标签： Asia

A major political controversy has erupted in Israel following the disclosure of deeply offensive recordings featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close aide making racist comments about Mizrahi Jews. Israeli Channel 12 News revealed Tuesday that Ziv Agmon, serving as Netanyahu’s personal spokesperson and interim chief of staff, made disparaging remarks about several members of the ruling Likud party who are of Mizrahi descent.

In the leaked audio, Agmon referred to Likud parliament members using dehumanizing language, calling Nissim Vaturi a ‘baboon’ and describing Eliyahu Revivo as a ‘retarded Moroccan.’ He additionally questioned how such figures were elected to parliament, suggesting party primaries should be replaced with hand-picked candidates. ‘Who would even know these people? What a bunch of baboons,’ Agmon stated, while dismissing Likud lawmaker Eli Dallal as ‘a nobody.’

The scandal has reignited longstanding tensions regarding ethnic divisions within Israeli society. Mizrahim—Jews with ancestral origins in Muslim-majority countries across North Africa and the Middle East—have historically faced discrimination from Israel’s predominantly Ashkenazi leadership of European descent. Recent studies continue to show significant socioeconomic gaps between these communities.

Agmon’s remarks extended beyond ethnic insults to include criticism of Netanyahu’s leadership. In comments made after the October 2023 Hamas attack, Agmon stated that Netanyahu ‘is finished’ and ‘needs to step down.’ He also made disparaging comments about Sara Netanyahu, the prime minister’s wife, and suggested Egypt should release recordings of conversations with Netanyahu that might imply prior warnings about the attack.

Despite Agmon denying holding racist views and claiming he has been ‘seriously wronged,’ multiple Likud figures have demanded his immediate dismissal. Energy Minister Eli Cohen stated that Agmon’s remarks ‘deserve unequivocal condemnation,’ while Aryeh Deri, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, criticized Netanyahu’s silence on the matter. Israeli media reported Wednesday that Netanyahu is seeking a replacement for Agmon, who is expected to be removed from his position.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s institutional support for the International Criminal Court while carefully avoiding commentary on internal proceedings concerning Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan. The declaration came during Wednesday’s parliamentary session when Independent Alliance MP Iqbal Mohamed questioned the prime minister about recent Middle East Eye reports revealing divisions within the ICC’s governing body.

According to exclusive MEE reporting, a judicial panel comprising three senior judges has exonerated Khan of misconduct allegations following a United Nations investigation into sexual misconduct complaints. Despite this clearance, a minority faction within the 21-member bureau of the Assembly of State Parties—the court’s executive governing body—reportedly seeks to disregard the judicial findings, creating significant institutional tension.

The situation emerges against a backdrop of intense political pressure on the ICC regarding its investigation into Israeli officials. Previous reporting indicates that the UK’s former Conservative government, through then-Foreign Secretary David Cameron, allegedly threatened to defund the court and withdraw from the Rome Statute should it pursue arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. Khan formally documented these threats in a December submission to the ICC.

Pressure on Khan escalated notably during key periods: in April 2024 as he prepared warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and again in October 2024 preceding the formal issuance of warrants. The prosecutor faced multiple forms of intimidation including sanctions from the Trump administration, security concerns prompted by alleged Mossad presence in The Hague, and coordinated media leaks regarding misconduct allegations.

Legal experts warn that political interference in judicial matters could severely undermine the ICC’s credibility. International law specialists emphasize that the bureau’s potential disregard of the unanimous judicial findings—despite having appointed the panel itself—would establish a dangerous precedent prioritizing political interests over judicial independence.

The bureau currently faces a complex decision-making process with strict timelines: 30 days for preliminary assessment following the March 9 report delivery, another 30 days for Khan’s response, and a final 30-day period for conclusive determination. With two meetings already conducted without consensus, the outcome remains uncertain as diplomatic maneuvering continues behind closed doors.

The United Nations has formally disclosed the national composition of a proposed international military force intended to maintain stability in the Gaza Strip following recent hostilities. During a pivotal address to the UN Security Council on Tuesday, UN High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov confirmed that Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania have pledged troop contributions to the International Stabilization Force (ISF).

This multinational force represents a central component of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, an initiative originally brokered by former US President Donald Trump in September 2025. The strategy envisions the ISF assuming security responsibilities in areas presently under Hamas control, facilitating a transitional period toward sustainable governance.

Mladenov’s announcement marks the first high-level confirmation of participating nations, coming months after a nominal ceasefire agreement took effect in October. Despite this truce, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that Israeli operations have resulted in at least 673 fatalities in Gaza since the ceasefire declaration. The broader conflict has claimed over 72,000 Palestinian lives and devastated approximately 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure.

Concurrent with military planning, Mladenov reported progress in establishing the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza—a technocratic transitional body mandated with overseeing reconstruction and governance until the Palestinian Authority can resume control. The committee has reportedly advanced in vetting thousands of civilian police candidates.

Diplomatic challenges continue to complicate the stabilization effort. Indonesia previously threatened withdrawal from Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ overseeing ISF creation if the arrangement fails to serve Palestinian and Indonesian interests, citing the US-Israeli tensions with Iran as an additional complicating factor. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly opposed Turkish participation in the force, discouraging contributions from other potential partners including Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Conversely, Trump expressed openness to Turkish involvement, praising Turkey’s potential contribution.

Mladenov concluded his address by revealing that a comprehensive framework for decommissioning and reintegrating armed groups in Gaza has been developed with US, Egyptian, Turkish, and Qatari support. He urged UN members to encourage Hamas and all Palestinian factions to accept this framework promptly, emphasizing that full implementation of the Comprehensive Plan represents the only viable pathway to durable Israeli security and Palestinian self-determination.

In a striking assessment of the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict, Sir Alex Younger, former head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), has declared Iran holds the strategic advantage in its confrontation with the United States and Israel. Speaking on The Economist’s podcast, the intelligence veteran who led MI6 from 2014 to 2020 revealed that Washington fundamentally underestimated the challenge and has ceded operational initiative to Tehran within the past fortnight.

Younger articulated that the Iranian regime has demonstrated remarkable resilience beyond Western expectations. This durability stems from strategic decisions made as early as June 2023, when Iranian military leadership dispersed their capabilities and delegated weapon deployment authority—a move that has effectively countered the overwhelming air superiority of US-Israeli forces.

The former spy chief presented a compelling analysis of the conflicting motivations driving the war. He suggested that statements from former US President Donald Trump have reinforced Tehran’s perception that they are engaged in an existential ‘civilizational war,’ while America pursues a ‘war of choice.’ This fundamental difference in perceived stakes has endowed Iran with significantly greater staying power than their American counterparts.

The conflict, initiated by US-Israeli strikes on February 28th targeting Iranian facilities and officials including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has evolved into a complex regional confrontation. Iran has responded with strategic precision, launching retaliatory strikes against Gulf nations hosting US military installations and establishing firm control over the critical Strait of Hormuz—the vital maritime passage for 20% of the world’s oil supply.

Younger described Iran’s strategy as ‘horizontal escalation,’ effectively globalizing the conflict by threatening global energy supplies and thereby gaining leverage against superior military forces. ‘They’ve played a weak hand well,’ acknowledged the intelligence veteran, noting that control of the strategic waterway has given Iran the ‘whip hand’ in the ongoing confrontation.

The assessment comes amid revelations that Mossad, Israel’s external intelligence agency, had provided assessments about instigating regime change in Iran that helped convince the US to enter the conflict. However, Younger also highlighted significant intelligence failures, particularly regarding the October 7th, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, which he described as ‘an intelligence failure by any standard’ exacerbated by the Netanyahu government’s dismissal of warnings about Hamas capabilities.

Despite his professional history confronting the ‘violence and brutality of the IRGC,’ Younger expressed regret at concluding that Iran currently holds the advantage in the devastating conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives through both military engagement and internal suppression of protests.

A significant diplomatic rift has emerged between the United States and Iran, casting serious doubt on the viability of proposed ceasefire negotiations. According to multiple media reports from March 25, the United States claimed to have presented Tehran with a comprehensive 15-point plan aimed at establishing a month-long truce. However, these assertions were promptly dismissed by Iranian officials, creating a cloud of uncertainty around the entire diplomatic process.

A spokesperson representing Iran’s Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters categorically denied any knowledge of such a proposal, characterizing Washington’s position as an attempt to rebrand military setbacks as diplomatic achievements. Through statements published by Tasnim News Agency, the official mocked American claims, questioning whether the US had reached such a state of internal conflict that it was effectively “negotiating with itself.”

The Iranian spokesperson emphasized Tehran’s unwavering position against engaging with what they termed an “aggressor,” stating: “Someone like us will not come to terms with someone like you. Not now, and not ever.” The official further warned that regional stability would remain elusive until Washington acknowledges that security in the area is fundamentally guaranteed by the strength of Iran’s armed forces.

This diplomatic confusion extends beyond bilateral relations, affecting broader international perspectives. Al Jazeera reported considerable uncertainty within Iran regarding which entities the US was actually negotiating with, despite President Trump’s public assertions of “progress” in talks.

International observers have highlighted structural problems underlying these negotiations. Abdul Wahed Jalal Nori, a Malaysian academic and author specializing in regional conflicts, identified the absence of a clearly defined Iranian negotiating channel as a fundamental obstacle. “Without clarity on counterparts,” Nori explained, “even a well-designed framework risks stalling at the implementation stage.”

The situation has drawn concerned responses from global leaders. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the US initiation of hostilities against Iran as “a politically disastrous mistake,” while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered to host comprehensive peace talks.

Regional stakeholders have also voiced their concerns. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi emphasized the strong shared interest between Washington and Tehran in ending the conflict immediately. Meanwhile, Qatar’s former prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani asserted that Gulf Cooperation Council states must have a seat at any negotiating table where regional futures are being determined, particularly emphasizing the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz as an international passageway that must remain unconditionally open.

As Nori concluded, any durable resolution will likely require a comprehensive regional security architecture rather than limited bilateral understandings, noting that initial assumptions about easily controlling the conflict have given way to unanticipated consequences.