Biden warns Israel over future support
Tensions have again risen between US President Joe Biden and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, after Israeli airstrikes killed seven food-aid workers in Gaza
President Joe Biden told Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future US support for Gaza war depends on new steps to protect civilians and aid workers.
Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu spoke by phone days after israeli airstrikes killed seven food-aid workers in Gaza and added a new layer of complication in the leaders' increasingly strained relationship.
"He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers ," the white house said in a statement following the leaders' call.
"He made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these steps."
Mr Biden in the call also told Netanyahu that an "immediate ceasefire is essential" and urged Israel to reach deal "without delay," according to the White House.
The leaders’ conversation comes as the World Central Kitchen, founded by restauranteur Jose Andres to provide immediate food relief to disaster-stricken areas, called for an independent investigation into the Israeli strikes that killed the group's staff members, including an American citizen.
The White House has said the US has no plans to conduct its own investigation even as they called on Israel to do more to prevent the killing and wounding innocent civilians and aid workers as it carries out its operations in Gaza.
Meanwhile, former home secretary Suella Braverman has come under fire for arguing that Israel is “absolutely not” in breach of international humanitarian law. During a visit to the country, Ms Braver man claimed that israel is going “above and beyond” to ensure the safety of civilians and there is plenty of food and water.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has previously described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "dire and deeply concerning", while a Conservative former minister yesterday called forms braver man to have the whip withdrawn “immediately”.
Ms Braverman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “The suggestion itself is absurd and, frankly, an insult to Israel who have been going above and beyond the necessary requirements to ensure that civilian casualties are limited, to ensure that aid is received onto the gaza Strip and distributed.
“I have seen evidence myself, in terms of very up-to-date photographic evidence, of plentiful food packages and trucks of food, water and medicines getting to the people of Gaza.”
Sir Alan Duncan said Ms Braverman should have the whip withdrawn for her "extreme" views.
"Frankly, it is so disgusting, so repulsive, so repellent that I think she should immediately have the whip withdrawn," he said.
Sir Alan is being investigated by the Conservative party after he criticised a number of ministers and former ministers for their stance on Israel and Gaza.
He made clear the need for Israel to implement steps to address civilian harm… and the safety of aid workers
A new diplomatic crisis between Poland and Israel has erupted following the death of a Polish aid worker in Gaza, with the Polish president denouncing a comment by the Israeli ambassador as “outrageous” and the foreign ministry in Warsaw saying it was summoning him for a meeting.
Damian Sobol, 35, was among seven people killed while delivering food to besieged Palestinians with the charity, World Central Kitchen.
Israel has called the incident a “mistake” that followed a misidentification.
The charity said its vehicles were clearly marked.
Amid shock in Poland over the death of the charity worker, Israel's ambassador to Poland, Yacov Livne, pushed back at what he said were attempts by the “extreme right and left in Poland” to accuse Israel of “intentional murder in the attack”.
He said on social media on Tuesday that “anti-semites will always remain antisemites, and Israel will remain a democratic Jewish state that fights for its right to exist. Also for the good of the entire Western world”. Polish president Andrzej Duda yesterday called the comment “outrageous” and described the ambassador as “the biggest problem for the state of Israel in relations with Poland”.
Mr Duda said authorities in Israel have spoken about the tragedy “in a very subdued way”, but added: “Unfortunately, their ambassador to Poland is not able to maintain such delicacy and sensitivity, which is unacceptable.”
Prime minister Donald Tusk, inset, while a political opponent of Mr Duda's, voiced a similar position.
He said that the comment was unacceptable and had offended Poles, and said that the ambassador should apologise. Mr Tusk published a comment on social media addressing prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mr Livne saying that “the vast majority of Poles showed full solidarity with Israel after the Hamas attack. Today you are putting this solidarity to a really hard test. The tragic attack on volunteers and your reaction arouse understandable anger”.
Mr Livne was reportedly summoned to a meeting this morning.