Wouter Schaap

Horrible, horrible situation in Sudan, where stories are starting to filter out of the carnage inflicted by the RSF on the civilian population of El Fasher, aided by arms shipment from the UAE. It is something that aid groups had been warning about for months. In the period 2005-09, I regularly visited Darfur as an aid worker, and reading these stories now, bring back many memories of that time, which was in the aftermath of the 03/04 genocide. The burnt out homes we passed on the roads outside Kass, the stories from villagers about what was still happening in their communities. The clusters of little circles, each a destroyed village, visible from the UN helicopter as we travelled between towns. And, of course, the sprawling camps of desparate people around the main towns, the corruption and obstruction by the then authorities, and the many attacks by militia on aid agencies, including my own. Then, it dominated the headlines in the west. Now, hardly anyone seems to care as the RSF mow down large groups of women, children, and men in El Fasher. I find myself veering between fighting back my tears and my anger about both the callousness there and the carelessness here.

Donald Trump’s very act of making such apocalyptic threats, including his warning of ending ‘a whole civilization’, reveals a staggering level of cruelty and disregard for human life. bit.ly/4vfrEfd

Attacks on critical infrastructure are not only about what is destroyed, but also about the people left without what they need to live. Even wars have limits. They must be respected.

Trump has been openly threatening—and likely committing—war crimes in Iran for weeks. But this is different. It is a bare threat of genocide that should be understood as triggering third states’ duty to prevent genocide. Leaders like @MarkJCarney are legally obligated to respond.

A reminder that anyone, in any part of the chain of command, can be personally prosecuted for committing a war crime, including genocide.

Sorry to trouble you @Keir_Starmer but you seem to be unaware that a threat has been made to wipe a whole civilization off the face off the earth today. I know you want to talk about Kanye West but could you possibly find it in yourself to do or say something? Like very soon.

It is when it is done as part of a campaign to put political pressure to benefit negotiations. The purpose is key. The purpose here is clear - to threaten hardship and economic pain in order to put political pressure. Therefore - not a direct military purpose or benefit. Thus - a war crime.

It IS NOT a war crime to strike infrastructure used by enemy forces even power plants and bridges. It IS a federal crime to tell military members to disobey orders to conduct those strikes.

I am waiting to hear European condemnations of this genocidal statement. I expect to be disappointed... Perhaps the German Chancellor will once again say that the time for discussing international law is not now...

This would be a good time for: a.) STRATCOM commanders who implement orders to fire nuclear missiles to read up on Nuremberg and prosecutions for obeying orders to commit war crimes; and b.) for cabinet members to reread the 25th Amendment and have each other on speed dial.

@vapni @IsraelMFA Explosive device? You mean the firecracker that disturbed the beautiful gravel near this beautiful center of these wonderful genocide propagandists?

I visited the Christians for Israel (C4I) center in Nijkerk today. These true and committed friends of the State of Israel faced a cowardly attack last week when an explosive device went off near the gate of their beautiful center. I thanked them for their incredible work and unwavering support. It was inspiring to see that they remain undeterred, standing firm in their beliefs and their deep friendship with Israel.

@LTC_Shoshani That's nonsense. The targetting of bridges would be done explicitly to put political pressure on Iran and the negotiations. Ergo - not for military purposes. Thus it is a war crime.

Before we struck bridge segments utilized by the Iranian terror regime for transporting weapons and military equipment, we provided advanced warnings to the Iranians in Farsi. When we say we are fighting this evil regime and not the Iranian people - we mean it. At the same time, the Iranian regime fired cluster bombs towards Israel, deliberately targeting civilians.

I echo the warning from IAEA Director General @rafaelmgrossi that continued military activity near Iran's Bushehr power plant poses a real danger. Such actions could lead to a severe radiological accident, with serious and long-term health consequences for people now and for generations to come, while also harming the environment across Iran, the region, and beyond. WHO reiterates its call for all parties to rapidly choose a peaceful path out of this escalating conflict to protect public health and prevent a human and environmental catastrophe.

This is a moment of extreme danger for civilians in Iran and the wider region. For President Trump to threaten that 'a whole civilisation will die tonight' echoes genocidal language. The UK government must urgently end military support to the US that could enable crimes under international law, including war crimes. Amnesty International is unequivocal: threatening to systematically destroy civilian infrastructure is a threat to commit war crimes. Attacking power plants essential to the survival of tens of millions of civilians would be unlawful. The UK must act now. Read on: amn.st/6015B6vvkL

En Nederland is stil. Geen ambassadeur op het matje. Samenwerking stilleggen en diplomaten uitzetten. De grote mond van Nederland richting Putin zit ineens op slot.

This is performative bullshit on a day when the US president is threatening a genocide against a nation of 93 million people & the UK is allowing him to use our air bases. Will @Keir_Starmer continue to do so & be complicit in whatever comes next?

I've taught European history for 30 years. Americans have always asked me how the Holocaust was possible, how Germans could have enabled a madman reveling in mass murder to carry out his plans. Now we can see in real time how this is enabled; now we have front-row seats.

Close all US bases on British soil, now.

The US may or may not destroy a civilisation today. Either way, its allies’ silence will live on in shame.

I have written to the Prime Minister with Liberal Democrat colleagues to urge him to withdraw or severely limit US access to UK air bases. If Trump is threatening attacks on civilian targets in Iran, Britain cannot allow our bases to be used to commit war crimes.

@mehdirhasan Equally sick was the standing ovation of almost the whole House, including Democrats, when the one who ordered this war @IsraeliPM Netanyahu, was received in the house @SenSchumer