Voices for Sudan: Focus on outcome of the UN Human Rights Council 30th Session in Geneva, Role of U.S, U.K and A.U
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New Tactics in Human Rights: October 2015 New Tactics Newsletter
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Tensions Continue to Rise Between Palestine and Israel
By Brittani Howell
Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East
JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israeli military air-strikes targeted a Hamas weapons facility on Sunday. A pregnant woman and her toddler, residing in a home nearby were killed.
Since the summer of 2014, the woman and her child are the first Palestinian civilian casualties of an Israeli airstrike.
Israel’s airstrike was in response to a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip territory. On Friday, a rocket from Gaza was also fired, which landed in a field resulting in no causalities.
Israeli military spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lener, stated, “The IDF holds Hamas responsible for any act of aggression from the Gaza Strip.” Hamas has not claimed responsibility for the two rockets.
Also on Sunday, a women allegedly detonated an explosive in her car, on a West Bank road, headed towards Jerusalem. According to a police officer the women shouted, “Allahu Akbar”, God is great, just prior to the explosion.
The officer was slightly hurts, as a result of the explosion. The woman sustained burns to 40% of her body. According to Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, the woman was not linked to any militant group.
Shin Bet, also reported that the explosion was caused by a single gas canister that was ignited with flammable materials. The agency stated, “We are not taking about an explosive device.”
According to Palestine’s security, the explosion was caused by “a malfunction in her car, and there was no bombing.” Palestine’s news agency reported that an anonymous witness stated that there was an electric issue which caused a small fire inside the car.
Three Israeli’s were stabbed near Hadera, on Sunday. A thirteen-year-old boy was killed by Israeli forces in a clash in West Bank. Tensions have risen over the past week resulting in the deaths of 23 Palestinians and 4 Israelis in the past 12 days.
Part of the increase in tension is in part due to Palestine’s dear that Israel is trying to change the status quo of arrangements made concerning the al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, also known as the Temple Mount by Jews.
Jewish groups have increased their trips to the compound over the past year and many Muslims see this as a loss of control over the area. Another point of contention is a failure between Palestine and Israel to reach peace talks, as Israeli’s are continuing to build settlements in West Bank.
For more information, please see:
BBC News – Palestinians Killed in Israel Gaza Airstrikes – 11 October 2015
Reuters – Israeli Airstrike Kills Two in Gaza; Israeli Police Say Stop Suspected Car Bomb – 11 October 2015
The New York Times – Israeli Retaliatory Strike in Gaza Kills Woman and Child, Palestinian Officials Say – 11 October 2015
The Wall Street Journal – Israeli Airstrikes into Gaza Strip Kill Palestinian Woman and Daughter – 11 October 2015
Slovenia Pressured to Accept More Refugees as Hungary Closes Borders
by Shelby Vcelka
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia–
Slovenian officials warned that the country’s ability to cope with the influx of migrants was nearing a breaking point after Croatia announced it was closing its border with Hungary. After a request from Croatia to take in 5,000 migrants per day, Slovenia has announced they can only allow 2,500 migrants to cross its borders daily. The Interior Minister, Bostjan Sefic, commented, “we can simply not have a situation where we would be receiving enormous numbers of refugees, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to leave.”
Officials said the country was accommodating the increased flow of migrants, but was unable to deal with migrants who were stranded and would not be able to pass through to other countries. Nearly 200,000 migrants have entered the country since mid-September, with 2,100 migrants arriving on Sunday alone. Slovenia is currently attempting to register as many refugees as possible, before moving them along to wealthier nations such as Germany and Austria.
Hungary was the first to close its borders with Slovenia, suspending the Schengen Rules of the European Union, which allows for passport-free travel between member nations. The Hungarian government stated that because of the arrival of refugees on the Slovenian side of the border, they had to cut off access to an already unstable country. Slovenia, in response to restricted travel for migrants, fortified border security with the military along their Croatian border.
The weather is of particular concern to the Slovenian government, as colder temperatures will be arriving soon. Currently, the autumn winds and rain are hammering temporary shelters, and endangering the safety of migrants. With winter chill arriving, Slovenia will be hard pressed to provide for the migrants in addition to their own welfare state.
For more information, please see–
NBC–Thousands of Migrants Surge Into Slovenia in New Route— 17 October 2015
BBC–Migrant crisis: Slovenia sets limit of 2,500 people a day— 18 October 2015
Reuters–Croatia diverts migrants to Slovenia after Hungary closes border— 18 October 2015
Wall Street Journal–Slovenia Pressured by Influx of Migrants— 18 October 2015