UN Security Council members expressed frustration on Wednesday at the lack of action by the body, as the US delayed any public statement about the worst violence between Israelis and Palestinians in years.
The second emergency UN session since the crisis erupted came after another night of Palestinian militants firing hundreds of rockets from Gaza and Israeli forces pounding the densely populated strip with air strikes.
At least 53 Palestinians and six people in Israel have been killed since Monday.
Tunisia, Norway, China and other members of the 15-nation body are pushing for a public statement expressing concern about the clashes and the evictions of Palestinians in a Jerusalem neighbourhood by Israeli settlers that have inflamed tensions in recent weeks.
But the US is understood to be delaying any such public move from the council, reportedly saying it would be counterproductive as it tries to defuse tension between the two sides through direct negotiations.
The UN mission of Ireland, a temporary council member, said the body "cannot stay silent" in the face of "disproportionate Israeli actions in Gaza", where warplanes flattened two tower blocks on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“The Security Council must speak on this issue and condemn violence against civilians by all parties and call for an immediate ceasefire,” Ireland’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Twitter.
“People of the Gaza Strip cannot endure another war. Rockets from Gaza into Israel must stop.”
Council members were briefed online by Tor Wennesland, the UN’s co-ordinator for the long-stalled peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. The UN was pushing for a ceasefire as the rocket fire and air strikes continued.
“Stop the fire immediately. We’re escalating towards a full-scale war,” Mr Wennesland said via Twitter late on Tuesday.
“Leaders on all sides have to take the responsibility of de-escalation.”
Council members are discussing a draft statement that would express concern about the fighting and the looming evictions, urge Israel to halt settlement activities, demolitions and evictions, and call for restraint.
Such statements must be agreed to by consensus, but diplomats said the US had put the brakes on any public address for now. The US mission to the UN told Reuters it was pushing for moves that would be “helpful in de-escalating tension”.
Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, criticised Washington for failing to act against the "new violence and abuses" by Israelis and Palestinians.
Sherine Tadros, the UN representative for Amnesty International, said the global community’s handling of tension between Israelis and Palestinians had been stuck in the same loop of violence for decades.
“Same statements, same accusations, same reactions, same war, same senseless deaths, same ceasefire, same siege and same misery for people in Gaza when this round is over,” Ms Tadros posted on Twitter.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%20profile
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
