 Hello and welcome to International Daily Roundup by People's Dispatch where we bring you major news developments from around the world. Our headlines, New report states that France enabled the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda. Colombian trade unions called for nationwide strike against new tax reform. Israel and Greece signed $1.6 billion defense procurement deal. In our video section, we take a look at the attack on Palestinian worshippers by Israeli forces at the Damascus Gate near Al-Aqsa Mosque. In our first story, a new report has argued that France enabled the 1994 genocide of the Tutsi people in Rwanda. Released on April 19, it states that France was caught neither blind nor unconscious of the foreseeable genocide. At least 800,000 people were killed over 100 days by extremists from the ethnic Hutu group. Moderates from the Hutu group were also targeted. Monday's report also states that France withheld crucial documents and promulgated false narratives to cover up its role. Commissioned by the Rwandan government, the report was released by the U.S.-based Levy Firestore and Muse Dove firm. The findings are based on documentary evidence and at least 250 witness testimonies. The report states that France maintained its support for then-president Jovanel Habarimana despite acknowledging visible preparations for genocide. This included a 1993 report which concluded that the Rwandan government had killed 2,000 Tutsi people. Despite this, France continued to provide arms, training, and equipment to the government. Following the assassination of the president in 1994, France immediately blamed the attack on the Tutsi-led Rwandan patriotic front. The report claims that this was done without evidence and contracted intelligence cables which were later made public. The report also states that France did not exert pressure on the interim government set up by Hutu extremists to stop the genocide. All this, the report argues, was done to protect French interests both in Rwandan and Africa. These findings follow another report which was commissioned by the French government. Released last month, it stated that France bore to court overwhelming responsibility for genocide. The report acknowledged France's ties with the court racist, corrupt, and violent Hutu-led government. However, it denied France's complicity in the genocide. In the next 20 trade unions and social movements in Colombia have called for a national strike on April 28. The call has been issued in response to a new tax reform introduced by the far-right government of Iván Duque. Called the sustainable solidarity bill, it was presented in parliament by the finance minister on April 15. It was presented as a measure to alleviate the poverty induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Colombia's trade union centre has called the measure disastrous, arguing that it will increase poverty and hunger. The bid includes provisions to increase the value added tax on staples goods, fuel, and public services. Taxes on agricultural inputs and pensions will also be increased. The bill further proposes the freezing of public sector wages till 2026. Subsidies and various public services will also be eliminated. In an effort to expand the tax collection base, taxes will extend to those who earn a little over $275 USD. The national strike was announced by the Unitary Nation Command on April 16. The command is composed of various organisations of workers and pensioners. The strike has also received support of progressive parties, including Colombia, Himana and Communes. In our next story, Israel and Greece have signed a record defence procurement deal worth approximately $1.65 billion. The Israeli Defence Ministry announced in April 18 that the deal will span 22 years. It includes the establishment of an international flight training centre for the Greek Air Force. This will be undertaken by the Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems. The company will also provide M-346 training aircraft for approximately 20 years. These aircraft are manufactured by the Italian company Leonardo and are used by Israeli and Italian air forces. Elbit will also provide logistical support and supply kits to upgrade the T-6 aircraft used by Greece. The Israel-Greece deal is at least the third such procurement deal with Elbit Systems since last year. The Canadian government has signed a $36 million deal to purchase the company's Hermes 900 Starliner Surveillance Drones. The British Defence Ministry has also signed a £102 million contract to purchase Elbit's sensor to shoot systems. These deals have been heavily condemned by pro-Palestine rights corruption activists. As reported by the Middle East Monitor, Elbit produces surveillance drones for Israeli forces in the occupied Palestinian territories. It reportedly also produces the engines used in 85% of Israeli military drones. Lawmakers in the US are also urging the government to put conditions on military aid to Israel. They have joined activists in arguing that this aid is being used by Israel in its occupation of Palestine. The US gave $3.3 billion in security assistance to Israel last year. Meanwhile, organizations including the UN have documented a significant increase in settler attacks on Palestinians. Finally, in our video section, we take a look at the recent attacks on Palestinian worshippers in Jerusalem. People have gathered to pray the al-Aqsa mosque on April 18. Those who were leaving through Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem were faced heavy police repression. Police have also set up barriers in the area to stop Palestinians from gathering at the gate's footsteps. Palestinian news agency Wafa reported on Tuesday that the attacks had continued for six nights. Here is a video feature on the situation in the area. On April 18, Sunday, Palestinian worshippers who had gone to pray at the al-Aqsa mosque were violently repressed by Israeli security forces. The forces injured four people while three were arrested according to reports. The worshippers who were leaving by the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem were forced to disperse by the police. The police used tear gas canisters, stun grenades and water cannons to disperse the crowd. Since the beginning of Ramadan, police have been attacking Palestinians gathered close to the Damascus Gate. The Israeli police have banned any gatherings near the Damascus Gate while at the same time allowed gatherings for Israeli settlers in other parts of the city. The recent clashes have been triggered after the Jerusalem police decided to prevent Palestinians from sitting on the steps of Damascus Gate. Thousands of Palestinians often sit on the steps following their prayers. This year, police however set up barriers. This angered the believers who usually meet near the gate after their Ramadan fast ends. Meanwhile, religious Zionist parliamentarians Itamar Ben-Guir and Bizal al-Matrik arrived at the scene to support the police and urge them to crack down on the Palestinian protesters according to reports. In recent times, the al-Aqsa mosque complex has become a major flashpoint mainly because of the numerous attacks by Israeli security forces and extremist civilian groups on those who come to pray at the mosque. Israel has imposed severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, multiple security checks and has often limited and reduced the time of worship for Palestinians. These kinds of restrictions are especially implemented during festivals. Meanwhile, the mosque premises have been regularly invaded by extremist Jewish settlers including those belonging to the ultra-right wing Jewish organization called the Union of Temple Mount also known as the Third Temple Movement. These settlers have even called for the demolition of the al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. They have demanded that Israel take over the land since according to them it was the site of the Temple of Solomon, a Jewish temple. The Israeli government and military have extended both tacit and oar support to these extremist settlers. In October 2019, extremist settlers invaded the al-Aqsa premises multiple times. 2,473 extremist settlers stormed the mosque on October 18th and 816 and 1,000 settlers respectively forced their way into the compound on the previous two days. Earlier that month, the al-Aqsa mosque compound was stormed during the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. On both occasions, Israeli security forces, instead of stopping the settlers, cracked down on protesting Palestinian worshippers. These invasions are in clear violation of international law. Under Israeli law 2, access to religious places for worshippers is protected by the state. The law prescribes five years imprisonment for anyone preventing people from accessing their religious places. As per the Israeli law, Jews are only allowed to visit the mosque at designated visiting hours and are not allowed to pray. However, successive Israeli governments and particularly liquid led governments have violated the law on numerous occasions. The government and Zionist forces often use the mosque entry for political gains. Ariel Sharon's provocative visit to al-Aqsa in September 2000 was one of the catalysts for the Second Intifada. That's all we have time for today. We will be back tomorrow with more news from around the world. Until then, keep watching People's Dispatch.