UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem

UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem
Al-Makassed Hospital, located on the Mount of Olives, serves more than 66,000 people in Jerusalem. (WAM)
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Updated 24 March 2025
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UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem

UAE provides $64.5m grant to Palestinian hospital in East Jerusalem
  • Omar Abu Zayda, director general of Al-Makassed Hospital, thanks the nation for its ongoing support and says it has consistently stood by the Palestinian people
  • The grant will help fund operational expenses, upgrades and staff wages, and enable the World Health Organization to provide essential medicines and other supplies

LONDON: The UAE has awarded a $64.5 million grant to Al-Makassed Hospital, a key medical institution serving Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem.

The support, which will help fund operational expenses, facility upgrades and wages for medical staff, was approved under the directives of the Emirati president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the Emirates News Agency reported.

Omar Abu Zayda, the director general of Al-Makassed Hospital, thanked the UAE for its ongoing support.

“The UAE’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian healthcare sector allows us to sustain our operations and fulfill our duties efficiently,” he said.

“Since its founding by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the UAE has consistently stood by the Palestinian people, particularly in Jerusalem.”

The grant is particularly significant because it will help to enhance healthcare services, particularly for women and children, Abu Zayda added.

Al-Makassed Hospital, located on the Mount of Olives, serves more than 66,000 people in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Established in 1968, a few months after Israeli forces occupied the city, it has more than 250 beds and employs about 950 medical and administrative staff. It also operates a specialized residency program for training, from which more than 540 medical specialists have graduated.

Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed Al-Nahyan, the chairperson of the UAE’s International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council, reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to support for all members of Palestinian society.

Tareq Ahmed Al-Ameri, who chairs the UAE Aid Agency, said authorities in the country continue to collaborate with international organizations to help enhance healthcare services in East Jerusalem and Gaza.

“Al-Makassed Hospital … is a crucial medical facility, specializing in cardiac surgeries, pediatric and orthopedic clinics, medical research, and comprehensive healthcare services,” he added.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, said the Emirati support for the hospital enables the WHO to provide essential medicines and other medical supplies.

It will also enable Al-Makassed to “scale up its medical imaging capacity, improve the obstetrics and gynecology department, and help to train over 100 residents across 11 specialties,” he added.


Iraq’s PM, Syria’s president stress ‘new chapter’ in countries’ relationship

Iraq’s PM, Syria’s president stress ‘new chapter’ in countries’ relationship
Updated 01 April 2025
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Iraq’s PM, Syria’s president stress ‘new chapter’ in countries’ relationship

Iraq’s PM, Syria’s president stress ‘new chapter’ in countries’ relationship
  • Iraq welcomed formation of Syria’s transitional government this week
  • Discussions focus on enhancing border security, cooperation against drug smuggling

LONDON: President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmad Al-Sharaa stressed the significance of starting a new chapter in his country’s relationship with Iraq during a phone conversation with its Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

The two leaders spoke on Tuesday, the final day of Eid Al-Fitr, which marked the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The parties discussed enhancing bilateral relations between Syria and Iraq while maintaining economic ties, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.

Al-Sharaa and Al-Sudani stressed the need to begin a new chapter in their countries’ relationship, focusing in the future on collaborative efforts to address regional challenges and prevent tensions, the SANA added.

Discussions also focused on enhancing border security, cooperation against drug smuggling, and coordination to maintain stability.

Iraq welcomed the formation of Syria’s transitional government this week, reiterating its commitment to its neighbor’s security and sovereignty. Al-Sharaa emphasized his respect for Iraq’s sovereignty, pledging non-interference in its domestic affairs, the SANA said.


Amnesty International calls on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu

Amnesty International calls on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu
Updated 01 April 2025
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Amnesty International calls on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu

Amnesty International calls on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu
  • Israeli PM due to fly to International Criminal Court member state this week
  • Visit ‘must not become a bellwether for the future of human rights in Europe’

LONDON: Amnesty International has called on Hungary to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following reports that he will visit the EU member state on Wednesday at the invitation of his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban.

Netanyahu is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November over Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Orban, a close ally of Netanyahu, has said he would not enforce the warrant. As a member state, Hungary is required to enforce any arrest warrant issued by the ICC.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, head of global research, advocacy and policy at Amnesty International, said Netanyahu “is an alleged war criminal, who is accused of using starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally attacking civilians and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.”

As an ICC member, “Hungary must arrest him if he travels to the country and hand him over to the Court. Any trip he takes to an ICC member state that does not end in his arrest would embolden Israel to commit further crimes against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

“Netanyahu’s reported visit should be seen as a cynical effort to undermine the ICC and its work, and is an insult to the victims of these crimes who are looking to the Court for justice. Hungary’s invitation shows contempt for international law and confirms that alleged war criminals wanted by the ICC are welcome on the streets of an EU member state.”

Guevara-Rosas said: “Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary must not become a bellwether for the future of human rights in Europe.

“European and global leaders must end their shameful silence and inaction, and call on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu during a visit which would make a mockery of the suffering of Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its war crimes in other parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and its entrenched system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.

“Amnesty International calls on the ICC Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute all Israel’s crimes.”

Guevara-Rosas added: “Hungary should equally do so by applying universal jurisdiction principles. Powerful leaders, like Netanyahu, accused by the ICC of war crimes and crimes against humanity, must no longer enjoy the prospect of perpetual impunity.”


Health ministry in Gaza says 1,042 killed since Israel resumed strikes

Health ministry in Gaza says 1,042 killed since Israel resumed strikes
Updated 01 April 2025
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Health ministry in Gaza says 1,042 killed since Israel resumed strikes

Health ministry in Gaza says 1,042 killed since Israel resumed strikes
  • After a ceasefire that lasted roughly two months, Israel relaunched its military campaign in Gaza on March 18

GAZA CITY: The health ministry in Gaza said on Tuesday that 1,042 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel resumed large-scale strikes on March 18.
According to the ministry’s statement, the figure includes 41 people killed in the past 24 hours. It also reported that the overall death toll had reached 50,399 since the war began on October 7, 2023.
After a ceasefire that lasted roughly two months, Israel relaunched its military campaign in Gaza on March 18. Since then, bombardment and new ground assaults that have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it says over half those killed are women and children.


Israeli defense firm Elbit gets $130 million European rocket supply deal

Israeli defense firm Elbit gets $130 million European rocket supply deal
Updated 01 April 2025
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Israeli defense firm Elbit gets $130 million European rocket supply deal

Israeli defense firm Elbit gets $130 million European rocket supply deal
  • Pro-Palestine activists have repeatedly targeted Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems in the UK
  • They accuse the company of supplying weapons used in Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank

JERUSALEM: Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defense firm, said on Tuesday it received a $130 million contract to supply advanced rocket munitions to an unnamed European country.
The contract for the Precize and Universal Launching System (PULS), an advanced and versatile artillery rocket system capable of launching a wide range of ammunition types from a single platform, will be performed over three years.
The system, Elbit said, offers precision strike capabilities with a range of up to 300 kilometers.
“As European nations continue to enhance their defense capabilities, the selection of PULS reaffirms its strategic value in modern battlefield scenarios,” said Yehuda Vered, general manager of Elbit Systems Land.
Under the deal, Elbit will supply a variety of advanced rocket systems that are designed to significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the customer’s defense forces.

Pro-Palestine activists have repeatedly targeted Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems in the UK, accusing it of supplying weapons used in Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

The activist group Palestine Action has led these protests, often involving vandalism and direct action against Elbit’s sites. They argue that Elbit profits from war crimes and demand its closure.


Netanyahu reverses decision on new Israel security chief

Netanyahu reverses decision on new Israel security chief
Updated 01 April 2025
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Netanyahu reverses decision on new Israel security chief

Netanyahu reverses decision on new Israel security chief
  • Decision to appoint former navy commander Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit as Shin Bet chief reconsidered following criticism, including from a key US senator

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Tuesday he had reversed a decision to appoint former navy commander Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit as security agency chief following criticism, including from a key US senator.
“The prime minister thanked Vice Admiral Sharvit for his willingness to be called to duty but informed him that, after further consideration, he intends to examine other candidates,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Netanyahu had announced Sharvit’s appointment on Monday, pushing back against a supreme court decision to freeze his government’s move to dismiss incumbent director Ronen Bar.
The prime minister had announced Bar’s dismissal on March 21, citing an “ongoing lack of trust.” The supreme court swiftly suspended the decision until April 8.
Bar’s dismissal has sparked daily mass protests in Jerusalem, disrupting the city.
On Monday, hours after Sharvit’s appointment was announced, reports began surfacing that he had been among tens of thousands of Israelis who took to the streets in 2023 to oppose the Netanyahu government’s attempts to reform the judiciary.
Israeli media reports also recalled that Sharvit, who served in the military for 36 years, had supported a 2022 water agreement with Lebanon that Netanyahu had opposed.
It was also revealed that the former naval chief had penned an opinion piece criticizing US President Donald Trump’s policies on climate change, prompting staunch Trump ally, Senator Lindsey Graham, to criticize his appointment in a post on X.
“While it is undeniably true that America has no better friend than Israel, the appointment of Eli Sharvit to be the new leader of the Shin Bet is beyond problematic,” Graham wrote on Monday.
“There has never been a better supporter for the State of Israel than President Trump. The statements made by Eli Sharvit about President Trump and his polices will create unnecessary stress at a critical time. My advice to my Israeli friends is change course and do better vetting.”