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India hits Pakistan with ballistic missiles, Islamabad vows response

Press TV – May 6, 2025

India reports attacking nine sites in Pakistan and the Pakistan-administered Kashmir amid rising tensions between the countries following a terrorist attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir.

The Indian ministry of defense announced the strikes in a statement on Wednesday, saying they had hit the targets “from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” describing the attacks as “Operation Sindoor.”

The statement said the ministry would release detailed briefing of the operation later in the day.

A Pakistani military spokesman told broadcaster Geo that sites struck by India included two mosques.

Both sides’ armies, meanwhile, reportedly exchanged heavy shelling and gunfire across the border between the Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the Indian-administered Kashmir in at least three places.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was mounting a response, but did not provide details.

Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, reported a blackout, while the eastern Pakistani border province of Punjab declared an emergency and put hospitals and emergency services on high alert.

Pakistan reports casualties

Pakistan said India had launched missiles towards three Pakistani regions, although New Delhi is yet to identify the nature of the deployed ammunition.

Islamabad also said at least three people had been killed and 12 others injured, according to an initial assessment.

The Pakistani military’s Inter-Services Public Relations said one of the fatalities was a child.

Sharif also condemned India’s attacks, and vowed that Islamabad would respond forcefully.

“The enemy has once again shown its deceitful nature,” he said, according to Geo.

The country had, on several occasions, announced recently that it had “credible information” pointing to pending Indian attacks, and vowed to retaliate accordingly.

India: Attacks were ‘surgical but non-escalatory’

The Indian ministry described the operations as “precision strikes at terrorist camps” and “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

It, however, said, “Our actions have been focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature.”

“No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.”

Pakistan: Targets were ‘civilian’

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, however, told Geo that all sites targeted by India were “civilian” and not terrorist camps.

He said India had fired missiles from its own airspace and the latter’s assertion of targeting “camps of terrorists is false.”

The developments follow the terror attack in the town of Pahalgam in the Indian-administered Kashmir that claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists on April 22, 2025.

The Indian defense ministry statement asserted that Operation Sindoor had come in the wake of the “barbaric” Pahalgam terrorist attack, identifying the fatalities as 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen.

“We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable.”

Pakistan has rejected any role. Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had most recently rejected, what he called, India’s narrative regarding ongoing issues, and said that New Delhi was facing “diplomatic embarrassment on the global stage.”

Conflict over water

After the terrorist indecent, both countries began taking tit-for-tat measures.

India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a water-sharing agreement mediated by the World Bank and signed in 1960, and closed the Wagah-Attari border crossing.

​On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said water from the country that once flowed across borders would be stopped.

“India’s water used to go outside, now it will flow for India,” he said in a speech in New Delhi, adding, “India’s water will be stopped for India’s interests, and it will be utilized for India.”

Pakistan has described India’s measures as tampering with its rivers that would be considered “an act of war.”

For its part, Islamabad has suspended visas issued to Indian nationals, closed its airspace to Indian airlines, and test-fired several long-range missiles.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Militarism | , | 1 Comment

WHO Pandemic Agreement ⏤ WHO is really in charge?

By  Dr Lisa Hutchinson | Health Advisory & Recovery Team | May 6, 2025 

On 15 April 2025, as we approached Easter, the not so joyous news broke that member states have now reached an agreement on the WHO Pandemic Agreement or Treaty, with negotiations expected to be formalized in May (17-26) when each member state can then decide whether or not to sign the agreement. Notably, this Treaty has gone ahead without the inclusion of countries such as Argentina and also the United States. It is now well known that President Trump signed an Executive Order to pull the USA out of the agreement owing to the ‘mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic’ and concerns of China’s ‘inappropriate political influence’. Moreover, federal health officials are also prevented from contributing to talks with WHO, due to concerns it is a harmful organization. So what does this WHO Pandemic Agreement mean for the UK and the rest of the world?

Anne-Claire Amprou, a co-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, has claimed that this is a “major step forward in protecting populations, the response will be faster, more effective and more equitable” and will bolster “equity and international security.” She continues by noting that “nothing in the draft agreement shall be interpreted as providing WHO any authority to direct, order, alter or proscribe national laws or policies, or mandate States to take specific actions, such as ban or accept travelers, impose vaccination mandates or therapeutic or diagnostic measures or implement lockdowns.” However, many more skeptical followers of the Agreement, such as James Ruguski, indicate that this represents a Framework Convention to usher in a global pharmaceutical power grab dressed up as ‘health equity’ under the guise of ending ‘vaccine apartheid’. The fact that governments worldwide have bypassed normal safety protocols during ‘health emergencies’ sets a dangerous precedent for a totalitarian approach to a one world governance.

The latest agreement on the WHO Pandemic Agreement refers to pandemic-related health products in response to pandemic emergencies. Of note, these health products include “medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, vector control products, personal protective equipment, decontamination products, assistive products, antidotes, cell- and gene-based therapies, and other health technologies”. The agreement continues to elaborate on the fact that a “coordinating financial Mechanism is hereby established to promote sustainable financing for the implementation of this Agreement”. In other words, this will expand the capacities around pandemic prevention and preparedness and response using the above mentioned coordinated financial mechanism to serve the implementation of this Agreement. James Roguski defines the acronym PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) in reality as a Pharmaceutical Hospital Emergency Industrial Complex!

In his Substack, James Ruduski explains the main aspects of the Pandemic Treaty:

  1. This is really Corporate Wealth Redistribution Disguised as Health – as this represents a Framework Convention that benefits Big Pharma;
  2. A behind the scenes peak at the Conference of Parties (COP) reveals what the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) scheme does, which gives authority to a government official so they can deem if a countermeasure is required;
  3. Emergency Powers and the PREP Act is another way that governments take control by bypassing normal safety protocols during declared ‘emergencies’ and sets a dangerous precedent;
  4. Vaccines are being developed with self-amplifying mRNA technology for new emerging ‘threats’ such as bird flu, H5N1 and the role of regulatory oversight in this regard;
  5. This reveals biosecurity theatres in which the WHO is given authority over logistics, manufacturing and flow of money for the PREP Act.

Although the World Health Assembly has reached an agreement for the WHO Pandemic Treaty which will be put forward for adoption in mid-May, the international agreements are not legally binding. However, where it becomes problematic for UK citizens is that a section within the agreement based on the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act [1984] ⏤ an ironic date given George Orwell’s book “Nineteen Eighty Four” ⏤ empowers the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to adopt or embrace any “international agreement or arrangement relating to the spread of an infection or contamination”. While advocates of the WHO Pandemic Agreement opine that it respects national sovereignty, it is also subject to “Obligations under International Law” ⏤ an oxymoron by any standards. Disturbingly, the language of the Agreement also includes emergencies owing to climate change!

The WHO’s One Health initiative integrates human, animal and environmental health across the organization, and includes collaborations with the usual culprits, such as the United Nations (UN) that has created the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Censorship is also notable in this WHO Agreement document with references to the importance of “building trust and ensuring the timely sharing of information to prevent misinformation, disinformation and stigmatisation.” Most people are unaware that mandates relating to health are illegal. People should not have to comply with health mandates that are not aligned with their beliefs. Human rights educators and justice advocates have pointed out that individuals are more empowered than they realise but resilience is largely something people do not enact as they are unaware of their true legal rights.

British citizens should ignore these international agreements and treaties and focus on repealing section 45 of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act [1984]. A recent post on platform X by Weston A. Price Foundation, London Chapter, explains how repealing section 45 of the 1984 Public Health Act will ensure we can effect how we are governed, as this can only be affected by statutes. Moreover, the 1688 Bill of Rights confirms that no treaty or government proclamation can change our laws: “That the pretended Power of Suspending of Laws or the Execution of Laws by Regall Authority without Consent of Parlyament is illegall.”

These agreements are really about taking money from wealthy nations, via the WHO, to fund and further extend the powers of Big Pharma around the world. The WHO Pandemic Agreement can enable future public health emergency provisions or pandemic-related unapproved therapies to be rolled out globally in circumstances of another health threat. The Pandemic Agreement allows an increase in the supply chain (for medicines, vaccines, and hospital protocols) that may inflict untold damage. People’s individual rights should never be usurped by government ⏤ even in a health emergency situation. The pandemic and PREP Act enabled engineered emergencies to be initiated so that the 4th Industrial Complex architects could profit from such measures. A compliant population kept in a state of perpetual fear relinquishes power too readily. We need to protect ourselves from manipulation by authorities with too much power. The deadline for member nations to reject the amendments to the International Health Regulations is rapidly approaching: July 19, 2025. But our Secretary of State, Wes Streeting, is likely to agree the terms when he attends the World Health Assembly in Geneva on 19th May, well ahead of the rejection deadline.

James Roguski summarises: 10 reasons to reject the WHO’s Pandemic Agreement

1. Lack of Public Discussion/Debate ⏤ public debate and discussion has been almost non-existent;

2. Pandemic Related Products ⏤ the proposed Pandemic Agreement is not about health, rather, it is a redistribution of wealth under the guise of ‘equity’;

3. Surveillance ⏤ within the Agreement it states that: “Parties shall take steps through international collaboration, in bilateral, regional and multilateral settings, to progressively strengthen pandemic prevention and surveillance measures and capacities, consistent with the International Health Regulations (2005)”;

4. The One Health Approach ⏤ the Agreement states: “developing, implementing and reviewing relevant national policies and strategies that reflect a One Health approach”. This is a key policy instrument for dealing with global health risks but this has far-reaching implications. The WHO Pandemic Agreement gives the WHO Director-General the ability to issue orders to all nations regarding humans, animals and plant ecosystems when a public health emergency is declared, which overrides nation sovereignty;

5. Massive Expansion of the Pharmaceutical Hospital Emergency Industrial Complex ⏤ with Article 10 stating “sustainable and geographically diversified local production”;

6. The Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System (PABS) ⏤ the Pandemic Agreement fails to adequately address the issue of gain-of-function research and the proposed PABS would effectively monetize and incentivize the search for “pathogens with pandemic potential”;

7. The Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network ⏤ put simply the WHO should NOT be given the authority to oversee and/or operate a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network;

8. The Financial Coordinating Mechanism ⏤ this aims to bolster the funding of the WHO to actively control the money and supply chains;

9. The Conference of the Parties ⏤ the establishment of a new bureaucracy (the Conference of the Parties) consisting of unelected, unaccountable and largely unknown bureaucrats ⏤ is unlikely to prioritise the people’s best interests in helping to prevent, prepare for, or respond to future ‘pandemics’;

10. Relevant Stakeholders ⏤ includes private corporations but not we the people.

No informed consent or democratic debate has existed during all these negotiations.

Why this matters is that the WHO Pandemic Agreement has:

⏤ Hidden clauses and centralized control

⏤ Potential impacts on national sovereignty

⏤ Your rights during future health crises will be heavily restricted.

Ultimately public private partnerships do not work and we need transparency. The WHO Pandemic Treaty and vaccine experimentation should not be able to happen again and exiting the WHO or not complying with the Pandemic Agreement is one way to oppose this. Hopefully there is a better way to health ⏤ we need to take away power from government and global officials and we need to contact MPs to raise our objections.

Consider signing the petition linked here FINAL VOTE IMMINENT: REJECT the WHO Pandemic Treaty!

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Full Spectrum Dominance, Science and Pseudo-Science | , , , | Leave a comment

Tamara Lich found guilty in Freedom Convoy case

The Democracy Fund | May 3, 2025

OTTAWA – In a landmark ruling, Tamara Lich was acquitted of four out of six charges related to her involvement in the Freedom Convoy protest. A fifth charge, counselling to commit mischief, was stayed, leaving only a single conviction of mischief. Justice Perkins-McVey determined that the Crown failed to prove Ms. Lich obstructed police, intimidated others, or counselled obstruction or intimidation during the protest. However, the court found her guilty of mischief as both a principal offender and an aider and abettor, citing her encouragement of others to participate, her fundraising efforts, organizational role, and statements such as “we will hold the line,” which the judge deemed a “rallying cry” to the truckers. Having already spent 49 days in pre-trial detention, Ms. Lich now awaits sentencing after what has been called the longest mischief trial in Canadian history.

The ruling ignites fierce debate over the boundaries of peaceful protest and the growing criminalization of political dissent in Canada. The verdict, delivered after 45 days of trial proceedings concluding on September 13, 2024, marks a significant moment in the legal treatment of protest-related cases, potentially deterring Canadians from exercising their rights to free expression and assembly out of fear of severe legal repercussions.

Her defence, led by top criminal lawyer Lawrence Greenspon and supported by Eric Granger, argued that Ms. Lich’s participation was safeguarded by Charter rights to free expression and peaceful assembly. They contended there was no evidence of criminal intent, emphasizing that police and city actions—such as directing protesters to park in specific areas—contributed to the disruptions. Despite a robust defence, the court rejected these arguments, finding her organizational role and public statements, including calls to “hold the line,” amounted to culpable conduct under the Criminal Code.

The Democracy Fund, which crowdfunded over half a million dollars to cover Ms. Lich’s legal expenses, described the trial as a critical test of Canadians’ right to peaceful assembly. “This ruling is a bittersweet moment—while Tamara Lich’s acquittal on several charges affirms the centrality of free expression, the mischief conviction could be interpreted as punishing some participants for the actions of others,” said Mark Joseph, Director of Litigation for The Democracy Fund. “We remain committed to challenging any erosion of Canadians’ rights to protest.”

As the legal community and public brace for sentencing, the decision raises urgent questions about the balance between public safety and individual freedoms.

Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to constitutional rights, advancing education and relieving poverty. TDF promotes constitutional rights through litigation and public education. TDF supports an access to justice initiative for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed by government lockdowns and other public policy responses to the pandemic.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Full Spectrum Dominance | , , | Leave a comment

One martyred in Israeli drone strike on South Lebanon vehicle

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2025

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in southern Lebanon reported that an Israeli drone strike targeted a civilian vehicle in the university district of Kfar Rumman, located in Nabatieh Governorate. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of one individual.

The assassination occurred against a backdrop of intensifying Israeli aggression across Lebanon and Syria. Last night, Israeli warplanes conducted coordinated strikes targeting displacement shelters in Tayr Harfa, residential areas in Srifa, and border regions near Syria’s Serghaya.

These attacks follow Saturday’s disturbing incidents where Israeli drones dropped grenades near Marjayoun while others broadcast threats to farmers working in Wadi Khansa’s agricultural lands.

Local monitoring groups note an alarming trend in “Israel’s” violation patterns since the November 2025 ceasefire. Their latest data shows over 3,000 breaches, with a particular focus on southern Lebanon, where vehicle-targeted strikes have increased by 73%.

The cumulative toll now stands at 149 martyrs and 346 wounded, predominantly civilians caught in what human rights organizations describe as “a campaign of collective punishment.”

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , | Leave a comment

Shelter in your bunkers or leave our region: President of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council to Israelis

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2025

President of Yemen’s Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, vowed on Tuesday that Sanaa’s response to Israeli and US aggression would be “devastating and painful,” and beyond what either party could withstand.

His remarks followed Israeli airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure in Sanaa, including the airport, power stations, and factories.

“From now on, take shelter in your bunkers or leave our region immediately,” al-Mashat warned the Israeli occupation. “Your failed government can no longer protect you.”

He reaffirmed Yemen’s firm stance in supporting Gaza, stressing, “Our strikes are effective, and they will continue. We will not be deterred from our rightful stance in supporting our brothers in Palestine until the aggression ends and the siege on Gaza is lifted.”

Trump says aggression on Yemen suspended

The remarks came shortly after US President Donald Trump declared a halt to American airstrikes on Yemen, claiming Sanaa had promised to end Red Sea attacks on ships.

However, Ansar Allah leaders denied any formal commitment, with senior official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti stating that operations against US warships might pause if American strikes ceased, but vowed that military actions in support of Gaza and against the Israeli occupation would continue unabated.

Al-Mashat: Escalation will endanger Trump during his visits to the region

Later, al-Mashat said that authorities in Sanaa indirectly informed Washington that the continued escalation in the region will only affect the visits of “the criminal Trump” to the region. He said that Yemen did not inform the US of anything else.

“If the criminal Trump wants to stop his aggression and compensate [for the destruction] he left behind, that is up to him,” al-Mashat emphasized.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it had brokered a ceasefire agreement aimed at de-escalation between the US and the authorities in Sanaa, with both parties agreeing not to target each other moving forward.

Yet the US State Department later clarified that the agreement applies strictly to maritime operations in the Red Sea. “If the Houthis [Ansar Allah] commit to not targeting ships, we will also reciprocate,” a spokesperson said.

‘Israel’ bewildered by Trump announcement

Meanwhile, the announcement from Trump sent shockwaves through the Israeli political establishment. According to Channel 14, the Israeli occupation leadership was blindsided by both Trump’s remarks on Yemen and his promise of a “major announcement” during his upcoming Middle East tour. The channel described the political mood as one of “confusion and disbelief.”

Amit Segal of Channel 12 described Trump’s message as a regional signal: “If I were Iranian, I would understand it as: hit ‘Israel’ and leave us alone.”

Tsvi Yehezkeli, Arab affairs analyst for Channel 13, speculated that the US may be pursuing a quiet agreement with Yemen. “I don’t see another explanation for this declaration,” he said, warning that the US disengagement puts “Israel” in a difficult position, effectively leaving it alone to face Yemeni retaliation. “This is no longer just about Red Sea shipping; it’s now about direct fire on Israel,” he added.

However, despite Trump’s claims of a breakthrough, Ansar Allah denied that any such concession had been made. In an interview with Bloomberg, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the group’s Political Council, affirmed that military operations in the Red Sea and against “Israel” would continue until the aggression on Gaza ends and the siege on its people is lifted.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Oman brokers US-Yemen ceasefire, Israelis in dark regarding deal

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2025

The Omani Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had successfully brokered a ceasefire agreement between the United States and the authorities in Sanaa, aimed at achieving mutual de-escalation.

According to a statement from Muscat, the agreement entails a commitment by both sides, Washington and the Sanaa-based government, not to target each other in future military operations.

“The Sultanate thanks both parties for their constructive approach that led to this welcome outcome,” the statement read, emphasizing Oman’s longstanding diplomatic efforts in mediating regional conflicts.

US President Donald Trump had earlier declared an immediate halt to US airstrikes on Yemen, claiming that Yemeni authorities had promised to cease attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.

‘Trump surprised us’

The declaration appears to have caught the Israeli occupation off guard, with Axios journalist Barak Ravid quoting a senior Israeli official saying, “We didn’t know about this. Trump surprised us.”

Despite Trump’s claims of a breakthrough, Ansar Allah denied that any such concession had been made. In an interview with Bloomberg, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the group’s Political Council, affirmed that military operations in the Red Sea and against “Israel” would continue until the aggression on Gaza ends and the siege on its people is lifted.

Support for Gaza will not cease

While al-Bukhaiti indicated that attacks on US warships may pause if American strikes cease, he stressed that “we will definitely continue our operations in support of Gaza,” underscoring that the movement’s military actions are directly tied to the Israeli regime’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

Ansar Allah “will not stop regardless of the consequences until the end of the aggression on Gaza and blockade on its people,” al-Bukhaiti stressed.

US to halt airstrikes on Yemen

Trump announced on Tuesday that Washington will halt its airstrikes on Yemen, claiming that his administration received a “promise” from Yemeni representatives to stop attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. Trump described the move as “good news” and a step toward de-escalation in the region.

Speaking during a press conference at the White House alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said his administration trusts the Yemeni assurances despite the absence of a formal agreement. “The Yemenis don’t want to fight, and we’ll stop bombing them. We believe their word that they won’t target ships anymore,” he said.

He emphasized that the decision was made in light of what he described as a “genuine desire for calm” and reiterated that there is “no reason to continue the air raids as long as Yemen holds to its commitment to end naval operations.”

‘Israel’ conducts airstrikes on Yemen

Trump’s remarks came just hours after Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, resulting in several casualties and injuries.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the Israeli occupation was not informed in advance about the US decision to halt its aggression on Yemen.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent confirmed that Sanaa International Airport was targeted by a series of Israeli airstrikes.

Footage shared on social media platforms showed scenes of Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeting Sanaa International Airport.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , , | Leave a comment

Alberta Could Hold Secession Referendum – Premier

RT | May 6, 2025

Alberta could hold a public referendum on breaking away from Canada next year if a citizen-led petition gets the required number of signatures, the province’s Premiere Danielle Smith said on Monday.

The western province has long clashed with the federal government over legislation limiting fossil fuel development and promoting clean energy, which Alberta officials say unfairly targets their economy. Smith’s announcement comes days after the Liberal Party secured a fourth consecutive term in the federal election, deepening political divides between Ottawa and oil-rich Alberta.

Following the election, the Alberta Prosperity Project launched a petition calling for a referendum on the province’s independence. The petition garnered more than 80,000 signatures within 36 hours of its May 2 launch and remains open for public support.

“Should Ottawa, for whatever reason, continue to attack our province as they have done over the last decade? Ultimately that will be for Albertans to decide,” Smith said.

She added that although she does not personally support the idea of separation, she would respect the will of voters. “I will accept their judgement,” the premiere said.

Recently, Smith’s government also introduced legislation to lower the threshold for referendums initiated by citizen petition. The bill reduces the number of signatures needed from 20% to 10% of eligible voters from the last provincial election and extends the collection period from 90 to 120 days. In order to pass the threshold, a petition would need about 177,000 signatures.

Smith noted that Alberta doesn’t want “special treatment or handouts;” it just wants to be free to develop its “incredible wealth of resources” and choose how to provide healthcare and education. She expressed hope that secession would not be necessary and that her government would be able to reach an agreement with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canada’s new government.

Last week, Carney’s Liberal Party retained power after a campaign that focused heavily on what he called the existential threat posed by US President Donald Trump, who has floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st US state and imposed extensive tariffs on most of its neighbor’s goods.

The outcome of the election has added to long-running tensions in conservative regions. In Alberta, where the Conservatives won 34 out of 37 seats, many residents have expressed frustration with their federal leadership. Similar dissatisfaction has been reported in neighboring Saskatchewan, and to a lesser extent in British Columbia.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Malthusian Ideology, Phony Scarcity | , , | Leave a comment

Released captive: I felt safer in Hamas captivity than in Israel

MEMO | May 6, 2025

A former Israeli captive has admitted that she felt more safe and protected in Gaza than in Israel, the Hebrew Maariv newspaper reported yesterday.

Mia Schem, 23, was released as part of a prisoner swap deal in November 2023.

Earlier this month, Schem identified herself as the plaintiff in a previously reported rape case against a famouse personal trainer in Tel Aviv, who is a prominent figure on social media and has several celebrity clients, including a former prime minister.

According to the paper, Schem alleged that the rape took place in her home, using a date rape drug, and that she does not remember many of the details.

Israeli media outlets reported that the suspect in Schem’s case had lied in a polygraph test, yet he was released from custody due to lack of evidence. They also accused Schem of lying in search of limelight.

A court placed a complete gag order on the investigation including the identities of the parties involved.

According to official reports, while thousands of sexual harassment and assault cases are reported each year, almost nine out of ten rape cases are closed without charges.

A report by the Association of Rape Crisis Centres, Israel Police opened 6,405 investigations into rape cases in 2023, however, 81 per cent of them were closed without an indictment while charges were filed in only 16 per cent of cases. Two per cent of the remaining cases ended in a conditional settlement.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Aletho News | , | Leave a comment

Norway sovereign wealth fund urged by largest union to divest from companies aiding Israel

Press TV – May 6, 2025

Norway’s largest trade union has urged the Scandinavian country’s sovereign wealth fund to divest from companies aiding the Israeli regime, which has been waging a genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip since 2023.

The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) called on the country’s $1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund on Monday to divest from firms operating in Israel’s occupied Palestinian territories.

“We want the fund to pull out of the companies that have activities in the occupied Palestinian territories,” Steinar Krogstad, deputy leader at LO, said in an interview, speaking on the margins of the union’s congress, where the Palestinian flag flew alongside those of the United Nations and Norway.

LO, which is closely aligned with the ruling Labour Party, argues that such investments may implicate Norway in violations of international law, with Krogstad emphasizing that the urgency of this issue is in light of Israel’s recent military aggression in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

He also stressed that under LO’s general policy, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, which is the world’s largest, should not invest in companies that violate international law.

“This question is more on the agenda now … because of Israel’s policy, attacks and war in Gaza and in the West Bank,” Krogstad said.

LO, along with 47 other civil society organizations, has also sent a letter to Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, urging a reassessment of the fund’s investment guidelines to ensure alignment with international legal standards.

The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, known for its ethical investment policies, has previously divested from Israel’s largest telecommunications company, Bezeq, due to its services in West Bank settlements.

Although the fund has cleared most companies in its recent ethical reviews, the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza and international scrutiny have increased calls for more comprehensive divestment.

As of the end of 2024, the fund held approximately $2.12 billion in 65 companies listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, representing about 0.1 percent of its portfolio.

LO’s recent move is in line with a broader trend among European financial institutions re-examining their investments related to Israeli settlements.

For instance, Storebrand Asset Management, a major Norwegian investor, divested from Palantir Technologies over concerns about its work in the Israeli occupied territories.

Such moves reflect mounting pressure on financial entities to ensure their investments do not contribute to activities considered illegal under international law.

Last year, the UN’s highest court ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there were illegal and must end as soon as possible.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , | Leave a comment

Trump’s remarks on Gaza aid meant to justify Israeli policy of starvation: Hamas

Press TV – May 6, 2025

Hamas has rejected the accusation by US President Donald Trump that the Palestinian resistance group makes it impossible for aid to reach Palestinians in Gaza, saying the remarks are meant to justify Israel’s policy of starvation in the besieged territory.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Hamas said the remarks by Trump were “nothing more than a surprising parroting of the lies propagated by Netanyahu’s terrorist regime, which seeks to justify the systematic starvation it is inflicting upon innocent civilians.”

President Trump said on Monday that the US would help provide some food to the people of Gaza, where famine is currently being observed. He accused Hamas of taking all the aid that is brought into the besieged territory.

“We’re gonna help the people of Gaza get some food. People are starving, and we’re gonna help them get some food,” Trump said.

Hamas said the remarks by the US president contradict testimonies from humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza.

“These accusations blatantly contradict United Nations reports, testimonies from humanitarian organizations operating in the Strip, and all on-the-ground evidence, while aligning perfectly with the occupation’s policy of using starvation as a weapon, in clear violation of international law and humanitarian norms.”

The Palestinian movement also urged the Trump administration “to correct its position, cease providing cover for the genocide and starvation policies pursued by the occupation in the Gaza Strip.”

Hamas said it was not enough for Trump to ask Netanyahu to “send some food.”

It also called on the US to pressure Israel to “halt its aggression and open the crossings to allow the entry of all essential life-saving supplies.”

“What is required is a responsible stance that respects international humanitarian law, demands the immediate opening of crossings, ensures the uninterrupted flow of aid and relief, and puts an end to the use of food as a tool of blackmail and pressure in this war.”

Separately, Hamas said Israel’s plans to expand the operation in Gaza meant sacrificing Israeli captives and repeating past failures.

Hamas said the plan showed that the Israeli prime minister was determined to commit further war crimes against civilians in Gaza.

The Palestinian group urged the international community to intensify popular pressure to end the war against Gaza.

In March, after two months of ceasefire, Israel resumed its brutal military offensive in Gaza.

Furthermore, the regime imposed a blockade on all aid supplies, refusing to allow even a single truck carrying humanitarian or commercial goods to enter.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Israeli Forces Carry Out Large-Scale Demolitions Across West Bank

IMEMC | May 6, 2025

Israeli occupation forces have demolished an entire Palestinian village, Khirbet Khallet ad-Dabe’ in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, in addition to demolishing many homes and structures in villages near Ramallah, Qalqilia, and the northern Jordan Valley.

The demolitions, carried out under the pretext of “unauthorized construction,” mark one of the largest waves of destruction in recent months.

Mass Displacement in Masafer Yatta

In Khirbet Khallet ad-Dabe’, Israeli soldiers razed 25 structures, including homes, water wells, caves, agricultural rooms, livestock pens, and solar panels, most of which belonged to the Dababsa family.

Residents were forcibly evicted, prevented from retrieving their belongings, and left without shelter.

The village, home to 120 Palestinians, has been under constant threat of displacement since 2022, as Israel seeks to seize the land for colonial expansion by designating it a military firing zone.

Local activist Osama Makhamra stated that Israeli forces forced residents to evacuate at gunpoint, leaving them stranded in harsh conditions. He noted that only a school and two homes remain standing after the demolitions.

Expanding Colonial Control

The destruction in Masafer Yatta is part of a broader Israeli policy aimed at erasing Palestinian communities and replacing them with Jewish colonizers.

According to Nidal Younis, head of the local village council, Israel’s actions reflect a long-standing strategy of forced displacement, involving land confiscation, demolitions, and expansion of illegal Israeli colonies, built in direct violation of international law.

“Nearly 90% of the homes in Khirbet Khallet ad-Dabe’ have been destroyed, leaving families and livestock without shelter. This is a deliberate effort to wipe out Palestinian presence in the area,” Younis said.

Younis warned that all villages in Masafer Yatta are under threat, with Israel systematically declaring Palestinian lands as closed military zones to facilitate colonial expansion.

Over the past two years, Israel has established eight new colonies in the area, alongside colonizer-run livestock farms that encroach on Palestinian land.

Widespread Demolitions Across the West Bank

Israeli forces also demolished homes and structures in multiple locations, including:

– Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah – A 150-square-meter home housing five people was destroyed, with another home marked for demolition.

– Al-Funduq, east of Qalqilya – A 200-square-meter home belonging to Firas Bleyya was razed.

– Northern Jordan Valley – Several residential structures and livestock pens were demolished in Khirbet al-Deir.

– Jisr al-Zarqa, near Haifa – A Palestinian home, occupied for three decades, was destroyed under the pretext of unauthorized construction.

Colonizers’ Attacks and Illegal Land Seizures

Israeli paramilitary colonizers have intensified attacks on Palestinian communities, including:

– Al-Mughayyir – Colonizers cut down 200 olive trees belonging to Mohammad and Samir Hamayel.

– Al-Mu’arrajat, northwest of Jericho – Colonizers attempted to burn a Palestinian home and set fire to a tractor, while Israeli forces stood by without intervention.

Escalating Demolition and Colonial Expansion

A recent report by the Wall & Colonization Resistance Commission documented 1,693 Israeli violations in April 2025, including:

– 152 demolitions, affecting 96 homes and 34 agricultural structures.

– 46 demolition orders issued.

– 54 dunams of Palestinian land seized.

– 1,168 olive trees uprooted.

– Plans for 10 new colonial outposts, mostly agricultural and pastoral.

– 27 expansion projects for illegal colonies are under review to seize more Palestinian land.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | , , , | Leave a comment

New PCHR Report Reveals Israeli Destruction of Gaza’s Agricultural Sector and Food Systems

IMEMC | May 6, 2025

In a new report issued Monday, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) confirms that the ongoing Israeli military assault on the Gaza Strip, which began in October 2023, has deliberately and extensively targeted Gaza’s agricultural sector and food production systems. This assault has resulted in the near-total collapse of a sector essential for the survival of the population. PCHR reveals that this destruction is part of a longstanding and systematic strategy by the IOF to exterminate the Palestinian people and uproot their existence. This objective has become a central policy of the current Israeli government, which uses destruction and starvation as weapons of war within the broader framework of the crime of genocide—seeking to eliminate Palestinians and strip them of the basic means of survival.

The report, titled “We Will Leave Them Nothing: The Israeli Systematic Destruction of the Agricultural Sector and Food Production Systems in Gaza”, meticulously documents the deliberate and large-scale destruction by the IOF of Gaza’s agricultural infrastructure. Nearly 75% of farmlands and orchards have been bulldozed and obliterated. The vast majority of agricultural facilities—including greenhouses, storage warehouses, farming equipment, irrigation systems, and power supplies—have been destroyed. In addition, livestock and fishery facilities, which are vital pillars of Gaza’s food security system, have also been decimated.

The report highlights that IOF has seized more than 130 km² of land across Gaza, much of it agricultural, and converted it into military buffer zones. This has deprived Palestinians of vast areas essential for food production—an explicit violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention’s protections for civilian property during wartime and the prohibition against seizing the land of occupied populations. The report also stresses that these unprecedented attacks on Gaza’s food sources have been compounded by an intensified blockade, the denial of humanitarian aid and food supplies, and the systematic use of starvation as a weapon of war. These acts have had catastrophic consequences for food security, triggering a severe hunger crisis and soaring levels of malnutrition.

PCHR warns that the destruction of Gaza’s food systems not only threatens the current survival of the population but also constitutes an assault on the future of Palestinian existence in the Strip. It entrenches a devastating reality of hunger and dependency by eliminating the foundations of recovery and forcing Gaza’s population into total reliance on external aid. This reflects Israel’s long-term colonial objective: to depopulate the land, seize control of its resources, and suppress any possibility of Palestinian self-sufficiency or resilience. Such conduct, the report asserts, directly violates Article II of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which criminalizes the imposition of living conditions calculated to destroy a group physically and psychologically.

The report further affirms that these acts constitute grave violations of international law, particularly the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, especially Article 11, which guarantees the right to adequate food and a dignified life. It also violates Article 54 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits targeting “objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population.” According to Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, these acts constitute a full-fledged war crime.

In its recommendations, PCHR calls on the international community to break its silence and to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities in confronting these crimes against Palestinian civilians and their sources of sustenance. It urges effective measures to hold Israel accountable, stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and ensure urgent international support for the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector. PCHR also emphasizes the necessity of restoring Palestinian sovereignty over their food systems and land, and demands an end to the culture of impunity that enables the repetition of Israeli crimes and undermines the foundations of international justice.

May 6, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , | Leave a comment

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