- The Guardian
- Issue #2078
New York: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly approved a resolution to end the US economic blockade of Cuba imposed in 1962. This year 187 countries, including Australia, voted for the blockade to be lifted; the US and Israel voted against the motion, and there was one abstention – Ukraine. The voting shows the level of respect and support for Cuba. “The international rejection of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade that the United States has maintained for decades against Cuba is overwhelming,” the Venezuelan Foreign Minister commented. He congratulated the “Cuban president and people” who he considered an example of resistance.
BOLIVIA: The government of Bolivia has announced that it is severing diplomatic relations with Israel. “Bolivia decided to break diplomatic relations with the state of Israel in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip,” Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said. Chile, Columbia, and Honduras have recalled their ambassadors. Bahrain has recalled its ambassador and suspended economic ties. “The decision is based on solid and historical stance that supports the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
FRANCE: The French police have deployed 10,000 officers to guard 950 Jewish sites including schools, synagogues, and cultural centres after multiple instances of anti-Jewish vandalism. The French Interior Ministry has registered 857 anti-semitic incidents since the Israeli invasion of the Gaza strip, which is more than in the entire year of 2022.
LEBANON: Last week Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasralla spoke for the first time on the Israel-Hamas war. Hezbollah has been engaging Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israeli border forcing Israel to keep some of its forces near the Lebanese border instead of the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. ‘What’s happening on the border might seem modest but is very important, Nasralla said. He blamed the United States for the war in Gaza and the high civilian toll. “You, the Americans, can stop the aggression against Gaza because it is your aggression. Whoever wants to prevent a regional war, and I am talking to the Americans, must quickly halt the aggression on Gaza”, Nasralla said. He also said that further escalation along the Lebanese border between Israel and Hezbollah was contingent on what happened in the Gaza Strip.
TURKIYE: Turkish pro-Palestinian protesters turned their anger against the Incirlik Air Base in Adana, which is home to US Air Personnel and and 50 nuclear bombs. The demonstrators demanded the closure of the base. Anti-American sentiment has been rising in Turkiye since the start of the Israeli-Hamas war. Peaceful at first, the protest turned into a confrontation with the police when some demonstrators tried to enter the base. They were stopped by water cannons and tear gas.
RUSSIA: Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergai Lavrov held talks with this Kuwaiti counterpart and reiterated Russia’s support for the Arab states’ solution on the settlement of the Israel-Hamas conflict. “Today we discussed the initiatives that have been put forward and that will be implemented in the coming days, including the holding of the Arab League summit on the Gaza problem,” Mr Lavrov said. He stressed that Russia always relied on “decisions, opinions, and assessments of regional countries when considering a certain conflict.” Mr Lavrov also made it clear that “like Kuwait, Russia flatly condemns and rejects any terrorist acts, as well as the indiscriminate use of force against civilians and hostage-taking.” The Russian FM added that Moscow is very much concerned over attempts to torpedo prospects of the creation of a Palestinian state, and that Russia is “wary of plans to resettle residents of the Gaza Strip to other countries. … This will ensure neither peace nor security in the region,” Lavrov stressed.
