Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 707
As the war enters its 707th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Fighting Four people in two villages in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region near the Russian border were killed in Russian shelling, while a woman died in a new assault on the devastated eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, according to local officials. Three people were also reported injured after Russian drones hit Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to local officials. The attack also started a fire and caused damage to apartment blocks and infrastructure. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched a total of 35 attack drones and two guided missiles targeting energy and military infrastructure near the front line and other Ukrainian regions, with air defence systems destroying 15 of the 35 drones. Russia said it brought down 11 drones launched by Ukraine over Crimea, which it occupied and annexed in 2014 in a move that was not recognised internationally. Ukraine’s military said it hit a Russian air defence radar station on the peninsula. Russian news agencies said several alleged Ukraine-launched drones were also shot down over Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga and Tula – all regions in Russia. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency GUR, said he expected Russia’s offensive on the eastern front to fizzle out by early spring. In recent months, Russia has stepped up its attacks in the area, attempting to encircle towns such as Avdiivka. Budanov said they had only achieved “a few advances across some fields”. The Ukrainian government submitted an amended version of its controversial military mobilisation bill to parliament, including a new provision that would allow certain people to serve in the armed forces despite being convicted of a crime. The bill aims to lower the age of conscription to 25 from 27. Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence, said Russia showed “no readiness” to return the bodies of 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war Moscow claims were killed in the crash of a military transport plane last week. Ukraine said it temporarily disrupted communications for military units in a cyberattack that knocked out a server used by Russia’s Defence Ministry. Politics and diplomacy Writing on the website of the journal Foreign Affairs, the director of the United States’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Bill Burns, said Ukraine was likely to face a tough year fighting Russia in 2024, and that a US move to cut off aid to Kyiv would be an “own goal of historic proportions”. A huge assistance package for Ukraine is currently held up in Congress because some Republicans want to link it to changes in US border policies. Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza wrote in a letter to his lawyer that he was in four months of solitary confinement after being transferred to a new Siberian penal colony. In the letter, published by his wife, he said the move was punishment for not standing up when a guard commanded him to “rise”, which he said the authorities had deemed a “malicious violation”. Kara-Murza, a critic of President Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine, was jailed for 25 years last April after being found guilty of treason. Russian investigators charged two 17-year-olds with carrying out sabotage for Ukraine after they set fire to a rail-side equipment box in Moscow. The two have been remanded in custody and face as long as 20 years in prison if found guilty. Weapons Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia had more than doubled production of air defence missiles and aimed to further increase production but that there were “questions” over engine and launcher production that needed to be addressed, Ukraine is expected to receive its first batch of the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), a new long-range precision bomb developed by Boeing, as soon as Wednesday, according to Politico. The new bomb can travel about 145km (90 miles) and will give Ukraine “a deeper strike capability they haven’t had”, a US official told the magazine. Adblock test (Why?)
Malaysia prepares for ‘hands-on’ king as Johor Sultan takes the throne
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The last time a Sultan from the state of Johor was on the throne of Malaysia in the late 1980s, the country was embroiled in a constitutional crisis as then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad sought to clip the wings of the judiciary. Now, as the current Johor Sultan becomes king, Malaysia is facing a corruption crackdown which has ensnared some of the most prominent political personalities of the Mahathir era, speculation of a pardon for disgraced former Prime Minister Najib Razak and continued political manoeuvring as part of a realignment that began in 2018. “It is very likely that at some point, he will be called upon to adjudicate as to which side would have a more solid command of parliament,” Malaysian political analyst Oh Ei Sun told Al Jazeera. “It could happen any time.” Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, 65, will be installed as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, which will be broadcast live on state television. He will serve for five years as part of Malaysia’s unique system of rotational monarchy under which the country’s nine hereditary rulers take turns to be the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, or He Who is Made Lord. While the king is a constitutional monarch who acts as the head of state and commander of the armed forces, the upheaval that followed the historic election in 2018 – when the once-dominant United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) was defeated for the first time since independence – has seen the monarch playing a more prominent role in the country’s politics. The Sultan of Johor after he was chosen as the next king last year. He is with his sister, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, who was Malaysia’s queen until January 30 [Mohd Rasfan/Pool via Reuters] At the time of that defeat, King Muhammad V from the northeastern state of Kelantan, was on the throne, and helped ensure a smooth transfer of power. When the then-49-year-old chose to resign, his successor, King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah from the central state of Pahang, used the monarch’s discretionary powers to name the country’s prime ministers in 2020 and 2021, and after the election in 2022 when no single party won a parliamentary majority. He also agreed to then-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s request for a state of emergency, which suspended parliament in January 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. As Sultan Ibrahim is installed, Malaysia is in a period of relative calm, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the head of a so-called “unity” government that includes his one-time rivals in UMNO as well as representatives from the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak. Still, some politicians continue to jockey for power amid deep cleavages in Malaysian society, while a corruption crackdown has ensnared Daim Zainuddin, the once powerful right-hand man to Mahathir, Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister. There is nervousness too about disgraced former Prime Minister Najib Razak who is nearly 18 months into a 12-year sentence for corruption in relation to the multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB. Speculation has grown that Najib, who has applied for a full pardon, might be released despite multiple ongoing court cases over the scandal. Some say Najib’s release would help address some of the country’s political divisions because he remains popular among some ethnic Malays, who make up more than half the population and have increasingly voted for conservative religious and nationalist parties. But analysts say such a move risks alienating those who want to see reform, and undermining Malaysia’s international reputation. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Zaliha Mustafa said the Pardons Board met at the palace on Monday in the last official engagement for the outgoing king. She did not elaborate on what was discussed. “Wait for an official statement by (the) Pardons Board,” she said, according to the Star, a Malaysian newspaper. ‘Not shy’ Malaysia’s royal houses remain potent symbols of identity for many Malays and Sultans are the guardians of Islam in their own states. Malays in Malaysia are always Muslim. Sultan Ibrahim has previously spoken out against the “Arabisation” of Malay culture and stressed the need for moderation in a country where there are large populations of ethnic Chinese and Indians, most of whom are not Muslim. Independent analyst Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani says once he moves into the palace, the new king “will not be shy” about offering his views to Anwar if he is unhappy. The two men appear to have a close working relationship and share similar concerns, notably over the need to tackle corruption and boost the economy and investment. This month, Singapore and Malaysia reached a preliminary agreement to establish a Singapore-Johor special economic zone and improve connectivity across the border, one of the busiest in the world. “Unlike other state rulers who have been mostly ceremonial, the sultan has always had a hands-on approach to state matters and a working relationship with the chief minister,” Asrul Hadi said referring to the leader of the Johor state government. “He is expecting a similar relationship with the federal government but there will likely be pushback from the administration, especially on policy matters.” Sultan Ibrahim has already triggered controversy in an interview with Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper that was published in December. Under a story headlined “No ‘puppet king’”, the Sultan said there was a need to tackle corruption, for “checks and balances” on the government and to control the “machinations of self-serving politicians” in a swipe at the political manoeuvring that has rocked the country over the past few years. “He will not want to be caught in the games which the politicians are playing,” said Ong Kian Ming, the director of the philosophy, politics and economics programme at Taylor’s University in Kuala Lumpur as well as a former member of parliament and deputy trade minister. “He wants political stability so that a strong economic agenda can be put in place and implemented.” Married with six children, Sultan Ibrahim is one
South Korea beat Saudi Arabia on penalties to reach Asian Cup last eight
South Korea beat Saudi Arabia 4-2 in a penalty shootout to advance to the Asian Cup quarter-finals after a thrilling last-16 tie ended 1-1 in extra time at Education City Stadium in Qatar on Tuesday. After South Korea’s Cho Gue-sung equalised in second-half added time to cancel Abdullah Radif’s opener, Sami Al-Najei and Abdulrahman Ghareeb had their penalties saved to send South Korea through to the last eight, where they will play Australia. In a goalless first half, Saudi Arabia hit the crossbar twice from a corner while Son Heung-min was the only South Korean player to test the keeper with two tame efforts on goal. However, Saudi Arabia took the lead in the first minute after the restart when halftime substitute Abdullah Radif made an instant impact, stealing in behind the defence and finding the far corner of the net from skipper Salem Al-Dawsari’s pass. With Saudi Arabia having one foot in the quarterfinals, South Korea finally breached the Saudi defence in the ninth minute of added time when their pressure paid off and Cho Gue-sung headed home from close range to force extra time. South Korea then converted all their spot kicks to advance. But they will have only two days to recover, with their quarterfinal clash against 2015 champions Australia taking place on Friday. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Frog being boiled’: US troop deaths in Jordan incite Republican Iran hawks
Republican lawmakers in the United States have amplified their calls for President Joe Biden to take decisive action against Iran, after a drone attack killed three US troops along the Jordan-Syria border. But foreign policy experts and advocates fear the political pressure may send the US down an increasingly dangerous path towards direct confrontation with Iran. “I think it’s really scary how far the rhetoric has come and what that means for the decisions that policymakers will make,” said Jamal Abdi, the president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). “It really does feel like the frog being boiled in the water situation,” he said, referring to the allegory of an amphibian unaware it is being cooked in slowly warming water. For his part, Biden has promised the US will “hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner [of] our choosing”. On Tuesday, he told reporters he had decided how to proceed, without providing further information. Speaking to reporters on Monday, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby maintained the US is not seeking direct confrontation with Iran. He also did not link Iran directly to the attack. Nevertheless, Kirby said the US would respond appropriately to the “Iran-backed group” responsible for the deaths. Department of Defense spokesperson Sabrina Singh, meanwhile, told reporters the attack “has the footprints” of the Iran-aligned Kataib Hezbollah group — but that the agency’s assessment remained ongoing. “We don’t seek a war with Iran. We don’t seek to widen this conflict,” Singh said. “We have said and we will continue to call out the fact that Iran does fund and equip these groups and provide them the capabilities that they use to attack our service members, whether it be Iraq, Syria or Jordan.” On Tuesday, Kataib Hezbollah released a statement saying it had suspended its attacks against the US. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder also reiterated the administration’s stance on Tuesday, saying that the US had repeatedly “called on the Iranian proxy groups to stop their attacks. They have not, and so, we will respond in a time and manner of our choosing.” ‘Devastating military retaliation’ US military bases have faced more than 160 attacks since Israel’s war in Gaza began on October 7, but the drone attack on Sunday marked the first time US personnel have been killed. That fact has kicked hawkish members of the Republican Party into overdrive, as they appeal for more direct military action against Iran. Senator Lindsey Graham, for instance, called on the Biden administration to “strike targets of significance inside Iran, not only as reprisal for the killing of our forces but as deterrence against future aggression”. Senator Tom Cotton likewise pushed for “devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East”. Other right-wing figures have also chimed in, including Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, who called for “striking directly against Iranian targets and its leadership”. Stephen Miles, the president of Win Without War, a group that advocates for progressive US foreign policy, described the reaction as the equivalent of a knee-jerk. He quipped that some Republicans call for bombing Iran when they “think they lose their keys”. He considers the latest Republican appeals as adding fuel to an already hazardous situation. The Biden administration, he explained, already pursues a strategy of retaliatory strikes on groups that receive support from Iran in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Houthis in Yemen. That, in turn, could ratchet tensions over the Gaza conflict into a regional war. “I think, a lot of times, people think of these situations as big ‘set piece’ wars where the US makes the decision to intervene, and we pre-position all these troops and all these assets and go to war,” Miles told Al Jazeera. “The far more likely path … is that these kinds of tit-for-tat retaliatory strikes have the potential to really grow far beyond that.” “It doesn’t matter if folks in Washington or Tehran might not want a broader regional war,” he added. “These things can take on take on a life of their own.” Trita Parsi, the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, a think tank, said the Republicans calling for direct retaliation against Iran have fallen into two camps: Some “truly want war”, while others are simply attacking Biden’s perceived vulnerability during an election year. For the latter camp, a hawkish approach can pay dividends regardless of whether Biden acts. “They can push Biden to take military action, which I think they understand is not going to work out well,” he said. “Or Biden will not strike Iran, and then they will attack him for being weak. So they see this as a win-win from a political standpoint.” Looming presidential election The death of US troops has already brought Biden’s Iran policy to the fore of the 2024 presidential race. Republican presidential frontrunner and former President Donald Trump has seized on the moment, saying the attack “would never have happened” if he were in the White House. He has described his approach as “peace through strength”. But critics have pointed out that the Trump administration’s decision to assassinate Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq on January 3, 2020, brought the two countries to the brink of war. Since then, US bases in the Middle East have been regularly targeted, sometimes in explicit retaliation for the assassination. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has also called for “surgical strikes” on Iranian assets and officials outside of Iran. “There is this message being trotted out in an election year that somehow Trump was really tough on Iran, and that was beneficial, and Biden has been weak,” said the National Iranian American Council’s Abdi, whose group has long pushed for diplomatic solutions to the tense relations between the US and Iran. Abdi added that some Republicans have already sought to connect the attack with Biden’s wider Iran policy, which has largely resembled Trump’s, despite pledges to
South Korea’s stunning comeback breaks Saudi Arabian hearts
Saudi Arabia dominated for much of the last 16 Asian Cup clash but it was South Korea who emerged victorious on penalties. Education City Stadium, Qatar – It was a case of so near yet so far for thousands of Saudi Arabia fans, whose team faltered in the penalty shootout in their round-of-16 match against South Korea and were knocked out of the AFC Asian Cup 2023. South Korea booked a quarterfinal date with Australia as their dogged display saw them win 4-2 on penalties after the match ended 1-1 following extra time at the Education City Stadium on Tuesday night. Saudi Arabia dominated the game for much of normal time and enjoyed a 1-0 lead up until the dying moments of stoppage time but ultimately could not withstand the relentless South Korean attacks on their goal. Cho Gue-Sung scored the equalising goal in the ninth minute of added time to the delight of the few hundred South Korean fans among the 42,000 spectators. He later slotted in his team’s third penalty to put them one kick away from a famous comeback win. Hwang Hee-chan made no mistakes from the spot to spark wild celebrations in the Korean camp. South Korea fans at the Education City Stadium [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera] The atmosphere and support were always going to be partisan in favour of the Green Falcons, whose supporters crossed Qatar’s only land border to make their presence felt in the country and the stadium. They sang and danced outside the venue before kickoff and occupied most of the seats inside it when the match was under way. The first half ended goalless but Saudi Arabia showed they were going to take the game to South Korea. There was hardly enough time for fans to settle back into their seats at the resumption of play when Abdullah Radif came off the bench to score for Saudi Arabia. If the Green Falcon’s army of fans were raucous before the goal, Radif brought the house down as he slotted past the South Korean goalkeeper. Saudi Arabia fans raucously cheered on their team [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera] Saudi Arabia maintained the tempo on and off the pitch for the next half hour but then began to run out of steam. South Korea’s substitutes took advantage and kept up the pressure on the Saudi Arabia goal. The ball hardly left the Saudi Arabia half in the last 10 minutes but, backed by their fans’ noise and their goalkeeper’s heroics, the men in green somehow clung onto their slender lead well into stoppage time. Every time a Korean player touched the ball, the boos were so loud they could probably be heard all the way back in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia fans, some of whom had already bought tickets for their team’s likely quarterfinal and semifinal, were not in the mood to return home yet. But as soon as Cho’s strike hit the back of Saudi Arabia’s net, the supporters fell silent and sunk into their seats. It was as if they knew their best chance had fallen through their hands. “Our team often dominates games but then let it all slip because they run out of steam towards the end,” Saudi Arabia fan Faisal Al Muatiri told Al Jazeera after the match. “It is becoming an increasingly familiar sight for us and the new coach needs to do something about it,” he said referring to Roberto Mancini. Hyun-Seok Hong runs with the ball [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera] Both teams created chances in extra time and Saudi Arabia came very close to sealing the win with a dramatic goal in front of their supporters in the second half of extra time but it was not to be. South Korean fans grew in confidence once the match went to penalties. “Our team has the experience and confidence of making strong comebacks,” South Korea fan Darren Lim said after the win. She then paused to wave and say “goodnight” to the heartbroken Saudi Arabia supporters making their way out. The Green Flacons will rue their inability to hold onto their lead as they fly back home. And the Taegeuk Warriors live to fight another day, on Friday against the Socceroos. Son Heung-min celebrates South Korea’s win [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera] Adblock test (Why?)
Iran summons British ambassador as tensions soar
The UK has accused Iran-backed groups of attacking a US base in Jordan, and imposed sanctions on a network linked to Iran. Iran summoned the British ambassador to Tehran to protest against the “baseless accusations” and sanctions by London. “Following the continuation of the British regime’s accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Simon Shercliff, the British ambassador in Tehran, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs … and was informed of our country’s strong protest”, the IRNA state news agency said on Tuesday. While the statement did not explain the accusation against the United Kingdom, it said the director general of Western Europe at the Iranian foreign ministry, Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, criticised the British government and said its actions were another “destructive and unconstructive” act towards Iran. “This is a bitter historical irony that a country that is the founder and supporter of organised terrorist groups, drug trafficking, and criminal gangs wants to make accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its loyal and honest forces, who are at the forefront of fighting organised crimes,” the official, cited by IRNA, said. The summons came after the UK announced sanctions on Iranian officials it said were involved in threats to kill journalists on British soil and others it said were part of international criminal gangs linked to Tehran. The UK has also accused Iranian-linked groups of being behind a deadly attack on US troops in Jordan. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron condemned the “attacks by Iran-aligned militia groups against US forces” and urged “Iran to de-escalate in the region”. However, Iran denied the accusation that it had any links to the Jordan strike that killed three US personnel and that it was not looking for an “expansion” of the tensions in the Middle East. “As we have clearly stated before, the resistance groups in the region are responding [to] the war crimes and genocide of the child-killing Zionist [Israeli] regime and … they do not take orders from the Islamic Republic of Iran”, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nasser Kanaani was cited as saying by IRNA on Monday. “These groups decide and act based on their own principles and priorities, as well as the interests of their country and people.” US President Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he had made a decision on responding to the attacks in Jordan and said he holds Iran “responsible, in the sense that they’re supplying the weapons to the people who did it”. Adblock test (Why?)
Northern Ireland agreement could end deadlock, restore government
Northern Ireland’s largest British unionist party has agreed to end a boycott that left the region’s people without a power-sharing administration for two years and rattled the foundations of a 25-year-old peace treaty. The breakthrough could see the shuttered Belfast government restored within days – with Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein holding the post of first minister for the first time. After a marathon late-night meeting, Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson said on Tuesday that the party’s executive branch had backed proposals to return to the government. He said agreements reached with the United Kingdom’s government in London “provide a basis for our party to nominate members to the Northern Ireland Executive, thus seeing the restoration of the locally elected institutions”. “The result was clear. The DUP has been decisive. I have been mandated to move forward,” Donaldson told reporters. The breakthrough after months of inconclusive negotiations came after the UK government last week gave Northern Ireland politicians until February 8 to restore the Northern Ireland Assembly and the local government or face new elections. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called it a “positive step” towards restoring the institutions and “delivering for the people of Northern Ireland,” his spokesman said. Sunak’s Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris told reporters that “all the conditions are now in place for the assembly to return”, with little opposition expected in Westminster. The deal contained “significant changes … to make sure our internal market works properly”, he added, saying he did not believe it would require renegotiations with the European Union. Reporting from Belfast, Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett said that while the deal had not been finalised, it was a major step towards the power-sharing executive at Stormont, the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly. An approved deal would allow the DUP and the nationalist pro-Irish Sinn Fein to elect a speaker for the Assembly as early as next week. It would also see Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill become first minister – the first time a nationalist has held the post after her party overtook the DUP in the last Assembly election in May 2022. Mary Lou McDonald, leader of Sinn Fein, said that was of “very great significance” and she was optimistic the Assembly would be back up and running before the February deadline. [embedded content] A key plank of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended three decades of sectarian violence over British rule in Northern Ireland, was to keep an open border with EU member the Republic of Ireland. But after the UK decided to leave the EU and its borderless trading bloc after decades of membership, Northern Ireland began experiencing a political deadlock. The DUP quit the government in opposition to new trade rules put in place after the UK left the EU in 2020 that imposed customs checks and other hurdles on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. The checks were established to maintain an open border between the north and the Republic of Ireland to the south. The DUP, though, says the new east-west customs border undermines Northern Ireland’s place in the UK. In February 2023, the UK and the EU agreed on a deal to ease customs checks and other hurdles for goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. But it was not enough for the DUP, which continued its government boycott. The two-year hiatus also put pressure on stretched public services and led to a budget deadlock with London. That triggered the biggest public sector strike in a generation this month after Northern Irish workers failed to receive pay increases given to others across the UK. Steve Baker, a junior Northern Ireland minister, tried to pre-empt concerns that the changes might require the UK again to follow some EU regulations – which would infuriate advocates of Brexit. “There are no commitments of any kind … to align GB (Great Britain) with EU law; prevent GB from diverging from any retained EU law; or increase alignment in Northern Ireland beyond the strictly limited scope parliament has approved,” he said on the social media platform X. The Republic of Ireland’s prime minister, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, said his government and the European Commission still had to see the final deal to be confident it did not have any negative consequences for last year’s reworked post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland or the Good Friday Agreement. But following a “good” phone call with his British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, Varadkar told Ireland’s parliament that he hoped a new government would be formed by February 8. Adblock test (Why?)
Remains of dozens of Palestinians released for burial by Israel
NewsFeed A mass burial was held in Rafah for dozens of Palestinians whose remains were returned to Gaza by Israel. Although relatives of missing family arrived at the grave site, a proper burial was not possible for the dead as their bodies cannot be identified. Published On 30 Jan 202430 Jan 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
‘Strategic interests’, lobby power: What influences Biden’s Israel support?
This is the second instalment in a two-part series about how the administration of President Joe Biden developed its unequivocal support for Israel. To read part one, click here. Washington, DC – “It’s the price of waging a war.” Those were Joe Biden’s words in late October, when the United States president was asked about civilian casualties in war-stricken Gaza. Thousands of Palestinians had already been killed in Israel’s bombardment of the besieged enclave and United Nations officials were urging an immediate ceasefire amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. Yet, instead of calling on Israel to show more restraint, Biden – a committed supporter of Israel – instead cast doubt on the Gaza death toll. “I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed,” he said on October 25. The exchange was just one of many episodes since the war began on October 7 that observers say laid bare an unparalleled level of US diplomatic and military support for Israel. The two countries have enjoyed strong ties for decades under both Democratic and Republican presidents, and the US sends Israel at least $3.8bn in military aid each year. But anger over US foreign policy has reached a peak amid the Gaza war as the Biden administration pushes for increased arms sales and aid to Israel, despite serious human rights concerns over its military campaign. More than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, with UN experts warning of the potential for famine and genocide. A Palestinian man stands in front of a building destroyed during Israeli bombardment around the city of Rafah in southern Gaza [AFP] So what explains Biden’s current stance? Al Jazeera interviewed more than a dozen experts, rights advocates and former US officials about the many factors that underpin Biden’s present-day actions and his “unwavering” backing of Israel. “I don’t think there is a short answer to the question, ‘Why does Israel continue to enjoy exceptionalism in US foreign policy?’” said Raed Jarrar, the advocacy director at Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), a think tank in Washington, DC. “There is an all-of-the-above kind of answer.” In this second instalment of a two-part series, we examine how history, domestic politics and US strategy in the Middle East influence the Biden administration’s policies. In part one, we explore Biden’s personal and professional ties to Israel and how his Gaza war policy could affect his political future. “It is very deeply entrenched,” Jarrar said of US-Israel ties. Israel, he said, has fundamentally built “a very well-oiled machine” – one that can withstand domestic and international pressure even amid the bloodshed in Gaza. Adblock test (Why?)
Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinians inside occupied West Bank hospital
NewsFeed Here’s what we know about the Israeli undercover raid at a hospital in the occupied West Bank, where three Palestinians were shot dead. Published On 30 Jan 202430 Jan 2024 Adblock test (Why?)