Rejected Rohingya Boat Sighted off Indonesia Coast

A group of around 250 people from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off Aceh province before being turned back to sea. amanda jufrian / AFP
A group of around 250 people from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off Aceh province before being turned back to sea. amanda jufrian / AFP
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Rejected Rohingya Boat Sighted off Indonesia Coast

A group of around 250 people from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off Aceh province before being turned back to sea. amanda jufrian / AFP
A group of around 250 people from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off Aceh province before being turned back to sea. amanda jufrian / AFP

A boat carrying Rohingya refugees that was forced back to sea earlier this week was sighted Saturday several miles off the coast of Indonesia's westernmost region, according to a local commander.
The group of around 250 people from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off Aceh province on Thursday, but residents told them not to land.
The boat traveled to another location in Aceh where a second group of residents again turned them back to sea late Thursday.
A naval commander in Aceh's Lhoksemauwe city told AFP on Saturday that the boat was spotted "this morning" and "looks similar" to the one turned back on Thursday, adding that it was heading east.
"At the moment (the boat) is not visible. Maybe it's beyond the horizon," Andi Susanto said.
"We are still observing the situation and ready to help if needed," he added.
The whereabouts of the boat had remained unknown after it was turned away Thursday night.
The commander said the boat was believed to be a few miles off the coast in waters around North Aceh district.
"The permission for the ship's arrival on the beach is not our authority. As in previous cases, it was handled by the local government with the coastal community and UNHCR (UN refugee agency)," said Susanto.
Thousands from the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority risk their lives each year to try to reach Malaysia or Indonesia via long and treacherous sea journeys, often in flimsy boats.
In a statement Friday, UNHCR called on Indonesia to facilitate the boat's landing and provide life-saving assistance to the refugees.
Indonesia, which is not a signatory to a 1951 refugee convention, says it is not compelled to accept arriving Rohingya refugees.
Locals have complained of lacking the resources to absorb hundreds of refugees into their communities.
Nearly 600 Rohingya refugees have reached western Indonesia this week, with 196 arriving on Tuesday and 147 on Wednesday, according to local officials.
More than 2,000 Rohingya are believed to have attempted journeys to Southeast Asian countries in 2022, according to the UN agency.
Nearly 200 Rohingya died or went missing last year while attempting hazardous sea crossings, it estimated.



After Netanyahu Arrest Warrant, Israelis Fear Military Officers’ Prosecution

Israel fears its officers may also be prosecuted after an arrest warrant was issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Government Press Office - AFP)
Israel fears its officers may also be prosecuted after an arrest warrant was issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Government Press Office - AFP)
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After Netanyahu Arrest Warrant, Israelis Fear Military Officers’ Prosecution

Israel fears its officers may also be prosecuted after an arrest warrant was issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Government Press Office - AFP)
Israel fears its officers may also be prosecuted after an arrest warrant was issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Government Press Office - AFP)

Israeli leaders from both the ruling coalition and opposition have strongly reacted to the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crimes charges related to Gaza.

While these immediate reactions dominate the news, Israel’s judicial authorities, military courts, and experts are carefully studying the decision, with growing concerns about its broader consequences.

The main concern among Israelis is that the court has determined the actions in Gaza were war crimes against humanity, including starvation, lack of medical care, and mass killings.

While Netanyahu and Gallant are seen as the key figures responsible, many others are involved. These include senior and junior military leaders, as well as soldiers who shared images on social media boasting about their actions against Palestinians.

Any of them could be arrested if complaints are made against them in other countries.

A growing network of global volunteers, including many Israeli Jews, is mobilizing against the war and its atrocities. These individuals have gathered detailed information on the officers involved, such as their identities, passport numbers, and travel plans.

This data is stored online, ready to be used if needed. They plan to use this information to push for the arrest of any officer traveling abroad.

This strategy has been tested three times in the past month. The first was in Belgium, where an Israeli-Belgian dual citizen involved in the Gaza conflict was investigated. Two weeks ago, a similar case occurred in Nicosia with an Israeli holding Cypriot citizenship.

Last week, an Israeli reserve officer was nearly arrested while on his honeymoon in Cyprus. This officer had boasted about his actions in Gaza and posted a photo saying, “We will burn Gaza to the ground.”

A Belgian organization tracked him and sought his arrest. The Israeli Mossad intervened, quickly having him deported before the arrest could happen.

In addition to these risks, Israeli officials are concerned about how the ICC ruling will affect Netanyahu’s leadership.

If the US accepts him, who else will? Which world leader will risk meeting him now? How can Netanyahu lead if he’s isolated internationally?

Experts have suggested that Israel may have to prepare for a future without Netanyahu, predicting the ICC ruling signals the beginning of the end of his leadership.