Palestinians Initiate Procedure against Britain in its Courts

Palestinian children hold signs protesting the UK's acknowledgment and celebration of the Balfour Declaration cenetennial in mass protests. (photo credit: MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/REUTERS)
Palestinian children hold signs protesting the UK's acknowledgment and celebration of the Balfour Declaration cenetennial in mass protests. (photo credit: MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/REUTERS)
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Palestinians Initiate Procedure against Britain in its Courts

Palestinian children hold signs protesting the UK's acknowledgment and celebration of the Balfour Declaration cenetennial in mass protests. (photo credit: MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/REUTERS)
Palestinian children hold signs protesting the UK's acknowledgment and celebration of the Balfour Declaration cenetennial in mass protests. (photo credit: MOHAMAD TOROKMAN/REUTERS)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Thursday to immediately initiate a court procedure against Britain due to the “political crime committed against the Palestinian people through the Balfour Declaration,” signed 100 years ago by Britain to be the first international recognition of a Jewish state in Palestine.

Fatah Central Committee member Mahmoud al-Aloul told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We will take legal action, as quickly as possible, against the British government for its crime against the Palestinian people. We will first file a charge before the British Court, and then the International and European courts.”

Al-Aloul asserted that this move comes as a response to the British attachment to the Balfour Declaration, although it was signed 100 years ago, and its determination to celebrate the centennial of the declaration in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who flew to London last Wednesday.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malki is expected to sign very soon through his office legal proceedings against the British government.

Malki confirmed that the Palestinian Authority would ask the British government to apologize to the Palestinian people for the “suffering” caused by the declaration and to compensate them for what they suffered.

The foreign minister also said Great Britain should also recognize Palestine as a state.

The Palestinian action against Britain came after the British government rejected a request to annul a dinner for the centenary celebration of the Balfour Declaration held in London Thursday evening and attended by Netanyahu.

Saeb Erekat, the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization, described the celebration as a “disgrace.”

Meanwhile, Palestinians protested on Thursday in large numbers in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and in the Palestinian diaspora, condemning the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, as well as the British government.



Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.