This week, the war in Gaza appeared to get closer to a 60 day truce. Meanwhile, this week saw a corruption trial facing Benjamin Netanyahu postponed by an Israeli court, coming hours after President Trump took to social media claiming the case was a witch-hunt and would interfere with the Israeli prime minister’s urgent diplomacy to negotiate a deal.
While diplomats talked up a chance for a ceasefire, Israeli fighter jets significantly increased their missile fire across the strip.
Since Saturday, at least 300 Palestinians have died, according to the Hamas run health authorities, with a beach side cafe that’s been seen as a rare place for respite, was destroyed with dozens there killed. Israel says Hamas militants were the target.
Meanwhile, the UN’s special rapporteur for the occupied territories Francesca Albanese delivered one of the most damning assessments of Israeli actions in the conflict so far, repeating her stance that a genocide is taking place, which Israel vehemently denies. Going further, the independent expert appointed by the UN to investigate human rights issues labelled the global companies who deal with Israel as complicit, and called the sole provider of aid: the Israeli backed ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’ nothing but a death trap.
The US government is calling for her to be dismissed, calling her anti-semitic.
Stateside on independence Day as President Trump signs his self-titled “One Big Beautiful Bill”, with critics calling him a reverse Robin Hood!
We also took a look at what’s behind the sentencing of the French Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algiers.
And assessed a Year of Keir, the British prime minister marking 12 months in office, with the backbenchers revolting this week, and tears behind the dispatch box.
Produced by Gavin Lee, Charles Wente, Henri Pierre Mafulu, Aurore Laborie and Laura Burloux.
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Paul MOREIRA Journalist & Documentary Filmmaker
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Emma Kate Symons Paris-based columnist, The New European
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Anshel PFEFFER Journalist at Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz
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Patrick SMITH Editor-in-Chief, The Africa Report