UN slams ‘outrageous’ Israel suspension of aid groups in Gaza

GENEVA, Dec 31 (AFP): The United Nations rights chief described Wednesday Israel's threat to suspend dozens of aid groups from operating in Gaza from January as "outrageous", calling on states to urgently insist Israel shift course.
"Israel's suspension of numerous aid agencies from Gaza is outrageous," Volker Turk said in a statement.
"Such arbitrary suspensions make an already intolerable situation even worse for the people of Gaza," he warned.
His comment came after Israel said that 37 aid organisations will be banned from operating in Gaza starting on Thursday, unless they comply with its new guidelines requiring detailed information on Palestinian staff.
Earlier, Israel has said 37 aid organisations will be banned from operating in Gaza from Thursday unless they comply with guidelines requiring detailed information on Palestinian staff, drawing criticism from the United Nations and the European Union.
Several NGOs have told AFP the new rules will have a major impact on food and medical shipments to Gaza, at a time when humanitarian organisations say the amount of aid getting in is inadequate to the devastated territory's needs.
Meanwhile, Israel's recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland last week came as a surprise to the international community.
The controversial move aligns with the country's new strategy toward its rivals, especially Iran, by granting Israelis unparalleled access to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The move could help Israel militarily against Tehran's so-called axis of resistance in the Middle East, while making the Horn of Africa a new battleground for its rivalries, experts say.
Israel's announcement that it viewed Somaliland as an "independent and sovereign state" was a first for the self-declared republic that broke away from Somalia in 1991.