Julian Assange: Australian politicians call for release of WikiLeaks founder

By Hannah Ritchie

in Sydney

Julian Assange has been held in London's high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019

Australia's parliament has passed a motion calling on the US and UK to release Julian Assange, ahead of a crucial legal hearing.

Mr Assange will appear in front of the UK's High Court next week for his final appeal against US extradition.

The Australian citizen, currently in London's Belmarsh Prison, is wanted in the US on espionage charges and faces up to 175 years in prison.

Australian MPs voted 86-42 that Mr Assange should be allowed to come home.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who supported the motion, has called for the Assange case to come to a "conclusion" since taking office in 2022.

He raised the matter directly with US President Joe Biden during a state visit in October.

It followed a cross-party delegation of Australian MPs travelling to Washington to lobby US lawmakers for Mr Assange's freedom.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted for publishing thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011, which American authorities say broke the law and endangered lives.

He has long argued that the case against him is politically motivated. His legal team say he is at risk of taking his own life if he is sent to the US.

In 2021, a UK judge blocked Mr Assange's extradition, citing concerns for his mental health.

The High Court subsequently reversed that decision on the basis that the US had proven that Mr Assange would be safely cared for. In 2022, then Home Secretary Priti Patel approved the US extradition request - triggering his renewed legal appeal.

Mr Assange's family have continued to call on the Australian government to do more to secure his release, warning that the 52-year-old could "disappear" into the US justice system for decades if handed over.

Australia's Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said he had raised the matter with his US counterpart Merrick Garland at a meeting in Washington last month.

"This was a private discussion, however this government's position on Mr Assange is very clear, and has not changed. It is time this matter is brought to an end," Mr Dreyfus said in a statement.

Mr Assange has been in the high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. He had previously spent seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London while trying to seek asylum in the South American country.

 Canada, Australia, New Zealand call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Smoke rises in central Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, near the Israel-Gaza border, as seen from Israel, February 14, 2024. 

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

UPDATED
FEB 15, 2024

SYDNEY - The leaders of Canada, Australia and New Zealand on Thursday called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, according to a joint statement released in response to reports about Israel's planned military operation in Rafah.

"We are gravely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah. A military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic," the statement by the Prime Ministers of the three countries said.

"An immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed.

Israel will press ahead with an offensive against Hamas in Rafah, the last refuge for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza, after allowing civilians to vacate the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

REUTERS

Rights Groups Call For Stronger Government Action To Prevent Slaughter In Rafah

Thursday, 15 February 2024,
Press Release: Alternative Jewish Voices

Israel has begun bombing Rafah, as part of a planned full-scale ground offensive on the city. About 1.4 million of the 2.3 million people who live in Gaza are currently sheltering in Rafah in dire conditions, but with nowhere else safe to go.

Since Israel began its war on Gaza in response to the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October, Israel has killed more than 28,500 people, mostly women and children; much of the civilian infrastructure has been destroyed and more than 80 percent of the population has been displaced. Many of the displaced civilians have sought refuge in Rafah.

Despite those stark facts, it is against that background that the head of UN aid Martin Griffiths is warning that Israel’s planned offensive in Rafah could lead to “slaughter”, and that this “long-dreaded [scenario] is unraveling at alarming speed”.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have “urged” Israel not to begin its ground offensive in Rafah, as part of “an overwhelming consensus of the international community”. Rt Hon Winston Peters has stated that “New Zealand remains extremely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah” and “the humanitarian consequences of an offensive in Rafah would be appalling.”

We welcome these statements of concern. They are a necessary indication of our government's attitude to the next phase of Israel’s war on Gaza. But they are not sufficient.

They will not reassure Palestinian refugee families sheltering in tents at the border with Egypt tonight. They will not alter Israel’s genocidal intention to exterminate and displace Palestinian civilians, under cover of a war on Hamas.

The South African government has lodged an urgent request with the International Court of Justice to consider whether Israel’s operations targeting Rafah are a breach of the provisional orders the court made in the case alleging genocide by Israel, and to order additional provisional orders to halt the mass killing in Rafah.

The Foreign Minister has noted that NZ regards the ICJ’s decisions, including the provisional measures requiring Israel to comply with its obligations under the Genocide Convention, as binding.

The New Zealand Government should support South Africa’s urgent request to the ICJ and take other concrete steps to sanction Israel for its failure to comply with international law. If we truly want to hold Israel to account, the Israeli ambassador should be left in no doubt that, if the Rafah ground offensive goes ahead, diplomatic relations with Israel will cease.

“We are at the precipice of witnessing the mass slaughter of civilians in Rafah and the most concerted effort yet to depopulate Gaza. These are flagrant violations of international law and the ICJ’s orders. New Zealand’s response needs to measure up to the enormity of the situation at hand ” Marilyn Garson, Alternative Jewish Voices.

© Scoop Media

Myanmar says newly activated conscription law will draft 5,000 people a month. Some think of fleeing

Grant Peck, Associated Press

 Feb 14, 2024 

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government on Wednesday said it will draft 60,000 young men and women yearly for military service under its newly activated conscription law, with call-ups beginning after the April festival marking the country’s traditional New Year.

The conscription measure was activated on Saturday by order of the chairman of the ruling military council, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

His surprise announcement appeared to confirm that the military has been stretched thin by increasing pressure from armed pro-democracy resistance forces that emerged after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

There are no reliable figures for the size of Myanmar’s military. The CIA World Factbook estimated that last year it had around 150,000-400,000 personnel. The Washington-based U.S. Institute of Peace has suggested that 21,000 service personnel have been lost through casualties, desertions and defections since the military takeover, leaving an effective force of about 150,000.

Under the law, men aged 18 to 35 and women 18 to 27 can be drafted into the armed forces for two years. A higher age limit of 45 for men and 35 for women applies in certain professional categories such as medical doctors and engineers, and their term of service is three years.

READ MORE: Myanmar’s military losing ground against alliance of militias, buoying resistance hopes

The army’s information office said in a statement sent to journalists that 5,000 people each month will be called up and given training. Women will be called up starting with the fifth batch, it said.

Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the military government, said in a statement published in the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper that about 14 million people — 6.3 million men and 7.7 million women — of the country’s population of 56 million are eligible for military service.

He told the BBC’s Burmese language service on Tuesday that the initial batch of 5,000 conscripts would be called up soon after the traditional Thingyan New Year celebration in mid-April.

The conscription law’s activation has created fear, anxiety and defiance among young people and their parents, according to postings on social media and private conversations. Some people are considering are leaving the country, fleeing into border areas controlled by ethnic minorities or joining resistance groups.

Evading conscription is punishable by three to five years in prison and a fine. Members of religious orders are exempt, while civil servants and students can be granted temporary deferments.

The military government also activated a Reserve Forces Law that makes army veterans subject to serving five additional years after their resignation or retirement.

Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, or NUG, the leading political body of the resistance, declared in a statement Tuesday that the public is not required to comply with the conscription law, calling its announcement unlawful. NUG urged people to intensify their participation in the revolution. NUG claims to be the country’s legitimate government.

“It is clear that the military junta, having suffered significant and humiliating defeats across the country, is desperate,” the statement said. “It now seeks to force Myanmar civilians to fight and to serve as human shields in a horrific war of its own making against its own people.”

Water scarcity leads to conflicts, Pakistan warns at UNSC

Anwar Iqbal 

Published February 15, 2024

UNITED NATIONS: In a UN Security Council debate on climate and water scarcity, Pakistan has once again emphasised the need for strict adherence to the Indus Water Treaty.

“Increasing water demand, coupled with climate change impacts, creates the potential for trans-boundary water disputes in several parts of the world,” warned Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram while addressing the council on Tuesday.

“Pakistan attaches high priority to the strict implementation of the Indus Water Treaty and aims to reinvigorate the Indus River basin,” he said.

The Indus Water Treaty is a 1960 water-sharing agreement between Pakistan and India, facilitated by the World Bank. It allocates the waters of the Indus River system between the two countries.

Ambassador Akram pointed out that the Indus basin was the largest contiguous irrigation system globally, providing food security to over 225 million people. To reinvigorate this water body, Pakistan has launched the multi-dimensional Living Indus project.

Talking about melting glaciers in Pakistan’s northern territories, he stated that those were the largest store of water, apart from the Northern and Southern ice caps.

“Extreme temperatures are melting these glaciers at an alarming rate, and this, together with heavier monsoons, leads to massive floods, like the epic floods which devastated Pakistan in 2022, causing damage over $30 billion,” he warned.

Conflicts on the rise

Ambassador Akram then warned the international community that scarcity and climate-induced disasters could lead to inter-state and intra-state conflicts.

The UNSC is currently holding a high-level debate on the impact of climate and food insecurity on the maintenance of international peace and security.

The Pakistani envoy urged the UNSC to play a more significant role by officially endorsing pledges made on climate change and sustainable development, converting them into obligatory commitments for member nations.

Ambassador Akram also emphasised the rising disputes over water at various levels, exploitation of agricultural and animal pastures by terrorist groups, and the increasing friction between neighbouring coastal countries over fisheries and fishing rights.

Emphasising the interconnectedness of climate change and conflicts, the ambassador noted that “climate change and food insecurity are enlarging and exacerbating inter-state and intra-state conflicts”.

He warned that disputes over water — at the state, sub-national, and local-community levels -- were rising, and competing claims to agricultural and animal pastures were being exploited by terrorist groups and criminal gangs.

Ambassador Akram cautioned against ‘securitising’ the climate and development agenda, emphasizing that scarcity was the root cause of conflicts, and sustainable development is the best means of conflict prevention.

He highlighted key decisions made at COP 28, including charting a pathway for a just and equitable energy transition, agreeing on targets for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), and operationalising the Loss & Damage Fund.

The Pakistani envoy, however, expressed concern over the lack of progress in reducing emissions and providing adequate climate finance. He emphasised the need for developed countries to reduce emissions by at least 43 per cent by 2030, in line with the principle of CBDR and respective capacities.

Additionally, he stressed the need for mobilising the estimated $1.5 trillion annual investment for a transition to ‘clean energy’, which remains a significant challenge.

Despite the promises, both public and private investments in sustainable infrastructure in developing countries fall short, with the $100 billion annual climate finance commitment unfulfilled.

Ambassador Akram warned that unless the commitments made at COP28 and other conferences were implemented, achieving climate goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would become almost impossible.

In a notable proposal, Munir Akram suggested that the UNSC could contribute significantly to both climate and development goals by endorsing the commitments made on climate change and sustainable development, transforming them into binding obligations.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2024

Revitalising the Indus

DAWN
Editorial 

IN a much-needed development for the overexploited and climate change-ravaged Indus river, the UN has included Pakistan’s Living Indus Initiative among its seven World Restoration Flagship programmes. The LII was born in 2022 out of a comprehensive consultation process, involving academia, experts, stakeholders, and provincial governments. Spearheaded by then climate minister Sherry Rehman, the initiative was ambitiously pegged as the country’s largest climate project, aimed at addressing the multifaceted environmental challenges plaguing the ‘mother of the nation’. The river’s ecological degradation has posed severe threats not only to biodiversity but also to the livelihoods of the millions who depend on it. The Indus has tragically come to be known as the second most polluted river in the world.

The LII, with its 25 priority interventions, targets a holistic restoration of the river basin. From nature-based resilience agriculture to combating industrial effluent and promoting green infrastructure, the initiative aims to revitalise the Indus, ensuring its sustainability for future generations. The UN’s involvement brings invaluable technical and financial assistance to the LII. With the UN’s backing, the LII is poised to restore over 30pc of the Indus basin by 2030. Central to the importance of the LII’s mission is the rich biodiversity of the Indus basin. It is home to 195 mammal species, at least 668 bird species, and over 150 fish species, including 22 endemic ones and the endangered Indus blind dolphin. These species, many of which are unique to the region, are in urgent need of concerted efforts to protect and restore their habitats. As we welcome the global recognition and support for the LII, it is imperative to remember the stakes involved. The health of the Indus river is intrinsically linked to the prosperity of Pakistan and the well-being of its people. It is one of our most critical natural resources and must be jealously protected. Our survival depends on it.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2024

Putin Says Russia Prefers Biden to Trump Because He’s ‘More Predictable’


Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Feb. 8, 2024.Getty Images

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
FEBRUARY 14, 2024

MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia would prefer to see U.S. President Joe Biden win a second term, describing him as more experienced than Donald Trump.

Speaking in an interview with a correspondent of Russian state television, Putin declared that he will work with any U.S. leader who is elected, but noted unequivocally that he would prefer Biden’s victory when asked who would be a better choice from the point of view of Russia.


“Biden, he’s more experienced, more predictable, he’s a politician of the old formation,” Putin said. “But we will work with any U.S. leader whom the American people trust.”

Asked about speculation on Biden’s health issues, Putin responded that “I’m not a doctor and I don’t consider it proper to comment on that.”

Biden’s team worked to alleviate Democratic concerns over alarms raised by a special counsel about Biden’s age and memory. They came in a report determining that Biden would not be charged with any criminal activity for possessing classified documents after he left office.

Putin noted that the talk about Biden’s health comes as “the election campaign is gaining speed in the U.S., and it’s taking an increasingly sharp course.”

He added that allegations of Biden’s health problems were also circulating at the time when they met in Switzerland in June 2021, adding that he witnessed the contrary and saw the U.S. leader in a good shape.

“They talked about him being incapacitated, but I saw nothing of the kind,” Putin said. “Yes, he was peeking at his papers, to be honest, I was peeking at mine, not a big deal."

At the same time, Putin noted that he sees the Biden administration policy as wrong.

Russia-West ties have plunged to their lowest levels since the Cold War era after Putin sent his troops into Ukraine in February 2022.

“I believe that the position of the current administration is badly flawed and wrong, and I have told President Biden about that,” Putin said.

Putin has claimed that he has sent troops into Ukraine to protect Russian speakers there and to prevent a threat to Russia’s security posed by Ukraine’s bid to join NATO. Ukraine and its Western allies have denounced Moscow’s action as an unprovoked act of aggression.

Putin argued that Moscow was forced to act after Ukraine and its allies refused to fulfill a 2015 agreement to grant more powers to separatist territories in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow-backed separatists launched a rebellion in 2014.

“We only can regret that we didn’t act earlier, thinking that we are dealing with decent people,” Putin said.

Asked about Trump’s statement on Saturday, in which he said he once warned he would allow Russia to do whatever it wants to NATO member nations that are “delinquent” in devoting 2% of their gross domestic product to defense, Putin responded that it’s up to the U.S. to determine its role in the alliance.

Trump’s statement sharply contrasted with Biden’s pledge “to defend every inch of NATO territory,” as the alliance commits all members to do in case of attack. It shocked many in Europe, drawing a pledge from Poland, France and Germany to bolster Europe’s security and defense power.

Putin noted that Trump’s statement followed his policy during his first term when he prodded NATO allies in Europe to increase their defense spending.

“He has his own view on how relations with allies should develop,” Putin said about Trump. ”From his point of view, there is some logic in this, while from the point of view of the Europeans, there is no logic at all, and they would like the U.S. to keep carrying out some functions they have fulfilled since the formation of NATO free of charge."

He described NATO as a “U.S. foreign policy tool,” adding that “if the U.S. thinks that it no longer needs this tool it’s up to it to decide.”

Asked about his impressions from his last week’s interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Putin said he expected Carlson to be more aggressive. Putin used the interview to push his narrative on the fighting in Ukraine, urge Washington to recognize Moscow’s interests and press Kyiv to sit down for talks.

“I expected him to be aggressive and ask the so-called tough questions, and I wasn’t only ready for it but wanted it because it would have given me a chance to respond sharply,” Putin said.

Carlson didn’t ask Putin about war crimes Russian troops have been accused of in Ukraine, or about his relentless crackdown on dissent.

“He didn’t allow me to do what I was ready for,” Putin said, describing Carlson as a “dangerous man.”

Tucker Carlson interviews Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Photo Credit: Kremlin.ru

Putin Signals Interest In Ukraine Talks – OpEd

 February 15, 2024  

By M.K. Bhadrakumar

The great beauty of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interview with the famous American journalist Tucker Carlson is that there is something in it for almost everyone — be it historians who memorialise the past; diplomats who isolate history and take it out of context; spymasters who were cold warriors with adrenaline flowing still; politologists who contrived to create false narratives; and even an American president or two and one colourful British Prime Minister most certainly, who may have blood on their hands. 

Carlson stated modestly that he wanted to sit down with Putin because “most Americans are not informed” on how the war in Ukraine is “reshaping the world.” 

In the event, as their 2-hour long conversation progressed, a vast panorama unfolded: 

• from the origin of Rus to the “artificial state” that is Ukraine; 
• from Dostoevsky to the Russian soul;
• from the US’ rebuff to post-Soviet Russia’s hankering to be part of the western alliance to CIA’s support for separatism and terrorism in North Caucasus;
• from NATO’s expansion to the appearance of its bases in Ukraine; 
• from the US’ proactive deployment of ABM system in Europe to Russia countering with hypersonic strike systems; 
• from weaponisation of dollar to the blowback of de-dollarisation; and,  
• the imperative need for the US to adjust to the geopolitical reality that “the world is changing.” 

The interview has broken the internet, garnering dozens of millions of views on X. Its reverberations may likely continue during the campaign for the November elections. Independent Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr wrote: “Tucker Carlson has been smeared for days. The legacy media and Democrat establishment are upset at him for simply doing his job. Americans can handle thought-provoking conversations. We can handle dangerous thoughts or contrary ideas that don’t fit the MSM narrative. Let us decide for ourselves.” 

Without doubt, the war in Ukraine was the leitmotif of the interview. When asked about the prospect for peace, Putin suggested, “If you really want to stop fighting, you need to stop supplying weapons.” Putin further responded, “It will be over within a few weeks. That’s it.” 

The tantalisingly easy solution is anchored on Putin’s belief,  which he held consistently since the conflict began in February 2022, that this is at the core a civil war and a fratricidal strife that divided families, relatives and friends, which might not have happened without the maleficent, intrusive behaviour by Western powers.  

The interplay of three related factors may account for Putin’s guarded sanguineness. First and foremost, the interview comes as momentum on the battlefield has swung in Russia’s favour. Also, at a deeper level, the Congressional resistance to aid to Ukraine underscores the transformation of party dynamics and the electorate in the US. 

The Republican Party, which once distinguished itself by its tough opposition to Russia, is increasingly leaning toward isolationism and, in some circles, there is even sympathy for Moscow. 

Of course, if American politics is feverish, it is not due to Putin but due to the growth of populism, the polarisation of society, which are internal phenomena with historical roots. After decades of bipartisan Cold War consensus about America’s role in the world, for many, globalisation, flow of illegal migrants, foreign wars, etc. have discredited the old way of thinking. 

A second factor could be the nascent sense in some quarters in Moscow that although President Zelensky “deceived his voters” by turning his back on his mandate to end the conflict in Donbass, and instead decided in self-interest that it was “beneficial and safe… not to clash with neo-Nazis and nationalists, because they are aggressive and very active, you can expect anything from them, and secondly, the US-led West supports them and will always support those who antagonise with Russia” — nonetheless, he still can negotiate with Moscow. 

Putin recalled the stunning disclosure in an interview on Ukrainian television by Davyd Arakhamia who headed the delegation to negotiate with the Russian officials in Istanbul in March 2022 and had, in fact, initialled the final document, that “after we returned from Istanbul, Boris Johnson visited Kyiv and said that we should not sign anything with the Russians and ‘let’s just fight’.”          

To quote Arakhamia, who currently is the leader of the ruling party’s faction in the Ukrainian parliament and a top advisor to Zelensky, “The war could have ended in the spring of 2022 if Ukraine had agreed to neutrality. Russia’s goal was to put pressure on us so that we would be neutral. This was the main thing for them: They were ready to end the war if we accepted neutrality, like Finland once did. And for us to make a commitment that we will not join NATO. This is the main thing.” 

Arguably, this is where the power struggle in Kiev and the ouster of Gen. Valery Zaluzhni, formerly Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces comes into play as the third factor. Significantly, on Monday, according to a Tass report, the head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service Sergey Naryshkin issued a statement in Moscow that the US and its G7 allies are nervous about defections from Ukrainian regime and are floating an idea to appoint a special representative in Kiev to ensure that Zelensky acts on the dotted line. Naryshkin hinted that there is basis to such fears in the G-7 capitals. 

Indeed, at the fag end of the interview with Carlson, Putin also left a parting message that “There are options (for peace talks) if there is a will.” He added: 

“Up until now, there has been the uproar and screaming about inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield. Now they (NATO) are apparently coming to realise that it is difficult to achieve, if possible at all. In my opinion, it is impossible by definition, it is never going to happen. It seems to me that now those who are in power in the West have come to realise this as well. 

“If so, if the realisation has set in, they have to think what to do next. We are ready for this dialogue… to put it more accurately, they are willing but do not know how to do it. I know they want. It is not just I see it but I know they do want it but they are struggling to understand how to do it… Well, now let them think how to reverse the situation. We are not against it.” 

The big question is whether the Biden Administration will bite the bullet. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the White House on February 9. In his media remarks before the meeting with President Biden, Scholz doubted Putin’s intentions, saying “He wants to get the part of the territory of its neighbours. Just imperialist — imperialism. And I think it is necessary that we do all our best to support Ukraine and to give them the chance to defend their country.”

On his part, though, Biden remained circumspect. Later, a detailed White House readout focusing on West Asian developments, merely stated: “President Biden and Chancellor Scholz reaffirmed their resolute support for Ukraine in its struggle against Russia’s war of aggression. The President commended Germany’s exemplary contributions to Ukraine’s self-defence, and Chancellor Scholz emphasised the significance of sustained U.S. support.” 

It seems the high probability is that the Biden administration intends to keep the conflict alive at least until November while its main focus will be on West Asian developments that have a direct bearing on the president’s candidacy in the November elections .   

This article was published at Indian Punchline

M.K. Bhadrakumar is a former Indian diplomat.

 

Biden signs memo shielding thousands of Palestinians in US from deportation

National security adviser says move will provide ‘temporary safe haven’ amid Israel-Hamas war in Gaza; US condemns Jerusalem home demolition, urges probe in West Bank killing

By JACOB MAGID Today, 

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on a $95 billion Ukraine Israel aid package being debated in Congress, in the White House, February 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a memo using his executive powers to shield thousands of Palestinians in the US from deportation for the next 18 months, citing “significantly deteriorated” conditions on the ground in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Some 6,000 Palestinians are eligible for the reprieve under an immigration program called Deferred Enforced Departure.

“While I remain focused on improving the humanitarian situation, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Palestinians who are present in the United States,” Biden stated in the memo.

“In light of the ongoing conflict and humanitarian needs on the ground, President Biden signed a memorandum directing the deferral of removal of certain Palestinians who are present in the United States, giving them a temporary safe haven,” US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement explaining the executive order.

“This grant of deferred enforced departure would provide protections for most Palestinians in the United States, with certain exceptions,” including convicted felons, others deemed public safety threats, Sullivan addedd, saying those who voluntarily return to the West Bank or Gaza would lose such protections.

The move was likely to be welcomed by Arab and Muslim American community leaders who have fumed over Biden’s support for Israel since the Hamas-led October 7 terror onslaught, with many pledging not to vote for the president in re-election.

But the memo also sharpened the difference between Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has called for deporting Palestinians who express support for Hamas. A Republican lawmaker issued legislation — which has no chance of passing — that would revoke the visas of Palestinians and prevent them from receiving asylum status in the US.

Illustrative: Palestinians wait at the Rafah border crossing in Egypt after being evacuated from the Gaza Strip, on December 26, 2023. (AFP)

Biden’s decision came after more than 100 Democratic lawmakers called on the White House to use either deferred enforced departure or a similar authority, called temporary protected status, to ensure that Palestinians currently in the United States would not be forced to return to dangerous conditions in Gaza.

It’s not immediately clear how many Palestinians would be affected by the deferred departure designation, but the number would be small. According to the November letter from lawmakers, there were roughly 7,241 nonimmigrant visas issued to Palestinians in 2022, the most recent year for which data was available, though that isn’t an exact correlation to the number of people who would be eligible.

The designation is not a specific immigration status, but those covered under the policy aren’t subject to deportation. Eligibility requirements are based on terms set by Biden. Others right now included under the same policy are people from Liberia and Hong Kong.

US slams Jerusalem demolition, urges probe in West Bank killing

Also Wednesday, the US lambasted Israel for demolishing the home of a Palestinian activist in East Jerusalem.

Israel demolished the home of Fakhri Abu Diab in Silwan earlier in the day, claiming it did not have the necessary permits, though, such building approvals for Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank are overwhelmingly rare.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs Andrew Miller visited the home just last month in an apparent show of support for Abu Diab, who is a campaigner against demolitions.

Asked about the demolition during a press briefing, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the detrimental impact of the move was not just felt by Abu Diab’s family but also on his “entire community who live in fear that their homes may be next.”

‘Miller noted that Abu Diab’s family had lived in the home demolished for generations and that part of the building’s structure dates back before 1967 when Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the Six Day War.

“These acts obstruct efforts to advance a durable and lasting peace and security that would benefit not just Palestinians but Israelis,” Miller said.

“They damage Israel’s standing in the world, and they make it ultimately more difficult for us to accomplish all the things we’re trying to accomplish that would ultimately be in the interest of the Israeli people, and so we condemn them and will continue to urge that they not continue,” Miller said.

Abu Diab responded to the US condemnation: “I thank them, but they should have put pressure beforehand on the Israelis to prevent the demolition of my house.”

“They demolished the memory, the past and the future. They did not demolish just the ceiling or the house,” he said, standing near the rubble of his former home.

“It was an act of revenge, part of the campaign by the Israelis against the Palestinians of Jerusalem that has only grown since October 7,” he said.

Fakhri Abu Diab stands amid the rubble of his home that was demolished by Jerusalem municipality workers in the neighborhood of Silwan on February 14, 2024. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)

Additionally, the US said Wednesday it was “devastated” by the recent killing of Palestinian-American Mohammad Ahmad al-Khdour in the West Bank and demanded an investigation into his death.

The Washington Post reported that the 17-year-old was shot in the head by Israeli troops in Bidu near Ramallah in unclear circumstances. The IDF has yet to issue a comment on the incident.

“The United States has no greater priority than the safety and security of US citizens. We urgently call for a quick, thorough and transparent investigation, including full accountability,” read a tweet from the US Office of Palestinian Affairs.

Al-Khdour’s death expanded a growing list of incidents regarding US citizens on which the Biden administration has demanded clarifications from Israel.

Mohammad Ahmad al-Khdour (US Office of Palestinian Affairs/X)

Last month another 17-year-old by the name of Tawfic Abdel Jabbar was shot dead in the West Bank. Police said an off-duty law enforcement officer, a soldier and an Israeli settler all opened fire at Jabbar after perceiving him as a threat. The US has also demanded a probe into this incident as well.

Several Palestinian Americans have also been arrested by Israel in both the West Bank and Gaza in recent days, drawing additional comments of concern from US government officials.

Agencies and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

SCOTLAND

'Overworked and exhausted' workers protest ahead of expected budget cuts

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said the local authority has a legal requirement to set a balanced budget.

LDRSProtests: Trade union members gathered in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Drew Sandelands, 

Local Democracy Reporter
Posted in Glasgow City

Trade unions have demanded a “mass campaign” to push for more funding for Glasgow as they protested outside the city chambers.

Councillors will be faced with a budget deficit of more than £107m over the next three years when they meet on Thursday.

Members of Unite, Unison, the GMB and EIS, as well as the Scottish Tenants Organisation, gathered ahead of the meeting to call for no cuts.

Chris Sermanni, from Unison, said the council should “change their course of action” and set a “legal one-year no cuts budget”.

The move would give councillors more time to “build a mass campaign with the trade unions, workers, people of the city, community groups, to stand with them to fight the Scottish and Westminster governments for the money that Glasgow deserves”.

He added, after a decade of austerity, workers are “having to do more with less”, because “demand for services hasn’t gone down, it’s actually increased in a lot of services”.

“In many ways it is already bad, tomorrow is just going to make it even worse.”

Speaking to the crowd, Mr Sermanni added workers are “overworked and exhausted”.

“The politicians are doing what they do every year,” he said. “They are bickering with each other over whose ‘cuts budget’ is better. Glasgow deserves far better.”

Chris Mitchell, a GMB convenor, who represents cleansing staff, said the level of cuts is “not sustainable for this city”.

“We’ve had ten years of austerity, every February we are standing here, more cuts and more cuts and more cuts,” he said.

“We are at the forefront of this, trying to deal with members of the public who are enraged because of these cuts. We are trying to explain that we are trying our hardest, it’s not our fault.

“That’s just going to get worse. We’ve got a homeless crisis, social services are on their knees, care’s on its knees, cleansing, parks and roads.”

A council spokesman previously said the local authority has a legal requirement to set a balanced budget and “failure to do so would quickly threaten every local service that Glaswegians rely on”.

He added the leadership of the council “continually makes the case for sustainable funding of local services and for public spending to be targeted to communities with the greatest need”.

Mr Sermanni said: “The budget that we are proposing is entirely legal, we would be using financial mechanisms, such as refinancing the existing debt and PFI debt, using reserves.

“This isn’t a panacea, it gives us space in order to build that campaign to fight for the funding we need.”

The council spokesman said: “There will be very few councils across Scotland that are not already actively managing their financing costs and making substantial use of reserves to reduce spending gaps as much as they can.”

UK

Photographer receives payout from Surrey Police after Just Stop Oil arrest

Award-winning snapper Peter Macdiarmid was handcuffed at Clacket Lane Services on August 24 2022 and detained for several hours by Surrey Police



TED HENNESSEY

6 HOURS AGO

A photographer who was arrested by police during a Just Stop Oil petrol station protest on the M25 has received a payout from the force.

Award-winning snapper Peter Macdiarmid, 59, said he was handcuffed at Clacket Lane Services on August 24 2022 and detained for several hours by Surrey Police, despite holding a UK press card.

Mr Macdiarmid had been photographing the activists as they blocked access to the petrol station from about 5am by sitting in the road with banners.

Some Just Stop Oil protesters put fuel pumps out of use by breaking the display glass and covering them with spray paint.

After Mr Macdiarmid was arrested, law firm Bhatt Murphy sent a letter of claim to Surrey Police on his behalf and last December the force offered to settle out of court.

I was unable to persuade the arresting officer that I was a genuine working press photographer and my press card was ignored

PETER MACDIARMID

The force has not accepted liability and is refusing to apologise for its actions, the British Press Photographers’ Association (BPPA) said.


Surrey Police’s lawyers allegedly denied the officers did anything wrong, saying the situation they found when they arrived was confusing and that they had acted within the law.

Mr Macdiarmid said: “I have been a news photographer for 37 years and have covered many events where tensions were running high and police were under great pressure.

“This Just Stop Oil protest was not like that, it was very calm and protesters were voluntarily giving themselves up for arrest when a police officer decided to detain me on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

“I was unable to persuade the arresting officer that I was a genuine working press photographer and my press card was ignored.


“Whilst I am glad to finally bring closure to this after many months, I am disappointed in the actions of Surrey Police in handcuffing and arresting me and then dragging out the legal process during my civil claim.”



The BPPA added: “Congratulations to Peter and his solicitors for their perseverance in pursuing this case – handcuffing and arresting a press photographer is unacceptable behaviour by Surrey Police.

“We believe that the police got it wrong on this occasion and that this is far from the first time this happened and it is likely to happen again.

“In the end Peter has received damages and his costs, but would rather have not had to go through a lengthy and stressful legal process to clear his name.”

Surrey Police confirmed it had reached a settlement with the claimant which was accepted.