Wednesday, November 27

Diplomacy

The GER covers diplomacy, international organizations, and meetings. Looking beyond our individual political systems we find people and organizations working to make life better for people in both conflict-ridden places as well as secure, developed countries. It is not enough to focus on the end results of international relations. It’s worth focusing on the day-to-day work of diplomacy. Often, that’s where breakthroughs occur.

WHO Issues Warning About The Middle East
28Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Human rights, Middle East, Types of News: Bit, Types of News: Brief

WHO Issues Warning About The Middle East

October 28, 2023—The World Health Organization issued a warning about escalating hostilities in the Middle East. Specifically, the conflict and deteriorating health conditions are not limited to the Gaza Strip but are also in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Syria. Furthermore, they pose a risk of "spilling over to other countries in the region, including Jordan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iraq." Specifically, in Gaza, the situation is desperate: "The health system is on the verge of collapse and dwindling access to health services, clean water, food and fuel on top of an already weakened healthcare system risks further loss of civilian life. Massive displacement to shelters with inadequate resources will result in disease outbreaks." For more, see the Worl...
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Oxfam Warns That Starvation As A Weapon Of War Is Illegal
25Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Foreign Aid, International Development, Human rights, International Law, Legal Battles, Types of News: Brief

Oxfam Warns That Starvation As A Weapon Of War Is Illegal

Gazan Aid Is 2 Percent Of What It Needs Oxfam: People in line waiting for one bag of bread. People line up as early as 6 am before sunrise to get bread in Gaza city. October 25, 2023—Since October 7, people in the Gaza Strip has only received about 2 percent of the humanitarian aid that normally enters according to Oxfam International. A trickle of aid is now entering in—62 trucks, but it is not enough to prevent death by starvation and dehydration. International Humanitarian Law In a statement released today, Oxfam International warned that "International Humanitarian Law (IHL) strictly prohibits the use of starvation as a method of warfare and as the occupying power in Gaza, Israel is bound by IHL obligations to provide for the needs and protection of the population of Gaza....
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UN Chief Says Terror Attacks Cannot Justify ‘Collective Punishment’
25Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Human rights, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

UN Chief Says Terror Attacks Cannot Justify ‘Collective Punishment’

Guterres Stands By His Comments After Israel Misinterprets Message October 25, 2023—United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is standing by comments he made yesterday at the UN Security Council after Israel's ambassador erupted in rage. The flare-up occurred on the sidelines of a day-long meeting by the Security Council on the security situation in the Middle East, the Israel-Hamas war, and the massive humanitarian crisis in Gaza.     'Even War Has Rules' On Tuesday, Guterres clearly condemned the October 7 terrorist attacks against Israel by Hamas, acknowledged longstanding problems with Israel's 56-year occupation of the Palestinians, and reminded all parties that "even war has rules." https://youtu.be/XKSQMYsQEg4?si=qur83ZTBRnjshpz9 Guterres h...
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Western Leaders Release Statement On Israel
23Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Human rights, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

Western Leaders Release Statement On Israel

October 23, 2023—Leaders from six Western countries released a joint statement yesterday that supports Israel's war but urges the leaders to protect civilians. The leaders are U.S. President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians," the statement said. It appears the announcement about the statement is the statement itself. It comes a day after global leaders met at a Cairo Summit hosted by Egypt, where many regional leaders accused the Wes...
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Rafah Border Crossing Opens To Limited Convoy As Bombing Continued
21Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Foreign Aid, International Development, Human rights, International Law, Legal Battles, Middle East, Types of News: Brief

Rafah Border Crossing Opens To Limited Convoy As Bombing Continued

Bombing continues as a convoy of 20 trucks crosses into Gaza from Rafah. Source: Qatari-run Al Jazeera October 21, 2023—About 20 Red Crescent trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered southern Gaza today. It is the first time the Rafah border crossing has opened since the terror attacks of October 7 and ensuring war. But United Nations and humanitarian officials say relief is just a drop of what aid is urgently needed in Gaza. "This is miniscule. It's just a drop in the ocean of what is needed for the Gaza people," Palestine Red Crescent Director Marwan Jilani said in an interview today with the Qatari-run Al Jazeera. Millions of Lives At Risk Before the Israel-Hamas War, a million people in Gaza relied upon emergency food assistance from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Pal...
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UN Chief Calls For Sustained Humanitarian Aid, Not One Convoy
20Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, International Development, Human rights, Types of News: Brief

UN Chief Calls For Sustained Humanitarian Aid, Not One Convoy

October 20, 2023—UN Secretary-General António Guterres is in Egypt, and he wants humanitarian aid to start flowing to people in Gaza. As of today, the Rafah border crossing is still closed. "We are witnessing a paradox," Guterres said, emphasizing the dire need for food, fuel, medicine, and water. "We are not looking for one convoy to come. We are looking for convoys to be authorized in meaningful numbers of trucks to go every day to provide enough support for the Gaza people." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOFV-sVhtH0 El Paid, October 20, 2023 The urgent call for opening up the border crossing comes two days after President Biden said he's negotiated a deal to allow 20 trucks into Gaza. The Biden administration, however, also vetoed a broader arrangement to allow more sustai...
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State Department Official Resigns Over Biden’s Middle East Policy
20Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Arms Sales, Military Industry, Human rights, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

State Department Official Resigns Over Biden’s Middle East Policy

Arms Transfer To Israel Contributes To 'Massive Civilian Casualties' October 20, 2023—Josh Paul isn't the only State Department official who has concerns about the U.S. policy on Israel's military assault on civilians. But he might be the first one to resign. The resignation comes as President Biden asks Congress for a $14 billion military aid package for Israel and $9.15 billion for humanitarian aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Gaza. It also comes as the United States vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council that would have created safe corridors for humanitarians to assist civilians in Gaza. U.S. diplomatic staff are taking notice. Acknowledging the morale problem, Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote to department staff saying the Middle East crisis "has not only been chal...
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US Vetos UN Resolution On Humanitarian Aid For Gaza
20Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
International Law, Legal Battles, Middle East, Types of News: Brief, UN Security Council

US Vetos UN Resolution On Humanitarian Aid For Gaza

Full Text of Security Council Resolution Offered By Brazil October 20, 2023—The same day President Biden negotiated a plan to allow 20 trucks to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza, the United States vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council that would have called for protections for civilians, humanitarians, and UN personnel inside Gaza. The resolution would have created humanitarian corridors for distributing aid and helping civilians escape to safe zones. It also would have called for an immediate release of Israeli and American hostages held by Hamas. Fourth Resolution To Fail It was the fourth resolution related to the Israel-Hamas war to fail this week. It had the strongest chance of passing the Security Council. The veto by the United States, one of the five Permane...
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Aid Deal For Gaza To Allow 20 Trucks In, But Safe Passage Is An Issue
19Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Diplomacy, Human rights, Types of News: Brief

Aid Deal For Gaza To Allow 20 Trucks In, But Safe Passage Is An Issue

October 19, 2023—The Gaza Strip is in crisis. It is a crisis that is spilling over into the rest of the Middle East and the world. Millions are without electricity, water, and food. Aid trucks are waiting along the Egypt-Gaza border. It's been over a week since Israel instituted a total blockade on the enclave after Hamas unleashed a reign of terror on Israeli citizens. Israel cut electricity on October 11. Hamas holds over 200 Israelis and Americans captive. Trucks with aid wait outside Rafah border crossing. Source: United Nations Aid Is Ready And Waiting UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire.” He called on Hamas to release hostages and for Israel to allow "unrestricted access of humanitarian aid" for people in Gaza. “For n...
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Terror Financing: Where Does Hamas Get Its Money
16Oct By Patti MohrNo Comments
Corruption, Bribes, Illicit Finance & Money Laundering, Foreign Aid, International Development, Types of News: Brief

Terror Financing: Where Does Hamas Get Its Money

October 16, 2023—Since 2007, Israel has imposed an air, land, and sea blockade of the Gaza Strip. But that hasn't stopped the Hamas from getting access to hundreds of millions of dollars. The terrorist organization and governing body of Gaza has access to a global financing network connected with countries, businesses, and charities, according to reporting by Reuters. Now, in the aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel, those lines of finance will come under greater scrutiny by governments, international organizations, and banks. Crypto, Credit, and Trade Reuters reported that Hamas receives support from Iran and Qatar as well as charities. Furthermore, it exchanges money with cryptocurrencies, credit cards, and trade deals to avoid international restrictions. Earlier this y...
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