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Sales by the world’s top 100 arms makers hit a record $679 billion last year, up 5.9% as wars in Ukraine and Gaza drove demand, researchers said on Monday, though production bottlenecks slowed deliver...

<article data-history-node-id="432110" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/un-report-accuses-israel-de-facto-state-policy-torture" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/un-report-accuses-israel-de-facto-state-policy-torture" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">UN report accuses Israel of 'de facto' state policy of torture</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p>A UN report has accused&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israel&nbsp;</a>of having a "de facto" state policy of torture for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinian&nbsp;</a>prisoners.</p> <p>The UN Committee Against Torture said on Friday that use of torture by the Israeli state was "organised and widespread" and had greatly increased since the beginning of the war on Gaza on 7 October 2023.</p> <p>The report noted that Israel had no legislation&nbsp;criminalising torture, and said its legislation allowed public officials to be exempted from criminal culpability under the principle of "necessity".</p> <p>"The committee was deeply concerned about reports indicating a de facto state policy of organised and widespread torture and ill-treatment during the reporting period, which had gravely intensified since 7 October 2023," the report said.</p> <p>"It also expressed its concern that a range of policies adopted by Israel in the course of its continued unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, if implemented in the manner alleged, would amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading living conditions for the Palestinian population."</p> <h3>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/un-report-accuses-israel-de-facto-state-policy-torture">UN report accuses Israel of 'de facto' state policy of torture</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="Israeli forces stand guard at the Ofer military prison located between Ramallah and Beitunia in the occupied West Bank on 13 October 2025 (AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b22b3cf-0fea-42ea-9e28-faad49195011" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/ISRAEL_PRISON_WESTBANK_AFP.jpeg" width="1400" height="788" alt="Israeli forces stand guard at the Ofer military prison located between Ramallah and Beitunia in the occupied West Bank on 13 October 2025 (AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>Israeli forces stand guard at the Ofer military prison located between Ramallah and Beitunia in the occupied West Bank on 13 October 2025 (AFP)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> <section>&nbsp;</section> </div> </div> </article>

Demonstrations were co-ordinated in cities including Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham.

Protesters marched through the East Sussex town after the camp, which can house up to 540 people, was offered up by the Ministry of Defence.

HMS Severn intercepted Russian warship RFN Stoikiy and tanker Yelnya off the UK coast in a shadowing operation in the past fortnight, the Ministry of Defence said.

In one of the UK’s more disturbing shifts towards authoritarianism, two supporters of Palestine were convicted in June of harassing an MP because they dared challenge her on Gaza.

Shabana Mahmood defends plans to mimic Denmark's immigration policy, but says she is not creating a "hostile environment" for asylum seekers.

Shabana Mahmood has announced huge changes to asylum policy, which would allow refugees to stay in the UK only temporarily. She's been speaking on Sky News - telling Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillip...

The BBC's now in a death loop: it grows ever more craven to the billionaires, shifting the political centre of gravity further rightwards, even as the billionaire-owned media claim it's too 'leftwing'

Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir’s sweeping period film tackles a moment of profound change: the year 1936, when the Great Palestinian Revolt broke through the complacency of British rule.

Shocking BBC Gaza admission: Palestinian children’s poetry silenced for ‘impartiality’. Maybe poems from Israeli bomber pilots to balance it?

Israel’s parliament on Monday approved a bill in its first reading that would allow the death penalty for “terrorists”, a measure pushed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and aim...

BBC executives bow to pro-Israel lobby as the broadcaster faces mounting scrutiny of its anti-Palestine coverage

Despite a ceasefire agreement, Israel has allowed only about 100 aid trucks to enter the Gaza Strip daily, with humanitarian organizations confirming they are “effectively barred” from delivering desp...

The Ministry of Defence confirmed a "small number" of troops had reported noise and vibration concerns following trials on three variants of the 40-tonne, tracked vehicle.

More than 700 police officers were on duty for the Europa League clash amid concerns over potential disorder.