United States support for Israel is not about to weaken. Just re-elected to the White House, Donald Trump announced, Tuesday, November 12, his intention to appoint former Arkansas governor and ex-pastor Mike Huckabee, close to the circles, to the post of United States ambassador to Israel. Israeli pro-colonization. Here is what to remember from this new day of war.
Donald Trump chooses a defender of colonization as ambassador to Israel
“He loves Israel and the people of Israel, and reciprocally, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!”Donald Trump said in a statement, after announcing his decision to appoint Mike Huckabee as American ambassador to Israel. The 69-year-old's nomination requires confirmation by the Senate, where Republicans will have a majority.
This Baptist pastor turned politician, figure of the conservative Christian right and notorious opponent of LGBT+ rights, has twice been a candidate for the Republican candidacy for the presidential election, notably in 2016 when Donald Trump won. In 2015, he said he did not see the West Bank “like occupied territory”.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar sent him his “Congratulations”. “As a long-time friend of Israel and our capital Jerusalem, I hope you will feel at home”he assured in a message on X. The far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich assured him on “a supporter of the colonization process”. “I have no doubt that with him, we will strengthen Israel’s security and our control over all its spaces”added the Minister of Finance, also responsible for civil management in the occupied West Bank.
The UN once again condemns the actions of the Israeli army in Gaza
A senior UN official denounced the “daily cruelty” suffered by the population of the Gaza Strip besieged and bombarded by Israel, describing “acts which recall the most serious international crimes”.
“We condemned the death, destruction and dehumanization of civilians in Gaza who were driven from their homes, deprived of their sense of belonging and dignity, forced to watch as their family members were killed, burned and buried. living”Joyce Msuya, acting head of the United Nations Office of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), told the UN Security Council.
“Most of Gaza is now a field of ruins.”she added, also highlighting the progression of hunger. “We are witnessing acts reminiscent of the most serious international crimes”she also estimated. “The daily cruelty we see in Gaza seems to have no limit” and living conditions in the Palestinian territory “are not adapted for human survival”she insisted.
Forced by the United States, Israel makes a humanitarian gesture in the Gaza Strip
Israel announced the opening of a new crossing point for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, just before a deadline set by the United States for the increase of this aid, under penalty of suspension of a part of their military assistance to Israel. As part of this effort, the “'Kissoufim' crossing point was opened today for humanitarian aid trucks”indicated the Israeli army. Washington, for its part, affirmed that Israel was not violating American law regarding humanitarian aid entering the territory but called for additional progress.
The World Food Program “announced to us today that he had delivered the first aid convoy” by Kissoufim, said the spokesperson for the UN chief, Stéphane Dujarric, reporting 15 trucks transporting food packages and flour. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and eight international NGOs nevertheless estimated that the aid entering Gaza is still insufficient. “In October, daily food distribution [à Gaza] fell by almost 25% compared to September”, noted Joyce Msuya, acting head of the United Nations Office of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).
The United States still hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza
The United States declared that it did not “lost hope” to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, even if Qatar suspended its mediation, accusing Israel and Hamas of not showing “will and seriousness”. With the United States and Egypt, the country had participated for months in mediation efforts to end the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, triggered on October 7, 2023 by an attack by Palestinian Hamas against Israel.
“We are pursuing a number of initiatives to secure the release of the hostages. It is underway. We have not lost hope”Vedant Patel, spokesperson for the State Department for the outgoing Joe Biden administration, told the press. “It is essential for us that an agreement is reached as quickly as possible, in particular so that we can bring the hostages home”he added, in reference to the people kidnapped during the October 7 attack and taken to Gaza.
The only truce in this war which ravaged the besieged Palestinian territory saw the light of day at the end of November 2023. It lasted a week and allowed the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Two people killed in northern Israel by rocket fire from Lebanon
Two men in their forties were killed in rocket fire in northern Israel, Israeli emergency services announced. An emergency doctor from Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross, spoke of a rocket attack on a warehouse.
“We carried out medical examinations on two men who were lying unconscious and suffering from serious injuries to their bodies”he said in a press release. “Unfortunately, their injuries were too serious and after the examinations we had to pronounce them dead” of the two men.
For its part, the Israeli army reported“around ten projectiles (…) entered from Lebanon” in northern Israel. “Some projectiles were intercepted, and others fell in the region”she announced in a press release
