Tuesday, May 5, 2026
type here...
Home Blog Page 460

Petition urges British government to launch inquiry into anti-Palestinian racism

By
IFP Media Wire
-

The petition was launched on Monday by Gary Spedding, an independent cross-party consultant on Israel-Palestine, and has since racked up over 1,500 signatures.

If it receives 10,000 signatures, the government will respond. And if it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in parliament.

“Many view Anti-Palestinian Racism as a significant and growing problem in the UK, manifesting at all levels of society and in multiple spheres,” the petition reads.

“We believe this hatred reinforces oppressive & discriminatory systems that dehumanise and demonise Palestinians whilst also fracturing community cohesion.”

Independent MP Adnan Hussain told Middle East Eye that calls for the government to recognise and specify anti-Palestinian racism are “welcome and necessary”.

“Dehumanisation of the Palestinian people over a period of many decades has led us to a place where we are now witnessing a genocide against them,” he added.

“Crimes of such catastrophic and grave natures are not born out of a vacuum. So indeed, any and all action possible must be taken to fight against this status quo, including the recognition of racism specific to the Palestinian people.”

The petition advocates for the government to adopt a definition “based on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination”, a 1969 United Nations convention that committed members to eliminating racial discrimination and promoting understanding between races.

Independent MP Ayoub Khan told MEE: “We should all be concerned about the rise of anti-Palestinian racism in the UK, which manifests across society and reinforces harmful, discriminatory systems that dehumanise and demonise Palestinians.

“This growing issue not only fractures community cohesion but also stifles free expression and hinders open, respectful debate on the Israel-Palestine conflict.”

Dr Zahira Jaser, an Italian-Palestinian academic at the University of Sussex Business School, explained: “We can imagine anti-Palestinian racism having three broad categories: the denial of Palestinian existence (e.g. ‘a land without a people’), the denial of Palestinians’ suffering at the hand of Israel (e.g. Palestinians died, instead of Palestinians are assassinated by strikes), the blanket defamation of antisemitism and terrorism to anyone who is Palestinian or speaks for Palestine.”

Jaser is the author of a recent working paper on anti-Palestinian racism.

She added: “The racism in the form of defamation of Palestinians and their supporters as antisemitic or terrorist is key to silencing Palestinians and their grievances against Israel. Hence, it interferes with free speech on campuses and in society in general, it interferes with the democratic process.”

Spedding, who created the petition, told MEE that “British politics is awash with anti-Palestinian racism”.

“Our political leaders are often parroting language and rhetoric that reinforces the demonisation and dehumanisation of Palestinians.”

Spedding stated that Palestinians are often “portrayed as irrational violent actors who hate Jews for being Jewish”, saying that anti-Palesinian racism clouds “crucial conversations” about injustices Palestinians face.

“We urgently need a working definition of anti-Palestinian racism with clear examples, so that this hatred can be challenged,” he added.

Iran slams EU diplomat’s remarks, accuses West of ‘double standards’ over Gaza

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Esmael baghaei

During her recent visit to the occupied Palestinian territories, Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, claimed Iran was a “major threat to regional and global stability” and accused it of supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine.
She also warned against Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

Baqaei dismissed the remarks, saying Kallas should instead address Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its repeated aggressions against Lebanon and Syria if she were truly concerned about regional security.

He said the EU is applying “double standards,” adding Kallas’s statements lacked legal and moral credibility.

“Unlike her predecessors, who at least paid some attention to international law, Kallas makes reckless statements that further damage Europe’s credibility,” Baqaei said.

He urged the EU to adopt a “realistic and just approach” based on the UN Charter and respect for other nations’ rights, rather than making unfounded allegations.

Iran has repeatedly denied seeking nuclear weapons and maintains its nuclear program is peaceful.

The Islamic Republic has also condemned Western support for Israel amid its ongoing military offensive in Gaza.

Hamas spokesman killed in Israeli attack in Gaza

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

“Al-Qanoua was martyred when the Israeli occupation army struck his tent in the Jabalia al-Balad area,” said Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV.

The Palestinian Popular Resistance Movement announced in a statement that Israel assassinated Al-Qanoua in a “barbaric bombing.”

“The blood of the martyrs is a trust that we will not compromise and will be a curse on the occupier,” the statement added.

Since resuming its genocide in Gaza on March 18, Israel has killed 830 Palestinians and injured 1,787 others, most of them women and children, according to the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced again after Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza and issued “evacuation orders”.

Nearly 50,200 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 113,700 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

Iran Quds Force commander says Tehran to continue supporting Palestine until Quds liberation

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Brigadier General Esmaeil Ghaani

General Esmail Qa’ani was speaking on the occasion of the International Quds Day, which is marked on Friday with worldwide rallies in support of the Palestinian cause.

Qa’ani noted that the al-Aqsa Flood operation completed the meaning of resistance at the battlefield and that of popular resistance.

He said that the al-Aqsa
Flood created a new phenomenon of field unity manifested in the form of solidarity by resistance groups.

Qa’ani added that the martyrs of the resistance displayed dignity and honor in their battle and thanks to their sacrifices, the axis of resistance is now stronger than before.

He stressed that the Muslim ummah has realized the importance of the Palestinian issue and the free nations of the world have also come to understand it and are now supporting the oppressed people of Palestine by holding rallies.

Iran rejects claims of hosting al-Qaeda members on its soil

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Amir Saeed Iravani

In a letter to the UN Security Council and the world body’s secretary general, Iravani said the claims have been made in a report by the team monitoring the UN sanctions.

He described the accusations as baseless, spiteful and unsubstantiated, saying they have been leveled based on claims of a country and without providing any proof.

Referring to Iran’s history of fighting terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and Daesh at the battlefield, Iravani said Tehran has not only provided no haven for terrorists, but it has also been a victim of organized terror itself.

The letter also said any attempt to tie Iran to al-Qaeda’s activities in Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Yemen has no logical basis.

Iravani underlined the need to revise the UN monitoring team’s unprofessional and politically motivated approaches amid rising terrorist operations in the region and urged the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee to address genuine threats to regional and global security without political bias.

He further reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism and called for enhanced intelligence sharing in order to trengthen global counter-terror efforts.

Lebanon refutes any normalization of relations with Israel

By
IFP Media Wire
-

“No one in Lebanon wants to normalize ties with Israel,” Salam said during a meeting with a press delegation in Beirut as cited by a government statement.

“Normalization with Israel is rejected by all the Lebanese people,” he added.

Local media reports have emerged about US pressure on Lebanon to reach “an agreement that is less than normalization and more than an armistice” with Israel.

Salam said international and Arab pressure on Israel to stop its assaults in southern Lebanon “has not yet been exhausted.”

“There are still means for political and diplomatic pressure,” he added, without elaborating.

The Lebanese premier announced that the five border outposts occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon “have no military or security value, but Israel holds them to keep pressure on Lebanon.”

A fragile ceasefire had been in place in Lebanon since November, ending months of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in September.

Lebanese authorities reported over 1,250 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, including the deaths of 100 people and injuries to more than 330.

Under the ceasefire deal, Israel was supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by Jan. 26, but the deadline was extended to Feb. 18 after it refused to comply. It still maintains a military presence at five border outposts.

Istanbul elects Aslan interim mayor amid ongoing demonstrations over Imamoglu arrest

By
IFP Media Wire
-

Local broadcaster NTV and Turkish news outlet Anadolu reported on Wednesday that Aslan, from Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party (CHP), was chosen to run the city for the remainder of Imamoglu’s term, as he awaits trial.

In the first round of voting, Aslan won 173 votes, while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party) candidate, Zeynel Abidin Okul, won 123. In the second round of the election, Aslan received 177 votes, while Okul received 125.

As both candidates were unable to win the two-thirds majority required to win the vote, a third round of voting began. In that vote, where candidates would need a simple majority to win, Aslan received 177 votes, Okul received 125 votes, securing Aslan’s election.

Speaking at the Istanbul Municipality building in Sarachane, CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel said the interim mayoral election had blocked Erdogan’s push to appoint a trustee at the municipality.

“The struggle will expand to all of Turkiye from now on, but one leg will always be in Istanbul and one hand will always be on Sarachane,” Ozel stated, adding that resistance from the public had thwarted what the opposition calls a “coup attempt” against it.

Aslan, speaking alongside Ozel, reiterated his new position was temporary.

“Our mayor, elected with the votes of Istanbul, will come back as soon as possible. We, along with our chairman, will take care of what he entrusted us with and give it back to him,” he continued.

This comes as demonstrations have been held daily across the country after Imamoglu was detained a week ago. His supporters say they will continue protesting despite authorities cracking down on gatherings and arresting hundreds of people, including journalists.

By Tuesday afternoon, police had detained 1,418 people, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. Among them were 11 Turkish journalists covering the protests, seven of whom were remanded in custody.

Erdogan stressed on Wednesday that his government would not get worked up over what he described as “provocations” by the main opposition.

Erdogan has remained defiant a week into the protests, denouncing the rallies as “street terror”.

“Those who spread terror in the streets and want to set fire to this country have nowhere to go. The path they have taken is a dead end,” he has noted.

Government officials have rejected accusations that the legal action against the opposition figure is politically motivated and insisted that Turkiye’s courts operate independently.

Protests erupted on March 19 after Imamoglu’s arrest in a graft and “terrorism” probe which his supporters have denounced as a “coup”. The “terrorism” charge has been dismissed by the court for the time being.

Vast crowds have participated in street demonstrations since then, defying protest bans in Istanbul, the capital Ankara and Izmir with the unrest spreading across the country.

In a possible shift in tactics, the main opposition Republican People’s (CHP) party announced it was not calling for another nightly protest on Wednesday outside the Istanbul mayor’s office.

Most nights, some of the protests have turned into running battles with riot police, whose tough crackdown has alarmed rights groups.

Iran’s leader pardons hundreds of convicts on occasion of Nowruz, Eid al-Fitr

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei

The media center of the Iranian Judiciary quoted Ali Mozafari, the deputy of the Judiciary, as saying that 1,457 convicts from revolutionary courts, 16 from the armed forces judicial organization, and 53 from the discretionary organization were included in the pardon.

Mozafari noted that 46 death-row inmates, whose sentences had been upheld and were awaiting execution, were granted Islamic mercy and had their penalties commuted to imprisonment.

These individuals had primarily been found guilty of committing drug-related crimes.

Mozafari noted that 13 foreign nationals and 66 women are also among those pardoned or receiving sentence reductions.

Israeli court upholds six-month detention order for Gaza hospital boss

By
IFP Media Wire
-
Gaza War

The decision by the Beersheba District Court reportedly made based on a secret file submitted by the Israeli Attorney General, alleging that Abu Safia poses a threat to “state security.”

During the court session, Abu Safia’s lawyer denied the allegations made against the doctor, stating that Abu Safia had been performing his professional duties as a director and treatment advisor within the hospital.

The prosecution refused a request to disclose their evidence, a decision the court upheld.

Israeli forces arrested Abu Safia on 27 December 2024, from the hospital in Beit Lahia in north Gaza, which was left out of service following Israeli attacks.

The hospital was stormed by Israeli troops following nearly three months of a suffocating blockade and constant air strikes on its departments and the area surrounding them.

All medical staff, patients, and their relatives were taken out of the hospital at gunpoint, forced to strip down to their underwear and transferred to an unknown location.

Speaking to Arab48 earlier this month, Abu Safiya’s lawyer stated that he was prevented from meeting anyone, including his lawyer, from the day he was detained until 10 February.

Gheed Kassem was able to visit the doctor in the notorious Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, where he had been detained for over 70 days after spending nearly two weeks at the Sde Teiman detention camp in the Negev desert.

According to Kassem, the paediatric doctor was arrested and imprisoned for refusing to obey expulsion orders by the Israeli army “because his conscience and professionalism required him to remain in the hospital, especially with the presence of dozens of patients and wounded children.”

“The longest period of interrogation that Abu Safiya endured was 13 consecutive days, with each session lasting between eight to 10 hours. Throughout this entire time, he was subjected to relentless and brutal abuse, torture, and assault,” Kassem continued.

She added that the detainees are “almost completely isolated inside the prison”, without any knowledge or information about the outside world, unless they are allowed a visit.

Around 400 people die in road accidents in Iran during Nowruz holidays

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Iran Road

According to the traffic police, lack of attention to the roads ahead on highways accounts for 44% and inability to control the vehicle accounts for 22% in the accidents.

The police also put the number of incidents at 51,501.

Meanwhile, officials have taken a series of measures to lower the possibility of road crashes including repairing speed cams and improving conditions of accident-prone parts of roads.
Millions of Iranians travel to tourist destinations across the country during the Nowruz holidays.

The rising number of deaths comes as Iranian traffic police and other officials have been urging citizens since the start of the Nowruz holidays to join the “No to Accidents” campaign and avoid dangerous driving behaviors that cause incidents on roads across Iran.

1...459460461...5,150Page 460 of 5,150

© All Content by IFP News ( Iran Front Page ) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Us