Israel kills American activist, terrorizes prisoners, as Biden admin shrugs – Day 335
CNN reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday was as clear as he has ever been that he does not believe a ceasefire and hostage deal is likely in Gaza in a sharp rebuke to the Biden administration’s insistence it’s close at hand. “There’s not a deal in the making,” Netanyahu told Fox News. “Unfortunately, it’s not close.” His comments stand in stark contrast to the relentlessly hopeful messaging from the Biden administration over the past months. On Sunday, President Joe Biden claimed that the parties were on the verge of a deal, and on Wednesday, a senior administration official claimed 90% of the agreement had been completed. That, Netanyahu said, is “exactly inaccurate.” UN Humanitarian Affairs: Israel is blocking entrance of explosive ordnance disposal equipment OCHA reports: The ongoing escalation of hostilities is resulting in widespread contamination by Explosive Ordnance (EO). While the exact number of EO-related casualties is unknown, there have been cases of people who died due to the explosion of EO, according to humanitarian partners. On 3 September, a Palestinian girl was reportedly critically injured by the explosion of an EO in southwestern Khan Younis and succumbed to her wounds on 4 September. Children face a heightened risk of being exposed to EO, as they usually play outside, tend to search for scraps amongst rubbish and rubble, and lack an awareness on the dangers of EO. Despite ongoing efforts by humanitarian partners to conduct in-person and digital Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) campaigns, educational material as well as minimum standard Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment are refused entry into Gaza by Israeli authorities, therefore limiting the capacity of the mine action response. The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster is concerned with the staggering increase in the cost of basic hygiene items. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), in July, the price of soap has increased 1,177 per cent and shampoo has increased 490 per cent across the Strip, compared to July 2023. Israeli army kills Palestinian girl in West Bank: Health Ministry Al Jazeera reports: A 13-year-old girl succumbed to her wounds after being shot by Israeli forces in Qaryout, a village south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. The village was reportedly attacked by Jewish settlers backed by Israeli forces when Bana Amjad Bakr was shot in the chest by an Israeli soldier. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its teams dealt with the “serious” injury after confrontations broke out in the village. Amjad Bakr was shot while she was in her bedroom, her father said. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died. Settler attacks are common in the West Bank and have increased in scale and intensity since October 7. The Israeli army and settlers have displaced more than 1,200 Palestinians and destroyed hundreds of structures, according to UN figures. Israel pulls out of Jenin, but denies end of West Bank offensive Middle East Eye reports: Israeli forces have pulled out of Jenin after a 10-day assault, but the military has denied it is ending its operation in the occupied West Bank. The offensive, which has so far left at least 39 Palestinians dead, saw soldiers backed by armored vehicles and bulldozers targeting the city and its adjacent refugee camp, forcing the flight of many of the residents. Palestinians started returning to their Jenin homes on Friday, while those who had been trapped by the offensive were able to venture outside for the first time in more than a week. Israel said on Friday that it would continue its operation in Jenin until its “objectives are achieved”. The Palestinian Ministry of Health says at least 40 people (6 of them youths) have been killed in the West Bank since August 28 when Israeli forces launched a large-scale incursion into several towns and cities: 21 Palestinians were killed in Jenin; 8 in Tubas; 8 in Tulkarem; and 3 in Hebron. Footage originally shared by Israel’s Channel 14 correspondent showed Israeli soldiers detaining Palestinian children, women and men in Jenin, occupied West Bank, and forcing them to walk in one line. This is not Gaza. This is in the West Bank Israeli soldiers share footage with Netenyahu’s channel 14 depicting them humiliating young Palestinian girls, women and elderly in Jenin during their invasion to the city pic.twitter.com/y2DZz1rImP — Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) September 6, 2024 France arrests nurse who volunteered in Gaza Middle East Monitor reports: France yesterday arrested then released nurse Imane Maarifi who spent 15 days volunteering as a medic in the Gaza Strip. Notably, the arrest took place at a time when French soldiers who fight in Gaza enjoy total impunity. Thomas Portes, a lawmaker from the La France Insoumise, or France Unbowed (LFI) party, wrote that Maarifi has been released from custody. “The search of the home in front of the family leaves no doubt about the desire to intimidate the voices that are raised to support the Palestinian people and demand an immediate ceasefire,” he wrote on X. Maarifi attended pro-Palestinian rallies in France to share her testimony about the crippling situation in Gaza. She has also expressed her demand for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a boycott of companies supporting Israel.
[email protected] September 7, 2024 Ayşenur Eygi, btselem, ceasefire, international solidarity movement, israeli settler violence, palestinian prisoners, Tally Gotliv, unexploded ordnance, west bank death, white phosphorus, Yuli Novak
Photos and videos obtained by Haaretz show dozens of detainees lying on their stomachs while handcuffed, some without clothes, as a guard dog barks over their heads. The Prison Service described this as a "routine exercise." (screenshot)
Compilation of news reports – IAK staff

Israeli army kills American International Solidarity Movement volunteer during demonstration in West Bank

Various sources report:

During the weekly demonstration in Beita, Palestine, on the morning of September 6th, 2024, the Israeli army intentionally shot and killed an International Solidarity Movement (ISM) human rights activist named Ayşenur Eygi. The demonstration, which primarily involved men and children praying, was met with force from the Israeli army stationed on a hill. Initially, the army fired a large amount of tear gas and then began using live ammunition.

Ayşenur, who we (ISM) consider a martyr in the struggle, was the 18th demonstrator to be killed in Beita since 2020. She was an American citizen of Turkish descent.

She was involved with the Faz’a campaign, an organization that aims to support and protect Palestinian farmers from violations by illegal Jewish settlers and military forces.

The Israeli forces fired two rounds. One hit a Palestinian man in the leg, injuring him. The other round was fired at international human rights activists who were observing the demonstration from a distance, striking the human rights activist in the head.

Neither Ezgi nor the other wounded person posed any threat to the soldiers stationed on the hills adjacent to the site of the weekly march.

Eygi died shortly after being transported to a local hospital in Nablus.

The Israeli military admitted to firing at the demonstrators and said it was looking into reports that a foreign national was killed. The Israel Defense Forces said it “responded with fire toward a main instigator of violent activity who hurled rocks at the forces and posed a threat to them”.

The US has not said whether Eygi had been shot by Israeli troops. “We are urgently gathering more information about the circumstances of her death, and will have more to say as we learn more,” Matthew Miller, a state department spokesperson, said.

Asked if the US would take action against Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “First things first – let’s find out exactly what happened and we will draw the necessary conclusions and consequences from that.”

Eygi’s family released a statement declaring, “A US citizen, Aysenur was peacefully standing for justice when she was killed by a bullet that video shows came from an Israeli military shooter,” adding, “Given the circumstances of Aysenur’s killing, an Israeli investigation is not adequate.”

“We call on President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary of State Blinken to order an independent investigation into the unlawful killing of a US citizen and to ensure full accountability.”

Ayşenur Eygi, 26, ‘was not a naive traveler – this experience was, according to one of her professors, the culmination of all her years of activism. Her friends say she was a longtime activist “bearing witness to oppression.”

She was remembered by friends and former professors as a dedicated organizer who felt a strong moral obligation to bring attention to the plight of Palestinians.

Eygi, who is also a Turkish citizen and leaves behind her husband, graduated from UW earlier this year with a major in psychology and minor in Middle Eastern languages and culture, Fani said. She walked the stage with a large “Free Palestine” flag during the ceremony, Fani said.

Ezgi is the third ISM volunteer to be killed by the Israeli forces in occupied Palestine. Rachel Corrie was killed in Gaza’s Rafah in 2003 after an Israeli soldier crushed her with a bulldozer. Tom Hurndall was killed in Gaza in 2004 by an Israeli sniper. An Israeli soldier shot Brian Avery in the face in Jenin in 2003. He survived the attack but was permanently maimed. The bullet ripped through his cheek and smashed his eye socket and jaw bones.

RECOMMENDED READING: Instead of Taylor Force Act, Congress should consider Rachel Corrie Act, Orwah Hammad Act




Israeli Prison Guards Filmed Abusing Detainees; Prison Service Says It’s a ‘Routine Exercise’

Ha’aretz reports:

Israeli Prison Service personnel in the security wing of Megiddo Prison handcuffed and humiliated detainees on Friday morning, despite no unusual incident occurring in the prison.

Photos and videos obtained by Haaretz show dozens of detainees lying on their stomachs while handcuffed, some without clothes, as a guard dog barks over their heads. The Prison Service described this as a “routine exercise.”

The Prison Service said in response that it “maintains an operational routine for the safety of the prison inmates and the public. In this case, too, in an operation that includes intelligence [gathering], soldiers of the ‘Nachshon’ unit…raided terrorist cells, searched them and seized assault weapons and prohibited materials.” The service failed to present any of the assault weapons allegedly seized.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) has urged the United Nations to open an independent investigation.

The group has also said that the Israeli authorities are “deliberately” leaking images and footage of the torture of Palestinian detainees, explaining in a statement that this was “part of the competition between the ministers of the current government over who tortures and kills Palestinians more”.


UNICEF says Israelis refusing to facilitate polio vaccine campaign

Al Jazeera reports:

UNICEF says it is making every effort to distribute the polio vaccine in Gaza during the agreed-upon pauses in fighting.

However, it reported that Israel continues to deny medical teams access to communities in certain areas of southern Gaza.

Nearly 355,000 children have received the vaccine in spite of Israel’s lack of cooperation.

Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reports from Khan Younis:



Israeli legislator calls on police to probe B’Tselem activist for ‘aiding the enemy’

Middle East Monitor reports:

Israel’s Likud Party Knesset Member Tally Gotliv called for the execution or life imprisonment of human rights activist Yuli Novak following her speech at the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

Novak, the executive director or Israeli rights group B’Tselem, told the UNSC: “Since Israel was founded, its guiding logic has been to promote Jewish supremacy over the entire territory under its control.”

She added that the far-right Israeli government has been “cynically exploiting” its citizens’ “collective trauma” since the 7 October 2023 infiltration of Israel by Palestinian resistance fighters.

It is doing this, she explained, “to violently advance its project of cementing Israel[i] control over the entire land … committing war crimes almost daily.”

Gotliv called for Novak to be probed by Israel Police “for the suspected serious crime of assistance to the enemy in war.”

She said that such a crime was an offense under the penal law, “which carries the death penalty or a life sentence”.

“Novak has shamefully put the state of Israel, currently engaged in a war for survival, at risk and assisted Israel’s enemies on various fronts,” the lawmaker wrote, accusing the activist of telling lies about Israel committing war crimes.

Gotliv was among the legislators that joined Israeli crowds to protest the arrest of soldiers accused of gang-raping a Palestinian detainee from Gaza held in the Israeli Sde Teiman prison.

NOTE: B’Tselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories strives for a future in which human rights, liberty and equality are guaranteed to all people, Palestinian and Jewish alike, living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Such a future will only be possible when the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime end. That is the future we are working towards.

B’Tselem (in Hebrew literally: in the image of), the name chosen for the organization by the late Member of Knesset Yossi Sarid, is an allusion to Genesis 1:27: “And God created humankind in His image. In the image of God did He create them.” The name expresses the universal and Jewish moral edict to respect and uphold the human rights of all people.



Netanyahu is unequivocal about ceasefire and hostage agreement with Hamas: ‘There’s not a deal in the making’


Israel shells Lebanon with white phosphorus bombs, performs ground invasion drills

The Cradle reports:

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), Israel targeted southern Lebanon with white phosphorus on Friday. “The area between Tal Nahas and Al-Hamams towards the Marjayoun plain is being subjected to artillery shelling with phosphorus shells, which caused fires to break out,” NNA said.

Israeli threats against Lebanon have escalated once again. The Israeli military said on 6 September that its Yiftah Brigade carried out drills this week simulating a ground invasion of Lebanon, moving along a “mountainous route” and “complex terrain.”

NOTE: Use of white phosphorus in civilian areas is considered a war crime due to its extremely dangerous effects on the human body.

White phosphorus ignites instantly when in contact with oxygen. It can burn through the human body, including through bone, causing severe, excruciating damage.

It can also cause extreme harm when inhaled, with risks of suffocation, cardiovascular failure, coma, death, and other lifelong effects. The substance burns at temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

MORE NEWS:

IMEMC Daily Reports.

The Cradle: Israel’s energy insecurity: How blackouts could paralyze the occupation state

+972 Magazine: Under cover of war, Israel is demolishing home after home in Silwan

Middle East Monitor: ‘Game of demographics’: How Israel aims to wipe out Palestinians from Occupied East Jerusalem

Middle East Eye: ‘I recognized her by her roller skate’: Israeli strike on Gaza kills children playing in the street

The New Arab: Is Israel using Gaza’s ‘mowing the lawn’ strategy in the West Bank?





STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – SEPTEMBER 5:

Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 5, 2024: at least 41,546* (40,878 in Gaza* – 11,308 women (28%), 16,715 children (41%) as of September 5. [The Ministry’s figures have been contested by the Israeli authorities, although they have been accepted as accurate by Israeli intelligence services, the UN, and WHO. These data are supported by independent analyses, comparing changes in the number of deaths of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff with those reported by the Ministry, which found claims of data fabrication implausible.]

This is expected to be a significant undercount since thousands of those killed have yet to be identified – and at least 691 in the West Bank (~148 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 49,032 Palestinian deaths.

Lancet: “Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct death9 to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186 000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.

Ralph Nader earlier estimated 200,000 Palestinians may have been killed in Gaza.

At least 45 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons (27 from Gaza, 23 from West Bank).
At least 41 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition (at least 37 of them children)**.
About 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are currently displaced.
Almost 500,000 Gazans are currently experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
Palestinian injuries from October 7 – September 5: at least 100,098 (including at least 94,454 in Gaza and 5,700 in the West Bank, including 830 children). [It remains unknown how man Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.]

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 5, 2024: ~1,452 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 288*** military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza; 25 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel) and~10,000 injured.

NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.

*Previously, IAK did not include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile was being disputed. However, given that much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, Israel had previously bombed the hospital and has attacked many others, Israel is prohibiting outside experts from investigating the scene, and since the UN and other agencies are including the deaths from the attack in their cumulative totals, if Americans knew is now also doing so.

**Euro-Med Monitor reports that Gaza’s elderly are dying at an alarmingly high rate. The majority die at home and are buried either close to their residences or in makeshift graves dispersed across the Strip. There are currently more than 140 such cemeteries. Additionally, according to Euromed, thousands have died from starvation, malnourishment, and inadequate medical care; these are considered indirect victims as they were not registered in hospitals.

***Approximately ten of the deaths listed above were Israeli soldiers killed by Hezbollah in fighting at the Israel-Lebanon border. The figure does not include the reportedly 53 Israeli soldiers – nearly 16% of the total Israeli military deaths – killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents.

† For most of the conflict, women and children accounted for about 70% of deaths in Gaza, with children making up a little over 40% of those killed, according to official statistics.

Find previous daily casualty figures and daily news updates here.

Hover over each bar for exact numbers.
Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org

Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
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Israeli army probe covered up “friendly fire” killings on October 7
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Honoring the memory of a Gazan Olympic hero: Majed Abu Maraheel
An American was just shot in the West Bank. The American press can’t be bothered.
Understanding what motivates ultra-orthodox Jewish attacks on West Bank Palestinians
Palestinians’ harrowing stories of rape by Israeli soldiers (including female soldiers)
A Palestinian journalist visited Ismail Haniyeh’s home in Gaza to report on his death. Israel assassinated him too.
I reported a piece for the New York Times on antisemitism. I found a major error, but the Times didn’t care.
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Netanyahu’s plan to involve US in regional war on its behalf
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“Well What SHOULD Israel Have Done After October 7?”
Welcome to Hell
More dead children. More BBC ‘news’ channelling Israeli propaganda as its own
U.S. media downplays and ignores ICJ ruling declaring Israeli occupation illegal
Israeli soldiers tell story of savage cruelty in Gaza – one given blessing by the West
Searching for Gaza’s missing children

https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-kills-american-activist-terrorizes-prisoners-as-biden-admin-shrugs-day-335/

https://donshafi911iamthefaceoftruth.blogspot.com/2024/09/israel-kills-american-activist.html

END 61 YEARS OF HUMILIATION IN MALAYSIA
Upholding Secularism and Justice: A Call for the Protection of Sabah and Sarawak’s Rights or the Pursuit of Independence.

Murray Hunter
Joint Press Statement 5th September 2024

We, as activists from the Borneo Territories, are compelled to express our deep concerns over the current direction of the Federation of Malaysia. The democratic principles and the concept of a secular and multicultural union of four equal partners—Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak—which were held up as the founding terms of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63 if valid), have been systematically violated and destroyed. It began before and after Singapore left the union in 1965, leading to what is now seen as 61 years of humiliation under the euphemism of “independence in Malaysia” with Malayan central control. This has raised questions on the legitimacy of Malaysia formation and MA63 validity and unresolved issue of the Philippines’ claim on a part of Sabah..

We assert that the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), the international treaty that purportedly established Malaysia, was invalid from its inception. North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak were, at the time, still British crown colonies and not sovereign, independent states with the legal capacity to enter into binding international agreements. Thus, they were effectively ceded by the United Kingdom to the Malayan Federation on 16 September 1963.

It is a historical fact that Malaysia was prematurely proclaimed as a de facto federation under a state of emergency, without the informed consent of the people of North Borneo and Sarawak and in breach of the Manila Accord 1963 to resolve the Philippines claim on Sabah. This process was inconsistent with their right to exercise self-determination freely. The federation was pushed through amidst mass arrests of thousands who were allegedly opposed to the plan in the context of ongoing warfare and civil unrest.

61 years after the event, the Federation has floundered and failed in its goal for a peaceful and progressive democratic union by alteration of its fundamental and foundational concept and principles, corroded by deep corruption and the plunder and impoverishment of the Borneo territories.

We therefore assert that even if MA63 was not invalid, it has been terminated and no longer binding on the remaining 3 component members by the following violations:

1. Betrayal of MA63’s Founding Principles

The Malaysia Agreement, which promised a Malaysia grounded in secularism and multiculturalism and development for Sabah and Sarawak, has been corroded by increasingly exclusionary and Malay-centric policies. These violations betray the promises of MA63 and guaranteed special rights which were used by the British and Malayan governments to induce the Borneo people of the diverse communities to give up real independence for “independence in Malaysia”. This deviation from foundational values is not just a breach of the MA63 covenant but a profound injustice against the Sabah and Sarawak people.

2. Systematic Marginalization and Alienation

The apartheid-like policies emanating from the federal government since institutionalisation of the New Economic Policy (NEP) have fostered a deep sense of estrangement among the people of Sabah and Sarawak This growing alienation is a reality echoed by political leaders who see their communities being marginalized and their voices silenced. The disregard for the rights and dignity of these communities is a stark reminder of the injustices perpetuated under the guise of national unity.

3. Cultural Dominance and Suppression

The Peninsula’s imposition of a narrow, ideology-driven cultural hegemony threatens to suffocate the rich multiculturalism that Project Malaysia was supposed to celebrate. The federal government’s relentless push for Malay-centric policies, including Bumiputera initiatives and a civil service aligned with the "Malay agenda," is a form of cultural suppression that stifles the diverse identities that is supposed to make up Malaysia. This cultural domination is an affront to the principles of freedom and justice enshrined by the 1945 UN Charter of Human Rights.

4. Ideological Overreach and Religious Imposition

The people of Sabah and Sarawak view that the Federation of Malaya increasingly resembles an ideological state intent on imposing its version of religion and social order. This imposition is a severe violation of their human rights. It unjustly infringes upon their right to live in accordance with their own values and beliefs, and it undermines the commitment to a secular state that was originally promised.

5. Ignoring Local Voices and Rights

The dominance of peninsula-based political parties has consistently sidelined the unique needs and voices of Sabah and Sarawak. Historical grievances, such as the manipulation of Sabah's demographics and the undermining of local political agreements, have only deepened the sense of injustice felt by these communities. The systematic disregard for their autonomy and rights is a clear violation of the principles of justice and fairness.

6. Erosion of Constitutional Safeguards

Despite recent attempts to realign the constitutional status of Malaya, Sabah, and Sarawak, the centralist tendencies of Putrajaya continue to weaken the original agreement, putting the integrity of the federation at risk. This erosion of constitutional safeguards is not just a political issue but a grave injustice that threatens the rights and freedoms of the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

7. Exploitation of Resources for Oppression

The wealth generated from Sabah and Sarawak’s oil and gas resources has been expropriated to develop Malaya and fuel the Putrajaya race-religion agenda, making the injustice even more painful and bitter to endure. This exploitation is a clear violation of the economic rights of the people of Sabah and Sarawak, contributing to their deep-seated resentment and desire for change.

8. Rejection of JAKIM’s Overreach

We unequivocally reject the imposition of JAKIM’s influence in the former British Borneo Territories. This intrusion represents an unconstitutional and egregious assault on the secular values and cultural autonomy cherished by the indigenous ethnic tribes of Borneo. The imposition of extreme interpretations of religion under the guise of governance is a direct attack on the freedom and rights of the people of Sabah and Sarawak, which we, as activists, cannot and will not tolerate.

A Call to Action: END 61 YEARS OF HUMILIATION!

We call for an end to 61 years of humiliation in Malaysia. The ongoing and abusive violations of the principles enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), coupled with the rise of the Ketuanan Melayu ideology, have irreparably fractured the concept of Malaysia. The federal government continued to disregard the autonomy and rights of Sabah and Sarawak has compelled us to call for peaceful negotiations for separation from the federation and independence.

This is not a decision we make lightly, but the preservation of secularism, multiculturalism, and the rule of law is non-negotiable. The manner in which Malaysia has been governed has proven that it is a federation that fails to respect the rights and freedoms of all its people, without exception.

It is with a profound sense of the loss of control over our destiny that we arrive at this critical juncture. The pursuit of justice, freedom, and dignity for the people of Sabah and Sarawak leaves us with no other viable path. Independence is now our only option to secure the future our people deserve. Independence is our inalienable right!

Relevant information

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/malaysia-sabah-sarawak-ma63-safeguards-demands-anwar-4571486

Daniel John Jambun - President Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)

Robert Pei President - Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ)

Peter John Jaban -Publicity and information Chief Sarawak Association for People's Aspirations (SAPA)

Dr Kanul Gindol - Chairman Gindol Initiative for Civil Society Borneo

Ricky Ganang - Penasihat Forum Adat Dataran Tanah Tinggi Borneo (FORMADAT)

Jovilis Majami - President Persatuan pembangunan sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN)

Moses Anap - President Republic of Sabah North Borneo (RSNB)

CLEFTUS STEPHEN MOJINGOL - PRESIDENT PERTUBUHAN KEBAJIKAN RUMPUN DAYAK SABAH

Subscribe Below:

https://murrayhunter.substack.com/p/end-61-years-of-humiliation-in-malaysia

Breaking: The Israeli army has killed an American activist, shot in the head by an Israeli sniper during her participation in a peaceful protest against settler crimes in the town of Beita, south of Nablus - Palestine.

https://twitter.com/NourNaim88/status/1832023026797363645

An American activist was killed after being shot in the head by Israeli forces “IDF” near Jabal Sabih in Beita, south of Nablus, West Bank.

They continue to kill peaceful American just like they did with Rachel Corrie.

https://t.me/VanessaBeeley/30737

Representative of the Rabbinical Authority in the Holy Land, Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch denounced Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir. He lambasted those who visit the Temple Mount and affirmed to Arab nations that they don’t represent the peaceful Jewish people.
#Palestine #TempleMount #Israel #AqsaMosque

‘Declaration of war’: Amman warns against displacement of Palestinians to Jordan
Friday, 06 September 2024 6:54 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 06 September 2024 7:08 AM ]

Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has warned that any Israeli attempt to displace Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to Jordan will be considered a "declaration of war."

Safadi’s remarks in a joint press conference with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Amman came as the forcible displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza to Jordan and Egypt, respectively, has been an Israeli goal for decades.

Referring to Israel’s largest incursion in the occupied West Bank in about two decades, Jordan’s top diplomat said “Israel is waging another war”, amid the regime's ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

He noted that the tensions in the West Bank could lead to a wider war in the region.

The Israeli regime’s forces have killed and abused a 16-year-old Palestinian in the north of the occupied West Bank.
Safadi noted that Amman is preparing a legal file regarding the Israeli incursions into holy sites in occupied al-Quds, describing such raids as “playing with fire that will burn the entire region.”

On August 13, Israel’s hawkish minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led hundreds of settlers into al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East al-Quds.

During his recent provocative visit, Ben-Gvir said that it was his “policy” to allow Jewish prayers on the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam’s third-holiest site where only Muslims are allowed to pray under a status quo arrangement originally reached more than a century ago.

Ben-Gvir later revealed his intention to build a Jewish synagogue inside the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. He said that if he could, he would build a synagogue on the al-Asqa Mosque complex.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Safadi urged the international community to take action to stop the escalation of the situation in the West Bank and the region.

The minister added that Israeli actions on the ground have killed all opportunities for achieving a just peace.

“Stopping the aggression on Gaza and the escalation in the West Bank” is “the first step to prevent the situation in the region from worsening further.”

Safadi emphasized Jordan’s support for a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement, blaming Netanyahu for obstructing its completion as he “changed his positions and backed out of his commitments”.

US President Biden recently accused Netanyahu of not doing enough to secure ceasefire deal with Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza
Since the start of Israel’s aggression on Gaza, the West Bank has also seen a rise in violence from Israeli forces and settlers that claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians.

The Israeli army launched its largest incursion into the northern West Bank in two decades on August 28, killing dozens of Palestinians so far.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 691 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,700 others injured by Israeli troops since October 7.

https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/09/06/732763/Jordan-warns-against-Israeli-attempts-displace-Palestinians-

Israeli-inflicted Palestinian injuries in Gaza, West Bank surpass 100,000 – Day 332
[email protected] September 4, 2024 arms sales to israel, columbia university, david cameron, David Friedman, Gaza, hamas, Merrick Garland, palestine erased, Palestinian journalists, West Bank
Israeli forces organize a raid with bulldozers on Jenin in the West Bank on September 01, 2024. [ Issam Rimawi – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
Compilation of news reports – IAK staff

‘3,000 operatives’: Hamas regains capabilities in northern Gaza – report

Jerusalem Post reports:

Hamas has managed to regain some of its capabilities in the northern Gaza Strip, according to a Monday Channel 12 report, citing a security source.

The report specified that Hamas had enlisted some 3,000 new operatives into its ranks in that area of Gaza.

Additionally, the resistance group reportedly provided them with weapons, ammunition, and payment.

According to the Channel 12 report, while some Israeli forces remain in northern Gaza, the absence of large troop deployments has allowed Hamas to operate more freely in that area.

At the beginning of the war with Gaza, Israeli forces invaded northern Gaza, reportedly destroying much of the Hamas infrastructure there.

In mid-July, the IDF ended a re-invasion of northern Gaza to concentrate on the central Gaza Strip.



Israel to classify West Bank as ‘combat zone’ amid dramatic escalation

Israel Hayom reports:

Recent events have triggered a major policy shift in Israel’s approach to the West Bank, Israel Hayom has learned. Previously designated as a “secondary arena” requiring stable maintenance, the Israeli military now operates under a new paradigm, viewing the West Bank as the second most critical front, immediately after Gaza.

A series of operations across the West Bank are imminent. “The Jenin operation is just the beginning,” security officials emphasize.

Security officials recommend launching extensive operations. One security source described it as “not just mowing the lawn, but uprooting the problem at its source.”

NOTE: In reality, International law supports the efforts of resistance groups against an occupying power, even to the point of armed resistance. Hamas has clearly and openly stated that its enemy is not the Jewish people, but the racist ideology of Zionism – the ideology under which Israel dispossessed 750,000 Palestinian people, exiled them to Gaza and other locations, and continues to oppress and ethnically cleanse their population.

Israeli forces carry the dead body of a Palestinian after an operation in Hebron, West Bank on September 1, 2024. [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency]
Israeli forces carry the dead body of a Palestinian after an operation in Hebron, West Bank on September 1, 2024. [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
Some West Bank updates: Israel continues killing spree

various media outlets report:

The Israeli aggression, since dawn last Wednesday, on the West Bank until now, has killed at least 32 Palestinians: 19 in Jenin, 6 in Tulkarem, 4 in Tubas, and 3 in Hebron, bringing the number of slain Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, to at least 685.

The total number of injuries in the West Bank and Gaza combined has surpassed 100,000 (94,398 in Gaza, 5,700 in the West Bank) – even as healthcare facilities in both areas remain under siege.

JENIN AREA: Israeli forces today directly targeted four journalists in the town of Kafr Dan, west of Jenin, as they covered the Israeli aggression in the town.

The occupation forces fired live bullets directly at the vehicle of the two photojournalists while they were trying to reach the location of the other journalists in the village of Kafr Dan.

“We narrowly escaped death,” one of the victims explained. “If we hadn’t sped up a bit in our car, they would have killed us. It was a direct assassination attempt.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian teenage girl and prevented medics from reaching her until she succumbed to her wounds in Kafr Dan town, west of Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said its medics moved the slain child, Lujain Osama Abdul-Rauf Mosleh, 16, to a hospital in Jenin.

TULKARM: A Palestinian minor was killed Tuesday dawn by Israeli occupation forces during the ongoing raid on Tulkarm camp.

Medical and local sources said that Mohammad Kanaan was killed after being shot in the head by the occupation forces’ snipers while he was with his father in one of the camp’s neighborhoods, while his father was shot in the abdomen by the occupation forces.

On Tuesday evening, two Palestinians were killed after the army surrounded a home and fired at it, in the Thannaba Suburb in Tulkarem.

Media sources said that the attack killed two young men inside the home before the soldiers took their corpses to an unknown destination. (More on Tulkarm here.)

HEBRON: After closing the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim Palestinian worshippers, the Israeli army allowed thousands of illegal settlers to hold a concert and perform their rituals at the site in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Mosque director Moataz Abu Sneineh said that the Israeli settlers held a concert in the mosque’s courtyards “in a blatant violation of the places of worship and the privacy of Muslims.”

Some of Tuesday's victims of Israeli attacks in the West Bank
Some of Tuesday’s victims of Israeli attacks in the West Bank (photos)
Unprecedented number of Palestinian journalists arrested by Israel since October 7th

The Committee To Protect Journalists reports:

Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, an unprecedented number of journalists and media workers have been arrested — often without charge — in what they and their attorneys say is retaliation for their journalism and commentary.

As of September 4, CPJ has documented a total of 54 arrests of journalists in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza and in the city of Jerusalem, claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as a capital, since the war began on October 7, 2023. Israel arrested 51; Palestinian authorities arrested three.

Nineteen of these journalists, including the three held by Palestinian authorities, have since been released, while 35 remain under arrest.

At least 14 of the journalists arrested by Israel are being held under administrative detention, a policy under which a military commander may detain an individual without charge, typically for six months, on the grounds of preventing them from committing a future offense. Detention can be extended an unlimited number of times.

(Editor’s note: These numbers are being updated regularly as more information becomes available. The tally includes all arrests documented by CPJ. As is our global practice, journalists who request anonymity out of concern for their safety are not named in the list below.)

“Since October 7, Israel has been arresting Palestinian journalists in record numbers and using administrative detention to keep them behind bars, thus depriving the region not only of much needed information, but also of Palestinian voices on the conflict,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna in New York. “If Israel wants to live up to its self-styled reputation of being the only democracy in the Middle East, it needs to release detained Palestinian journalists and stop using military courts to hold them without evidence.”

CPJ ALSO REPORTS: Since the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7, journalists and media across the region have faced a hostile environment that has made reporting on the war exceptionally challenging.

In addition to documenting the growing tally of journalists killed and injured, CPJ’s research has found multiple kinds of incidents of journalists being targeted while carrying out their work in Israel and the two Palestinian territories, Gaza and the West Bank.

These include 54 arrests, as well as numerous assaults, threats and harassment, cyberattacks, and censorship.

(Find details and examples here. Find an up-to-date list of journalists killed here.)

RECOMMENDED READING: CNN staff say network’s pro-Israel slant amounts to ‘journalistic malpractice’

Int’l Criminal Court likely to decide whether to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant ‘over coming days’

Ha’aretz reports:

Justice Ministry officials expect the International Criminal Court (ICC) to decide in the coming days on whether to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, but are cautiously optimistic that the court will decide against the warrants.

The officials said the government’s refusal to set up a state commission of inquiry to investigate the events of the war, as recommended by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, along with the fact that Israel has been lagging in its own investigations of alleged war crimes – something that would preempt ICC action under the principle of complementarity – strengthen the likelihood that the court will accept Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for the warrants.

The officials said they expect the court to issue its decision within days, or at most a few weeks.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 13, 2023.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 13, 2023. (photo)
US Justice Department files criminal charges against Hamas

Al Jazeera reports:

The US announced criminal charges against Hamas’s top leadership, including the group’s chief Yahya Sinwar, accusing them of leading efforts to kill civilians and destroy the state of Israel.

“As outlined in our complaint, those defendants — armed with weapons, political support, and funding from the Government of Iran, and support from Hezbollah — have led Hamas’s efforts to destroy the State of Israel and murder civilians in support of that aim,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Other Hamas leaders charged include Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza, Khaled Meshaal, a deputy of slain former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and a former leader of the group, Mohammed al-Masri and Ali Baraka.

NOTE: Garland’s nomination was endorsed by pro-Israel groups such as the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, which advocates for Israel.

HA’ARETZ ADDS: U.S. National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby acknowledged Tuesday that the events of the weekend will dictate U.S. actions moving forward.

“I’d be lying to you if I said the work going on in the days ahead are not going to be shaped or colored by our outrage about what Hamas did,” he said.

RECOMMENDED READING: US charges Hamas leaders over October 7, Gaza mediation role under question

Netanyahu once again erases Palestine during address

Middle East Monitor reports:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a map of Israel that erases the occupied West Bank, marking it as Israeli territory, in an address to the media yesterday.

The Israeli premier appeared standing in front of a wall-sized digital map that obliterated the West Bank. Palestinians decried the move as an explicit annexation of the occupied territory by Tel Aviv.

Speaking about the importance of the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt, Netanyahu used a map which showed the entirety of the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem as being annexed to Israel and only had the Gaza Strip outlined.

“Netanyahu’s map reveals the truth of the colonial and racist agendas of the extremist right-wing government,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Netanyahu continues and repeatedly uses a map that includes the West Bank as part of the occupation state, in clear and explicit recognition of this racist colonial crime, and disregard of international legitimacy and its resolutions, international will for peace and the signed agreements,” the ministry said.

NOTE: Israel’s supporters criticize the pro-Palestine slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free,” because they claim it calls for the erasure of Israel. In reality, the phrase is, in the words of Palestinian American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.” Netanyahu’s map says, in essence, “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall not exist.”

RECOMMENDED READING: No more “shrinking map of Palestine” – it’s gone

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu used a map of Israel that erases the occupied West Bank to address the media [Screenshot/Anadolu]
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu used a map of Israel that erases the occupied West Bank to address the media [Screenshot/Anadolu] (photo)
Trump advisor pushes to divert Palestine aid funds for Israeli annexation of West Bank

The Cradle reports:

Former US ambassador to Israel and advisor to Donald Trump, David Friedman, proposed in his new book that Congress should redirect $1 billion allocated for Palestinian aid to support Israeli plans for an annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“Israel will need financial assistance to assert and maintain its sovereignty over Judea and Samaria,” Friedman wrote in his new book, using the biblical term used by Israel to refer to the West Bank.

Friedman writes in his book, titled One Jewish State: The Last and Best Hope for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, that the US could divert $1 billion in current aid to the Palestinians – which includes funds for Palestinian Authority (PA) security services – to fund the Israeli annexation plan.

Friedman also compares Palestinians living under Israeli occupation to Puerto Ricans, who live on an island considered US territory.

“Palestinians, like Puerto Ricans, will not vote in national elections. Palestinians will be free to enact their own governing documents as long as they do not conflict with those of Israel,” he wrote.

Friedman argues the US should support Israel’s annexation “based first and foremost on biblical prophecies and values”, saying that such a policy “hearkens back to basic Judeo-Christian values of kindness, human dignity, humility and prosperity”.

Friedman said he has not yet shared his idea for funding the annexation with Trump. “I hope to share it with him at the appropriate time.”

NOTE: “Biblical prophecies” do not speak anywhere of a modern Jewish state. Pro-Israel (and in many cases, antisemitic) interpretations of Biblical prophecies have twisted the words of the sacred text to imply that a modern Jewish state is a precursor to the endtimes and the return of Christ.

RECOMMENDED READING: Friedman drove the radical overhaul of US policy on Israel-Palestine and Trump Is Desperate for Miriam Adelson’s Cash. Her Condition: West Bank Annexation

President Donald J. Trump, joined by White House senior staff members, delivers a statement announcing the agreement of full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in the Oval Office of the White House (David Friedman, L).
President Donald J. Trump, joined by White House senior staff members, delivers a statement announcing the agreement of full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in the Oval Office of the White House (David Friedman, L). (photo)
U.S. Still Talking Up a Hostage Deal, but Privately Despair About Netanyahu

Ha’aretz reports:

The Biden administration continues to insist publicly that it is committed to negotiations on a hostage and cease-fire deal in Gaza Strip, but senior officials in the government are expressing despair and frustration about the state of the talks, especially after Israel’s security cabinet approved a resolution last week opposing withdrawal from the Philadelphi route in the context of an agreement.

The aim of the administration’s public messages, according to one of the officials, was to allow the talks to continue, in the hope that a breakthrough might occur nonetheless. “It has no real connection to reality,” he said.

President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security spokesman John Kirby repeat every few days that progress has been made in the talks, the gaps between Israel and Hamas can be bridged and an agreement is within reach, if both sides agree to compromise.

Behind the scenes, however, the administration is well aware that the talks have reached an impasse due to Netanyahu’s insistence on the issue of the Philadelphi route, and it seems that both the prime minister and Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas and the organization’s top official in Gaza, are refusing to take the necessary steps to reach a deal at this time. “We want this agreement more than they do,” the American official said.

HA’ARETZ ALSO REPORTS: A source inside the Netanyahu coalition who is closely involved in and a part of the government said, “Benjamin Netanyahu decided some weeks ago that he does not want a deal, and when it became possible, he got nervous and did all he could to torpedo it. He figured out that [he could use] the Philadelphi corridor” to stall the process.

“The media fell for this spin and is consumed all day long with the question of yes or no to the Philadelphi, when the real question is really the fate of the hostages versus the fate of the coalition,” the source added.

“Not one minister, including those who know that Netanyahu is sabotaging a deal, will do anything,” the source says. “They are bound to one another, their political survival depends on the government’s survival, and therefore this situation will continue. Netanyahu will pursue an endless war because that’s what is good for him.”

Netanyahu, centre, chairs a cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in Tel Aviv
Netanyahu, center, chairs a cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in Tel Aviv (photo)
David Cameron sat on advice that there was breach of law in Gaza, officials say

The Guardian reports:

As far back as February, UK’s former foreign secretary David Cameron sat on advice that arms export licenses to Israel should be banned.

The recommendation was based on clear evidence that Israel was violating international humanitarian law in Gaza, for which the UK risked being complicit, a former Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) adviser said.

The source, who contributed to the drafting of the advice, was speaking after the Labour government banned 30 of about 350 arms export licenses due to a clear risk cited in a government memorandum published on Monday that they might be used in serious breaches of international humanitarian law.

“The tragedy has to be considered: how many lives might have been saved if the arms export licenses had been stopped [in February and not in September, and what the potential ripple effect might have been on how other countries would have reacted in ceasing trade.”

NOTE: While the Biden administration has claimed often to be “working day and night” on a ceasefire, in reality, it has been working relentlessly to keep Israel armed – including through secret arms sales – to enable its genocidal war on the Palestinian people. American arms shipments to Israel since October 7th have surpassed 50,000 tons.

Most Americans are opposed to arms transfers to Israel.

RECOMMENDED READING: An arms embargo on Israel is not a radical idea — it’s the law

Then-Foreign Secretary David Cameron meets Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State for a bilateral meeting and press conference at the US State Department in Washington D.C., December 2023
Then-Foreign Secretary David Cameron meets Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State for a bilateral meeting and press conference at the US State Department in Washington D.C., December 2023 (photo)
Which countries have banned or restricted arms sales to Israel?


Britain is the latest country to shift its position on arms sales to Israel, which has been dependent on international weaponry for an 11-month assault on Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people.

Here is how different countries have responded to Israel’s war:

Banned or restricted arms sales

Britain
Italy
Spain
Canada
Belgium
The Netherlands
No ban on arms sales

The US
Germany
Denmark
(For details on each country listed, go here.)



There Is No Argument For Supporting Israel That’s Both Logical And Moral

by Caitlyn Johnstone:

It’s wild when you realize that nobody can actually articulate a reason why Israel should be supported that is both logically coherent and morally defensible.

Westerners grow up being indoctrinated with the understanding that this tiny country in the middle east is super duper important and needs to be supported and defended at all cost, but if you examine the reasons given for why this is so as an adult, you find that none of them really hold water.

“Israel is the only place where Jews can be safe!”
“The Jews deserve a homeland!”
“Israel is the only liberal democracy in the middle east.”
“I support Israel’s existence but I oppose the mistreatment of Palestinians.”
“Israel is essential for protecting our interests in the region.”
(Read Caitlyn Johnstone’s rebuttal to each of these statements here.)

Palestinians remove whatever belongings they can salvage from the area as the devastation left by the Israeli army’s withdrawal comes to light in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza on August 29, 2024. [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency]
Palestinians remove whatever belongings they can salvage from the area as the devastation left by the Israeli army’s withdrawal comes to light in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza on August 29, 2024. [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
Columbia U students will not be silenced on Palestine

Palestine Chronicle reports:

The students at Columbia University in New York City inaugurated their first day of the fall semester on Tuesday by staging pro-Palestine demonstrations.

This resulted in the arrest of two students by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) outside of Barnard gates, as reported by the Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine.

The group live-streamed on the social media platform X parts of the protests, stating that the NYPD officers were “extremely aggressive with students, shoving protestors against the barricades”.

The student group stressed that as long as their university remains complicit in the ongoing genocide in Gaza “there is no business as usual during a genocide.”

“We refuse to live in a world where the mass murder of Palestinians is normal, acceptable, and profitable. Columbia University is complicit in genocide. Their investments in weapons manufacturers & defense contractors, companies such as Lockheed Martin, are fueling the genocide,” the students said on X.

The students also posted photos and footage of the statue of Alma Mater, on the steps of Columbia’s library, soaked in red as a sign of their university’s financial support for Israel and repression of pro-Palestine voices amid genocide, per the group.

The statue of Alma Mater, on the steps of Columbia’s library, was soaked in red as the protests resumed. (Photo: via NationalSJP TW Page)
The statue of Alma Mater, on the steps of Columbia’s library, was soaked in red as the protests resumed. (Photo: via NationalSJP TW Page) (photo)
MORE NEWS:

IMEMC Daily Reports.

The Guardian: Australia’s security chief says person who likes tweet supporting 7 October attacks on Israel could fail visa security test

The Cradle: Amnesty blasts UK ‘gesture politics’ after suspension of less than 10 percent of arms export licenses to Israel

Caitlyn’s Newsletter: The West Truly Doesn’t See Palestinians As Human

Al Jazeera: Paralympics: Palestine’s Aldeeb sees himself as the voice of his people

+972 Magazine: ‘This is also America’s war’: Why the U.S. isn’t stopping Israel’s Gaza onslaught




STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – SEPTEMBER 3:

Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 3, 2024: at least 41,546* (40,861 in Gaza* – 11,445 women (30%), 16,251 children as of July 22. [The Ministry’s figures have been contested by the Israeli authorities, although they have been accepted as accurate by Israeli intelligence services, the UN, and WHO. These data are supported by independent analyses, comparing changes in the number of deaths of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff with those reported by the Ministry, which found claims of data fabrication implausible.]

This is expected to be a significant undercount since thousands of those killed have yet to be identified – and at least 685 in the West Bank (~147 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 49,032 Palestinian deaths.

Lancet: “Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct death9 to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186 000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.

Ralph Nader earlier estimated 200,000 Palestinians may have been killed in Gaza.

At least 45 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons (27 from Gaza, 23 from West Bank).
At least 41 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition**.
About 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are currently displaced.
Almost 500,000 Gazans are currently experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
Palestinian injuries from October 7 – September 3: at least 100,098 (including at least 94,398 in Gaza and 5,700 in the West Bank, including 830 children). [It remains unknown how man Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.]

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 3, 2024: ~1,452 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 288*** military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza; 25 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel) and~10,000 injured.

NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.

*Previously, IAK did not include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile was being disputed. However, given that much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, Israel had previously bombed the hospital and has attacked many others, Israel is prohibiting outside experts from investigating the scene, and since the UN and other agencies are including the deaths from the attack in their cumulative totals, if Americans knew is now also doing so.

**Euro-Med Monitor reports that Gaza’s elderly are dying at an alarmingly high rate. The majority die at home and are buried either close to their residences or in makeshift graves dispersed across the Strip. There are currently more than 140 such cemeteries. Additionally, according to Euromed, thousands have died from starvation, malnourishment, and inadequate medical care; these are considered indirect victims as they were not registered in hospitals.

***Approximately ten of the deaths listed above were Israeli soldiers killed by Hezbollah in fighting at the Israel-Lebanon border. The figure does not include the reportedly 53 Israeli soldiers – nearly 16% of the total Israeli military deaths – killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents.

† For most of the conflict, women and children accounted for about 70% of deaths in Gaza, with children making up a little over 40% of those killed, according to official statistics.

Find previous daily casualty figures and daily news updates here.

Hover over each bar for exact numbers.
Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org

Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
Alison Weir trending on social media – what the buzz is about
Israeli media’s coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees shows support for sexual violence in service of genocide
Inside Israel’s torture, rape, and dehumanization centers
I’m a pediatrician. The scars I saw on Gaza’s children will take generations to heal.
What Harris’s Jewish outreach director said at a private DNC afterparty
‘Strong record of supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship’: a look at Tim Walz’s votes on Palestine as a member of Congress
Nearly Two-Thirds of All Campaign Funds for Cori Bush Challenger Came From AIPAC
Israeli army probe covered up “friendly fire” killings on October 7
Are US officials’ investments of public funds in Israeli bonds ethical? How much is too much?
Honoring the memory of a Gazan Olympic hero: Majed Abu Maraheel
An American was just shot in the West Bank. The American press can’t be bothered.
Understanding what motivates ultra-orthodox Jewish attacks on West Bank Palestinians
Palestinians’ harrowing stories of rape by Israeli soldiers (including female soldiers)
A Palestinian journalist visited Ismail Haniyeh’s home in Gaza to report on his death. Israel assassinated him too.
I reported a piece for the New York Times on antisemitism. I found a major error, but the Times didn’t care.
How Israel plans to whitewash its war crimes in Gaza
Why the West Bank is on the verge of economic collapse
Netanyahu’s plan to involve US in regional war on its behalf
Western media continue to withhold the truth about Israel and Gaza – 4 stories
“Well What SHOULD Israel Have Done After October 7?”
Welcome to Hell
More dead children. More BBC ‘news’ channelling Israeli propaganda as its own
U.S. media downplays and ignores ICJ ruling declaring Israeli occupation illegal
Israeli soldiers tell story of savage cruelty in Gaza – one given blessing by the West
Searching for Gaza’s missing children

https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-inflicted-palestinian-injuries-gaza-west-bank-surpass-100000-day-332/

Israeli-inflicted Palestinian injuries in Gaza, West Bank surpass 100,000 – Day 332
[email protected] September 4, 2024 arms sales to israel, columbia university, david cameron, David Friedman, Gaza, hamas, Merrick Garland, palestine erased, Palestinian journalists, West Bank
Israeli forces organize a raid with bulldozers on Jenin in the West Bank on September 01, 2024. [ Issam Rimawi – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
Compilation of news reports – IAK staff

‘3,000 operatives’: Hamas regains capabilities in northern Gaza – report

Jerusalem Post reports:

Hamas has managed to regain some of its capabilities in the northern Gaza Strip, according to a Monday Channel 12 report, citing a security source.

The report specified that Hamas had enlisted some 3,000 new operatives into its ranks in that area of Gaza.

Additionally, the resistance group reportedly provided them with weapons, ammunition, and payment.

According to the Channel 12 report, while some Israeli forces remain in northern Gaza, the absence of large troop deployments has allowed Hamas to operate more freely in that area.

At the beginning of the war with Gaza, Israeli forces invaded northern Gaza, reportedly destroying much of the Hamas infrastructure there.

In mid-July, the IDF ended a re-invasion of northern Gaza to concentrate on the central Gaza Strip.




Israel to classify West Bank as ‘combat zone’ amid dramatic escalation

Israel Hayom reports:

Recent events have triggered a major policy shift in Israel’s approach to the West Bank, Israel Hayom has learned. Previously designated as a “secondary arena” requiring stable maintenance, the Israeli military now operates under a new paradigm, viewing the West Bank as the second most critical front, immediately after Gaza.

A series of operations across the West Bank are imminent. “The Jenin operation is just the beginning,” security officials emphasize.

Security officials recommend launching extensive operations. One security source described it as “not just mowing the lawn, but uprooting the problem at its source.”

NOTE: In reality, International law supports the efforts of resistance groups against an occupying power, even to the point of armed resistance. Hamas has clearly and openly stated that its enemy is not the Jewish people, but the racist ideology of Zionism – the ideology under which Israel dispossessed 750,000 Palestinian people, exiled them to Gaza and other locations, and continues to oppress and ethnically cleanse their population.

Israeli forces carry the dead body of a Palestinian after an operation in Hebron, West Bank on September 1, 2024. [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency]
Israeli forces carry the dead body of a Palestinian after an operation in Hebron, West Bank on September 1, 2024. [Mamoun Wazwaz – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
Some West Bank updates: Israel continues killing spree

various media outlets report:

The Israeli aggression, since dawn last Wednesday, on the West Bank until now, has killed at least 32 Palestinians: 19 in Jenin, 6 in Tulkarem, 4 in Tubas, and 3 in Hebron, bringing the number of slain Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023, to at least 685.

The total number of injuries in the West Bank and Gaza combined has surpassed 100,000 (94,398 in Gaza, 5,700 in the West Bank) – even as healthcare facilities in both areas remain under siege.

JENIN AREA: Israeli forces today directly targeted four journalists in the town of Kafr Dan, west of Jenin, as they covered the Israeli aggression in the town.

The occupation forces fired live bullets directly at the vehicle of the two photojournalists while they were trying to reach the location of the other journalists in the village of Kafr Dan.

“We narrowly escaped death,” one of the victims explained. “If we hadn’t sped up a bit in our car, they would have killed us. It was a direct assassination attempt.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian teenage girl and prevented medics from reaching her until she succumbed to her wounds in Kafr Dan town, west of Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said its medics moved the slain child, Lujain Osama Abdul-Rauf Mosleh, 16, to a hospital in Jenin.

TULKARM: A Palestinian minor was killed Tuesday dawn by Israeli occupation forces during the ongoing raid on Tulkarm camp.

Medical and local sources said that Mohammad Kanaan was killed after being shot in the head by the occupation forces’ snipers while he was with his father in one of the camp’s neighborhoods, while his father was shot in the abdomen by the occupation forces.

On Tuesday evening, two Palestinians were killed after the army surrounded a home and fired at it, in the Thannaba Suburb in Tulkarem.

Media sources said that the attack killed two young men inside the home before the soldiers took their corpses to an unknown destination. (More on Tulkarm here.)

HEBRON: After closing the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim Palestinian worshippers, the Israeli army allowed thousands of illegal settlers to hold a concert and perform their rituals at the site in the West Bank city of Hebron.

Mosque director Moataz Abu Sneineh said that the Israeli settlers held a concert in the mosque’s courtyards “in a blatant violation of the places of worship and the privacy of Muslims.”

Some of Tuesday's victims of Israeli attacks in the West Bank
Some of Tuesday’s victims of Israeli attacks in the West Bank (photos)
Unprecedented number of Palestinian journalists arrested by Israel since October 7th

The Committee To Protect Journalists reports:

Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, an unprecedented number of journalists and media workers have been arrested — often without charge — in what they and their attorneys say is retaliation for their journalism and commentary.

As of September 4, CPJ has documented a total of 54 arrests of journalists in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza and in the city of Jerusalem, claimed by both Israel and the Palestinians as a capital, since the war began on October 7, 2023. Israel arrested 51; Palestinian authorities arrested three.

Nineteen of these journalists, including the three held by Palestinian authorities, have since been released, while 35 remain under arrest.

At least 14 of the journalists arrested by Israel are being held under administrative detention, a policy under which a military commander may detain an individual without charge, typically for six months, on the grounds of preventing them from committing a future offense. Detention can be extended an unlimited number of times.

(Editor’s note: These numbers are being updated regularly as more information becomes available. The tally includes all arrests documented by CPJ. As is our global practice, journalists who request anonymity out of concern for their safety are not named in the list below.)

“Since October 7, Israel has been arresting Palestinian journalists in record numbers and using administrative detention to keep them behind bars, thus depriving the region not only of much needed information, but also of Palestinian voices on the conflict,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna in New York. “If Israel wants to live up to its self-styled reputation of being the only democracy in the Middle East, it needs to release detained Palestinian journalists and stop using military courts to hold them without evidence.”

CPJ ALSO REPORTS: Since the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7, journalists and media across the region have faced a hostile environment that has made reporting on the war exceptionally challenging.

In addition to documenting the growing tally of journalists killed and injured, CPJ’s research has found multiple kinds of incidents of journalists being targeted while carrying out their work in Israel and the two Palestinian territories, Gaza and the West Bank.

These include 54 arrests, as well as numerous assaults, threats and harassment, cyberattacks, and censorship.

(Find details and examples here. Find an up-to-date list of journalists killed here.)

RECOMMENDED READING: CNN staff say network’s pro-Israel slant amounts to ‘journalistic malpractice’

Int’l Criminal Court likely to decide whether to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant ‘over coming days’

Ha’aretz reports:

Justice Ministry officials expect the International Criminal Court (ICC) to decide in the coming days on whether to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, but are cautiously optimistic that the court will decide against the warrants.

The officials said the government’s refusal to set up a state commission of inquiry to investigate the events of the war, as recommended by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, along with the fact that Israel has been lagging in its own investigations of alleged war crimes – something that would preempt ICC action under the principle of complementarity – strengthen the likelihood that the court will accept Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for the warrants.

The officials said they expect the court to issue its decision within days, or at most a few weeks.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 13, 2023.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 13, 2023. (photo)
US Justice Department files criminal charges against Hamas

Al Jazeera reports:

The US announced criminal charges against Hamas’s top leadership, including the group’s chief Yahya Sinwar, accusing them of leading efforts to kill civilians and destroy the state of Israel.

“As outlined in our complaint, those defendants — armed with weapons, political support, and funding from the Government of Iran, and support from Hezbollah — have led Hamas’s efforts to destroy the State of Israel and murder civilians in support of that aim,” US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Other Hamas leaders charged include Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza, Khaled Meshaal, a deputy of slain former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and a former leader of the group, Mohammed al-Masri and Ali Baraka.

NOTE: Garland’s nomination was endorsed by pro-Israel groups such as the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, which advocates for Israel.

HA’ARETZ ADDS: U.S. National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby acknowledged Tuesday that the events of the weekend will dictate U.S. actions moving forward.

“I’d be lying to you if I said the work going on in the days ahead are not going to be shaped or colored by our outrage about what Hamas did,” he said.

RECOMMENDED READING: US charges Hamas leaders over October 7, Gaza mediation role under question

Netanyahu once again erases Palestine during address

Middle East Monitor reports:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a map of Israel that erases the occupied West Bank, marking it as Israeli territory, in an address to the media yesterday.

The Israeli premier appeared standing in front of a wall-sized digital map that obliterated the West Bank. Palestinians decried the move as an explicit annexation of the occupied territory by Tel Aviv.

Speaking about the importance of the Philadelphi Corridor between Gaza and Egypt, Netanyahu used a map which showed the entirety of the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem as being annexed to Israel and only had the Gaza Strip outlined.

“Netanyahu’s map reveals the truth of the colonial and racist agendas of the extremist right-wing government,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Netanyahu continues and repeatedly uses a map that includes the West Bank as part of the occupation state, in clear and explicit recognition of this racist colonial crime, and disregard of international legitimacy and its resolutions, international will for peace and the signed agreements,” the ministry said.

NOTE: Israel’s supporters criticize the pro-Palestine slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free,” because they claim it calls for the erasure of Israel. In reality, the phrase is, in the words of Palestinian American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, “an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.” Netanyahu’s map says, in essence, “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall not exist.”

RECOMMENDED READING: No more “shrinking map of Palestine” – it’s gone

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu used a map of Israel that erases the occupied West Bank to address the media [Screenshot/Anadolu]
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu used a map of Israel that erases the occupied West Bank to address the media [Screenshot/Anadolu] (photo)
Trump advisor pushes to divert Palestine aid funds for Israeli annexation of West Bank

The Cradle reports:

Former US ambassador to Israel and advisor to Donald Trump, David Friedman, proposed in his new book that Congress should redirect $1 billion allocated for Palestinian aid to support Israeli plans for an annexation of the occupied West Bank.

“Israel will need financial assistance to assert and maintain its sovereignty over Judea and Samaria,” Friedman wrote in his new book, using the biblical term used by Israel to refer to the West Bank.

Friedman writes in his book, titled One Jewish State: The Last and Best Hope for Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, that the US could divert $1 billion in current aid to the Palestinians – which includes funds for Palestinian Authority (PA) security services – to fund the Israeli annexation plan.

Friedman also compares Palestinians living under Israeli occupation to Puerto Ricans, who live on an island considered US territory.

“Palestinians, like Puerto Ricans, will not vote in national elections. Palestinians will be free to enact their own governing documents as long as they do not conflict with those of Israel,” he wrote.

Friedman argues the US should support Israel’s annexation “based first and foremost on biblical prophecies and values”, saying that such a policy “hearkens back to basic Judeo-Christian values of kindness, human dignity, humility and prosperity”.

Friedman said he has not yet shared his idea for funding the annexation with Trump. “I hope to share it with him at the appropriate time.”

NOTE: “Biblical prophecies” do not speak anywhere of a modern Jewish state. Pro-Israel (and in many cases, antisemitic) interpretations of Biblical prophecies have twisted the words of the sacred text to imply that a modern Jewish state is a precursor to the endtimes and the return of Christ.

RECOMMENDED READING: Friedman drove the radical overhaul of US policy on Israel-Palestine and Trump Is Desperate for Miriam Adelson’s Cash. Her Condition: West Bank Annexation

President Donald J. Trump, joined by White House senior staff members, delivers a statement announcing the agreement of full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in the Oval Office of the White House (David Friedman, L).
President Donald J. Trump, joined by White House senior staff members, delivers a statement announcing the agreement of full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in the Oval Office of the White House (David Friedman, L). (photo)
U.S. Still Talking Up a Hostage Deal, but Privately Despair About Netanyahu

Ha’aretz reports:

The Biden administration continues to insist publicly that it is committed to negotiations on a hostage and cease-fire deal in Gaza Strip, but senior officials in the government are expressing despair and frustration about the state of the talks, especially after Israel’s security cabinet approved a resolution last week opposing withdrawal from the Philadelphi route in the context of an agreement.

The aim of the administration’s public messages, according to one of the officials, was to allow the talks to continue, in the hope that a breakthrough might occur nonetheless. “It has no real connection to reality,” he said.

President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and White House national security spokesman John Kirby repeat every few days that progress has been made in the talks, the gaps between Israel and Hamas can be bridged and an agreement is within reach, if both sides agree to compromise.

Behind the scenes, however, the administration is well aware that the talks have reached an impasse due to Netanyahu’s insistence on the issue of the Philadelphi route, and it seems that both the prime minister and Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas and the organization’s top official in Gaza, are refusing to take the necessary steps to reach a deal at this time. “We want this agreement more than they do,” the American official said.

HA’ARETZ ALSO REPORTS: A source inside the Netanyahu coalition who is closely involved in and a part of the government said, “Benjamin Netanyahu decided some weeks ago that he does not want a deal, and when it became possible, he got nervous and did all he could to torpedo it. He figured out that [he could use] the Philadelphi corridor” to stall the process.

“The media fell for this spin and is consumed all day long with the question of yes or no to the Philadelphi, when the real question is really the fate of the hostages versus the fate of the coalition,” the source added.

“Not one minister, including those who know that Netanyahu is sabotaging a deal, will do anything,” the source says. “They are bound to one another, their political survival depends on the government’s survival, and therefore this situation will continue. Netanyahu will pursue an endless war because that’s what is good for him.”

Netanyahu, centre, chairs a cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in Tel Aviv
Netanyahu, center, chairs a cabinet meeting at the Kirya, which houses the Israeli Ministry of Defense, in Tel Aviv (photo)
David Cameron sat on advice that there was breach of law in Gaza, officials say

The Guardian reports:

As far back as February, UK’s former foreign secretary David Cameron sat on advice that arms export licenses to Israel should be banned.

The recommendation was based on clear evidence that Israel was violating international humanitarian law in Gaza, for which the UK risked being complicit, a former Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) adviser said.

The source, who contributed to the drafting of the advice, was speaking after the Labour government banned 30 of about 350 arms export licenses due to a clear risk cited in a government memorandum published on Monday that they might be used in serious breaches of international humanitarian law.

“The tragedy has to be considered: how many lives might have been saved if the arms export licenses had been stopped [in February and not in September, and what the potential ripple effect might have been on how other countries would have reacted in ceasing trade.”

NOTE: While the Biden administration has claimed often to be “working day and night” on a ceasefire, in reality, it has been working relentlessly to keep Israel armed – including through secret arms sales – to enable its genocidal war on the Palestinian people. American arms shipments to Israel since October 7th have surpassed 50,000 tons.

Most Americans are opposed to arms transfers to Israel.

RECOMMENDED READING: An arms embargo on Israel is not a radical idea — it’s the law

Then-Foreign Secretary David Cameron meets Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State for a bilateral meeting and press conference at the US State Department in Washington D.C., December 2023
Then-Foreign Secretary David Cameron meets Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State for a bilateral meeting and press conference at the US State Department in Washington D.C., December 2023 (photo)
Which countries have banned or restricted arms sales to Israel?


Britain is the latest country to shift its position on arms sales to Israel, which has been dependent on international weaponry for an 11-month assault on Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people.

Here is how different countries have responded to Israel’s war:

Banned or restricted arms sales

Britain
Italy
Spain
Canada
Belgium
The Netherlands
No ban on arms sales

The US
Germany
Denmark
(For details on each country listed, go here.)




There Is No Argument For Supporting Israel That’s Both Logical And Moral

by Caitlyn Johnstone:

It’s wild when you realize that nobody can actually articulate a reason why Israel should be supported that is both logically coherent and morally defensible.

Westerners grow up being indoctrinated with the understanding that this tiny country in the middle east is super duper important and needs to be supported and defended at all cost, but if you examine the reasons given for why this is so as an adult, you find that none of them really hold water.

“Israel is the only place where Jews can be safe!”
“The Jews deserve a homeland!”
“Israel is the only liberal democracy in the middle east.”
“I support Israel’s existence but I oppose the mistreatment of Palestinians.”
“Israel is essential for protecting our interests in the region.”
(Read Caitlyn Johnstone’s rebuttal to each of these statements here.)

Palestinians remove whatever belongings they can salvage from the area as the devastation left by the Israeli army’s withdrawal comes to light in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza on August 29, 2024. [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency]
Palestinians remove whatever belongings they can salvage from the area as the devastation left by the Israeli army’s withdrawal comes to light in eastern Deir al-Balah, Gaza on August 29, 2024. [Ali Jadallah – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
Columbia U students will not be silenced on Palestine

Palestine Chronicle reports:

The students at Columbia University in New York City inaugurated their first day of the fall semester on Tuesday by staging pro-Palestine demonstrations.

This resulted in the arrest of two students by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) outside of Barnard gates, as reported by the Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine.

The group live-streamed on the social media platform X parts of the protests, stating that the NYPD officers were “extremely aggressive with students, shoving protestors against the barricades”.

The student group stressed that as long as their university remains complicit in the ongoing genocide in Gaza “there is no business as usual during a genocide.”

“We refuse to live in a world where the mass murder of Palestinians is normal, acceptable, and profitable. Columbia University is complicit in genocide. Their investments in weapons manufacturers & defense contractors, companies such as Lockheed Martin, are fueling the genocide,” the students said on X.

The students also posted photos and footage of the statue of Alma Mater, on the steps of Columbia’s library, soaked in red as a sign of their university’s financial support for Israel and repression of pro-Palestine voices amid genocide, per the group.

The statue of Alma Mater, on the steps of Columbia’s library, was soaked in red as the protests resumed. (Photo: via NationalSJP TW Page)
The statue of Alma Mater, on the steps of Columbia’s library, was soaked in red as the protests resumed. (Photo: via NationalSJP TW Page) (photo)
MORE NEWS:

IMEMC Daily Reports.

The Guardian: Australia’s security chief says person who likes tweet supporting 7 October attacks on Israel could fail visa security test

The Cradle: Amnesty blasts UK ‘gesture politics’ after suspension of less than 10 percent of arms export licenses to Israel

Caitlyn’s Newsletter: The West Truly Doesn’t See Palestinians As Human

Al Jazeera: Paralympics: Palestine’s Aldeeb sees himself as the voice of his people

+972 Magazine: ‘This is also America’s war’: Why the U.S. isn’t stopping Israel’s Gaza onslaught

STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – SEPTEMBER 3:

Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 3, 2024: at least 41,546* (40,861 in Gaza* – 11,445 women (30%), 16,251 children as of July 22. [The Ministry’s figures have been contested by the Israeli authorities, although they have been accepted as accurate by Israeli intelligence services, the UN, and WHO. These data are supported by independent analyses, comparing changes in the number of deaths of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff with those reported by the Ministry, which found claims of data fabrication implausible.]

This is expected to be a significant undercount since thousands of those killed have yet to be identified – and at least 685 in the West Bank (~147 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 49,032 Palestinian deaths.

Lancet: “Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct death9 to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186 000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.

Ralph Nader earlier estimated 200,000 Palestinians may have been killed in Gaza.

At least 45 Palestinians have died in Israeli prisons (27 from Gaza, 23 from West Bank).
At least 41 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition**.
About 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are currently displaced.
Almost 500,000 Gazans are currently experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.
Palestinian injuries from October 7 – September 3: at least 100,098 (including at least 94,398 in Gaza and 5,700 in the West Bank, including 830 children). [It remains unknown how man Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.]

Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 3, 2024: ~1,452 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 288*** military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza; 25 military and civilians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel) and~10,000 injured.

NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries of Israelis on October 7 were caused by Israeli soldiers.

*Previously, IAK did not include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile was being disputed. However, given that much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, Israel had previously bombed the hospital and has attacked many others, Israel is prohibiting outside experts from investigating the scene, and since the UN and other agencies are including the deaths from the attack in their cumulative totals, if Americans knew is now also doing so.

**Euro-Med Monitor reports that Gaza’s elderly are dying at an alarmingly high rate. The majority die at home and are buried either close to their residences or in makeshift graves dispersed across the Strip. There are currently more than 140 such cemeteries. Additionally, according to Euromed, thousands have died from starvation, malnourishment, and inadequate medical care; these are considered indirect victims as they were not registered in hospitals.

***Approximately ten of the deaths listed above were Israeli soldiers killed by Hezbollah in fighting at the Israel-Lebanon border. The figure does not include the reportedly 53 Israeli soldiers – nearly 16% of the total Israeli military deaths – killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents.

† For most of the conflict, women and children accounted for about 70% of deaths in Gaza, with children making up a little over 40% of those killed, according to official statistics.

Find previous daily casualty figures and daily news updates here.

Hover over each bar for exact numbers.
Source: IsraelPalestineTimeline.org

Human rights reports on Israel-Palestine (regularly updated)
Alison Weir trending on social media – what the buzz is about
Israeli media’s coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees shows support for sexual violence in service of genocide
Inside Israel’s torture, rape, and dehumanization centers
I’m a pediatrician. The scars I saw on Gaza’s children will take generations to heal.
What Harris’s Jewish outreach director said at a private DNC afterparty
‘Strong record of supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship’: a look at Tim Walz’s votes on Palestine as a member of Congress
Nearly Two-Thirds of All Campaign Funds for Cori Bush Challenger Came From AIPAC
Israeli army probe covered up “friendly fire” killings on October 7
Are US officials’ investments of public funds in Israeli bonds ethical? How much is too much?
Honoring the memory of a Gazan Olympic hero: Majed Abu Maraheel
An American was just shot in the West Bank. The American press can’t be bothered.
Understanding what motivates ultra-orthodox Jewish attacks on West Bank Palestinians
Palestinians’ harrowing stories of rape by Israeli soldiers (including female soldiers)
A Palestinian journalist visited Ismail Haniyeh’s home in Gaza to report on his death. Israel assassinated him too.
I reported a piece for the New York Times on antisemitism. I found a major error, but the Times didn’t care.
How Israel plans to whitewash its war crimes in Gaza
Why the West Bank is on the verge of economic collapse
Netanyahu’s plan to involve US in regional war on its behalf
Western media continue to withhold the truth about Israel and Gaza – 4 stories
“Well What SHOULD Israel Have Done After October 7?”
Welcome to Hell
More dead children. More BBC ‘news’ channelling Israeli propaganda as its own
U.S. media downplays and ignores ICJ ruling declaring Israeli occupation illegal
Israeli soldiers tell story of savage cruelty in Gaza – one given blessing by the West
Searching for Gaza’s missing children

https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-inflicted-palestinian-injuries-gaza-west-bank-surpass-100000-day-332/

LIVING MEMORIES !

WHEN IT SEEMS ALL THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU!

With time, I have come to the conclusive belief, that containing emotions is no longer a virtue, but the pride that you can do it alone, when evidently you need help.

DON'T GET ME WRONG PLEASE... WE ARE OF A DIFFERENT MAKEUP, AND TRULY THERE ARE THOSE BUILT STRONG ENOUGH TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THEIR PAINS ALONE. BUT I JUST DON'T BELIEVE ANYMORE IN TRYING TO LIVE IT OUT WHEN A LITTLE HELP COULD LIFT ME UP.
I will try and explain;

Many people think it’s only acceptable for children to cry, laugh out loud, openly show disgust or anger. They’re kids ,they don’t know any better, right?

But if you want to consider yourself a grown-up, you need to be resilient. The thing is, many people confuse emotional resilience with trying to control their feelings.

I also used to believe in that approach. If I could remain calm through adversity, I thought, this was a sign of strength. The problem was, this usually meant I ignored my feelings.

This undermined many areas of my life ... I lost many opportunities of freely offered help. It took me SIX YEARS ON THE GROUND AND BEDRIDDEN TO UNDERSTAND THIS. AND IT'S WHY I FIND IT SO EASY TO APPRECIATE EVERY LITTLE GESTURE OF HELP, SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE SNUBBED IN THE PAST.

Please appreciate help, every little help that comes your way...if it's money, it may be all the helper have. You know why, SOMETIMES THE ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY BLINDS OUR SENSE OF REASONING AND BIRTHS SELFISHNESS IN US.

There were times in the past when I was asked, is it okay, and I will smile answer , *it's well*and within me I was dying silently inside.
I thought I was “controlling my emotions.” In reality, I was denying them, being dishonest both with myself and the ones who offered help.
It took me a long time I can say ,to finally say I learned my lesson. I don’t intend to control my emotions anymore. Instead, I aim for managing how I respond to the feelings I have.

The difference between controlling your emotions and your responses is that
you can’t choose which emotions you experience. You can, however, decide what you do with them.

For instance,today, and I mean for the past 24 hours and more, it's like the entire world ganged against me. I don't want to bother you with the sordid tales. But I felt abandoned by God this time around... the Almighty God Who has never left my side, appeared to have done so today. Well,to just give an insight,there was no works of the hand for Him to bless. My fragile body composition became a double hell. My inner circle never knew I could survive it this time around, and made much worse by my kid who is down as well. When I used the word, *FRAGILE,* those living around would say,*hey! the guy is the father of lies himself.*

Though,he barely comes out under the pretense of his disability,as if his own is the worst in the world ,but the few times I or we have seen him, he looks perfectly healthy (all round fatness. Why would he lie like that? To beg for help because he's too lazy to work or support his ever undeserved premature aging wife. Everyone has a right to a personal opinion...I just wished they will draw closer before forming an opinion.

Emotions are triggered by your unconscious mind, based on the experiences you had in the past,and is having currently, and probably continue to have. When something reminds you of a memory, your mind elicits the emotional response associated with it.

In this scenario, you’re overridden by your emotions. You react to them on autopilot, according to patterns from the past. For example, you feel angry — therefore you yell at your partner. Or, you feel insecure — therefore you withdraw. You default to automatic behaviors that aren’t serving you.

But by God's Grace and Mercy, prompted by His Holy Spirit, I remembered and continue to remember the GOODNESS OF GOD IN MY LIFE AND FAMILY, without WHOM I would have long been extinct. I remembered His Word and His Promise;
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jer 29: 11)

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jer 1: 5)

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (Isa 43: 2)

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Mat 28: 20)

With these Holy Spirit reminded scriptures,I came to my senses and asked Daddy for forgiveness,for my ungratefulness, worst of all belittling His Presence Around Me,when I thought He
Wasn't.
And now, I AM CONFIDENT HE'S BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING IT OUT FOR ME. LIKE OUR DEFAULT NATURE,WE LACK PATIENCE, AND I PRAY FOR PATIENCE DEAR LORD, EVEN IF IT MEANS MY GOING DOWN THIS WAY...YOUR WORD IS SACRED AND MUST BE HONORED;
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Heb 10: 36)

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psa 138: 2)

Thank You Father !

Kamala vs. Trump: Who is More Zionist? - VT Foreign Policy
September 3, 2024
VT Condemns the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS by USA/Israel

$ 280 BILLION US TAXPAYER DOLLARS INVESTED since 1948 in US/Israeli Ethnic Cleansing and Occupation Operation; $ 150B direct "aid" and $ 130B in "Offense" contracts
Source: Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C. and US Department of State.

I am in personal distress. I am an ethnically cleansed Arab-American and the country of my citizenship is funding the ethnic cleansing of our family in Palestine. Many of my cousins and American friends feel the stress each day and, frankly, feel helpless.

We are looking for answers; for heroes to help us and our families. But all we get is a few tin words from Kamala and a middle finger from the vulgar Trump.

In our distress, many Arab Americans are beyond offended by the Biden Administration’s actions against Palestinians. In Gaza, they are openly murdering civilians including children and no one is stopping the Americans and Israeli’s.



In Michigan, which has the most Arab-American voters, the two parties are concerned they will lose those votes and so they are trying to pretend they care about Palestinians; at least for the next 2 months. But we all know that is bullshit. So who should Arab-Americans or any Americans vote for that care for helpless millions of people stuck in the Israeli controlled Gaza concentration camps funded by the US Government?

The short answer is …

It does NOT matter! They both equally suck! So stop pretending one is better than the other because there is NO difference! Period!

The USA is pro-Israel and has been its greatest ally since 1945. Period! End of Story! So if any of you are expecting the USA, the chief funding source for the Euro-Western Outpost in the Middle East commonly known as Israel, to be sympathetic towards Palestinians and the indigenous peoples of the area, well, I refer you to “Chief Always Getting Bullshitted” who now lives on a reservation, whatever the fuck that means.



In fact, from 1778 to 1871, the United States government entered into more than 500 treaties with the Native American tribes; all of these treaties have since been violated in some way or outright broken by the U.S. government, with Native Americans and First Nations peoples still fighting for their treaty rights. This is how the USA and Israel do their business. And if you were unaware of this reality, then that’s on you.

Okay, so now you know… stop depending on the USA to save Palestine! And vote your conscience despite the USA policy towards Israel because it matters not! The USA is the problem, not the solution! Wake Up McFly! Anybody Home! Think McMfly Think!

Never mind the Back To The Future references, if you still think one of these political animals will save Palestine, then let’s take a deeper look at Kamala vs. Trump.


Then US President Donald Trump getting his balls buttered as he awards Israeli Billionaire Zionist Miriam Adelson with the US Medal of Freedom during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, November 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Comparing the foreign policy positions of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump regarding Israel reveals distinct approaches that reflect their broader political ideologies and party affiliations.

Both figures have prioritized the U.S.-Israel relationship but have different perspectives on how to maintain and enhance this alliance.

Below is a comparison of their views and policies on key issues related to Israel:

U.S.-Israel Relationship

Donald Trump: During his presidency, Trump adopted a staunchly pro-Israel stance, which was seen as a significant departure from the more balanced approach of his predecessors. Trump’s policies were characterized by a strong personal rapport with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a commitment to solidifying the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership. This included moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. These actions were celebrated by many in Israel and by pro-Israel groups in the United States but drew criticism from some international actors and U.S. political figures who argued they could undermine peace efforts with the Palestinians.

Kamala Harris: Vice President Harris, aligned with the broader Democratic stance, emphasizes a strong commitment to Israel’s security while also giving the typical same ole bullshit lip service pretending to advocate for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Harris has voiced her support for Israel’s right to defend itself and has reiterated the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship. However, unlike Trump, her position emphasizes diplomacy and engagement with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to achieve a peaceful resolution. Harris supports keeping the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem but has been more cautious about unilateral actions that could exacerbate tensions in the region.


Bibi letting Kamala know where she stands in the scheme of global power!
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Donald Trump: Trump’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was one-sided, favoring Israeli positions. Period! The only thing Trump hides is his head up Bibi’s ass. His administration’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan, unveiled in early 2020, proposed a two-state solution but was criticized for heavily favoring Israeli security needs and territorial claims. The plan included provisions for Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank, which many Palestinians and international observers viewed as detrimental to the prospects of a viable Palestinian state. Trump’s administration also cut aid to the Palestinians and closed the Palestine Liberation Organization’s office in Washington, D.C.

Kamala Harris: Harris says she supports a two-state solution and has expressed concern about actions that could undermine this goal, such as settlement expansion in the West Bank. But everyone in the world knows that’s bullshit. It is the same ole words since 1945. Means nothing because the actions are the actions. Harris and the Biden administration say they advocate for renewed diplomatic engagement and have restored aid to the Palestinians that was cut under Trump. Harris emphasizes the need for direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians and has called for both sides to avoid unilateral measures that would make peace more difficult to achieve. Her approach tends to be more balanced, aiming to consider both Israeli security concerns and Palestinian aspirations. But in the end, it’s all 100% Israel and everyone knows it.

Normalization of Relations with Arab States

Donald Trump: A significant foreign policy achievement for Trump was the facilitation of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, known collectively as the Abraham Accords. These agreements marked a shift in Middle Eastern dynamics, promoting economic cooperation and reducing isolation for Israel in the region. Trump’s administration positioned these accords as a pathway to broader peace in the Middle East by changing the regional order and shifting focus away from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Kamala Harris: Harris has expressed support for the Abraham Accords and views them as a positive development for regional stability and economic cooperation. The Biden administration has continued to endorse these normalization efforts and looks to build on them. However, Harris also underscores that while normalization between Israel and Arab states is important, it should not come at the expense of addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She believes that a comprehensive peace in the Middle East must include a viable solution for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Iran and Regional Security

Donald Trump: Trump took a hardline stance against Iran, withdrawing from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, which he criticized as flawed and insufficient. His administration imposed stringent sanctions on Iran, aiming to pressure Tehran into renegotiating a more stringent agreement that also addressed ballistic missile development and regional influence. Trump’s policies aligned closely with Israeli security concerns regarding Iran’s influence and nuclear capabilities.

Kamala Harris: Harris, as part of the Biden administration, supports re-engaging with Iran to limit its nuclear program while addressing broader regional security concerns. This includes a potential return to the JCPOA, provided Iran returns to compliance with its nuclear commitments. Harris’s approach is more focused on diplomacy and multilateral efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions and stabilize the region. While Harris shares concerns about Iran’s behavior in the Middle East, her strategy emphasizes a coordinated international response rather than unilateral sanctions.


A man reacts as Palestinians search for casualties a day after Israeli strikes on houses in Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. American politicians don’t care, period! They are funders of murder and death! Period!
Human Rights and Democracy Promotion

Donald Trump: Human rights and democracy promotion in relation to Israel and the Palestinian territories were not primary focal points of Trump’s Middle East policy. His administration often overlooked concerns about human rights violations or democratic backsliding in favor of strategic and security interests. Trump’s administration was criticized for not addressing issues like Israeli settlement expansion or Palestinian rights adequately, focusing instead on bolstering strategic alliances.

Kamala Harris: Harris places more emphasis on human rights and democracy as integral components of U.S. foreign policy. She supports continued military aid to Israel but with a focus on ensuring that such aid is consistent with human rights standards. Harris has called for accountability on all sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has advocated for measures that support peace, security, and human rights. She believes that promoting democratic values is key to achieving long-term peace and stability in the region.

Conclusion

The foreign policy positions of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump regarding Israel reflect their broader ideological differences and priorities. Trump’s approach was characterized by strong, unilateral support for Israeli government policies, emphasizing security and regional realignment.

In contrast, Harris advocates for a more balanced approach that maintains strong support for Israel while emphasizing diplomacy, human rights, and a commitment to a two-state solution. Both approaches aim to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations but differ significantly in their strategies for achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. And both are 100% pro-Israel. They simply do NOT care how many Palestinians get murdered by their bombs. It means nothing to American Politicians. Period!

So Mister Arab-American looking for a hero to save Palestinian peoples, look somewhere else cause Kamala and Trump won’t save anyone! This is a big power business and you’re nobody to them!


The US has been the chief funder of colonialism in Palestine since 1945
References

Here are some references that can be used to substantiate the comparisons between the foreign policy positions of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump regarding Israel:

1. U.S.-Israel Relationship

Trump’s pro-Israel stance and key policy actions:
“Trump recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and orders U.S. embassy to move,” The Washington Post, December 6, 2017.
“Trump officially recognizes Golan Heights as Israeli territory,” BBC News, March 25, 2019.
Kamala Harris’s views and actions related to Israel:
“Kamala Harris: U.S. will never let Iran acquire nuclear weapon,” The Times of Israel, March 1, 2021.
“Kamala Harris affirms US support for Israel, commitment to two-state solution in call with Netanyahu,” The Hill, November 30, 2020.
2. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Trump’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process:
“Trump’s Israel-Palestine ‘peace plan’ grants Israel most of what it wants, including settlements and Jerusalem,” Vox, January 28, 2020.
“Trump cuts $200 million in aid to Palestinians,” Reuters, August 24, 2018.
Harris’s stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
“Kamala Harris reiterates support for two-state solution in call with Netanyahu,” Haaretz, November 30, 2020.
“Biden administration to restore US aid to Palestinians, including for UNRWA,” The Guardian, April 7, 2021.
3. Normalization of Relations with Arab States

Trump and the Abraham Accords:
“What are the Abraham Accords? The significance of UAE, Bahrain, Israel deals,” Al Jazeera, September 15, 2020.
“Morocco joins the Abraham Accords, becoming the fourth country to normalize relations with Israel,” The New York Times, December 10, 2020.
Kamala Harris and her support for normalization agreements:
“Kamala Harris supports Israel normalization deals, two-state solution,” Jerusalem Post, August 12, 2020.
“Biden and Harris to continue pushing Arab-Israel normalization efforts,” Middle East Eye, October 29, 2020.
4. Iran and Regional Security

Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal:
“Trump abandons Iran nuclear deal he long scorned,” The New York Times, May 8, 2018.
“U.S. reimposes all Iran sanctions lifted under Obama nuclear deal,” Reuters, November 5, 2018.
Harris’s support for diplomatic engagement with Iran:
“Kamala Harris on Iran: ‘The Biden-Harris administration will seek to re-enter the JCPOA’,” The National Interest, August 2020.
“Harris supports Biden’s commitment to diplomacy with Iran,” The Times of Israel, March 1, 2021.
5. Human Rights and Democracy Promotion

Human rights and Trump’s foreign policy:
“Trump’s foreign policy record: The good, the bad, and the ugly,” Brookings Institution, January 19, 2021.
“Trump’s record on human rights,” Human Rights Watch, January 2020.
Harris’s focus on human rights and democracy:
“Kamala Harris: US will stand up for human rights and democratic principles,” The Times of Israel, March 1, 2021.
“Harris tells AIPAC Biden administration will keep aid to Israel with no strings attached,” Haaretz, March 2, 2020.
Johnny Punish
Johnny Punish founded VT in 2004. After 20 years at the helm, he “retired” from the daily operations in late 2023 passing the ball over to the new owner of VT, Chief Justin Time. He now writes for VT as “Writer Emeritus”. He is also a global citizen eco-activist, visionary, musician, artist, entertainer, businessman, investor, life coach, podcast host, and syndicated columnist.

Punish is an ethnically cleansed Palestinian-American whose maternal family was evicted from their home in Haifa, Palestine in 1948. He is also the founder and owner of Global Thinkers, a freedom media for free minds.

Resources: Facebook – YouTube – Apple Music – SoundCloud – Spotify – X (Twitter)

Read Johnny’s Full Bio at JohnnyPunish.com >>>

www.johnnypunish.com

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https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/09/kamala-vs-trump-who-is-more-zionist/

TOWARDS THE PERFECT MAN(JAS.1:4)


GOD'S MANDATE OF STRIVING FOR PEACE WITH ANYONE AND EVERYONE.(PART ONE)

Hebrews 12:14, KJV: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Reading the above verse and its rendition literally,one would see it as an unimportant issue,but truly,*OUR SALVATION LIES THEREIN* In that single verse,lies the key to Christ-like living,which in other words is *PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY*

In it,we are encouraged as Christians to *hold fast* despite persecutions and hardships. Most of what we face as believers is not as drastic as it could be;

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. (Heb 12: 4)
Don't get me wrong,I am not implying you must shed blood,in pushing for peace... it's an illustration.

The truth is, to live in peace with fellow man is almost an unattainable task, especially if you find yourself in the midst of some categories of persons...yes,it takes grace. But God knows,hence HE said *WE NEED TO STRIVE,PURSUE IT AGGRESSIVELY*, because, it's tied to our holiness, without which we can't be certain of successful pilgrimage on earth. You can now see its importance.

A common command given in the New Testament is for Christians to seek peace between themselves and others (Romans 12:18; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:13).

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (Rom 12: 18)

In fact, this capacity to "get along" is tied closely to our spiritual maturity (James 3:17; 1 Timothy 3:3; Galatians 5:22).

But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is. (Jas 3: 17)

This is especially important when it comes to relationships between other Christians. Not only does mutual love serve to build up the church, it is a primary sign to the world that we're disciples of Christ (John 13:35; 1 John 3:14; 4:21).

Like I mentioned earlier, because of our differences in our biological make-up, to live crises free life among ourselves as individuals,takes grace, and Christ Jesus offered and continues to offer that much needed grace,if we would only surrender our helplessness to HIM.

The previous chapter (11), recounts the experiences of those who came before us, and how they persevered in the faces of difficulties and even hostilities.

Continuing in Hebrews 12:3–17 a description is built of heroes of the faith, culminating in Christ Jesus. Those who came before were LOVED by GOD and HONOURED by GOD, and YET THEY SUFFERED HARDSHIPS in this world. In this passage, the writer makes it clear that suffering is often God's way of building us up and training us, not necessarily a sign of His displeasure. Christians who respond to trials by seeking God, in faith, can avoid the fate of less-faithful men, like Esau.

Indeed, the fight gets wearisome at times,but God always sustains us...

Notice that the writer of Hebrews said to pursue peace *with all men.*

It might sound odd, but God wants us to be aggressive pursuers of peace in all our relationships. No Christian should allow conflict to fester unresolved in his or her life.

Just as we cannot love God without loving others, we cannot pursue holiness without pursuing peace with all men. We are to pursue peace by aggressively maintaining and promoting friendliness in our relationships.

Romans 12:21 tells us how to pursue peace with those who are our enemies: *be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.* In other words, we pursue peace with all men by doing good to all men.

When we reject desires, attitudes, or actions that are sinful and choose those that are in harmony with God’s word, we share in God’s holiness. We must aggressively pursue sharing in God’s separateness from sin and His purity, righteousness, and goodness.

We are to pursue being holy just like God is holy (1 Peter 1:15–16).*AND WE CAN HARDLY ACHIEVE THIS WITHOUT MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO AVOID UNNECESSARY DUELS THAT PRESENT GOD IN A BAD LIGHT THROUGH OUR DEALINGS WITH FELLOW HUMANS.*

In the preceding verses,we are given some *expos* on how to pursue peace with all men,which culminates in our thirst for a holy lifestyle,as the Holy Spirit guides us;

• Laying aside any hindrances (Heb. 12:1).
• Laying aside the sin that easily ensnares us (Heb. 12:1).
• Fixing our gaze on Jesus (Heb. 12:2).
• Persevering in the fight against sin (Heb. 12:3–4).
• Submitting to the Lord’s chastening and enduring it thankfully (Heb. 12:5–11).
• Strengthening one another (Heb. 12:12–13).

TO BE CONTINUED...

When we come back, we would be looking into some PRACTICAL ways that helps us in the *PURSUIT OF PEACE WITH ALL MEN* Remember,the pursuit of holiness aids us in our determination to follow peace with all men.

May His Grace and Mercy be sufficient for us Amen !

TOWARDS THE PERFECT MAN(JAS.1:4)


GOD'S MANDATE OF STRIVING FOR PEACE WITH ANYONE AND EVERYONE...(PART TWO)

Welcome back, precious brethren.

We were given some steps(pt.one), to follow,if we must find ourselves on the path of holiness.

Now,we continue by studying some PRACTICAL WAYS to make our quest for holiness a reality;

DEVELOP AND PRACTICE COMPASSION, IF YOU HAVEN'T.

One of the most ENDURING LEGACY of our Lord and Saviour,Christ Jesus,while on earth,is COMPASSION.

Compassion is that inward, deeply felt emotional response of pity for a suffering person, coupled with a desire to alleviate that suffering.

Three ingredients of Compassion;
(1) sees the suffering person, (2) feels tender pity in response to the suffering, and
(3) acts to alleviate that suffering when possible.

That sense of tender pity must be distinguished from any self-righteous, condescending, air of superiority that looks down on the sufferer but remains aloof(PRIDE),and unengaged.

I came across this befitting quote for it,*THE CHRISTIAN, THEN, IS TO BE A MAN OF PITY, A MAN WHO CANNOT SEE SUFFERING OR NEED OR DISTRESS WITHOUT A SWORD OF GRIEF AND PITY PIERCING HIS OWN HEART. THERE CAN BE NO MORE COMPLETE OPPOSITES OTHAN CALLOUSNESS AND CHRISTIANITY.*

Godly compassion feels the needs of others and seeks to help.(2 Cor. 1:3–4).

3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. (2Co 1: 3-4)

KINDNESS

Kindness means showing mercy and doing good even to people who do not deserve it or who deserve the opposite.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (Tit 3: 4)

Christ Jesus equally desires us to show kindness even toward the ungrateful and rebellious:
*But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful*(Luke 6:35–36).
We do need grace,lots of it....

It is one thing to give ₦300 to a stranger who deserves nothing from you; it’s another thing to give ₦300 to someone who has spit in your face or attacked you and who deserves the opposite of kindness.
Too often our hearts reflect the opposite,eg;

*That’s the last time I will do him a favour*
*Enough is enough. This relationship/friendship is over.

*After all I’ve done, this is the thanks I get!*

Thankfully, this is not the way God treats us, and it is not the way we have to treat others. How is it possible for you and me to show kindness in these situations? The answer is simple but profound: kindness does not depend on the other person’s character; it depends on us. God does not call us to show kindness to the other person because the other person deserves it, but because God deserves it and because He wants His sons and daughters to be like Him.

HUMILITY

Humility means recognizing that all you have comes from God and that you are absolutely dependent on HIM as both your CREATOR and your REDEEMER. Humility was no more valued in Paul’s day than it is in our day.

Both worlds were, and are, populated by prideful people. People swaggered and strutted, like they do today. They admired dominance, self-assertion, and one-upmanship.

Humility in Paul’s Roman culture was an abject, servile quality, yet Paul exalts it as a strength in Colossians 3:12, as does the rest of our Bible.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (Col 3: 12)

This is the one I esteem:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
and trembles at my word. (Isa. 66:2)

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet. 5:5; also James 4:6)

What does that look like in our horizontal relationships? Biblical humility involves an utter trust in God that allows others to be honored above me.
Humility means preferring others over me;
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves*(Phil. 2:3).
It means taking the last seat as a guest at someone’s dinner table Since God is in complete control, I don’t have to be first. I can lower myself, let others have the top spot, and know HE will provide for me in HIS way, in HIS time.

GENTLENESS

Popular understandings of gentleness sometimes confuse it with weakness or femininity. This is a mistake. The apostle Paul was not a weak man. Yet he describes himself to the Thessalonians as *gentle among you*(1 Thess. 2:7; cf. 2 Cor. 10:1). Christ Jesus was not a weak MAN. Yet HE said of HIMSELF, *I am gentle and humble in heart*(Matt. 11:28–29).

Someone has observed that this is the only place in the Gospel records where Christ Jesus describes HIS inner character.
As I regularly remind men, if our definition of manhood does not feature humility and gentleness as central, then it is unChristian. That lesson doubles for men who are Christian leaders. At HIS core, the GREATEST LEADER who walked this earth was GENTLE and HUMBLE.

PATIENCE

Colossians 3:12 extols *patience*,as being long-suffering, long-fused, and long-tempered toward those who irritate us. It is the ability to bear with people, not to grow angry or bitter or irritated or annoyed with them, even when they are foolish or ungrateful or even apparently hopeless. . . . It is the ability serenely to take people as they are, with all their faults and all their failings, and with all the ways in which they hurt and wound us, and never stop caring for them and bearing with them.

Others are Self restraint, Forbearance , Christ-like forgiveness and Love...On face value,they seemingly have the same meaning...BUT EACH IS DISTINCT ON ITS OWN.

For instance, let's see how apostle Paul uses *LOVE* to conclusively summarised all the attributes we discussed above;

Colossians 3:14;
*And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.*

KJV13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. (Col 3: 13-14)
The apostle prioritizes LOVE,above all else, for with it,the others would naturally fall into place.

SO YOU SEE, TO FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN IS
—our SELF-SACRIFICIAL GIVING for the OTHER PERSON'S BEST— as the most important virtue, THE SUPREME RELATIONAL GRACE.

Let's wrap this up this way

God’s forgiveness of us is HIS DECISION, DECLARATION, and PROMISE to NOT HOLD OUR SINS AGAINST US BUT TO GRACIOUSLY HOLD THEM AGAINST CHRIST JESUS as OUR SUBSTITUTE.

In fact, God’s forgiveness emerges as a major theme here in Colossians.

In chapter 1 Paul recalls, *For [God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins* (Col. 1:13–14).

FOR GOD TO ASK US TO DO SAME TO OTHERS, ISN'T ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.

THANK YOU FATHER ,FOR YOUR UNFATHOMABLE LOVE,AMEN!

Bibi’s bullying visits to Congress never end well
Washington will give Israel's Netanyahu whatever he wants, whether it's in America's interest or not. Who will say no?

Jonas E. Alexis, Senior EditorAugust 31, 2024

On September 12, 2002, Benjamin Netanyahu — then a private citizen — was invited to Congress to give “an Israeli perspective” in support of a U.S. invasion of Iraq. Netanyahu issued a confident prediction: “if you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region,” adding, “and I think that people sitting right next door in Iran, young people, and many others, will say the time of such regimes, of such despots is gone.”

In 2015, Netanyahu returned to Congress — this time as Israel’s prime minister — to undermine the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) negotiations led by the Obama administration along with key U.S. allies the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. After a tepid acknowledgement of President Obama’s support for Israel — Obama ultimately gave Israel $38 billion, the largest military aid package in history — Netanyahu spent the remainder of his speech attacking what would become one of the sitting president’s signature foreign policy achievements.

In both cases, Netanyahu’s advice was catastrophically wrong. America’s invasion of Iraq was a bloody disaster that killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions more, creating massive instability in the region and paving the way for ISIS’s rise.

Meanwhile, Obama’s deal with Iran had succeeded in rolling Iran’s nuclear program back and blocking its pathways to a bomb — that is until the Trump administration followed Netanyahu’s advice and backed out of the deal in 2018, thus forfeiting our capability to contain Iran’s nuclear program while torpedoing prospects for productive engagement with Tehran on reducing regional tensions.

When Trump withdrew from the JCPOA, Iran was at least one year away from being able to produce enough enriched uranium to produce one nuclear weapon. Thanks to that withdrawal, Iran can produce a nuclear weapon in less than two weeks.

Tomorrow, Netanyahu is set to address Congress again — this time, as he prosecutes a campaign of mass carnage and destruction in Gaza that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians — to ask for continued support for his efforts to “defeat Hamas.” Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces themselves call Netanyahu’s pursuit of “total victory” against Hamas impossible and “misleading to the public.”

By now, Netanyahu is used to coming to Washington, telling U.S. leaders what to do, and seeing them oblige. The consequences of abiding his arrogant approach have been nothing short of disastrous. So will Washington allow itself to be bullied by Bibi again? Will Congress and the administration put his selfish demands ahead of the American people’s interests in avoiding a regional war, and ending our complicity in the destruction of Gaza?

Unfortunately, U.S. leaders appear ready to do just that. Meanwhile, Netanyahu likely plans to repeat the same playbook from his last Washington visit: offering the Biden administration nominal praise for their nearly unconditional support of Israel’s war in Gaza before pivoting to put his thumb on the scale for hawkish U.S. politicians during an election year, in a bid to quash any criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

If the last nine months have taught us anything, a large, bipartisan majority in Washington will be happy to oblige Netanyahu’s request for silence on Gaza — even as scores of Americans descend on the Capitol complex to protest Netanyahu and continued U.S. support for this war.

To be clear, the problem neither starts nor ends with Netanyahu’s far-right government. The Knesset’s recent overwhelming vote to reject a two-state solution underscores the major political challenges that remain to any Israeli role in securing Palestinian self-determination. There are systemic roadblocks throughout the Israeli government and military which consistently entangle the U.S. in regional conflicts and erode any prospects for a viable Palestinian state; however, by continuing to provide unconditional support, the U.S. only undermines the conditions necessary to resolve the conflict.

America must use its considerable leverage with Tel Aviv to push for both an end to this war and for security and peace for Israelis and Palestinians.

Instead, the Biden administration has aided and abetted Israel’s reckless behavior during this war at every turn, from approving more than 100 arms sales to Israel and vetoing various efforts to push for a ceasefire at the United Nations, to rejecting legitimate findings that Israel violated international law during its war in Gaza. This unconditional support for Israel — a public “bearhug” meant to open space for difficult conversation in private — has utterly failed to restrain Israel in its war, while making Americans a party to the slaughter of Palestinian civilians.

This approach has not just been a moral failure — it’s a serious strategic mistake. Netanyahu has repeatedly proven that he is not a reliable partner for the United States. He has been a major obstacle to a ceasefire with Hamas; he is deeply divisive and it is widely accepted, even within Israel, that Netanyahu needs the Gaza conflict for his political survival.



As Netanyahu prolongs the war in Gaza while ramping up conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, he has made it abundantly clear that he is willing to drag the U.S. into yet another unnecessary war in the Middle East: a war that would not serve American or even Israeli interests, but only his continued pursuit of power.



The prime minister’s visit offers the White House and Congress an opportunity to turn the page on this failed strategy, to press Israel to end its war, and to prevent a wider regional war that would put U.S. troops in the line of fire. U.S. leaders must use their time with Netanyahu to deliver a clear message: enough is enough. Reach a deal, bring the hostages home, and end the bloodshed before it spirals into a wider war.



Washington likes to talk a lot about America’s power and prestige on the world stage. It is well past time to bring these assets to bear to end the assault on Gaza and begin building a durable peace. Israel’s government should not be able to count on a blank check from Washington for more war.

https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/08/bibis-bullying-visits-to-congress-never-end-well-bibis-bullying-visits-to-congress-never-end-well/

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