NGOs: Environment fears over $6 billion Indonesia EV battery project

NGOs: Environment fears over $6 billion Indonesia EV battery project
A volunteer plants mangrove seedlings at a beach that was devastated by the boxing day 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami at Kajhu on the outskirts of Banda Aceh on June 26, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 26 June 2025
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NGOs: Environment fears over $6 billion Indonesia EV battery project

NGOs: Environment fears over $6 billion Indonesia EV battery project
  • A CRI report this month warned the Indonesian government was allowing environmental damage to go unchecked around Weda Bay

JAKARTA: Environmental groups raised concerns Thursday over a $6 billion Indonesian EV battery megaproject backed by Chinese giant CATL which is set to open on a once-pristine island, as Jakarta exploits its huge supply of nickel.

Indonesia is both the world’s largest nickel producer and home to the biggest-known reserves, and a 2020 export ban has spurred a domestic industrial boom.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will inaugurate the project — also backed by China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Indonesia’s state-owned Antam — in the east of Halmahera in Indonesia’s Maluku islands on Sunday.

The complex will encompass a process from nickel mining to production of cathodes, state news agency Antara reported.

But NGOs say Indonesia and the Chinese firms involved have not given assurances about environmental protections at the site, located just kilometers from a huge industrial park where spikes in pollution and deforestation have been reported.

“CATL, Huayou Cobalt, PT Antam... must commit to respecting the rights of local communities and the environment before breaking ground,” said Brad Adams, executive director at Climate Rights International, in a statement.

“Communities are repressed, forests are cleared, and pollution goes unaddressed with impunity. This is a chance for the Prabowo government to show that it has learned from those failures.”

The presidential office did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Halmahera hosts the world’s largest nickel mine by production Weda Bay, where operations have grown and sparked reports of widespread environmental damage.

Greenpeace Indonesia said the new project carried “great responsibilities” and the environment and locals “must not take a back seat” to powering electric vehicles.

“If the environment and the rights of our most vulnerable people are not prioritized now... we will all pay a high price through worsening biodiversity and climate crises,” Arie Rompas, forest campaign team leader at Greenpeace, told AFP.

A CRI report this month warned the Indonesian government was allowing environmental damage to go unchecked around Weda Bay.

An AFP report last month detailed how the home of the nomadic Hongana Manyawa tribe was being eaten away by the mine.


North Korea says Trump must accept new nuclear reality

North Korea says Trump must accept new nuclear reality
Updated 43 sec ago
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North Korea says Trump must accept new nuclear reality

North Korea says Trump must accept new nuclear reality
  • “If the US fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK-US meeting will remain as a ‘hope’ of the US side,” she said

SEOUL: North Korea said on Tuesday the United States must accept that reality has changed since the countries’ summit meetings in the past, and no future dialogue would end its nuclear program, state media KCNA reported.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who is believed to speak for his brother, said she conceded that the personal relationship between Kim and US President Donald Trump “is not bad.”

But if Washington intended to use a personal relationship as a way to end the North’s nuclear weapons program, the effort would only be the subject of “mockery,” Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by KCNA.

“If the US fails to accept the changed reality and persists in the failed past, the DPRK-US meeting will remain as a ‘hope’ of the US side,” she said. DPRK is short for North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

North Korea’s capabilities as a nuclear weapons state and the geopolitical environment have radically changed since Kim and Trump held talks three times during the US president’s first term, she said.

“Any attempt to deny the position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state ... will be thoroughly rejected,” she said.

Trump has said he has a “great relationship” with Kim, and the White House has said the president is receptive to the idea of communicating with the reclusive North Korean leader.

 


France circulates draft outcome document from UN 2-state solution conference

France circulates draft outcome document from UN 2-state solution conference
Updated 17 min 53 sec ago
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France circulates draft outcome document from UN 2-state solution conference

France circulates draft outcome document from UN 2-state solution conference
  • Arab News can reveal it reaffirms the international community’s ‘unwavering commitment’ to the vision of Israel and Palestine as 2 democratic states existing side-by-side in peace
  • It strongly condemns the ‘barbaric and antisemitic terrorist attack’ by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and demands an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and full humanitarian access

NEW YORK CITY: Arab News has been given an exclusive first look at a preliminary outcome document from the conference on a two-state solution to the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, which began on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York.

Circulated by France among UN member states and open for comments until Tuesday morning, the document represents a critical step in attempts to revitalize long-stalled efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, against a backdrop in recent years of renewed violence and diplomatic deadlock.

The draft strongly condemns the “barbaric and antisemitic terrorist attack” on Israeli towns launched by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. It demands an immediate ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages still held by Hamas, including the return of the remains of those who have died.

It also stresses the urgent need for unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza, to alleviate the suffering of civilians caught up in the crisis.

Central to the draft text is a reaffirmation of the “unwavering commitment” of the international community to the vision for two democratic states — Israel and Palestine — living side by side in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders.

Emphasizing the need for Palestinian political unity, the document underscores the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the governance of the Palestinian Authority, presenting this as the cornerstone for a future Palestinian state that is both legitimate and demilitarized.

Copy of a preliminary outcome document from the conference on a two-state solution to the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. 

The document welcomes commitments made by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in June this year, and acknowledges his condemnation of the Oct. 7 attacks, his call for the release of hostages, and his pledge to disarm Hamas. Abbas has also vowed to end contentious “pay-to-slay” payments; implement education reforms; hold elections within a year to foster generational renewal; and accept the principle of a demilitarized Palestinian state — all of which are viewed as critical steps to rebuild trust and lay the groundwork for peace.

In anticipation of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September, the document envisions that signatory countries will either have officially recognized the State of Palestine or expressed a willingness to do so. It further encourages nations that have yet to establish diplomatic ties with Israel to begin normalizing relations and to engage in dialogue regarding the regional integration of Israel, signaling a broader vision for Middle East cooperation.

As of early this year, about 147 of the 193 UN member states had officially recognized the State of Palestine, representing about 75 percent of the international community.

They include the majority of African, Asian and Latin American countries. Several European nations also recently joined the list, including Norway, Ireland, Spain, Slovenia, and Armenia, as have the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Barbados.

But key Western powers including the US, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Italy and Australia have yet to officially recognize Palestine, as has Japan.

Notably, however, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has announced plans for his nation to formally recognize Palestine, with the official declaration expected during the UN General Assembly in September. France would be the first G7 country to do so, and could influence a broader European recognition trend.

The draft document also outlined a commitment to develop a comprehensive framework for the “day after” peace is declared in Gaza, emphasizing guarantees for reconstruction, the disarmament of Hamas, and the exclusion of the group from Palestinian governance, measures that are intended to secure lasting stability and prevent further violence.

Formally titled the “High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,” the two-day event in New York is being co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.


EU and Gulf states aligned on path to peace in Palestine, top EU official tells Arab News

EU and Gulf states aligned on path to peace in Palestine, top EU official tells Arab News
Updated 29 July 2025
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EU and Gulf states aligned on path to peace in Palestine, top EU official tells Arab News

EU and Gulf states aligned on path to peace in Palestine, top EU official tells Arab News
  • On sidelines of landmark UN conference, Dubravka Suica says ‘peace, security and prosperity’ form the foundations for deeper EU-Gulf cooperation on Israeli-Palestinian issue
  • ‘This is a historic moment. We are mature enough, and seeing what is going on the ground, this conference might be the trigger to say enough is enough,’ she adds

NEW YORK CITY: The EU and Gulf nations, led by Saudi Arabia, are increasingly aligned in their calls for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the provision of humanitarian relief, and a political path forward in Gaza and the West Bank, according to EU’s commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica.

Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of a high-level international conference at the UN in New York this week, Suica emphasized a shared interest in “peace, security and prosperity” as the foundation for deeper EU-Gulf cooperation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Formally titled the “High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution,” the two-day event, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, began on Monday. It brought together top global actors, including the EU, the UN and major Arab states, in what was described as a critical turning point in efforts to revive peace talks and lay the groundwork for post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza.

“This is a historic moment,” Suica told Arab News. “We are mature enough, and seeing what is going on the ground, this conference might be the trigger to say enough is enough.”

She was unequivocal in her support for the Saudi-led initiative and the Arab Peace Initiative, saying: “We are aligned on that. We would like to follow, we would like to engage.”

The EU and Gulf countries agree on the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement, she added, and a diplomatic track that guarantees security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Suica said the role of the EU extends beyond diplomacy to include direct financial support, particularly for efforts to strengthen the Palestinian Authority.

“We don’t want to be only a payer, we want to be a player,” she added. “We are financing the Palestinian Authority because we think we have to empower them to be our interlocutor on the ground.”

While the lead diplomatic role lies with the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, Suica said her own focus is on the economic dimension, particularly reconstruction and institutional development in a postwar Gaza. She confirmed that the EU would launch a donors’ platform in the fall to help coordinate international aid for rebuilding the territory and the long-term development of Palestinian institutions.

This includes €1.9 billion ($ 2.2 billion) earmarked for Palestinian reforms between now and 2027, of which €150 million has already been disbursed. The EU is also supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency, the only organization currently able to provide services such as healthcare and education on the ground.

“But ultimately, our goal is for the Palestinian Authority to take over these services,” Suica said, underlining the long-term vision of the EU for a viable, independent Palestinian state.

She acknowledged the complexities involved in dealing with the Israeli government, but said that while “Israel breached Article Two” of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, there was no consensus among EU member states for an outright suspension of the agreement.

“We need a channel of communication with Israel. If we block everything, who is our interlocutor?” she said, while pointing to mounting pressure from public opinion and the media as other possible drivers for Israeli policy shifts.

The EU remains united, however, on one key issue: the need for humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.

“All member states are on board,” Suica affirmed, and she criticized Israeli authorities for the slow implementation of previous humanitarian agreements, including the limited opening of border crossings to allow aid to enter Gaza.

Nor did she mince her words when discussing Israeli policies in the West Bank, noting that tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority — money that is crucial for maintaining public services and governance — have been withheld for the past three months. She also denounced a rise in settler violence, which she said undermines prospects for a two-state solution.

“Violent settlers on the ground is not acceptable,” Suica said. “We’ve had one or two rounds of sanctions, but for more we need unanimity, and that’s always a problem within the EU.”

This week’s conference in New York, she added, is a “very good introduction” ahead of the UN’s General Assembly week in September, when key announcements are expected, including official recognition of the State of Palestine by more countries. France has already declared its intent to do so, and Suica hinted that other European nations might follow suit.

This aligns with a broader “Peace Day Effort” launched by the EU, the Arab League, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt. This aims to build a comprehensive “peace-supporting package,” including economic, political and regional security cooperation mechanisms to help sustain peace once a final agreement is reached.

“This is not just about Gaza,” Suica said. “This is about the future architecture of peace and security in the entire region. The Gulf countries are critical partners in this effort. We are aligned, and we are determined.”

As the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues to unfold and violence spreads in the West Bank, the EU and its Arab partners are pushing for what might be the most coordinated international push for a two-state solution in more than a decade. With the clock ticking toward the UN’s General Assembly in September, the pressure is therefore on all sides to turn diplomatic hopes into lasting results.


Spain to airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza Strip

Spain to airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza Strip
Updated 28 July 2025
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Spain to airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza Strip

Spain to airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza Strip
  • The Defense Ministry said the 12 tonnes would be delivered in an operation similar to another carried out in March 2024, when Spain delivered 26 tonnes of food

MADRID: Spain said on Monday it would airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza this week as the threat of famine stalks the Palestinian territory after 21 months of war.

The operation is a rare example of a European nation joining Middle Eastern countries in sending aid by air.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of the most virulent critics of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, told a news conference the delivery would take place from Jordan on Friday using Spanish air force planes.

“The famine in Gaza is a shame for all of humanity and stopping it, therefore, is a moral imperative,” he said.

The Defense Ministry said the 12 tonnes would be delivered in an operation similar to another carried out in March 2024, when Spain delivered 26 tonnes of food.

The World Health Organization has warned malnutrition in the occupied territory has reached “alarming levels” since Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza.

 


‘No alternative’ to two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians: French FM

‘No alternative’ to two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians: French FM
Updated 28 July 2025
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‘No alternative’ to two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians: French FM

‘No alternative’ to two-state solution for Israel, Palestinians: French FM
  • French Foreign Minister said other European countries will confirm ‘their intention to recognize the State of Palestine’ during the UN conference
  • ‘Recognize the state of Palestine without delay,’ Palestinian prime minister urged nations at the start of the meeting

NEW YORK: There is “no alternative” to a two-state solution between Israelis and the Palestinians, France told a UN conference co-chaired with Saudi Arabia on Monday.

“Only a political, two-state solution will help respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. There is no alternative,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said at the start of the three-day meeting.

Days before the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would formally recognize a State of Palestine in September.

In an interview with French weekly La Tribune Dimanche, Barrot said that other European countries will confirm “their intention to recognize the State of Palestine” during the conference, without confirming which.

“All states have a responsibility to act now,” said Palestinian prime minister Mohammad Mustafa at the start of the meeting, calling for an international force to help underwrite Palestinian statehood.

“Recognize the state of Palestine without delay.”

France is hoping that Britain will take this step. More than 200 British members of parliament on Friday voiced support for the idea, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated that recognition of a Palestinian state “must be part of a wider plan.”

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the meeting “the two-State solution is farther than ever before,” decrying Israel’s “creeping annexation” of the occupied West Bank and “the wholesale destruction of Gaza.”

According to an AFP database, at least 142 of the 193 UN member states — including France — now recognize the Palestinian state proclaimed by the Palestinian leadership in exile in 1988.

In 1947, a resolution of the UN General Assembly decided on the partition of Palestine, then under a British mandate, into two independent states — one Jewish and the other Arab. The following year, the state of Israel was proclaimed.

For several decades, the vast majority of UN member states have supported the idea of a two-state solution, which would see Israel and a Palestinian state existing side-by-side.

But after more than 21 months of war in Gaza, the ongoing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and Israeli officials declaring designs to annex occupied territory, it is feared a Palestinian state could become geographically impossible.

The current war in Gaza started following a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel, which responded with a large-scale military response that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives and destroyed most basic infrastructure in the enclave.

This week’s conference comes at a moment when “the prospect of a Palestinian state has never been so threatened, or so necessary,” Barrot said.

 

Jordanian FM: ‘stop Israeli unilateral actions’

Beyond facilitating conditions for the recognition of a Palestinian state, the meeting will focus on three other issues — reform of the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from Palestinian public life, and normalization of relations with Israel by Arab states.

However, no new normalization deals are expected to be announced at the meeting, according to a French diplomatic source.

On the other hand, “for the first time, Arab countries will condemn Hamas and call for its disarmament,” Barrot said.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said “we’ve got to act to stop Israeli unilateral actions that undermine the two-state solution, including settlements, land confiscation, encroachments on the holy sites and attempts to change the demographic composition of the West Bank and Gaza.”

Israel and the United States were not taking part in the meeting, amid growing international pressure on Israel to end nearly two years of war in Gaza.

Despite “tactical pauses” in some military operations announced by Israel, the humanitarian catastrophe in the ravaged coastal territory is expected to dominate speeches by representatives of more than 100 countries as they take the podium.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said “this conference does not promote a solution, but rather deepens the illusion.”

Bruno Stagno, chief advocacy officer at Human Rights Watch, said “more platitudes about a two-state solution and peace process will do nothing to advance the conference’s goals, nor to halt the extermination of Palestinians in Gaza.”