World leaders assembled for a phone call over the weekend with the difficult but essential aim of averting a wider conflict in the Middle East. They reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself and also called for respect for international law, the release of hostages by Hamas and the urgent need for greater aid in Gaza.
There has been some progress as 14 trucks containing humanitarian aid flowed into Gaza on Sunday, while two hostages (out of more than 200) were released on Friday. The success of the broader goal, of preventing a regional war, is very much to be determined.
In the last two weeks, Israel has traded fire not only with Hamas but also with Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed proxy to the north. Air strikes have targeted Syria as well as a mosque in the West Bank allegedly used by militants.
The situation is highly volatile. While a durable peace appears as distant as ever, Western leaders must pull every diplomatic lever to prevent hostilities from spilling over into something even more deadly.
Met’s balancing act
London, like cities around the world, is a focal point for strong feelings following Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel and Israel’s strikes on Gaza. The right to peaceful protests is a cherished one, but it does not extend to the incitement of violence or the spreading of hatred.
Many will be surprised that chants of “Jihad” at pro-Palestinian marches are seen as acceptable. Not least when at the same time, officers have instructed pro-Israeli protesters to switch off electronic images of hostages held in Gaza. Meanwhile, organisers of a prayer walk in Golders Green say they felt pressured by the police to cancel it.
The Met is under enormous pressure to get this right, but there is a growing sense that a balance has not been struck.
Squeezed by Lime
You’ve perhaps ridden on them — and if you’ve walked on the pavement while looking at your phone, you’ve definitely bumped into them. Lime bikes are everywhere.
And now they’re set to surpass “Boris bikes” in becoming the most popular hire bikes in the capital. The latest figures from Transport for London show hires for their own scheme between April and June this year are down 34 per cent compared with a year ago, while Lime is growing ever more popular.
TfL will no doubt welcome a bit of healthy competition, not least when it will assist the Mayor’s target that 80 per cent of trips in the capital be made on foot, cycle or public transport by 2041.
