South Africa's finance minister stated that the country's legal case accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza has garnered global support, with countries like Turkey, Jordan, Brazil, and others backing their application at the International Court of Justice. South Africa argues that Israel's response to Hamas attacks was disproportionate and caused too many civilian casualties, while Israel denies the accusation and asserts its right to defend itself. The case is likely to continue for several years, with the court currently considering South Africa's request for provisional measures.
The international community is increasingly calling for a ceasefire in Gaza due to the growing civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis. This shift in global opinion has put pressure on Israel and its closest ally, the US, which is supplying and backing the Israeli offensive. While global support for a ceasefire has grown, the Israeli government and the US are expected to maintain their positions due to their view of the conflict as existential and their longstanding relationship. The US has not taken steps to pressure Israel, allowing it to continue its military campaign despite global criticism. The impact of changing global support has not yet affected US actions, but the Biden administration has moderated its tone on Israel. Domestic pressures, including within Biden's own party, and growing support for a ceasefire among US voters, are factors that may influence the US's approach to the issue.
US President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel risked losing global support for its war against Hamas due to its "indiscriminate" bombing of Gaza. Biden called on Netanyahu to change his stance on a two-state solution for the Palestinians. Netanyahu expressed disagreement with Biden over the governance of post-conflict Gaza. Biden later toned down his comments, emphasizing the need to support Israel while expressing concern for the safety of innocent Palestinians. He announced that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan would be sent to Israel for discussions. Biden also dismissed Netanyahu's comparisons to Allied forces in World War II and urged Netanyahu to make a tough decision regarding his hard-right government. The US has been calling for Israel to take more care to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, and there are increasing calls for Biden to take a firmer stand toward Israel.
US President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change his approach or risk losing global support. The warning comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Palestine, with Biden urging Netanyahu to take steps towards de-escalation and a peaceful resolution.
Palestinians are hoping for widespread global support in the UN General Assembly vote on a nonbinding resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian cease-fire to end the Israel-Hamas war. After the US vetoed a similar resolution in the Security Council, Arab and Islamic nations called for the emergency session. While General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they reflect world opinion. The defeated Security Council resolution was cosponsored by 103 countries, and the Palestinians are hoping for more cosponsors and a high vote in the General Assembly.
The third round of Ukrainian-backed peace talks, aimed at ending the war with Russia, opened in Malta with representatives from over 60 countries, excluding Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope that his 10-point peace plan would gain global support, while a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman dismissed the talks as "blatantly anti-Russian." The discussions focused on key areas such as Ukraine's territorial integrity, nuclear security, energy infrastructure protection, food security, and humanitarian issues. The talks aimed to generate a joint statement, unlike previous meetings, and both Russia and Ukraine are preparing for a challenging winter ahead.
Screenwriters in 35 countries are organizing rallies, social media campaigns, and picketing outside local Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) member offices in support of the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. The "Screenwriters Everywhere: International Day of Solidarity" event is scheduled to take place on June 14 and is organized by the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE), International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG), and UNI Global Union (UNI-MEI). The strike has caused fears that writers outside the U.S. could potentially steal jobs from striking WGA members, but many international writers guilds have issued guidelines to their members about steering clear of jobs that would ordinarily go to WGA members.
