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The Other Elephant In The Room

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Comments

  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    edited April 19

    @Shoshin1 said:
    Interesting debate on Breaking Point
    LIVE ISRAEL DEBATE: Cenk Uygur, Dave Smith VS. Dennis Prager, Batya Ungar-Sargon

    Out of the four debaters, I have to say that the stand up comedian 'Dave Smith' made the most sense...Funny that....a funny guy/comedian very clear and precise in his answers to serious questions...

    Batya Ungar-Sargon was good to....when she mentioned the areas of common ground...

    Just started watching. I listen to a lot of cross partisan panels and debates. Both Prager and Uygur are partisan shills and aren't the kind of people invited on the shows I listen to. Batya Ungar-Sargon has been on, and I recognize her, would like to hear Dave Smith more. As I listen Dave is mostly responding to and rebutting Dennis, and Batya responding and rebutting Cenk. If it were just Dave and Batya and maybe two more with similar dispositions this would be much more productive.

    Shoshin1
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Gaza a ‘humanitarian hellscape’: UN chief

    It's unbelievable that some people still see Israel as the victim in this conflict, portraying itself as merely defending against aggression while inflicting mass casualties on Palestinian civilians, including men, women, children, and even babies, and devastating Gaza without achieving its stated objectives of freeing hostages or eradicating Hamas.

    Their latest strategy, seemingly aimed at diverting attention from their planned assault on Rafah, involves targeting the Iranian embassy in Syria to provoke a response from Iran, thereby justifying further attacks on Iran itself. This pattern of aggression doesn't fit with the idea of self-defense

    Meanwhile, the ongoing killing of Palestinian civilians continues without pause, while preparations are underway for a full-scale assault on Rafah, a move that will inevitably result in the deaths of thousands more innocent people, including countless men, women, children, and babies, with weapons supplied by the United States.

    It's particularly tragic because many Jewish people worldwide are undoubtedly appalled by the violence and loss of life, especially considering that some may have relatives serving in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Witnessing the destruction and loss of thousands of lives in Gaza, and hearing the term 'genocide' used to describe Israel's actions, This is likely to make those who empathise with the suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis even more anxious and afraid..

    As I've mentioned before it is the innocent who suffer the most....

  • SuraShineSuraShine South Australia Veteran
    edited April 20

    @Shoshin1 said:
    It's unbelievable that some people still see Israel as the victim in this conflict,

    That's just it - most people never did. Of course Israel are being touted as the "evil" ones from day one. A large swathe of people have regularly said Jews deserve this. Yes they say Jews, not Israel. Israel and Jew are regularly interchanged as it gives people maximum target for their hatred.

    Their latest strategy, seemingly aimed at diverting attention from their planned assault on Rafah, involves targeting the Iranian embassy in Syria to provoke a response from Iran, thereby justifying further attacks on Iran itself. This pattern of aggression doesn't fit with the idea of self-defense

    Israel are up-front with their plans of attack.

    This pattern of aggression doesn't fit with the idea of self-defense

    Neither did the attack on Israeli civilians on October 7th. And there was a ceasefire still in place on October 6th. Israel didn't break that.

    Meanwhile, the ongoing killing of Palestinian civilians continues without pause, while preparations are underway for a full-scale assault on Rafah, a move that will inevitably result in the deaths of thousands more innocent people, including countless men, women, children, and babies, with weapons supplied by the United States.

    At the risk of upsetting you and others with your viewpoint, we don't really know how many of the alleged dead in Palestine are civilians. No one has made Hamas accountable for the numbers they release. Unlike Israel who have all their statistics verified independently because no one believes them. (Which is nothing new really. People still deny the Holocaust FFS).

    It's particularly tragic because many Jewish people worldwide are undoubtedly appalled by the violence and loss of life, especially considering that some may have relatives serving in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Witnessing the destruction and loss of thousands of lives in Gaza, and hearing the term 'genocide' used to describe Israel's actions, This is likely to make those who empathise with the suffering of both Palestinians and Israelis even more anxious and afraid..

    Ya think? I've written countless responses and deleted them because no matter what Jews say, we're called "genocide supporters" "colonisers" (we're not, a quick search online at archaeological and scientific sites shows irrefutable evidence that Jews have been present in the land since 1200 BCE) and worse because we ARE Jewish. I've been doxxed along with other Australian Jews. I'm not Israeli but that doesn't matter at all to anti-Jews or "anti-Zionists"

    As I've mentioned before it is the innocent who suffer the most....

    I'm currently undergoing identity theft with the federal police involved. My bank accounts, government access, the works have all been compromised. I suffer antisemitism daily to the point where I hide my Jewishness in all forms. I'm Australian, never been to Israel but it doesn't matter. I'm judged by my heritage. A lot of my friends are Muslims, some of them are realistic about how we're both caught up in the conflict by nature of our birth. Others have told me I'm scum and Hitler should have finished the job. (Obviously I'm no longer friends with them).

    I know you're posting here as a kind of therapy for your horror at the situation, I get it. It makes me extremely uncomfortable at times with some of your rhetoric, but I get it and I use those feelings as fodder for my own practise. But please don't expect all Jews who don't agree with the Israeli government to turn their back on Israel completely.

    Respectfully,
    Sura

    Shoshin1lobster
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    I know you're posting here as a kind of therapy for your horror at the situation

    Yes I guess in a way it is kind of therapeutic, but I don't write or post videos with the intention to harm others/incite violence...just information which some readers 'may' find of interest,

    And I'm sorry if what I post makes you feel uncomfortable @SuraShine, but why do you continue to click on this thread, when you know that some of the contents may disturbs you?

    For far too long, Israel (acknowledging that not all Jewish people see present-day Israel as their homeland) has seemingly evaded accountability for their treatment of the Palestinian people, often described as 'getting away with murder.'

    In the past, only a few brave individuals (myself not included) dared to criticise Israel. Many more wished to voice concerns about the treatment of Palestinians but hesitated for fear of being labeled anti-Semitic for criticising the Israeli government. Ironically, even some Jewish people feared this label.

    One has only got to look at what's happening in Germany at the moment, where German Jews are being called anti-Semites and even arrested for expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. This illustrates the current chaotic state of the world.

    The point being made is that it's always the innocent who suffer the most, as demonstrated by recent events .

    No one has made Hamas accountable for the numbers they release. Unlike Israel who have all their statistics verified independently because no one believes them.

    You do realise that Israel won't allow independent observers into Gaza.

    There are times when there is no offence intended, where a person just writes about what has been happening in the world, but some just don't like what's been written and want to shut the person up...
    Again, look at what's been happening recently in German the US & UK...

    Just so you know, over the years I have had friends of different ethnic backgrounds and religions, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist.

    If the shoe was on the other foot, (that is, if the Palestinians had a 'government' that was treating the Israelis in a way that was cruel and unjust killing and stealing land and so forth ) I would also be speaking out about the plight of the Israeli people in the same manner...

    As MLK said "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny"

    SuraShinelobsterDavid
  • JeroenJeroen Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter Netherlands Veteran

    @SuraShine, much respect for arguing a difficult position and making your views clear.

    I think no country in the world is exempt from being a host to minority populations, the Netherlands where I live is 10% Muslim these days, nearly 2 million mostly Moroccan and Turkish expats, and here it is all about tolerance and cooperation and finding the good parts of being a multicultural society.

    In an ideal world, Israel’s government would also become a government for all its citizens, dealing in creating an atmosphere of tolerance and not one of hostility. It pains me to see those big concrete walls which they have erected in parts of the country, the checkpoints, the patrols with military equipment.

    But I can see the Jewish people deserve to have a place which they can call home, a land which they can return to after so many years of wandering and settling in different parts of the globe. I hope they can find a way to live in peace with the Arab populations surrounding them.

    Shoshin1
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 21

    When Israel was re-established in 1948, the land the Palestinians were inhabiting stretched into Jordan and Egypt and the border into Lebanon was also further into Lebanon. These countries refused the Palestinians that land. Other countries like Syria and Iraq deemed this "avoiding the Palestinian refugee problem" Why are these countries not being held accountable as well?

    Some Arab countries in the region did provide some support to Palestinian refugees, including humanitarian aid and setting up refugee camps. However, the decision to not fully integrate Palestinian refugees into their societies was influenced by political considerations, concerns about national identity, and to maintain pressure on Israel to address the refugee issue which they created.

    However the responsibility for finding a solution lies with all parties involved, including neighboring Arab countries, Israel, the Palestinians, and the international community. And the spanner in the works is it would seem the US veto power...

    lobster
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    'Israelism': How deep do indoctrination and Israeli army glorification go?

    As the film faces opposition from groups trying to cancel its screenings, its main protagonist, Simone Zimmerman, and its co-director and producer, Erin Axelman, talk to Al Jazeera

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Thich Nhat Hanh was an advocate for peace and social justice

    From his poem “Condemnation” (about the Vietnam war)

    Whoever is listening, be my witness:
    I cannot accept this war.
    I never could I never will.
    I must say this a thousand times before I am killed.
    I am like the bird who dies for the sake of its mate,
    dripping blood from its broken beak and crying out:
    “Beware! Turn around and face your real enemies
    — ambition, violence hatred and greed.”

    lobsterDavid
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 24

    Fascinating and insightful talk.

    Novara Media

    How Forensic Architecture Uncovers Israeli War Crimes | Eyal Weizman talks to Ash Sarkar

    It's not what you know; it's what you can prove. For years, Forensic Architecture has exposed state crimes against civilians, nature, and humanity. This week on Downstream, Ash Sarkar meets FA's director Eyal Weizman, to discuss Israel's settler colonial project, the police killing of Mark Duggan, and how the testimony of blindfolded torture victims helped construct a model of Bashar al-Assad's most notorious torture prison.

    "Israel always has felt that collective punishment of the Palestinian people is in its interest...Collateral damage is the target"

    ~Eyal Weizman ~

    Decolonizing Architecture (DAAR) is a Palestinian art and architecture collective founded in 2007. They explore the intersection of politics, architecture, and spatial interventions, particularly focusing on issues of occupation, colonization, and the built environment in Palestine. Their work involves critical research, interventions, and architectural projects that aim to challenge and subvert colonial power structures and imagine alternative futures for marginalized communities.

    DAAR

  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran

    Gil Fronsdale gave a good talk on the war last month.

    Or the audio version
    https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/19955

    Shoshin1
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 25

    @person said:
    Gil Fronsdale gave a good talk on the war last month.

    Or the audio version
    https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/19955

    Thanks for post @person, however it would seem that he has been swayed a bit by anti Palestinian propaganda... I found 5 minutes into the talk then around 24 minutes in a bit concerning...

    "Professor who was going to give a public talk a professor of Jewish studies who was going to talk about um the little history of the conflict there and and the history of a two-state solution and someone who was opposed to the violence that they're now in Middle East 'but it seems that there was a call out from Hamas to uh that there should be this should be disrupted right here in our neighborhood and so that was that were people were informed about this ahead of time' and they um so the police were called in and to be prepared and they decided to change the venue of where the talk was going to be given and uh in fact there were 100 people who came who to demonstrate and the way it was reported to me by people who were there there was calls for uh killing Jews and uh then it was impossible to give the talk and the people who were the speakers of the of that had to be taken out um under police escort there's a large group of police and City Police at least waiting nearby because of they were expecting that there was going to be some problems so I mean the Middle East Gaza is not just in Gaza what's happening in this International world we live in it's spilling over and the divisiveness of the Middle East is also becoming divisiveness in our communities here"...
    Many people are calling for a ceasefire; some people are demanding it, and um, I think, of course, we want the killing to stop. Of course, there's another way. Of course, something else can be done. Of course, all these people should stop being killed. But can we ask for a ceasefire? Can we encourage it, not as a demand, but in such a way that the Israelis become inspired themselves, they realize this is not a good deal; there's a better way of doing it because to come down with the demand it's maybe more of the divisiveness. So, I myself would not like to be in a situation. People have asked me to sign things and stuff that more like demands, and um, that's not what I think I want to do. But of course, they should stop doing it. I have no doubt about it. I want to encourage Israel to stop, but the way that how do we do this in a way that is effective, maybe for the long term, or effective for the short term.

    Sadly, he may not realise that what he said there comes straight out of the anti-Palestinian propaganda handbook. It came across as labeling anybody who shows support for the plight of the Palestinian people as Hamas sympathisers. This may not have been his intention, but it did come across that way—anybody showing support for Palestine is seen as doing Hamas's bidding, as seen in the phrase 'it seems that there was a call out from Hamas.' And then later, he goes on about how we shouldn't demand a ceasefire; we should encourage one, so Israel becomes inspired themselves. Not sure if he has been paying attention to what has been happening in Gaza and Israel's track record when it comes to disregarding any rulings made by the UN and just doing what they want with the US backing them all the way ....

    And the rallies I have personally attended, as well as those I have seen elsewhere around the Western world, have always included a Jewish presence in solidarity with the Palestinian people. There were chants, with people from all different religions and backgrounds (including Jewish people) all chanting together: 'Israel! Israel! You can't hide, you're committing genocide' or 'Netanyahu, you can't hide, we charge you with genocide,' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.' However, there were definitely no calls for the killing of Jewish people or Israelis...

    Apart from that, I felt he did the best he could to try and put a Buddhist spin on it, under difficult circumstances...He has definitely got it right about what's happening now will have a lasting impact...

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Double Down News...
    The Video Israel REALLY Does Not Want You To See

    Putting things into perspective...Short sharp and to the point...

  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran
    edited April 25

    @Shoshin1 said:

    @person said:
    Gil Fronsdale gave a good talk on the war last month.

    Or the audio version
    https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/19955

    Thanks for post @person, however it would seem that he has been swayed a bit by anti Palestinian propaganda... I found 5 minutes into the talk then around 24 minutes in a bit concerning...

    "Professor who was going to give a public talk a professor of Jewish studies who was going to talk about um the little history of the conflict there and and the history of a two-state solution and someone who was opposed to the violence that they're now in Middle East 'but it seems that there was a call out from Hamas to uh that there should be this should be disrupted right here in our neighborhood and so that was that were people were informed about this ahead of time' and they um so the police were called in and to be prepared and they decided to change the venue of where the talk was going to be given and uh in fact there were 100 people who came who to demonstrate and the way it was reported to me by people who were there there was calls for uh killing Jews and uh then it was impossible to give the talk and the people who were the speakers of the of that had to be taken out um under police escort there's a large group of police and City Police at least waiting nearby because of they were expecting that there was going to be some problems so I mean the Middle East Gaza is not just in Gaza what's happening in this International world we live in it's spilling over and the divisiveness of the Middle East is also becoming divisiveness in our communities here"...
    Many people are calling for a ceasefire; some people are demanding it, and um, I think, of course, we want the killing to stop. Of course, there's another way. Of course, something else can be done. Of course, all these people should stop being killed. But can we ask for a ceasefire? Can we encourage it, not as a demand, but in such a way that the Israelis become inspired themselves, they realize this is not a good deal; there's a better way of doing it because to come down with the demand it's maybe more of the divisiveness. So, I myself would not like to be in a situation. People have asked me to sign things and stuff that more like demands, and um, that's not what I think I want to do. But of course, they should stop doing it. I have no doubt about it. I want to encourage Israel to stop, but the way that how do we do this in a way that is effective, maybe for the long term, or effective for the short term.

    Sadly, he may not realise that what he said there comes straight out of the anti-Palestinian propaganda handbook. It came across as labeling anybody who shows support for the plight of the Palestinian people as Hamas sympathisers. This may not have been his intention, but it did come across that way—anybody showing support for Palestine is seen as doing Hamas's bidding, as seen in the phrase 'it seems that there was a call out from Hamas.' And then later, he goes on about how we shouldn't demand a ceasefire; we should encourage one, so Israel becomes inspired themselves. Not sure if he has been paying attention to what has been happening in Gaza and Israel's track record when it comes to disregarding any rulings made by the UN and just doing what they want with the US backing them all the way ....

    And the rallies I have personally attended, as well as those I have seen elsewhere around the Western world, have always included a Jewish presence in solidarity with the Palestinian people. There were chants, with people from all different religions and backgrounds (including Jewish people) all chanting together: 'Israel! Israel! You can't hide, you're committing genocide' or 'Netanyahu, you can't hide, we charge you with genocide,' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.' However, there were definitely no calls for the killing of Jewish people or Israelis...

    Apart from that, I felt he did the best he could to try and put a Buddhist spin on it, under difficult circumstances...He has definitely got it right about what's happening now will have a lasting impact...

    Certainly I don't have a completely comprehensive view of everything going on. The question that occurs to me is how sure are you that you're not being swayed by anti Israeli propaganda? Or at the very least missing the aspects of the pro Palestinian that put in a less flattering light?

    From my perspective he was talking about the mindset we need to develop to come to a long term peace, rather than thinking of it in terms of sinners and saints.

    Shoshin1
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 26

    The question that occurs to me is how sure are you that you're not being swayed by anti Israeli propaganda? Or at the very least missing the aspects of the pro Palestinian that put in a less flattering light?

    @person the conflict in Gaza has gained global attention thanks to independent sources, highlighting the dire situation. I'm inclined to trust reports from Gaza itself and international aid groups, especially when mainstream Western media coverage seems biased or lacking. Many humanitarian groups are deeply concerned about the deliberate attacks on civilians, destruction of buildings, and causing catastrophic conditions in the area

    What troubles me most is the consistent disregard for human rights and Palestinian lives exhibited by the Israeli government and its military. Much of this evidence is sourced directly from Israeli media, government officials, and military personnel themselves. It's as if the Israeli government inadvertently furnishes the ammunition for anti-government sentiments to thrive, with external sources merely echoing their own documented actions.

    The IOF have advanced state of the art weaponry and advanced spyware technology which they are using against the Palestinian population , they have an endless supply of ammunition from their Western allies.

    In the face of such imbalance, the only real weapon wielded by the Palestinian civilian population and their supporters is their voice. It's a weapon that Israel and its allies seek to silence at all costs, employing accusations of anti-Semitism to silence disagreement and keep pushing their own plans forward. I and no doubt many people feel in this unequal fight, it's crucial for Palestinian voices to be heard otherwise Israel will continue to do what it has always done...that is be a law unto itself, disregarding international law....

    Thanks to ongoing Dharma practice, I maintain a peaceful mindset, even amidst humanitarian crises like the one unfolding in Gaza. However, this inner peace isn't static; it inspires me to take action and support those facing less fortunate circumstances. I just see this as part and parcel of my Dharma practice...which I guess is humanistic Buddhism...

    lobster
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 26


  • personperson Don't believe everything you think The liminal space Veteran

    I think what gets to me is the narrative of good guys fighting bad guys as subtext. I'm usually the practical one and the Buddhist ideal of peace and love as a long term solution to overcoming hatred is kind of naive in the immediate context. There's the idea that actions and ideas that contract the heart are moving in the wrong direction and looking at the conflict in terms of good vs bad and coercion over persuasion constricts my heart.

    Trying to encourage and create peace, love and perspective in people over agitation and conflict is also a noble pursuit and seems to be at cross purposes with an activist mindset.

    I listened to a recent podcast that was pro Palestine, pro Israel, anti Hamas and anti Netanyahu. The perspective offered caught the right tone and response to my ears.

    Ravi is joined by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a U.S. citizen from Gaza and a Middle East political analyst, for a deep dive into the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ravi and Ahmed look at the historical context of the region, including the failures of previous peace attempts and the rise of Hamas, before turning to the present day, where they reflect on the past six months of war, its impact on civilians, and what a path forward could look like.

    https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/view-from-gaza/

  • JeroenJeroen Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter Netherlands Veteran

    Yes, good guys versus bad guys is only a narrative in Palestine. In fact everyone is good in his own eyes, but in fact they are all doing bad deeds, except for the innocent victims on both sides.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 27

    @person said:
    I think what gets to me is the narrative of good guys fighting bad guys as subtext. I'm usually the practical one and the Buddhist ideal of peace and love as a long term solution to overcoming hatred is kind of naive in the immediate context. There's the idea that actions and ideas that contract the heart are moving in the wrong direction and looking at the conflict in terms of good vs bad and coercion over persuasion constricts my heart.

    Trying to encourage and create peace, love and perspective in people over agitation and conflict is also a noble pursuit and seems to be at cross purposes with an activist mindset.

    I listened to a recent podcast that was pro Palestine, pro Israel, anti Hamas and anti Netanyahu. The perspective offered caught the right tone and response to my ears.

    Ravi is joined by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a U.S. citizen from Gaza and a Middle East political analyst, for a deep dive into the Israel-Palestine conflict. Ravi and Ahmed look at the historical context of the region, including the failures of previous peace attempts and the rise of Hamas, before turning to the present day, where they reflect on the past six months of war, its impact on civilians, and what a path forward could look like.

    https://thebranchmedia.org/show/lost-debate/view-from-gaza/

    Thanks @person,

    Upon completing the program, Alkhatib attempted to return to Gaza via Egypt but was unable to do so. The abduction of an Israeli soldier had resulted in the closure of the Rafah border between Gaza and Egypt. Alkhatib remained in Egypt for months without being able to enter Gaza. He applied for and received political asylum in the U.S., where he finished high school at San Francisco Waldorf and went on to City College and the University of San Francisco, where he studied marketing and became interested in social entrepreneurship. He later earned a master's degree in intelligence studies at American Military University.

    It would seem, like other Palestinians living in the US, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib is well informed on what's happening in Gaza.
    Interesting podcast, I found the part towards the end "Peace can be courageous" insightful, I'm in agreement with much of what he had to say about Hamas however I disagree with his stance when it comes to the pro Palestinian protests...he doesn't really offer any alternative to stopping what's happening in Gaza right now,

    Lost debate's hosts are an interesting bunch ...

    person
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Interesting 2019 documentary by Abby Martin.

    Gaza Fights For Freedom

    This debut feature film by journalist Abby Martin began while reporting in Palestine, where she was denied entry into Gaza by the Israeli government on the accusation she was a “propagandist.” So Abby connected with a team of journalists in Gaza to produce the film through the blockaded border.

    It is a documentary about the historic Great March Of Return protests, which occurred every week from March 2018 until December 2019, but covers so much more.

    It tells the story of Gaza past and present, showing rare archival footage that explains the history never acknowledged by mass media. You hear from victims of the ongoing massacre, including journalists, medics and the family of internationally-acclaimed paramedic, Razan al-Najjar.

    At its core, ‘Gaza Fights For Freedom’ is a thorough indictment of the Israeli military for war crimes with exclusive documentary evidence and a stunning cinematic portrayal of Palestinians' heroic resistance.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited April 28

    How Britain Started Planted the Seeds for the Arab-Israeli Conflict | Free Documentary History

    The bitter struggle between Arab and Jew for control of the Holy Land has caused untold suffering in the Middle East for generations. It is often claimed that the crisis originated with Jewish emigration to Palestine and the foundation of the state of Israel. Yet the roots of the conflict are to be found much earlier – in British double-dealing during the First World War. This is a story of intrigue among rival empires; of misguided strategies; and of how conflicting promises to Arab and Jew created a legacy of bloodshed which determined the fate of the Middle East.

    Cause=Britain's Colonial mentality _ ... Condition= _Making promises to the Arabs they had no intention of keeping ...Effect= Continuous unrest in the Middle East

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Democracy Now
    Israeli Holocaust Scholar Omer Bartov on Campus Protests, Weaponized Antisemitism, Silencing Dissent

    As Biden administration and U.S. college and university administrators increasingly accuse peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters on school campuses of antisemitism, we speak with Brown University professor of Holocaust and genocide studies Omer Bartov, who visited the student Gaza solidarity encampment at UPenn alongside fellow Israeli historian Raz Segal. "There was absolutely no sign of any violence, of any antisemitism at all," says Bartov, who warns antisemitism is being used to silence speech about Israel. "There's politics, and there's prejudice. And if we don't make a distinction between the two, then what we are actually doing is enforcing a kind of silence over the policies that have been conducted by the Israeli government for a long time that ultimately culminated now in the utter destruction of Gaza.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    American Palestinian comedian Sammy Obeid

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Norwegian journalist Yala Wolasmal Interviews Osama Hamdan Chief of Hamas foreign relations

    In this compelling and thought-provoking interview, Norwegian journalist Yala Wolasmal sits down with Osama Hamdan, a leader from Hamas, to discuss his recent statements regarding the state of Israel. Hamdan shares his views in detail, explaining the reasoning behind his declaration that "there will be no Israel." This interview offers a unique insight into the perspective of Hamas on current Middle Eastern political dynamics.

    Like when all political figures are interviewed, one needs a bullshit filter to decipher the truth...but it's still interesting to get a different viewpoint ...

    I watched this one the other day.

    Watch as David Mencer, an Israeli spokesperson, faces a barrage of hard-hitting questions from renowned journalist Yama Wolasmal in this riveting interview held in Norway. This intense session covers a range of pressing issues, putting Mencer in the spotlight as he navigates through tough inquiries and critical topics. Yama Wolasmal, known for his incisive interviewing style, doesn't hold back, challenging Mencer at every turn to reveal the truths behind the official statements.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Senator Bernie Sanders

    "A reminder to my colleagues about a document called the U.S. Constitution and, specifically, the First Amendment"

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Democracy Now
    “People Could Have Died”: Police Raid UCLA Gaza Protest After Pro-Israel Mob Attacked Encampment

    We get an update from the University of California, Los Angeles, where police in riot gear began dismantling a pro-Palestinian encampment early Thursday, using flashbang grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas, and arresting dozens of students. The raid came just over a day after pro-Israel counterprotesters armed with sticks, metal rods and fireworks attacked students at the encampment. The Real News Network reporter Mel Buer was on the scene during the attack. She describes seeing counterprotesters provoke students, yelling slurs and bludgeoning them with parts of the encampment’s barricade, and says the attack lasted several hours without police or security intervention. ”UCLA is complicit in violence inflicted upon protesters,” wrote the editorial board of UCLA’s campus newspaper, the Daily Bruin, the next day. Four of the paper’s student journalists were targeted and assaulted by counterprotesters while covering the protests. We speak with Shaanth Kodialam Nanguneri, one of the student journalists, who says one of their colleagues was hospitalized over the assault, while campus security officers “were nowhere to be found.” Meanwhile, UCLA’s chapter of Faculty for Justice in Palestine has called on faculty to refuse university labor Thursday in protest of the administration’s failure to protect students from what it termed “Zionist mobs.” Professor Gaye Theresa Johnson, a member of UCLA Faculty for Justice in Palestine, denounces the administration’s response to nonviolent protest and says she sees the events as part of a major sea change in the politicization of American youth. “This is a movement. It cannot be unseen. It cannot be put back in the box.”

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Katie Halper

    Cops Nearly KILL Professor For Filming Them Attack Pro Palestine Student Protestors

    Katie and Brad go over some extreme cases of police brutality during recent pro-Palestine student protests

    Times change, but sadly certain people don't...

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Democracy Now
    U.S. Hypocrisy Laid Bare as Biden Admin Claims ICC Can’t Prosecute Israel for War Crimes

    The Biden administration is claiming the International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction to charge Israeli officials for war crimes. This comes after rumors that the ICC may be close to issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials over possible crimes in Gaza. The International Court of Justice has rejected a request by Nicaragua to order Germany to halt exporting arms to Israel, but the court declined to throw out the case. For more, we speak with human rights attorney and war crimes prosecutor Reed Brody, who says ICC charges would be a “huge” development. “Since Nuremberg, no international tribunal has issued an arrest warrant for a Western official. For decades, we’ve had this double standard where international justice has only been effective for crimes committed by leaders of developing countries or by enemies of the U.S. like Vladimir Putin,” says Brody.

    lobster
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    I attended another rally this afternoon...

    This young Jewish Kiwi woman was one of the speakers...She spoke of her trip to Israel last year to visit her family members who had moved there and her experience when she spent some time staying in the West Bank...

    The Jewish community in Aotearoa is only small, numbering around 5000...and each week a small group of "Jews for Palestine" attend the rallies ...They have been attending the rallies for the last 7 months...

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy condemns Al Jazeera shutdown in Israel

    Gideon Levy, a columnist at the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, has joined Al Jazeera to discuss the latest decision by Netanyahu's government to shut down Al Jazeera's operations in Israel. Gideon expresses deep disappointment at Israel's shutdown of Al Jazeera, emphasizing the loss of a vital news source on Gaza. He criticizes the decision as politically motivated, aimed at pleasing the right-wing base. Levy suggests that Netanyahu's timing may relate to diplomatic pressures from Qatar. He argues that such actions harm Israel's democratic image and reflect a government lacking long-term vision, fixated on short-term gains. Levy highlights the biased portrayal of the conflict by Israeli media, which depicts Israelis solely as victims while disregarding Gaza's suffering. He concludes by affirming Haaretz's opposition to the shutdown.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Interesting news-documentary programme Compass
    The Australian Jew dubbed traitor for speaking out against the war in Gaza | Compass | ABC In-depth

  • JeroenJeroen Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter Netherlands Veteran

    Seems the Israeli army is going to go ahead with clearing Rafah, they’ve announced a start date to the operation and a goal of completely evacuating the town. No idea what they are planning to do with the million-plus inhabitants.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited May 6

    Yes this is real evil at work and on display for all the civilised world to see...
    Israel (thanks to Netanyahu and his government policies ) is fast becoming a pariah state...if not already one...

    I really feel for the Israelis who want nothing to do with Netanyahu and his cronies ...

    It's even harder to imagine the fear that is felt by the million plus innocent and terrified men, women and children in Rafah right now...my heart goes out to all of them...

    The US could have prevented all this....but instead they give Israel more weapons...

    The U.S. is still considering providing aid to an Israeli military unit after determining it was credibly implicated in gross human rights violations against Palestinians prior to October 7th. Rep. Katie Porter, who received a rare individual briefing from the State Department, says she has major questions about why this is happening. "The law is clear here. What is not clear is what has happened at the State Department and who, if anyone, besides Secretary Blinken may be implicated in this decision."

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited May 6

    Face The Nation
    Jordan's Queen Rania al Abdullah says U.S. is seen as "enabler" of Israel

    She makes some very interesting and well thought out points...

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Al Jazeera English
    ‘No red lines’ for Israeli military in war on the Gaza Strip: Analyst

    Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory, which focuses on Israel’s military-technological complex, said the Israeli military’s reported shelling of the land crossing between Egypt and Gaza in the Rafah area demonstrates that Israel has “no red lines” in its war on the Palestinian territory.

    “After the last month, when we’ve consistently heard from President Biden and many in the EU, even in the Arab world, that there is a red line – Israel cannot go into Rafah. That red line does not exist,” Loewenstein told Al Jazeera.

    “What we are seeing here, I think, is Netanyahu’s so-called ‘strategy’, which is he realises that within the Israeli public, he is deeply unpopular. His stated aims on October 7, none of them have been achieved. Namely, so-called ‘total victory’ over Hamas. Destroying Hamas or getting all the hostages back. None of that has happened. He therefore feels that continuing the war – so-called ‘forever war’ – is essential.

    “It’s important to note that Rafah, as you rightly say, is not just a key crossing point for aid but also for people. The only way Palestinians can get out of Rafah – the ones that are able to leave – is there and if that border shuts, then the roughly 1.5 million Palestinians who are trapped in Rafah have nowhere to go.”

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited May 8

    Katie Halper
    Israel's BRUTAL War On Gaza's Doctors

    Dr. Yasser Khan is an internationally renowned surgeon, humanitarian and entrepreneur. He is a leading Ophthalmologist and Oculoplastic Plastic and Orbital Surgeon residing in the Toronto Area, Canada. He is an Associate Clinical Professor at McMaster University, the University of Toronto and the Toronto Metropolitan University. He holds a Master’s degree from IE University in Madrid, Spain in Digital Transformation and AI. He teaches cutting-edge and innovative surgical techniques to surgeons nationally and globally. Dr. Khan has trained residents, fellows and ophthalmologists in over 40 different countries primarily in the field of trauma eye surgery and reconstructive eye- facial plastic surgery. He was on the first North American surgical mission to Gaza in December-January. He went again on a second mission to Gaza in March 2024

    Dr. David Hasan is a scientist neurosurgeon with extensive experience in management of cerebrovascular diseases and skull base tumors. He is a fellowship - dual trained open cerebrovascular and endovascular with a background of treating over 2500 brain aneurysms using very innovative techniques including awake surgery. He is an international authority in cerebrovascular research with over 270 peer-reviewed PubMed publications, multiple NIH grants, and member of several editorial boards of high impact medical and surgical journals.

    Dr. Amgad Elsherif, MD Co-Founder, Head of Education and Chief Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Amgad El-Sherif is a Co-founder, Head of Education and Chief Thoracic Surgeon at NMC. Dr. El-Sherif practices as a consultant thoracic surgeon in Ontario, Canada. Dr. El-Sherif was appointed an adjunct assistant Professor of Surgery, leading the surgery program at Johns Hopkins international affiliated hospital in the United Arab Emirates. As the surgery Program Director, Dr. El-Sherif founded and established the first ACGME-I accredited surgical program in the Gulf region. He is Adjunct Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Western Ontario and member of UOSSM Canada Canadian surgeon was part of a medical mission to Khan Yunis, Gaza in 2023 and led the WHO team to northern Gaza in April 2024.

    Aliya Khan MD, FRCPC, FACP, FACE, is a board member of UOSSM and was in Hebron in the West Bank, last year in May 2023 and she saw the check points and horrific conditions for the children living in the West Bank. Aliya Khan is a Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Geriatrics at McMaster University, Director of the Calcium Disorders Clinic, and Director of the Fellowship in Metabolic Bone Disease at McMaster University. She has published over 200 scientific papers and numerous chapters and books on osteoporosis and parathyroid disease. She was recognized as being in the top 0.1% of the world experts in hyperparathyroidism by Expertscape.

    Breaking Points
    Doctor From Gaza Explains Dark Reality Inside Hospitals

    Dr. Mhoira talks about her experience in Gaza's hospitals.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Owen Jones
    Biden PANICS Over Israel's Genocide

    Joe Biden's administration is panicking over the consequences of Israel's genocidal onslaught against Gaza. Now, I don't mean the human consequences; the Biden administration has long made it clear that it has nothing but contempt for the value of Palestinian life. I mean the political consequences for Joe Biden, who faces a presidential election in just a few months. He will have to beg Democrats disillusioned with the minor triviality of him facilitating a genocide to vote for him. They're also panicking about the consequences for US power, given that this catastrophe has further damaged a flailing superpower, which has already spent the 21st century in terminal decline, thanks in large part to disastrous foreign military adventures.

    That's why the US has paused a shipment of bombs to Israel. A bit of context here: Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid since its foundation back in 1948, receiving around $300 billion in total economic and military assistance when adjusted with inflation in mind. Those figures are provided by the Council on Foreign Relations. Israel would never have gotten away with subjecting the Palestinians to ethnic cleansing, illegal occupation, siege, apartheid, colonization, and repeated mass slaughters even before the current horror without US support. Since the 7th of October, the US has reportedly made more than a hundred military aid transfers to Israel, largely bypassing Congress in the process. Earlier this year, though, the administration sent Israel $4 billion worth of aid with no conditions attached whatsoever when it came to minor things like human rights, not slaughtering people, especially little children.

    Declassified UK
    Grant Shapps sent 200 spy flights over Gaza, hides footage from ICC | Matt Kennard investigates

    The Royal Air Force (RAF) has flown 200 surveillance flights over Gaza since December, it can be revealed.
    The UK government refused to give any details about the flights which began on December 3 but Declassified has independently constructed a timeline.
    The extraordinary number of missions over the past five months works out at well over a flight per day and continues as Israel invades the supposedly “safe” southern city of Rafah.
    March saw the highest number of British spy flights over Gaza with 44 missions.

    Read on our website: https://www.declassifieduk.org/reveal...

    The new information comes amid speculation that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is set to issue arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers. British officials could also face prosecution for complicity in war crimes, including defence secretary Grant Shapps.
    All the British spy flights have taken off from RAF Akrotiri, the UK’s sprawling air base on Cyprus, and have been in the air for around six hours.
    Gaza sits around 30 minutes flight time from the base so it is likely the RAF has gathered around 1,000 hours of surveillance footage over Gaza.

    Assassination

    A British spy flight was in the air on Monday April 1 when three Britons were killed in an Israeli strike on aid workers in Gaza.
    John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, were among seven World Central Kitchen workers killed in the targeted assassination.
    On that Monday, a UK spy plane departed Akrotiri at 5pm local time and arrived back at the base at 10:49pm. The Israeli airstrikes are believed to have taken place soon after 10.30pm.

    Israel has not released its full footage from the incident.

    A UK spy plane has also landed in Israel. On February 13, a British Shadow R1 plane flew from Akrotiri to Beersheba, Israel, arriving at 12.15pm local time. It stayed for two hours before flying back to the UK base on Cyprus.
    The purpose of the visit is unclear, but Beersheba, an Israeli city in the Negev desert, is home to the Israeli Air Force’s Nevatim base. This base has been the central node the US has used to deliver bombs and other weapons to Israel for its attack on Gaza.

    Intelligence

    The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 2 December that it would begin surveillance flights over Gaza “in support of the ongoing hostage rescue activity”.
    “The safety of British nationals is our utmost priority,” the department said. “Surveillance aircraft will be unarmed, do not have a combat role, and will be tasked solely to locate hostages”.
    It added: “Only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authorities responsible for hostage rescue.”
    In a debate shortly after this announcement, Shapps was asked by five different MPs whether he would share footage from the flights with the ICC, if it showed evidence of war crimes.
    Each time he gave an evasive answer. Last week, when asked again by another MP, the MoD appeared to deny that any footage had been shared with the court. It also refused to comment on whether the aircraft had filmed mass graves being built at Nasser and al-Shifa hospitals.
    Defence minister Leo Docherty would only say: “The unarmed UK reconnaissance aircraft are employed solely for the purpose of locating the remaining hostages.”

    The plane

    Foreign secretary David Cameron confirmed in January that Hamas holds just two British nationals among its remaining 132 hostages.
    They are understood to be Nadav Popplewell and another unnamed individual. Their families have urged Israel to reach a deal with Hamas to secure their release.
    This week Hamas agreed to a ceasefire that would have seen hostages freed, but Benjamin Netanyahu refused to back the deal.
    The Shadow R1 is known as an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft.
    It is operated by the UK military’s No.14 Squadron, which is based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, eastern England.
    The UK military recently awarded a £110m contract to the plane’s manufacturer, US weapons company Raytheon, to update the aircraft and increase the British fleet from six to eight.
    British R1 planes flying over Gaza have also made frequent trips to Italy for reasons that remain unclear.
    But the extraordinary number of flights, and the fact that they started nearly two months after the hostages were taken, raises suspicions that the UK is not collecting intelligence solely for this purpose.
    Israeli forces are also on the ground in Gaza, and notoriously have wide-ranging surveillance capabilities in the territory. It is unclear what Britain’s R1s can add to the hostage rescue mission.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    I came across this YouTube channel in my feed...A couple of young Israelis discussing what is happening in Israeli society...Interesting....

    The Hebrew Canaanite
    Elik and Alon Went to an Anti-Genocide Protest in the Center of Tel Aviv

    We share our experiences from a protest we went to in the center of Tel Aviv, where we called to stop the invasion into Rafah and the ongoing genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited May 9

    Abby Martin Calls Out Israeli Spy on Piers Morgan

    Full Interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored

    I was trying to work out where I had seen this guy Mosab Hasan Yousef before and then it came to me...


    He's a real nut job....

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Cornel West - Student Demonstration at Edinburgh Gaza Genocide Emergency Committee

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Breaking Points
    EXCLUSIVE: UN Genocide Official Responds To Biden Smear

    I find that there is a huge confusion over what genocide means, and there should be. I mean, the Holocaust should remain ingrained in our memory, especially as I speak as a European. The Holocaust should never be forgotten, and what led to the Holocaust should not be forgotten at the same time. What constitutes genocides is not established necessarily by presidents or personal opinion or personal experiences, painful as they are.

    What constitutes genocide is established by Article Two of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Genocide is defined as a set of acts committed with intent to destroy a national, racial, ethnic, or religious group, in whole or in part, as such. It includes a series of acts like killing members of the group, infliction of severe bodily or mental harm to members of the group, or the creation of conditions of life that would lead to the destruction of the group.

    To mention the three cases that I found relevant: in the case of genocide, of course, the threshold is very high because one has to prove not only the intent to commit those crimes but also the intent to destroy the people in whole or in part, the protected group, in whole or in part, through these acts. The specific intent to commit genocide is required.

    The other example: history is replenished with incidents and cases of genocide. The very history of colonialism is replenished with genocidal ideology and practices, and this is something that we understand very well if we read the important literature that has been left, including by Raphael Lemkin, the scholar who coined the term "genocide"

    The ICJ determination and conclusions are critical to establish state responsibility over the crime of genocide, the Genocide Convention refers to the need and the obligation to prevent genocide. I would like to say that the ICJ conclusions and measures, including provisional measures, are binding. So, while the direct enforcement relies upon states, it's very important that the compass is established by the ICJ. Similarly important is the finding, the investigation, and conclusions of national courts and the IC, who then have the responsibility to identify individual criminal liability. But again, the obligation to prevent genocide is triggered by the risk that genocide is being committed.

    For me, that moment was reached on the 26th of January when the court concluded that there is a possibility of risk for the rights protected under the Genocide Convention for the Palestinians in Gaza. Why is it important? It's important because these instruments and mechanisms are the ones leading to justice. But for me, the very existence of a convention which has in itself the obligation, which is erga omnes, applies to all member states, including those who are not party to the Genocide Convention, to prevent genocide.

    Giving the gravity of this crime, it is necessary. I mean, we cannot wait for the determination of a court to prevent genocide; otherwise, the genocide might be committed.

    ....................................................................................................................

    I find Speaker Johnson's remarks both infelicitous and inaccurate. The comparative allusion of college campus protests against Israel's conduct in Gaza, because this is what we are talking about, to anti-Semitism, to the heinous, awful, revolting anti-Semitism that led to the Holocaust, is not only historically inappropriate but also functions to divert attention from the substantive issues at hand.

    Namely, the growing body of evidence regarding the atrocity crimes committed in Gaza that clearly this young generation globally across the world cannot stomach anymore. I also find that this rhetorical tactic, exploiting the memory of the Holocaust, instrumentalizing one of history's gravest atrocities for contemporary purposes, is unacceptable because it undermines the gravity and uniqueness of the Holocaust while simultaneously obscuring the pressing concerns in the occupied Palestinian territory.

    And I believe that as we aim to foster a constructive and respectful discourse, it is crucial that historical comparisons are made with careful consideration of their accuracy and their implications. Going to the protests in US campuses, I can tell, as a European, this is spreading across the world. Anyone, including—I mean, I live in an Arab country—and everyone is looking at these young people as the most courageous.

    And I do share this view. So, I keep on saying to—I hope that they stay peaceful and respectful and abate any element that might represent a threat to anyone in university. But I also want to say that there are many Jewish students among them. And again, this is what gives me hope that the new generation doesn't buy anymore what has been the narrative sold by Israeli leadership until nowadays.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    From the Israeli Human Rights Organisation B'TSelem

    In more than 30 years of work, B'Tselem has earned a place of honor in the local and international human rights community, and has received various awards, including the Carter-Menil Award for Human Rights (1989, jointly with Al-Haq); the Danish PL Foundation Human Rights Award (2011, jointly with Al-Haq); the Stockholm Human Rights Award (2014); and the Human Rights Award of the French Republic (2018, jointly with Al-Haq). B’Tselem’s video project has also received various awards, including the British One World Media Award (2009) and the Israeli Documentary Filmmakers Forum Award (2012).

    Manufacturing Famine

    "Based on various reports from international bodies about the situation in Gaza and on testimonies gathered by B'Tselem's field researchers, we unfortunately conclude that for months, Israel has been committing the crime of starvation under international law in the Gaza Strip".

    It is too soon to determine how the shift in Israel’s policy will affect reality on the ground. Yet it is clearly too little, too late, and attests to Israel being chiefly responsible for the humanitarian crisis that has, since the war began about six months ago, spiraled into the catastrophe we are witnessing now. For months, Israel refused to let humanitarian aid in through the land crossings in its territory, thereby limiting the amount of aid that could enter. Even when, following international pressure, Israel did agree to allow aid in through its territory, the amounts were a far cry from the needs of the population, and Israel even stooped so low as to try and present a false image that there was no serious nutritional crisis in Gaza.

    In addition to the devastating short-term effects, hunger has fateful long-term implications. Malnutrition and its side effects have far-reaching consequences for children’s neurological and cognitive development, especially in the first two years of life. Babies who are born underweight and children who suffer from malnutrition have a lower IQ, and their academic performance and achievements are lower. Hunger is also a significant contributing factor in increased behavioral and psychological problems among children.

    Moreover, malnutrition in the first years of life interferes with the development of the musculoskeletal system, as well as the development of intestinal bacteria, a lack of which increases the risk of chronic disease in old age. Malnutrition during pregnancy impedes cognitive development and increases the risk of diabetes and obesity later in life. Hunger and malnutrition may even contribute to the development of health disorders in future generations, including, among others, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and an increased tendency to transmit infectious diseases and infections, such as tuberculosis.

    As if the myriad obstacles Israel is putting in the way of the humanitarian response to the crisis it created are not enough, Israel is also making it difficult to effectively distribute the aid to the population, which is struggling to survive. For example, despite the critical role played by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), collecting and distributing the aid, since the beginning of the hostilities Israel has taken steps to restrict the UNRWA’s operations and even oust it from the Gaza Strip, over claims some of its employees took part in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. These steps are taken despite the fact that no other body can assume the many civilian and humanitarian roles the agency plays.

    UNRWA and a host of leading humanitarian aid organizations claim that for many months now, Israel has not met its legal and moral obligations, and in practice provides only limited and reduced nutritional aid that is nowhere near meeting the current scope of hunger. Figures on growing hunger in the Gaza Strip corroborate these claims. In March, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said Israel was causing hunger and using starvation as a method of warfare. Israel is also denying visas to aid workers seeking access to Gaza and even boasts of denying the applications.

    The State of Israel, for its part, shirks its responsibility for the situation, claiming among other things, that Hamas is to blame for disrupting aid convoys and for stealing the aid. Whether these claims are substantiated or not, Israel remains responsible for taking every necessary measure to meet the occupied population’s humanitarian needs.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Dawn News English
    Palestinian Flag “Flies High And Proud”: Envoy To UN

    President, dear colleagues. I stand before you as lives continue to fall apart in the Gaza Strip, torn apart in the most brutal and devastating ways. I stand before you as more than Palestinians have been killed, have been maimed, and million have been displaced, and everything has been destroyed. No words can capture what such loss and trauma signify for Palestinians, their families, communities, and for our nation as a whole.

    Palestinians in Gaza have been pushed to the very edge of the strip, to the very brink of life, and in the ever-narrowing space, they are besieged; bombs and bullets continue to haunt them down. I stand before you as famine is settling in by design and by the decision of the Israeli government, killing the most vulnerable among our people: children and women. Israel closed the crossings instead of opening them, including the Rafah Crossing, seized by force, the Palestinian Crossings point of Rafah; humanitarian convoys were attacked with its blessing, and the honorable headquarters was assaulted with its complicity.

    At the time when the world was calling to flood Gaza with humanitarian aid and calling for a ceasefire, Israel imposed a drought; its plan has not changed: destroy and displace. I stand before you as every inch of Gaza has witnessed massacres, as mass graves continue to be uncovered where hospitals used to stand, as the world is barely starting to grasp the cruel and extensive nature of the actions committed against the Palestinian people. I stand before you as the Israeli Prime Minister is ready to kill thousands more to ensure his political survival, as he openly declares the Palestinian state is an existential threat and, together with his co-conspirators, continues, 76 years after the Nakba, to try and finish the job. Israel's war is against the Palestinian people as a whole; its occupation forces and settlers kill daily in the West Bank.

    The UN Charter was often invoked during our negotiations, and we will always abide by the charter, including when the processes it forces and limitations it imposes are to our detriment, and including after having been confined in an observer status for 50 years. Now, we wish from all those who invoked the charter to abide by the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, guaranteed by the charter, to confront the acquisition of Palestinian territory by force, denounced by the charter, to preserve future Palestinian generations from the scourge of occupation and war, as foreseen by the charter.

    A yes vote is a vote for Palestinian existence; it is not against any state, but it is against the attempts to deprive us of our state. That is why the Israeli government is so opposed to it because they oppose our independence and the two-state solution altogether. It is an investment in peace and thus empowers the forces of peace. How can anyone explain that Israel was admitted to the United Nations 75 years ago on the power over resolution that foresaw two states and without awaiting an end of the conflict, and while continuing to deny our rights and our existence, and that the state of Palestine 75 years later is still required to wait and remains met by a closed door, preventing it from being admitted to this organization? Your vote today, of course, says a lot about your solidarity with Palestine, but also about who you are and what you stand for.

    It matters, and I know an overwhelming majority of you will stand again with the Palestinian people in their hour of need, and you will stand for just and lasting peace for the benefit of all. In simple words, voting yes is the right thing to do, and I can assure you, you and your country for years to come will be proud to have stood for freedom, justice, and peace in this darkest hour, as everyone is saying, "Free Palestine, Free Palestine," and peace for all. And I repeat, "Free Palestine" and vote yes for the resolution, and I thank you so much.

    More on the TENTH EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION,
    49TH & 50TH MEETINGS (AM & PM)

  • DagobahZenDagobahZen Veteran

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/11/leaflet-families-rafah-israel-assault-gaza-palestinians-biden

    It would seem Israel are a law unto themselves 😢

    Shoshin1
  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Inside Story
    Al Jazeera Banned in Israel

    The network condemned the government's move as a criminal act against international and humanitarian law.
    Al Jazeera has shown the realities of what's happening in Gaza.
    But what's behind this ban? And how effective will it be?

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    @DagobahZen said:
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/11/leaflet-families-rafah-israel-assault-gaza-palestinians-biden

    It would seem Israel are a law unto themselves 😢

    Yes...It has been since it was founded....

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Yesterday afternoon I attended another solidarity rally "In Remembrance of the Nakba"

    Israeli Kiwi woman speaker

    Young Palestinian Kiwi woman speaker

    There was also an elderly Palestinian Kiwi man who spoke. He was a child in 1948 living with his parents in the Arab Quarter of Jerusalem when the Nakba happened, he spoke of his family having to flee their home and how they managed to get to Beirut.
    He has been living in Aotearoa since the early 1980s..

    Attending these rallies have become part of my daily Dharma practice, to stand in solidarity with those who want the killing of innocent men, women, children and babies to stop and for Palestinian self determination.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Katie Halper

    Rene Lichtman, born 1937, is a “hidden child” Holocaust survivor who opposes the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, then pro Palestine Columbia graduate students Layla Saliba and Aidan

    Rene Lichtman, a Holocaust survivor and hidden child accuses Israel of genocide and draws parallels between the Israeli army and the Nazis: “I see it as genocide. it's difficult for me to say that, but it's equivalent to what happened in the Holocaust.”

    The son of two Polish Jews who fled to France during the 1930s, Rene was hidden at the age of two with a Catholic family outside of Paris after his father was killed during the 1940 Nazi invasion and his mother was forced into hiding. After the war, Rene moved with his mother to Brooklyn, New York. He was politically radicalized in the 1960s and became an active opponent of the Vietnam War. Rene was a founding member of the World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust. On December 22, 2023, Rene took part in a demonstration outside of the Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, against the US-backed Israeli massacres in Gaza

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran
    edited May 13

    Abuse which has been happening for the last 75 years...Hmm and CNN has only now become aware of this....
    Israeli whistleblowers detail abuse of Palestinians in shadowy detention center

    Violations against Palestinian prisoners, men, women and children have been documented by various international human rights organizations, including:

    Amnesty International: Amnesty International has extensively documented human rights violations by both Israeli authorities and Palestinian armed groups. They have reported on issues such as unlawful killings, arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the blockade of Gaza.

    Human Rights Watch (HRW): HRW has published reports detailing violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by Israeli authorities, including unlawful killings, excessive use of force against protesters, restrictions on freedom of movement, settlement expansion, and the blockade of Gaza.

    International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH): FIDH has raised concerns about human rights violations by Israeli authorities in the occupied territories, including settlement expansion, home demolitions, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the blockade of Gaza.

    United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC): The UNHRC has conducted fact-finding missions and issued reports on human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian context. These reports have addressed issues such as unlawful killings, excessive use of force, settlements, and the blockade of Gaza.

    United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): The OHCHR has monitored and reported on human rights violations in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. They have raised concerns about issues such as arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, restrictions on freedom of movement, and the blockade of Gaza.

    Physicians for Human Rights (PHR): PHR uses the expertise of health professionals to investigate and document human rights violations, including those affecting the health and well-being of individuals in conflict zones like Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. They have documented issues such as access to healthcare, medical neutrality, and the impact of violence on public health. PHR has raised concerns about the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the health and well-being of civilians, including restrictions on access to medical care, attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel, and the psychological toll of living under occupation and conflict.

    Front Line Defenders: Front Line Defenders focuses on protecting human rights defenders at risk, including those working in the Israeli-Palestinian context. They provide emergency support, advocacy, and training to activists facing threats and attacks because of their work on human rights issues. Front Line Defenders has raised concerns about the harassment, intimidation, and violence faced by Palestinian human rights defenders, including arbitrary arrests, administrative detention, and physical attacks. They advocate for the protection of these defenders and call for accountability for those responsible for attacks against them.

    These are just a few examples, and there are many other human rights organizations that have documented violations in the region

    Israel also has several human rights organizations that document and advocate against violations, including those committed by Israeli authorities. Some of these organizations include:

    B'Tselem: B'Tselem is one of the most prominent human rights organizations in Israel. It focuses on documenting human rights violations committed by Israeli authorities in the occupied territories, including unlawful killings, settler violence, home demolitions, and restrictions on freedom of movement.

    HaMoked: Center for the Defence of the Individual: HaMoked provides legal assistance and advocacy for Palestinians whose rights are violated by Israeli authorities, particularly in cases involving movement restrictions, residency rights, and administrative detention.

    Yesh Din: Yesh Din focuses on issues related to Israeli settlements in the occupied territories and the Israeli military's law enforcement in the West Bank. They document violations of international humanitarian law and advocate for accountability and justice for victims.

    Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel: Adalah advocates for the rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel, focusing on issues such as discrimination in land and housing, access to education and healthcare, and political participation.

    Breaking the Silence: Breaking the Silence is an organization of former Israeli soldiers who collect and publish testimonies from military service about their experiences in the occupied territories. They aim to raise awareness about the human rights implications of Israeli military occupation and promote accountability and change.

    Gisha: Legal Center for Freedom of Movement: Gisha focuses on advocating for freedom of movement for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, where restrictions on movement imposed by Israel severely impact the lives of civilians.

    Peace Now: While primarily focused on promoting a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Peace Now also monitors and reports on issues such as settlement expansion and land confiscation in the occupied territories.

    These Israeli human rights organizations play crucial roles in promoting accountability, advocating for justice, and defending the rights of Palestinians and others affected by human rights violations in Israel and the occupied territories.

  • Shoshin1Shoshin1 Sentient Being Oceania Veteran

    Sinn Féin ("We Ourselves")
    Belfast's International Wall becomes the Palestinian Wall

    In a defiant show of solidarity with the people of Palestine a group of mural artists led by internationally renowned artist Danny Devenny has transformed Belfast's iconic International Wall into the Palestinian Wall to show off amazing murals designed by Palestinian artists who would have suffered imprisonment, torture and death had they attempted to paint them in their homeland.

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