Category: 2. World

LONDON: As international concern has grown over alleged Israeli war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories since October 2023, Israel has repeatedly pledged to investigate and hold perpetrators to account. But what, if anything, have those investigations achieved?

The latest incident to spark global outrage occurred on Aug. 25, when Israel struck Al-Nasser Hospital, Gaza’s main medical facility in the south. At least 20 people were killed, including rescuers, critically ill patients, medical staff, and five journalists, and 50 others were injured, according to the World Health Organization.

A livestream by Al Ghad TV captured a second airstrike hitting a crowd outside the hospital, where victims, rescuers, and journalists had gathered. Medical staff told the BBC that the same spot had already been struck just ten minutes earlier.

Rights groups and world leaders condemned the twin strike and called for immediate investigations.

The Foreign Press Association in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories described the attack as a “turning point,” urging Israel to “halt its abhorrent practice of targeting journalists.”

For its part, the Committee to Protect Journalists warned that the killing of the five journalists, including staff for The Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and Reuters, could constitute a war crime.

“Journalists are civilians. They must never be targeted in war. And to do so is a war crime,” Jodie Ginsberg, CPJ’s chief executive, said in a statement.

As on many previous occasions when accused of potential war crimes, Israel quickly promised to investigate. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the double attack on Al-Nasser was a “tragic mishap,” which his country “deeply regrets.”

He added that the military authorities were “conducting a thorough investigation.”

But the next day, the UN pressed Israel to go beyond pledges and deliver results.

“There needs to be justice,” UN Human Rights Office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told AFP in Geneva, stressing that the large number of journalists killed in the Gaza war “raises many, many questions.”

He added that while Israel has previously announced inquiries into such killings, “we haven’t seen results or accountability measures yet.”

Hours later, Israel released an “initial inquiry,” saying its troops had “identified a camera that was positioned by Hamas in the area of Al-Nasser Hospital.”

They claimed the camera was “being used to observe the activity of Israeli Defense Forces troops,” and so they “operated to remove the threat by striking and dismantling the camera.”

When Israel does not launch inquiries, it resorts to outright denials. Despite arguing its forces do not target journalists, its officials’ own public remarks contradict this.

Earlier this month, following the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif and four colleagues outside Al-Shifa Hospital, Israeli officials claimed without evidence that Al-Sharif was part of a Hamas cell.

Critics say Israel’s self-investigation into high-profile allegations of wrongdoing follows a familiar pattern. Research published in early August by UK-based charity Action on Armed Violence found the IDF’s system of probes riddled with impunity.

AOAV’s research highlighted that of 52 high-profile investigations into suspected war crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank since October 2023, 88 percent remain “under review” or were closed with no findings. Only one resulted in a prison sentence.

Those cases involved more than 1,300 deaths, 1,880 injuries, and two cases of torture. Only three incidents led to dismissals or reprimands.

Critics warn that Israel’s system of self-investigation enables continued abuses and hollow claims to democratic rule of law. But can this “political theater,” as AOAV put it, withstand growing international scrutiny?

“We’ve basically had years, if not decades, of established fact that this is the trend for the Israeli military and security forces in general — the pattern of systematic impunity has been very evident,” said Amjad Iraqi, senior Israel-Palestine analyst at the International Crisis Group.

“Both Palestinian and Israeli organizations have documented this for ages, so this latest study is only (re)affirming what has been a longstanding pattern,” Iraqi told Arab News. “What this means is that the knowledge is there; the evidence is there.”

What is missing, Iraqi said, is political will abroad. “With such a highly documented war — (marked by) countless suspected war crimes and possible crimes against humanity — there is very little wiggle room,” he added, referring to the onslaught on Gaza.

“There is an abundance of facts and evidence, and Israeli authorities cannot escape them.”

Since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel triggered the war in Gaza, the UN Human Rights Council, the Commission of Inquiry, and the International Criminal Court have all accused Israel of crimes ranging from indiscriminate attacks on civilians to deliberate starvation and torture — allegations Israel has denied.

On Aug. 22, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification confirmed famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas, with more than half a million people — a quarter of the population — across the enclave facing “catastrophic” levels of hunger. The report described the crisis as “entirely man-made.”

Israel dismissed the findings as an “outright lie” and went as far as to accuse the IPC of using unreliable data controlled by Hamas. But bodies including Medecins Sans Frontieres have also been collecting their own data on acute malnutrition.

In addition, aid agencies have long accused Israel of obstructing food deliveries and even “weaponizing aid.” The UN reported that between late May and late June, at least 1,373 Gazans were killed while seeking food at aid distribution sites run by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Israel consistently responds to criticism about its internal investigations by asserting that its inquiries are prompt, independent, and in line with both Israeli and international law, and that they demonstrate the country’s commitment to accountability.

In official statements given to AOAV, the IDF emphasized the existence of a permanent independent fact-finding mechanism, which it claims operates “outside the chain of command” and is “subordinate to the Chief of Staff,” with “professional independence.”

The IDF states that “exceptional incidents” are reviewed to clarify circumstances and, where there is “a prima facie reasonable suspicion of a criminal offense,” a criminal investigation is opened and run by Military Police.

Israeli officials claim that international courts like the ICC have no jurisdiction precisely because Israel’s domestic mechanism is “robust and credible,” referencing the international law principle of complementarity.

Despite Israel’s denials, international scrutiny continues to mount. Iraqi noted that “even as the Israeli military carries out these policies and practices, its leaders have openly expressed concern.”

“Much of what has happened over the past two years has crossed multiple lines under international law,” he said. “And generals themselves have acknowledged fears of greater exposure to international prosecution.

“The fact that governments are speaking more openly, and that lawsuits invoking universal jurisdiction are being filed against senior commanders and generals, has begun to worry the Israeli military.”

Indeed, Canada’s federal police opened a “structural investigation” in June into alleged crimes in Gaza. The Times of Israel reported that several Canadian citizens who served in the IDF now fear returning home where they could face prosecution.

Iraqi said that IDF personnel “have been accustomed to impunity, relying on the facade of complementarity to shield themselves from outside accountability.”

“But as the ICC arrest warrants and the findings of many governments show, the facade is widely recognized,” he added, reiterating that the question is “whether they will ultimately act on it.”

On Nov. 21 last year, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza since Oct. 2023.

Though no ICC member state has acted to detain them, Netanyahu has avoided travel to countries bound by the Rome Statute. But when he visited Hungary in April, its leadership welcomed him and said it would leave the ICC because it has become “political.”

And while many governments around the world have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, they have stopped short of action.

For example, a joint statement by the UK, Australia, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Austria, Norway, and New Zealand criticized Israel’s latest Gaza offensive, warning that it will “aggravate the catastrophic humanitarian situation… endanger the lives of hostages,” and “risk violating international humanitarian law.”

Iraqi stressed that “change is urgently needed because real consequences abroad could begin to shift political and military behavior.”

“It comes down to international actors calling the bluff of internal Israeli investigations, which rarely lead to anything substantial, and pressing for genuine accountability to curb Israeli policies and practices,” he said.

“It may not be immediate, and the legal process will always take time. But the psychological effect is already significant, as it could influence behavior and help curb some of the worst excesses, especially at this moment.”

 

 

Billboard of pictures of nuclear scientists and centrifuges captioned ‘Science is the power’, Enqelab square, Tehran, August 29, 2025

There is extremely alarming news about the situation around Iran. In consultations with the Trump administration — rather, in deference to the command from Washington — the E3 countries (Britain, France and Germany) who are the remaining western signatories of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as JCPOA, have initiated the process of triggering the so-called snapback mechanism with the aim to reimpose all UN sanctions against Iran on the plea that it has breached the terms of the ten-year old agreement. 

A joint statement issued in the three European capitals on Thursday notified the UN Security Council that Tehran is “in significant non-performance of its commitments under the JCPoA” to give a 30-day notice “before the possible reestablishment of previously terminated United Nations Security Council resolutions.” 

The E3 statement is patently an act of sophistry since it was the US which unilaterally abandoned the JCOPA in 2018 and the three  European powers themselves have been remiss in ignoring their own commitments to lift the sanctions against Iran through the past 15-year period, which only had ultimately prompted Tehran to resume the uranium enrichment activity — although the Iranian side was ready to reinstate the JCOPA as recently as in December 2022. 

A strange part of the E3 move is that they short-circuited the prescribed procedure in regard of the snapback mechanism with the intent to reduce the two other permanent member countries of the Security Council to be mere bystanders with no role whatsoever in the matter. Unsurprisingly, Russia and China have taken exception to this and in a lengthy statement on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry has demanded (with China’s backing) an extension of the time line by another six months by the Security Council as an interim measure so as to avoid a standoff with dangerous and tragic consequences.

Tehran has welcomed the Russia-China proposal as a “practical step.” Iran, of course, has explicitly warned that any such attempt by the E3 to reimpose the UN sanctions against it may compel it to reconsider its membership of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 

It remains to be seen whether the E3 — or more precisely, the US-Israeli nexus which is the driving force behind the precipitate move  — will be amenable to a compromise. All indications are that Israel with the full support of the Trump administration is spoiling for a fight with Iran and make a second attempt to force regime change in Tehran and the restoration of the erstwhile Pahlavi dynasty to replace the Islamic system that got established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Simply put, it is a make-or-break attempt by the US and Israel to bring about a geopolitical realignment in the West Asian region. 

The US and Israel have drawn lessons out of the miserable failure of their first attempt in June to overthrow the Islamic system in Iran, and Israel suffered huge losses as Iran retaliated. This time around, the US and Israel seem to be preparing for a fight to the finish, although the outcome remains to be seen. Indeed, a protracted war may ensue. The US is rearming Israel with advanced weaponry. At some point, early enough in the war, a direct American intervention in some form can also be expected. 

Unlike in June when the Trump administration in an elaborate ploy of deception lulled Tehran into a state of complacency when the Israeli attack began, this time around, Iran is on guard and has been strengthening its defenses. Make no mistake, Iran will fight back no  matter what is takes. Iran is also getting help from Russia for beefing up its air defence system and there are reports that Russian advisors are helping Iran’s armed forces to augment their capability to resist the US-Israeli aggression. 

Many western experts, including Alastair Crooke, have predicted that an Israeli attack on Iran can be expected sooner rather than later. The Israeli-American expectation could be that Russia’s military operations in Ukraine will have reached a climactic point by autumn which would almost certainly preclude any scope for Moscow to get involved in a West Asian conflict, and that, in turn, will give them a free hand to take the regime change agenda to its finish.

Besides, in a policy reversal, Iran has taken up the standing Russian offer to provide an integrated air defence system. Such a system will possibly be in position by the middle of next year or so and it is expected to be a force multiplier for Iran. Israel will most certainly try to attack Iran before the integrated system which is connected to Russian satellites becomes fully operational. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will be able to withstand Israeli pressure, given the Mossad’s alleged involvement in the Epstein scandal.

A West Asian war of titanic scale will be unprecedented. Apart from large scale loss of lives and destruction, the regional turmoil that ensues will also affect the surrounding regions — India in particular. The point is, an estimated 6 million Indians live in the Gulf region. Their safety and welfare will be in serious jeopardy if the Gulf states get sucked in to the war at some point. 

The probability is high that Iran’s retaliation this time around may involve the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz through which tankers carry approximately 17 million barrels of oil each day, or 20 to 30 percent of the world’s total consumption. If that happens, oil price will sky rocket and India’s energy security, which is heavily dependent on oil imports, will be affected. India’s main sources of oil supplies are Russia (18-20%), Saudi Arabia (16-18%), UAE (8-10%) and the US (6-7%). 

Clearly, if the oil supplies from the Gulf region get disrupted, India’s dependence on oil flows from Russia will only increase further. In fact, there will be a scramble for Russian oil and, paradoxically, Trump’s best-laid plans to hollow out “Putin’s war chest” will remain a pipe dream.

Significantly, according to Israel’s Kanal 13, Russia has evacuated its diplomatic personnel and their families in its embassy in Tel Aviv in anticipation of a “dramatic” change in the security situation and growing signs of an outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran.

Related

A new $250 “visa integrity fee” imposed on travellers to the United States risks piling more pressure on the struggling travel industry, as overseas arrivals continue to fall due to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration and hostility to many foreign countries.

Overseas travel to the US fell 3.1 per cent year-on-year in July to 19.2 million visitors, according to US government data. It was the fifth month of decline this year, defying expectations that 2025 would see annual inbound visitors finally surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79.4m.

The new visa fee, set to go into effect on October 1, adds an additional hurdle for travellers from non-visa waiver countries such as Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China. The extra charge raises the total visa cost to $442, one of the highest visitor fees in the world, according to the US Travel Association, a membership organisation.

“Any friction we add to the traveller experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Altour, a global travel management company. “As the summer ends, this will become a more pressing issue, and we’ll have to factor the fees into travel budgets and documentation.”

International visitor spending in the US is projected to fall below $169 billion this year, down from $181bn in 2024, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

The visa fee reinforces a bleak perception of the US under Trump, whose immigration policies, cuts to foreign aid and sweeping tariffs have eroded America’s appeal as a destination — even with major events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon.

The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed government regulation that aims to tighten the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange visitors and members of the media.

In early August, the administration said the US could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot programme effective August 20 that will last for approximately a year, in an effort to crack down on visitors overstaying their visas.

Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics consultancy, forecast in December 2024 that overseas travel to the US in 2025 would increase more than 10pc year-over-year. Instead, it is on track to fall 3pc, said Aran Ryan, director of industry studies at Tourism Economics.

“We see it as a sustained setback, and we anticipate much of it is in place throughout the administration,” Ryan said.

Hardest hit

The newest visa fee is likely to hit hardest in Central and South American countries that have been a rare bright spot for US travel this year.

As of May, travel from Mexico to the US was up nearly 14pc in 2025, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.

Arrivals from Argentina rose 20pc and from Brazil 4.6pc year-to-date. Overall, travel from Central America grew 3pc and from South America 0.7pc, compared with a decline of 2.3pc from Western Europe.

In China, arrivals have remained muted since the pandemic, with July numbers still 53pc below 2019 levels. The visa fee also threatens travel from India, where visits are down 2.4pc so far this year, driven by a near 18pc drop in students.

For some, the rise in fees will be absorbed as just another cost in an already expensive trip to the US.

“The US has always been selective about its visitors. If your financial standing isn’t up to par, getting a visa is tough anyway,“ said Su Shu, founder of Chinese firm Moment Travel in Chengdu.

As foreign visitors face higher entry fees, US travellers worry about stricter requirements being imposed abroad, said James Kitchen, travel agent and owner of Seas 2 Day & Travel.

“Travellers have expressed concern around reciprocal fees that may be imposed in the coming months,” Kitchen said.

NEW YORK: A new $250 “visa integrity fee” imposed on travelers to the United States risks piling more pressure on the struggling travel industry, as overseas arrivals continue to fall due to President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration and hostility to many foreign countries. Overseas travel to the US fell 3.1 percent year-on-year in July to 19.2 million visitors, according to US government data. It was the fifth month of decline this year, defying expectations that 2025 would see annual inbound visitors finally surpass the pre-pandemic level of 79.4 million. The new visa fee, set to go into effect on October 1, adds an additional hurdle for travelers from non-visa waiver countries like Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China. The extra charge raises the total visa cost to $442, one of the highest visitor fees in the world, according to the US Travel Association, a membership organization.

“Any friction we add to the traveler experience is going to cut travel volumes by some amount,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Altour, a global travel management company. “As the summer ends this will become a more pressing issue, and we’ll have to factor the fees into travel budgets and documentation.” International visitor spending in the US is projected to fall below $169 billion this year, down from $181 billion in 2024, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. The visa fee reinforces a bleak perception of the US under Trump, whose immigration policies, cuts to foreign aid and sweeping tariffs have eroded America’s appeal as a destination — even with major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon. The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed government regulation that aims to tighten the duration of visas for students, cultural exchange visitors and members of the media. In early August, the administration said the US could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot program effective August 20 that will last for approximately a year, in an effort to crack down on visitors overstaying their visas. Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics consultancy, forecast in December 2024 that overseas travel to the US in 2025 would increase more than 10 percent year-over-year. Instead, it is on track to fall 3 percent, said Aran Ryan, director of industry studies at Tourism Economics.

“We see it as a sustained setback, and we anticipate much of it is in place throughout the administration,” Ryan said.

HARDEST HIT

The newest visa fee is likely to hit hardest in Central and South American countries that have been a rare bright spot for US travel this year.

As of May, travel from Mexico to the US was up nearly 14 percent in 2025, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.

Arrivals from Argentina rose 20 percent and from Brazil 4.6 percent year-to-date. Overall, travel from Central America grew 3 percent and from South America 0.7 percent, compared with a decline of 2.3 percent from Western Europe.

In China, arrivals have remained muted since the pandemic, with July numbers still 53 percent below 2019 levels. The visa fee also threatens travel from India, where visits are down 2.4 percent so far this year, driven by a near 18 percent drop in students.

For some, the rise in fees will be absorbed as just another cost in an already expensive trip to the US

“The US has always been selective about its visitors. If your financial standing isn’t up to par, getting a visa is tough anyway,” said Su Shu, founder of Chinese firm Moment Travel in Chengdu.

As foreign visitors face higher entry fees, US travelers worry about stricter requirements being imposed abroad, said James Kitchen, travel agent and owner of Seas 2 Day & Travel.

“Travelers have expressed concern around reciprocal fees that may be imposed in the coming months,” Kitchen said.

​

On Saturday, August 30, 2025, the US flag above the White House was lowered to half-staff, immediately fueling speculation and conspiracy theories online.

Social media users began questioning whether the gesture was linked to unverified rumours about President Donald Trump’s health, which have been trending under the hashtag #TrumpIsDead on X.

In reality, the flag-lowering is unrelated to those rumours. The White House confirmed earlier this week that President Trump issued a proclamation on August 27, 2025, directing all federal buildings, military posts, and embassies to lower the US flag through sunset on August 31.

The proclamation honors the victims of the Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis, where two children were killed and 17 others injured.

Still, the overlap in timing, with the White House livestream temporarily offline and the flag flying at half-staff, has heightened confusion online.

Posts misinterpreting the gesture as a signal of presidential death have spread rapidly, even though no credible reports support those claims.

The White House flag will remain at half-staff nationwide until Sunday evening.