The Times of Israel is liveblogging Monday’s events as they unfold.
Oscars ceremony kicks off in LA; actor Guy Pearce wears ‘Free Palestine’ pin
The 97th Academy Awards have kicked off at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “Emilia Pérez” leads the pack with 13 Oscar nominations, but “Wicked” and “The Brutalist” are close behind.
“The Brutalist” actor Guy Pearce shows up wearing a “FREE PALESTINE” pin featuring a white dove and a gold branch.
Pearce, who has expressed his support throughout the awards season with various pins, says: “It’s the least we can do. I’m just always on the case of trying to recognize Palestine and it having as much support as it possibly can because it’s what it absolutely needs.”
Report: Next potential steps to pressure Hamas include cutting electricity to Gaza, resuming war
Israel is planning to incrementally pile on pressure on Hamas to accept a new proposal extending the ceasefire deal’s first phase and securing the release of all the hostages the terror group is holding, in addition to Sunday’s halt to aid entering the Gaza Strip, the Kan public broadcaster reports.
The report says the next stages of Israel’s “maximum pressure” plan, said to have been drafted over the past few weeks, is to again move the Gazan population from northern Gaza to the territory’s south — as had been the case for most of the war — and later, if needed, cutting all electricity to the Strip.
The final planned measure is reportedly a full return to the war, this time with the heavy bombs withheld by the previous US administration as well as the billions worth of arms and military equipment the new administration is sending Israel.
Argentina’s Milei to visit Israel March 23, aiming to boost ties
Argentina’s President Javier Milei will travel to Israel on March 23 to strengthen ties between the two nations, the Argentine presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni tells Reuters.
France, UK propose one-month partial Ukraine truce — Macron
France and Britain are proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine “in the air, at sea,” after crisis talks in London, French President Emmanuel Macron says.
In an interview with France’s Le Figaro newspaper, Macron says that such a truce would not, initially at least, cover ground fighting.
The problem there is it would be very difficult to check that it is being respected given the size of the front line, he says.
Peacekeepers would be deployed at a later date, he says, adding: “There won’t be European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks.”
Macron also suggests that European countries should raise their defense spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP to respond to Washington’s shifting priorities and Russia’s militarization.
“For three years, the Russians have spent 10% of their GDP on defense,” he tells the paper. “So we have to prepare for what’s next.”