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The Israeli army has rounded up 15 Palestinians from their homes across the occupied West Bank in overnight raids, according to an Israeli army statement released Wednesday morning.
According to the statement, the Palestinians were detained for what the army described as “suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities”.
The statement did not elaborate as to the meaning of “popular terrorist activities”.
Detained individuals have since been remanded into custody for further investigation, according to the army.
Israel frequently conducts sweeping arrest campaigns across the occupied territories on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.
According to Palestinian figures, some 6,500 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, including scores of women, some 350 minors and at least six lawmakers.
The UN Security Council currently serves the interests of five permanent members holding veto rights, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.The five members of the Council, the U.S, Russia, China, France and Britain, are “standing idle to the oppressions in other parts of the world," Erdogan said in his address to the 73rd session of UN General Assembly.The Turkish president has long advocated for reforming the structure of the Security Council, pushing the motto, "The world is bigger than five."Erdogan said the UN has carried out work and achieved considerable successes over its 73-year history."However, it is also a fact that over time the United Nations moved away from meeting the expectations of humanity for peace and welfare," he added.Erdogan said past "massacres" in Bosnia, Rwanda and Somalia, recent ones in Myanmar and ongoing ones in Palestine, have all taken place before the eyes of the Security Council."Those who do not raise their voices against the oppression of the Palestinians, their efforts even to reduce assistance for them, are only increasing the courage of the oppressors," he added, referring to the recent U.S. decision to cut aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.Turkey will continue to stand with the "oppressed" Palestinians and will protect the historical and legal status of Jerusalem, Erdogan said.He underscored there needs to be "comprehensive reform" in the structure and functioning of the UN, particularly the Security Council. - 'World bigger than 5'"And we believe that when we say ‘the world is bigger than five,’ we become the voice of the common conscience of humanity," Erdogan said.Limiting the reform of the UN to the budget only will neither contribute to the solution of real problems nor make anybody happy, he said.The president added there is a need for increasing UN efficiency "which I find very important for the future of the world, on its fundamental areas of duty which are security, development and social equality.""When the assets of the wealthiest 62 people in the world amount to the assets of the half of world’s population of 3.6 billion people, this means there is a problem," Erdogan said.He called for establishing a new global system at the UN that will be the voice of implementer of humankind’s expectation for justice.- 'More abundant, flexible support'Erdogan said Turkey continues its efforts towards a fairer world while implementing a global humanitarian diplomacy.He recalled that Turkey hosts 4 million refugees, 3.5 million of which are Syrian, and provides them with services that are "incomparable" elsewhere in the world.The total amount Turkey has spent for Syrian refugees alone is at $32 billion."However, so far, the external support we have received is $600 million from international organizations and €1.7 billion from the EU until now," Erdogan said.Erdogan said he expects "more abundant and flexible support" for Turkey, which has prevented a large refugee influx to spill over elsewhere in the world, foremost to Europe, thanks to the opportunities the country has provided to refugees.- Turkey's efforts within UNErdogan said Turkey has contributed substantially to UN in regards to the Gulf crisis, people in Arakan (northern Rakhine State, Myanmar), racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia and also Syria.He said Turkey tries to make Syria a peaceful country again by means of support for Geneva and Astana talks that aim to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis."By clearing the Jarabulus and al-Rai regions from Daesh, and Afrin region from PKK/PYD/YPG terrorist organizations, we have turned an area of 4,000 kilometers [2,485 miles] into a safe and peaceful place for millions of Syrians," Erdogan said.He added Turkey has prevented the Bashar al-Assad regime's "bloody assaults" against the deescalation area in Idlib with Sochi deal signed with Russia."I call on all the parties to support a just and sustainable political solution in Syria with a constructive approach. We wish to see a principled approach against terrorist organizations.Hinting at U.S. support for PYD/YPG, the Syrian affiliate of the PKK terror organization, Erdogan said: "Those who equip terrorists with tens of thousands of trucks and thousands of cargo planes load of arms for the sake of their tactical interests will most definitely feel sorrow in the future."- FETO 'exports terror to world'Erdogan said all terrorist organizations do not obtain their power from their armed actions, rather some hide behind "glossy concepts" such as education, welfare and dialogue, and continues operations as NGOs or businesses."Through the support of our people to our resolute struggle over the last five years, we have eliminated the majority of FETO [terrorist organization] in our country.FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen are accused of orchestrating the defeated coup July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.He said countries have heeded Turkey’s warnings and learned from its lessons and are deciphering the organization and expelling it from their lands. However, some states, including the U.S. and European countries, "have not understood the danger"."For instance, the amount of funds that the FETO terrorist organization receives in 27 U.S. states from the government budget solely by charter schools is $763 million," he added.Erdogan said FETO leader Gulen "exports terror" to 160 countries from his residence in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and urged world nations to be watchful and take action against the terror group.- Turkey backs constructive dialogueErdogan said trade wars have harmed humanity in every period."None of us can remain silent to the arbitrary cancellation of commercial agreements, the spreading prevalence of protectionism and the use of economic sanctions as weapons."The negative effects of these twisted developments will eventually affect all countries," he added.The president called on countries to work together to prevent damage to the world trade regime as a result of such unilateral decisions."Today, some countries are persistently trying to create chaos. There is no bigger danger than a world order that has lost mercy, conscience, truth and hope," Erdogan added.Turkey is in favor of solving problems through conducting a constructive dialogue on equal terms and expects responsible action in matters of economy, he said.And he called for an institution within the UN for the youth."As Turkey, we propose establishing a UN Youth Organization as soon as possible and suggest Istanbul, one of the symbolic cities of the world history, as its headquarters," he added.
Erdoğan: UNSC 'standing idle to oppressions in world'
Dozens of Palestinians took part in a demonstration on Tuesday outside the headquarters of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).Held on an almost-daily basis, the demonstrations are intended to protest the UNRWA's plan to scale down its operations in Gaza and reduce the number of its employees.Tuesday’s protest, organized by Gaza’s Joint Committee for Defending the Rights of Palestinian Refugees, saw people holding banners reading, “Refugees' rights are a red line” and “With our unity, we’ll obtain our rights”.Mahmoud Khalaf, a leading member of the leftist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, said in a statement: “We warn UNRWA against its policy of sacking employees, reducing their salaries and threatening them with arbitrary dismissal.”“The policies of the U.S. administration aim to terminate UNRWA’s operations, revealing its bias in favor of Israel,” Khalaf said.He added: “U.S. President Donald Trump's call to end the refugee issue has paved the way for the death of UNRWA.”UNRWA employees in Gaza Strip protest downsizing plansIsrael closes Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque to MuslimsIn July, a UNRWA spokesman announced that the agency -- which continues to suffer from chronic funding shortfalls -- would not renew the contracts of more than 100 staff members in Gaza.According to the UNRWA employees’ union, funding cuts have forced the agency to close its mental health program, which had provided direct services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and had employed about 430 people.UNRWA has also terminated the contracts of dozens of its engineers in recent months, union officials have said.Late last month, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert announced that Washington would “no longer commit funding” to the refugee agency.The U.S. had been UNRWA's largest contributor by far, providing it with $350 million annually -- roughly a quarter of its overall budget.Established in 1949, UNRWA provides critical aid to Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.Settlers storm J'lem's Al-Aqsa, Palestinians detainedPalestinian martyred by Israeli soldiers in N. Gaza
Palestinians protest UNRWA aid cuts, downsizing plans
Hundreds of Jewish settlers on Tuesday forced their way into East Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to a Palestinian official.“Three hundred settlers stormed the holy compound and performed Talmudic rituals near the Dome of the Rock Mosque,” Firas al-Dibs, a Palestinian official with Jerusalem’s Religious Endowments Authority, told Anadolu Agency.He said settlers were backed by dozens of Israeli policemen, who arrested two authority employees and a Palestinian worshiper.“The settlers stormed the compound through the Al-Magharbah Gate and stayed for five hours before leaving through the Al-Silsila Gate,” he added.According to al-Dibs, extremist Jewish groups had called on followers to converge on the Al-Aqsa to mark the weeklong Jewish holiday of Sukkot.Tension has mounted in the Palestinian territories -- including occupied East Jerusalem, where the Al-Aqsa is located -- since U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.For Muslims, the Al-Aqsa represents the world's third holiest site. Jews, for their part, refer to the area as the "Temple Mount", claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Middle East War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the Jewish state in a move never recognized by the international community.Palestinian martyred by Israeli soldiers in N. GazaArab League hails Spain’s plan to recognize Palestine
Settlers storm J'lem's Al-Aqsa, Palestinians detained
At least one Palestinian protester was martyred and 10 others wounded on Monday evening by Israeli soldiers, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.In a statement, the ministry said Fayez Abu al-Sadiq, 21, was martyred by Israeli gunfire in the northern Gaza Strip.Hundreds of Palestinians converged along Gaza’s northern border [buffer zone between Gaza and Israel] and set tires on fire as part of the ongoing rallies known as the Great March of Return.The injured persons included a cameraman, who was covering rally for Anadolu Agency.Video: Palestinian martyred by Israeli soldiers in N. GazaMontaser al-Sawaf, the cameraman, said that an Israeli gas bomb hit him in the left leg when he was trying to capture scenes of Israeli army assault on hundreds of Palestinian demonstrators."At the same time when I was hit, my camera was also hit by an Israeli bullet,” he told Anadolu Agency.Sawaf pointed out that the ambulance crew treated him on the ground and described his injury as a "minor" one.Since the latest round of the Palestinian rallies began in late March, scores of Palestinians have been martyred -- and thousands injured -- by Israeli troops deployed along the other side of the buffer zone.Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its more than 2 million inhabitants of many basic commodities.
Palestinian martyred by Israeli soldiers in N. Gaza