Israeli Minister calls for West Bank destruction similar to Gaza's Jabalia
Tel Aviv: Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sparked outrage on Monday by declaring that parts of the occupied West Bank "must look like Gaza's Jabalia," referencing the extensive destruction inflicted on the besieged enclave during Israel's ongoing military operations.
The incendiary remarks came in response to a shooting near the illegal West Bank settlement of Kedumim, where three Israeli settlers were killed and eight others injured. Reports indicate that at least two Palestinians opened fire on vehicles and a bus before fleeing the scene.
Smotrich, notorious for his inflammatory rhetoric, specifically named Funduq, Nablus, and Jenin in his comments, calling for their destruction to mirror Jabalia, a northern Gaza area that has suffered severe devastation. Jabalia was heavily targeted during Israel’s military operations, which included strikes on hospitals and other civilian infrastructure.
Since the escalation of violence in October 2023, the Israeli assault on Gaza has resulted in over 45,800 Palestinian deaths, with approximately 11,000 individuals still missing and presumed buried under rubble. In the occupied West Bank, 835 Palestinians have been killed and 6,450 injured in Israeli attacks during the same period.
The violence comes amid heightened tensions and ongoing international condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Last year, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian, including the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem, is unlawful. The Court declared the associated settlement regime, annexation policies, and exploitation of natural resources to be in violation of international law.
The ICJ also called on Israel to end its occupation, dismantle illegal settlements, provide reparations to Palestinian victims, and facilitate the return of displaced populations. UN experts have further recommended an arms embargo on Israel, sanctions on individuals and entities involved in illegal activities, and an end to commercial engagements harming Palestinian communities.
Smotrich's comments have drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations and international observers, who view them as a dangerous escalation of the already volatile situation in the region.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
