Blogger’s Note: Every early morning – I check the UK news headlines (decreed important by the UK Authorities) – and the trending news headlines (those stories made popular by ordinary people sharing via social media). Today, neither pool of news thought it important enough to tell everybody in the West that “28 countries” have recently signed yet another condemnation of Israel and its continuous (illegal) actions in Gaza, Palestine, and elsewhere. It is almost as if someone (or some shadowy entity) is deliberately censoring the news – and only allowing what it deems necessary into the broader collective awareness of the West. Indeed, my next port of call – after checking Western news – is to head on over to the Chinese news channels – first in English and then in the Chinese language (the latter to double-check and gain a deeper knowledge). It is via Xinhua that I learned of this news article (below) which is registered as originating out of “London” – the very city I live-in! It took Chinese news reporters from a Socialist country to inform me of an important happening originating in my own country – and my place of residence! Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here – one which draws a clear distinction between the duplicity of the capitalist system – and the honesty of the Socialist system! As an aside, although the UK has left the EU – this Labour Administration is busy re-building bridges between the UK and this US-subservient entity – for what looks like a future “re-joining” obviously against the will of the British people! The statement in question was signed by the Foreign Ministers of the following countries – Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Just “why” so many of these countries are outside the EU (even Europe in the case of Japan) is something of a mystery (although ALL might be said to be allies of the US). Either way, and perhaps ironically, China did not sign – or was excluded from signing – I suspect the latter (as China has been calling for peace since day one – when all these listed countries were busy funding, arming, and politically excusing Israel’s criminal behaviour). A cynical take on statements such as this is that they are issued knowing nothing will be done to help Gaza – and that Israel will continue its brutal land-grab unopposed. Is such a scenario, this type of statement serves as a security measure in case any of the international legal actions against Israel gain any legal traction. Should the Israeli leaders end-up in the dock and answering for their War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity – then the Western enablers of these monsters will be brought to the fore. Being able to produce this rather feeble effort of a statement probably amounts to something akin to a “legal defence” in the mind of David Lammy! ACW (22.7.2025)
Source: Xinhua Editor: huaxia 2025-07-22
LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) — Twenty-eight countries and the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management issued a joint statement on Monday, condemning Israel for the suffering of civilians in Gaza.
“The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians,” said the statement. “It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.”
“The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the statement added, urging an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
The statement called on the Israeli government to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively.”
Signed by the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, and other Western countries, the statement also opposes any attempts to alter the territorial or demographic status of the occupied Palestinian territories.
In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the statement as being “disconnected from reality” and accused Hamas of being “the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire.”
“The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation,” the ministry said in an announcement.
Joint statement by:
- foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
- EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management
We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.
The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.
We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively.
We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law. Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.
We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s Civil Administration, if implemented, would divide a Palestinian state in two, marking a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution. Meanwhile, settlement building across the West Bank including East Jerusalem has accelerated while settler violence against Palestinians has soared. This must stop.
We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. Further bloodshed serves no purpose. We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to achieve this.
We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.
This statement has been signed by:
- The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
- The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management
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