'I will not be part of it': Israeli teen jailed for refusing military service speaks out
Itamar Greenberg, 19, was jailed for 197 days for refusing to enlist in the Israeli military based on his opposition to the country's offensive in Gaza. Speaking with NBC News' Hala Gorani in Tel Aviv, he said he did not want any part in the war, and that the 'main job' of the Israeli army is to 'oppress and kill people'. Greenberg left his ultra-Orthodox upbringing to join a group of like-minded activists, who now protest weekly to call for an end to the violence.
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Western Telegraph
31 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Lammy urges Iran and US to keep talking as Middle East conflict continues
The Foreign Secretary met his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva on Friday alongside foreign ministers from France and Germany and the EU's foreign policy chief. Following the meeting, Mr Lammy said the Europeans were 'keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue their talks with the United States'. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said his country would not negotiate with the US while Israeli air strikes continued (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) He added: 'We were clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.' Friday's meeting followed Donald Trump's statement that he would delay a decision on whether the US would join Israeli strikes against Iran for two weeks, raising the prospect of a negotiated solution to the crisis. German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said the group had left the room 'with the impression that the Iranian side is fundamentally ready to continue talking about all important issues'. But Mr Araghchi said Iran would not negotiate with the US as long as Israel continued to carry out airstrikes against the country. Tel Aviv's campaign continued on Friday, with Israel saying its aircraft had hit military targets including missile-manufacturing facilities as it continues to attack locations connected with Iran's nuclear programme. Iran insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful. Meanwhile, the UK Government has announced it will use charter flights to evacuate Britons stranded in Israel once the country's airspace reopens. Number 10 said on Friday morning the situation remains 'fast-moving' and it will continue to be monitored closely. A spokesman added: 'We are advising British nationals to continue to register their presence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, to be contactable with further guidance on these flights.' Mr Lammy said work is under way to provide the flights 'based on levels of demand' from UK citizens who want to leave the region. 'The UK will provide charter flights for British nationals from Tel Aviv when airspace reopens,' he said. 'The safety of British nationals remains our top priority.' According to the Israeli government, some 22,000 tourists are seeking to board evacuation flights. It is unclear how many of these may be UK citizens. Government advice for British nationals in the country remains to follow local guidance, as well as to let officials know about their presence within Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff are on hand to support UK nationals who have crossed the border, he added. The move follows criticism of the Foreign Office's initial response, which saw family members of embassy staff evacuated while UK citizens were not advised to leave and told to follow local guidance. The Government said the move to temporarily withdraw family members had been a 'precautionary measure'. On Friday, the Foreign Office announced that UK staff had also been evacuated from Iran, with the embassy continuing to operate remotely.
Evening Standard
43 minutes ago
- Evening Standard
Lammy urges Iran and US to keep talking as Middle East conflict continues
Friday's meeting followed Donald Trump's statement that he would delay a decision on whether the US would join Israeli strikes against Iran for two weeks, raising the prospect of a negotiated solution to the crisis.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Rowling and Ewing: Loud, proud, and missing the point
Today there are two tales of self-importance. JK Rowling, who came to fame and fortune as the author of derivative children's fiction, Billy Bunter on broomsticks, has in recent years set herself up as the arbiter of feminism, devoting herself to an all-consuming social media attack on trans people, cis gender women she suspects of being trans, and any woman who dares to espouse a form of feminism which is trans-inclusive. Thus it was that Rowling took to social media to attack The National as being "anti-woman". This newspaper is one of the very few publications which covers both sides in the heated and polarised debate about the trans issue, it has a female editor, a female assistant editor, has more female than male reporters, and has gender balance amongst its columnists and regular contributors. On International Women's Day last year, the entirety of The National, from the front page to the sports section, was written and produced by women. READ MORE: The abuse I've had just weeks into my journalism career is abhorrent No newspaper in Scotland comes close to The National in terms of female representation and in the breadth and depth of coverage of women's and LGBT issues. But because that means that The National gives space to opinions on the contentious trans issue which are at variance with those of JK Rowling, that makes The National "anti-woman" in her eyes. Trans exclusive feminists like Rowling lob accusations of misogyny about like the Israeli Government weaponizes accusations of antisemitism – as a tool to bully and silence those who dare to disagree with them. However, empirical evidence strongly suggests that they represent only a minority of women, and an even smaller minority of lesbians. (Image: LESLEY MARTIN)Despite her apparent belief to the contrary, JK Rowling does not get to be the sole judge of what constitutes valid feminism. There are very many women whose feminism has no problem with trans people. Indeed, most surveys find that a majority of lesbians, particularly younger lesbians, believe in a trans inclusive form of feminism and have no problem with admitting trans people into women's spaces. LGBT young people's charity Just Like Us commissioned a poll of 3,695 adults aged 18 to 25. The research found that young lesbians are the demographic most likely to agree that they are supportive or very supportive of trans people, rising to over 90% of respondents. These results were confirmed by a YouGov survey which found that cisgender lesbians and bisexual women in particular are likely to have positive feelings towards trans people, at 84%, including 66-68% who say they are 'very positive' towards trans people. YouGov says this finding mirrors national polling which shows that women are generally more likely to hold pro-trans views than men. But I suppose that JK Rowling would dismiss these lesbian feminists as being "anti-woman" too. We are now at the point in this so-called debate where anyone who doesn't express overt hostility to trans people is dismissed as a woman hating misogynist. READ MORE: 'Where's the dignity?': SNP minister hits out at Labour's 'damaging' welfare cuts Even Rowling's former friend and ally Stephen Fry has now spoken out against her, saying that she has become 'radicalised' and calling her views on trans people 'cruel' and 'mocking'. Rowling's gloating and knife twisting cigar selfie, published on social media when the UK Supreme Court ruled in favour of For Women Scotland, was a tipping point for many. Fry said he used to enjoy Rowling's company and admired her wit, but now feels her behaviour is no longer something he can excuse or overlook. He said: "She says things that are inflammatory, contemptuous, and mocking. It's a terribly distressing time for trans people, and her words only make it worse." Fergus Ewing stands as an independent Meanwhile, the intensely self-important right wing MSP Fergus Ewing has announced that he intends to stand as an independent in next year's Holyrood election. Ewing is one of those mediocre politicians who is permanently angry that the rest of the world does not accept his own estimation of his brilliance. READ MORE: SNP councillor succeeds in bid to force Labour action on Israeli arms sales Ewing owes his position to his family name and connections. Were it not for his belief in Scottish independence, he'd be perfectly happy in the Conservative party. His reactionary and right-wing views are deeply at variance with the mainstream SNP. Ewing has spoken out in favour of fracking. In 2015 the south Scotland SNP MSP, Joan McAlpine, complained to then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon about Ewing's support for plans by the Duke of Buccleuch to mine coalbed methane at Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway. (Image: PA)In 2018 he also tried to block Scottish Government moves to ban the pesticide Acetamiprid, which was categorised as a "Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP)" by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 2015. The chemical is highly toxic to birds and earthworms and moderately toxic to most aquatic organisms with a high potential for bioaccumulation. It has been blamed for killing bees and butterflies. It is widely used by the forestry industry and in attempting to block moves to ban it, Ewing was again demonstrating that he puts the commercial interests of businesses ahead of all other considerations. Ewing has served as an SNP MSP for the Inverness and Nairn constituency since 1999 and is seeking re-election for the seventh time. This time, he runs as an independent after he became estranged from the SNP when he refused to accept the very mild slap on the wrist punishment of suspension from the SNP group in Holyrood for a week, which he received for the political cardinal sin of voting against now-former Green minister Lorna Slater in a no-confidence motion in 2023. All that Ewing is likely to achieve is to split the pro-independence vote in the constituency and allow an anti-independence candidate to take the seat. But Fergus will always have his self-righteousness to comfort him. In an interview with the BBC today, Ewing said that politicians should start acting like grownups. Quite, Fergus. How about you going first?
