War in the Middle East

War Diary: Day: 217
War Diary: Day: 217

From Gaza to Lebanon, This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the war between Hamas and Israel and its repercussions on the region. Here are the main highlights for May 10th, 2024.

UN Experts Denounce ‘Distressing’ Attacks Against ICC
UN Experts Denounce ‘Distressing’ Attacks Against ICC

Several independent UN experts denounced on Friday attacks made against the International Criminal Court (ICC), particularly from Israel and the United States, which "promote a culture of impunity." "It is distressing to see State officials threatening to retaliate against a Court for pursuing international justice," a statement by the experts ...

UN Votes Symbolically in Favor of Palestinian Membership
UN Votes Symbolically in Favor of Palestinian Membership

The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Friday in support of a Palestinian bid for full membership of the organization, a symbolic move due to the United States' veto in the Security Council. Provoking Israel's ire, an overwhelming majority of the UN General Assembly ruled on Friday that the Palestinians deserved to be full members of the ...

UN, EU Officials Condemn Attacks Against UNRWA in East Jerusalem
UN, EU Officials Condemn Attacks Against UNRWA in East Jerusalem

The UN and the European Union condemned "attacks" on UNRWA in East Jerusalem on Friday, calling on Israel to ensure the protection of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees after Israeli demonstrators attempted to set fire to its offices on Thursday. United Nations and European officials Friday condemned attacks against the UN agency for ...

UN Says More Than 100,000 Displaced from Rafah
UN Says More Than 100,000 Displaced from Rafah

More than 100,000 people have fled Rafah in recent days, the United Nations said Friday, with the southern Gaza city under threat of a full-scale Israeli ground invasion. Israel's military on Monday called for Gazans to leave eastern Rafah, which triggered widespread international alarm. [readmore"https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/world/252024"] The ...

Ireland and Spain to Recognize Palestine on May 21, Says Borell
Ireland and Spain to Recognize Palestine on May 21, Says Borell

Spain, Ireland and other European Union countries will recognize a Palestinian state on May 21, the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borell, said on Thursday, ahead of an expected UN vote on Palestinian membership on Friday. Borell told a local Spanish radio station that he is expecting Spain, Ireland, Malta and Slovenia to recognize a ...

Blinken to Criticize Israel in Congressional Report
Blinken to Criticize Israel in Congressional Report

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will submit a long-awaited report to the US Congress on Friday which, according to Axios, is highly critical of Israel's conduct during the Gaza war, but assesses that Israel didn't violate the human rights stipulations required to access US weapons. In February, the Biden administration issued a new national ...

UNRWA Closes East Jerusalem HQ After Arson Attacks
UNRWA Closes East Jerusalem HQ After Arson Attacks

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Thursday it was temporarily shuttering its east Jerusalem headquarters after "Israeli extremists" set fire to the perimeter following weeks of repeated attacks. "This evening, Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter of the UNRWA headquarters in occupied east Jerusalem," agency chief Philippe ...

Trump Accuses Biden of Siding With Hamas
Trump Accuses Biden of Siding With Hamas

Donald Trump accused Joe Biden Thursday of siding with Hamas when he threatened to stop sending US weapons to Israel as it wages war against the Palestinian militant group in Gaza, calling the president's stance "disgraceful." Biden warned Wednesday of halting weapons supplies if Israel pushes ahead with its long-threatened Rafah ground ...

Israel Ends Gaza Talks and Proceeds to Bomb Rafah
Israel Ends Gaza Talks and Proceeds to Bomb Rafah

Israel has submitted its reservations about a proposal for a hostage release deal to Gaza truce mediators, and considers this round of negotiations in Cairo to have ended, a senior Israeli official said to Reuters. The Israeli delegation is returning from the Egyptian capital and Israel will proceed with its operation in Rafah and other parts of ...

War Diary: Day: 216
War Diary: Day: 216

From Gaza to Lebanon, This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the war between Hamas and Israel and its repercussions on the region. Here are the main highlights for May 9th, 2024.

UK Would Not Follow US Potential Halt of Arms Sales to Israel
UK Would Not Follow US Potential Halt of Arms Sales to Israel

Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Thursday indicated that the UK would not follow the United States in warning Israel that it would halt sales of arms that could be used in an assault on the Gaza city of Rafah. US President Joe Biden has said Washington could cut supplies of weapons if Israel proceeds with an attack on the city, where the UN ...