UK suspends free trade talks with Israel and announces sanctions over West Bank settlers; Gaza blockade is "cruel and indefensible"

[essentialsaltes]

Israeli’s ambassador to the U.K., Tzipi Hotovely, was summoned to the Foreign Office, where Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said he would call the 11-week blockade of aid to Gaza “cruel and indefensible.”

 

[bèlla]

I wish I believed this. But the conditions over there have been permitted to go on too long with minor slaps on the wrist. It’s indefensible and I think our long winter will continue.

~bella

 

[Bradskii]

Israeli’s ambassador to the U.K., Tzipi Hotovely, was summoned to the Foreign Office, where Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said he would call the 11-week blockade of aid to Gaza “cruel and indefensible.”

From here: Wong condemns ‘abhorrent and outrageous’ comments by Netanyahu government members as global fury grows

The federal government on Tuesday joined with 23 other countries to demand Israel allow UN and humanitarian organisations to do their work unimpeded in response to the looming famine in Gaza.

But a UN spokesperson warned only five trucks of aid had reached Gaza by Tuesday afternoon, and that aid workers had not been given permission to distribute even that token shipment.

In a new statement on Wednesday, Wong described the UN reports as “horrifying”. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, warned in recent days that 14,000 babies could die in 48 hours if aid did not reach them in time.'

Hey, but...Hamas.

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, warned in recent days that 14,000 babies could die in 48 hours if aid did not reach them in time.'

The UN warned about imminent starvation more than a year ago, and it never materialized. There won't be 14,000 babies dying within the next 48 hours, but the UN will keep crying wolf. This is what Gaza looks like right now, video published by a Palestinian in Gaza:

 

[Larniavc]

The UN warned about imminent starvation more than a year ago, and it never materialized. There won't be 14,000 babies dying within the next 48 hours, but the UN will keep crying wolf. This is what Gaza looks like right now, video published by a Palestinian in Gaza:

Where's the time stamp on that?

 

[essentialsaltes]

Where's the time stamp on that?

Likewise...

• Overall, we rate MEMRI a Questionable source based on the promotion of Israeli propaganda, poor sourcing, and a few failed fact checks.

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Where's the time stamp on that?

Published by a Palestinian on Facebook on 13 May, 2025. I can't look up the original post because I don't have Facebook, but others have reported on it as well.

Likewise...

• Overall, we rate MEMRI a Questionable source based on the promotion of Israeli propaganda, poor sourcing, and a few failed fact checks.

Memri is simply translating Arab media into English. Others have reported on this new footage of the Gaza market even before Memri did, like Ynet.

 

[Larniavc]

Published by a Palestinian on Facebook on 13 May, 2025. I can't look up the original post because I don't have Facebook, but others have reported on it as well.

Not published; recorded. With no time stamp this could be years old.

 

[Friedrich Rubinstein]

Not published; recorded. With no time stamp this could be years old.

Right, a Palestinian just found old footage on his phone in which he addresses the claims of hunger in Gaza (which wasn't a thing years ago) and decides to publish it in exactly the moment when the pressure on Israel because of food is mounting. Or maybe it's just the obvious and he recorded a video and published it - like every other phone-recorded video that has been coming out of Gaza. I'll stick with the latter option, but if you prefer to believe in highly unlikely (and if true, self-harming) scenarios, you may choose the first option.

 

[Larniavc]

Right, a Palestinian just found old footage on his phone in which he addresses the claims of hunger in Gaza (which wasn't a thing years ago) and decides to publish it in exactly the moment when the pressure on Israel because of food is mounting. Or maybe it's just the obvious and he recorded a video and published it - like every other phone-recorded video that has been coming out of Gaza. I'll stick with the latter option, but if you prefer to believe in highly unlikely (and if true, self-harming) scenarios, you may choose the first option.

https://gaza-city.org/storage/gazaDocs/CHumt1WHzTt5lxHrn7MFTKW1siS4dA9duegSm8eG.pdf

But it's hard to know for sure because Benny and his crew of religious fundamentalists and property developers won't let the press in to show the world what is happening.

 

[Beth77]

Will England also announce similar measures against Egypt for their blockade of Gaza?

 

[Bradskii]

The UN warned about imminent starvation more than a year ago, and it never materialized. There won't be 14,000 babies dying within the next 48 hours, but the UN will keep crying wolf. This is what Gaza looks like right now, video published by a Palestinian in Gaza:

The video is posted by MEMRI, 'an American non-profit press monitoring organization co-founded by Israeli ex-intelligence officer Yigal Carmon and Israeli-American political scientist Meyrav Wurmser in 1997 (from wiki):

'Brian Whitaker, then the Middle East editor for The Guardian, wrote in a public email debate with Carmon in 2003, that his problem with MEMRI was that it "poses as a research institute when it's basically a propaganda operation". Earlier, Whitaker had charged that MEMRI's role was to "further the political agenda of Israel." and that MEMRI's website does not mention Carmon's employment for Israeli intelligence, or Meyrav Wurmser's political stance, which he described as an "extreme brand of Zionism".

And apparently the market no longer exists: From here: Heritage Alert: Cultural devastation in Gaza’s historic market

'Stretching over 250 metres, comprising 65 buildings and more than 1,150 shops, the market was a lifeline for thousands and a vital source of livelihoods for generations. Rooted in the Mamluk era and intertwined with other iconic Islamic landmarks such as the Grand Omari Mosque, Hammam Al Samra, and Qasr Al Basha, the Souk bore the architectural marks of Gaza’s layered history.

This heritage, however, now lies in rubble following sustained aerial and artillery bombardment during the Israeli military campaign that began in October 2023.'

The report is 10 days old.

What is happening in Gaza is a humanitarian disaster. It's bad enough that countries are not doing more to prevent Israel from continuing this massacre. That people actively promote propaganda like this to try to convince others that everything is just fine is shameful. This is what the market area now looks like.

 

[Vanellus]

Will England also announce similar measures against Egypt for their blockade of Gaza?

For "England" read the UK - some incredible ignorance here.

For background on the Egyptian "blockade" read this from the British Broadcasting Company
Why Egypt remains reluctant to open Rafah crossing to Gaza