The Sunday Subject – May 26, 2024

Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, and foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, died in a helicopter crash.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been named caretaker president until elections, which will be held on June 28th, conclude. Raisi was a leading contender to succeed Khamenei as supreme leader; it is now more likely that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, will replace his father.

Ireland, Norway, and Spain announced that they would formally recognize a Palestinian state.

Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store said of the two-state solution, “This is an investment in the only solution that can bring lasting peace in the Middle East.” Spain and Ireland stated that the decision was not against Israel nor in favor of Hamas, but in support of peace. Israel responded by recalling its ambassadors to the three countries.

The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor requested warrants for Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, and three Hamas leaders.

The court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, said in a statement that he had “reasonable grounds to believe” that they were responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Khan stated, “International law and the laws of armed conflict apply to all… Nothing can justify willfully depriving human beings, including so many women and children, the basic necessities required for life. Nothing can justify the taking of hostages or the targeting of civilians.” President Biden criticized the Israeli arrest warrants; his administration may work with Congress to impose sanctions on the ICC.

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