27 mins ago
Iran blasts US, West after nuclear watchdog refers Tehran to UN Security Council
Iran on Wednesday condemned the International Atomic Energy Agency’s decision to report Tehran to the U.N. Security Council over violations of its nuclear nonproliferation obligations, including failing to cooperate over its undeclared nuclear activities.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the U.S. and other Western countries were using disruptions caused by strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites to justify the resolution.
“They attack Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities, disrupt the normal verification process, and then use that very disruption as a pretext for a resolution at the Board of Governors,” Gharibabadi said in a post shared on X.
“You can neither compensate for the failure of your policies and actions with such manoeuvres, nor achieve anything at the Security Council,” he added.
Iran’s mission to international organizations in Vienna warned on X that the resolution would facilitate the “further erosion and ultimate collapse of the non-proliferation regime as a whole.”
The IAEA’s 35-member board approved the U.S.-, British-, French- and German-backed resolution 23-3, with eight abstentions. China, Russia and Niger voted against it.
The move could lead to further U.N. action, though Russia and China could use their vetoes to block any sanctions.
Posted by Emma Bussey
1 hour ago
IAEA reports Iran to UN Security Council over nuclear noncompliance for first time in 20 years
The United Nation’s atomic watchdog reported Iran to the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday for the first time in 20 years over Tehran’s failure to cooperate with an investigation into its nuclear activities.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) 35-member board voted 23-3 in favor of the resolution, which was introduced by the United States, Britain, France and Germany. Eight countries abstained.
The move stems from a yearslong IAEA investigation into uranium traces inspectors discovered at undeclared sites in Iran. The agency’s board formally found Iran in violation of its nonproliferation obligations in June 2025 over Tehran’s lack of cooperation with the probe.
Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful and that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons.
The IAEA, however, has been unable to verify the status of Tehran’s stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the U.S. bombed several of Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites in June.
The referral puts the issue before the Security Council, which has the power to take further action, including imposing sanctions or freezing assets. However, punitive U.N. measures could face opposition from Russia and China, which voted against the IAEA resolution and hold veto power on the Security Council.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
1 hour ago
Merchant vessels hit by ‘disabling fire’ in Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, UKMTO says
Several merchant vessels were struck and disabled during military activity in Middle East waters overnight, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.
UKMTO said the incidents involved ships in the northern Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman that were subjected to what it described as “disabling fire” from military forces. The agency said it could not confirm whether there were any casualties or environmental damage.
UKMTO separately reported an incident Wednesday about 24 nautical miles from Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates, where a vessel was seen listing while at anchor.
The agency said the ship may have taken on water after being struck by an unknown projectile.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the incidents.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
1 hour ago
Netanyahu says defeating Iran remains Israel’s ‘main task,’ victory ‘very close’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said victory over Iran is “very close,” declaring on the eve of Rosh Hashanah that bringing down Tehran’s regime remains the country’s “main task.”
“The main task is to defeat the terrorist regime in Iran. We are very close to it,” Netanyahu said in a video message posted to X during a visit to Mount Hermon in Syria. “We know that the entire axis will ultimately fall. We are committed to doing this, and we will do it.”
Netanyahu visited the area alongside Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, receiving a briefing on Israeli military operations in the region.
Standing at an IDF outpost overlooking Syria, Netanyahu also touted Israel’s control of territory in the area and vowed that the country would not allow what he called a “terrorist army” to establish itself along Israel’s border.
The prime minister concluded by wishing Israelis and the country’s soldiers a happy new year ahead of Rosh Hashanah.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
3 hours ago
Trump admin sanctions 27 Iranian airlines in latest push to squeeze Tehran
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on 27 Iranian airlines as part of a broader effort to increase economic pressure on Tehran, the Treasury Department announced on Tuesday.
The sanctions are part of a sweeping action targeting 36 entities and individuals tied to Iran’s aviation sector, “which the regime uses to move weapons, personnel and illicit cargo,” the department said.
The action also targets what Treasury called “covert front companies, foreign intermediaries and deceptive transshipment routes” that have helped Iran obtain U.S.-made aircraft and technology.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures were intended to cut off financial support for the Iranian government and warned foreign companies against doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines.
“Let this be a warning to anyone doing business with Iran’s remaining airlines, all of which we sanctioned today: You are at risk of being cut off from the global financial system,” Bessent said.
Treasury also suspended authorizations that had allowed certain flights over Iran and permitted non-U.S. airlines to fly some U.S.-origin or U.S.-controlled commercial aircraft into the country.
The measures are the latest under the administration’s “Operation Economic Outcast,” a campaign aimed at further isolating Tehran and cutting off sources of revenue that Washington says support the Iranian government and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
3 hours ago
Record gas prices squeeze Americans as summer travel ends, midterms near and Iran war wages on
As the summer travel season came to a close, Americans faced the most expensive Labor Day at the pump on record, extending the squeeze on household budgets for millions who hit the road over the holiday weekend.
AAA estimated that nearly 40 million Americans would drive over the holiday, paying unprecedented prices for gasoline.
The national average for regular gasoline reached $4.15 per gallon on Tuesday, up about 5 cents from the previous week and nearly 96 cents higher than a year earlier. The price shattered the previous Labor Day record of $3.82, set in 2012, and marked the first time the national average topped $4 during the holiday weekend.
The spike came despite a seasonal trend that typically brings some relief after Labor Day, when summer travel winds down and gasoline demand eases. This year, however, elevated crude oil prices tied to the Iran conflict offset that typical decline.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
5 hours ago
Houthis claim Saudi-backed forces launched 32 airstrikes across Yemen
Iran-backed Houthis claimed Wednesday that Saudi-backed forces launched 32 airstrikes across four provinces in Yemen overnight, as fighting between the two sides intensifies and threatens to further disrupt energy markets and shipping in the region.
Houthi spokesman Nasruddin Amer said the strikes targeted areas in Taiz, Hodeida, Jawf and Marib. Saudi Arabia has not confirmed the strikes, though a source in Pakistan — which signed a mutual defense pact with Riyadh last month — told Reuters that Saudi Arabia had carried out retaliatory strikes in Yemen.
The reported retaliation came after the Houthis attacked four Saudi cities Tuesday, sparking massive fires at oil facilities that were visible from space. Saudi authorities said 73 people were wounded.
The Saudi-backed government in southern Yemen has also launched a multipronged offensive against Houthi-controlled territory, while the Houthis have threatened Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.
The escalating fighting has shattered a four-year truce in Yemen’s civil war and added new uncertainty for global energy markets already grappling with disruptions in the Middle East.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
6 hours ago
Iran claims it captured unmanned US submarine drone near Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it captured an unmanned U.S. submarine drone near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, while the Pentagon said the unmanned vessel had malfunctioned more than a day earlier.
Iranian state media identified the drone as a Dive-LD, a 19-foot autonomous underwater vehicle made by California defense company Anduril, Reuters reported.
The vessel can be used for missions including mapping the seafloor, gathering intelligence and inspecting underwater infrastructure, the company has said.
A Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters the drone had been surveying regional waters when it “malfunctioned more than a day ago.”
“The defective drone was an older model that neither collected sensitive data nor carried any classified sonar or radar equipment,” the spokesperson said.
Anduril confirmed the loss of a Dive-LD to the outlet but said the system was designed to operate in dangerous environments where losing a vehicle is an “expected possibility.”
Posted by Stephen Sorace
7 hours ago
Oil prices top $100 a barrel as Middle East attacks threaten supplies
Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel Wednesday for the first time in nearly six weeks as escalating attacks on tankers and energy facilities in the Middle East raised fears of further disruptions to global supplies.
Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose above $100 a barrel in early trading, while the U.S. benchmark climbed above $95.
The jump came after the U.S. military struck five Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on a U.S. Navy warship. Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also attacked Saudi energy facilities, setting oil installations ablaze.
The fighting has already severely restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway that handled about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply before the war.
Higher crude prices can eventually hit consumers through more expensive gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. They can also push up transportation costs for goods ranging from fresh food to furniture and appliances.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Posted by Stephen Sorace
7 hours ago
Iran launches ballistic missiles toward US base in Jordan, US official says attack ‘ineffective’
Iran fired ballistic missiles toward a base used by U.S. forces in Jordan on Wednesday, with an American official telling Fox News the attack was ineffective and all U.S. personnel in the country were accounted for.
“Iran’s response was ineffective in face of integrated air and missile defenses. Iran fired missiles toward Jordan. American forces have 100% accountability at all locations in Jordan,” the U.S. official told Fox News.
Jordan’s military said its air defenses intercepted 18 of 20 ballistic missiles launched toward its territory, according to The Associated Press. The remaining two missiles fell in unpopulated areas, and no casualties were reported.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted a base used by U.S. forces near Al Azraq, according to Reuters, citing a statement carried by Iranian state media. The IRGC claimed the missiles caused heavy damage, though that assertion conflicts with the assessments from U.S. and Jordanian officials.
The IRGC also claimed Wednesday that it attacked 10 ships — including two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers — attempting to cross what it called a “prohibited and unsafe” area of the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.
The attack came after the U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers Tuesday in response to Iranian attempts to strike a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles over the previous two days.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday that attacks on American warships would bring further consequences for Tehran.
“Iran continues to try to hit U.S. naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia.
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Posted by Stephen Sorace

The largest dinosaurs that ever lived were able to reproduce at high latitudes — or regions far from the equator — and came up with a clever strategy to keep their eggs warm, a study of a trove of titanosaur eggs unearthed in Argentina has revealed.
Most titanosaur eggs and eggshells, like those of other dinosaurs, have been found in lower-latitude regions closer to the equator, where warmer temperatures would have made incubating the eggs easier.
Scientists think these long-necked, small-brained, plant-eating giants — part of a group known as sauropods — lived in herds and may have migrated over long distances, nesting in the same place for millennia.
“We know their bones have turned up in places as far south as Antarctica and southern Argentina, and as far north as Mongolia and Texas,” said Darla Zelenitsky, a paleontologist and associate professor at the University of Calgary in Alberta. Zelenitsky is a senior author of the new research, which published Tuesday in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
“They clearly spent time in higher latitude areas, but until now it wasn’t known whether they were also nesting there,” Zelenitsky added.
Unlike some smaller dinosaur species and birds today, paleontologists are pretty certain titanosaurs did not brood their own eggs. Their huge size “would have turned the nest into one giant omelette,” Zelenitsky said via email.
As such, it’s doubtful that titanosaurs were doting parents. Like most reptiles, they likely laid their eggs and left any resulting offspring to fend for themselves.
Eggs, however, need warmth to develop and hatch, and sunlight is in shorter supply at higher latitudes. The study suggests that titanosaurs found a way to deal with lower temperatures in the planet’s southernmost reaches.
“The most likely scenario is that these titanosaurs laid their eggs in mound nests made of vegetation and soil, where incubation heat came mostly from rotting plant material,” Zelenitsky said.
“Their eggshells were very porous, which means if the eggs were left out in the open, they would lose water, dry out, and the embryos would die. Buried in sand, soil, or vegetation, the nest would stay humid or damp enough for the eggs to survive,” she added.
Nests the size of picnic tables
Researchers discovered the 255 eggshell fragments in the Chorrillo Formation in southern Argentina 200 miles (322 kilometers) north of the Strait of Magellan — the sea route at the southern tip of South America — in 2020 and 2024. They date back 68 million years, when they would have been at latitudes between 55 degrees and 60 degrees south. The clutches of eggs represent the highest-latitude nesting environment known for sauropods worldwide, the study said, and the southernmost definitive evidence of dinosaur eggs.
“What is particularly important about this new discovery, though, is that these dinosaur eggs belonged to titanosaurs, giant potbellied long-necked dinosaurs,” said Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at the University of Edinburgh. He wasn’t involved in the research.
“Some of the very largest animals in Earth’s history were laying eggs and hatching their babies at high latitudes in the Cretaceous, which is a new fact about dinosaur biology and behaviour that makes us better appreciate their adaptability and resiliency.”
Paul Upchurch, a professor of paleobiology at University College London said that sauropod remains are rare at high latitudes and it had been thought that the giants moved to these areas during warm summers before returning closer to the equator.
“Now that we have eggs from a high latitude, this suggests that they might have stayed there all year, or at least were able to go through their reproductive cycle during the warm part of the year at those high latitudes,” Upchurch, who also wasn’t part of the research team, added.
Titanosaurs include the largest known dinosaurs, with individuals estimated to weigh up to around 75,000 kilograms (more than eight times bigger than a Tyrannosaurus rex). Dinosaur eggs are rare in the fossil record because the eggshell is relatively thin and fragile, and it breaks down quickly into tiny pieces and is difficult to preserve.
It’s not clear to which species of titanosaur the eggs belonged, but teeth found at the same site were those of colossosaurian dinosaurs, some of the biggest titanosaurs although not the largest.
“If these eggshells belong to colossosaurians, the hatchlings had to have had plenty of nutritious food resources in that environment to start packing on the tonnes to eventually reach their colossal body sizes,” Zelenitsky said.
Even though these dinos were huge, their eggs were tiny — about 1/18,000 the size of the adult dinosaur— and could have contained about 4 liters of liquid, with hatchlings weighing around 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds).
Nonetheless, the titanosaur nests would have been large enough to make a distinct impression on the landscape, especially if the dinosaurs nested communally.
“I envision the nest as a picnic table size mound of dirt and vegetation with the egg clutch buried inside … so it probably wasn’t an inconspicuous structure,” Zelenitsky said.

A study on a collection of giantosaur fossil eggs found in Argentina revealed that the largest dinosaurs were capable of reproducing at high latitudes, or areas far away from the equator. They also devised a strategy for keeping their eggs warm.
The majority of titanosaur eggshells and eggs, as well as those from other dinosaurs have been discovered in regions with lower latitudes closer to the Equator where the warmer temperatures could have made it easier for the eggs to incubate.
Scientists believe that these plant-eating, long-necked giants were part of the sauropod group. They may have lived in large herds or migrated long distances.
Darla Zelenitsky is a professor and paleontologist at the University of Calgary, Alberta. “We are aware that their remains have been found in locations as far away as Antarctica, southern Argentina and Texas, as well as Mongolia, in Canada. Zelenitsky, a paleontologist and associate professor at the University of Calgary in Alberta, is the senior author on the research that was published by Royal Society Open Science Tuesday.
Zelenitsky said that they “clearly spent time at higher latitudes, but it was not known until recently whether or not nesting occurred there.”
Paleontologists believe that titanosaurs, unlike some other dinosaur species or birds of today did not lay their own eggs. Zelenitsky wrote in an email that their size would have made the nest look like a giant omelette.
It’s unlikely that the titanosaurs had devoted parents. They likely laid eggs, and then left their offspring on their own.
The eggs need heat to hatch and develop, but sunlight is less abundant at higher latitudes. This study shows that titanosaurs adapted to the lower temperatures at planet’s southmost regions.
Zelenitsky stated that the most probable scenario was that titanosaurs laid eggs in nests of soil and vegetation, with incubation heated primarily by rotting plants.
The eggshells of these birds were porous. This meant that if they were exposed to the air, the eggs would dry up, lose moisture, and die. “If the nest is buried in soil or vegetation or sand it will stay moist or humid enough to allow the eggs survive,” added she.
The size of a picnic table
The 255 fragments of eggshell were discovered by researchers in the Chorrillo Formation of southern Argentina, 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Strait of Magellan, the route of sea at the southernmost tip of South America. This discovery was made between 2020 and 2024. The eggs date back to 68 million year ago, at a latitude between 55 and 60 degrees South. According to the study, these clutches represent the world’s highest latitude for nesting sauropods, as well as the most definitive proof of dinosaur eggs.
Steve Brusatte is a professor of Paleontology and Evolution at the University of Edinburgh. The research was not done by him.
The Cretaceous period saw some of the largest dinosaurs ever to have lived on Earth laying their eggs at higher latitudes. This is an important new discovery about their biology and behavior that helps us appreciate their resilience and adaptability.
Paul Upchurch is a professor at University College London. He said sauropods are rarely found at higher latitudes. It was thought the giants would move to high-latitudes during the summer months before moving back closer to the Equator.
Upchurch who was not part of this research team added, “Now that eggs have been found from high latitudes, it suggests they may have lived there year-round, or were at least able to complete their reproductive cycle in the warmer months of the year.”
Titanosaurs are the biggest dinosaurs known. Individuals can weigh as much as 75,000 kg (over eight times larger than Tyrannosaurus Rex). The fossil record is rare because dinosaur eggs are fragile and break down into small pieces.
The eggs are not clearly identified, however, the teeth that were found on the site belonged to colossosaurian dinos – some of the largest titanosaurs, although they weren’t the biggest.
Zelenitsky stated that “if these eggshells are from colossosaurians then the hatchlings must have been able to pack on tons of food in this environment for them to reach their massive body size.”
The eggs of these dinosaurs, although huge, were tiny. They were only 1/18th the size of an adult dinosaur. Their liquid content was estimated to be 4 liters, and the hatchlings would have weighed around 9 pounds (4 kilograms).
The nests of titanosaurs would still have made a distinctive impression, particularly if they nested collectively.
Zelenitsky stated that he pictured the nest to be a mound the size of a picnic-table, with the eggs buried within.

Exclusive — DALLAS – In an effort to energize the GOP’s MAGA constituency, the Republican National Committee announced on Tuesday the order of speakers and the times for this week’s inaugural GOP midterm convention. President Donald Trump is the primetime speaker both nights.
The list was first shared with Fox News Digital the night before the convention. According to it, President Obama will give the keynote speech on Wednesday, tentatively set to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Trump’s remarks will follow Vice President JDVance’s second-night keynote address at the American Airlines Center, in Downtown Dallas.
Trump and Republicans have gathered in Texas to hold their historic conference. They are hoping to motivate the GOP’s supporters ahead of the key elections that will decide whether they keep control of Congress. When Trump isn’t on the ballot, Trump supporters are less likely to vote.
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Traditionally, both Democrats and Republicans hold large conventions to nominate candidates during the presidential election year. Trump floated a similar idea last year to highlight the policy accomplishments he, along with Republicans in Congress, have made over the past two-years.
When he announced it earlier this summer, the president called it “a truly Historic Event”, and “a Rally like no other!” When he first announced the convention earlier in this summer.
As Republicans defend their narrow House and Senate majority in midterm elections, they face an energized Democratic Party and stiff political opposition.
Republicans will use this convention as a way to highlight the Democrats’ shift to the left and to tie them to socialist and far-left proposals.
The midterm elections are about our future. “President Donald Trump and Republicans want to bring America into a golden age, while liberal Democrats are out of touch and anti-American and they’re trying to create a failed liberal state,” RNC Chair Joe Gruters said in a Fox News Digital statement.
These 12 midterm races will determine which party controls the Senate
Gruters stressed that the “choice is clear and in November, the American people are going to reject liberal policies” and bring historic victories for Republicans throughout the United States.
The DNC is still in debt, and has decided not to hold a convention similar. They see the GOP gathering as an opportunity to bash Republicans.
The DNC’s Director of Rapid Response, Kendall Witmer, charged that “while everyday Americans are struggling to pay bills, fill their gas tanks or feed their families, Republicans host a multimillion-dollar celebration in order to appease an ageing and unpredictable Trump, and to tie the vulnerable Republican candidates to his failed political agenda ,”,”
Witmer said that Americans don’t desire a “Trumpapalooza” — but rather lower healthcare costs.
It will serve also as the GOP’s final argument before November. The convention will feature Republican candidates who are in the race for Senate Majority.
On the first night, Texas Attorney-General Ken Paxton will be speaking. He is the GOP candidate in Texas, who faces off with Democratic State Rep. James Talarico, in the race for the Republican Senate seat to be replaced by John Cornyn. Former RNC chair Mike Whatley will also speak, as he defends retiring GOP senator Thom Tillis in a battleground state like North Carolina.
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The crowd will hear from Sen. Jon Husted, the Ohio Republican who has been in an intense battle with the former Democratic Senator Sherrod brown, and Rep. Mike Collins, the Georgia Republican challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, in the swing state of Georgia.
Mike Rogers, a former Michigan congressman, spoke on Thursday night. He is running against Abdul El-Sayed of the far-left Democratic Party to try and flip a Democrat-held seat.
The battle for the House will feature both incumbents in tight races and those running in competitive contests.
On Wednesday, they included Reps. Monica De La Cruz from Texas, Dershaan Van Orden from Wisconsin, Rob Bresnahan from Pennsylvania, as well as candidates Mike LiPetri and Jay Feely, both of Arizona and New York.
Ryan Mackenzie, Mike Lawler, Greg Cunningham, Derrick Merrin, and Eric Flores are among the House Republican candidates and incumbents who spoke on Thursday.
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According to the RNC’s schedule, Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled to speak Thursday night.
The RNC’s list of speakers is notable for the absence of Johnson’s Senate colleague, Senate Majority leader John Thune (R – South Dakota). Fox News Digital reports that a source with knowledge of the plans says that Thune is expected to be in Dallas with a busy schedule, including helping Senate candidates raise money.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks Thursday. He is running for his fourth term as Governor of the Lone Star State. Ted Cruz, the fiery conservative from Texas who may not be on the ballot for this election but is a possible candidate to run again in the White House 2028.
Some of Trump’s most prominent cabinet members are set to give speeches, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday night, and Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday, the man who led the Make America Healthy Again movement.

Ed Miliband, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom said that the decision marked “the beginning of a brand new approach” towards the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. This “not only condemns injustice and suffering, but also acts”.
In a statement issued jointly with the UK, France and Canada said that the sanctions “mark a new turning point in the way we approach protecting the two state solution.”
Miliband told MPs: “The British Government agrees there has been ethnic cleansing in West Bank areas, committed by terrorist settler settlers.
The Israeli government is guilty of turning a blind-eye to the Palestinians’ forced relocation. Worse, its members have issued statements or taken action to encourage this.
According to him, ethnic cleansing is defined by the UN’s definition as “a deliberate policy by which one ethnic group or religion removes another ethnic group or religion from certain areas by using violent means”.
Miliband stated that Israel’s occupation of West Bank is illegal because it “intensifies its control and extends permanent sovereignty” as well as its “expansionist agenda through the use of illegal settlements.”
This position should reflect in “economic relations” between the UK and the West Bank occupied. It is also in accordance with an advisory opinion 2024 from the International Court of Justice.
He said that the UK would introduce “a comprehensive new sanctions regime” over the course of the next 6 to 9 months.
On Tuesday afternoon, Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister, said that the measures targeted were not “aimed at the Israeli population, but to support the two-state solutions”.
Israel’s foreign minister Saar told a news conference that the UK consulate in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza would be closing. “We have many British friends,” he said.
The Labour Party government has consistently acted against Israel and we are left with no other choice than to react to their hostile acts.
Israel had opened tenders to build 1,200 homes for settlements in the E1 zone, a strategic area located east of Jerusalem. International condemnation of the plans has been widespread. Israel has been under international pressure for years to delay plans to build there.
Miliband said that the UK needed a “new approach”, because the plans for E1 in the West Bank “would make a two state solution unviable” as they “cut through the heart” of Palestine.
He also said that the Hamas attack against southern Israel in 2023 which led to the Gaza War had “terrible echos” of centuries of Jewish persecution and Israel has “the right of protecting its people and defending its territory”.
He stated: “International human rights law has clear guidelines for warring states, such as ensuring access to medical and food supplies, avoiding mass displacements of civilians and preventing the use of weapons against civilians. If proven, serious and international violations amount to crimes of war.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, among others, has examined the events, and the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) actions, in detail.
He stated: “My story, along with that of thousands British Jews, is just one of many reasons I tell anyone who doubts Israel’s existence as the homeland of the Jewish people. You are wrong and we will expose you whenever you attempt to erase Israel.”
The UK Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim mirvis, said that it was “truly dark for British Jews”, and the sanctions are “little more” than a political banner for anti-Israel propaganda. This would encourage people to “use hate as a tool against Jews”.
Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ) expressed its “deep regret” about the announcement made on Tuesday and called upon both UK and Israeli government to avoid “pursuing party interests above national interest”.
He acknowledged that the illegal settlements are wrong, and that “some Israeli Ministers have engaged in hateful propagandist and incitement”, but he added: “This is not about Israel only and certainly it isn’t about simplifying the complex region into a single phrase.” Unfortunately, this is what the government intends to do.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Saar announced on Tuesday that he spoke with Tugendhat, Tory leader Kemi Bademoth and the Labour party’s hostile announcement of today’s anti-Israel policy.
The Israeli leader also announced that British personnel from the International Gaza Support Center, located in Kiryat Ghat in the south of Israel, would be withdrawn. UK training activities for Palestinian Authority Forces in Judea Samaria (the West Bank) would cease.
Isaac Herzog, President of the nation, said earlier that day the decision “would fall on the wrong sides of history”. He added: “In this context, it’d be an gross interference with the democratic election of a sovereign country.”
US Secretary of state Marco Rubio said that the White House did not comment on the action. He added, “Obviously, we aren’t going to do the same thing as the UK”.
Israel does not accept a solution with two states. Israel says that any settlement should be reached through negotiations with Palestinians and the statehood of the Palestinians is not a prerequisite.
Hamas, a Palestinian militant group that is against Israel’s existence, does not support a solution with two states.
Hamas has said that it would accept a Palestinian interim state with de facto 1967 borders without recognising Israel if the refugees had the right to go home.
Since 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the Middle East War, Israel built around 160 settlements that house 700,000. Around 3.3 millions Palestinians also live with them.
Since the Gaza War, which began on October 7, 2023 after the Hamas attack against Israel triggered the war in Gaza, there has been an increase in attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.