UN committee begins to consider Palestinian bid for full membership

The UN Security Council holds a meeting at UN headquarters in New York. (AFP)
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Updated 09 April 2024
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UN committee begins to consider Palestinian bid for full membership

  • Under US law, Washington would be required to cut off funding to the UN or of its agencies that recognize Palestine as a full member state
  • The Arab Group at the UN says the need to grant Palestine full membership of the organization is more urgent than ever

NEW YORK CITY: The president of the Security Council on Monday referred to its membership committee an application by the Palestinian Authority for Palestine to be granted full membership of the UN.

The 15-member committee is expected to make a decision about Palestine’s status by the end of the month, said Vanessa Frazier, the permanent representative to the UN from Malta, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month.

“The committee has to deliberate within the month of April, and we all recognize that any member of the council may decide to present a resolution for membership to be voted on at any time, as is the procedure of the council,” she said.

The membership committee held a meeting on Monday afternoon to begin its consideration of the application. It will assess the merits before deciding whether to shelve it or present it to the Security Council for a vote. To pass, it would require at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by any of the five permanent members of the council: the US, Russia, China, France and the UK.

The need for the State of Palestine to be granted full membership of the UN has become “more urgent than ever before,” the Arab group of nations at the UN said on Monday, and would represent “a genuine and serious boost to efforts to resolve the conflict in the region and put an end to the occupation, on the two-state basis.”

Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN and president of the Arab Group for the month of April, said: “We look forward to receiving the necessary support in that direction.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas initiated an application for UN membership of the UN in 2011. It was not considered by the Security Council but the following year the General Assembly granted the “State of Palestine” the more limited status of non-member observer state.

Last week, the Palestinian Authority submitted a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asking for the Security Council to reconsider the application for full membership.

Under current US legislation, however, Washington would be required to cut off funding to the UN and its agencies if it grants full membership to a Palestinian state.

Robert Wood, the deputy representative of the US to the UN, last week reiterated that full UN recognition of a Palestinian state would mean that “funding would be cut off to the UN system, so we’re bound by US law.”

Prior to the meeting of the Security Council on Monday, Wood reiterated that Washington’s position on full Palestinian membership of the UN is that it “is a decision that should be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians … They need to work out an agreement and that’s how full membership should come about.”

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, said that granting Palestine membership of the UN would “be the vilest reward of the vilest crimes.”

He added: “The very fact that this discussion is even being held is already a victory for genocidal terror. What’s the next step? Considering (Daesh) for UN membership?

“If the Security Council chooses to advance this prize for barbarism (it) shall forever be known as the ‘terror council.’ Throughout history there has been no greater reward for evil.”

His remarks came during a session of the UN General Assembly triggered by a mechanism known as the “Veto Initiative.” This is a landmark resolution adopted in 2022 with the aim of holding the five permanent members of the Security Council accountable for use of their power of veto. It requires that the president of the General Assembly convenes a formal meeting of its 193 members within 10 working days of the use of a veto by a permanent member to debate the situation in to which the veto was cast. On March 22, Russia and China vetoed a US-led resolution they said failed to “unequivocally” call for a ceasefire.

Asked to comment on Erdan’s rejection of Palestinian membership of the UN, Russia’s permanent representative to the organization, Vasily Nebenzia, said: “They reject the idea of the two-state solution as well, so what can you expect to hear from them?”

Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s permanent observer at the UN, told the General Assembly: “Why do Palestinians continue to be excluded from the family of nations? How is it that the party colonizing and committing genocide can be a full member of these United Nations and the party committed to the role of international law, and just and lasting peace, cannot?

“Recognition of the State of Palestine and its membership are not enough by themselves to end this illegal occupation. But they are the first step toward this urgent and long overdue goal.

“Stop the genocide. Ensure accountability. Recognize Palestine and support its membership at the UN. Mobilize for Palestine freedom and we shall achieve peace, all of us together.”

Al-Wasil lamented the fact that six months into the war in Gaza, “the Security Council either sees the abortion of resolutions that clearly call for a ceasefire, or witnesses the presentation of resolutions (which) avoid clearly demanding an immediate ceasefire.”

The Saudi envoy said the US resolution vetoed on March 22 did not include a clear call for an immediate ceasefire and “lacked clear guarantees that would prevent further escalation.”

By disregarding the responsibility of Israel, as an occupying power, for the atrocities perpetrated in Gaza, Al-Wasil said the US resolution would have given “the green light to the Israeli war machine to continue its massacres against unarmed civilians.”

In the name of the Arab Group, Al-Wasil once again called for the full implementation of Resolution 2728, which was adopted by the Security Council on March 25 and called for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan. Failure to do so would put the council to the test and “raise questions as to the feasibility of its existence,” he added.

Al-Wasil denied the suggestion that an immediate ceasefire would delay or obstruct diplomatic efforts on the ground to secure the release the prisoners and detainees “from both sides.”

He added: “Using this as an excuse simply buys time for the Israeli occupying forces to continue perpetrating their crimes and atrocities against unarmed civilians, and to continue targeting infrastructure, including hospitals and schools and residential areas and houses of worship, not to mention medical and humanitarian teams.”

The Arab Group also called on all countries that export weapons to Israel to stop doing so and instead work to hold Israel accountable “for the crimes that it has perpetrated and continues to perpetrate.”


Police evict hundreds of migrants who had been squatting in Paris theater

Updated 59 min 24 sec ago
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Police evict hundreds of migrants who had been squatting in Paris theater

  • Officers began their operation shortly before 6 a.m. at the Gaite Lyrique theater
  • The migrants had occupied the concert and arts venue as part of their demands for shelter

PARIS: French police evicted more than 400 migrants on Tuesday who had been squatting inside the Gaite Lyrique theater in central Paris for more than three months.
Officers began their operation shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) at the theater, where hundreds of demonstrators had gathered to protest against the eviction.
Since December 10, the migrants, including many unaccompanied minors, had occupied the concert and arts venue as part of their demands for shelter, leading the Gaite Lyrique management to suspend its operations on December 17.
A large banner on the Gaite Lyrique read: “400 lives at risk, 80 jobs under threat.”
“Shame, shame, shame to authorities who are at war with isolated minors,” demonstrators chanted in front of the theater in solidarity with the migrants, urging local authorities to provide sustainable housing to them rather than force them out.
Police briefly used tear gas at the start of their operation, but overall the evacuation proceeded without any major incidents or clashes.
“We had nowhere to go, we needed a shelter during the cold winter nights. So we had no choice but to occupy the Gaite Lyrique,” said Dialo Aimmedou, who said he was 16 and arrived in France in October 2024.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told France Inter radio on Tuesday that the evacuation had to be done, and that emergency housing had been offered to the migrants.
“At this stage this was the thing to do because the situation was becoming complicated, tense and dangerous inside,” she said.


South Korea tightens security for opposition leader over suspected plot, Yonhap reports

Updated 18 March 2025
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South Korea tightens security for opposition leader over suspected plot, Yonhap reports

  • Move comes after the Democratic Party had last week urged police to ramp up security for Lee Jae-myung
  • Some main opposition party lawmakers were tipped off about an assassination plot targeting Lee

SEOUL: South Korean police started on Tuesday providing additional security for the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, after lawmakers had warned of a potential assassination plot targeting Lee Jae-myung, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
The move comes after the party had last week urged police to ramp up security for Lee after some of its lawmakers said they were tipped off about an assassination plot against him.
Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In January last year, Lee was stabbed in the neck by a man who lunged at him with a knife after asking for his autograph.
The man was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to media reports.
Tensions have been running high in South Korea since President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly imposed martial law last December, triggering the country’s worst political crisis in decades.
His martial law imposition and its fallout have widened deep social rifts between conservatives and liberals and put pressure on institutions.
Yoon faces a criminal trial on charges of insurrection, while the Constitutional Court is also expected to rule in coming days on whether to uphold his impeachment and permanently strip him of his powers.
Police have been preparing for the risk of clashes, with both Yoon’s supporters and his opponents are due to hold large rallies when the court makes its decision.
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok repeated on Tuesday a call for citizens to accept and respect the court’s ruling.
Hundreds of Yoon supporters stormed a court building in January after his detention was extended, smashing windows and other items, an attack the acting leader called “unimaginable.”


Bangladesh rebukes US spy chief over religious violence remarks

Updated 18 March 2025
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Bangladesh rebukes US spy chief over religious violence remarks

  • Washington’s intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard arrived this week for a diplomatic trip to India
  • New Delhi has repeatedly accused its Muslim-majority neighbor of failing to adequately protect its minority Hindu citizens

DHAKA: Bangladesh has rebuked Washington’s intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, saying her comments on religious violence in the South Asian country were unfounded and risked fanning sectarian tensions.
Gabbard arrived this week for a diplomatic trip to India, whose relations with Bangladesh have soured since a student-led uprising overthrew the latter nation’s government last year.
New Delhi has repeatedly accused its Muslim-majority neighbor of failing to adequately protect its minority Hindu citizens – charges denied by the caretaker administration now in charge.
But Gabbard appeared to give credence to the claims when she was asked about violence in Bangladesh during a Monday interview with Indian broadcaster NDTV.
“The long-time unfortunate persecution, killing, and abuse of religious minorities... have been a major area of concern for the US government,” she said in response.
She added that the issue, along with Islamist extremism, remained “central focus areas of concern” and said the Trump administration has already raised them with the Bangladeshi government.
Bangladesh responded in a statement late Monday that Gabbard’s comments were both “misleading” and “damaging” to the country’s image and reputation.
“Political leaders and public figures should base their statements, especially on sensitive issues, on actual knowledge and take care not to reinforce harmful stereotypes, fan fears, or potentially stoke sectarian tensions,” the statement said.
Hindus make up about eight percent of Bangladesh’s 170 million people.
In the chaotic days following the August ouster of autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina, there was a string of attacks on Hindus – seen by some as having backed her rule.
The caretaker government that replaced her has insisted that many of those attacks were motivated by politics rather than religion.
It has also accused India’s media and government of spreading disinformation exaggerating threats to Bangladeshi Hindus.
Gabbard met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington last month soon after her confirmation as director of national intelligence under President Donald Trump.
The pair met again on Monday and Gabbard used a speech to a geopolitical conference in New Delhi to praise the enduring partnership between the United States and India.
“I am confident that this partnership and friendship between our two nations and our leaders will continue to grow and strengthen,” she added.


India orders curfew after violence over tomb of 17th-century Muslim ruler

Updated 18 March 2025
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India orders curfew after violence over tomb of 17th-century Muslim ruler

  • Violence in the central Indian city of Nagpur damaged many vehicles and injured several people
  • Situation escalated after several members of Muslim groups marched near a police station and threw stones at police

MUMBAI: Authorities clamped indefinite curfew on parts of the Indian city of Nagpur after more than a dozen police officers were hurt in clashes sparked by a Hindu group’s demand for the removal of the tomb of a 17th-century Mughal ruler, police said on Tuesday.
Monday’s violence in the central Indian city damaged many vehicles and injured several people, among them at least 15 police personnel, one of whom was in serious condition, a police officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of the western state of Maharashtra, where the city is located, criticized the violence in a video message, calling for every effort to maintain law and order.
“I have told the police commissioner to take whatever strict steps are necessary,” Fadnavis added.
Police said in a statement that members of the group, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), burnt an effigy of the Emperor Aurangzeb and his tomb as they chanted slogans demanding its removal from the nearby city of Aurangabad.
The police officer said the situation escalated after several members of Muslim groups marched near a police station and threw stones at police.
The attackers, wearing masks to hide their faces, carried sharp weapons and bottles, a resident of the area told the ANI news agency, in which Reuters has a minority stake.
The VHP denied accusations of engaging in any violence. It wants the tomb to be replaced with a memorial for rulers from the local Maratha community, its general secretary, Milind Parande, said in a video message.
Nagpur is also the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The VHP belongs to the same family of organizations.
Modi’s critics have often accused him of discriminating against Muslims, and failing to act against those targeting them. He and his government have denied the accusations.


Strange foam and dead fish wash ashore at 2 Australian beaches as surfers fall sick

Updated 18 March 2025
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Strange foam and dead fish wash ashore at 2 Australian beaches as surfers fall sick

  • The goverment closed Waitpinga Beach and neighboring Parsons Beach on Monday. Dozens of dead fish have reportedly been washed shore
  • Surfers have been complaining since the weekend of getting sore eyes, sore throats and coughing after contact with the water

MELBOURNE: An Australian state closed two beaches after dead fish and an unusual off-white foam washed ashore while surfers reported feeling unwell, officials said on Tuesday.
A microalgal bloom created by unusual weather conditions was suspected to have sickened humans and marine life as well as creating the foam that has covered hundreds of meters (yards) of coastline, South Australian Environment Protection Authority principal scientific officer Sam Gaylard said.
“It is very concerning,” Gaylard told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“It is unusual at this scale. At this time of year, when the weather conditions allow, we do occasionally get isolated blooms, but something of this scale is definitely a little bit unusual,” Gaylard added.
Waitpinga Beach and neighboring Parsons Beach, both south of the South Australia state capital Adelaide, have been closed to the public since Monday in response to a “fish mortality event in the area,” the Department for Environment and Water said in a statement.
“The beaches will be re-opened as soon as possible,” the department said.
Dozens of dead fish have reportedly been washed shore.
Surfers have been complaining since the weekend of getting sore eyes, sore throats and coughing after contact with the water, said local Anthony Rowland, who surfed at Waitpinga on Saturday.
“While we were out there, we started coughing,” Rowland said, refering to his surfing comrads. He said he was overwhelmed by the response from other surfers after posting his experience online.
“Lots of people reached out – so many people have said they’re had exactly the same symptoms,” Rowland said.
Marine scientists took water samples from the foam, which is a byproduct of the toxic organisms’ decay, on Monday, but it could take until the end of the week to identify the organism, Gaylard said.
A bloom of microalgae – microscopic, single-celled organisms – could have been caused by a recent extended period of hot and dry weather with little wind and low tides, Gaylard said.
A swell has picked up in the area since Sunday, and the turbulence could break up the algae while generating more foam, he said.
“At the moment, we’re not sure how long this will last,” Gaylard said.