The Israeli occupation forces acknowledged their use of live ammunition against protesters in southern Syria, claiming the action targeted what they described as a "threat."

According to an IOF statement, one protester sustained a gunshot wound to the leg in the village of Maaria.

The incident unfolded during a demonstration against the Israeli military presence and its encroachment on agricultural lands in the area.

It is worth noting that the IOF recently occupied two villages in the Yarmouk Basin region of Daraa province in southern Syria. These actions are part of what appears to be an ongoing expansion of Israeli-occupied territories in Syria, particularly since the emergence of new regime forces in the country.

The suspect in the deadly ramming at a Christmas market in Germany on Friday was an anti-Islam activist who shared pro-Israel content on social media in the wake of the October 7 attacks, The Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the Journal report, the suspect, a Saudi national who had moved to Germany in 2006, ran a website and social media channels warning against Islam and discussing women’s rights, as well as posting content in support of Israel.

He also showed support for Germany’s far-right anti-immigration AfD party, the report said.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has publicly accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to bribe him with €500 million in exchange for Slovakia’s backing of Ukraine’s NATO membership bid. Fico made the explosive allegation during a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, following a private meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of an EU leaders' summit.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/23825981

By Ed Augustin
Dec 20, 2024

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/23826424

cross-posted from: https://hcommons.social/users/adachika192/statuses/113687584725899167

MP: UK activists are doing the gov't's work, stopping arms to Israel (2024-12-17)

[https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20241217-mp-uk-activists-are-doing-the-govts-work-stopping-arms-to-israel/] ------

"British MP John McDonnell said yesterday in parliament that ‘It’s time to act now. All arms licences [to Israel] need to be closed down', adding that the UK government is failing by ‘supplying arms to a regime that’s killing children.’"

With a short clip, also on Youtube:
https://youtube.com/shorts/MLjF/_yOK-H4

Edited version of the speech:
https://labouroutlook.org/2024/12/19/end-all-arms-sales-to-israel-john-mcdonnell/

@palestine@lemmy.ml @palestine@a.gup.pe @israel
#StopArmingIsrael

https://archive.ph/LtVfz

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/23826676

cross-posted from: https://hcommons.social/users/adachika192/statuses/113687349654378110

On the decision by the Government of Sweden to stop funding UNRWA in 2025 | UNRWA (2024-12-20)

[https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/decision-government-sweden-stop-funding-unrwa-2025] ------

"The decision by the Government of #Sweden to stop funding #UNRWA in 2025 is disappointing and comes at the worst time for Palestine Refugees.

"The decision is one day after the members of the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution in support of UNRWA. Sweden has been a reliable longstanding partner to UNRWA providing both political and financial support for decades.

"This is a sad day for Palestine Refugees and the multilateral system which Sweden has spearheaded..."

@palestine@lemmy.ml @palestine@a.gup.pe

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/23820941

Oct 01, 2024

After years of telling the public that the United States has about 900 troops in Syria, the Pentagon has revealed there are approximately 2,000 soldiers there — double the previous estimate.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said the additional US forces have been in Syria since before the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad this month, though he did not specify a timeframe.

“We have been briefing you regularly that there are approximately 900 US troops deployed to Syria. In light of the situation in Syria and the significant interest, we recently learned that those numbers were higher,” Ryder said.