UN holds emergency meeting over Gaza school attack, calling for ceasefire

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UN holds emergency meeting over Gaza school attack, calling for ceasefire

2024-08-14 10:57 Last Updated At：16:27

The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday held an emergency meeting on the situation in Gaza at the request of Algeria following deadly Israeli airstrikes on a school, with various countries calling for adherence to the UN Security Council resolutions and a ceasefire agreement.

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and Lisa Doughten, Director of Financing and Partnerships of OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), briefed the Security Council on the situation of the Gaza Strip.

On Aug 10, Israeli warplanes targeted the Al-Taba'een school in the Al-Daraj neighborhood in central Gaza while displaced people residing in the school were performing the daily Fajr prayer, killing at least 100 Palestinians and injuring dozens more, Palestinian medical and security sources said, adding that many women and children were among the victims.

DiCarlo said that Israel's devastating attack on the school once again underscores the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement, the release of detainees, and the expansion of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. DiCarlo also pointed out that the threat of further escalation in the region is more evident now than ever before.

Doughten told the Security Council meeting that Israel's attacks on schools in Gaza have become increasingly frequent, with at least 21 attacks on schools used as shelters since July 4 of this year. She called on all parties to take immediate action to end the suffering of the people in Gaza.

Algeria, Mozambique, and several other countries have urged all parties to heed the voice of the international community, reach a ceasefire agreement, and comply with the various resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

"Our Council must and now fulfill its responsibilities and honor its commitment. It's a responsibility to hold the occupying power accountable using all legal means, including sanction mechanism," said Amar Bendjama, Algeria's Permanent Representative to UN.

"It is imperative that all parties involved, particularly Israel, comply with international legal norms and agreements. In particular, they must abide by all orders and judgments enacted by the International Court of Justice on the matter," said Pedro Comissario Afonso, Permanent Representative of Mozambique to UN.

Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, said that Israel has not implemented the Security Council's resolution requirements and is ignoring international law.

Mansour called on the Security Council members to take action to save the lives of Palestinian people and halt Israel's actions.

Gilad Erdan, Israel's Permanent Representative to UN, said that the Israeli attack on Aug 10 targeted a Hamas command center.

Norwegian PM elaborates on partnership with EU

2024-09-14 14:27 Last Updated At：14:37

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, in an interview with China Media Group (CMG), elaborated on why he called his country "an insider on the outside" of the European Union (EU).

Store was speaking with the CMG on a high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai on Tuesday, part of his three-day official visit to China.

"We've had two referendums about joining the European Union and both ended up 52 to 48 against and that we have to respect. But you know, most of our trade is with the European Union. So it's in my interest to have a good relationship, a trusted relationship, and in that sense, to be on the inside. And then, beyond this market, you know, these are our neighbors, Nordic neighbors - Sweden, Finland and Denmark. These are our European partners. So on a number of other issues linked to security and research and all the other issues beyond trade, these are our closest friends. So that's why I say, you know, I'm very much on the inside, although I'm a member from the outside," he said.

Norway, as a member state of the European Economic Area, was the EU's sixth most important partner for trade in goods in 2023, with exports to the bloc reaching 119.2 billion euros and imports amounting to 61.7 billion euros.

Norway is the biggest exporter of fish and aquaculture products to the EU.