Ben-Gvir to Forcibly Ban Prisoners' Celebration

Karim Younis celebrates his release after forty years in prison (DPA)
Karim Younis celebrates his release after forty years in prison (DPA)
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Ben-Gvir to Forcibly Ban Prisoners' Celebration

Karim Younis celebrates his release after forty years in prison (DPA)
Karim Younis celebrates his release after forty years in prison (DPA)

The extremist Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, ordered police to take strict measures against Arabs celebrating the release of prisoners.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that Ben-Gvir banned any celebrations, even if this meant the use of force against their families and the gathering.

The minister ordered Police Chief Kobi Shabtai to investigate the celebrations held following the release of Palestinian prisoner Karim Younis.

Younis was released over the weekend after 40 years behind bars.

Ben-Gvir urged the police to use force and try to remove the "victory" or "support" banners and the tents that would host the festivities.

The meeting also addressed the judicial complexities regarding the removal of tents on private or public land after the Israeli police refrained from storming an area belonging to the Younis family. The Israeli prosecution warned that the matter would be illegal.

Last Sunday, Ben-Gvir asked Shabtai to open an investigation into the public ceremonies that took place after the release of Younis.

Ben Gvir's office issued a statement that his instructions to ban tents for celebrations to welcome Younis were "only partially fulfilled."

The former prisoner's family hosted a party attended by many people, including Palestinian Authority officials. The minister ordered Shabtai to find out why his instructions were not met.

"Such celebrations are incitement and explicit support of terrorism, and it does not make sense for them to happen in our country," claimed the extremist Ben-Gvir.

"Israel has no place for celebrations of terrorism, and I will do all within my authority to prevent these celebrations until we legislate for the death penalty for terrorism."

However, Younis was warmly greeted by friends and family in Ara and gave interviews with Arabic-language media on Thursday and over the weekend.

As a result, Ben-Gvir instructed the police on Sunday to remove Palestinian flags from public spaces.

The two prisoners, Maher and Karim Younes, from Ara, killed Israeli soldier Avraham Bromberg in 1980. Karim was released last week, and Maher is set to be released on Jan. 17.

Meanwhile, former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said he was concerned that Ben-Gvir was "bringing us closer to a third intifada."

In statements broadcast by Israeli media, Lapid believed that Ben-Gvir's actions might lead to clashes.

According to Lapid, the security establishment is concerned about such behavior. He warned that Ben-Gvir’s policies in Israel would harm the relationship with the US administration.



Hamas Says Delegation Discussed Gaza Truce With Egypt

05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
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Hamas Says Delegation Discussed Gaza Truce With Egypt

05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
05 May 2024, Palestinian Territories, Rafah: A Palestinian inspects a damaged house after Israeli warplanes bombed a home for the Al-Shaer family, leading to widespread destruction in the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

A Hamas delegation discussed a ceasefire in Gaza with Egyptian intelligence officials, two officials from the Palestinian group told AFP on Monday.

The "delegation met with the head of the Egyptian general intelligence, Major General Hassan Rashad, and a number of Egyptian intelligence officials, and discussed ways to stop the war and aggression, bring in aid, and open the Rafah crossing" at Gaza's border with Egypt, said a senior Hamas official who was part of the Cairo meeting on Sunday evening.

A second Hamas official also present in Cairo told AFP that "Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye are making great efforts to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange".

"Our Palestinian people are waiting for American and international pressure on (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to stop the war and reach an agreement as happened in Lebanon," the official said.

The meeting came shortly after Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah agreed on a ceasefire in Lebanon with mediation from the United States and France.

US President Joe Biden would launch a renewed drive for a ceasefire, his national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week, adding Biden told his envoys to engage with Türkiye, Qatar, Egypt and other actors in the region.

Egyptian authorities did not publicly comment on any meetings with Hamas on Sunday.

The first official said any deal Hamas agrees to should include the conditions the movement has brought forward since the start of the war.

These include a full ceasefire, complete Israeli military withdrawal, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, "a serious deal to exchange prisoners in one go or in two stages", and reconstruction of the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.

Israel has also repeatedly accused Hamas of delaying talks and not sincerely wanting to reach a deal.

The Hamas senior official also told AFP that "under Egyptian sponsorship" the Hamas delegation met Sunday evening with a delegation from the Fatah movement, Hamas's long-term rival currently in power in the occupied West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.

He said that the meeting focused on "arrangements for the internal Palestinian situation and the management of the Gaza Strip once the war ends".

The talks aimed to agree on the shape of "an independent administrative committee to manage the strip and supervise aid, crossings and reconstruction, in agreement with all Palestinian factions".

Jamal Obeid, a member of Fatah's leadership in Gaza, told AFP that Egypt was making intensive efforts to stop the war.

"The first priority (is) the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of the displaced, the opening of the crossings, relief for our afflicted people, and reconstruction under the management and supervision of the Palestinian National Authority," he said.

Obeid said meetings in Cairo between Fatah and Hamas were crucial in order "to stop the war and put the Palestinian house in order", and agree on what shape governance will take in Gaza after the war ends.