies and the destruction on the country, they are evil doers. They are people that worship false gods, they are people that practice magic or rituals or whatever, and more than anything those people need to be, when we take power, they need to be given the death penalty. Straight up. And, I'm far more concerned about that than I am about even non-white people or mass migration."

"These people that are that are communing with demons and engaging in this sort of witchcraft and stuff, and these people that are suppressing the name Christ and suppressing Christianity, they must be absolutely annihilated when we take power, I'm not calling for political violence, but that cannot have any quarter in our society."

While the start of the segment was about the occult, Fuentes quickly turned his remarks to promoting an oppressive, authoritarian version of what he calls Christianity.

"We need to put up we need to put up a crucifix in every home, in every room in every school and every government office to signal Christ's reign over our country," Fuentes declared. "Not that God needs it, but it must be outwardly expressed from the interior, that this is God's country. This is Jesus's country. This is not the domain of atheists or devil worshipers or perfidious Jews. This is Christ's country," he said, adding those who are "agnostic" cannot be part of his "America First" movement. "No, you must be a Christian. And you must submit to Christianity."

The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated Fuentes a white nationalist extremist "who advocates pulling the Republican Party further to the extreme far-right end of the political spectrum. An outspoken admirer of fascists such as Mussolini, Fuentes emerged as an influential figure on the national stage during the now-infamous 'Stop the Steal' movement, which relied on misinformation to falsely claim that Donald Trump had won the 2020 election and sought to overturn the results of it."

In October, after Fuentes had reportedly visited a top Texas GOP donor for several hours, creating a massive firestorm, The Texas Tribune reported, "Fuentes, 25, often praises Adolf Hitler and questions whether the Holocaust happened. He has called for a 'holy war' against Jews and compared the 6 million killed by the Nazis to cookies being baked in an oven. He wants the U.S. government under authoritarian, 'Catholic Taliban rule,' and has been vocal about his disdain for women, Muslims, the LGBTQ+ community and others."

The Intercept's Prep Thakker responded to the video of Fuentes' remarks, declaring it, "An unambiguous call for religious genocide, namely against Jewish people, by the dinner guest of the Republican front runner for President of the United States. Will there be congressional hearings? Breathless, wall to wall coverage in nearly every major U.S. news outlet?"


Writer and activist Elad Nehorai responded by blasting the House Republican Conference chair Elise Stefanik, saying she "wants you to vote for the presidential candidate who sat down with Fuentes for dinner."

U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) wrote: "THIS scumbag is who Trump invited to his place at Mar-a-Lago for dinner. Trump is not fit to be President."

Attorney and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy teaching Ethics, Richard Kalish, warned, "This is a clear, word for word echo of Nazi Germany."

Watch the short clip below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump’s Bigoted Dinner Guest Nick Fuentes Favors Burning Women Alive

‘Israel Is Still Far From Toppling Hamas’ in Tiny Gaza Strip, Palestinian Studies Expert Says

KEREN SETTON
12/12/2023

While Israel’s political echelon wants to portray Hamas as on the brink of collapse, experts say complex urban warfare will lengthen the war and make victory much less clear

The clock is ticking on Israel’s military operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as it is unclear how much progress the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has made in eliminating the terrorist organization. The ambitious goal was set out by the Israeli government in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ surprise offensive on Oct. 7. According to Israeli officials, approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed in the attack and 251 people were abducted by Hamas on that day. So far, 114 of the hostages, some of them foreign nationals, have been released. The rest remain in Gaza, and the Israeli government has promised to secure their release.

According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, more than 18,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel’s retaliation on Gaza, with another 50,000 injured.

After over two months, there is increasing international pressure to end the war. Over the weekend, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate cease-fire. While the Biden Administration has maintained that Israel will be the one to determine the end of the war, there have also been American insinuations that Israel’s credit is limited.

The IDF is now in a race against time to achieve its directive—stripping Hamas of its military capabilities and essentially removing it from power.


Israel is still far from toppling Hamas. The majority of its fighters are still alive; it still possesses rockets.

“We have seen extensive damage,” said Dr. Michael Milstein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies. “But Israel is still far from toppling Hamas. The majority of its fighters are still alive; it still possesses rockets.”

In addition, Milstein told The Media Line that the bombardment of government symbols, such as the parliament, courthouses, and mosques, is largely of symbolic value.


For Hamas, resistance is much more important than governance

“Hamas doesn’t need this to keep up its fight,” he added. “For Hamas, resistance is much more important than governance. As long as it has weapons and fighters, it doesn’t care whether it can govern Gaza or hand out humanitarian aid.”

This was proven already on Oct. 7, after many in the Israeli defense establishment thought Hamas was interested in solidifying its sovereignty over the Gaza Strip and would not risk an offensive against Israel that would endanger its rule.

While Hamas’ abilities are not comparable to the large and highly sophisticated IDF, the terrorist organization’s progress has been measured.

On Tuesday, battles continued to rage in the Gaza Strip.

The territory is a densely populated enclave around 26 miles (41 kilometers) long and between 3 and 8 miles wide. According to the UN, 1.93 million Gaza residents have been displaced as a result of the fighting, approximately 85% of its little over 2 million population. Israeli towns, villages and kibbutzim surround the Gaza Strip’s northern and eastern borders—which total around 36 miles in length— in what is often referred to by Israelis as the “Gaza Envelope.” The Strip also has an 8-mile-long border with Egypt and 25 miles of Mediterranean coastline.

When the IDF began its ground operation in Gaza, it initially focused on northern Gaza, specifically on the towns of Beit Hanoun and Bureij, each with a few tens of thousands of residents. The military then made progress towards Gaza City, the de-facto capital of the territory, where there is a concentration of Hamas government and military buildings.

In addition to Hamas’ military capabilities above the ground, experts believe the terrorist organization has a wide web of underground tunnels in which its munitions are manufactured and stored. These tunnels are also where many of the hostages are believed to be held and Hamas’ military commanders are running the war. The challenges of urban warfare are multiplied in light of this.

After a temporary cease-fire collapsed on Dec. 1, the IDF also began its ground operation in the south of Gaza. The area is believed to be the hub of Hamas’ military infrastructure. It is also believed to be where most of the Israeli hostages are being held. Israel has also vowed to kill Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who is believed to be underground in the same area.

“This will be a very complex operation, which will require much more care and time and will likely cost more lives of Israeli soldiers,” said Professor Danny Orbach, a military historian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “Israel is looking to cause the collapse of the Hamas governing mechanism,” he told The Media Line.

“The IDF method is to use massive airpower, then to encircle targeted areas, followed by increased incursions into territories as the hold over these territories gets stronger over time,” added Orbach, who noted that neither Israel nor Hamas focus their efforts on all areas equally. This creates pockets in which Israel has already gained control and other areas in which Hamas has focused its resistance, making it more difficult for the IDF.

On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Hamas was near “breaking point” in northern Gaza.

“There is a gap between what is being described by the political level as Hamas being on the verge of collapse, but the countdown to the end of Hamas is premature,” said Milstein. “Even after Sinwar will be assassinated, there will still be resistance.”

Both Gallant and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Hamas terrorists to “surrender or die.”

In recent days, footage emerged of Palestinians being detained by the Israeli military while wearing only underwear. It is unclear how many of the men were taken for further interrogation and how many were uninvolved civilians who were released. However, according to Orbach, pictures of such a surrender are one of the preliminary signs of Hamas’ collapse.

“Mass surrenders, the lack of ability to execute complex military operations, and chaos amongst the civilian population are all signs of collapse,” Orbach said. “As this progresses, the military operation becomes easier. We are at the beginning of this process.”

Over the weekend, the Israeli secret service released a video of its interrogation of former Hamas Communications Minister Yousef al-Mansi. “Sinwar and his gang have destroyed us,” said the former senior official. “We must get rid of them.”

Al-Mansi also estimated that the majority of Hamas’ military brigades have been eliminated. Hamas has not confirmed how many of its members have been killed by Israel since the beginning of the war. Israel said it has killed thousands of Hamas terrorists.


When a state begins to collapse, no one wants to stay standing last, eliciting a race of who surrenders or runs away first

“When a state begins to collapse, no one wants to stay standing last, eliciting a race of who surrenders or runs away first,” said Orbach. “Al-Mansi would not have sharply criticized Hamas’ leadership publicly if he did not think Israel was to remain an influential actor in Gaza after the war. He wants to portray himself as an alternative to the current leadership. Such an experienced member of the leadership that is beginning to smell defeat is another sign of collapse of the governing mechanism.”

Hamas has continued to fire rockets into Israel throughout the military operation, despite massive Israeli airstrikes and the presence of its troops in Gaza. While there has been a significant decrease in the amount of rocket fire, it is unclear how much firepower Hamas has left and whether it is using it selectively because its arsenal has been severely hit or holding on to it for future use.

As the military offensive continues, it is clear there is much headway to be made for Israel to reach its goal. While Hamas has controlled and governed Gaza since 2007, its ideology, which calls for the destruction of Israel, goes back decades and will live on even if Israel is successful.

“There are so many goals on the way,” said Milstein. “There is a lot of expectation in the Israeli public, but this will be a long and exhausting war. We will not see a mass surrender of Hamas, and there will not be a specific point in time in which Israel will be able to say it has reached its goal.”

With such a heavy price being paid by both sides, neither side will truly be victorious though both will surely strive to stake this claim.

The urban warfare in which both sides are now engaged makes for a very challenging battleground, which is often murky. With little symmetry between the sides, it is difficult to calculate the wins and the losses.

“Often in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both sides think they won,” said Orbach. “In this war, which is more like a street fight, it will be difficult to say who won and who lost.”

Australian PM joins NZ, Canada in call for Gaza ceasefire


The New Daily
Dec 12, 2023, 

Australia supports the creation of a sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip but Hamas must give up its weapons, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says in a rare joint statement with his counterparts from New Zealand and Canada.

“We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza,” the statement released by the three prime ministers early on Wednesday said, as the Israeli bombardment of Hamas militants in the enclave continued.

“The price of defeating Hamas cannot be the continuous suffering of all Palestinian civilians,” the leaders said.

The rare three-way statement from the three leaders came as the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The vote on Wednesday (AEDT) was backed by 153 member states, with 10 against and 23 abstentions.

It was the second attempt by the UN General Assembly, which called in October for “a humanitarian truce” in a resolution adopted with 121 votes in favour, 14 against and 44 abstentions.

It also followed the US veto of a similar move in the Security Council at the weekend.

Health authorities in the Hamas-run Gaza say the death toll from Israel’s offensive has passed 18,000.

Anthony Albanese, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau also said any ceasefire “cannot be one-sided”.

“Hamas must release all hostages, stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields and lay down its arms,” they said.

The three leaders condemned “Hamas’ unacceptable treatment of hostages” and called for the immediate and unconditional release of the captives.

The Australian and Canadian governments consider Hamas a terrorist organisation while New Zealand authorities have designated the entity’s military wing a terrorist group.

The joint statement condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 and the “heinous acts of violence perpetrated in those attacks, including sexual violence”, after militants killed 1200 people and took more than 200 hostages.

The three governments recognised Israel’s right to defend itself.

“In defending itself, Israel must respect international humanitarian law,” they added.

There was also “no role for Hamas in the future governance of Gaza”, the leaders said while opposing “the forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, the re-occupation of Gaza, any reduction in territory and any use of siege or blockade” and backed a two-state solution.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is expected to visit Israel and other countries in the Middle East in January.

Israel condemns UN vote

Israel was quick to react to the UN resolution on Wednesday.

Its representative in New York, Gilad Erdan, called the General Assembly resolution “hypocritical”, because it did not mention Hamas.

Erdan said a ceasefire would “only prolong death and destruction in the region”.

“A ceasefire will only benefit the terrorists that steal the humanitarian aid for themselves,” he said, adding that it would be a “death sentence for countless more Israelis and Gazans”.

The US’s ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the US supported aspects of the resolution, including that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. But it wanted an amendment that condemned the “abhorrent” 7 October attacks.

“We must work to build a foundation for truly sustainable peace, one where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in states of their own,” she said.

Earlier, US President Joe Biden warned Israel said Israel had support from “most of the world”, including the US and European Union.

“But they’re starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” he told a campaign fundraising event in Washington.

He said ultimately Israel “can’t say no” to an independent Palestinian state – something that Israeli hardliners oppose.

-with AAP

Does the UN General Assembly have any power to stop Israel's war on Gaza?


The New Arab Staff
12 December, 2023

Is the General Assembly able to step in when the Security Council is unable to make a decision to stop Israel's war on Gaza?


UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter [Getty]

Many are hoping that a vote on Tuesday in the UN General Assembly on a non-binding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire will demonstrate widespread global support for ending Israel's onslaught on Gaza, now in its third month.

After the US vetoed a resolution in the Security Council on Friday demanding a humanitarian ceasefire, Arab and Islamic nations called for an emergency session of the 193-member General Assembly on Tuesday afternoon to vote on a resolution making the same demand.

But is the UN General Assembly able to step in when the Security Council is unable to decide to stop Israel's war on Gaza?

What power does the General Assembly have?

According to the General Assembly’s 1950 resolution 377A (V), widely known as "Uniting for Peace", if the Security Council is unable to act because of the lack of unanimity among its five veto-wielding permanent members, the Assembly has the power to make recommendations to the wider UN membership for collective measures to maintain or restore international peace and security.

For instance, most frequently, the Security Council determines when and where a UN peace operation should be deployed, but historically, when the Council has been unable to make a decision, the General Assembly has done so.

For example, in 1956, the General Assembly established the First UN Emergency Force (UNEF I) in the Middle East.

In addition, the General Assembly may meet in an Emergency Special Session if requested by nine members of the Security Council or by a majority of the Members of the Assembly - as it is doing on Tuesday.

However, unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, meaning that countries are not obligated to implement them.

RELATED

Why can't the United Nations agree to a ceasefire in Gaza?

In-depth

Alexander Langlois

Intervention for Ukraine

To date, the General Assembly has held 11 Emergency Special Sessions - eight of which have been requested by the Security Council.

On 27 February 2022 - shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine - the Security Council decided to call an Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly in its resolution 2623 (2022) due to a lack of unanimity among its permanent members, preventing it from exercising its primary responsibility of "the maintenance of international peace and security".

As a result, on 1 March 2022, the General Assembly, meeting in an emergency session, adopted a resolution by which it deplored "the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2 (4) of the Charter". It also demanded Moscow immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

On 26 April, amid growing criticism of the lack of action by the Security Council to stop the war in Ukraine, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a landmark resolution requiring the five permanent members of the Council to justify their use of the veto.

While the General Assembly's resolutions are not legally binding, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that the assembly’s messages "are also very important" and reflect world opinion.

RELATED

Can invoking UN's Article 99 end Israel's war on Gaza?

UN response to the war on Gaza

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, said on Sunday that the defeated resolution in the Security Council was cosponsored by 103 countries, and he is hoping for more cosponsors and a high vote for the General Assembly resolution on Tuesday.

In the first UN response to the war on Gaza, the General Assembly on 27 October called for a "humanitarian truce" leading to a cessation of hostilities. The vote was 120-14 with 45 abstentions.

After four failures, the Security Council on 15 November adopted its first resolution, calling for "urgent and extended humanitarian pauses" in Gaza to address the escalating crisis for Palestinian civilians during Israel's relentless aerial and ground attacks.

That vote in the 15-member council was 12-0 with the US, UK, and Russia abstaining.

The US and UK said they abstained because the resolution did not condemn Hamas’ 7 October attack on Israel, and Russia because it failed to demand a humanitarian ceasefire, which Israel and the United States oppose.

As the death toll in Gaza has mounted during Israel’s onslaught on the besieged enclave, calls for a ceasefire have escalated, and on Friday the US was isolated in its support for Israel in the Security Council, where the vote was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining.

The Security Council meeting and vote last Friday were a response to a letter from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which enables a UN chief to raise threats he sees to international peace and security.

He warned of a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza and urged the council to demand a humanitarian ceasefire.

Guterres said he raised Article 99 - which hadn’t been used at the UN since 1971 — because "there is a high risk of the total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza".

The UN anticipates this would result in "a complete breakdown of public order and increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt", he warned.

Gaza was at "a breaking point" and desperate people were at serious risk of starvation, Guterres said, stressing that Hamas' attack on Israel "can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people".

Agencies contributed to this report.

Palestinian economy severely impacted by Israel-Hamas war: World Bank

AFP Published December 12, 2023

WASHINGTON: The Israel-Hamas war in Gaza is having a severe impact on the Palestinian economy, according to the World Bank, which now estimates sharp economic contraction this year and next.

The conflict, sparked by Hamas’ cross-border attacks on October 7 that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures, and saw around 240 hostages taken back to Gaza, is now dragging on into its third month.

The human toll of Israel’s fierce response has been extreme: More than 18,400 people in Gaza have been killed, the majority of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

UN labels Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as Israel bombs more areas

The UN estimates 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been displaced by the war, half of them children, as Israel’s overwhelming aerial bombardment in the days after October 7 was subsequently accompanied by a ground invasion aimed at destroying Hamas.

Beyond the immediate human cost, the Israel-Hamas conflict has also “severely impacted the Palestinian economy,” the World Bank announced in a statement published Tuesday.

Gaza’s contribution to the overall Palestinian economy, which includes the West Bank, had already shrunk from around 36 percent in 2005 to just 17 percent last year, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.

Israel’s fierce response to the Hamas attacks on October 7, along with the shuttering of its borders to Palestinian workers from both Gaza and the West Bank, is likely to severely impact the Palestinian economy, according to the Bank.

Despite Gaza’s small economic contribution, the World Bank now expects the overall Palestinian economy to contract by 3.7 percent this year, down sharply from its pre-war forecast of a 3.2 percent increase.

Next year, the situation is expected to be even worse.

Whereas the World Bank previously anticipated growth of 3.0 percent in 2024, it now expects an overall contraction of 6.0 percent – on the assumption that the severity of the conflict decreases next year.

If the war drags on, the economic impact could be even worse.

In response, the World Bank has announced a $35 million support package aimed at meeting the immediate medical needs of the population in Gaza.

The package, which requires board approval, would provide “emergency relief for the affected people of Gaza,” the World Bank said.

UK to probe Unilever's environmental claims as part of greenwashing crackdown

Dec 12 (Reuters) - Britain's competition watchdog said on Tuesday it would scrutinise environmental claims made by UK consumer goods giant Unilever (ULVR.L) about certain household essential items, amid a wider crackdown on greenwashing.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it is seeking to make sure shoppers are not being misled after an initial review uncovered a range of concerns that the maker of Dove soap "may be overstating how green certain products are".


"We'll be drilling down into these claims to see if they measure up," said CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell.

"We are surprised and disappointed with the CMA's announcement and refute that our claims are in any way misleading," a spokesperson for Unilever said in an emailed statement. "We will continue to co-operate with the CMA and fully comply with further requests for information."

Shares in the London-listed firm opened 0.7% lower on Tuesday.

The regulator is stepping up scrutiny of companies that may be exaggerating their green credentials in an attempt to woo climate-conscious consumers as well as billions of dollars from environmentally focused investor funds.

The CMA had launched a wider probe in January, joining regulators across the United States and Europe as they crack down on potentially false environmental, social and governance-related (ESG) claims made by companies.
It last year published a green claims code, a set of guidelines for companies and shoppers to ensure that environmental claims are genuine and not misleading

The watchdog said it had not opened official investigations into other companies, adding that possible outcomes of the Unilever probe include securing undertakings from the company to commit to operational change or taking the firm to court.


Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee, Kirsten Donovan and Gerry Doyle