153. As the year draws to a close
Today, the year comes to an end, leaving many issues unresolved worldwide.
For me personally, this year and the previous year have had devastating effects on all fronts. I hope the new year brings some solace and is not as cruel to me as the previous years have been.
Several issues that the global community hoped to resolve still persist. Let's take a quick look at these issues and examine their current status.
Israel-Hamas: While foreign ministers from 10 countries have already expressed concerns about the worsening humanitarian situation in the devastated region, Israel has announced that it will halt operations of dozens of aid groups in Gaza within 36 hours for failing to comply with strict new rules that require them to provide personal information for Palestinian and international staff working in the devastated area.
NGO officials say that the new requirements conflict with European data protection laws and could put their staff at risk.
The ban affects several well-known humanitarian organizations, such as ActionAid, the International Rescue Committee, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
In a joint statement, the ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland said that 1.3 million people still require urgent shelter support. More than half of health facilities are only partially functional and face shortages of essential medical equipment and supplies.
The crisis has developed because Israel has blocked hundreds of items from entering Gaza, citing concerns that they may be used by Hamas to rebuild tunnels or for military purposes. On the other end, extensive screenings are causing delays.
The US administration is pressuring Netanyahu to enter the second phase of the 20-point Gaza peace plan, but Netanyahu is reluctant to proceed because Hamas has not been properly disarmed.
Under the 20-point agreement that established a fragile ceasefire in October, Israel is required to permit full aid to be immediately sent into Gaza.
But when has Israel started to follow the rules?
Trump’s mouth is sealed because Netanyahu flattered him on his recent trip by claiming that Trump would be the first non-Israeli to receive the Israel Prize, the highest cultural honor in the Jewish state.
Russia-Ukraine: Trump has accepted Russia’s claim that Ukraine targeted Vladimir Putin’s residence, choosing to trust the Russian president’s statement despite Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissing the story as a lie.
The allegation comes at a sensitive diplomatic juncture as Trump claims that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is 95% complete.
Russia has also announced that its nuclear-capable missiles are now operational in Belarus, its neighboring ally bordering NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
The move might enable Russian nuclear missiles to reach European targets more quickly, allowing them to hit any location in Europe or the U.S. West Coast from Russia.
New Tension – UAE and Saudi Arabia: For years, the UAE has been involved in Yemen, supporting the separatist Southern Transitional Council. Now tensions between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have escalated over Yemen's future and the potential announcement of an independent southern state, with Saudi Arabia essentially accusing the UAE of endangering its security.
Trump and Venezuela: Donald Trump has claimed that U.S. forces struck a major facility in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs. He had already confirmed in October that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. Trump’s recent actions are nothing less than a form of resource imperialism, reminiscent of Iran. He has also escalated pressure on President Nicolás Maduro.
Iran-Israel: Donald Trump hosted Benjamin Netanyahu for the fifth time since returning to the White House 11 months earlier. He declared that he would back Netanyahu if he ordered another attack on Iran’s nuclear installations, while confirming that he had personally asked Israel’s president to pardon the prime minister in a bribery and corruption trial.
The list is extensive and involves many issues, but I will conclude here.