Israel withdraws from Security Council election
United Nations, May 5: Israel has withdrawn from the election for a two-year term on the Security Council that pitted it against Germany and Belgium.
Israel's UN Mission announced the decision shortly before a debate between the three candidates was due to start at the UN on Friday afternoon.
"After consulting with our partners, including our good friends, the State of Israel has decided to postpone its candidacy for a seat on the Security Council," the mission said.
The non-permanent seats in the Council are distributed regionally and Israel, which is in the Western European and Other Group (WEOG), had planned to contest one of the group's two seats for the 2019-2020 term.
The failure to run unopposed for the WEOG seat is a diplomatic setback for Israel, which has never had a seat the Council, and, according to the US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, a broken promise by West European countries.
He asserted in a tweet in March that Washington, which had brokered a deal for Israel to run unopposed for one of the WEOG seats, must ensure that the European nations kept their word.
Grenell said that the late Richard Holbrooke, a former assistant secretary of state, had arranged the deal..
Although Middle Eastern nations are in the Asia-Pacific Group, Israel has faced opposition from some members of the group and was taken in by the WEOG.
Israel has never held a Council seat and would have been difficult for Israel to win against those to European nations, but it would have won by default if it was unopposed in the group.
There is one vacancy for the Asia-Pacific Group for 2019-2020 term and Indonesia and Maldives are contesting it.
They will participate in a candidates' debate for the region organised by the World Federation of United Nations Associations on May 14.
All the 193 members of the UN will, however, vote for the non-permanent members of the Council, even though the seats are distributed by region.
The elections are scheduled for June 8.
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PM Modi takes stock of situation after blast near Red Fort, speaks to Amit Shah
New Delhi (PTI):Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has reviewed with Home Minister Amit Shah and other officials about the situation following the explosion near the Red Fort metro station on Monday that claimed eight lives, and assured people that those affected are being assisted by the authorities.
The high-intensity explosion in the area milling with people also injured 24. They have been taken to the LNJP hospital, a few kilometres away.
"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi said on X.
"Those affected are being assisted by authorities. Reviewed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah Ji and other officials," he added.
Earlier, government sources said PM Modi had taken stock of the situation and spoken with Shah, and taken an update.
Videos shared by the Chandni Chowk Traders' Association revealed the magnitude of the blast. A mangled body could be seen lying on a vehicle, while another clip showed a body lying on the road. Eyewitnesses said body parts could be seen scattered near the blast site.
A high alert has been sounded in Delhi, and security has been beefed up at city border points, with vehicle checking intensified.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha said the car, in which the blast took place, had some occupants.
According to a senior police officer, "The blast occurred in a moving Hyundai i20 car in which three people were sitting. We have not found any pellet or puncture in the body of the injured, which is unusual in a bomb blast. We are investigating all angles."
Police sources said the car was registered in the name of one Nadeem Khan and bore a Haryana number plate.
Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot as police cordoned off the area, the Delhi Fire Services said. The blaze caused by the blast was brought under control by 7.29 pm, officials said.
According to a fire department official, six cars, two e-rickshaws and one autorickshaw were gutted in the fire.
The blast was so powerful that it shattered the window panes of vehicles parked several metres away, and the sound was heard at ITO, a few kilometres from the site.
