UNITED NATIONS, US: The United States and European delegations on the UN Security Council condemned on Thursday Belarus's behavior in the migrant crisis on its border with Poland.
Poland says the government of strongman Alexander Lukashenko has lured about 2,000 migrants, mainly Kurds from the Middle East, to Belarus for the purpose of sending them across the border into Poland and thus the EU in revenge for sanctions.
These people are now living in a tent camp on the border in near freezing temperatures. Poland refuses to allow them in.
After an emergency meeting on the crisis the Western delegations at the Security Council issued a joint statement condemning "the orchestrated instrumentalization of human beings whose lives and wellbeing have been put in danger for political purposes by Belarus."
They said Belarus is doing this with "the objective of destabilizing neighboring countries and the European Union's external border and diverting attention away from its own increasing human rights violations."
The statement made no mention of Belarus ally Russia, which before the meeting rejected western allegations that it was working in conjunction with Minsk to send the migrants over the EU's eastern border into Poland.
"This tactic is unacceptable and calls for a strong international reaction and cooperation in order to hold Belarus accountable," the Western statement said without mentioning any kind of concrete measures to punish Belarus.
"It demonstrates how the Lukashenko regime has become a threat to regional stability. We call on the Belarusian authorities to stop these inhumane actions and not to put people's lives at risk," it added.
Russia's deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said "no, absolutely not" when asked about Western charges that Russia and Belarus are sending migrants into Poland.
Asked about flights of Russian fighter jets over Belarus, he said this was in response to what he called a massive build up of Polish forces on the border.
"We have our obligations also within the unity between Russia and Belarus. So if there is a buildup of military resources on the border with Belarus, we have to react. This is just reconnaissance flights, nothing more than this," he said.
Asked if the deployment of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine meant Russia planned to invade its neighbor, Polyanskiy said: "Never planned, never did, and never will do, unless we're provoked, of course, by Ukraine or by somebody else.
Western countries at UN condemn Belarus over border crisis
https://arab.news/25w6m
Western countries at UN condemn Belarus over border crisis
- Poland says the government of strongman Alexander Lukashenko has lured about 2,000 migrants, mainly Kurds from the Middle East
Australia holds day of reflection to honor victims of Bondi Beach attack
- The gun attack, Australia’s worst in nearly 30 years, is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting Jews
SYDNEY: Australia held a day of reflection on Sunday to honor those killed and wounded in a mass shooting that targeted a seaside Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach a week ago.
The gun attack, Australia’s worst in nearly 30 years, is being investigated as an act of terrorism targeting Jews. Authorities have ramped up patrols and policing across the country to prevent further antisemitic violence.
Australian flags were flown at half-mast on Sunday on federal and New South Wales state government buildings, with an official minute of silence to be held at 6:47 p.m. local time.
Authorities also invited Australians to light a candle on Sunday night “as a quiet act of remembrance with family, friends or loved ones” of the 15 people killed and dozens wounded in the attack, allegedly carried out by a father and son.
“At 6:47 p.m., you can light a candle in your window to remember the victims of the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi and support those who are grieving,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on social media platform X late on Saturday.
Albanese, under pressure from critics who say his center-left government has not done enough to curb a surge in antisemitism since Israel launched its war in Gaza, has vowed to strengthen hate laws in the wake of the massacre.
On Saturday, the government of New South Wales, which includes Sydney, pledged to introduce a bill on Monday to ban the display of symbols and flags of “terrorist organizations,” including those of Al-Qaeda, Al Shabab, Boko Haram, Hamas, Hezbollah and Daesh.
Around 1,000 surf lifesavers returned to duty at Bondi Beach on Saturday, restarting patrols after a halt sparked by the shooting on the first evening of the Jewish festival.
A day earlier, Australia’s Jewish community gathered at Bondi Beach for prayers, while hundreds of swimmers and surfers formed a huge circle in the waters off the beach to honor victims.
Alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene. His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, who was also shot by police and emerged from a coma on Tuesday afternoon, has been charged with 59 offenses, including murder and terrorism, according to police. He remained in custody in hospital.
Authorities believe the pair was inspired by militant Sunni Muslim group Daesh, with flags of the group allegedly found in the car the two took to Bondi.
