WORLD BRIEFING: April 4, 2024
Governments and people around the world have been expressing sorrow and anger over the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers by Israeli airstrikes as they were trying to deliver food to Palestinians in Gaza. In a message Tuesday, the Israeli military offered condolences to World Central Kitchen and praised the group for bringing humanitarian aid to people in Gaza, as well as Israel after the Oct. 7 attack, saying it would make public the findings of its investigation into the case. On Wednesday, the bodies of the six foreigners were sent out of Gaza into Egypt on their way to their home countries, The Associated Press reported. The Palestinian's remains were handed over to his family to be buried in Gaza. They were some of the 196 humanitarian workers killed in Palestinian territories since October, according to the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in the region - NPR
Meanwhile, an Israeli cabinet minister has denied claims Israeli forces deliberately targeted WCK aid workers in Gaza. WCK founder José Andrés has accused Israel of targeting his workers "systematically, car by car". Nir Barkat, Israel's minister of economy, told BBC News that Mr Andrés' comments were "nonsense". Speaking to BBC, Mr Barkat said Israel was "terribly sorry" about killing the seven aid workers, but that "unfortunately, in wars friendly fire happens". He said the deaths of aid workers and civilians were "part of war". WCK is calling for an independent, third-party investigation of the Israeli strikes. A United Nations aid agency is also suspending its movements at night for at least 48 hours, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said after the attack that, according to a CNN analysis, appeared to have consisted of multiple precision strikes. Meanwhile US President Joe Biden, who expressed outrage over the strike, will speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to a US official, CNN reported
More than 600 legal experts, including three former UK Supreme Court judges, have called on the British government to suspend arms sales to Israel. The letter argues the exports must end to "avoid UK complicity" in potential breaches of international law, such as the Genocide Convention, citing South Africa's case against Israel at the UN International Court of Justice. Israel rejects the claim of genocide as "wholly unfounded". Scrutiny of arms sales follows the killing of seven humanitarian workers in Gaza. The attack has sparked outrage among Israel's allies, including the US. President Joe Biden is expected to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, their first direct contact since the deadly aid convoy strike - BBC
A magnitude-7.4 quake in Taiwan killed nine and injured at least 1,038 others, stretching an expert quake response system that has served as a model in other places. In Hualien County, close to the epicenter, 93 people were stranded as of Thursday morning, including dozens of cement factory workers in two rock quarries, according to officials. Forty flights were canceled or delayed. Around 14,000 households were without water, and 1,000 households were without power. By late Wednesday evening, 201 aftershocks had been reported, many over magnitude 5. With rain expected in the coming days, authorities warned of possible landslides - NYT
More than two weeks before terrorists staged a bloody attack in the suburbs of Moscow, the U.S. government told Russian officials that Crocus City Hall, a popular concert venue, was a potential target, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The attack has further dented the image of strength and security that the Russian leader seeks to convey and exposed fundamental weaknesses in the nation’s security apparatus, which has been consumed by more than two years of war in Ukraine. Domestically, Putin’s operatives appear more concerned with silencing political dissent and opposition to the president than rooting out terrorist plots, according to analysts and observers of Russian politics. The Russian leader himself publicly dismissed U.S. warnings just three days before the March 22 attack, calling them “outright blackmail” and attempts to “intimidate and destabilize our society. The U.S. officials familiar with the information that Washington shared with Moscow spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations and intelligence. A spokesperson for the National Security Council declined to comment for this report. Previously, the NSC has acknowledged that the United States conveyed information “about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow” but did not say that Crocus City Hall was named as a possible target - Washington Post
Russia’s defense minister warned his French counterpart against deploying troops to Ukraine in a rare phone call Wednesday and noted that Moscow is ready to take part in talks to end the conflict. Sergei Shoigu told French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu that if Paris follows up on its statements about the possibility of sending a French military contingent to Ukraine, “it will create problems for France itself,” according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry. It didn’t elaborate. The conversation followed French President Emmanuel Macron’s comments in February, in which he said that the possibility of Western troops being sent to Ukraine could not be ruled out. The call marked the first such contact between Russian and French defense ministers since October 2022. - AP
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Rep. Victoria Spartz (Ind.) emerged as a leading Republican voice on the conflict. Spartz, the first Ukrainian-born immigrant to serve in the U.S. Congress, spoke passionately about the war-torn country’s need for assistance and appeared with President Biden to advance the cause. Now, Spartz’s commitment to her homeland is being used against her by a well-funded primary challenger, underscoring the internal Republican divide that is complicating the hopes of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to revisit Ukraine aid next week. Now, her opponent, Chuck Goodrich, is airing television ads accusing Spartz of putting “Ukraine first,” prioritizing aid for the country over securing U.S. borders. She strongly denies the claim. The spat is unfolding ahead of Indiana’s May 7 primary, where Spartz faces a crowded field of primary challengers after reversing her decision in February to not seek reelection. Goodrich, an Indiana state representative, has loaned his campaign $1 million and stood out as the top TV advertiser. Goodrich’s latest ad says Spartz sent “40 billion of our tax dollars to Ukraine before the border wall is finished,” an apparent reference to her vote for an aid package that the House passed in May 2022. The spot also shows images of Spartz with Biden in the Oval Office that month as he signed into law a bipartisan bill to speed up the process of sending military aid to Ukraine - Washington Post
