Netanyahu repeats Rafah assault threat, says civilians won’t be ‘locked in’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not leave civilians trapped in Rafah when its forces begin a long-feared assault on the southern Gaza city where more than a million Palestinians have taken shelter. “Our goal in eliminating the remaining terrorist battalions in Rafah goes hand in hand with enabling the civilian population to leave Rafah. It’s not something we will do while keeping the population locked in place. In fact, we’ll do the very opposite, we will enable them to leave,” Netanyahu said during a press statement in Jerusalem with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The German leader said an Israeli assault on Rafah – where a majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have sought refuge from relentless Israeli bombardment – would make regional peace “very difficult”. Netanyahu’s statement came hours after he told a cabinet meeting that Israeli troops would pursue the planned ground offensive in Rafah despite fears of mass civilian casualties. “No amount of international pressure will stop us from realising all the goals of the war: eliminating Hamas, releasing all our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat against Israel,” Netanyahu said in a video released by his office. “To do this, we will also operate in Rafah.” Netanyahu’s comments came as talks were expected to resume in Qatar towards a truce in Gaza, where Israel has pursued a military campaign against Hamas for more than five months. ‘Threat looming in the horizon’ Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Rafah, said the Palestinians are “closely following” Netanyahu repeatedly saying he plans to invade “this very densely populated area”. “From the Palestinian perspective, under such threat looming in the horizon, they are completely feeling unsafe, wondering about the next destination,” he said. US President Joe Biden, whose continued support for Israel’s war despite widespread allegations of genocide, has said an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a “red line” without credible civilian protection plans in place. On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington wanted a “clear and implementable plan” for Rafah to ensure civilians are “out of harm’s way”. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also on Friday appealed to Israel “in the name of humanity” not to launch an assault on Rafah – the last major population centre in Gaza yet to face a ground assault in the war triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack in southern Israel. The attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, as Hamas took about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages. Israel believes about 130 of those remain in Gaza, including 32 presumed dead. Since October 7, Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and displaced nearly 2 million of its residents. Elections would ‘paralyse’ Israel Netanyahu said any Gaza peace deal that weakens Israel and leaves it unable to defend itself against hostile neighbours would be unacceptable. A potential peace agreement “that makes Israel so weak and unable to defend itself” would “set peace backwards and not forward”, he said during his joint press appearance with Scholz. Netanyahu also criticised “those in the international community who are trying to stop the war now” by “making false accusations” against Israel and its military. Israel has faced consistent criticism for civilian casualties in Gaza as well as stark aid shortages that have fueled fears of famine. On Thursday, US Senate leader Chuck Schumer called for Israel to hold new elections, sparking angry pushback from Netanyahu’s Likud Party, which said Israel “is not a banana republic”. Netanyahu said new elections would “stop the war and paralyse the country for at least six months”. “If we stop the war now, before all of its goals are achieved, it means that Israel has lost the war, and we will not allow that.” Meanwhile, there has been no let-up in the fighting, and at least 92 people were killed over the previous 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry said on Sunday. The dead included 12 members of the same family whose house was hit in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza. Palestinian girl Leen Thabit, retrieving a white dress from under the rubble of her family’s flattened house, cried as she said her cousin was killed in the strike. “She’s dead. Only her dress is left,” Thabit said. “What do they want from us?” Adblock test (Why?)
EU announces $8bn package for Egypt as part of deal to check migrant flows
The agreement, which lifts the EU’s relationship with Egypt to a ‘strategic partnership’, has drawn criticism from rights groups. The European Union has announced a 7.4 billion-euro ($8.06bn) aid package and an upgraded relationship with Egypt, part of a new deal to stem migrant flows to Europe that has been criticised by rights groups. The deal is scheduled to be signed during a visit on Sunday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and leaders of Belgium, Italy, Austria, Cyprus and Greece, according to officials. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met separately with von der Leyen and other European leaders before the signing ceremony. The aid package includes both grants and loans over the next three years, with the EU saying it is upgrading its relationship with the Arab world’s most populous country to a “strategic partnership”. The proposed funding includes 5 billion euros ($5.45bn) in concessional loans and 1.8 billion euros ($1.96bn) of investments, according to a summary of the plan published by the EU. An additional 600 million euros ($654m) would be provided in grants, including 200 million euros ($218m) for managing migration issues. El-Sisi’s office said in a statement that the deal with the EU aims to achieve “a significant leap in cooperation and coordination between the two sides and to achieve common interests”. Egypt’s economic uncertainty has pushed many to migrate from the Arab nation, with Europe interested in curbing migration from Egypt and elsewhere in North Africa. But European governments are worried about the fallout from growing instability in Egypt, which has been struggling to raise foreign currency and has inflation running close to record highs. Earlier this month, however, the country struck a record deal for Emirati investment, expanded its loan programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and sharply devalued its currency. ‘Flawed blueprint’ The deal comes amid growing concerns that Israel’s looming ground offensive on Gaza’s southernmost town of Rafah could force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to break into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. The Israeli war on Gaza, now in its sixth month, has pushed more than a million people to Rafah. Egypt says there are nine million migrants, including about 480,000 who are registered refugees and asylum seekers with the United Nations’ refugee agency. Many of those migrants have established their own businesses, while others work in the huge informal economy as street vendors and house cleaners. But Egyptian officials say Cairo deserves recognition for largely shutting off irregular migration from its north coast since 2016 although there has been a surge in Egyptians trying to cross to Europe via Libya, and the EU is already providing support aimed at reducing those flows. In recent months, the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos have seen a steep rise in migrant arrivals – mostly from Egypt, Bangladesh and Pakistan – raising concerns about a new Mediterranean smuggling route. Activists have criticised Western backing for el-Sisi, who came to power a decade ago after leading the overthrow of Egypt’s first democratically elected leader. A crackdown has swept up dissidents from across the political spectrum, while the state and the army have extended their grip on the economy, which businessmen and analysts say has impeded structural reforms demanded by the IMF. El-Sisi’s backers say security measures were needed to stabilise Egypt and pave the way for providing social rights such as housing and jobs. The EU says its expanded partnership with Egypt is meant to promote democracy and freedoms, but its moves to offer financing in return for migration curbs have run up against obstacles and criticism. “The blueprint is the same as the flawed EU deals with Tunisia and Mauritania: stop migrants, ignore abuses,” Human Rights Watch said of the plan to enhance ties with Egypt and provide new financing. Amnesty International also urged the European leaders not to be complicit with rights violations taking place in Egypt. “EU leaders must ensure that the Egyptian authorities adopt clear benchmarks for human rights,” said Eve Geddie, the head of Amnesty International’s European institutions office. Adblock test (Why?)
Speaker Johnson tells Republicans campaigning against each other in primaries to ‘cool it’: report
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is telling Republicans who are going after sitting GOP lawmakers in contentious primaries to “knock it off,” in order to tamp down on divisions within the party, according to a report. Johnson, R-La., attended the House Republicans’ annual member retreat at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, last week to unify the often-fractious conference as at least four sitting Republicans in South Carolina, Illinois, Texas and Virginia are going to battle against Republican challengers. “I’ve asked them all to cool it,” Johnson told CNN during the retreat. “I am vehemently opposed to member-on-member action in primaries because it’s not productive. And it causes division for obvious reasons, and we should not be engaging in that.” Johnson is trying to figure out how to guide his razor-thin majority through a series of legislative hurdles that divide Republicans, including how to provide military aid for Ukraine, finish government funding and reauthorize a federal surveillance program – all while trying to make a case that voters should re-elect a GOP House majority. SPEAKER JOHNSON AIMS TO STAY LEADER OF HOUSE GOP IN 2025, VOWS ‘VERY AGGRESSIVE FIRST 100 DAYS’ “So I’m telling everyone who’s doing that to knock it off,” Johnson told the outlet, referring to challenging incumbents within the GOP. “And both sides, they’ll say, ‘Well, we didn’t start it, they started it.’” Johnson took the speaker’s gavel late last year after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from office in a historic move that left Republicans deeply divided and mired in dysfunction. HOUSE SPEAKER JOHNSON SAYS WHITE HOUSE DOESN’T ‘CALL THE SHOTS’ ON WHEN IMPEACHMENT IS OVER Johnson told Fox News Digital last week that he is aiming to stay at the helm of the House GOP next year regardless of whether they keep the House majority. “I have not given a lot of thought about the next Congress, because I’m so busy with my responsibility right now,” Johnson said. “My intention is to stay as speaker, stay in leadership, because we’re laying a lot of important groundwork right now for the big work that we’ll be doing.” Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
‘The soul of the King in the EVM’: Rahul Gandhi’s sharp attack on PM Modi
Rahul Gandhi concludes Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at Shivaji Park alongside prominent leaders of the INDIA bloc, taking a dig at PM Modi in the process.
President Biden’s mysterious new shoes provide ‘maximum stability’: report
President Biden’s newest shoes have opened up renewed debate about his health and physical condition, with some speculating they were designed to prevent the president from falling. “Biden’s handlers are forcing him to wear a new pair of ‘lifestyle sneakers’ because he trips so much,” read a tweet from RNC Research Saturday, referring to Biden’s new shoes. Observers have likened the shoes to “boat anchors” and “piers,” but the “Inside Edition” report attached to the tweet revealed that the president’s new shoes are actually “lifestyle sneakers” that are made by the shoe brand Hoka. SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS OVER BIDEN STUMBLING UP AIR FORCE ONE STEPS AGAIN: ‘VIGOR ON DISPLAY’ The “Inside Edition” report notes that the shoes are “designed for maximum comfort and support while walking or hiking.” Biden’s specific shoe is called the “Hoka Transport,” the report said, a shoe that has a “wide sole” that is “no doubt great for stability.” The report notes that the president “does have a history of stumbling” but that the shoe is “quite comfortable” and feels like “walking on air.” “The shoe bears the seal of approval from the American Podiatric Association for being beneficial to foot health,” the report said, noting Biden’s physical last month revealed that the president suffers from sensory peripheral neuropathy in his feet. MEDIA FUME OVER SCATHING REPORT THAT FUELED QUESTIONS ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL ACUITY: ‘THIS IS AGEISM’ “Peripheral neuropathy refers to damage to nerves,” Dr. Gabrelle Laurenti, a podiatrist interviewed for the report, said. “Whether it’s from trauma or a disease, there’s some kind of damage to nerves.” Biden has had multiple public stumbles, falls and near misses as president, the most recent example coming while he climbed the stairs to board Air Force One last month. In that incident, the president was able to catch himself on the handrail before continuing his climb. That stumble came after a number of near misses on Air Force One stairs in 2021 prompted the White House team to employ shorter stairs that would allow the president to climb them more easily, while a New York Times report from February noted that the Secret Service now positions an agent at the bottom of the stairs when Biden disembarks the plane. Biden has also taken falls when not climbing stairs, including an infamous trip while on stage during the 2023 Air Force Academy commencement event. The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Kirby dodges answering point-blank if Biden believes Netanyahu impedes peace: ‘Known each other a long time’
White House national security communications adviser John Kirby brushed off questioning Sunday regarding whether President Biden believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an “impediment to peace,” saying the two world leaders have “known each other a long time” and have an open line of communication. “Does the president think that Benjamin Netanyahu is a bigot? That he’s an impediment to peace? That he should be lumped in with Hamas?” Fox News’ Shannon Bream asked Kirby on “Fox News Sunday.“ Kirby did not explicitly answer, instead highlighting that the two world leaders have long known each other and that the U.S. respects Israel’s sovereignty. “These are two men, leaders that have known each other a long time, Shannon, and they don’t agree on everything – haven’t over 40 years. And there are certain aspects to the prosecution of operations in Gaza, where we obviously don’t agree with everything that Israel has done. But they have a relationship where they can talk to one another, and they do, and they will again. He is the prime minister of Israel. We respect the sovereignty of the Israeli people,” he responded. WHITE HOUSE REPEATEDLY DODGES ON IF BIDEN THINKS NETANYAHU IS AN ‘OBSTACLE FOR PEACE:’ ‘NOT ANSWERED 3 TIMES’ The question comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is Jewish, delivered a speech last week calling for Netanyahu’s ouster and labeling him an “obstacle to peace” as war rages in Israel and Gaza since October. Along with Netanyahu, Schumer added that “Hamas and the Palestinians who support and tolerate their evil ways; the radical right-wing Israelis in government and society; [and] Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas” are the other obstacles preventing peace. SCHUMER CALLS FOR NEW ISRAELI LEADER TO REPLACE NETANYAHU IN SENATE FLOOR SPEECH Biden later described Schumer’s remarks as a “good speech.” “He made a good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans,” Biden said Friday. Bream pressed Kirby on whether Biden agrees with Schumer that there needs to be an election in Israel and that Netanyahu should no longer serve as prime minister. “The president believes it’s up to the Israeli people and the Israeli government to determine if and when there’s going to be new elections. But he does, as he said shortly after Leader Schumer’s very passionate speech, he recognizes that the leader was speaking for a lot of Americans who feel the same way about the way the war is going. We also have concerns about some of the operations and how they’re being conducted. We need to make sure that civilians are protected and secure, that civilian casualties come down, that more trucks and assistance get in and, of course, we’re still working on that temporary cease-fire to get all those hostages out,” Kirby responded. SCHUMER SPEECH ON ISRAEL SLAMMED BY REPUBLICANS, EXPERTS AS ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ AND ‘RIDICULOUS’ Kirby’s remarks follow another interview last week on MSNBC, where host Andrea Mitchell repeatedly asked the White House official if Biden believes Netanyahu is an “obstacle to peace.” Kirby dodged the question three times, which Mitchell pointed out on air before moving on with the interview. “The president knows that the Israeli people get to determine who their elected government representatives are. That’s what democracy is all about, and he respects that,” Kirby responded after one of Mitchell’s questions regarding if Netanyahu is an “obstacle to peace.” “And he has been nothing but candid and forthright with the prime minister about ways in which we think things can be done differently, things can be done better, things can be done a little bit more stridently to get more assistance into the people of Gaza to and to reduce the number of civilian casualties. I mean, my goodness, these are two guys that have no problem being honest with one another, and I can assure you that the president has done that.” SCHUMER’S ANTI-NETANYAHU SPEECH STRENGTHENS BIBI IN ISRAEL’S WAR TO DEFEAT HAMAS “Let me just say that answer – that question was not answered three times. That’s all right. That was your answer,” Mitchell ultimately said. NETANYAHU APPROVES RAFAH GROUND INVASION, DESPITE BIDEN OPPOSITION Netanyahu responded to Schumer’s speech this weekend, calling it “inappropriate” and detailing that a potential election is up to Israel and its voters. “I think what he said is totally inappropriate. It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there,” Netanyahu said in a CNN interview.
Gujarat University: Two arrested, 25 booked for attack on foreign students
Two students – one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan – were hospitalised after the incident which took place in the A-block hostel on Saturday night.
Biden campaign slams Trump over ‘political violence’ for warning of ‘bloodbath’ when discussing auto industry
The Biden-Harris campaign accused former President Trump of threatening “political violence” after Trump, while speaking about the auto industry at a rally in Ohio, suggested there will be a “bloodbath” if he doesn’t win the upcoming election in November. Trump made the remark during a campaign event near Dayton on Saturday as he was talking about China and how “they think that they are going to sell” cars manufactured in Mexico to the U.S. “with no tax at the border.” “Let me tell you something. To China, if you are listening President Xi, and you and I are friends, but he understands the way I deal. Those big, monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now, and you think you’re going to get that, you’re going to not hire Americans and you’re going to sell the cars to us. Now, we’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line,” Trump said. “And you’re not going to be able to sell those cars, if I get elected,” Trump continued. “Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole, that’s going to be the least of it, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country, that’ll be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars.” OHIO REPUBLICAN US SENATE CANDIDATE BERNIE MORENO HAS SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR GOP MEMBERS WHO ‘DON’T LIKE’ TRUMP The Biden-Harris campaign later released a statement slamming Trump for his words, accusing him of speaking about actual violence, rather than economic consequences. “This is who Donald Trump is: a loser who gets beat by over 7 million votes and then instead of appealing to a wider mainstream audience doubles down on his threats of political violence,” it said. “He wants another January 6, but the American people are going to give him another electoral defeat this November because they continue to reject his extremism, his affection for violence, and his thirst for revenge.” TRUMP REVEALS ‘VERY FIRST ACTIONS’ HE’LL TAKE AS PRESIDENT DURING OHIO RALLY, HAMMERS BIDEN’S BORDER POLICIES Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller, addressing Trump’s “bloodbath” statement on X, clarified that it was “[f]or the auto industry[.]” “Crooked Joe Biden’s Insane EV Mandate will slaughter the American auto industry,” Miller added. “So many jobs killed! That’s why we have to elect President Trump.” Trump on Saturday urged voters to support Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, an Ohio businessman who is running to help Republicans win a crucial seat and potentially flip the majority in the chamber. In his remarks, Trump also railed against Biden and his border policies, calling him “a great threat to our democracy” and the “worst president in U.S. history.” Fox News Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
Aid reaches north Gaza for first time in months
NewsFeed For the first time in months, a trickle of aid has arrived in northern Gaza. 13 trucks drove from the Rafah border crossing in the south to deliver desperately needed flour, a day after the first sea delivery was unloaded. Published On 17 Mar 202417 Mar 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
‘He’s lost my vote’: Many Irish Americans turn against Biden over Gaza war
One evening in 2004, when John Francis Mulligan, a US-born Irish citizen, was in the West Bank, a stranger asked him to walk her to a funeral. It was after curfew in Nablus, and Palestinians weren’t allowed out on the streets. A young man had been killed earlier that day, and because of religious beliefs, his family needed to bury him within 24 hours, Mulligan recalls. But if they went outside, the Israel armed forces “would open fire on them for violating curfew”. The dead man’s mother asked Mulligan: “Can you march with us? Can you stand at the front with our family? Because they’re not gonna shoot you, you’re white … I just need someone, literally, to stand with me.’” This moment – the struggle to bury the dead in peace – hit home for Mulligan, 54, who went to primary school in Northern Ireland during the Troubles in the late 1970s. “It felt, to me, very much like going into political funerals in the north of Ireland, where helicopters would be overhead – in that case, it was the British Army. And here it was the Israeli army,” he says. “It really resonated.” Mulligan points to these parallels as part of the reason he is rallying with other Irish Americans in the US to support Gaza. Leaders from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are meeting Biden this weekend. First Minister Michelle O’Neill met Biden on Friday, telling him “the world watches on in horror at the genocide of the Palestinian people,” and urging him to work towards an immediate ceasefire and sovereign Palestinian state. But only Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar will attend the St Patrick’s Day White House ceremony on March 17, where he will present President Biden with a bowl of shamrocks, in a token of friendship, as per the decades-long tradition. But the annual ceremony and meeting between the taoiseach and Biden promises to be unusually tense this year, as a growing chorus of voters – both within Ireland, and among the Irish American diaspora – voice outrage over Biden’s support for the war on Gaza. “I can recognise colonial oppression, colonial state violence,” because of a childhood in Ireland, says Mulligan. Now, in Palestine, “they’re dehumanising people. They’re criminalising resistance, criminalising the complete population,” and using “starvation as a tactic” as the British did in Ireland during the Great Famine. “It’s the same exact playbook happening in Palestine.” John Francis Mulligan says that after spending his formative years in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, ‘the starvation of Gaza, the blocking of aid – it’s something I really recognise’ [Courtesy of John Mulligan] A ‘jaw-dropping’ network forms Cuán McCann, an Irish stick fighting coach in Baltimore whose family emigrated through Ellis Island, New York, generations ago, says he’s been stunned by how rapidly a network of Irish Americans has connected around support for Palestine. “Some folks are in touch with organisers in Ireland, others are chatting through social media, many are talking to friends and siblings,” explains McCann, who has almost 20 years of experience organising for advocacy and protests. He calls the rapid and organic nature of the network-building “jaw-dropping”, adding that “every time I have a conversation, it leads to three more with three other people.” Ireland has long been one of Palestine’s foremost Western supporters: The country was the first EU member to endorse a Palestinian state, and after October 7, Irish lawmakers were among the first in the West to call for a ceasefire. The Irish public’s support is even more robust than their politicians: About 80 percent of Irish people believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and many have called for a boycott of the White House meeting. In light of this fierce support, an Israeli minister recently told Palestinians to “go to Ireland or the desert”. And so as Biden continues to support Israel’s military campaign, the Irish public has largely turned on him. In November, a mural of Biden in his ancestor’s hometown was spattered over with red paint along with the words “Genocide Joe”. Irish Member of European Parliament (MEP) Clare Daly addressed recent remarks directly to “Butcher Biden” in a fiery speech, thundering, “The ancestors of the Ireland that you claim to be from disown you. Keep our country out of your mouth.” Now, Alison O’Connell, a lead organiser with Irish Americans for Palestine, says her group has a chance to be effective “because Biden talks so much about his Irish heritage”. Last week, O’Connell delivered a letter in person to the Irish embassy, asking them not to meet Biden as usual. “The energy that comes up to St Patrick’s Day – people know this is our moment to at least make some kind of statement,” O’Connell adds. This week, protests against the White House meeting are planned in at least seven states and in multiple cities, including New York, St Louis, Washington-DC, Minneapolis and Albuquerque. Alison O’Connell, lead organiser with Irish Americans for Palestine, protests for Palestine during the St Patrick’s Day March in Washington, DC [Courtesy of Alison O’Connell] Trouble at the polls On March 3, Mike Doyle, a teacher in Brooklyn who is fourth-generation Irish, marched in the “St Pat’s for All Parade” in Queens, New York, a long-running alternative to the official New York City parade, the oldest and largest St Patrick’s Parade in the world. Some groups hoisted signs and banners for a ceasefire in Gaza, and Doyle recalls that as they walked through the historically Irish neighbourhood of Sunnyside neighbourhood, “pretty much the whole street was cheering for us and shouting, ‘Ceasefire’!” As the election approaches, Irish Americans who object to Biden’s support of Israel have said the plan is to make their voices heard not only at protests, but also at the polls. McCann voted for Biden in 2020, but says he will vote for “uncommitted” in Maryland’s primary, a vote held in May to choose the state’s Democratic presidential candidate. O’Connell notes that her