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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 15 February 2023
U.N. appeals for $397 million to help Syrian quake survivors

By EDITH M. LEDERER and ing to send a convoy to
RAF CASERT the northwest across con-
Associated Press flict lines within Syria, but it
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — hasn’t gotten a green light
The United Nations chief from all parties. The con-
launched a $397 million voy has reportedly been
appeal Tuesday to help blocked by Hayat Tahrir al-
nearly 5 million survivors of Sham, a rebel group with
last week’s devastating ties to al-Qaida that con-
earthquake in rebel-held trols part of the northwest.
northwest Syria who have France’s U.N. ambassador,
received very little assis- Nicolas De Riviere, told re-
tance because of deep di- porters before Monday’s
visions exacerbated by the council meeting that there
country’s 12-year war. were two options either the
Secretary-General Anto- Syrian government grant
nio Guterres announced additional access to the
the appeal a day after he northwest or the council
welcomed an agreement would try to adopt a resolu-
between the U.N. and Syr- tion authorizing additional
ian President Bashar Assad crossing points to the re-
to open two new cross- People who lost their houses in the devastating earthquake, lineup to receive aid supplies at a gion. After the meeting
ing points from Turkey for makeshift camp, in Iskenderun city, southern Turkey, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. and the announcement of
an initial period of three Associated Press the two new crossings, De
months. The U.N. has only including shelter, health areas without restrictions. in an interview with the As- Riviere said there should be
been allowed to deliver aid care, food and protection” A senior U.N. World Food sociated Press. Guterres an- no “obstacles” to deliver-
to the northwest Idlib area for three months. Program official warned nounced that an 11-truck ing aid through the three
through a single crossing at Guterres said the U.N. is in that food insecurity in af- convoy was on the move crossings. If there are, he
Bab Al-Hawa, at Syrian ally the final stages of prepar- flicted parts of Syria had to go through one of the said, the Security Council
Russia’s insistence. ing an emergency appeal been rising dramatically newly opened crossings at should look into adopting a
Guterres said the devasta- for quake-ravaged south- even before the earth- Bab Al-Salam, “with many resolution under Chapter 7
tion from the magnitude ern Turkey. quake struck. more to come.” He said of the U.N. Charter, which
7.8 earthquake that rav- He urged the international “It was very bad before. the second new crossing at means it can be enforced
aged southern Turkey and community to provide the Now it’s dramatic,” said Al Raée is also open, “and militarily, to authorize the
northwestern Syria on Feb. emergency funding with- Corinne Fleischer, the goods are flowing.” crossings and get aid to the
6 “is one of the worst in re- out delay, saying: “The hu- agency’s Middle East Di- The announcement of the millions in need.
cent memory,” and “we all man suffering from this epic rector. “Half of the popu- two additional crossings S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l
know that lifesaving aid has natural disaster should not lation faces hunger. And from Turkey came as the Guterres, asked about a
not been getting in at the be made even worse by that’s the worst that we’ve U.N. Security Council was possible meeting with presi-
speed and scale needed.” manmade obstacles ac- seen since the beginning meeting Monday after- dent Assad, said what’s
He said the $397 million cess, funding, supplies.” of the crisis in Syria. Even at noon on the difficulties of needed now is not high-
will provide “desperately The secretary-general the height of the war, we getting aid to northwest level visits that divert re-
needed, life-saving relief said aid to Syria must get didn’t have 12 million peo- Syria. sources but stepped-up re-

for nearly 5 million Syrians through by all routes to all ple food insecure,” she said The U.N. has also been try- lief efforts. q

Israeli Cabinet minister rejects U.S. criticism on settlements

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s construction in the West occupied territory. the American condem- min Netanyahu promised
finance minister on Tuesday Bank, promising to double Bezalel Smotrich reaffirmed nation, with no sign they Smotrich authority over
dismissed Washington’s down and legalize dozens his commitment to expand would any action against the defense body respon-
criticism of new settlement of wildcat outposts in the Israeli authority in the lands Israel. sible for planning for both
that the Palestinians seek Smotrich, a religious ul- settlements and Palestin-
for a future state less than tranationalist settler, ap- ian construction in parts of
a day after the United peared defiant on Tuesday. the West Bank where Israel
States expressed opposi- He and his right-wing allies, maintains civilian control.
tion to the move. he said, remain “commit- Once he receives those
On Tuesday, Europe’s ted to removing complete- powers, Smotrich has
top diplomats also con- ly the restrictions on build- vowed to “normalize” life
demned Israel’s plans to ing in Judea and Samaria,” for more than 500,000 Israe-
build thousands of new referring to the West Bank li settlers in the West Bank,
homes in the West Bank by its biblical names. erasing the differences
and retroactively legalize Smotrich said the Israeli between living in a settle-
nine outposts, saying they government has “clarified ment and within Israel’s
are “deeply troubled” and (its) position to the Ameri- internationally recognized
“strongly oppose these uni- cans.” border and effectively
lateral actions.” “Disagreements are al- annexing West Bank terri-
The joint statement from the lowed, even between tory. Such a move would
A view of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Eli, Tuesday, Feb. foreign ministers of France, friends,” he added. draw widespread global
14, 2023. Germany, Italy and the In a contentious coalition condemnation.q
Associated Press United Kingdom echoed deal, Prime Minister Benja-