Israeli soldier makes Palestinian child break toy gun at Hebron checkpoint

Palestinians brandish a toy gun and wave the flag of the Hamas militant group in protest against Israel, during Eid Al-Fitr holiday celebrations by the Dome of the Rock shrine in the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, Friday, April 21, 2023. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 23 April 2023
Follow

Israeli soldier makes Palestinian child break toy gun at Hebron checkpoint

  • IDF personnel refused to let the child or his family pass a checkpoint with the plastic toy, a gift to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr

RAMALLAH: Footage has emerged of Israeli Defense Forces personnel in Hebron forcing a Palestinian child to destroy a plastic toy pistol he received to celebrate Eid in exchange for permission to pass through a checkpoint at Shuhada Street on Sunday.

Palestinian activists circulated the video on social media, in which the nine-year-old boy, along with his father and two young brothers, were told by an IDF officer to destroy the plastic toy if they wanted to cross the checkpoint.

Ibrahim Melhem, a spokesman for the Palestinian government, told Arab News that the incident reflected a series of Israeli military measures that targeted Palestinian children, whether by killing them, arresting, injuring or intimidating them, or even restricting their right to play during Eid Al-Fitr.

“They are trying to narrow the space for joy and spread terror and fear among children, especially on holidays, while dozens of Palestinian children are being killed just to satisfy their desire to kill children,” Melhem said, calling on the UN to investigate the issue.

Dozens of settlers live among Palestinian families in Hebron, while the IDF provides security for settlers. However, it often abuses Palestinian citizens who pass through its military checkpoints.

“This behavior of the Israeli forces reflects the core policies of the state of Israel, which is based on suppressing and oppressing the Palestinian people and denying them, especially children, their right to dream of a better future,” said a statement from the political department of Hamas in Gaza.

“It shows how much Palestinian people are suffering under Israel’s occupation, even in simple circumstances and celebrations. This is state terrorism.”

The child’s father said: “This is what’s happening with the children of Al-Shuhada Street. The Israeli soldier refused to give him the toy until he destroyed it completely and made it useless.

“The kid was celebrating Eid like other kids in the city. According to the Israeli military officer, the kids living in Al-Shuhada Street do not have the right to play or celebrate Eid.

“This is the law of the Israeli government, as explained to the child by the Israeli military officer at the checkpoint.”

Palestinians say that targeting and killing Palestinian children constituted a consistent policy followed by the Israeli political and military leadership and was approved at the highest levels.

The human rights organizations in Palestine have documented the killing of 2,094 children at the hands of the IDF since 2000.

According to Palestinian sources, the IDF killed 61 Palestinian children in 2022 (44 children in the West Bank and 17 in the Gaza Strip), while dozens were arrested and are still languishing in Israeli jails.


Jordan and Syria agree on roadmap to cooperate in energy, transport

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

Jordan and Syria agree on roadmap to cooperate in energy, transport

  • Ayman Safadi says Jordan is Syria’s gateway to the Arabian Gulf, while Syria acts as Jordan’s gateway to Europe
  • Asaad Al-Shaibani: Syrians are tired after 14 years of war, and the country wants to focus on maintaining security and stability

LONDON: Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s minister of foreign affairs, on Tuesday discussed strengthening cooperation during a meeting in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shaibani.

The Jordanian delegation included the ministers of water, industry, trade, energy, and transport, who discussed coordination with their Syrian counterparts and signed an agreement to establish a coordination council between the two countries.

Al-Shaibani said that diplomatic efforts resulted in the lifting of European sanctions shortly after the US announced it would lift sanctions on the country. He added that lifting sanctions on Syria would enhance cooperation with Jordan in transport and energy, positively affecting the region.

The minister said Syria shares borders with Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and aims to maintain its security while addressing threats, as its security would affect neighboring countries.

Al-Shaibani and Safadi opposed the Israeli intervention in Syria after the change of rule in Damascus in December 2024, the SANA agency reported.

Al-Shaibani said Syrians are tired after 14 years of war, and the country wants to focus on maintaining security and stability while finding solutions for vital issues such as energy and electricity.

Safadi and Al-Shaibani have agreed to establish a roadmap to enhance cooperation in energy, transport, water, and health, SANA added.

Safadi said that Jordan is Syria’s gateway to the Arabian Gulf and the Arab world, while Syria is Jordan’s gateway to Europe, and affirmed Amman’s support for Syria.


Lebanon has ‘more’ to do on Hezbollah disarming: US deputy envoy

Updated 20 May 2025
Follow

Lebanon has ‘more’ to do on Hezbollah disarming: US deputy envoy

  • Lebanese authorities “have done more in the last six months than they probably have in the last 15 years,” Ortagus said
  • “However, there’s a lot more to go“

DOHA: Lebanon still has “more” to do in disarming Hezbollah following the war between the Iran-backed group and Israel, Deputy US Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus said Tuesday.

As part of a deal agreed to end 14 months of fighting last November, Hezbollah was to withdraw its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River, while Israel was to pull all its forces from south Lebanon.

The Lebanese army has been deploying in the area as Israeli forces have withdrawn and has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure there.

UN peacekeepers are also present in the area and play a role in supervising the ceasefire.

Lebanese authorities “have done more in the last six months than they probably have in the last 15 years,” Ortagus said at the Qatar Economic Forum referring to efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

“However, there’s a lot more to go,” she added.

“We in the United States have called for the full disarmament of Hezbollah. And so that doesn’t mean just south of the Litani. That means in the whole country,” Ortagus said at the Qatar conference calling on Lebanese politicians “to make a decision.”

It has also continued to launch raids on its neighbor despite the ceasefire.

Last month, President Joseph Aoun said the army was deployed in more than 85 percent of Lebanon’s south, and that the sole obstacle to full control across the frontier area was “Israel’s occupation of five border positions.”

In defiance of the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli military continues to occupy five positions close to the border that it has declared to be strategic.


Drought-hit Syrian farmers hope sanctions reprieve will restore agriculture

Updated 20 May 2025
Follow

Drought-hit Syrian farmers hope sanctions reprieve will restore agriculture

ALEPPO: Severe drought in Syria this year could lead to the failure of an estimated 75 percent of local wheat crops, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, threatening the food security of millions of people.
Toni Ettel, the FAO’s representative in Syria, told Reuters the agency anticipated a “food shortage of 2.7 million tons of wheat for this year, which is sufficient to feed 16.3 million people over one year.”
Under former President Bashar Assad, Damascus depended on wheat imports from Russia to support a bread subsidy program during past droughts.
Wheat farmers like Asaad Ezzeldin, 45, have seen their crops fail due to the drought. It has further strained Syria’s beleaguered agricultural sector that suffered from fighting and heavy bombardment during 13 years of civil war.
“Agriculture in Aleppo’s northern countryside has been hit because of the lack of irrigation. There is no rainfall,” he said.
Moscow, a staunch ally of Assad, suspended wheat supplies to Syria soon after Islamist rebels toppled him, citing uncertainties about the country’s new authorities.
In a surprise announcement last week, US President Donald Trump said he would order the lifting of all sanctions on Syria. Washington is likely to begin providing some sanctions relief in the coming weeks.
The flow of funds could revive the agriculture sector, providing much-needed technologies for irrigation and infrastructure renewal, Ettel said.
Unable to buy wheat and fuel, Syria’s new government had lobbied for a lifting of the sanctions that for years isolated the Syrian economy and made it dependent on Russia and Iran.
Syria’s agriculture ministry did not reply to a request for comment.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday she hoped ministers would reach an agreement on lifting EU economic sanctions on Syria. The EU has already eased sanctions related to energy, transport and reconstruction, and associated financial transactions, but some argued this was not enough to support its political transition and economic recovery.


UK sanctions Israeli settlers in West Bank

Updated 54 min 19 sec ago
Follow

UK sanctions Israeli settlers in West Bank

Britain said on Tuesday it had sanctioned a number of individuals and groups in the West Bank who it said had been linked with acts of violence against Palestinians.

Sanctions were placed on Neria’s Farm outpost, as well as individuals residing in the outpost. Sanctions were also imposed on Nachala, Libi Construction and Infrastructure Ltd, Harel Libi, Daniella Weiss, and Coco’s Farm outpost.

The UK sanctioned Zohar Sabah for “involvement in threatening, perpetrating, permitting and supporting acts of aggression and violence against Palestinian individuals.”


Syria FM says sanctions relief shows ‘international will’ to support country

Updated 20 May 2025
Follow

Syria FM says sanctions relief shows ‘international will’ to support country

  • Lifting sanctions expresses the regional and international will to support Syria, said Al-Shaibani

DAMASCUS: The Syrian Arab Republic’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that the lifting of sanctions on his country shows an “international will” to support his country, after EU countries agreed to end most of its sanctions.

In a press conference in Damascus alongside his Jordanian counterpart, Asaad Al-Shaibani said that “lifting sanctions expresses the regional and international will to support Syria,” adding that “the Syrian people today have a very important and historic opportunity to rebuild their country.”