Ahead of a possible Israeli Ground offensive. Also, another escalation, at least one israeli soldier has been killed in eight others injured after rockets were fired from lebanon into the city of safar. It came after a partide israel said it bombed southern lebanon overnight, and calls for banning the Israeli Regime from all Global Sports competitions gain momentum. European Parliament Member claire daily signs a petition calling on sports federations worldwide. To suspend the apartite regime until it complies with international law. So far, the u. S. Israely genocidal war on gaza has killed at least 28,00 palestinians and wounded some 69,00 others, with no sign of of the massacre ending anytime soon. Joining me to talk about it all is ammar kasmi in the studio. Ammar is legal and political analyst and worked in the Parliamentary Office of former labor mp chris williamson. And joining him via skype is dr. Nahad khanfar, a lecturer in law and politics. Gentlemen, welcome to to you both. Ill start with you, um, ar. South africa has launched an urgent request to the International Court of justice over israels planned rafa offensive, explain what it might mean and if it has any greater chance of stopping the carnage from going ahead. Than the other ruling that came earlier . Well, look, um, i was on earlier program uh, before discussing the icj, potential outcomes of the icj judgment, i took a pretty cynical view, which was that uh, i didnt think it was really going to amount to much, i didnt think it was going to have any material effect in stopping the genocide in gaza, i think few weeks now since that has happened, that has been proven to be true. Because ultimately the Enforcement Powers of the icj are very limited, ultimately it is the job of the Un Security Council to enforce icj decisions and judgments and we know that the United States of of america is opponent member of the Un Security Council and can veto anything that they decide to do. Now of course uh its very important what south africa is doing, its continuing to raise the uh issue in terms of. Perspective, weve seen that as a consequence, some countries like the netherlands have desired to stop the export of certain types of weapons, exactly, and parts, spare parts to uh israel, um, and it could be the case, and it does sometimes happen with the icj after already making an order could decide to take additional provisions and and and measures, but ultimately again it comes down to enforcement, so yes, it may potentially help. To ramp up the pressure on some governments who are supporting israel to desist from doing that, yes, but in terms of literally interveaning and stopping whats happening, i dont think thats what were going to see as a result of this, and what it will probably also do is keep the palestinian plight in the spotlight for the world to see. Um, dr. Kham, the israeli Prime Minister netanyahu and his war cabinet seem hell bent on pushing forward with this plan to um launch and. Cursion into rafa, despite pleedings and outrage from sections of the international community, what could cause israel to pause at this stage, because mmar believes that even if there is some kind of measure from the icj, it has to go to the Un Security Council where the us will veto it. The americans, the only, the only people really can stop this, and they are the only partners they can impose serious. A pressure on netanyahu, but it seems to be that netanyahu trying all the time to preserve his position as a Prime Minister, because he doesnt want. To face consequences if this war just has an end and it seems to be that um the Americans Still not really very much interested in calling for a cease fire simply because they wanted to give netanyahu any kind of of victory like any picture of victory in any way or form and it seems to be that they are counting on netanyahu to achieve something any point, like what happened with this ridiculous operation in releasing the two hostages, which seems to be its its being questioned really by the serious israeli newspapers where they are saying there is lot of exaggeration in in presenting this release. And the americans apparently still really signing the blank check for for netanyahu just to to carry out this genocidal actions all the time, so i dont see in any time like any near time um any kind of positive response from from netanyahu and amar um how do you square what we just heard and what you said earlier with uh the us president calling netanyahu uh recently and calling whats happening in the goz strip as over the top, yet yes of course we see the huge package of aid for israel at the same time, but what is your reading into this whole thing . Well, i mean when it comes to joe biden, i i would seriously question his mental faculties at the moment, but look, i mean, i think that we see very often western politicians, particularly those in the United States, may in private have. Serious questions about what israel is doing, they may in private very much oppose what israel is doing, but ultimately were in a position now where i think the tail wags the dog, people talk about israel as being extension of the United States, well actually if you look at the amount of lobbing power that israel has managed to influence within the United States, i think its now really the other way around, israel is dictating uh Us International policy and so it doesnt really matter what they may privately think. Uh ultimately they are signed up to a political system in which they are obligated really to support israel um so i think thats really why we see these contradictions correct uh gentleman stay with me uh were going to bring in what the un chief has been saying then well get back to you shortly what Antonio Guiteres says in Israeli Military offensive in gaza the Southern City where some more than one and a half million palestinians have. About refuge will have devastating consequences. He has told reporters that tel aviv has imposed restrictions that are limiting the distribution of desperately needed humanitarian aid. He said the current mechanisms for protecting humanitarian workers distributing aid in gaza are not effective. Heres more in his own words. Prime minister netta who doesnt take your phone calls, you have not been able to speak to him despite your best efforts. We know. That he is preparing potentially for a Ground Invasion to rafa, if you could speak to Prime Minister netan yahu today, what would be your message . Well, i am particularly worried with the deteriorating conditions and security for humanitarian aid delivery in gaza. There is a breakdown in public order, at the same time, we have restrictions imposed by israel that are not improving and limit humanitarian distribution, on the other hand, the the conflicting mechanisms to protect humanitarian aid delivery in relation to military operations are not effective, and so my sincere hope is that the negotiation. For the release of hostages and some form of sessation of hostilities to be successful, to avoid a allout offensive over rafa, where the core of the humanitarian system is located and that would have devastating consequences. So the un secretary general speaking there. Dr. Khanfer, as we know, the un chief and the israeli Prime Minister have a fractious relationship. Uh with televive succeeding to a degree inside lighting the global body all together, how does the aid agency get around this . People are dying all around as we speak, as matter of fact it is something about like can be described just really horrific, mean what we get from the the ground, just i was talking to some colleagues earlier. Which they have some uh some some connection together, especially to the humanitarian aids, they they simply they are really giving very terrifying picture, because the situation on the ground, especially when it comes to the to the food, to the medical basic needs is is just very very restricted and the people hardly getting really. What they can eat on daily basis, many of the people they cant really get get any kind of food portions on on daily basis, so sometimes they eat one day, they they might not find food for the next day, the organizations just trying trying their best to you know just to really work work around these kind of restrictions and it seems to be. The Israeli Government is really just pushing all their plans forward in order to starve the people and you know just to to to put more or to mount more pressure on on the Palestinian Resistance in gaza, because it seems to be this is the only way probably to you know to achieve. Some compromises from the the Palestinian Resistance in the negotiations, so situation is is is is becoming you know very difficult and it seems to be the the israel is just really challenging all the world, no exception whether the united nations, whether the european countries, we we have heard yesterday what borel was was saying. Think he was he was clearly devastated, yeah, so so there is there is no attention whatsoever to any call, any announcement, any condemnation from the international community, so israel is just really positioning itself to be above anyone, above everyone, above any kind of action, some movements in some quarters in europe, of course, you mention europe there, and thats what i want to talk. To you about, um, we know israel is blocking aid in contravention of the icj ruling, um, as i said at the beginning of the show, at the top, that there have been rockets fired into northern zionist entity, killing one soldier, injuring number of others, and at the same time the independent block members of the european parliamentarians are pushing for the full pario treatment for israel, including being banned from international events, weve seen it done to south africa in the last century and to russia. In recent years, what do you make of that route . Well, i think the eu, we have to be very careful because its not a homogenous block, we talk about the european union, but there are different powers vying for authority in there, you have germany, which is obviously very fanatically pro israel, but then you have other Member States like spain, ireland uh to franc france to a less degree who have either opposed israel right from the very beginning or have taken uh or sort of grown. Patient with the scale of the offensive and the french slap sanctions on some of the settlers too recently 100 and actually the United Kingdom is also planning to to do um you know something similar so you know but i think clearly the mood is turning we saw the eu Foreign Policy chief which we just mentioned joseph burell who has said some pretty wild things in general is quite a in my view quite a uh procolonial man quite a racist person now coming out and saying uh these really incredible statements about israel and saying that if you want to stop israel comming its offensive then you have to stop supplying them with arms, so i think that there is a moo turning not just among sort of independent parliamentarians, but actually across some very senior levels of Member States of the european union, and so i think we could get to a position, particularly if israel did launch a fullscale attack on rafa and it really really got out of hand much more than already has uh where you know we could get to. What it takes and not the 3000 palestinians already killed, well does it have to really be that red line to be cross by the Israeli Regime for these countries to finally . Come out and say enough is enough . Well, i mean, its its clear that theres a huge contradiction between how peoples lives are viewed. We saw with ukraine, a white european country when that was uh, when russia launched this operation against ukraine, there were sanctions slapped on russia straight away, it was made into international priya state, huge increase in russophobia even among ordinary russians in europe, but when israel does this, it doesnt, you no, we dont get the same treatment, and but i do think. Think that if it gets to even more serious point that i think is probably what it will have to take unfortunately in europe uh for the mood to change substantially. Okay, now um, dr. Hanfar, um, do you think also that on the question of what might make israel think twice about um launching that massive incursion into rafa . Um, the the rockets that have been fired. Into northern israel from southern lebanon, although heizballah, the uh resistance movement, the group in in lebanon has not claim responsibility, but there have been rockets fired, one israeli soldier killed, number of them injured, um, do you think that is why the message from the lebanese to the israelis, look, if you go ahead with this, then were gonna hurt you, yeah, i think this was very obvious from the the speech delivered. By hizbullah leader sayid hassan nasrullah, he actually made very clear connection between the escalation in in gaza and whats whats happening in in north lebanon, so in south lebanon, so by by the end of the day it seems to be the message is is very clear and i, i, i dont think we can really raise too many questions about it whether it is connected or not connected. It seems to be very much connected and the again the the hebrew news papers, today i was looking into some some of them published in in hebrew, they were very much talking about the speech delivered by Hasan Nasrullah yesterday and they they they gave it really very very high level of a credit and the credibility that if if the situation in gas is goingon to be solved sometime soon then we would expect a sease fire also in in in lebanon or from the lebanese side so yes the connection the connection is there and i dont think the hizbullah is is playing games here because in in in in the previous truth this exactly what happened it was for almost one week and uh the truth started in in in lebanon or from lebanese side, so so the the the kind of a pressure we can imagine is there, and i think it might be escalating as as far as the israelis are escalating their military operations in gaza. Its its all matter of time of course. Uh, just a quick reminder before we move on, this is gaza under attack, a deep dive into the news. Surrounding the ongoing usisraeli genocidal war on gazas captive population. Well, the disconnect between the British Public and politicians to continue their unequivocal support for the u. S. Israeli genocide of gazans, is even more pronounced. Voters, according to propalestinian activist neile, are now extremely cautious about how they will be using their votes in the general elections later this year. Neele went to say the politicians. Have their own agenda that usually have very little to do with the most vulnerable. I think they seem to have their own agenda. I think theres a lot of lobbying by the israelis. I think they a lot of people are in the pocket of the israelies. I think both labor, i know that lot of labor front benches have all taken money from the israeli lobbyis and suspect the same is true for the conservatives as well. I think its its very, very questionable and i think its extraordinary given the amount of these protests that so little notice is shown, and maybe they just feel that come election day, this will be a side issue, but i think i think its gone so far beyond that for many people. Well, its, i, im a previous labor voter and labor member, and i am not voting for the labor party under kier starma, um, i will vote, uh, i have very, im in brighton, so ive got a very potentially strong green candidate, theyve called for a ceasefire. And they are not in the pockets of any lobbists. Ive been to israel uh over the last 30 years, so ive seen the horrors that have been there. This of course is unprecedented, um, and i do think it has changed, i think its made people very disassociated from politicians. Fear and panic grip palestinians sheltering in raffa as hostilities expand in the desly densely packed area, supposed to provide safe refuge for over 1 and a half million people. The World Health Organization says there truly is nowhere safe in gaza. People are already living in unimaginable conditions. According to the. Who, new wave of displacement and additional injuries will have a catastrophic impact on Peoples Health and mental wellbeing, and increase the trauma burden on the already alien health system, pushing it closer to the brink of collapse. Lets listen to one displaced cousin. Last night was really terrible. We lived in terror as if it was doomsday. Not knowing where to turn or where to go, we felt like we were going to die, well lets continue the conversation with my guests and doctor as we enter the final moments of the show. Ar as we heard the activist there who talked to us in a recent protest, pro palestine protest that lot of the. Are in the pockets of the israel lobby and zionists, there already signs that there are some politicians uh who will pay with their political futures for the stance theyve taken on palestine, as her ali is one them in rotsdale, manchester triggering a byelection, now others vying for that position, um, what do you make of of that comment and also your own experience with it all . Well yes, i mean i was member of the party for six. Years i was involved in many uh campaigns a parliamentary level, i worked in parliament for labor mp and so um ultimately i felt compelled to leave the layer party um much ear than many people are sort of now doing uh back in may 2021 because it became clear to me that really k starma had seeded all political sovereignty when it came to the issue of palestine israel antisemitism zionism to the. Embassy here in britain um and so i thought that the labor party had been totally captured and really on this issue there was never going to be any budging, however that political trajectory, that very strong pro israel political trajectory, i think is now going backwards, were seeing now people waking up to the horrors of zionism, not just of this particular current Israeli Government, but actually of the zionist project uh realizing that. Um charge of antisemitism is very cheap one and and weaponized of course, and the Muslim Community in britain which has for such a long time supported the labor party, my parents generation and grandparents, many them supported uh the labor party have now been shaken out of that to such a large degree, if they werent before, theyve seen now that ks starma support for the the genocide in gaza is utterly untandable and say because muslims across britain are huge political constituency, yeah, they really have the power to turn the tide at the next general election, and so i think we could see 100 , many politicians, not just in the lay party, but in the conservative party who supported this genocide being unseated or being targeted. Theres a level of awareness now among the public, unlike any other time. Well, were fresh out of time, gentlemen, thank you, amazmy and dr. Nahat khan for coming on, and thank you for spending time with us on gaza under attack. Join us again tomorrow for more. Until then, continue to keep palestine in your hearts. Goodbye. This weeks episode of iran tech is our special coverage of the 14th annual nanotechnology exhibition of iran iran nano 2023 where iran proves to the worldwide ranks fourth global. And first in west asia in nano science production, this is where 140 Companies Come together to showcase their latest achievements in nanotechnology, so join us as we take a look around and showcase the best that this exhibition. Has to offer. Top stories here on press tv nearly dozen people are killed in israeli air strike on gazo, Southern City of rafa, where the regime is preparing for a ground assault as well, is. Forces raid alnaster hospital in the city of khan unis where displaced palestinians have sought shelter and in israeli air strike a home in southern lebanon pardon i jumped a gun there kills at least three civilians details just ahead