China committed to work with Hasina

Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for successfully holding of the 12th general election and Awami League’s victory.

Ambassador Yao conveyed warm congratulations and best wishes from Chinese leaders to Hasina.

The Chinese ambassador called on Hasina at Ganabhaban and reaffirmed that Chinese leaders are committed to working with her to carry forward the long-established friendship, enhance mutual trust, and deepen practical cooperation – thereby uplift the China-Bangladesh strategic partnership of cooperation to a new height.

Ambassador Yao noted that both China and Bangladesh are at a critical stage of development and revitalization, and China would always be the most trustworthy partner and the most reliable friend of Bangladesh on the way to modernization.

Under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, China and Bangladesh have set a model of mutual respect and win-win cooperation, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.

China will firmly support Bangladesh in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in opposing external interference, it said.

China will also support Bangladesh in maintaining unity and stability, and in playing a more active role in international and regional affairs, said the embassy.

China is committed to assisting Bangladesh in realizing the ‘Vision 2041’ and the dream of ‘Sonar Bangla,’ it said.

Ambassador Yao said that China is prepared to strengthen all-round cooperation with Bangladesh, and take due actions to facilitate and expand trade and investment with Bangladesh, promote high-quality China-Bangladesh Belt and Road cooperation, and make its own contribution to realizing ‘Smart Bangladesh’.

Israel is committing genocide

Al Jazeera  has released a list of countries which have welcomed the ICJ case that says Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

It is worth noting that both South Africa and Israel are signatories to the 1948 Genocide Convention which gives the ICJ the jurisdiction to rule on disputes over the treaty.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) based in The Hague will hold its first hearing in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel on Thursday, with several countries welcoming the move amid a global chorus for a ceasefire in Gaza.

South Africa filed the lawsuit end of December 2023, accusing Israel of genocide in its war on Gaza and seeking a halt to the brutal military assault that has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians, nearly 10,000 of them children.

The 84-page filing by South Africa says Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, drawn up in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust.

All states that signed the convention are obliged to not commit genocide and also to prevent and punish it. The treaty defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.

Here’s what we know about the countries backing South Africa in its case against Israel, and the countries that oppose the case at the world court.

Which countries have welcomed South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel?

The Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), the 57-member bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan and Morocco, voiced their support for the case on December 30.

Malaysia in a statement released on January 02, 2024 by the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the South African application. It reiterated a call for an independent Palestinian state “based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital”.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Oncu Keceli posted on X on January 03, 2024 welcoming South Africa’s move.

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on January 04, 2023 that Amman would back South Africa.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia dubbed South Africa’s move as historic, becoming the first Latin American country to back the ICJ case against Israel.

Besides countries, many advocacy groups and civil society groups worldwide have also joined South Africa’s call. These include Terreiro Pindorama in Brazil, Asociacion Nacional de Amistad Italia-Cuba in Italy, and Collectif Judeo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine in France, reported independent outlet Common Dreams.

Bolivia also pointed out it had earlier filed a request to International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan alongside South Africa, Bangladesh, Comoros, and Djibouti to investigate the situation in Palestine. Khan said he received the request on November 30, 2023.

The ICC and the ICJ are sometimes conflated with one another. Both the courts are located in The Hague, Netherlands. While the purpose of the ICJ is to resolve conflicts between states, the ICC prosecutes individuals for committing crimes, according to the University of Melbourne’s Pursuit platform. While states cannot be sued at the ICC, the prosecutor can open an investigation where crimes, including genocide, were likely committed.

The United States has voiced its opposition to the genocide case. National security spokesperson John Kirby called South Africa’s submission “meritless, counterproductive, and completely without any basis” during a White House press briefing on January 03, 2024.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, “There is nothing more atrocious and preposterous” than the lawsuit. Herzog also thanked Blinken for Washington’s support of Israel.

 

Tehran to host fifth PUIC summit

The fifth emergency meeting of the Parliamentary Union of the OIC Member States (PUIC) and the first meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) is scheduled to take place in Tehran on the Palestine issue.

The summits, being held under the slogan of "Cooperation of Parliaments for Palestine," will bring together representatives from 26 Islamic and Asian countries, including Algeria, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Oman, China, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Indonesia, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Maghreb, Bahrain, Turkey, UAE, Pakistan, and Chad.

Representatives from 14 countries will attend the summits at the level of speaker and vice speaker of parliament.

The PUIC and APA summits aim to strengthen cooperation among parliamentarians from Muslim and Asian countries to address regional and global issues, with a particular focus on the Palestinian cause. The summits will also provide a platform for discussing ways to promote peace, stability, and development in the region.

 

Blinken pushing for a failed agenda

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken arrived in Turkey on Sunday after getting his car doused with red paint by pro-Palestinian protesters waiting outside his Virginia residence. 

Chanting “shame on you” and “war criminal”, people asked the diplomat to stop his unquestioning support for the Israeli regime.

Given the current circumstances, it's puzzling why Blinken is discussing his post-war Gaza strategies. What is evident though is that the diplomat, along with the majority in the Biden administration, is likely to be remembered in history as a vociferous supporter of a widespread genocide against the Palestinian people.

The diplomat spoke to Turkish officials about how Ankara, whose shipments of oil and food have kept Israel on its feet in the past three months, would be able to play a crucial role in Gaza once Israel is done destroying the entire strip.  

Blinken’s vision for a post-war Gaza requires that Israel first grabs full control over the Palestinian territory.

Some reports suggest that the US would like to establish a government in Gaza similar to the unpopular Palestinian state of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, a shell of a government that helps Tel Aviv further suppress Palestinians by arresting the citizens wanted by Israel itself.

Blinken's most recent journey to West Asia follows a series of unsuccessful attempts to implement American initiatives during his last three visits to the region.

Previously, the US dispatched the diplomat to engage with Arab leaders in an endeavor to facilitate the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza. He has also tried to press regional nations into forming a coalition to confront Yemeni armed forces in the Red Sea, who have been impeding vessel access to Israeli ports in response to the regime’s genocidal attacks on Gaza.

It appears that once again, the American official has traversed over 250,000 miles, leaving a significant carbon footprint with his private jet, all to no avail.

Military pundits are of a mind that Israel is losing to Hamas. Despite the devastating toll of nearly 23,000 Palestinian casualties, the displacement of 90% of Gaza's population, and pushing a quarter of Gazans to the brink of famine, Israel has little to show in terms of tangible achievements.

Apart from the prisoners that were exchanged between Hamas and Israel as a part of a Qatari-mediated ceasefire in November, the regime has not managed to secure the release of any of its captives held in Gaza.

It did “free” some of them by sending them to the afterlife, but has so far been unable to find any Israeli captives on its own. The regime has also been unsuccessful in eliminating any high-ranking members of the group in the Gaza Strip, despite causing extensive damage to its infrastructure.

Israel did claim recently that it had dismantled Hamas' "military framework" in northern Gaza and plans to extend this to central and southern areas. However, recent and ongoing events challenge the credibility of Israel's proclaimed military gains in northern Gaza.

Despite Israel's claims of uprooting Hamas' military presence, rockets continue to target Tel Aviv after being launched from northern Gaza.

Furthermore, the area that the regime purports to have brought under significant control recently inflicted heavy losses on Israel's most elite forces, the Golani brigade, compelling their retreat to the occupied territories.

"In one of the battlefields in Gaza, we were surprised by heavy gunfire towards us. We did not know the source of the gunfire. Many among us were killed and injured. I ordered the soldiers not to advance further until the dead and wounded were evacuated.

The fighting in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood [in northern Gaza] was very harsh and a battle of minds. We had to be cautious of explosive devices.

The fighters were just tens of meters away from our forces, waiting for us, eating dates and drinking water, and they waited for us to enter so that they could eliminate us," recalled a Golani Brigade commander while speaking to Israeli media.

Blinken might think that Israel would somehow be able to change the equations and emerge victorious in Gaza after he allegedly forced US President Joe Biden to fast-track two shipments of lethal weaponry to the regime. However, the sustainability of continuing the war appears to be in question, even for the most warmongering lunatics in Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet.

The settlements in the vicinity of Gaza and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have now turned into ghost towns, with inhabitants vowing never to return to the illegal structures.

Over 500,000 Israelis have left the occupied territories following the successful October 07, 2023 operation by Hamas, and more are lining outside European embassies to leave as they grapple with tremendous economic pressure.

High-tech companies, typically a source of pride for Israel, are in shambles, and at least 220,000 reservists working in different sectors have been called up.

Israel’s agricultural sector also teeters on the edge of a crisis as a significant number of foreign workers, predominantly from countries like Thailand, have opted to depart the occupied territories.

Courtesy: Tehran Times

United States most unhappy over Hasina victory

It was not surprising to read a Reuters report this morning, quoting the US State Department that the weekend's elections in Bangladesh were not free and fair, adding Washington was concerned by reports of vote irregularities and condemned violence that took place.

According to the same report, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina swept to a fourth straight term in power, with her party winning almost 75% of the seats in Sunday's general election.

Please allow me to say that United States is the unhappiest country on the victory of Sheikh Hasina. It tested its muscles but emerged unsuccessful.

One may wonder why the United States is against Hasina. First and the most important, the US just does not like those rulers who enjoy support of its people. The other reason was stable economy of Bangladesh. It may be said without mincing words that the US wanted to topple Hasina was to destabilize Bangladesh.

To the utter disappointment of United States, Hasina continue to enjoy support of India, China and Russia.

It is worth laughing to read, "The United States remains concerned by the arrests of thousands of political opposition members and by reports of irregularities on elections day," a US State Department spokesperson said on Monday.

It is the same United States which has multiple times used its veto power to derail ceasefire efforts in Gaza.

It is worth noting that the United States has been extending all sort of support to Israel which has killed more than 22,000 people mostly women and children in Gaza.

 

Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina secures fourth straight term

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina swept to a fourth straight term in power, the poll body said on Monday, with her party winning almost 75% of the seats in a general election that was boycotted by the main opposition and drew a low turnout.

The main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which participated in the 2018 vote but kept away in 2014, boycotted the polls after Hasina refused their demands to resign and allow a neutral authority to run the general election.

The daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, founding father of Bangladesh who was killed in an army coup in 1975 along with most members of the family, Hasina, 76, first became prime minister in 1996. This will be her fifth term overall.

In her past 15 years in power she has been credited with turning around the economy and the massive garments industry, while winning international praise for sheltering Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in neighbouring Myanmar.

According to Reuters, Bangladeshis largely stayed away from Sunday's election, which was marred by violence. Turnout was about 40% when polls closed, said chief election commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, compared with over 80% in the last election in 2018.

The ruling Awami League party won 223 seats out of 298, according to unofficial results released by the Election Commission on Monday.

Polls were held for 299 directly elected parliamentary seats with close to 120 million voters eligible to choose from nearly 2,000 contestants. The result of one seat was withheld due to irregularities while election to another seat will be held at a later date.

Hasina herself bagged 249,962 votes from her constituency Gopalganj, about 165 kilometres (103 miles) south of the capital Dhaka, while her nearest rival secured just 469 votes.

Among the ruling party winners were actor Ferdous Ahmed and former Bangladesh cricket captains Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza.

Rights groups warned of a virtual one-party rule by Hasina's Awami League in the South Asian country of 170 million people while the United States and Western nations, key customers of Bangladesh's garment industry, had called for a free and fair election, the 12th since 1971.

"I am trying my best to ensure that democracy should continue in this country," Hasina said on Sunday after casting her vote, adding that her only accountability was to citizens of Bangladesh.

She has instructed party leaders and supporters not to bring out any victory processions or indulge in celebrations, said Awami League's general secretary Obaidul Quader.

Independent candidates, many of them Awami League party members of various ranks, won 61 seats, meaning the parliament will largely be without any credible opposition for the next five years.

The BNP, whose alliance won seven seats in the 2018 election, has accused the ruling party of propping up 'dummy' independent candidates to try to make the election look credible, a claim the Awami League has denied.

Critics accuse Hasina of authoritarianism, human rights violations, crackdowns on free speech and suppression of dissent.

The economy has also slowed sharply since the Russia-Ukraine war pushed up prices of fuel and food imports, forcing Bangladesh to turn last year to the International Monetary Fund for a $4.7 billion bailout. Inflation was 9.5% in November.

"The government must curb the crazy inflation. And I request them to lower tax and provide subsidies to poor people. We don't want anything else," said Abdul Halim, a plastic toy seller in Dhaka, while reading a newspaper pasted on a wall.

The BNP called a two-day strike nationwide through Sunday, asking people to shun the election, and said the low turnout was a success for their boycott call.

Hasina has accused the opposition of instigating anti-government protests that have rocked Dhaka since late October and killed at least 14 people.

At least four people were killed on Friday in a passenger train fire that the government called arson. Several polling booths, schools and a Buddhist monastery were also set ablaze days before the poll.

Shakil Ahmed, an assistant professor at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka, said the latest polls would do little to ease the political upheaval in Bangladesh and warned that violence could continue post election.

"I think the immediate challenge for the prime minister is to stabilise the consumer market for common people. This election is not the answer to the debacle of politics in Bangladesh," he said.

 

Iraq wants US military out

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Friday said he would set up a dialogue to discuss the removal of the US military presence in his country after an American strike killed an Iraqi militia leader in Baghdad.

In an address, al-Sudani said the agreement under which American troops are based in Iraq maintains the equal sovereignty of both countries, saying the US strike violated that sovereignty. 

“We have repeatedly emphasized that in the event of a violation or transgression by any Iraqi party, or if Iraqi law is violated, the Iraqi government is the only party that has the right to follow up on the merits of these violations,” al-Sudani said in remarks shared by his office.

The prime minister said he was in the process of setting up a bilateral dialogue with the United States to discuss the removal of some 2,500 American troops in his country.

“It is a commitment that the government will not back down from, and will not neglect anything that would complete national sovereignty over the land, sky, and waters of Iraq,” he said.

The US strike on Thursday killed Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, the leader of an Iranian-backed militia group Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN), after landing near a security headquarters in Baghdad.

According to the US allegations, HHN is part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a network of Iranian proxy groups and militias in Iraq. Iranian-backed groups have repeatedly attacked US troops in Iraq, Syria and the Red Sea since the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday the US is in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to defeat the US-designated terrorist group ISIS, but he stressed forces will take action to protect themselves.

“This was a necessary, proportionate act,” Ryder said, adding Iraq is an important and valued partner, with which the US seeks to maintain good ties.