Turkey calls for Israel to be held accountable for its violations in the West Bank and Gaza

Turkey's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ahmet Yildiz stressed that the time has come to hold Israel accountable for what it is committing in Gaza and the West Bank, stressing that the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories "remains dangerous" and that Palestinians are facing "countless difficulties and tragedies" under occupation.

 Speaking in his capacity as chair of the OIC Ambassadors' Group in New York during a Security Council session, Yildiz noted that Israel continues to build "neo-colonial settlements" and intensify its attacks on civilians and infrastructure, including schools and places of worship, calling the continuation of these attacks "regrettable."

He pointed out that the targeting of refugees and displaced people in Gaza, along with the violence of settlers in the West Bank, constitutes "a pattern aimed at ethnic cleansing and permanent control through displacement, settlement and annexation," in clear violation of international law.

Yildiz called on the Security Council to take action to turn the ceasefire in Gaza into a just and lasting solution, end the occupation and guarantee the rights of the Palestinians, stressing the OIC's support for international efforts aimed at advancing the two-state solution.

European warning: Sexual violence has become a tool of displacement

The European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management has raised a sensitive issue for Habib, stressing that Israel is obligated to prevent violations against Palestinians in the West Bank, including sexual violence by settlers, according  to a blog post on the "X" platform.

 Lahib's comment came after a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council revealed that harassment, assault and sexual intimidation have become systematic tools used to drive Palestinians to flee, noting that more than 70 per cent of displaced families said threats against women and children were a decisive factor in their departure.

 These violations often occur in the presence of Israeli security forces, without effective intervention or serious investigations, creating a "coercive environment" that makes survival in Palestinian villages and towns nearly impossible.

For its part, the  United Nations, through its Secretary-General's spokesman, confirmed that Palestinians in the West Bank, even inside their homes, are subjected to acts of sexual harassment and assault at the hands of settlers.

British leak confuses London: 'special relationship' between Washington and Israel

A leaked recording of British Ambassador to Washington Christian Turner has sparked controversy after he said that the only country with a "special relationship" with the United States "may be" Israel, not Britain.

The recording, which Turner made in front of British students, was released days before King Charles III's visit to Washington, putting the British government in an embarrassing position, especially as it tries to revive the concept of a "special relationship" with the United States.

 Turner said the term "carries nostalgia for the past" and expressed surprise that the Jeffrey Epstein scandal did not affect American figures as it did British figures, pointing to the different standards of accountability between the two countries.

The Foreign Office was quick  to clarify that the ambassador's remarks were "private, unofficial and do not reflect the government's position", while Turner stressed that relations between the two countries remain strong, especially in the areas of defence and security, but called for them to be "redefined".