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The left-wing movement has won support for its views on issues like the war in Gaza and universal healthcare.
Social media is awash with reactions to Democrats’ sweeping midterm gains.
Israeli restrictions on travel and medical evacuations prevent children in Gaza from being treated abroad.
A Democratic romp has rocked the US political landscape, but several closely contested races remain too close to call.
The top Democrats in the two chambers of US Congress have been hailing their party’s resounding victory in the midterms.
Dozens may still be under the rubble in Komyshuvakha. Rescue efforts ongoing despite interruptions by Russian drones.
Footballer Kylian Mbappé sparked a wave of condemnation across China when he implied that Chinese leader Mao Zedong was a dictator. In China, information about this controversy is being censored by Chinese AI chatbots.
Tehran says it's ready with a maximum deterrence plan.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged the Republicans’ crushing defeat was partly due to the war on Iran.
Campaign focused on cost of living issues and backlash over ICE raids pays dividends for progressive Randy Villegas.
Democratic leader says party expects at least 255 House seats and promises to deliver on affordability.
Two new vaccines were designed for the Bundibugyo virus that has killed more than 5,300 in the DR Congo.
Key races in Alaska, Mississippi, Kansas and California remain uncounted.
US midterm results could reshape Trump’s political landscape and increase congressional scrutiny of his foreign policy.
US issues fresh sanctions against individuals and entities aiding Iran The US Treasury issued fresh sanctions on Wednesday targeting what it called "the vast criminal network" of companies and individuals tied to Iran. It named Indian nationals Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife, Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, as well as two other Indian citizens who head two of the couple's businesses, and nine separate entities connected to Sharma. "Their schemes have provided false flags and certifications to sanctioned vessels involved in transporting Iranian petroleum, including vessels operating on behalf of the Iranian military and its proxies," the department said in a statement. The department also sanctioned Turkey-based Fugo Group Services Inc for its ongoing support of Iran's heavily sanctioned aviation sector.
Trump admits Iran war caused election losses but ‘we had to do it’ US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the Iran war was responsible for his Republican Party's resounding midterm election defeat. Asked whether he agreed with Vice President JD Vance earlier remarks that the Iran war was "the reason we lost", Trump told reporters outside the White House ballroom construction site that his comments were "largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short term". "But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again. Because long term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," he added. He also ruled out firing Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying "he's doing a very good job," despite his role in pushing for military action against Tehran. US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before the construction site of the East Wing ballroom at the White House in Washington, DC, on 4 November 2026 (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
Historic firsts, surprise victories and expensive defeats as Democrats take control of Congress.
UK: Dozens arrested outside Supreme Court hearing on Palestine Action ban Lawyers representing the co-founder of Palestine Action have argued that the direct-action group has never advocated for violence against individuals, as the campaign to overturn its designation as a terrorist organisation by the UK government reached the Supreme Court. Speaking on the first day of the two-day hearing, Raza Husain KC, representing Huda Ammori, opened proceedings and said that less than one percent of the group’s protests met the legal definition of terrorism. "It’s not the label that's important – it’s the substance. Palestine Action has never advocated violence against individuals and follow a similar vein to the Suffragettes who were not peaceful... are part of the tradition [and] proven right by history and venerated. “The uncontroverted evidence shows moreover that [the] Suffragettes, anti-war groups, environmental groups, animal rights protesters all used tactics similar to or more extreme than Palestine Action, yet they were not regarded as terrorists or proscribed,” said Husain. The barrister noted that the Suffragettes are now widely celebrated despite using tactics like arson and bomb attacks in the cause of campaigning for the right to vote for women. Read more: UK: Dozens arrested outside Supreme Court hearing on Palestine Action ban Dozens of activists, including Jewish activists, and celebrities faced arrest on first-day of last ditch appeal against ban on the direct-action group (Reuters)
Americans voted against war. The Democrats must not mistake that for a mandate Submitted by Omar Suleiman on Wed, 11/04/2026 - 17:20 Midterms showed that political power can be challenged, even when backed by extraordinary wealth. But can this movement be channelled towards global peace? US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer takes questions in Washington, DC, on 4 November 2026, after historic Democratic midterm victories (Tom Brenner/Getty Images/AFP) Off The American political establishment is about to learn a dangerous lesson from the wrong interpretation of a historic election. On Tuesday night, voters delivered a devastating rebuke to US President Donald Trump and his cronies, handing Democrats control of both chambers of Congress in the process. Candidates who challenged the political consensus around Israel, Gaza and Iran achieved victories that would have seemed unimaginable only a few years ago. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), long treated as an almost untouchable force in American electoral politics, watched candidates it opposed prevail, despite extraordinary spending. Association with Aipac and pro-Israel lobbying groups is now a liability. And before Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries congratulate themselves, they should understand something: the voters who made these victories possible did not vote for them and their Democratic establishment. In fact, they voted against it. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); This was not simply a Democratic wave; it was a revolt against a political order that has made endless war a bipartisan commitment, Palestinian suffering an acceptable cost of doing business in the Middle East, and American taxpayers unwilling financiers of destruction abroad, while their own communities struggle at home with all sorts of avoidable challenges. The results were not exclusively a referendum on foreign policy. Americans also voted against rising living costs, corruption and an increasingly unpopular president. But the Gaza genocide and the Iran war, launched at Israel’s behest, were no longer peripheral issues that candidates could safely avoid. They became part of a larger reckoning over what American power is being used for, who benefits from it, and who is expected to pay the price. Historic victory The question now is whether the Democratic Party will recognise that shift, or attempt to absorb the energy of an antiwar movement while preserving the very policies that made such a movement necessary. With the history of the Democratic Party, most of us aren’t holding our breath. Abdul El-Sayed, who will become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, defeated Republican Mike Rogers after surviving one of the most aggressive campaigns against a candidate in recent memory. His victory was historic, of course. But reducing it to a milestone of religious representation would miss its political significance. According to the Associated Press news agency, Aipac spent nearly $30m opposing him during the Democratic primary. Its preferred candidate, Representative Haley Stevens, lost. The Democratic establishment cannot credibly present itself as the innocent beneficiary of public outrage. It helped create that outrage Then, just two days before the election, Stevens endorsed Sayed’s Republican opponent, Rogers. After months of bitter disagreement over Israel and sabotaging her former opponent, she decided that defeating the Democratic nominee was preferable to accepting the direction Michigan voters had chosen. It was an extraordinary exposure of the priorities operating within the party’s establishment. Even though Schumer and others in the establishment leadership condemned the latest move by Stevens, and supported Sayed in Tuesday’s election, they had almost all backed Stevens during the primary, and were timid in their acceptance of Sayed even before the Stevens stunt. The establishment ultimately rallied behind the nominee only after voters had rejected its preferred choice. The party leadership should not be allowed to rewrite the story as though it had enthusiastically nurtured the very movement it initially attempted to defeat. Michigan voters were told, in effect, that a candidate willing to challenge unconditional support for Israel was too risky, too divisive and too far outside the political mainstream. They elected him anyway. And Michigan was hardly alone. In Maine, Troy Jackson defeated longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins after openly criticising Israel’s conduct in Gaza and opposing unconditional American military assistance. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In Texas, James Talarico, who has spoken of his opposition to the Gaza slaughter from the perspective of a Christian and former teacher, won a Senate seat that Democrats had been unable to capture for more than three decades. Framework shattered Now, I want to say this clearly: I don’t believe any of these candidates have gone nearly as far as they should have in openly calling out Israel’s criminality, without somewhat pandering to the liberal Zionists stuck in the current Democratic ranks. But they have all gone further than what was typically acceptable in the political order. And these candidates are not ideologically identical, nor did every Democratic victor campaign against Aipac. But their victories demonstrate that unconditional support for Israeli military policy is no longer the prerequisite for political viability that Washington once assumed. The old threats are losing some of their power. Aipac and the Michigan Senate race: How the Israel lobby became toxic Read More » For decades, American politicians were conditioned to speak about Israel in a narrow vocabulary. Security was legitimate. Palestinian freedom was controversial. The genocide in Gaza has shattered much of that framework. Americans watched hospitals destroyed, children pulled from rubble, journalists killed, and families displaced repeatedly. They watched their government continue supplying weapons, while insisting that it was working tirelessly for peace. Under former President Joe Biden, the Democratic administration helped to sustain Israel’s military campaign, even as outrage grew over Palestinian civilian deaths. Under Trump, the Republican administration embraced further military escalation and deepened the regional catastrophe. Same garbage, different pile: that’s how many of us felt. This is why the Democratic establishment cannot credibly present itself as the innocent beneficiary of public outrage. It helped create that outrage. And the shift was visible well before election night. Polling reported by Al Jazeera in August showed substantial opposition to continued military aid to Israel among Democratic voters in early presidential primary states. The distance between the party’s leadership and its voters has become impossible to ignore. Moral rupture The Israel lobby’s problem is therefore bigger than a series of electoral defeats. Its political brand has become increasingly associated with a foreign policy that many Americans no longer wish to defend. That does not mean the organisation has lost its money, access or influence. It means those resources no longer guarantee political obedience. And that is an important beginning. Gaza was the moral rupture, and the war on Iran widened the political reckoning. Abdul El-Sayed and his wife, Sarah Jukaku, take the stage after he won the Michigan Senate race, in Detroit, on 4 November 2026 (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); For years, Americans were told that each new military escalation in the Middle East would make them safer. Each intervention came with assurances of strategic necessity, limited objectives and eventual stability. Yet Americans have watched the same repeated cycle, over and over again: military escalation, civilian suffering, regional instability, enormous public expenditures, and promises that the next use of force will finally deliver security. The war on Iran just brought that contradiction home, especially for “America Firsters” who felt betrayed. Voters facing rising prices and economic uncertainty were once again being asked to accept the costs of another foreign war. The administration that promised to put America first was consumed by military confrontation abroad. Schumer and Jeffries may soon hold extraordinary institutional power. But the Democratic leadership’s record on Israel gives little reason to assume that electoral victory will produce meaningful change in that party. Opportunities squandered In April, Schumer was among a small minority of Senate Democrats who opposed resolutions seeking to block certain weapons sales to Israel. In July, Jeffries voted against ending American military aid, even as a substantial portion of his caucus supported the measure. These were opportunities to use congressional power to challenge the material support sustaining Israeli military operations, and they squandered it again. The leadership chose continuity, and now it will have fewer excuses. The problem is not that the Democratic Party lacks the means to pursue a different policy. It is that too many of its leaders have lacked the willingness to exercise a moral backbone. A true antiwar movement must be willing to support candidates who uphold those commitments, and challenge those who abandon them, no matter what party they come from The deeper question is whether this election represents a temporary protest against Trump, or the beginning of a lasting transformation of American politics. I hope it is the latter, but I am very sceptical. The US does not simply need Democrats who are more articulate in condemning Republican wars, while remaining willing to finance wars of their own. It needs a political movement that understands opposition to war as a governing principle, rather than a campaign slogan. That means opposing illegal and unnecessary military interventions, regardless of which party occupies the White House. It means applying international law consistently, whether the accused government is an American adversary or a so-called ally. It means challenging the military-industrial complex and the enormous political incentives that make war profitable for some, while catastrophic for millions. And it means building an economic vision that recognises the connection between militarism abroad and neglected needs at home. The path forward A true antiwar movement must be willing to support candidates who uphold those commitments and challenge those who abandon them, no matter what party they come from. It must also refuse to disappear once the election is over. Because the political establishment has a familiar way of surviving popular revolts. It adopts their language, celebrates their victories, and then quietly restores the policies that produced the revolt in the first place. The Democrats cannot be permitted to do that with Gaza as it continues to bleed, as the genocide started and was sustained on their watch. They cannot be permitted to do that with this stupid war on Iran and what follows. There is much to celebrate about Tuesday’s election, with some of the worst actors in modern political history being sent packing. Can Iran war deadlock be broken at the US ballot box? Read More » Candidates who were told they could not win without submitting to the old foreign policy consensus proved otherwise. Communities that had been dismissed as politically expendable demonstrated their electoral power. A lobbying establishment accustomed to intimidating dissent discovered that voters could reject its preferred candidates. Aipac’s defeats should not become merely another chapter in the Democratic Party’s comeback story. They should mark the beginning of the end of a bipartisan consensus that has wreaked havoc on so many innocent lives with our tax dollars for too many years to count. If Schumer and Jeffries interpret this election as permission to restore the old order, they will have misunderstood the moment. If the antiwar movement interprets it as proof that its work is finished, it will have misunderstood the struggle. And if they return to business as usual, they should understand that they can lose their own primaries next time around. The American people have demonstrated that political power can be challenged, even when backed by extraordinary wealth and institutional influence. The next question is whether that power can be redirected towards peace. The voters have opened a door that the political establishment spent decades trying to keep shut. Now the US needs an antiwar movement strong enough to make sure it never closes again. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye. US Politics Opinion Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29 Update Date Override 0
Democrats have been celebrating across the US after a series of victories saw them take control of both chambers.
UK: Dozens arrested outside Supreme Court hearing on Palestine Action ban Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Wed, 11/04/2026 - 17:30 Lawyers representing the co-founder of Palestine Action said the group follows the traditions of the Suffragette movement Dozens of activists, including Jewish activists, and celebrities faced arrest on first-day of last ditch appeal against ban on the direct-action group (Reuters) Off Lawyers representing the co-founder of Palestine Action have argued that the direct-action group has never advocated for violence against individuals, as the campaign to overturn its designation as a terrorist organisation by the UK government reached the Supreme Court. Speaking on the first day of the two-day hearing, Raza Husain KC, representing Huda Ammori, opened proceedings and said that less than one percent of the group’s protests met the legal definition of terrorism. "It’s not the label that's important – it’s the substance. Palestine Action has never advocated violence against individuals and follow a similar vein to the Suffragettes who were not peaceful... are part of the tradition [and] proven right by history and venerated. “The uncontroverted evidence shows moreover that [the] Suffragettes, anti-war groups, environmental groups, animal rights protesters all used tactics similar to or more extreme than Palestine Action, yet they were not regarded as terrorists or proscribed,” said Husain. The barrister noted that the Suffragettes are now widely celebrated despite using tactics like arson and bomb attacks in the cause of campaigning for the right to vote for women. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ammori’s legal team also emphasised that the ban on Palestine Action had impacted the group’s right to freedom of speech and protest, noting that it created a “chilling effect” on British society. “Filton marked a watershed moment - [the activists] were arrested as terrorists and treated as such,” said Husain. “That came as a shock to the movement.” UK Supreme Court to hear landmark appeal over Palestine Action ban Read More » The Supreme Court hearing comes after judges granted an appeal following the government's successful proscription under anti-terrorism laws. It marks the group's final attempt to appeal the ban after going through several courts to reach this stage. Outside the court, dozens of activists risked arrest for holding signs that quoted posts from Sarah Helm, former journalist and wife of national security adviser Jonathan Powell, who caused an uproar after publicly criticising the ban on Palestine Action. Last month, Helm posted “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action” after books by Irish author Sally Rooney were withdrawn from sale in the UK because of her support for the group. Protesters customised the signs by swapping out “authors” for descriptors that reflected their personal identities or professions, including “Jew”, “physiotherapists”, “son of a Holocaust survivor”, “gardeners” or “normal people”. Among the 25 people arrested by the police for holding the placards were actor Alfie Enoch, who starred in the Harry Potter movies, and Massive Attack musician Robert Del Naja. Palestine Action News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
Danish government proposes scrapping allowance scheme for students from wealthier families.
Israel's political establishment grapples with US voter rejection of White House ally and own contribution towards it.
Iran inflicted 'defeat' on Trump, security chief says Iran's top security chief Mohsen Rezaei said on Wednesday that Tehran had given US President Donald Trump a "political defeat" after his Republican party suffered heavy losses in the US midterm elections. "The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz -- and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington," Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on X. The Iranian nation handed Trump a strategic defeat on the battlefield and in the Hormuz—and a POLITICAL DEFEAT in Washington. Meanwhile, Americans got stuck with the bill for his war. Anyone who takes on Iran will pay the price—from the battlefield to their own doorstep. — محسن رضایی (@ir_rezaee) November 4, 2026
Vance cited trusted pollster saying Iran war, Israel ties were top of mind for Trump voters swinging to Democrats.
After winning a record number of parliament seats, Palestinian-led parties face campaign against them.
Israeli settlers seize eight homes in occupied West Bank village west of Jericho Israeli settlers seized eight Palestinian homes on Wednesday in the village of al-Duyuk al-Tahta, west of Jericho, in the occupied West Bank, Wafa news reported. Palestinian security sources told Wafa that the settlers, accompanied by their families, stormed the eight homes, which were empty at the time of the raid, and smashed their doors, remaining inside the property. Israeli forces also stormed Jericho and its refugee camps on Wednesday evening, deploying military vehicles along the city’s streets, according to Wafa. They also reported that Israeli soldiers raided the area surrounding the Thabet Thabet Governmental Hospital in Tulkarm, in the occupied West Bank, and ransacked the home of Mohammed Ibrahim Shahada, secretary of Fatah in Tulkarm refugee camp on Wednesday.
Tenerife striker De Miguel died on Tuesday as a result of injuries from a collision with FC Andorra goalkeeper Owono.
Major change on key issues, such as Israel-Palestine, will be limited by the president and the Democratic establishment.
Top US Senate Democrat says Iran war 'must end' US Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday that the Iran war "must end", adding that his party's incoming majority in Congress could use their control over government funding to put pressure on the Trump administration to do so. "This war must end. It must end," AFP reported that Schumer told journalists, noting that the "power of the purse" is "one of the ways of deterring a president who does war without the consent of the American people." This comes after Vice President JD Vance blamed the US war on Iran for the Republican party's failures during the midterm elections. US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, speaks during a press conference at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Washington, DC, on 4 November 2026 (Saul Loeb/AFP)
Tehran rallies see slogans, flag burnings and claims of US-Israeli defeats amid historic embassy takeover anniversary.
US election results fuel Israeli opposition's push to remove Netanyahu As news emerged on Wednesday that the Democratic Party had won a landslide victory, regaining control of the US Congress, Israeli politicians, journalists and experts warned of the results' grave implications for Israel's national security, pointing to the declining standing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US. Former Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid, who was re-elected to parliament last week as part of the centre-right Together alliance, said the US election results had "eliminated" any possibility of forming a unity government with Netanyahu. "Israel cannot afford for him to remain prime minister. It endangers security, it endangers democracy, it will crush us in the world," Lapid said on X on Wednesday morning. Recent Israeli reports indicated that US President Donald Trump is applying pressure on Netanyahu and the Israeli opposition leaders to form a unity government that will exclude extremists in order to advance his Middle Eastern policies. Yair Golan, leader of the left-wing Democrats alliance, also described Netanyahu as a threat to Israel's security in the wake of the US election results, which saw progressive Democrats, including Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed – the first Muslim elected to the US Senate – win races across the country. Read more: US election results fuel Israeli opposition's push to remove Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister and Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he reacts to exit polls, at his party headquarters during Israel's national election, in Jerusalem, 28 October 2026 (Reuters)
Brent crude oil falls under $100 a barrel after Trump's midterm defeats Benchmark international oil contract Brent crude dropped more than four percent to under $100 per barrel on Wednesday following heavy defeats suffered by US President Donald Trump's Republican Party in the midterm elections. The price of Brent crude for delivery in January went down 4.7 percent to $98.76 per barrel, hitting below $100 per barrel for the first time since early October. The benchmark US oil contract, WTI, also dropped 4.5 percent to $91.73 a barrel.
Russian strikes also cut power to Ukrainian cities as Moscow claims 700 Ukrainian drones downed across multiple regions.
Herzog warns politicians that "not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled" if they want to avoid another election.
Vance blames Iran war for Republican midterm defeat US Vice President JD Vance says the war in Iran drove voters who backed him and Donald Trump in 2024 towards the Democrats in this year’s midterm elections. “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night”, he wrote on X. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so.” Vance pointed to those switching parties as the central reason for the Republican defeat. “The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026”, he said.
Dapo Akande elected as ICJ judge, restoring British presence inside highest UN court Submitted by Sondos Asem on Wed, 11/04/2026 - 12:19 Oxford professor argued against annexation of Palestinian territory and challenged Britain’s legal positions on Chagos, Iraq and Syria Dapo Akande addresses the International Court of Justice on behalf of Japan during hearings on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, in The Hague on 22 February, 2024 (UN Photo/ICJ-CIJ/Frank van Beek) Off British international lawyer Dapo Akande has been elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), restoring a British presence on the United Nations’ highest court after almost a decade. Akande was elected judge on Tuesday alongside France’s Francois Alabrune, Singapore’s Rena Lee, Jordan’s Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud and Kenya’s Phoebe Okowa. Nine candidates contested the five seats. Their nine-year terms begin on 6 February 2027. Hmoud and Okowa, already serving after elections to fill vacancies, secured full terms. As a lawyer and scholar, Akande has helped advance arguments on proving genocide and the illegality of annexing Palestinian territory, and he is expected to sit on the bench as the court decides on the ongoing case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention in Gaza. Akande, Oxford’s Chichele Professor of Public International Law and a member of the UN International Law Commission, will become the first British judge on the court since 2018. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband welcomed the election as "a victory for the UK’s commitment to the rule of law and our ability to stand up for our values on the world stage". Akande describes himself as a “generalist public international lawyer”, whose work spans armed conflict, international criminal law, human rights, international organisations and the settlement of disputes between states. “Dapo is a careful, nuanced jurist and a precise and effective communicator,” said Janina Dill, Akande’s co-director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict. “As a colleague I have most admired his even keel and wisdom. I am glad the court can benefit from these qualities at this moment in time," she told Middle East Eye after Akande's election. Candidates needed an absolute majority in separate votes in the General Assembly and Security Council, 97 votes and eight votes respectively. The council’s permanent members have no veto in judicial elections. The court’s judges serve independently of their governments. Based in The Hague, the ICJ settles disputes between states and issues authoritative advisory opinions. Unlike the International Criminal Court (ICC), it determines state responsibility and does not prosecute individuals. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Its judgments in disputes are binding on the parties, although enforcement can depend on action by states and a politically divided Security Council. Previous ICJ interventions Akande’s election comes as the ICJ prepares to issue a judgment in The Gambia’s genocide case against Myanmar over atrocities against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya minority. Akande served as counsel for Britain in this case as part of the UK’s legal team alongside Alison Macdonald KC and Naomi Hart. The Rohingya case that could redefine the law on genocide Read More » In this case, Britain intervened jointly with Canada, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands to present arguments about interpreting the Genocide Convention. Their submissions warned against making proof of genocidal intent so demanding that findings become practically impossible. The states also argued that genocide encompasses acts beyond killing, including sexual violence and the imposition of destructive living conditions. Children’s particular vulnerabilities must inform assessments of serious harm, deprivation and displacement, they added. The Myanmar case, in which judgment is scheduled for 19 November, has become a focus of US attacks on the court. Last month, US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz accused the Gambia's ad hoc judge, who is the latest Nobel peace prize winner, Navi Pillay of seeking to lower the threshold for proving genocide so it could be used against American and allied soldiers. 'If elected, I will decide cases on the basis of a faithful and impartial application of the law' - Dapo Akande, newly elected ICJ judge Waltz warned that Washington would be “watching the ICJ’s handling of these proceedings very closely”, invoking US sanctions against the ICC. Akande has also addressed the ICJ on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, appearing for Japan during the court’s advisory opinion proceedings on the illegality of Israel’s occupation. Akande argued that a state could not get around the ban on taking land by force simply by never formally announcing it had annexed it. He told the judges that moving populations, seizing land, evicting residents, building long-term infrastructure and exploiting natural resources such as water could amount to annexation in practice, especially when officials described those changes as permanent. He also argued that a state could not keep territory it had seized by claiming self-defence. Self-defence allowed a country to protect land it already had, not to gain more, he said, adding: “Permanent annexation can never be a proportionate response to an armed attack.” Criticism of UK positions Despite British support for his candidacy, Akande has previously challenged London’s positions before the court. In the 2018 hearings on the Chagos Islands, which Britain separated from Mauritius before the Indian Ocean island became independent, he appeared for Zambia to rebut the UK's arguments. Britain had argued that the matter was a territorial dispute between it and Mauritius, and that the court should not rule on it without British consent. Akande rejected that, telling the judges: “This case is about the international law obligations regarding decolonisation.” Who is Phoebe Okowa? The newly elected ICJ judge and her opinions on Israel-Palestine Read More » He argued that the right of colonised peoples to decide their own future, known under international law as self-determination, concerned all countries, not just the two involved. He also challenged Britain’s argument that this right was not yet part of international law in 1965, when Chagos was separated from Mauritius. To make the point, he cited Britain’s own statements from that period accepting that all peoples had that right. His criticism of British legal arguments has also extended to military action in the Middle East. In an April 2018 opinion commissioned by then Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, Akande rejected the government’s justification for air strikes against Syria's Assad government. Akande described its position as “significantly flawed”, concluding: “The military action taken was not in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.” He argued that international law did not recognise the unilateral right of humanitarian intervention claimed by Britain. Even if such a right existed, he said, the strikes did not appear to meet the government’s own conditions. Akande has also argued against the UK's participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 2010, he led a group of academics in a submission to the Iraq Inquiry challenging the legal case for the invasion. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The government had argued that the Security Council’s 1990 authorisation to use force against Iraq, after it invaded Kuwait, could be revived more than a decade later because Iraq had breached the terms of the 1991 ceasefire. The submission called this “an untenable interpretation of the UN Charter”. The submission also argued that even if the argument held, the UN Security Council’s resolution of November 2002 did not meet its conditions, so the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, had been wrong to conclude the invasion was lawful. In his statement as an ICJ candidate, Akande emphasised legal rigour, cooperation across legal traditions and judicial independence. "If elected, I will decide cases on the basis of a faithful and impartial application of the law having listened carefully to the arguments of participants in the proceedings," he wrote. International law News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
UK government facing legal challenge over IHRA antisemitism definition in schools Submitted by Oscar Rickett on Wed, 11/04/2026 - 13:30 The Good Law Project and British Jewish group Na'amod tell MEE contested IHRA definition protects Israel, not Jewish students Police officers intervene as a pro-Israel banner is held during a rally in London on 16 November 2024 (AFP) Off The British government is being challenged legally over its recommendation for schools to adopt the contested IHRA definition of antisemitism. The Good Law Project launched a legal challenge against the government on Monday. The group’s executive director Jo Maugham told Middle East Eye he was worried that “rules which conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism… could be among the drivers of antisemitism”. “Antisemitism and the rise of antisemitism in Britain and around the world are very real things, and I want to say to British Jews who are at the sharp end, I hear your pain,” Maugham said. “But I also worry - and it's a point I've made many times - that rules which conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and that unjustifiably constrain the freedom properly and vigorously to criticise Israel, could be amongst the drivers of antisemitism.” The UK Department of Education’s move to encourage schools to adopt the IHRA definition follows the recommendation made in British education official and academic David Bell's recently published report on antisemitism in the country's schools and colleges. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Bell report has been questioned for misrepresenting its findings, equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, and surveying small numbers of students from a narrow age bracket. The controversy surrounding the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism, which was originally formulated in 2004 as a non-legally binding tool to assist in monitoring antisemitism, comes mainly from the fact that seven of its 11 “illustrations” of antisemitism include references to Israel. 'Jewish pupils should be safe at school, and antisemitism has to be taken seriously. The IHRA definition doesn’t do that job' - Na'amod The definition’s lead author, Kenneth Stern, has warned against its use as a disciplinary or legal instrument, arguing that it may risk restricting legitimate political expression. In 2018, leading human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson issued a legal opinion stating that the definition is “likely in practice to chill free speech” by encouraging complaints against legitimate criticism of Israel. The British Jewish group Na’amod, which also opposes the imposition of the IHRA definition, told MEE: “Jewish pupils should be safe at school, and antisemitism has to be taken seriously. The IHRA definition doesn’t do that job.” “Its examples run criticism of Israel together with hatred of Jews, and in universities it has overwhelmingly been used to censor speech about Israel rather than to protect Jews,” a spokesperson for the group added. “In schools, that leaves teachers policing children who talk about Gaza or the Nakba, instead of tackling real anti-Jewish racism. It also fails Jewish pupils, many of whom don’t tie their Jewishness to support for the Israeli state.” The Bell review The IHRA definition has been formally adopted by 47 countries. Its adoption in British schools was one of 27 recommendations made in the Bell review. Following its publication on 21 October, it was widely reported that “three in five” Jewish students had experienced antisemitism in English schools. This figure came from a survey of 5,000 students, 92 of whom were Jews aged, between 16 and 18. Seventy of those students responded to a question about whether they had personally experienced or witnessed antisemitism, with 29 of them - 41 percent, or around “two in five” rather than “three in five” - saying they had. UK antisemitism report found increase in 'anti-Israel' sentiment, not 'anti-Jewish' attitudes Read More » The Bell review itself acknowledged that this was a “low sample size” and should be “treated with caution”. It also found that “anti-Jewish attitudes are typically less prevalent and have remained more stable, whereas anti-Israel sentiments are more prevalent and have been increasing”. Middle East Eye asked the UK Department for Education about its plans to adopt the IHRA definition and about whether it had considered the warnings - including from the definition’s lead author - about the “chilling effect” the definition can have on pro-Palestinian expression and criticism of Israel. “Antisemitism is a growing problem across society, including in our schools and colleges, and Jewish children and staff should never face hatred or prejudice in education,” a Department for Education spokesperson said in response. “That is why we have accepted all 27 of Sir David Bell’s recommendations and are acting on them, including encouraging schools and colleges to adopt the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. “The IHRA definition has been adopted by 47 countries and countless public bodies and can provide a practical framework for teachers and pupils, and help give greater clarity on how to identify and tackle antisemitism wherever it occurs.” 'Consistency is what we want' Bell’s review recommends separate measures for tackling anti-Jewish hatred, distinct from existing anti-racism and anti-bullying policies. The National Education Union has criticised the move, warning it risks “creating a hierarchy of racism”. The Good Law Project and Na’amod both told MEE that the British government should be consistent in how it deals with racism and not apply special treatment to antisemitism. 'It is not merely important to protect the space to advance vigorous criticisms of Israel’s appalling actions. We think it is necessary in a moral society' - Jo Maugham, Good Law Project “What we really want is for government to be consistent in how it tackles hate speech,” Maugham said. “The rules that apply to one minoritised group should also be the rules that are applied to other minoritised groups… Consistency is what we want.” “Antisemitism should not be taught as exceptional,” the spokesperson for Na’amod said. “It should be taught alongside racism and Islamophobia, because these struggles are bound together and the people who fight one are the natural allies of those who fight the others. “Treating antisemitism as a special case with its own rulebook prevents that learning and sets Jewish safety apart from everyone else’s.” Gary Spedding, a cross-party political consultant on Israel-Palestine, told MEE he thought Bell’s review was “sloppy, misleading and inaccurate”, and that it was part of a “systemic, legal and institutional dismantling of any support for Palestine, or any education and discussion about Palestinian history and existence within the UK education system”. Pro-Israel influence in British schools Over the past decade, the Department for Education and British government ministers have issued warnings to headteachers, teaching staff and local authorities over how Palestine is approached in schools. These interventions have often come after lobbying from pro-Israel groups such as UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Community Security Trust (CST). 'Palestine is viewed as a partisan issue triggering school neutrality, but Zionism and Israel are not' - Gary Spedding, political consultant on Israel-Palestine In 2021, the BBC removed a seven-part series of educational videos about Palestine from its GCSE Bitesize platform - a free classroom resource for teachers - following pressure from UKLFI. Former Conservative education secretaries Gavin Williamson and Gillian Keegan both formally instructed headteachers to ensure “political impartiality” when it came to discussions on Israel-Palestine in schools. “Palestine is viewed as a partisan issue triggering school neutrality, but Zionism and Israel are not,” Spedding told MEE. “Meanwhile, the activities of pro-Israel advocacy organisations, operating in and having access to UK schools, do not receive an equivalent level of UK government or institutional scrutiny,” he said. A plethora of pro-Israel groups, including StandWithUs UK, United Jewish Israel Appeal and JNF UK provide educational resources, speakers and trips to Israel for British students and teachers. StandWithUs has said that it helps students “stand strong in the face of antisemitism and anti-Zionism”, while the JNF allows them to “explore Israel” and offers “workshops on Zionist history”. “Israel advocacy organisations try to argue their presence in the school system is necessary to counter rising antisemitism and anti-Zionism in schools,” Spedding said. “But our educational unions have noted that the resulting imbalance leaves teachers highly anxious about covering topics related to Palestine, answering pupils’ questions and queries with regard to Palestine, and that traditional pro-Israel and Zionist viewpoints go largely unscrutinised by the UK government.” “It is not merely important to protect the space to advance vigorous criticisms of Israel’s appalling actions,” Maugham reiterated. “We think it is necessary in a moral society.” UK Politics London News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0
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Palestine Action takes fight against UK ban to Supreme Court Palestine Action returned to the UK’s Supreme Court on Wednesday to contest the government’s decision to outlaw the group under terrorism legislation. Authorities have arrested at least 4,000 people on charges linked to the group since the government imposed the ban in July last year. Co-founder Huda Ammori said the measure had turned legitimate protest into a terrorism offence. “The overwhelming evidence presented to the Supreme Court by UN experts, Amnesty International, Liberty and even the former director of MI6 is that this dangerous and disproportionate proscription has criminalised legitimate protest as terrorism for the first time in British history.” Ammori also pointed to support for the group among people close to the prime minister. “The new government is clearly struggling with the consequences of this ban”, she said, noting that “[Prime Minister] Andy Burnham’s own national security adviser’s wife has openly expressed support for Palestine Action”. “The government’s own assessments acknowledge that Palestine Action has never advocated violence against any person, instead employing civil disobedience tactics,” she added. She called on “the Supreme Court justices to bring this authoritarian overreach – and the chilling censorship it has unleashed – to an end once and for all.”
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