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EU members are locked in debates about whether to freeze aid to the Palestinians
(JTA) — A number of European countries — in addition to the European Union’s governing body — are considering suspending their financial assistance to the Palestinians in the wake of Hamas’ attacks that have left over 1,200 Israelis dead.
The EU and many of its member states provide over $700 million annually to the Palestinian Authority and Gaza. Many consider Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg announced Monday that his country was suspending all of its aid of close to $20 million. He did not distinguish between aid to Gaza and to the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Ramallah, Reuters reported.
Denmark and Sweden both announced on Tuesday that they would suspend developmental aid but continue to send humanitarian assistance.
Others are publicly wrestling with the issue in public view — including the European Union, which has see-sawed in statements from different officials.
European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said Monday that the EU would postpone all new payments, including for the current year “until further notice.” He said there could be no “business as usual” given the atrocities.
Then Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs commissioner, said after an emergency meeting of EU and Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers on Tuesday in Oman that the body would not be freezing Palestinian aid. He said an “overwhelming majority” of European foreign ministers supported continuing aid and that “some decisions” by the Israeli military in recent days — including the decision to cut off power and water in the Gaza strip — are “contrary to international law.”
But on Wednesday, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission — one of the EU’s executive branches — signaled that the EU would indeed review its funding stance.
“Our humanitarian support to the Palestinian people is not in question. Yet it is important that we carefully review our financial assistance for Palestine. EU funding has never and will never go to Hamas or any terrorist entity. So we will now again review the entire portfolio in light of an evolving situation on the ground,” she wrote in a statement.
Ahead of the ministers’ meeting in Oman, Spain was among the member nations arguing that suspension of aid would be “counterproductive.” Acting Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Spanish media it was unfair to punish the Palestinian people.
According to Reuters, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte agreed with that stance and said aid to Palestinians should continue, since they also were the victims of Hamas. France, too, has rejected the total suspension of aid.
Germany announced Monday that it was reviewing its funding portfolio and will investigate Hamas for suspected murder, manslaughter and hostage-taking, the tabloid BILD first reported. Germany’s foreign ministry confirmed that German citizens were among those kidnapped by the terrorists.
Svenja Schulze, head of Germany’s economic and development ministry, told German media that all Palestinian projects would be reexamined thoroughly after the “shock” of Hamas’ violent attacks against civilians. Around $132 million had been earmarked for bilateral development in 2023-24.
In Germany, popular sentiment is increasingly critical of Israel’s settlement policies, though a survey of 2,512 adults last April marking Israel’s 75th anniversary showed overwhelming support for efforts to normalize relations between Israel and its neighbors. More than two thirds supported the notion of closer cooperation between Germany and Israel. About 60% agreed that Germany has a “special” relationship with Israel due to the Holocaust.
Felix Klein, the country’s commissioner against antisemitism, told the BILD newspaper that “all German and international aid funds for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank should be reconsidered.”
Josef Schuster, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, in a statement argued that “The Palestinian terror that we see was also financed with German taxes.” He called for “an immediate end to all financial support.”
On Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Germans to “guarantee the safety of our Jewish fellow citizens” by showing solidarity with them.
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The post EU members are locked in debates about whether to freeze aid to the Palestinians appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats
Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, waits to welcome the senior Ukrainian delegation led by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
i24 News – The United States has begun sharing classified intelligence with Syria’s new leadership, led by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group formerly designated as a terrorist organization, reports the Washington Post.
This unexpected collaboration comes in the wake of HTS overthrowing the Assad regime last month and reflects heightened US concerns about a potential resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS).
According to sources, US intelligence recently helped thwart a planned ISIS attack on a prominent Shiite shrine near Damascus.
Despite this cooperation, US officials stress that the intelligence-sharing arrangement does not signify full support for HTS, which has a controversial history of extremism.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known by his militant alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has made efforts to project a more moderate image, pledging to protect Syria’s religious minorities and stabilize the country.
However, skepticism remains about HTS’s ability to govern effectively and sustain efforts against ISIS.
The Biden administration, before leaving office, maintained HTS’s terrorist designation while easing sanctions on Syria to facilitate humanitarian aid. As the new US administration under President Donald Trump takes shape, questions loom about the future of American involvement in Syria and the ongoing military presence aimed at preventing an ISIS comeback.
The post US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List
A birthday cake for Kfir Bibas, who is a hostage in Hamas captivity. Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Photo: Debbie Weiss)
i24 News – The second phase of hostage releases between Israel and Hamas has sparked deep frustration and grief among the families of those still held captive.
Two hostages—Arbel Yahud and Agam Berger—were notably excluded from the list of those to be freed on Saturday, despite earlier agreements prioritizing the return of civilians.
Arbel Yahud, 29, and Agam Berger, 20, both captives since the October 7 attack, were not included in the list of four hostages expected to be released.
Yahud, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken along with her partner, Ariel Cunio, whose family was freed in November. Yahud’s brother, Dolev, was later found dead in June after he was killed while trying to aid the wounded. Agam Berger, from Holon, was captured while stationed at Nahal Oz. Her family identified her in a video released by Hamas, showing her in pajamas being taken away in a vehicle after she called her father to alert him of the gunfire.
The omission of these two hostages has led to heightened concerns and calls for action from Israeli authorities, who are now exerting pressure on Hamas and mediators to honor the terms of the release agreement. Israeli officials reaffirmed their commitment to continue with the broader agreement, but warned that the failure to meet the agreed terms could harm future releases.
Adding to the grief, the Bibas family expressed their devastation when they learned that Shiri Bibas and her children, who were abducted from their Nir Oz home on October 7, were also absent from the second release list. In a heartfelt message shared on Saturday, the Bibas family shared their anguish: “Even though we were prepared for it, we were hoping to see Shiri and the children on the list that was supposed to be the civilian list.” The family voiced concerns over their loved one’s safety and questioned why, despite grave fears for their lives, their relatives were not included among the civilians due to be returned.
The Bibas family’s message emphasized their belief that the public must continue to demand answers, adding, “Thank you, dear supporters, for not giving up, for continuing to pray, to hope and to demand answers.
The post Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity
A combination picture shows Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, and Daniela Gilboa, soldiers who were seized from their army base in southern Israel during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, in these undated handout pictures. Photo: Courtesy of Bring Them Home Now/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – After 477 harrowing days in captivity, four young Israeli women—Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa—have finally returned home.
The release took place Saturday morning in Gaza’s Palestine Square, under a carefully staged scene orchestrated by Hamas.
The four women, who served in a military observation unit in Nahal Oz, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Before their release, they were made to wear uniforms provided by Hamas and were paraded on a platform in front of a crowd of activists. Forced to smile and wave, the women endured the ordeal under the watchful eyes of Hamas fighters.
Once the formalities concluded, the women walked to waiting ICRC vehicles, accompanied by representatives of the organization. Upon reaching Israeli forces, IDF medical teams immediately conducted examinations. At the meeting point, the first female officers who greeted them informed the women that their families were watching live. Overcome with emotion, the former hostages smiled at the cameras, sending heartfelt gestures to their loved ones.
Footage later released by the IDF captured a poignant moment: the four women removing the uniforms given to them by Hamas and embracing Israeli officers. These emotional scenes underscored the end of a long and grueling chapter in their lives.
The women were transported to the Reim reception center, where their families eagerly awaited them. After 477 days of separation, the reunions were deeply moving, marking a moment of relief and joy.
However, the release was not without complications. A fifth military observer, Agam Berger, remains in captivity, and Hamas failed to uphold its agreement to release civilian hostage Arbel Yahud, who was originally included in the liberation group. The breach of terms has drawn widespread condemnation, intensifying efforts to secure the release of those who remain captive.
This momentous event brings a mix of celebration and determination, as Israel continues to work tirelessly for the freedom of all hostages still held in Gaza.
The post Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity first appeared on Algemeiner.com.