Protests erupted in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators demanded the immediate release of captives in Gaza and called for elections to replace the Netanyahu government. Simultaneously, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement organised rallies at Carrefour branches in France, accusing the company of complicity with Israeli policies.
The toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since 7 October now stands at 25,105 killed and 62,681 wounded.
Video footage on social media shows activists chanting slogans against Carrefour, which signed a controversial partnership in 2022 with companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements. The BDS movement calls for an international boycott of Carrefour, alleging the company’s involvement in war crimes, settler-colonialism, and apartheid against Palestinians.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry welcomed the call for an immediate ceasefire during a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). NAM member states expressed unity in longstanding positions against Israel’s colonialism, occupation, and oppression, aligning with the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is set to visit Brussels for talks with EU foreign ministers on the ongoing Gaza war. Katz is scheduled to address the Foreign Affairs Council, emphasising Israel’s objectives of dismantling Hamas and securing the release of captives.
The agenda includes separate meetings with key EU officials, including Josep Borrell, and diplomats from France, Greece, Denmark, Austria, Croatia, Belgium, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic. Katz aims to mobilise EU support to exert pressure for the release of hostages, take decisive action against Hamas, and promote economic projects for regional transformation, all while countering Iran’s influence.
As Isreal’s war on Gaza rages on, the disagreements between the United States and Israel have also deepened. Netanyahu’s opposition to Palestinian statehood remains a significant point of discord with key international allies, as public dissatisfaction with his leadership continues to grow, evident in protests across Israeli cities.
Tensions between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden came to the fore in a recent telephone call, highlighting a significant difference in perspectives on Palestinian sovereignty. Netanyahu’s rejection of an independent Palestinian state is met with criticism from international figures, including Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London, who considered it morally wrong and against the interests of both Palestinian and Israeli people.
