Why Israel seems willing to defy the UN on demands to allow more aid into Gaza

Aid chiefs say restrictions imposed by the Israeli military on humanitarian relief are depriving displaced Gazans of food and medicine. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 09 January 2024
Follow

Why Israel seems willing to defy the UN on demands to allow more aid into Gaza

  • Without forcing Israel to accept a ceasefire, critics say the UN will fail to ease the suffering of Palestinians
  • Israel has consistently rejected claims it targets aid convoys and civilian infrastructure in Gaza

LONDON: Faced with mounting criticism over its handling of the humanitarian emergency in Gaza amid Israel’s assault on the Palestinian enclave and obstruction of aid deliveries, the UN has sought to step up its assistance.

However, short of forcing Israel to accept an immediate and lasting ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, critics say the UN’s latest moves will fail to ease the suffering of Gaza’s embattled civilian population.

Despite demanding that all parties “facilitate and enable the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale,” the UN Security Council’s resolution of Dec. 22 has been branded woefully inadequate by many in the aid community.

Indeed, obstruction to aid deliveries has only continued, with the UN Relief and Works Agency, which supports Palestinian refugees, suggesting that some 40 percent of Gazans are now at risk of famine.

Muhannad Ayyash, a professor of sociology at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada, believes that as long as the US allows Israel to continue its military operation in Gaza, any kind of international pressure appears “meaningless.”

He told Arab News: “Israel is operating regardless of what the international community says because the US is fully supporting it.




A UN aid center and a camp in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. (MAXAR/AFP)

“Israel and the US are basically dismissing everyone and moving full throttle ahead in this genocide of Palestine.

“This was never a problem to be resolved with ‘more aid.’ This trickle of aid is part of the US discourse of simply trying to distract from the only real solution.”

For Ayyash and others, that “real solution” remains the enforcement of an immediate and lasting ceasefire, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying it is the only way to end the “nightmare.”

Israel mounted its assault on Gaza following the unprecedented Hamas attack of Oct. 7, which saw Palestinian fighters cross the border into Israel, killing 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and kidnapping some 240.

FASTFACTS

• The UN Security Council’s resolution of Dec. 22 has been branded woefully inadequate by the aid community.

• Some 40 percent of Gazans are now at risk of famine, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency.

Since then, Israeli forces have laid siege to the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas since 2007, with the stated aim of destroying the group’s leadership and freeing the hostages.

However, in the process, more than 22,500 Gazans have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

Furthermore, the suspected Israeli killing of Hamas deputy head Saleh Arouri and two commanders from its Al-Qassam Brigades in a blast in Beirut on Jan. 2 has added to fears that the Gaza war could morph into a wider regional conflict.

The destruction of homes and infrastructure in Gaza has displaced almost 2 million people and left the population vulnerable to disease, starvation and being killed in the crossfire, leading to a growing chorus of international condemnation.




UN Security Council’s resolution of Dec. 22 has been branded woefully inadequate by many in the aid community. (AFP)

There is now a growing consensus that the UNSC’s Dec. 22 resolution, adopted with 13 votes in favor and the US and Russia abstaining, has failed to achieve its central aim of facilitating the flow of aid.

Thomas White, director of UNRWA affairs in Gaza, said Israeli troops have fired on aid convoys.

Medecins Sans Frontieres, one of the aid agencies working in Gaza, said the resolution has fallen “painfully short.”

Avril Benior, executive director of MSF-USA, said: “This resolution has been watered down to the point that its impact on the lives of civilians in Gaza will be nearly meaningless.”

The Dec. 22 resolution tasked the UN secretary-general with appointing a senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator with responsibility for “facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying” in Gaza.

It also called for the “expeditious” establishment of a UN mechanism to accelerate aid consignments to Gaza through states that are not party to the conflict; to expedite, streamline and accelerate assistance; and to continue helping to ensure that aid reaches its civilian destination.

Posting recently on X, Martin Griffiths, the UN’s undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, described the challenges of moving aid into Gaza.

He said restrictions imposed by the Israel Defense Force have resulted in a growing list of rejected items, with aid trucks contending with “three layers of inspection before even entering” crossings designed for pedestrians, not trucks.

Scott Paul, senior humanitarian policy adviser at Oxfam America, said even if aid flows improve, there is “no point” delivering assistance if the infrastructure required to use it is being destroyed.

The Israeli government has consistently rejected claims that it has targeted aid convoys and civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

Government spokesperson Eylon Levy has even accused UNRWA on X of “covering up for Hamas and deflecting blame onto Israel.”

In recent weeks, Israeli authorities accused the UN of not doing enough to process humanitarian aid into Gaza, and charged that the world body is responsible for supplies not reaching the enclave fast enough.

“We have expanded our capabilities to conduct inspections for the aid delivered into Gaza. Kerem Shalom (border crossing) is to be opened, so the number of inspections will double. But the aid keeps waiting at the entrance of Rafah,” the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories wrote on X. “The UN must do better — the aid is there, and the people need it.”

By contrast, Ayyash said Israel has very deliberately obstructed the flow of aid, and has demolished civilian infrastructure as a means of permanently displacing the Palestinian population.

“Israel turned off the aid tap on Oct. 9 when it announced the ‘total siege’ of Gaza,” he told Arab News. “More than this, it has carried out this deliberate plan to destroy all life-sustaining infrastructure.




A truck carrying fuel decorated with a UN flag crosses into Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. (AFP)

“It has bombed everything in Gaza, including its bakeries, markets, hospitals, water and sanitation infrastructure, fishing boats, farmlands, residential areas and so on.

“People are starving, thirsty, freezing when it’s cold, and suffering from illnesses, diseases and serious injuries without access to proper medical care or any medical care at all.”

Although some believe that Israel feels it can disregard international pressure thanks to the diplomatic cover and largesse provided by the US, others suspect that Israel is now also acting in open defiance of the US, which has urged Israel to respect the rules of engagement.

Indeed, after the perceived security failures that allowed the Oct. 7 attack to take place, the far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to survive beyond the end of the war.

Netanyahu’s only option for political survival may hinge upon positioning himself as the only man strong enough to stand up to the US.

Yossi Mekelberg, professor of international relations and associate fellow of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at international affairs think tank Chatham House, has questioned assertions of Israeli disregard for international censure, saying Netanyahu’s willingness to submit to US pressure is dependent to some extent on the way the message is delivered.

“It has to be explicit and credible in the sense that it makes clear that this is what Washington demands,” Mekelberg told Arab News.

Similarly, Amer Al-Sabaileh, a Jordanian university professor and geopolitical expert, believes there are several factors that Israel’s government and military leaders would be considering when it comes to balancing calls from the international community with their own needs.

Of “paramount” importance, he said, are Israel’s ongoing security considerations, noting that “as long as these persist, navigating the delivery of aid becomes intricate.”

Both Mekelberg and Al-Sabaileh also challenged assertions that the UNSC resolution is “meaningless,” with the latter saying it marks a “crucial step.”

Al-Sabaileh added: “It undoubtedly establishes a platform to activate humanitarian aid efforts under international oversight.




Consensus is growing that the UNSC’s Dec. 22 resolution has failed to achieve its central aim. (AFP)

“But definitely, the current situation in Gaza presents a significant challenge for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

“Ongoing Israeli operations targeting Hamas, its leaders, and remnants of its infrastructure maintain Israeli control and decision-making.”

In this “complex political landscape,” the delivery of aid is “highly challenging,” he said, with the IDF in the unenviable position of charting a “delicate balance between military operations and an imperative to ensure aid reaches the civilians who are profoundly suffering.”

He added: “This delineation is crucial for mitigating the impact of the crisis on innocent civilians and addressing the broader challenges facing the region.”

Acknowledging that Israel could “make it as easy or as difficult to let aid in” as it wanted, Mekelberg told Arab News that the UNSC resolution nonetheless “increased the pressure on Israel” despite lacking any enforcement mechanism beyond diplomatic negotiation.

For Ayyash, though, there is only one resolution that would change the situation on the ground.

“The immediate halt to the attack on Gaza and the complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip can resolve the humanitarian disaster,” he said. “Until the attack stops, a sufficient amount of aid won’t enter Gaza.”


European, Iranian FMs to hold nuclear talks on Friday in Geneva

Updated 20 June 2025
Follow

European, Iranian FMs to hold nuclear talks on Friday in Geneva

BRUSSELS, Belgium: Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany together with the EU’s top diplomat will hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday, officials and diplomats said.
The meeting comes as European countries call for de-escalation in the face of Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear program — and as US President Donald Trump weighs up whether or not to join the strikes against Tehran.
“We will meet with the European delegation in Geneva on Friday,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.
European diplomats separately confirmed the planned talks, set to involve French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Lammy was in Washington on Thursday, where he was due to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for talks focused on Iran, the State Department said.
Trump has said he is weighing up military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities as Israel pummels the country and Tehran responds with missile fire.
Israel has killed several top Iranian officials in its strikes and Araghchi’s adviser said that the minister was unfazed by fears he may be targeted next.
“Since it was announced that the Foreign Minister was heading to Geneva for negotiations with the European troika, I’ve received numerous messages expressing concern that the Zionist regime might target him,” Mohammad Hossein Ranjbaran said on X.
But he insisted that Araghchi “seeks martyrdom” and that “a major Israeli plot against him” had already been foiled “in Tehran just a few days ago.”
France, Germany, Britain and the European Union were all signatories of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran which Trump sunk during his first term in office.
The EU’s Kallas, in coordination with European countries, has insisted that diplomacy remains the best path toward ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear bomb.
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that European nations were planning to suggest a negotiated solution to end the Iran-Israel conflict. He has asked his foreign minister to draw up an initiative with “close partners” to that end.
Barrot has been in regular touch with his German and British counterparts since Israel launched massive air strikes against Iran on Friday.
Speaking in Paris after talks on the crisis on Thursday, Barrot said that the three nations “stand ready to bring our competence and experience on this matter.”
“We are ready to take part in negotiations aimed at obtaining from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs,” he added.
The French top diplomat also underlined Iran’s “willingness to resume talks,” including with the United States “on condition there is a ceasefire.”
Israel says its air campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent — far above the 3.67-percent limit set by a 2015 deal with international powers, but still short of the 90-percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. Iran denies it is building nuclear weapons.


Israel says Iran fired cluster bomb-bearing missile

Updated 20 June 2025
Follow

Israel says Iran fired cluster bomb-bearing missile

  • Israeli military officials provided no further details

Iran fired at least one missile at Israel that scattered small bombs with the aim of increasing civilian casualties, the Israeli military said on Thursday, the first reported use of cluster munitions in the seven-day-old war.
Israeli military officials provided no further details.
Israeli news reports quoted the Israeli military as saying the missile’s warhead split open at an altitude of about 4 miles and released around 20 submunitions in a radius of around 5 miles  over central Israel.
One of the small munitions struck a home in the central Israeli town of Azor, causing some damage, Times of Israel military correspondent Emanuel Fabian reported. There were no reports of casualties from the bomb.
Cluster bombs are controversial because they indiscriminately scatter submunitions, some of which can fail to explode and kill or injure long after a conflict ends.
The Israeli military released a graphic as a public warning of the dangers of unexploded ordnance.
“The terror regime seeks to harm civilians and even used weapons with wide dispersal in order to maximize the scope of the damage,” Israel’s military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, told a briefing.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations and Israel’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“They are egregious weapons with their wide-area destruction, especially if used in a civilian populated area and could add to the unexploded ordnance left over from conflicts,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association advocacy group.
Noting that Iranian missiles can be imprecise, he said that Tehran should know that cluster munitions “are going to hit civilian targets rather than military targets.”
Iran and Israel declined to join a 2008 international ban on the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of cluster bombs that has been signed by 111 countries and 12 other entities. After extensive debate, the US in 2023 supplied Ukraine with cluster munitions for use against Russian occupation forces. Kyiv says Russian troops also have fired them. The three countries declined to join the Convention Against Cluster Munitions.


UK and Bahrain sign defense pact and £2bn investment deal

Updated 20 June 2025
Follow

UK and Bahrain sign defense pact and £2bn investment deal

  • The agreements were signed during an official visit to London by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad, who held talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street
  • The leaders express concern about the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, and repeat prior calls for an immediate ceasefire agreement in Gaza

LONDON: Bahrain and the UK finalized two major agreements on Thursday during an official trip to London by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa.

During a visit to No. 10 Downing Street for talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the prince and his host oversaw the signing of a Strategic Investment and Collaboration Partnership, SIP2 for short, said to represent a renewed framework for two-way investment between their countries.

The agreement will enable £2 billion ($2.7 billion) of investment by Bahrain’s private sector in key UK sectors including financial services, technology, manufacturing and decarbonization, officials said. It was signed by Bahrain’s finance minister, Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, and the British chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves.

The second deal was a Defense Cooperation Accord which, according to officials, aims to enhance interoperability and joint training between the nations’ armed forces, building on the foundations of an already strong naval partnership. It was signed by defense ministers, Lt. Gen. Abdullah Al-Nuaimi and John Healey.

During his discussions with Starmer, Prince Salman reaffirmed the strength of relations between their countries, which he said continues to grow under the leaderships of King Hamad and King Charles, the Bahrain News Agency reported.

The leaders reviewed progress on a proposed UK-Gulf Cooperation Council free trade agreement, and the crown prince welcomed the UK’s decision to fully participate in the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, following a joint invitation in December from founding signatories Bahrain and the US.

Regional and wider international developments featured prominently in the discussions between Prince Salman and Starmer, who both expressed concern about the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran. They agreed on the urgent need to deescalate the conflict, ease tensions and resume dialogue.

They also reiterated previous calls for an immediate ceasefire agreement in Gaza, unimpeded humanitarian access to the territory, and the release of all hostages still held by Hamas.

Starmer congratulated Bahrain on its recent election as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning in January 2026, and both leaders agreed to work closely to bolster their diplomatic efforts in the run-up to that.


Iran appoints new Revolutionary Guards intelligence chief

Updated 20 June 2025
Follow

Iran appoints new Revolutionary Guards intelligence chief

  • He replaces Mohammed Kazemi

TEHRAN: Iran appointed a new chief of intelligence at its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, the official Irna news agency said, after his predecessor was killed in an Israeli strike last week.
Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps , appointed Brig. Gen. Majid Khadami as the new head of its intelligence division, Irna said.
He replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri — in an Israeli strike.
Pakpour had himself been recently appointed after Israel killed his predecessor Hossein Salami in a strike on June 13.
“During the years that our martyred commanders Kazemi and Mohaqeq led the IRGC Intelligence, we witnessed significant growth in all aspects of intelligence within the IRGC,” said Pakpour.
Israel launched air strikes on nuclear and military sites in Iran last week, claiming that its arch enemy was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, which Iran denies.
Israel killed several top Iranian officials, prompting a counter-attack by Iran, which on Thursday hit an Israeli hospital.
Upon his appointment by Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei last Friday, Pakpour threatened to open “the gates of hell” in retaliation for Israel’s attacks.
Top Israeli figures have openly talked about killing Khamenei.
 


Australia closes Iran embassy citing deteriorating security environment

Updated 20 June 2025
Follow

Australia closes Iran embassy citing deteriorating security environment

SYDNEY: Australia has suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran due to the deteriorating security environment in Iran and has directed the departure of all Australian officials, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.
Australia’s ambassador to Iran will remain in the region to support the government’s response to the crisis, Wong said.
“We are continuing planning to support Australians seeking to depart Iran, and we remain in close contact with other partner countries,” Wong said in a statement.