ALGIERS: Algeria is planning a law to protect health workers after an increase in “physical and verbal attacks” since the country’s coronavirus outbreak began, as it registered another record number of daily cases.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called for new legislation after an increase in recent weeks of “physical and verbal attacks on medics, paramedics and administrative staff,” according to a statement published on the prime minister’s website.
The incidents have also in some cases involved “acts of damage and destruction of public assets and medical equipment,” the statement added.
Algeria on Thursday registered 585 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 21,355, including 1,052 deaths, said Djamel Fourar, spokesperson for the scientific committee monitoring the pandemic, during a daily press conference.
The number beat several single-day records this week.
Algeria had been relaxing anti-coronavirus measures since early June, but faced with a resurgence of infections, the government decided Thursday to extend a partial lockdown in some provinces, including the capital Algiers.
Authorities said the increase was due to the population “relaxing” and “not respecting” preventive measures.
Algeria’s main virus hotspots are the provinces of Setif, Algiers and nearby Blida, which was also the epicenter early in the country’s outbreak.
Algeria’s health care workers have come under increasing pressure as cases rise.
On Monday, the director of a hospital in Bouira, around 125 kilometers (78 miles) southeast of the capital, jumped out of a window to escape the angry family of a patient suspected of having died from the COVID-19 disease, said Mohamed Laib, health director in the city.
The family members of the deceased had burst into Djamel Boutmer’s office after the hospital refused to release the patient’s body, Laib added.
Boutmer fled “the attack by jumping from the window of his first-floor office, lightly injuring his foot.”
The government statement said the new law would aim to “protect medical workers from all attacks... inside hospitals and other health structures and establishments,” without elaborating on measures that could be taken.
On July 10, the president announced support measures for health care workers on the front line in the fight against the virus.
In the statement, the government also slammed “the manipulation and dissemination of images on social networks and in the media” that it said harmed the medical profession, after videos circulated denouncing conditions in some hospitals.
It said such “unacceptable acts” sought to discredit public health services and were punishable by law.
Algeria plans law to protect medics as attacks, virus cases rise
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Algeria plans law to protect medics as attacks, virus cases rise
- Algeria on Thursday registered 585 new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections to 21,355, including 1,052 deaths
- Algeria’s main virus hotspots are the provinces of Setif, Algiers and nearby Blida, which was also the epicenter early in the country’s outbreak
King Abdullah of Jordan discusses Gaza during summit with Egyptian, French presidents in Cairo
- Leaders urge global community to advocate for end to Israeli war in the enclave
- Israeli attacks undermine diplomatic efforts, risk dragging region into chaos, Jordanian ruler warns
LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan emphasized the need to halt the Israeli offensive in Gaza during a summit with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron in Cairo.
The leaders on Monday urged the international community to advocate for an end to the Israeli war in Gaza, restore the ceasefire agreement, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian coastal enclave.
King Abdullah said that Israeli attacks on Gaza undermine all diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to resolve the crisis and risk dragging the entire Middle East into chaos, the Petra news agency reported.
He stressed the need for a political solution based on the two-state vision, which would ensure security and stability for both Palestinians and Israelis.
King Abdullah said that Jordan opposes the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, warning against Israeli unilateral actions and assaults on Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, the Petra added.
The Jordanian ruler and El-Sisi welcomed France’s support for resolving the Palestinian issue. They highlighted the need for international cooperation, especially from EU countries, including France, to aid in Gaza’s reconstruction.
After arriving in Cairo on Sunday, Macron will travel to Al-Arish, 50 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday to meet with humanitarian and security authorities, and push for a ceasefire. On Monday, he expressed strong opposition to any displacement or annexation in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
King Abdullah, El-Sisi, and Macron highlighted the need for a political solution to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, aiming for lasting peace, the Petra reported.
The Jordanian delegation included the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Safadi; Director of the King’s Office, Alaa Batayneh, and the Ambassador to Cairo, Amjad Al-Adaileh.
UAE to host World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit 2025 in Abu Dhabi
- Forum to be held under patronage of Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi and national security adviser
- Sheikh Tahnoon highlights UAE’s efforts to address crises, emergencies, and disasters worldwide
LONDON: Global resilience and policies for mitigating future risks will be explored at the World Crisis and Emergency Management Summit 2025 hosted by the UAE in Abu Dhabi this week.
The summit will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi and national security adviser, from April 8-9 under the theme “Together Towards Building Global Resilience.”
Sheikh Tahnoon said the summit reflects the UAE’s “firm belief that international cooperation and cross-border collaboration are vital to achieving true global resilience.”
He highlighted Abu Dhabi’s efforts to address crises, emergencies, and disasters worldwide, the Emirate News Agency reported.
“Our strategic deployment of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge innovations places us at the forefront of leveraging technology to enhance emergency preparedness and response systems,” Sheikh Tahnoon said.
This year’s summit will focus on global resilience, strategic foresight, and enhancing partnerships among governments, international organizations, and the private sector.
Emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and advanced communication systems, will also be discussed, the WAM added.
The summit will bring together decision-makers and experts, and feature two exhibitions: the Crisis Management Technologies Exhibition 2025 and the Generation Readiness Exhibition 2025. Both will explore the connections between technology and education to promote resilient, preparedness-oriented societies.
Sheikh Tahnoon said the UAE has consistently led efforts to deliver urgent aid to crisis-stricken communities worldwide, and the summit reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to unifying global humanitarian initiatives and strengthening international solidarity.
“We are confident that the dialogues and outcomes of this summit will generate shared insights and unify aspirations, contributing meaningfully to the creation of a safer, more sustainable, and prosperous future for all of humanity,” he added.
Palestinians in West Bank strike to demand end to Gaza war
- A coalition of Palestinian political movements — including rivals Fatah and Hamas — called the strike to protest what they described as “the genocide and the ongoing massacre of our people”
- Israel resumed air strikes on Gaza on March 18, ending nearly two months of ceasefire with Hamas
RAMALLAH: Shuttered storefronts lined empty streets in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank on Monday, as Palestinians held a general strike demanding an end to the Gaza war.
“I walked through the city today and couldn’t find a single place that was open,” Fadi Saadi, a shopkeeper in Bethlehem, told AFP.
Shops, schools and most public administrative offices were closed across the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
A coalition of Palestinian political movements — including rivals Fatah and Hamas — called the strike to protest what they described as “the genocide and the ongoing massacre of our people.”
It called for the strike “in all the occupied Palestinian territories, in the refugee camps... and among those who support our cause.”
Israel resumed air strikes on Gaza on March 18, ending nearly two months of ceasefire with Hamas. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed almost daily since Israel restarted its military offensive.
“We close today about our family in Gaza, our children in Gaza,” said Imad Salman, 68, who owns a souvenir shop in Jerusalem’s Old City.
“In Jerusalem, in the West Bank, we can’t do something more than what we’re doing here now,” he told AFP.
In Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the usually bustling commercial Salaheddin street was empty.
“This strike is in solidarity with Gaza and what is happening there, and the war being waged against the Palestinian people, whether by (US President Donald) Trump, (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu, the Israeli government, or the American government,” said Ahmed, who did not want to his surname.
“This war must stop, the killing and destruction must stop, and only peace should prevail — peace, and nothing but peace.”
A rally is planned Monday in the center of the West Bank city of Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority has its headquarters.
“This time, the strike is serious, and the population’s commitment is significant because Israeli aggression now affects all Palestinian households, whether in the West Bank or Gaza,” said Issam Baker, a community organizer in Ramallah.
“We have seen total commitment in support of the strike today throughout the West Bank, which has not happened since October 7” 2023, when the Gaza war started, said a security source from the Palestinian Authority.
Since the start of the Gaza war, violence has soared in the West Bank.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 918 Palestinians, including militants, in the territory since then, according to health ministry figures.
Palestinian attacks and clashes during military raids have killed at least 33 Israelis, including soldiers, over the same period, according to official figures.
Dutch tighten controls on military and dual use exports to Israel
AMSTERDAM: The Dutch government said on Monday it had tightened export controls for all military and ‘dual use’ goods destined for Israel.
All direct exports and the transit of these goods to Israel will be checked to see if they comply with European regulations, and will no longer be covered by general export licenses, the government said in a letter to parliament.
“This is desirable considering the security situation in Israel, the Palestinian territories and the wider region,” foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp and trade minister Reinette Klever wrote.
“Exporters will still be able to request permits, that will then be checked against European regulations.”
The government said no military goods for Israel had been exported from the Netherlands under a general permit since Israel started its war in Gaza following the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
It said that the general license for the export of “low risk information security goods,” such as routers for network security, was frequently used for export to Israel.
It estimated that between 50 and 100 permits for the export of those goods would now have to be requested on an individual basis.
A Dutch court last year ordered the government to block all exports of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel over concerns they were being used to violate international law during the war in Gaza. Israel denies violating international law.
Dossier accuses British serving in Israeli military of war crimes in Gaza
- Report compiled by Hague-based UK lawyers will be handed to Metropolitan Police
- ‘British nationals are under a legal obligation not to collude with crimes committed in Palestine’
LONDON: A group of UK citizens who served with the Israeli military in Gaza will be the subject of a war crimes complaint handed to the Metropolitan Police, The Guardian reported on Monday.
A 240-page dossier compiled by a group of lawyers based in The Hague documents the activities of 10 Brits in Gaza, with complaints against them including alleged targeting of civilians and aid workers, coordinated attacks on hospitals and protected sites, and the forced displacement of people.
The dossier, which covers the period from October 2023 to May 2024 and took six months to compile, will be handed to the Met’s war crimes unit.
The complaint against the 10 Brits, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will be brought on behalf of the Gaza-based Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the UK-based Public Interest Law Centre.
The dossier includes eyewitness testimony from civilians in Gaza. One passage features evidence from a witness who recalled an attack on a hospital, including seeing corpses “scattered on the ground, especially in the middle of the hospital courtyard, where many dead bodies were buried in a mass grave.”
The account added that a bulldozer being used to demolish part of the hospital “ran over a dead body in a horrific and heart-wrenching scene desecrating the dead.”
Raji Sourani, director of the PCHR, said: “This is illegal, this is inhuman and enough is enough. The government cannot say we didn’t know; we are providing them with all the evidence.”
PILC legal director Paul Heron said: “We’re filing our report to make clear these war crimes are not in our name.”
The 2001 International Criminal Court Act says it “is an offence against the law of England and Wales for a person to commit genocide, a crime against humanity, or a war crime.”
Michael Mansfield KC, the lawyer leading the group, said: “If one of our nationals is committing an offence, we ought to be doing something about it. Even if we can’t stop the government of foreign countries behaving badly, we can at least stop our nationals from behaving badly.
“British nationals are under a legal obligation not to collude with crimes committed in Palestine. No one is above the law.”
Sean Summerfield, a barrister who also worked on the dossier, said: “The public will be shocked, I would have thought, to hear that there’s credible evidence that Brits have been directly involved in committing some of those atrocities.”
More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
