Eurovision 2024, held in Malmö, Sweden, was marred by controversy over Israel’s participation. Despite the victory of Swiss singer Nemo, Israel’s performance drew significant attention and criticism due to the ongoing conflict with Palestine. While some users condemned Israel’s presence, others defended the country, arguing against discrimination based on identity.
In a significant setback to the United States’ support for Israel during the ongoing Gaza conflict, 143 countries voted in favor of a United Nations resolution that seeks to expand rights for Palestinians. The move sends a clear message that the world stands with the Palestinian people and rejects Israel’s occupation of their lands. On Friday, the UN General Assembly held a vote on the resolution. Nine nations, including the US and Israel, voted against it while 25 abstained. The resolution calls for allowing Palestinians to initiate their own resolutions and fully participate in UN and global gatherings. Palestine has been an observer since 2012 and has been seeking full membership in the UN. Notably, the resolution urged the Security Council to accept Palestine’s full membership, a move the US had previously blocked. This outcome signifies a strain in relations between the US and Israel and a potential shift in US policy towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
In a dramatic display of protest, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, shredded a copy of the UN Charter at the General Assembly over the passage of a resolution supporting full membership for Palestine. India, meanwhile, backed the resolution.
Erdan called the resolution a “clear violation” of the UN Charter, claiming that it undermines the US veto in the Security Council. He shredded the Charter as a symbol of his protest, stating, “This day will go down in infamy… I want to hold up a mirror for you, so you can see exactly what you are inflicting upon the UN Charter with this destructive vote. You are shredding the UN Charter with your own hands.”
The UNGA resolution, passed by a majority of 143 votes, including India, asks the Security Council to grant Palestine, which currently has observer status, full membership. The resolution argues that Palestine meets the requirements for membership under Article 4 of the UN Charter. However, Israel, the US, and several other nations voted against the resolution.
Erdan also criticized the resolution for opening up the UN to “modern day Nazis” and accused Hamas of being a terrorist organization. He presented an image of Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza, as the potential future president of a UN-backed Palestinian state.
India’s support for the resolution contrasts with the US’s opposition. Last month, the US used its veto power to block a similar resolution in the UN Security Council. The Trump administration believes that the issue of Palestinian statehood should be resolved through direct negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
This news article highlights the ongoing tensions and differing perspectives surrounding the issue of Palestinian statehood and the role of international organizations like the UN in resolving it.
On Friday, India supported a UN General Assembly resolution affirming Palestine’s eligibility and recommending its admission as a full member. This move follows the US veto of a similar Security Council resolution in April. The resolution emphasizes Palestine’s compliance with UN Charter requirements and urges the Security Council to reconsider the matter positively. Notably, India has a long history of recognizing Palestine, having established diplomatic relations since 1974.
India’s commitment to a Two-State solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was reiterated by Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj, on Thursday. The solution envisions the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, with security considerations for Israel being taken into account.
Former President Trump has condemned the violence that erupted at anti-Israel protests on college campuses across the nation, calling for the removal of ‘weak and ineffective leadership’ at universities and the immediate cessation of antisemitism. Amidst the chaos, police were forced to intervene in several incidents, including an out-of-control situation at UCLA where pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel counterprotesters clashed violently.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has requested a report from the Karnataka Police regarding allegations of sexual abuse involving Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna within three days. The NCW, in a letter to the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP), condemned the incident and emphasized the need for prompt action to apprehend Revanna, who has fled the country. Revanna was suspended from his party, JD(S), following the allegations, which include the circulation of explicit video clips allegedly involving him and multiple women. Separately, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi asserted that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the current Lok Sabha elections, it will “tear apart” and “throw away” the Indian Constitution. Gandhi highlighted the importance of the Constitution in protecting the rights of marginalized communities. In other news, a Delhi-based doctor expressed her concerns about Uber’s safety measures after experiencing an accident while traveling with the service. She raised concerns about inexperienced drivers and has decided to boycott the company. Additionally, students from the University of Utah joined pro-Palestinian demonstrations, demanding the institution divest from its Israeli connections. The protests have led to the establishment of nearly 20 tent encampments on campus grounds.
The United States has determined that an Israeli military unit engaged in gross human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank before the conflict in Gaza. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the U.S. will postpone a decision on whether to impose sanctions on the unit pending a review of new information provided by Israel. The Israeli government has vehemently opposed any such restrictions, emphasizing that U.S. military assistance for Israel’s defense remains unaffected. The scrutiny centers on a specific Israeli unit, believed to be Netzah Yehuda, which has been linked to abuses against Palestinian civilians, including the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian American in 2022. The U.S. Leahy Law mandates the cessation of military aid to foreign units responsible for severe violations of international law or human rights, but it permits waivers if appropriate reforms are implemented. This incident marks the first potential application of the Leahy Law against Israel, a close ally of the United States.
Pro-Palestinian Columbia students have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the university, alleging discrimination and mistreatment in response to their protests over the Gaza conflict and against the university’s policies toward Palestinian students. The complaint, filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), claims that Columbia has failed to protect Palestinian students from harassment and abuse, and has retaliated against them for their activism.
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani Nobel laureate, has reaffirmed her support for the Palestinians following backlash for her collaboration with Hillary Clinton. Despite facing criticism from social media users who condemned her partnership with Clinton, Yousafzai has expressed her unwavering condemnation of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza.
