Press TV – November 8, 2024
70% of victims of Israeli genocide in Gaza are children and women: UN
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) says women and children comprise nearly 70 percent of those killed in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s campaign of genocide in the besieged Palestinian territory.
The office published the figures in a 32-page report that covers the six months from November 2023 to April 2024.
About 80 percent of the victims were killed in residential buildings, out of which 44 percent were children and 26 percent women, the report said.
Most of the verified deaths in Gaza were children between the ages of five and nine.
The youngest victim whose death was verified by UN monitors was a one-day-old boy, and the oldest was a 97-year-old woman, the report said.
A UN statement said Israel’s continuation of these attacks “demonstrates an apparent indifference to the death of civilians and the impact of the means and methods of warfare selected.”
“The International Court of Justice, in its series of orders on provisional measures, underscored the international obligations of Israel to prevent, protect against and punish acts of genocide and associated prohibited conduct,” said the report.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk stressed the imperative for Israel to fully and immediately comply with those obligations.
Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief called it “a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law”.
“It is essential that there is due reckoning with respect to the allegations of serious violations of international law through credible and impartial judicial bodies and that, in the meantime, all relevant information and evidence are collected and preserved,” Turk said.
On May 24, the ICJ ordered Israel to halt its aggression on Rafah, establish humanitarian corridors and allow the world body to investigate genocide.
Israel continues its genocidal onslaught on Gaza, killing more Palestinians in its indiscriminate air and artillery strikes.
The latest air raids targeted Gaza City and Nuseirat refugee camp, leaving six people dead.
According to Gaza officials, about two dozen people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Friday alone.
This brings the Palestinian death toll in Gaza to about 43,500 since early October last year. Most of the casualties are women and children.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has warned about the deteriorating situation in northern Gaza.
It says Israel’s military is preventing food and water from the besieged area where thousands of Palestinians are trapped and require supplies for their survival.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/11/08/736860/Palestine-Gaza-UN-Gaza-Volker-Turk
Anadolu Agency – November 8, 2024
Israeli goons fan flames, targeting Palestinian flags in Amsterdam
Violence erupted late Thursday in Amsterdam as supporters of the Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv reportedly stormed the city, tearing down Palestinian flags on private property and chanting provocative slogans before and after their match against Ajax.
The incidents sparked widespread outrage, with Israeli fans clashing with bystanders, vandalizing property and setting a Palestinian flag on fire.
Social media videos show Maccabi fans not only damaging private property but also assaulting a local taxi driver and confronting law enforcement officers.
Max Blumenthal, editor of The Grayzone News, commented on the footage circulating online, stating:
“Many videos going around of Israeli football goons vandalizing property in Amsterdam, attacking cops and bystanders and ripping down Palestinian flags. Now this fascist infestation is playing the victim and waiting for airlifts back to the colonies.”
Football journalist Leyla Hamed corroborated Blumenthal's account late Thursday:
“Hooligans from the Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv marched through the streets of Amsterdam... They stole Palestinian flags from homes and even set a Palestinian flag on fire.”
Following these events, Israeli officials condemned the incidents as “violence against Israeli citizens.”
In a post on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned what he described as a “very violent incident against Israeli citizens in Amsterdam.”
He announced the dispatch of rescue planes to assist Israeli citizens in the city, asserting that the “harsh pictures of the assault on our citizens in Amsterdam will not be overlooked.”
Netanyahu called on the Dutch government to take “vigorous and swift action against the rioters” and ensure the safety of Israeli citizens.
Amsterdam-based daily newspaper Het Parool reported Thursday that two people were arrested following skirmishes in Dam Square, though the identities of those detained were not disclosed.
Several central areas were designated as “risk zones,” allowing police to conduct stop-and-search operations, according to Dutch News.
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema emphasized in a city council meeting that while there were no legal grounds to ban Maccabi fans from the game, the ongoing Gaza conflict had heightened local tensions.
Halsema also banned a nearby pro-Palestine protest near the Johan Cruijff Arena to mitigate potential clashes and urged Ajax fans to avoid confrontation. Police advised fans to arrive early for the 9 p.m. (8 p.m. GMT) kickoff due to increased security checks.
Meanwhile, Amsterdam police confirmed Wednesday they had boosted their presence in the city center due to “tensions” in several areas, intervening in multiple incidents, including a potential confrontation between taxi drivers and visitors.
Authorities noted that a Palestinian flag was torn down by unknown perpetrators on Wednesday night. Police also prepared for a planned protest near the stadium on Thursday before the match.
Palestinian reaction
Palestinian movements, including the Gaza-based resistance movement Hamas, the Mujahideen Movement, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), have hailed the retaliation against the Israeli violence as a natural response by those who want to end the regime’s genocide and reject Zionism.
“Amsterdam events confirm that the continuation of the holocaust in the Gaza Strip that has been taking place without any international intervention, leads to these spontaneous repercussions,” Hamas said.
Spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri asserted that "stopping the Zionist genocide in the Gaza Strip is an essential part of respecting and protecting human rights and ensuring regional and international security and peace."
The PFLP praised “the confrontation of supporters of Palestine in the Netherlands for countering attempts by Zionists to burn the Palestinian flag, asserted that the Zionist entity has become globally isolated and reviled.”
“These events underscore the growing popular rejection of the Zionist entity, which has become a pariah on the global stage,” the group said.
It also denounced the Israeli violence as ”merely an extension of the colonial and racist genocide system the [Zionist] entity represents, exposing the false ‘victim’ narrative the Zionist entity and its supporters attempt to promote to the world, as its crimes and lies are increasingly revealed.”
London-based rights group, FairSquare, denounced the Israeli attackers’ actions as “well-documented racism and violence,” which “mirrors the thuggery of the Israeli government in Gaza and Lebanon.”
In remarks to the Middle East Eye news and analysis website, the group’s founder Nicholas McGeehan also slammed Israeli officials for “openly courting far-right football supporters in Israel and receiving their violent support in return,” and criticized the Dutch government for trying to present the attackers as “innocent victims of anti-Semitism.”
Al Mayadeen – November 8, 2024
Yemen deals heavy blows to 'Israel's' Nevatim base; another MQ-9 downed
The Yemeni people show clear popular support for the Yemeni Armed Forces' operations in support of Palestine and Lebanon amid ongoing aggression by the Israeli occupation.
The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a major military operation today, targeting the Nevatim airbase in the al-Naqab region of southern occupied Palestine as part of their fifth phase of escalation against the Israeli occupation.
Speaking at the million-man march in Sabeen Square, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced that the operation was "executed with a hypersonic ballistic missile, Palestine 2, which reached its target."
Saree also reported that the Yemeni air defenses downed a ($30 Million) US MQ-9 drone earlier this morning as it was conducting hostile operations in the Yemeni airspace over the al-Jawf province.
This brings the total number of US MQ-9 drones downed by Yemeni air defenses to 12 as part of the Promised Victory and Holy Jihad battle, according to Brigadier General Saree.
He affirmed that "Yemen remains committed to supporting the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples by upholding the maritime blockade on the enemy [Israeli occupation] and through supportive military operations."
Saree added that "operations will not cease until the aggression ends, the blockade on Gaza is lifted, and the attacks on Lebanon stop."
US and UK continue aggression against Yemen
The Yemeni News Agency, Saba, reported that American-British aggression aircraft launched two airstrikes targeting the at-Tuhayat district in Yemen's Hodeidah governorate.
This aggression is part of the ongoing US-UK assaults on Yemen, aimed at deterring it from supporting the Resistance movements in Gaza and Lebanon.
However, the Yemenis, in yet another million-man demonstration, vowed to continue to back the Resistance, proving that this is the popular choice across the country.
The marches, under the slogan of continued support for Palestine and Lebanon, addressed the enemies in a statement, saying, "Even if you gather all the armies of the world with their planes, fleets, warships, destroyers, and military arsenals, we are stronger with God."
The statement added that "the enemies will not be able to deter Yemen from its principled and faith-driven stance in supporting the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples" and called for continued popular campaigns to raise funds and donations for the Palestinian people.
It also called for dedicating the next week to donations and aid for the displaced Lebanese people, from today until the following Friday.
The marches reaffirmed to the world that Yemen "will not abandon the path of jihad, the path of the Qur'an, sacrifice, and victory," and addressed the fighters in Palestine and Lebanon, saying, "You are not alone. We are by your side until victory, fully prepared to face the forces of arrogance and their tools in the region."
Regarding the United States and its new president, Donald Trump, the marches stated, "You know the Yemeni people from before, and you will know them more today. What you failed to achieve in your previous term, you will not achieve today."
Al Mayadeen – November 8, 2024
Yemen imposed major shift in regional power balance: Hamas' Yemen rep.
Muath Abu Shamala discusses the Resistance's strength, Yemen's undying loyalty to Gaza, and the need to combat and counter the United States.
Hamas's representative in Yemen, Muath Abu Shamala, affirmed that Yemen's stance and its armed forces' support for the Resistance in Gaza is "the clearest example of challenging the unjust US administration."
In an interview with Al-Wahda newspaper, Abu Shamala emphasized that Yemen's position in disrupting the enemy and its allies' economic lifeline in the Red Sea manifested a major shift in the balance of power, saying it was one example out of many to pressure the enemy, including missiles and drones, particularly targeting the capital of the Israeli entity, Tel Aviv.
He reiterated that the Resistance remains steadfast on the ground, inflicting losses on the enemy's forces, targeting occupied territories with missiles, and thwarting the enemy's plans, which include the unrealistic goal of eliminating Hamas and the Resistance, and returning the Israeli captives held in Gaza.
"Here we are, more than a year later, as Hamas remains unbreakable, and despite the massive destruction in the heroic Gaza Strip, the enemy has been unable to retrieve its captives alive. All of this is an indication that the Resistance still possesses strength that the enemy has been unable to crush, and instead, it suffers daily losses."
He further slammed the stances taken by the Arab regimes as "disgraceful" and "cowardly", stressing that they would be written down in history's darkest pages.
Regarding the international community's silence, particularly that of the United Nations, Abu Shamala said "This international silence convinces us that there is no such thing as international law or human rights law, and that this world is governed by the rule of the jungle, where the strongest survives. This drives us, as a nation, to cling to our sources of power and to produce our own weapons."
"As for those who remain silent in this world, they are either supporters of this genocide and its proponents, or they are bowing to American and Western pressures."
Yemen will continue to escalate until the aggression stops
Earlier today, the leader of the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik Badreddine al-Houthi, stated that Yemeni operations continue to "target ships linked to the Israeli, American, and British enemies and Israeli positions in occupied Palestine. "
"The Yemeni forces will continue to escalate with everything they have and will strive to achieve greater and stronger objectives."
Furthermore, Sayyed al-Houthi called on the Yemeni people to continue their movement, activities, marches, and demonstrations, as part of their show of support to Palestine.
"A large turnout at the event tomorrow is of immense importance so that the Americans and all the tyrants of the world can hear [your voices] and affirm to our people that you are not deterred by any tyrant in this world," he told the Yemeni people.
"Your participation tomorrow confirms that we will never retreat from our position in supporting the Palestinian people and standing by them, no matter what challenges we face," he concluded.
Al Mayadeen – November 8, 2024
Israeli army lost nearly two military divisions amid seven-front war
The Israeli newspaper Maariv reports on the military losses Israel has incurred due to the ongoing war, amid political and economic crises, as well as strategic.
Political analyst Ben Caspit, writing for Maariv, stated that Israel has been engaged in a regional war on seven fronts for over a year, during which Israeli occupation forces lost nearly two divisions and are short of thousands of soldiers, even before accounting for the dead and wounded.
Amid this, the Israeli occupation government passed a law that would "perpetuate the exemption of a large and growing sector (Haredim), which does not serve in the Israeli military."
At the same time, the government is expanding regular service, significantly increasing the number of reserve days, raising the age for exemption from reserve duty, and eliminating existing exemptions.
These measures are causing exhaustion, frustration, and a heavy burden on the few who serve in reserves, while regular soldiers continue to suffer under the mounting pressure.
The report also highlighted the multiple crises "Israel" is facing domestically, politically, and economically, while continuing the regional war.
The report detailed how, amid the war, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu replaced experienced occupation Security Minister Yoav Gallant, a reserve general with four decades in the security establishment, with the inexperienced Israel Katz, who has never held a security ministerial position. These changes were made swiftly, "without a transition or training period for the new minister" and on the eve of a potentially unprecedented Iranian operation on "Israel".
Meanwhile, "Israel’s" economic situation is rapidly deteriorating, with a credit downgrade expected for the third time at any moment. The deficit is soaring, and the Ministry of Finance has recommended closing five government ministries due to the financial crisis.
Ben Caspit questioned whether these actions will improve or worsen "Israel's" situation, concluding that "these actions make Israel's situation worse, meaning the Israeli government is acting against Israel during wartime."
He emphasized that this all occurred for one simple reason: "To maintain and expand Netanyahu’s control over Israel." He stated that "allowing him to continue implementing such actions, which cause permanent and strategic harm to Israel, sometimes irreversibly, will ultimately lead to a situation where Netanyahu, as Prime Minister, is doing the opposite of what his government stands for."
Additionally, Caspit referenced a recent survey by Channel 13, which asked if Netanyahu "is jeopardizing Israel’s security in light of the security scandals." Fifty-two percent responded affirmatively, while only 7% disagreed.
Caspit concluded that "one does not need security issues to understand that having a Prime Minister like Netanyahu in office will inflict strategic damage to Israel and its future."
October saw $4.3Bln decrease in 'Israel's' forex reserves
Israeli news website Globes, earlier on Thursday, reported that "Israel's" foreign exchange reserves dropped to $216.074 billion by the end of October 2024, marking a decrease of $4.303 billion from September's record high, according to data released by the Bank of Israel.
This decrease in reserves represents about 42% of the occupation's GDP.
The decline primarily resulted from a revaluation that reduced the reserves by approximately $4.922 billion, which was partly offset by the occupation's foreign exchange transactions, totaling around $668 million.
Despite an earlier pledge by the Bank of Israel to sell up to $30 billion in foreign currency to stabilize the shekel amid the ongoing wars on Gaza and Lebanon, the central bank refrained from making any currency sales in October 2024.
Since the outset of the war in October 2023, the Bank of Israel has only sold $8.5 billion of the promised amount, with most sales occurring during its initial months.
Globes noted that "Israel's" substantial foreign exchange reserves could serve as a crucial financial buffer if the regional geopolitical situation worsens, potentially affecting the shekel's strength.
Economic analysts note that these reserves were instrumental in providing stability to "Israel's" economy, particularly amid heightened uncertainty and market volatility.
This reduction in reserves comes amid a period of growing international scrutiny and economic pressure on "Israel."
As reported by Reuters, several major European financial institutions, including Italy's UniCredit and French insurer AXA, have begun scaling back investments and cutting ties with Israeli companies, citing ethical concerns over "Israel's" military actions in Gaza and violations of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Governments are increasingly taking positions on the war. Norway, Ireland, and Spain have recognized Palestinian statehood, while French President Emmanuel Macron has advocated for
Hezbollah unveils 'Fateh 110' ballistic missile in targeting Israeli sites
The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has for the first time unveiled its surface-to-surface "Fateh 110" ballistic missiles in footage that shows targeting of a number of Israeli sites with the advanced projectile.
Hezbollah was quoted by Lebanon's al-Manar television network as saying in a statement that the Fateh 110 missile is a “precision surface-to-surface missile [which is] employed to bomb vital targets with an accuracy of up to 10 meters.”
The resistance group said the solid-fuel missile features high destructive capacity, and can be launched from fixed or mobile platforms.
The missile is 8.8 meters long and has a 616-milimeter diameter. It weighs 3,450 kg and a warhead weighing 500 kg, which has a range of 300 km, can be mounted on it.
The television network also showed scenes of the Lebanese resistance movement’s targeting of Tserfin base belonging to the Israeli occupation army south of Tel Aviv with Fateh 110 missiles.
Hezbollah confirmed that it had bombed the Tserfin base near Ben Gurion Airport south of Tel Aviv “with a salvo of qualitative missiles.”
The movement said its fighters also struck the cities of Haifa, Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport with ballistic missiles.
The resistance said the operation comes “in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people.”
Hezbollah has conducted hundreds of such strikes since last October, when the regime launched a genocidal war on Gaza and markedly intensified its deadly aggression against Lebanon.
The brutal military onslaught has so far claimed the lives of more than 43,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, while the escalation against Lebanon has killed upwards of 3,000 people.
In his second public address since assuming Hezbollah leadership on Wednesday, Sheikh Naim Qassem said the Lebanese resistance movement is determined to force Israel to seek an end to its war on Lebanon, stating that only the battlefield can bring to end the ongoing war.
The Hezbollah chief said there is no place within Israel that "our drones and missiles cannot reach," adding that the movement does not rely on political efforts to halt the conflict.
The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to sustain its strikes on the Israeli-occupied territories as long as the regime keeps the escalation in southern Lebanon and the war on Gaza.
Defense Update – November 24, 2014
Iran supplied ballistic guided rockets to Hezbollah
With a range of 250-350 km the new missile can hit targets provides the group with a capability to hit any target in Israel up to the northern Negev.
By Tamir Eshel
Iranian and Lebanese sources have recently confirmed that the Iranian backed Lebanese group Hezbollah has received the Iranian Fateh-110 guided ballistic missiles, and inducted the weapon into its missile arsenal. With a range of 250-350 km the new missile can hit targets provides the group with a capability to hit any target in Israel up to the northern Negev.
Brigadier General Seyed Majid Moussavi Lieutenant Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, confirmed last week that the ‘Lebanese and Palestinian resistance groups’ are in possession of Fateh-class missiles which were developed by Iran a few years ago. “Considering the range of their missiles, they are able now to attack all targets from Southern to Northern parts of the occupied territories,” he said.
IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh confirmed Syria’s missile-production plants had been built by Iran. “The missile production plants in Syria have been built by Iran and the missiles designed by Iran are being produced there,” Hajizadeh said, adding that “The Lebanese Hezbollah and the Palestinian resistance have grown highly powerful in this field (missile production) now.”
Deliveries of such missiles has been regarded by Israel as a ‘red line’, triggering preemptive response. In 2013 the Israel Air Force attacked a shipment of similar missiles near the airport in Damascus. In the past year, Israel is said to have attacked six missile-laden convoys, as well as missile storage sites, both in Syria and Lebanon, in a bid to prevent Syria from delivering ballistic missiles, anti-ship and anti-aircraft to Hezbollah.
[ismember]Lebanon’s militant Shiite Hezbollah organization confirmed the Iranian announcement saying it has acquired advanced Iranian missiles with “pinpoint accuracy” that it could use against Israel in any future war. “With the Islamic Republic’s support and Hezbollah’s readiness for any future war, [the next] war will be much tougher for the Israelis,” said Naim Qassem, the deputy head of Hezbollah. Qassem discounted concerns raised by neighbouring Arab regimes, about the risk those missiles could pose to other countries. “Such missile capability supports, firstly, Iran’s government and Revolution, and secondly, serves the resistance in the face of the Israeli enemy and serves the regional governments as well.” Qassem noted.
The timing of Qassem’s interview appeared to be connected to the climax of negotiations between the so-called P5+1 of leading world powers and Iran in Vienna. Israel has warned that it could bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities if the talks fail and Tehran proceeds with its nuclear agenda.
Iran’s considerable military and financial investment in Hezbollah is intended to bolster Iran’s deterrence against a possible attack on its nuclear facilities. According to Iran’s unspoken strategy, If Israel chooses to bomb Iran’s nuclear plants, it must first assess the response of Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon.
The stronger Hezbollah’s military capabilities, the greater the stakes for Israel in launching an attack on Iran. Twenty years ago, Hezbollah’s arsenal of unguided 12-mile range rockets allowed it to pepper parts of northern Israel only. Today, the missiles suspected to be in Hezbollah’s arsenal could slam half a tonne of high-grade explosive into specific targets in Tel Aviv, such as the Israeli defense ministry or Ben Gurion International Airport.[/ismember]
https://defense-update.com/20141124_fatah110.html
Al Mayadeen – November 8, 2024
Putin declares a 'new world order' is emerging
Russian President Vladimir Putin argued that nations worldwide are increasingly focused on asserting their unique identities, values, and aspirations for development.
At the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin described a shifting global landscape and a new world order that he says is evolving away from Western dominance and toward a multipolar, diverse system.
Speaking to an audience of policy experts and international representatives, Putin portrayed Russia as a stabilizing force in this new order, positioned against what he called the "geopolitical greed" of the West.
Putin argued that nations worldwide were increasingly focused on asserting their unique identities, values, and aspirations for development.
"A completely new world order is taking shape before our eyes," he stated, contrasting it with historical systems like the Westphalian and Yalta models. He suggested that as global power dynamics shift, countries are more attuned to their self-worth and more determined to act independently.
The Russian president also raised alarms about the escalating risk of nuclear conflict, saying that no guarantees exist to prevent the use of such weapons, especially as international tensions mount.
He warned that unchecked conflicts could lead to "mutual destruction" as nuclear-capable nations expand and modernize their arsenals. Western calls for a strategic defeat of Russia, he argued, are pushing the world toward "extreme adventurism."
Criticism of NATO and Western policies
Putin reserved strong words for NATO, calling the alliance an "anachronism" and accusing it of undermining global stability. He characterized NATO's eastward expansion as a "creeping intervention" that threatens Russia's sovereignty and claimed the alliance is using Ukraine as a "tool to fight Russia."
According to Putin, NATO's role has been particularly destabilizing since the collapse of the Soviet Union, leading to what he sees as unnecessary conflict and tension in Europe.
Continuing his critique of Western influence, Putin claimed that Europe's political elites were more interested in preserving their power than fostering genuine growth, suggesting that their approach was increasingly out of step with the broader international community.
"The current of world politics…is in the opposite direction to the aspirations of the West," he said, asserting that the global trend is moving away from Western hegemony toward a system of "ascending diversity."
Alliance shifts and the rise of BRICS
Putin pointed to rising interest among some NATO members in cooperation with the BRICS alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, as evidence of this global shift.
He lauded BRICS as a "model of constructive cooperation" that aligns more closely with the goals of a multipolar world order.
Putin suggested that this shift could lead other countries to reevaluate their alliances, hinting at the possibility of closer cooperation between NATO members and BRICS nations.
Uncontrolled migration and economic inequality
The Russian president also addressed the issue of migration, which he framed as a consequence of economic inequality between the "golden billion" of developed nations and the rest of the world.
Putin claimed that the uncontrolled influx of migrants into wealthier nations has fueled xenophobia and social tensions, adding that attempts to weaponize economic policies tend to harm the most vulnerable populations.
Call for dialogue
Despite his criticisms, Putin emphasized that Russia remains open to constructive dialogue with other nations and stated that pressure campaigns against Russia would not succeed.
"It should be clear to everyone: it is useless to put pressure on us, but we are always ready to negotiate," he said, reaffirming Russia's commitment to defending its sovereignty and achieving its goals if challenged.
In a final message, Putin depicted Russia's mission as broader than national interests, positioning it as a defender of universal rights and freedoms. He asserted that Russia was not only fighting for its own security but also for the right of other nations to exist and develop in a fair, balanced global order.
"We are defending universal rights and freedoms," Putin declared, framing Russia's actions as crucial for what he called the "successful development of the world."
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/putin-declares-a--new-world-order--is-emerging
