News
World Leaders React To Israel-Gaza War …As Death Toll Rises To 600
Less than 24 hours after a Palestinian militant group, Hamas, launched attack on Israel, countries around the world have expressed mixed reactions on the deadly attack.
While many world leaders condemned a wave of Palestinian attacks by land, sea and air that Israel’s army says left more than 600 dead, some expressed support for it and others called for restraints from both parties.
Israeli jets carried out “intense” airstrikes on targets in Gaza yesterday afternoon, shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the security cabinet had voted Saturday evening to put the country officially at war, meaning it can carry out “significant military activities.”
Some countries also called for a de-escalation of the conflict, after Israel launched air strikes and other military operations targeting Gaza.
“We are at war,” Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said when he vowed severe retaliation after Hamas’ surprise assault.
Here are some of the reactions by world leaders:
United States:
President Joe Biden said US support for Israel was “rock solid and unwavering”.
“The United States stands with Israel,” Biden said in a televised statement at the White House, flanked by US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
“We will not ever fail to have their back”, he vowed.
A White House official said talks with Israel on military aid were “very much under way”.
Iran:
A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, expressed support for the attack, calling it a “proud operation”.
“We support this operation,” Yahya Rahim Safavi said, quoted by ISNA news agency.
Safavi expressed backing for the Palestinian militants “until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem”.
At a parliament session last Saturday, Iranian lawmakers chanted, “Down with Israel”, “Down with America” and “Welcome Palestine”, according to a video published by the Tasnim news agency.
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said: “The Kingdom calls for an immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, protection of civilians, and self-control”.
“The Kingdom is reminded of its repeated warnings of the dangers of an explosive situation as a result of the continued occupation and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights,” it added.
United Nations:
United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urged diplomatic efforts in the Middle East in order to prevent wider conflict, saying Saturday that “only through negotiation leading to a two-state solution can peace be achieved.”
The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Turk said: “I call for an immediate stop to the violence, and appeal to all sides and key countries in the region to de-escalate to avoid further bloodshed.”
He said he was “deeply concerned at reports that Israeli civilians have been taken hostage”.
European Union:
European Union chief, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel.”
“It is terrorism in its most despicable form. Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks,” she said.
EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said, “This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing. The EU expresses its solidarity with Israel in these difficult moments.”
He added: “News of civilians taken as hostages in their homes or to Gaza are appalling. This is against international law. Hostages must be released immediately”.
Brazil:
Brazil, which holds the UN Security Council presidency, condemned the attacks on Israel.
A statement from its foreign ministry urged “all parties to exercise maximum restraint in order to avoid escalating the situation”.
Shortly after, it said it would call an emergency UN Security Council meeting on the crisis. The Council announced they would meet Sunday.
China:
China said it was “deeply concerned” by the weekend’s dramatic escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians, urging all sides to show “calm”.
“China is deeply concerned about the current escalation of tension and violence between Palestine and Israel,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said, adding it “calls on all parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, cease fire immediately, protect civilians and prevent further deterioration of the situation”.
Russia:
Russia’s foreign ministry called for an “immediate ceasefire”.
“We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to immediately cease fire, renounce violence, show the necessary restraint and — with the help of the international community — establish a negotiation process aimed at establishing a comprehensive, lasting and long-awaited peace,” ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova said.
Ukraine:
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is fending off a Russian invasion, said Israel had an “indisputable” right to defend itself.
“Terror is always a crime, not just against one country or specific victims, but against humanity as a whole,” he said.
Turkey:
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urged Israel and Palestinians to avoid further escalation.
“We invite all parties to act reasonably and to stay away from impulsive steps that raise tensions,” said Erdogan, who strongly supports the Palestinian cause.
France:
France expressed “full solidarity with Israel and the victims” and underscored “its absolute rejection of terrorism and its commitment to Israel’s security”.
President Emmanuel Macron said he “firmly condemns” the attacks.
Germany:
German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, said Israel “has our full solidarity” and “the right, guaranteed by international law, to defend itself against terrorism”.
Britain:
British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak said he was “shocked” by the attacks.
“Israel has an absolute right to defend itself,” he said.
He went further in a post later on X, formerly known as Twitter, that, “As the barbarity of today’s atrocities becomes clearer, we stand unequivocally with Israel,” he wrote.
“This attack by Hamas is cowardly and depraved”, he added.
Nigeria:
The Federal Government of Nigeria said it was deeply concerned about the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in the early hours of Saturday, 7th October, 2023 and called for de-escalation and ceasefire.
“The cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed, only serves to perpetuate an unending cycle of pain and suffering for the civilian population, that bear the brunt of every conflict.”
“The Federal Government of Nigeria, therefore, calls on both sides to exercise restraint, prioritize the safety of civilians and give room for humanitarian considerations. We are therefore calling for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue”, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, said in a statement.
Italy:
Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, spoke by telephone yesterday with Netanyahu, to whom she “reaffirmed Rome’s full solidarity” following the offensive launched by Hamas.
“The Italian government will work with international partners to coordinate support” for Israel, Rome said in a statement.
“Italy stands by the Israeli people at this difficult time”, he assured.
Japan:
Japan “strongly condemns” the cross-border attacks, foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa, said.
Tokyo also criticised the kidnapping of a number of Israelis, including several civilians.
“Meanwhile, we are seriously concerned about the large number of casualties in the Gaza Strip as a result of attacks by the Israel Defence Forces”, Kamikawa said in a statement.
“Japan once again calls on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to prevent further damage”, she added.
South Africa:
South Africa’s foreign ministry expressed its “grave concern over the recent devastating escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.
“The region is in desperate need of a credible peace process that delivers on the calls of a plethora of previous UN resolutions for a two-state solution and a just and comprehensive peace between Israel and Palestine,” it added.
Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said his country stood “in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour”.
“Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel,” Modi said.
Venezuela’s government expressed its “deep concern” over the clashes.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, it said the fighting was “the result of the impossibility of the Palestinian people to find in multilateral international legality a space to assert their historic rights”.
Yemen:
In Yemen, Huthi rebels who control the capital Sanaa expressed their support for “the heroic jihadist operation”.
In a statement published on the website of the Huthi-controlled SABA news agency, the Iran-aligned militant group said the attack “revealed the weakness, fragility and impotence” of Israel.
It added that this operation “is a battle of dignity, pride, and defence”.
By: Boye Salau with Agency reports
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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