Day: June 1, 2008

Palestine
settlement

Israel again expands West Bank settlements

The Israeli government announced the establishment of 22 new settlements in the illegally occupied West Bank—including the recognition and expansion of several already existing “wildcat” outposts, built without government permission. Defense Minister Israel Katz said that building the settlements was “a strategic move that prevents the establishment of a Palestinian state that would endanger Israel.” The announcement comes amid expanding Israeli military operations and settler violence on the West Bank, and open calls from Israeli officials—including cabinet members such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich—to annex the territory.  (Photo: delayed gratification via New Jewish Resistance)

Palestine
Standing Together

Israeli activists mobilize to protect aid trucks

For months, groups on the Israeli far right have traveled to the crossings where aid is moved from the West Bank to the Gaza border in an effort to disrupt the shipments—even attacking drivers and attempting to destroy the supplies. But now, other groups of Israelis are boarding buses from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and heading to those crossings to try and help the trucks complete their passage into Gaza to deliver the aid. This has sparked stand-offs near the border between right-wing groups such as Tzav 9 and pro-coexistence groups such as Standing Together. Activists from Standing Together have helped clear roads and reload boxes of humanitarian aid that had been thrown off trucks by Tzav 9 followers. (Photo: Standing Together via Times of Israel)

The Amazon
Amazon Fires

Amazon rainforest loss approaches new height

Within just five years, the Amazon rainforest could lose half the total forest cover that it lost in the first 20 years of this century, a recent study by the Amazon Network of Georeferenced Socio-Environmental Information (RAISG) has revealed. Deforestation rates are accelerating in nearly all of the nine Amazonian countries, but especially in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia—mostly due to road development, agricultural expansion and mining. (Photo via Mongabay)

North Africa
Libya

Russian mercenaries accused in Libya atrocities

A report to the Security Council by a panel of UN human rights experts finds that foreign fighters and private military companies are responsible for grave abuses in Libya—especially naming Russia’s Wagner Group. The report was classified “confidential,” but a copy was leaked to the Associated Press. It finds that both Turkish-backed militias loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNA) and the Wagner Group, apparently contracted by eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar, have employed mercenaries who were veterans of the war in Syria. GNA-aligned militias are implicated in abuses of migrants, who have been “regularly subjected to acts of slavery, rape and torture.” The Wager Group is accused of planting unmarked anti-personnel mines on the southern periphery of Tripoli, when the city was besieged by Haftar’s forces from April 2019 to October 2020. (Map: Perry-Castañeda Library)

Afghanistan

Will Kabul blast mean new Afghanistan surge?

The Haqqani Network is believed to be behind the massive car-bomb explosion in Kabul's diplomatic district, which has raised new calls for thousands more US troops to be deployed.

Greater Middle East

US tilt to Assad undermining drive against ISIS

Syrian rebels are turning down Washington's offer of training to fight ISIS, because the State Department is imposing the stipulation that it not be used to fight Assad.

Afghanistan

Pakistan: women disenfranchised, persecuted

In a deal with village elders, women are being denied the vote in northwest Pakistan's local elections—as clerics call for military action against "immodest" dress.

Africa

Uganda: displaced villagers protest land-grab

Villagers forcibly relocated by Uganda's government during the war with the Lord's Resistance Army now find that their traditional lands have been eclosed as private game reserves.

North Africa

British Special Forces on the ground in Libya?

A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron denied there are any British combat troops on the ground in Libya folloing press reports claiming SAS forces have been spotted in Misrata.

Palestine

Judaization of geography in Jerusalem

A new bill in the Knesset would change Jerusalem neighborhoods with Arabic names to Hebrew ones—while Mayor Nir Barakat said the municipality would continue to build Jewish-only housing regardless of “political issues.”