Israel’s parliament backs resolution opposing Palestinian state

Israel has passed a resolution opposing establishment of independent Palestinian state

Israeli flags fly outside the Knesset, the country’s parliament. Library image. © Photo credit: Christophe Gateau/dpa

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has passed a resolution expressing formal opposition to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, warning that it could serve as a base for terrorist groups.

“The Knesset is adamantly opposed to the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan river,” the legislature said in the resolution, which was adopted at a sitting in Jerusalem early Thursday with backing from 68 of its 120 members.

About three quarters of United Nations members have expressed their support for, or recognition of, Palestinian statehood — with Spain, Norway and Ireland joining the latter category in May. While the prospect of it being able to peacefully co-exist with Israel looks increasingly remote in light of the war raging in the Gaza Strip, some of Israel’s allies say a two-state solution — which has been discussed for decades — is what’s needed to advance peace in the Middle East.

The fighting erupted after the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October last year, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war is necessary to destroy Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the US and European Union.

Truce talks have dragged on for several weeks, and there is no indication if, or when, they may be concluded.

The Knesset’s resolution is a hardening of its previous position agreed earlier this year, which rejected that the notion that a Palestinian state could be declared unilaterally.

In 2009, Netanyahu said he’d accept a demilitarised Palestinian state as long as it recognised Israel. Negotiations fell apart and, in recent years, Netanyahu and the Israeli public have stepped away from supporting two states, a sentiment that has strengthened since 7 October.

Netanyahu is due to visit Washington next week where the Biden administration is expected to urge acceptance of a two-state solution as the way to bring Arab states into the rebuilding of Gaza and normalisation of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Source: Bloomberg

UN reacts to Israeli parliament: Two-state solution cannot be voted away

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres disappointed by Knesset’s decision to pass motion, says spokesman

Servet Gunerigok |18.07.2024 - 

WASHINGTON

The UN said Thursday that a two-state solution cannot be voted away in response to a resolution passed by the Israeli parliament that rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is disappointed by the Israeli parliament’s (Knesset) decision to pass the measure.

"It's clear you can't vote away the two-state solution," Dujarric told reporters.

Guterres “has said many times he believes that's ending the occupation and negotiating a two-state solution, where Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with a secure and recognized border based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, is the only viable path to a sustainable peace for the people of Israel and for the people of Palestine," said the spokesman.

"So, the motion passed is, for us, clearly inconsistent with the UN resolutions, international law and prior agreements, and (Guterres) he once again, calls on the Israelis and all sides frankly, to do anything that takes us further away from the two-state solution," he added.

The resolution which passed in the Knesset by a vote of 68 - 9, said the establishment of a Palestinian state “in the heart of the Land of Israel would pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region.”

The vote came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to go to Washington on Sunday to meet US President Joe Biden and address Congress.

The Knesset voted in February to unilaterally reject the recognition of a Palestinian state.

*Serife Cetin contributed to the story from New York

Knesset extends law to shut down foreign channels in Israel

Law is used to stop work of Al Jazeera channel, Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen TV

Abdelraouf Arnaout |18.07.2024 - TRT/AA



JERUSALEM

The Israeli parliament (Knesset) on Thursday passed an extension to a law allowing the shutdown of foreign media outlets operating in the country till November.

The law in its final reading was passed by 26-8 votes in the 120-member Knesset, according to a parliamentary statement.

The law aims to stop the work of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel and the Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV known for its close ties to Hezbollah.

On May 5, the Israeli government decided to ban Al Jazeera, close its offices in Israel and restrict access to its website under the law, which allows the communications minister to shut down foreign networks operating in Israel and confiscate their equipment if the country’s defense minister identifies that their broadcasts pose “an actual harm to the state’s security.”

The Israeli ban was widely criticized by international and regional organizations as an assault on media freedom.

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

More than 38,800 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 89,400 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar

THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS

Overruling Gallant, Netanyahu blocks plan for temporary hospital for Gaza children

IDF Medical Corps, in coordination with Health Ministry, advances plan to establish hospital in Israel for Gaza children with chronic illnesses, partly tied to future hostage deals; PM blocks move, pending third-country agreements to receive patients

Moran Azulay


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has blocked a plan to establish a temporary hospital within Israel for Palestinian children from Gaza, his office confirmed Thursday, overruling Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Netanyahu's military secretary Major General Roman Gofman cited insufficient progress in creating a corridor for transporting sick and injured Gazans to other countries as the reason for halting the project. The National Security Council is working on a plan to fly injured individuals, particularly children, for treatment in other countries via Israel or Egypt.
The disagreement marks another chapter in the strained relationship between Netanyahu and Gallant, who have clashed on various issues. Recent reports suggested that Netanyahu was considering replacing Gallant, though his office denies this.

The current dispute began after the IDF Medical Corps requested that the Health Ministry and relevant health officials prepare to set up a medical facility in Israel to treat Palestinian children from Gaza suffering from chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and orthopedic injuries.

The initiative was part of future agreements for the release of hostages or to gain international legitimacy amid concerns about rulings from the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Several discussions were held recently between the Medical Corps and senior health officials, with the plan expected to move forward.

Under the proposed plan, Israeli doctors were to work at the hospital, which would serve as a transition point for sending the children to a third country for treatment. However, Netanyahu has now said that the hospital will not be approved until countries willing to receive the injured are identified.


(Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem)

"The Prime Minister's Office poured cold water on the initiative, but from the start, the planning was very tentative," a source familiar with the details told Ynet. "It is still being discussed at professional levels, but it appears to be both a political and logistical issue, likely related to the relationship between Gallant and Netanyahu."

The Prime Minister's office confirmed, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has notified in writing that he does not approve the establishment of a hospital for Gazans within Israel – and therefore it will not be established."

Adidas apologises for ‘any upset or distress caused’ by 1972 Munich Olympic trainer

EXCLUSIVE: Global brand re-issued the SL 72 OG shoe inspired by those worn at the Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists

By MICHELLE ROSENBERGJuly 18, 2024, 6:04 pm

Twitter/X

Adidas has apologised and told Jewish News it is “revising the remainder” of its promotional campaign for a trainer inspired by those worn by athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972. 

The company has faced intense criticism for the re-issue of the SL 72 OG shoe, with Palestinian model Bella Hadid, a passionate supporter of the pro-Palestinian movement, the public face of the campaign.

Members of the global Jewish community have taken to social media to express their distress at the perceived insensitivity of the move, urging consumers to boycott the brand.

In the early hours of September 5th, 1972, eight Palestinian militants, part of the Black September group, an offshoot of the Fatah movement, forced their way into the quarters of the Israeli Olympic team. Two athletes were murdered and another nine taken hostage were later massacred during a failed rescue attempt.

A spokesperson for Adidas told Jewish News: “The adidas Originals SL72 campaign unites a broad range of partners to celebrate our lightweight running shoe, designed more than 50 years ago and worn in sport and culture around the world.

Twitter/X

“We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events – though these are completely unintentional – and we apologize for any upset or distress caused. As a result we are revising the remainder of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do.”

Screenshot: Twitter/X

In a letter shared with Jewish News, the daughter of Olympic weightlifter Josef Romano, one of the 11 murdered at the 1972 Munich Games wrote to Adidas customer services in Germany to express her “deep disappointment” for the new campaign.

Shlomit Romano said: “While I understand the desire to tap into nostalgia and iconic designs, the choice of this particular year carries significant historical weight that seems to have been overlooked.

Two West German policemen, armed with submachine guns and wearing tracksuits, get into position on the roof of the building where armed Palestinian terrorists were holding Israel Olympic team members hostage, September 5, 1972 (photo credit:AP)

“The 1972 Olympic Games in Munich are infamously remembered for the tragic attack carried out by the Palestinian organization, Black September, which resulted in the murder of 11 Israeli athletes. This event is a somber chapter in Olympic history and a painful memory for many around the world, particularly the families and friends of the victims, as well as the broader Jewish community.”

Yossef/Josef Romano, Pic: Wikipedia

Romano adds that choosing 1972 as a focal point for their campaign without acknowledging the tragedy is, in her view, “insensitive and distressing. Furthermore, Bella Hadid’s public stance on certain political issues adds another layer of complexity, which can be seen as controversial given the historical context of 1972.

“I believe that companies like Adidas, which have a global influence, bear a responsibility to be mindful of historical contexts and the potential implications of their marketing decisions. I urge you to reconsider the campaign and find a more appropriate way to honor the legacy of your brand without inadvertently causing pain or controversy.”

The shoe has been featured in magazines Vogue and Dazed and Confused.

It’s not the first controversy for the global sports brand. In 2022, as reported by Jewish News, Adidas ended its partnership with Kanye West over antisemitic remarks.

ICC to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders Netanyahu, Gallant 'within two weeks'

A report by Israel's Channel 14 cited unnamed Israeli officials who said it was 'highly probable' the warrants would be issued within a fortnight.

The New Arab Staff
18 July, 2024

This comes weeks after Netanyahu said in June that he expected the warrants to be issued before his address to congress on 24 July [Getty]


The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant within the next two weeks, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

A report by Israel's Channel 14 cited unnamed Israeli officials who said they believed that it was "highly probable" that the arrest warrants would be issued in that time frame.

This comes weeks after Netanyahu said in June that he expected the warrants to be issued before his address to the US Congress on 24 July, according to Ynet.

ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan applied for warrants against the two Israeli leaders on 20 May for the war crimes of using starvation as a weapon of war and wilful killing, among other charges.

According to Channel 14, Israel had made an unofficial agreement with the previous UK government that would see the UK delay the process of issuing warrants in exchange for access to the conditions of Palestinian prisoners accused of involvement in the 7 October attack. London had hoped to placate unrest at home over Israel's brutal war on Gaza through the access.

The government of British former prime minister Rishi Sunak filed a challenge to the ICC questioning its jurisdiction over the matter on 10 June. Following earlier reports that the new Labour government of Keir Starmer would drop the filing, recent reports have indicated that the amicus curiae submission will not be withdrawn.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy previously said that the UK would not object to ICC arrest warrants issued against the Israeli leaders and would even enforce them.

However, Israeli newspaper Maariv says that Lammy has given Israel assurances that the UK will maintain its objection to the applications

Channel 14 cited an unnamed European source who said that the UK will not pull the challenge due to not wanting to sour relations with Tel Aviv. The source added that the challenge would likely be ignored by the ICC.

Britain, France and Germany — all allies of Israel — have maintained that they support the independence of the ICC and have indicated that they would enforce its warrants.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed 38,848 Palestinians and wounded a further 89,459 since 7 October, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Israel weaponizes water in its military campaign in Gaza: Oxfam

Water supply in Gaza reduced by 94 percent, says Oxfam, urging world to take decisive action to prevent further suffering of Palestinians.



REUTERS

On World Water Day, Gaza residents strive to get potable water / Photo: Reuters


Israel has been systematically using water as a weapon of war against Palestinians in Gaza, showing disregard for human life and violating international law, according to a new report by Oxfam.


The government of Israel "has used water deprivation to dehumanize and ultimately threaten Palestinian lives since the 1993 Oslo Accords," Oxfam said in the report published on Thursday.


Near total destruction of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure by the Israeli military "has contributed significantly to the catastrophic deterioration of conditions of life in Gaza".


The water supply has been reduced by 94 percent which is less than 5 litres a day per person, or less than a single toilet flush, which is just under a third of the recommended minimum in emergencies, the report revealed.


This has drawn the attention of many international legal and water experts, many of whom have stated that Tel Aviv has weaponised water with military tactics and policies that have deprived Palestinians of water and sanitation.


“Israel’s actions have deprived the entire population of Gaza of lifesaving water and sanitation services, creating unavoidable immediate and long-term threats to people’s health and survival,” Oxfam warned.


This comes at a time when Israel has also been accused by United Nations and other human rights organisations of using starvation as a weapon of war.


A lack of clean water and sanitation led to a quarter of Gaza's population falling ill to easily preventable diseases, said Oxfam, also noting that the Israeli government instigated the water shortage by cutting off the external water supply, destroying water facilities and deliberately obstructing aid from getting to Palestinians in Gaza.


"These acts collectively, and combined with continuous bombardment by Israel, have obliterated the capacity of humanitarian actors to provide even minimal lifesaving emergency services to the people of Gaza, and crippled efforts to restore water production. They have also caused widespread contamination by sewage, threatening the lives of Palestinians," the NGO added.


Since the start of the Israeli brutal war on Gaza, five water infrastructure sites have been damaged every three days, while 70 percent of all sewage pumps and 100 percent of all wastewater treatment plants have been also destroyed, according to Oxfam.


Entire population of Gaza held hostage


UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry earlier this year warned that Israel holds the entire population of Gaza hostage.


“Statements from Israeli officials show their intent to instrumentalize the provision of basic necessities, including food, medicine, water, fuel and electricity, to hold the entire population of Gaza hostage to pursue political and military objectives,” it said.


According to Oxfam, the impact on public health in Gaza has been catastrophic, with reported cases of waterborne diseases skyrocketing.


Oxfam called on Israeli officials to end its siege and lift its blockade on Gaza to allow unhindered and sustainable access to humanitarian assistance, particularly for food, clean water, sanitation, and shelter.


The charity urged the international community to take decisive action “to uphold justice and human rights, prevent further suffering and protect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, including those enshrined in the Geneva and Genocide Conventions".


Since Tel Aviv launched its brutal war on October 7, at least 38,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and 89,364 others are injured, according to Gaza’s local health authorities.


More than nine months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.


Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its attacks in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on 6 May.

Israel must be suspended for violating FIFA statutes, say human rights lawyers

July 18, 2024 


Palestine Football Association President Jibril Rajoub makes a speech during the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok on 17 May 2024 

[MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP via Getty Images]

Israel must be banned from any football-related activities for violating FIFA’s statutes amid the war against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to an independent legal analysis by lawyers who specialise in international law and human rights.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) had submitted a proposal to suspend Israel in May, with FIFA ordering an urgent legal evaluation, while promising to address it at an extraordinary meeting of its council in July, Reuters has reported. PFA President Jibril Al-Rajoub said that FIFA could not afford to remain indifferent to “violations or to the ongoing genocide in Palestine.” The Asian Football Confederation had also given its backing for action against Israel.

Attorney Max du Plessis, who was part of the case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, co-wrote the latest analysis along with Sarah Pudifin-Jones after they were approached by Eko, a social justice NGO.

“There can be no doubt that Israel’s conduct in Palestine has undermined, and continues to undermine, FIFA’s objectives,” said the lawyers. “Israel has violated the internationally recognised human rights of Palestinians, contrary to Article 3. It has discriminated and continues to discriminate against Palestinians on the basis of race, national origin and birth in direct contravention of Article 4(1).”

Moreover, “Its conduct undermines the humanitarian objectives described in Article 5.1(b). Israel’s conduct demands censure, in line with the position adopted by FIFA in relation to similar egregious violations of its objectives and internationally recognised human rights.”

The Palestinian proposal accuses the Israel Football Association (IFA) of complicity in violations of international law by the Israeli government and discrimination against Arab players. The IFA rejected the allegations.

Eko said that its petition calling on FIFA, the International Olympic Committee and sporting federations to ban Israel from international sport had received over 380,000 signatures.

In recent years, whenever the PFA proposed motions to suspend Israel, FIFA did not impose sanctions, declaring in 2017 that the matter was closed and not subject to further discussion until the legal or de facto framework changed. The new analysis argues that developments since last October have given rise to “a new legal framework that necessitates FIFA’s intervention”.

Al-Rajoub had cited precedents at the FIFA Congress and the analysis said the suspension of Israel would be in line with FIFA’s past decisions to suspend or expel member associations that violate its objectives. The Football Association of South Africa, for example, was suspended in 1961 due to the country’s apartheid policy while Yugoslavia was banned in 1992 following UN sanctions amid the Serb-dominated government’s aggression in the Balkans.

Most recently, in 2022, both FIFA and its European counterpart UEFA acted swiftly to suspend Russian teams from their competitions following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Critics have accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, which Israel denies. Israel characterises its actions as self-defence to prevent another attack like the one on 7 October, although the ICJ ordered Israel in January to take action in order to prevent acts of genocide.

Reuters has contacted FIFA for comment.

Poland: state company sold parts used in Iranian drones, claims radio station

July 18, 2024 

An Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Shahed-136, is being displayed at the Azadi (Freedom) Square in western Tehran, Iran, on 11 February, 2024,

 [Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images]


A Polish state-owned company sold parts which were used in Iranian combat drones, private broadcaster Radio Zet reported on Thursday. No sources for the information were named, said Reuters, but prosecutors had been investigating the issue since 2022.

Iran has supplied thousands of Shahed-136 “kamikaze” drones to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. They have been used to exhaust Ukrainian air defences and hit infrastructure far from the front lines.

Polish prosecutors confirmed in an email that they were investigating the possible export of dual-use products manufactured in Poland, albeit without mentioning Iran.

Poland is a NATO member and has been one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters, both under the previous nationalist government and Donald Tusk’s current pro-European administration. However, according to Radio Zet, a Polish company belonging to the Industrial Development Agency was selling fuel pumps which ended up in Iranian drones.

The station claimed that WSK Poznan sold parts to Iran Motorsazan Company, which produces agricultural tractors, but the pumps ended up in Iranian factories producing military unmanned aerial vehicles, which were then purchased by Russia. It said that the issue had been investigated by the Internal Security Agency (ABW) which notified the prosecution service.

In its emailed statement, the prosecutor’s office said it was “conducting proceedings regarding the export from Poland of products manufactured in [WSK Poznan] being dual-use products without the legally required permit of the Minister of Development and Technology.”

As part of the ongoing investigation, the CEO of the company at the time was charged with selling products of strategic importance without appropriate clearance, it said, facing up to 10 years in prison.

The ABW, Industrial Development Agency, State Assets Ministry and the company did not immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for comments.

 

Pacific leaders, Japan agree on Fukushima radioactive water discharge

Monitoring will continue for decades while the contaminated waste is released from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Pita Ligaiula
2024.07.18
Tokyo

Leaders of Pacific island nations and territories pose for a group photo during the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo on July 18, 2024.

 Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan

Consensus has been reached by Pacific leaders with Japan to address the controversial release of treated nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.

In August last year, Japan began discharging waste from about 1,000 storage tanks holding 1.34 million metric tons of contaminated water collected after an earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that caused the meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The agreement came at the Japanese hosted 10th Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM10) on Thursday in the capital Tokyo attended by most of the Pacific Islands Forum country leaders.

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida assured the PIF leaders the discharge was being conducted in compliance with international safety standards and practices. 

He emphasised Japan's commitment to ongoing collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure the process' safety and transparency.

“The discharge is in line with relevant international safety standards and practices, and we will continue to work closely with the IAEA," Kishida said.

Cook Islands prime minister and chair of the PIF, Mark Brown, led talks to reach the deal, centred on a decade’s long process to release the treated water from the TEPCO-owned nuclear power station.

Pacific leaders emphasized the importance of a shared commitment to safeguarding the health, environment, and marine resources of the Pacific region and a need for transparency from Japan.

Storage tanks for contaminated water at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in Okuma of Fukushima prefecture in Jan. 20, 2023. [Philip Fong / AFP]

“This process must be based on scientific evidence and conducted in a highly transparent manner, ensuring it never endangers the wellbeing and livelihoods of the Pacific people or adversely affects human health and the marine environment," Brown said.

Japan in turn will support the development of regional scientific capacity through the IAEA, as requested by the PIF leaders.

“We appreciate Japan’s commitment to enhancing our scientific capabilities. The IAEA's involvement will be crucial in ensuring the safety and transparency of this process," Brown said.

TEPCO uses a process known as Advanced Liquid Processing System involving special filters which remove from the contaminated water most of the 62 types of radioactive materials, radionuclides such as cesium, strontium, iodine and cobalt but not tritium.

The leaders agreed to keep the ALPS treated water issue as a standing agenda item for future PALM meetings with Japan, supported by an ongoing review process. Their decision reflects concerns about addressing the long-term implications and ensuring continuous monitoring and evaluation.

While consensus was reached at the summit, the wastewater release continues to be questioned by some scientists.

Cook Islands' Prime Minister Mark Brown (L) and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shake hands during the joint press conference following the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo on July 18, 2024. [Yuichi Yamazaki / AFP]

Director of the Kewalo Marine Laboratory at the University of Hawaii, Research Professor Robert Richmond, said concerns remain regarding the efficacy of the ALPS treatment and the contents of the thousands of storage tanks of radioactive wastewater. 

“The long-term effects of this discharge on Pacific marine ecosystems and those who depend on them are still unknown. Even small doses of radiation can cause cancer or genetic damage,” Richmond said in a statement to BenarNews after the agreement.

He criticised the current monitoring program as inadequate and poorly designed, failing to protect ocean and human health. 

“The discharge, planned to continue for decades, is irreversible. Radionuclides bioaccumulate in marine organisms and can be passed up the food web, affecting marine life and humans who consume affected seafood,” Richmond said.

He also expressed concerns about the additional stressors already impacting the Pacific Ocean, such as pollution, overfishing, and climate change. He urged Japan to reconsider its approach, suggesting that the nation could transform this challenge into an opportunity for responsible disaster management. 

“Japan can set a new direction for handling such disasters, supporting the health of the people of Japan, the Pacific, and the world. True leadership would embrace this unprecedented and critical opportunity,” he said.

As the meeting closed, Prime Minister Brown reaffirmed the PIF leaders' commitment to addressing the economic challenges facing the Pacific region through innovative and collective approaches. 

“To realize the potential of our people and resources, we must explore new strategies and work together to overcome our shared challenges,” he said.

WALES

Senedd committee sets out recommendations for Tata transition

PORT TALBOT STEEL WORKS

18 Jul 2024

Port Talbot steelworks. Photo Ben Birchall/PA Wire

Emily Price

The Senedd Committee leading on the response to Tata job losses has written to the First Minister and UK Government outlining its recommendations for the future of Welsh steel.

The UK Government is currently in negotiations with Tata to try to save jobs at the Port Talbot site which could see the loss of 2,800 posts.

The steel giant plans to close its second blast furnace in September and has begun the process of asking employees if they would accept voluntary redundancy.

The closure of its blast furnaces is part of Tata’s move to greener production with a new electric arc furnace which will require fewer workers.

Since September 2023, the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee has held a number of evidence sessions with key players in the steel industry.

The previous Conservative UK Government pledged £500m to fund the installation of the new electric arc furnaces for steelmaking.

With a new Labour UK Government in place, the Committee has set out its position on the impact of Tata’s proposed transition.

‘Best value’

In a letter to First Minister Vaughan Gething, Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds and Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens, Committee Chair Paul Davies said he recognised the need for best value for public money but urged the UK and Welsh Governments to take a “wider view” by considering the needs of workers.

He wrote: “We must find a long term solution that works for everyone. It is not long since the Port Talbot steelworks faced a similar uncertain future, and it is not fair on the workers or their communities to go through the fear this uncertainty brings a third time.

“We believe the Port Talbot plant has the potential to play an important role supporting the UK to maintain a primary steel-making capability, to produce a product that can be used to support decarbonisation efforts and to continue to provide good quality, productive jobs.

“It is vital that the UK and Welsh Governments work with partners including Tata and the trade unions to realise this potential, and to support the steelworkers, their families and their community.”

The Committee’s recommendations include:

• The UK Government should prioritise securing the continued operation of blast furnace 4 through the transition period in its negotiations with Tata.
• The Welsh Government should urgently develop proposals in devolved areas such as skills and procurement that complements UK Government investment in Tata.
• Once an agreement has been concluded with Tata, the UK Government should undertake a robust lessons learned exercise in relation to its investment at Port Talbot.
• The UK Government should prioritise securing wider investment in Tata’s sites as part of its negotiations.
• The UK Government should ensure that trade unions play a role in the remainder of its negotiations with Tata so that employers and unions are aware of its expectations.
• The UK Government should prioritise developing plans to reduce electricity prices for the steel sector and other energy-intensive industries.
• The UK Government should introduce measures to restrict scrap exports to countries with lower environmental standards, and ensure that high-quality UK scrap steel is used by domestic producers.
• The Welsh and UK Governments should both consider setting procurement targets for use of domestically-produced steel in public sector infrastructure contracts.
• The UK Government should address the concerns of the steel industry about the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and bring forward the introduction of a UK CBAM to 2026,
• The UK and Welsh Governments should work with the Transition Board at pace to develop proposals to support redundant workers and the local community to recover from any job losses that take place.

Last week, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens chaired her first meeting of the Tata Steel Transition Board which was set up to support workers and businesses affected by the plans..

She said: “We will work collaboratively with a single focus to support our steel industry and affected communities.

“But businesses and workers are already feeling the impact of Tata Steel’s transition. The time for talking is over.”

Breeding success for spoonbills as once-extinct bird continues UK return


Spoonbills feeding their chicks (RSPB Images/PA)

By Emily Beament,

 PA Environment Correspondent

Today 

Spoonbills once driven to extinction in the UK have experienced another successful year of breeding as they continue to stage their return, experts said.

The rare wetland bird, named after the distinctive spoon-like shape of its bill, was a familiar sight in the 16th century, but the last nesting spoonbill was recorded in 1668 as draining of the East Anglian Fens and hunting drove them to extinction.

They did not breed successfully in the UK for 300 years, and it was not until 2010 the first regular colony of breeding spoonbills established itself at Holkham nature reserve in Norfolk, the RSPB said.

But the conservation charity said the heron-sized birds are on track for another successful year this year, with spoonbills breeding at multiple RSPB reserves across the UK.

The successes show the importance of dedicated conservation work to provide and restore shallow wetland habitat on which the birds depend, the RSPB said.

It is fantastic that this iconic and highly adapted heron species has returned and is using our wetlands once againJonathan Taylor, RSPB Ouse Washes

The white birds are waders which can typically be spotted along coastal sites in southern and eastern England, where they catch small fish, shrimps and aquatic invertebrates by sweeping their spoon-shaped bill from side to side in shallow water.

Successful breeding sites include Havergate Island in Suffolk and Fairburn Ings in West Yorkshire, where nine chicks – nicknamed “teaspoons” by reserve staff – have already fledged with more still being fed by parents on their nests.

For the first time this year since the 17th century, spoonbills have been recorded nesting in Cambridgeshire at RSPB Ouse Washes, the UK’s largest area of “washland” – areas adjacent to rivers which are flooded when water levels are high.

Jonathan Taylor, senior site manager at RSPB Ouse Washes, said: “The Ouse Washes are the perfect habitat for spoonbills and we are delighted to have these birds breeding for first time.

“Although they are breeding later here compared with other spoonbills in the UK, as is often the case with new colonies, it is fantastic that this iconic and highly adapted heron species has returned and is using our wetlands once again.”

If the last pair which are currently nest-building manage to fledge a chick, we will have had a record yearKaren Swaffield, RSPB Fairburn Ings

Karen Swaffield, warden at RSPB Fairburn Ings, said: “It’s tremendously exciting to have spoonbills here and early indications are that they have had yet another successful breeding year.

“We nicknamed baby spoonbills ‘teaspoons’ in 2017 and the name has stuck.

“We’re thrilled that the spoonbills have been here for eight years in a row, and we really hope this means they are here to stay.

“If the last pair which are currently nest-building manage to fledge a chick, we will have had a record year, so we are all on tenterhooks to see what happens next.”

At Havergate Island, where work to encourage nesting began in the mid-2000s and breeding started in 2019, the site is now home to the only ground-nesting colony of the birds in the UK, with 17 pairs.

Aaron Howe, south Suffolk sites manager for the RSPB, said: “We have undertaken lots of work over the years to create a haven for spoonbills, such as making the nesting island secure with fencing and ensuring there is ample suitable feeding in the estuary.

“It’s fantastic to see them nest here and we’re expecting another successful year with more than 30 chicks ready to fledge.”