分类： world

SYDNEY — In a horrific act of antisemitic terrorism that has shaken Australia, fifteen innocent lives were brutally ended during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening. Federal police authorities have confirmed the attack was inspired by the Islamic State group, perpetrated by two gunmen who targeted the Jewish community during what should have been a joyous festival of lights.

Among the victims were remarkable individuals whose lives embodied compassion, service, and resilience. The youngest was 10-year-old Matilda, described by her language teacher as “a bright and loving soul who saw beauty in everyone.” Her family has requested privacy, remembering her as a gentle girl whose memory inspires kindness and compassion.

Eli Schlanger, 41, the assistant rabbi who organized the Chanukah by the Sea event, was a father of five—his youngest child just two months old. Born in London, Schlanger served as a chaplain to both the state’s corrective services department and a Sydney hospital, ministering to patients and families. Friends remembered him as someone who would go wherever needed to help people, including prisons, dedicating his life to encouraging good deeds.

Yaakov Levitan, 39, originally from Johannesburg, was a rabbi and father of four described as a “vital, behind-the-scenes pillar” of Sydney’s Jewish community. The Chabad movement noted his exceptional kindness and dedication to helping others.

Marika Pogany, an 82-year-old grandmother and community volunteer, had delivered thousands of kosher meals to those in need over her 29 years of service. Colleagues at COA, a Jewish senior service organization, described her as “the beating heart of COA and a source of warmth for thousands of people” who “asked for nothing and gave everything.”

Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French national, was remembered by his brother as “a golden person”—extraordinary, non-materialistic, and kind. The talented soccer player with Rockdale Ilinden FC was warmly embraced by all who knew him, described as down-to-earth and happy-go-lucky.

Peter Meagher, a retired police officer known as “Marzo,” was working as a freelance photographer at the event. His rugby club called him an “absolute legend” and noted his presence was “simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Reuven Morrison, 62, died heroically while trying to stop one of the shooters. His daughter reported that he was seen in video footage throwing objects at the gunman after another passerby wrestled the weapon away. Morrison had migrated to Australia from the Soviet Union five decades ago specifically to escape antisemitic persecution.

Most tragically, 87-year-old Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who had moved to Australia from Ukraine, died while protecting his wife during the attack. The couple had survived “the unspeakable terror of the Holocaust” as children before finding refuge in Australia, only to face antisemitic violence at the end of his life.

Tibor Weitzen, 78, a grandfather who migrated from Israel in 1988, was remembered by his granddaughter as someone who “saw the best in people” and loved his family “more than life itself.”

The attack has sent shockwaves through Australia’s Jewish community and prompted international condemnation, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot describing it as “yet another tragic manifestation of a revolting surge in antisemitic hatred that we must defeat.”

Australian federal authorities have officially classified the devastating mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration as a terrorist act inspired by Islamic State ideology. Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett confirmed the assessment on Tuesday, revealing critical evidence that prompted this designation.

The attack, which occurred on Sunday, resulted in 15 fatalities and left numerous victims hospitalized. Authorities identified the perpetrators as a father and son duo, aged 50 and 24 respectively. During the incident, the older suspect was fatally shot by responding security forces, while his son remains under medical treatment and investigation.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation at a press conference, explaining that the determination of terrorist motives emerged from concrete evidence collected by investigators. Among the most significant findings were Islamic State flags discovered within the suspects’ vehicle, which has been seized for forensic examination.

The human toll continues to mount, with medical officials reporting that 25 attack survivors remain hospitalized across Sydney. Ten of these victims are listed in critical condition, fighting for their lives amidst a coordinated medical response.

This tragedy represents one of Australia’s most severe security incidents in recent years, particularly notable for occurring during a Jewish religious observance at a popular public venue. The declaration of terrorism marks a significant development in understanding the motivations behind the brutal assault that has shocked the nation and drawn international condemnation.

Saudi Arabia has established a grim new benchmark in its use of capital punishment, with official records confirming 340 executions carried out during 2024. This figure surpasses the previous record of 338 executions documented in the same year, according to data compiled by AFP. The latest statistics follow Monday’s execution of three individuals in Mecca convicted of murder charges.

Human rights organizations including Alqst, Amnesty International, and Reprieve have reported slightly higher numbers, documenting 345 executions during this period. The majority of these executions (232 cases) involved drug-related offenses, while others were conducted under terrorism charges—a broadly defined category within Saudi jurisprudence.

Nadyeen Abdulaziz of UK-based Alqst told Middle East Eye: “Saudi authorities’ willingness to exceed last year’s execution toll demonstrates a disturbing disregard for fundamental human rights and repeated appeals from UN experts and civil society.”

Significant concerns have emerged regarding judicial processes, with numerous cases involving confessions allegedly obtained through torture and the execution of individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged offenses. This practice directly violates international human rights law, particularly the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Saudi Arabia is a signatory.

Despite a 2020 royal order prohibiting capital punishment for juvenile offenders and global scrutiny, the kingdom has continued to execute individuals who committed crimes as minors. Alqst has identified five additional child offenders currently facing imminent execution.

International law strictly limits capital punishment to cases involving intentional killing, raising questions about the legality of drug-related executions. The resumption of death penalties for drug offenses in late 2022, following a three-year suspension, has particularly affected foreign nationals, who comprise a substantial portion of those executed.

According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia maintained its position as having the world’s third-highest execution rate in 2022, 2023, and 2024, trailing only China and Iran in its use of capital punishment.

The Israeli military has issued demolition orders for 25 residential buildings in the Nur Shams refugee camp located in the northern West Bank, according to statements from local authorities on Monday. The planned destruction, scheduled for December 18, 2025, is expected to impact approximately 100 family dwellings within the camp.

Abdallah Kamil, Governor of Tulkarem governorate where Nur Shams is situated, confirmed receiving official notification from COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), the Israeli defense ministry body responsible for civilian coordination in occupied Palestinian territories. Faisal Salama, head of the popular committee for the nearby Tulkarem camp, provided additional details regarding the scale and timing of the planned demolition operation.

This development occurs within the context of an extensive Israeli military operation initiated in early 2025 that remains ongoing. The operation, described by Israeli authorities as targeting Palestinian armed groups, has focused on refugee camps throughout the northern West Bank region, including Nur Shams, Tulkarem, and Jenin camps.

The military campaign has already resulted in significant displacement, with over 30,000 residents unable to return to their homes since the operation began. Israeli forces have systematically destroyed hundreds of houses within the camps’ dense alleyway networks to facilitate troop movement and military access.

Nur Shams refugee camp, like similar camps throughout the West Bank, originated following the establishment of Israel in 1948, which precipitated the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. These camps have evolved into densely populated neighborhoods that maintain distinct administrative status separate from adjacent cities, with refugee status perpetuated across generations.

The Israeli military declined to provide immediate comment when contacted by news agencies regarding the demolition orders.

In a landmark ruling with profound implications for international justice, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has decisively rejected Israel’s legal challenges to the court’s investigation into alleged crimes committed in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attacks. This judgment represents a critical validation of the ICC’s jurisdictional authority and investigative procedures in the ongoing Palestine situation.

The judicial panel dismissed Israel’s central argument that Prosecutor Karim Khan was required to issue a fresh formal notification after seven nations—South Africa, Bangladesh, Comoros, Bolivia, Djibouti, Chile, and Mexico—filed additional referrals concerning post-October 7 events. The court determined that the original 2021 notification, triggered by Palestine’s initial referral, sufficiently covered the scope of the investigation, including subsequent developments.

Israel’s legal team had contended that the Hamas-led attacks and their aftermath constituted an entirely new situation necessitating separate procedural steps under Article 18(1) of the Rome Statute. This provision requires the Prosecutor to formally notify states concerned when opening an investigation, allowing them to demonstrate their own domestic proceedings addressing the same alleged crimes—a principle known as complementarity.

Despite receiving the original notification in 2021, Israeli authorities opted not to invoke complementarity provisions at that time, instead maintaining their position that the ICC lacked jurisdiction over Israeli nationals entirely. This stance shifted only after the Prosecutor sought arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2023.

International law experts have characterized the ruling as a robust affirmation of judicial independence. Professor Kevin Jon Heller of the University of Copenhagen, who also serves as special advisor on war crimes to the ICC Prosecutor, commended the Appeals Chamber for ‘being brave enough to follow the law’ despite potential political repercussions. Heller noted that Israel had previously forgone its right to challenge the investigation under complementarity principles, only raising procedural objections after high-ranking officials faced actual charges.

The decision ensures that the arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant remain valid, avoiding what would have been a significant procedural setback requiring renotification and potentially delaying justice. The ruling occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the ICC and certain nations, including the United States, which imposed sanctions on court officials following the issuance of the warrants.

A Hong Kong court has delivered a landmark verdict, sentencing 78-year-old British media magnate Jimmy Lai to life imprisonment for severe national security violations. The ruling concludes a protracted legal battle that has drawn intense international scrutiny to Hong Kong’s judicial landscape.

The three-judge panel found Lai guilty on multiple charges, including two counts of conspiracy to commit foreign collusion under the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020. Additionally, he was convicted on one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications, stemming from 161 separate items published across various platforms that allegedly promoted disaffection against the government.

The prosecution successfully argued that Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, orchestrated systematic campaigns urging foreign nations to implement sanctions and hostile measures against both Hong Kong and China. Evidence presented during the 150-day trial included op-eds bearing Lai’s byline, talk show footage, and testimony linking him to overseas political figures including former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Lai’s legal journey began with his initial arrest in August 2020, just two months after the National Security Law took effect. Following tightened bail regulations for national security defendants in 2021, he remained in pretrial custody, with authorities confirming he was held in solitary confinement at his own request.

The trial faced significant delays, including last-minute intervention from Beijing that barred Lai’s British defense attorney from participating in the proceedings. During his testimony, Lai vigorously denied the charges, stating he never attempted to influence foreign policy regarding Hong Kong and China. His description of himself as a ‘political prisoner’ drew direct rebukes from the presiding judges.

The case has sparked diplomatic tensions, with Western nations condemning the verdict as indicative of eroding freedoms in the former British colony. Lai’s family has simultaneously raised concerns about his deteriorating health in custody, claims that Hong Kong authorities have firmly rejected while asserting he has received comprehensive medical care.

A deepening human rights crisis is unfolding within Israeli detention facilities as another Palestinian prisoner, 26-year-old Sakhr Ahmad Khalil Zaoul from Bethlehem, has died in custody. Palestinian authorities reported his death on Sunday, marking the latest in a sharply escalating pattern of fatalities among detainees.

Zaoul had been placed under administrative detention—imprisonment without formal charges or trial—at the notorious Ofer prison in June. His family stated he was in perfect health at the time of his arrest. His death follows closely that of 21-year-old Abdul Rahman al-Sabateen, whose passing was confirmed just days earlier.

The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society issued a joint statement condemning what they described as ‘systematic extermination’ of Palestinian prisoners, facilitated by explicit governmental endorsement. They detailed conditions ‘beyond all description,’ including torture, starvation, medical neglect, sexual abuse, and denial of basic rights.

These allegations are supported by harrowing firsthand accounts. Palestinian journalist Sami al-Saai, speaking at a meeting organized by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), disclosed that he was subjected to beatings, threats, and multiple sexual assaults during his detention in Megiddo prison from February to June 2024.

Human rights organizations have long documented systemic abuses in Israeli prisons, but reports indicate a severe intensification since October 2023. The controversial policy of administrative detention has been applied increasingly during this period, subjecting detainees to particularly harsh conditions and violent assaults.

Current estimates suggest at least 9,300 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, though actual numbers may be higher due to Israel withholding information on hundreds detained in Gaza. Palestinian groups report that at least 100 detainees have died under these conditions, with the true figure likely higher.

International condemnation is growing. Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has characterized the facilities as ‘torture camps,’ while Israel’s own Public Defender’s Office acknowledged earlier this month that conditions have deteriorated significantly, with prisoners enduring extreme hunger, overcrowding, and systematic violence.

The UN Committee Against Torture published a report last month expressing deep concern about what it described as ‘organized and widespread torture and ill-treatment’ in Israeli prisons, noting a grave intensification since October 2023 that suggests a ‘de facto state policy.’