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US House of Representatives Slams Assad for Exploiting Earthquake Disaster

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Capitol (Reuters)
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Capitol (Reuters)
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US House of Representatives Slams Assad for Exploiting Earthquake Disaster

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Capitol (Reuters)
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy at the Capitol (Reuters)

The US House of Representatives approved a draft resolution condemning the efforts of the Assad regime in Syria to "cynically exploit the disaster to evade international pressure and accountability, including by preventing the UN "from providing assistance through multiple border crossings between Türkiye and Syria."

The measure was approved in a bipartisan 412 with only two "no" votes.

It called on President Joe Biden administration to "continue to use all diplomatic tools, including through the UN Security Council, to open all Türkiye-Syria border crossings for assistance," underscoring the need for "international assistance to reach northwest Syria" to assist with disaster relief.

It also urged an increased oversight mechanism to ensure that US-funded assistance was not diverted for the benefit of the Assad regime, suggesting the "Biden administration to remain committed to the protection of the Syrian people including by implementing the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019."

The resolution's sponsor, Representative Joe Wilson, reiterated its importance, noting that the Assad regime continued to bomb the earthquake-hit areas and soldiers were stealing the humanitarian aid.

Wilson also called for the UN not to politicize humanitarian assistance bound for Syria and to circumvent the obstructions of Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Rep. noted that the resolution urged Biden to use all diplomatic means to push the UN to get aid to those in need, adding that Assad continues to blame US sanctions for the delay in providing support.

"I am deeply saddened that the Biden administration has weakened sanctions on the Assad regime by permitting direct transactions with that regime. This will do nothing to help with earthquake relief and will only endanger Syrian civilians."

He vowed to continue pushing for the implementation of the Caesar Act, adding that as long as the "brutal Assad regime remains in power," there is no solution for the problems in Syria.

Wilson concluded, addressing Assad directly: "You are not fooling anyone with your lies about sanctions. The US Congress stands united. We will never normalize with you."

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Israeli Rights Group Accuses Prison Authority of Failing Palestinian Prisoners after Scabies Outbreak

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir attends a discussion called on by the opposition on the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Israel, 18 November 2024. (EPA)
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir attends a discussion called on by the opposition on the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Israel, 18 November 2024. (EPA)
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Israeli Rights Group Accuses Prison Authority of Failing Palestinian Prisoners after Scabies Outbreak

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir attends a discussion called on by the opposition on the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Israel, 18 November 2024. (EPA)
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir attends a discussion called on by the opposition on the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, Israel, 18 November 2024. (EPA)

An Israeli rights group said Monday that more than a quarter of all Palestinian prisoners currently held by Israel had contracted scabies since an outbreak was identified in May, and accused the prison authority of improper care and prevention.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel said that more than 2,800 prisoners had caught the rash-like infection, with more than 1,700 still actively infected. The outbreak was seen in five different detention facilities, the group said. It was citing figures it said came from the Israel Prison Service.

The group said it filed a legal petition calling on the prison service “to eradicate the scabies epidemic,” accusing the authorities of failing “to implement widely recognized medical interventions necessary to contain the outbreak.”

It said that it halted the legal proceedings after it received a commitment from the prison service to address the outbreak. The prison service said the court had cancelled the petition because the prisons had shown they were dealing with the outbreak in a “systematic and thorough” way.

Nadav Davidovich, an Israeli public health expert who wrote a medical analysis for the group’s court proceedings, said the outbreak was a result of overcrowding in prisons and apparent neglect from prison authorities. He said such outbreaks could be prevented if prisoners were held “in more reasonable conditions.” If the first infections were treated as needed, such an outbreak could have been avoided, he said.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel also said that the Israel Prison Service had cited scabies as a reason for postponing lawyers' visits and court appearances for prisoners. It said those steps “violate prisoners’ rights and serve as punitive measures rather than public health responses.”

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the prisons, has boasted about hardening conditions to the bare minimum required by law.