U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has called the continuous Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank “an affront to the Palestinian people and to the international community.” Mr Ban has called for a freeze on settlement activity by Israel to give peace with the Palestinians and a two state solution a chance. Aljazeera reports: Addressing the U.N.
The U.N. has been investigating war crimes in the war on Yemen, and their monitors have confirmed what critics of the bombing campaign feared:
A Saudi-led coalition fighting in neighboring Yemen has targeted civilians with air strikes and some of the attacks could be crimes against humanity [bold mine-DL], United Nations sanctions monitors said in an annual report to the Security Council.
Saudi Arabia have been caught bombing civilians using U.S.-made bombs, violating both U.S. and International law. Saudi Arabia has come under heavy condemnation for committing war crimes as a September 2015 bombing campaign killed 2,800 civilians, including 500 children. Among those killed were 135 wedding guests in Yemen. Human Right Watch have slammed Saudi Arabia, saying that the bombings “have indiscriminately killed and injured civilians“. Telesurtv.net reports: This conflict is part of a regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
On January 19, representatives from Libya’s rival factions negotiating in Tunis announced they had formed a unity government comprised of a new 32-member cabinet.
Yay.
Six days later, lawmakers for the country’s internationally-recognized Parliament in Tobruk rejected the proposal.
Damn.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- moon of encouraging terrorists. The remarks followed Ban Ki-moon’s condemnation of Israel’s “provocative” settlements, when he said that the attacks by Palestinians (which he also condemned) are a natural reaction to the occupation. Referring to the Palestinians, Mr Ban said it was human nature for oppressed peoples to react to occupation.