All posts tagged: Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Not up for debate: Britain bans commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur – Scoop

Not up for debate: Britain bans commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur – Scoop

Published by Sam Flores

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again Cover image: SCOOP © FRANCE 24 Issued on: 12/06/2026 – 15:44Modified: 12/06/2026 – 15:44 13:59 min From the show Reading time 1 min This week, FRANCE 24’s media show Scoop looks at Britain’s decision to block controversial left-wing commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur from entering the country. The interior minister judged that their presence was “not conducive to the public good”. This vague standard is increasingly being used to keep out high-profile foreigners. Our guest is Jemimah Steinfeld, the CEO of Index on Censorship. By: Source link

Israel captures Crusader castle as war expands in southern Lebanon – POLITICO

Israel captures Crusader castle as war expands in southern Lebanon – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“This is a clear message to our enemies: Those who threaten the citizens of Israel will lose their strategic assets one by one,” Katz said. Israel said Sunday that its forces, including a “significant number of IDF ground soldiers,” would continue pushing into southern Lebanon to fight Hezbollah. A truce was struck in April to end the fighting in Lebanon but has never been observed. Lebanon’s prime minister accused Israel on Saturday of pursuing a “scorched earth policy” and enacting “collective punishment” on the residents of southern Lebanon, where scores of villages and towns have been evacuated. More than 3,000 people have been killed in Lebanon since the sharp escalation in hostilities in early March, according to the country’s health ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he has directed Israel’s military to take over 70 percent of Gaza’s territory. Source link

Settler violence in the West Bank intensifies against Palestinians – Focus

Settler violence in the West Bank intensifies against Palestinians – Focus

Published by Sam Flores

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again FOCUS © FRANCE 24 Issued on: 25/05/2026 – 15:34Modified: 25/05/2026 – 15:34 04:17 min From the show Reading time 1 min In the occupied West Bank, illegal Israeli settlements are dramatically increasing, encouraged by the Israeli government and protected by the army. Meanwhile, Palestinians are suffering greater numbers of violent attacks by extremist settlers, for which they almost always receive no justice. Our France 2 colleagues report, with FRANCE 24’s Florent Marchais. Source link

Israeli interfaith peace march offers alternative to ultranationalist Jerusalem Day events

Israeli interfaith peace march offers alternative to ultranationalist Jerusalem Day events

Published by Sam Flores

JERUSALEM (RNS) — Hundreds of religious leaders and peace activists walked together through the streets of Jerusalem on Monday (May 18) for an interfaith peace march — a 4-year-old event that took on added urgency this year against the backdrop of ongoing war and mounting intolerance in a city venerated by Jews, Muslims and Christians.  The Interfaith March for Human Rights and Peace is one of many initiatives spearheaded by the Interfaith Forum for Human Rights that brings together Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze and other activists and a coalition of 30-plus organizations. Singing “We Shall Overcome” and carrying placards with the word “Trust” in Hebrew and Arabic, participants traveled to the march from across Israel, aiming to bridge religious and ethnic gaps at an especially volatile time in the Middle East.    Druze Sheikh Younis Amasha, director of the Forum for Religious Leaders in Israel, urged the marchers to speak “with one voice” to proclaim that “human life is a sacred value and there is no place for hatred, extremism and violence.” He also called …

Eurovision avoids its nightmare scenario as Bulgaria beats Israel to win – POLITICO

Eurovision avoids its nightmare scenario as Bulgaria beats Israel to win – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Tensions over Israel’s participation in the contest flared up earlier in the week, when artist Noam Bettan performed pop-ballad “Michelle” to audible boos and chants during the semifinal. Four audience members had to be removed for “disruptive behavior,” according to organizers. It was Bulgaria’s first victory in the competition, having debuted in 2005. Bulgaria was returning in 2026 after a four-year break from the contest due to financial constraints at the public broadcaster. Bulgaria’s booming dance anthem was a high-energy crowd pleaser in Vienna, but wasn’t originally tipped to win, up against more favored entries from Finland or Australia. The countries sitting out this year (Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland) said their decision was due to Israel’s war in Gaza — which was sparked by a violent attack on Israel by Hamas militants — and the resulting humanitarian crisis it has triggered.   Demonstrators also marched through Vienna on Saturday protesting Israel’s inclusion in the contest, chanting “boycott Israel, boycott ESC [Eurovision Song Contest]” and “no stage for genocide.” Protesters march in Vienna ahead of the final of the Eurovision …

Vienna Is Tense Ahead of 2026 Eurovision Final

Vienna Is Tense Ahead of 2026 Eurovision Final

Published by Daniella Wilson

As Eurovision nears its détente, Vienna’s divisions over the contest are on full display — especially in the cultural heart of the city, Maria-Theresien-Platz, where different political factions held opposing demonstrations over the past two days.  On Thursday a smattering of Israel supporters gathered at the Platz, named for an empress who once ruled the Habsburg Empire and is considered among the most intensely antisemitic monarchs of her era. The event, marketed as a Eurovision Flashmob, was not very mob-like. Participants wore shirts that read Mazel Lov, held hands and sang Hava Nagila. Some wrapped themselves in Iranian flags that date back to before the 1979 revolution, and as a soft drizzle descended, a band played jazz. But still, I could sense a frisson of tension, continuing the charged atmosphere from earlier in the week. A few of the heavyset older men in the crowd either belonged to secret service or just really liked wearing bluetooth headsets while looking in all directions every few seconds. Police vans idled nearby. Osnot Slomovitz, a longtime Vienna resident …

Sánchez backs Barcelona football star Yamal against attacks from Israel – POLITICO

Sánchez backs Barcelona football star Yamal against attacks from Israel – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“I expect a great and respected club like FC Barcelona to distance itself from these statements and make it unequivocally clear that there is no place for incitement or for support of terrorism,” Katz said in a post on X.  Sánchez hit back by saying the teenager had “only expressed the solidarity with Palestine felt by millions of Spaniards. Another reason to be proud of him.”  The new spat follows last month’s bid by Spain and three other EU members to end the bloc’s association agreement with Israel, which was ultimately rejected by other foreign ministers. Sánchez is the most vocal EU leader in condemning Israel, saying at a political rally in April that “a government that violates international law or the principles of the EU cannot be its partner.”  The 18-year-old Yamal is expected to be one of Spain’s key players during this summer’s FIFA World Cup in North America. Source link

EU formally green-lights sanctions against Israeli settlers – POLITICO

EU formally green-lights sanctions against Israeli settlers – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The sanctions target individuals linked to violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, but several member countries are already pushing for tougher measures. France and Sweden are backing restrictions on trade with settlements, while broader proposals such as suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement remain deeply divisive inside the bloc. “We had discussions on the trade issues, limiting trade with the illegal Israeli settlements,” Kallas told reporters after the meeting. “There was a call by many member states to take this forward, so we will continue to work with the Commission on presenting proposals.” Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who was in Brussels to attend the Foreign Affairs Council, told POLITICO that Ottawa is also “considering additional actions that we may take” against settlers. Israel swiftly pushed back against the EU sanctions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar slammed the decision as “arbitrary and political,” accusing the EU of targeting Israeli citizens “because of their political views and without any basis.” “Israel has stood, stands, and will continue to stand for the right of Jews to settle in …

‘The future is peace’: A story of brotherhood across a divided land – Middle East Matters

‘The future is peace’: A story of brotherhood across a divided land – Middle East Matters

Published by Sam Flores

To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Try again MIDDLE EAST MATTERS © FRANCE 24 Issued on: 23/04/2026 – 18:48Modified: 23/04/2026 – 19:09 17:10 min From the show Reading time 1 min While the events of October 7, 2023, may have pushed some Israelis and Palestinians apart, Maoz Inon and Aziz Abu Sarah say they’ve become like brothers. When Maoz lost his parents in the attacks, Aziz, who himself lost a brother during the first intifada, reached out in a gesture of friendship. Their extraordinary story and the deep optimism they feel for the future is told in a new book, “The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land”. They spoke to FRANCE 24’s Haxie Meyers-Belkin. Source link

Orbán’s exit leaves Israel exposed in Europe – POLITICO

Orbán’s exit leaves Israel exposed in Europe – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The push to ramp up pressure on Israel is in focus this week as the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas presides over a meeting of the Global Alliance for a Two-State Solution as well as at a gathering of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. Ministers are expected to raise the subject of West Bank sanctions and the Association Agreement — although one EU diplomat from a mid-sized EU country and the EU official quoted above said that countries might avoid moving ahead in deference to peace talks between Israel and Lebanon. Tensions ramp up The push to revisit sanctions comes as EU leaders intensify their criticism of Israel over its actions in Lebanon and over a controversial law, backed by Netanyahu, that authorizes the death penalty for terrorists from the Palestinian territories. Kallas blasted the bill — which comes ahead of Israeli elections due later this year — as a “grave regression,” in a statement issued on behalf of the bloc on March 31. Germany, France and the United Kingdom also warned that the law …