| 1 |
Following a vote at the UN, Iran has been ejected for the remainder of its term on the international body’s Commission on the Status of Women.
The resolution to bar Iran from the commission, which was brought forward by the United States and co-sponsored by a number of other countries including Israel, passed with 29 votes in favor, 8 against, and 16 abstaining.
This is the first time that a member state has been removed from the Commission on the Status of Women.
The vote to remove Iran was inspired by the ongoing Iranian protest movement against the treatment of women by the Islamic Republic. The protests are a response to the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the Morality Police.
In presenting the resolution, US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated that “The commission is the premier UN body for promoting gender equality and empowering women. It cannot do its important work if it’s being undermined from within. Iran’s membership in this moment is an ugly stain on the commission’s credibility.”
The successful passing of the vote was praised by US and Israeli officials, Jewish organizations and international human rights groups, including the Geneva-based United Nations Watch, which had spearheaded a grassroots campaign to get Iran removed from the UN commission.
VICTORY! ⚡️
By a vote of 29 to 8, with 16 abstentions, the Islamic Republic of Iran was just expelled from the U.N. Women's Rights Commission. First time in United Nations history that any member state was removed from this body. Bravo to all who helped to make this happen! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/LDMBKTPWMO— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) December 14, 2022
| 2 |
The IDF recently announced it had pinpointed the location of a number of Hamas rocket launch sites, all near schools in three different Gaza City neighborhoods. The schools, collectively, have a student population of 1,000 pupils.
This revelation comes two weeks after UNRWA, the UN agency that provides services for Palestinian refugees, announced it had discovered a Hamas terror tunnel being dug underneath one of its schools.
The IDF’s press release stated: “The cynical exploitation of schools proves once again that the terrorist organization consciously chooses to endanger Gazan civilians and use them as ‘human shields’ for the benefit of their terrorist agendas.”
The IDF’s announcement comes as Hamas celebrates 35 years since its founding.
On Wednesday, the terrorist organization held a large anniversary rally in the Gaza Strip, during which various threats were aimed at the Jewish state.
In addition, the personal weapon of Hadar Goldin was displayed, with Hamas representatives claiming that the window of opportunity for the repatriation of Goldin’s body to Israel is narrowing.
Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul are two IDF soldiers who were killed during Operation Protective Edge and whose bodies are being held captive by Hamas. Hamas has asked for the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the bodies of Goldin and Shaul as well as two Israeli citizens who are believed to be alive and are being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
Latest Hamas propaganda published by the militant group shows what is described as Hadar Goldin’s assault rifle. Goldin’s body has been in the custody of Hamas since the 2014 Gaza war. pic.twitter.com/qYwm50aGue
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) December 14, 2022
| 3 |
Turkish authorities recently detained 44 people on suspicion of providing Israel’s spy agency, the Mossad, with information regarding Palestinian expats living in Turkey.
As reported in the Turkish media, the detained people, which include a university professor and members of a private investigators’ association, were allegedly paid by the Mossad to provide information on individual Palestinians as well as Palestinian NGOs in Turkey.
Of the 44 detained people, 7 were arrested and authorities are still searching for 13 more suspects.
Relations between Turkey and Israel, which have been rocky over the past decade, recently saw an improvement, as both countries promised to exchange ambassadors in the near future and Turkish authorities helped the Mossad break up a Turkey-based Iranian terror cell over the summer.
Turkey, however, continues to serve as a safe haven for members of the Hamas terror organization.
| 4 |
The family of Nizar Banat, a Palestinian activist who was killed following his detention by the Palestinian Authority, intends to file a claim with the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing seven PA officials of being responsible for his death.
Banat, a known critic of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, was dragged from his home in June 2021 by members of the PA’s security forces. Less than an hour after his initial detainment, he was dead.
A post-mortem investigation determined that he had been beaten on his head, neck, chest, legs, and hands.
Nizar Banat’s family decided to turn to the international justice system after 14 members of the security forces allegedly involved in his death were released on bail while they await their upcoming military trial.
In a statement to the press earlier this year, Banat’s brother stated: “At that time, we understood that the regime of the Palestinian Authority, the police, the security officers, have more authority than the court, that they were above the court. That is why we have decided to move on to the international arena.”
According to ICC regulations, anyone can submit a complaint to the ICC prosecutor for investigation but the court is not obliged to hear the case.
The family of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat will submit a case Thursday to the International Criminal Court accusing top Palestinian officials over his death in custodyhttps://t.co/4VyfnYMpCD
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) December 15, 2022
Recommended Reading
- Washington Post Sympathy Parade for Palestinians Takes New Angle (Michael Berenhaus, Jewish News Syndicate)
- UN Calling Zakarneh’s Death ‘Shocking’ Shows They Don’t Have a Clue – Editorial
(Jerusalem Post) - In Ukraine, Hanukkah Candles are a Lifeline in the Midst of Power Outages
(Steve Lipman, Jewish Telegraphic Agency) - UN Palestinian Rights Lawyer Slammed for 2014 Remarks on ‘Jewish lobby’
(i24 News) - Poll: 72% of Palestinians Support Forming More Armed Groups in West Bank (Times of Israel)
Featured Image: MusikAnimal
