Israel Ignores Visa Requests From EU Delegation to Observe Palestine Elections

 A graffiti mural of the late George Floyd in Bethlehem, West Bank. (AFP)
A graffiti mural of the late George Floyd in Bethlehem, West Bank. (AFP)
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Israel Ignores Visa Requests From EU Delegation to Observe Palestine Elections

 A graffiti mural of the late George Floyd in Bethlehem, West Bank. (AFP)
A graffiti mural of the late George Floyd in Bethlehem, West Bank. (AFP)

The EU on Tuesday said Israel has not responded to requests to grant visas to its delegation who intend to observe the upcoming Palestinian elections, scheduled for May 22.

On Feb. 8, the EU sent a formal request to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this regard, said the spokesperson for the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.

Europeans said that the absence of the mission will affect the assessment process, however they are considering alternative solutions.

Farid Taamallah, spokesman of the Palestinian Central Election Commission, affirmed the importance of having international and European observers during elections, however, he said that their absence won't affect the electoral process.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki called Thursday upon the international community to exert pressure on Israel to allow Palestinians in Jerusalem to participate in the upcoming elections.

In a speech at the second ministerial meeting of the Arab-Japanese political dialogue, Maliki said the occupying power should abide by the bilateral agreements and avoid hindering Palestinians’ democratic right to participate in the upcoming legislative and presidential elections.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh had earlier highlighted the strong political will of the leadership, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, and all factions to hold the elections. He called for international and European pressure to oblige Israel to respect the agreements signed.

“Signed agreements stipulate that all Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, are allowed to participate in the elections, and we want the international community to pressure for this,” he said.

In mid-January, Abbas decreed the first Palestinian elections in more than 15 years and said parliamentary elections will be held on May 22, followed by a presidential vote on July 31.



Lebanon Says Two Dead in Israel Strike

Smoke rises from Odeisseh in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, 17 October 2024. EPA/ATEF SAFADI
Smoke rises from Odeisseh in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, 17 October 2024. EPA/ATEF SAFADI
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Lebanon Says Two Dead in Israel Strike

Smoke rises from Odeisseh in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, 17 October 2024. EPA/ATEF SAFADI
Smoke rises from Odeisseh in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, 17 October 2024. EPA/ATEF SAFADI

An Israeli strike killed a Lebanese father and son Tuesday in a southern village, the Lebanese health ministry and state media said, the latest deaths despite a November ceasefire.

A second son was also wounded in the strike in Shebaa, the state-run National News Agency reported. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

"An Israeli enemy drone carried out a strike in the village of Shebaa, killing two people and wounding one," a health ministry statement said, AFP reported.

Israel had warned on Friday that it would keep up its strikes on Hezbollah targets across Lebanon despite the condemnation expressed by the Lebanese government after a massive strike on south Beirut the previous night on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday.

Hezbollah said the strikes levelled nine residential blocks. The Israeli military said they targeted underground drone factories.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes as a "a flagrant violation" of the November 27 ceasefire agreement, which was supposed to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah that culminated in two months of full-blown war.