🌐 UN Pushes for Palestinian State; Israel Strikes Lebanon Amid Rising Tensions
The UN General Assembly made a bold move on Tuesday, urging Israel to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories and advocating for the creation of a Palestinian state. 🕊️
In a significant resolution passed by a 157-8 vote (with the U.S. and Israel voting no), the Assembly expressed \"unwavering support, in accordance with international law, for the two-state solution of Israel and Palestine.\" The goal? Both nations \"living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, based on the pre-1967 borders.\" ✌️
This resolution emphasizes the \"inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent state.\" It's a big step forward, but the road ahead is anything but smooth.
Meanwhile, tensions are heating up in the region. Israel and Hamas have been playing a high-stakes game of negotiations since October 2023. After an initial hostage release in November, talks have hit a snag, with each side blaming the other. 😓
Adding more drama to the mix, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Monday with a hard-hitting message. He demanded the release of hostages by his inauguration, warning that if his demand isn't met, those responsible will \"be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America.\" 💥
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers gave a thumbs-up to Trump's strong words. 👍 However, senior Hamas official Basem Naim fired back, accusing Netanyahu of sabotaging all efforts to secure a deal exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
Things took a darker turn in Lebanon. On Tuesday, Israel launched an airstrike on the southern Lebanese town of Shebaa, resulting in one death. Lebanese media called it a violation of a newly-reached ceasefire with Hezbollah. ⚠️
Responding to the rising tensions, the Lebanese army deployed more soldiers to the city of Tyre and nearby areas. The Defense Ministry announced a call for new recruits to join combat units. Looks like things are heating up on all fronts. 🔥
Earlier that day, Israel warned it would expand military operations to target assets linked to the Lebanese state if the ceasefire with Hezbollah falls apart. This warning followed Hezbollah's launch of two mortars into a disputed border area on Monday, accusing Israel of truce violations. Israel didn't hold back, retaliating with airstrikes on more than 20 locations across Lebanon.
Reference(s):
UN pushes for Palestinian state, Israel launches new strike on Lebanon
cgtn.com
