The Spanish, Irish & Norwegian govts announced Wed that they would recognize a #Palestinian state, saying there would be no #peace in the #MiddleEast w/o it.
Israel denounced the move as giving aid to its enemy #Hamas.
The coordinated announcements are purely symbolic — but not w/o some power.
The leaders of the 3 countries said they hoped their recognition would press #Israel, the #Palestinians & the international community toward a #TwoStateSolution to the conflict.
“In the midst of a #war, w/tens of thousands killed & injured, we must keep alive the only alternative that offers a political solution for Israelis & Palestinians alike: Two states, living side by side, in #peace & #security,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered the immediate recall of the Israeli ambassadors to #Spain, #Ireland & #Norway. “I am sending a clear message today: #Israel will not be complacent against those who undermine its sovereignty & endanger its #security.”
The #UnitedStates govt reiterated its position that recognizing a #PalestinianState was premature & must be the result of direct negotiations between Israel & the #Palestinians.
🇺🇸 Secretary of State Antony #Blinken directed his top staff to crack down on leaks about diplomacy relating to the #Israel#Hamas#war, saying clearly that he was “angry” with the constant stream of #press reports revealing sensitive information - a new leak can reveal
Not only did classified materials make it into the press, he chided State leadership earlier this month in a small team meeting, but also fresh proposals to broker a cease-fire and ⏩
After Hamas attacked Israel last October killing about 1,200 and taking a few hundred hostages, over 35,000 Palestinians, including 20,000 women and children, have been killed by Netanyahu’s onslaught in Gaza. 200 aid workers have been killed. Hospitals and schools have been razed. Journalists have been targeted by the IDF, which also targeted UN relief operations. Over a million people face starvation. All due to Israel’s violence and blockade of humanitarian aid. This is what the United States is supporting when it sends money and bombs to Netanyahu. #Gaza#Palestine#Israel#MiddleEast#FromTheRiverToTheSea#WarCrimes#EthnicCleansing
BREAKING NEWS - Monday, May 20, 2024 7:20 AM ET
The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor requested arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and for the leaders of Hamas.
While the request must be approved by the I.C.C.’s judges, the announcement is a blow to Mr. Netanyahu and will likely fuel international criticism of Israel’s war strategy in Gaza. #Gaza#Israel#Palestine#FromTheRiverToTheSea#MiddleEast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and several other officials were found dead on Monday, hours after their helicopter crashed, state media reported.
BREAKING: He’s Dead - The President of the Islamic Republic Killed In Helicopter Crash
President Ebrahim Raisi, known as the ‘butcher of Tehran’, was killed in a helicopter crash on the way back from Azerbaijan. — Yasser Ali #Iran#IslamicRepublic#MiddleEast
A helicopter carrying President #EbrahimRaisi of #Iran & his foreign minister crashed on Sunday in the country’s mountainous northwest, acc/to state media, deepening the turmoil that has gripped the nation on both the international & domestic fronts in recent months.
#Raisi, 63, was traveling from Iran’s border w/ Azerbaijan to inaugurate a joint dam project.
#Raisi is a hard-line religious cleric who came of age during the #Islamic revolution. Under #Iran’s #theocracy, Raisi, as president, is the 2nd most powerful individual in Iran’s #political structure after… #Khamenei.
After becoming president in 2021, Raisi consolidated power & marginalized reformists who wanted to defuse tensions w/the #West. He repeatedly said he pursued a policy of “strong diplomacy,” forging closer #economic & #security ties w/ #Russia & #China.
#FarhanHaq, a #UN spokesperson, said the new smaller numbers reflected those bodies which had been fully identified. The bigger figures included corpses for whom identification has so far not been completed.
The crash comes as the #MiddleEast remains unsettled by the Israel-Hamas war, during which #Raisi under Supreme Leader Ayatollah #AliKhamenei launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on #Israel just last month.
Raisi, 63, a hard-liner who formerly led the country’s judiciary, was viewed as a protégé of Khamenei and even as a possible successor.
Iran's president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site (apnews.com)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and several other officials were found dead on Monday, hours after their helicopter crashed, state media reported.