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Visiting offices of Al Haq in Ramallah, PA prime minister vows solidarity with it and the other organizations Israel says are terror groups
The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they happen.
Zehava Galon, the former Meretz party chief who is running to lead the party again, says Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s explosive comments in Germany that Israel has committed “50 holocausts” against Palestinians are “disgraceful and despicable.”
However, she says that “in the end it’s in Israel’s interest” to talk to him. “We can be offended and disgusted but we have security interests,” she tells Walla news.
US to hold trade talks with Taiwan, as island drills its military
The US government will hold trade talks with Taiwan in a sign of support for the island democracy that China claims as its own territory, prompting Beijing to warn it will take action if necessary to “safeguard its sovereignty.”
The announcement of trade talks comes after Beijing fired missiles into the sea to intimidate Taiwan after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this month became the highest-ranking American official to visit the island in 25 years.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government criticizes the planned talks as a violation of its stance that Taiwan has no right to foreign relations.
Taiwan’s military is holding a drill with missiles and cannons simulating a response to a Chinese missile attack.
Taiwanese soldiers stand beside a Swiss-made GDF-006 anti-aircraft gun during during a media event at Hualien Air Force Base on August 18, 2022. (Sam Yeh / AFP)
EU declares support for Palestinian NGOs after Israeli raid on rights group
The European Union responds to the Israeli raid on Palestinian human rights groups in the West Bank that Jerusalem has branded terrorist organizations.
“Past allegations of misuse of EU funds in relation to certain Palestinian civil society organizations have not been substantiated,” EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell’s spokeswoman Nabila Massrali says when asked about the Ramallah raids.
“The EU will continue to stand by international law and support civil society organizations,” she adds.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh vows solidarity with Al Haq and the other non-governmental organizations raided overnight.
“This is not only an NGO, but this is also a State of Palestine institution –- therefore as long as they work within the law, we will stand solid with them,” Shtayyeh says as he visits the Al Haq offices.
