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22-05-2021
GAZA CITY/ JERUSALEM: A ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding, but there have been tensions in occupied East Jerusalem where Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and fired tear gas at Palestinians after Friday prayers.
The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire came into effect in the early hours of Friday after 11 days of relentless Israeli bombing of the besieged enclave and thousands of rockets launched into Israel by Hamas, the group governing the Strip.
Thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank poured onto the streets to celebrate the ceasefire, waving flags and flashing the “V” sign for victory.
Israel’s bombardment of Gaza killed at least 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished territory.
On the Israeli side, 12 people, including two children, were killed.
Israeli forces assault AFP photographer at al-Aqsa
Israeli police beat an AFP photographer covering Friday’s crackdown at al-Aqsa mosque, the news agency said.
It did not provide further details.
Jordanians celebrate ‘victory of the resistance’
Thousands of people demonstrated on Friday in Jordan to celebrate the “victory of the resistance” against Israel.
Responding to a call by the Muslim Brotherhood, some 10,000 people, according to AFP journalists, gathered in the Sweimeh region near the border with the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Demonstrators carried banners reading: “Jerusalem is the symbol of victory”, “congratulations on the victory of the resistance” and “the resilience of Gaza led to victory”.
As ceasefire holds, seasoned diplomat sees little hope for negotiations
Martin Indyk, a distinguished fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, former US special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and US ambassador to Israel, told Al Jazeera on Friday he sees little room for diplomatic progress following the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Indyk said Hamas and Israel and are still opposed.
“Is there a potential for negotiation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA)? Part of the problem … is we’ve been there, we’ve tried that. I myself was involved in the last effort in 2014. And it ended in failure.”
US support for Israel a ‘challenge’ for Biden
Al Jazeera’s White House correspondent Kimberly Halkett said on Friday that while President Joe Biden reaffirmed his support of Israel, that position is likely to raise further challenges.
“The challenge for Joe Biden is that many in his party see US support for Israel and not also for the Palestinians in equal measure to be somewhat … hypocritical and not in line with the sort of social justice” focus “this administration promised.
“So, as a result, the challenges to this White House are growing by the day”.
Biden says ‘no shift’ in commitment to Israel
US President Joe Biden said during a joint news conference at the White House with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, “There is no shift in my commitment, commitment to the security of Israel. Period. No shift, not at all.”
However, “we still need a two-state solution”, Biden said, calling it, “the only answer.”
Biden said Democrats still support Israel, even though high-profile progressives like Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, whose family is from the occupied West Bank, have been critical of Israel.
He acknowledged Gaza needs help and said he is prepared “to attempt to put together a major package with other nations who share our view to rebuild the homes” destroyed in Gaza without “providing Hamas the opportunity to rebuild their weapon system”. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
