• Israel has wiped out 902 Palestinian families in Gaza over past year – Day 361
    [email protected] October 3, 2024 Ahmed al-Zard, António Guterres persona non grata, bernie sanders, blocking weapons to israel, evacuation from lebanon, genocide, Iran, iran sanctions, massacre, palestinian journalist, walid daqqa, weapons to israel, white phosphorus


    Israel admits air bases were hit in Iran attack – how much damage was there?

    Various agencies report:

    Middle East Monitor says: The Israeli army yesterday admitted that some of its air bases were hit during Iran’s missile attack on the occupation state on Tuesday night, but claimed the impact was insignificant.

    Army Radio quoted the military: “No air force aircraft were damaged in the attack and all of the missile impacts in the air bases are deemed by the military as ‘ineffective’, meaning that no harm was caused to the continuous operations of the air force.”

    A number of videos on social media Tuesday night, during the attack, show impact explosions, infrastructure damage, and huge craters (for example, this and this and this and this and this).

    Military Watch Magazine says: Reports have indicated that the bulk of Nevatim Air Base’s F-35s – over 20 fighters – were destroyed in the attack, with the stealth fighters representing one of the most high value targets in Israel.

    F-35s play a central role in Israeli plans for potential attacks on Iran, with their stealth capabilities and advanced avionics, including electronic warfare systems and other air defense suppression features, making them optimal assets for such operations.

    Forbes, however, stated that these “reports” are from Iranian state media, and is an example of “spread[ing] misinformation and propaganda without supporting evidence.”

    Ha’aretz points out: According to images taken by Planet Labs, one missile hit an aircraft hangar. Most photos of the damage were banned from publication.

    Israel heavily censors information on its military, so the truth may never come out.

    On April 13, Iran launched several hundred of its older missiles toward Israel, most of which were intercepted. The Iranian mission to the UN declared, “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” and said Iran now “deemed the matter concluded”.

    On July 31, Israel assassinated Hamas political leader – the Palestinians’ head ceasefire negotiator – while he was an official guest on sovereign soil in Iran.

    In late September, Israel carried out attacks in Lebanon, killing over 700 in just a few days, including Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

    Iran vowed to respond, and on Tuesday night, it did. Following its missile attack on Israel, Iran indicated that its retaliation was complete and the chapter could be closed (unless Israel again did something provocative).

    Various agencies report:

    US President Joe Biden is counseling Israel to take a proportional response to this week’s barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles, voicing opposition to a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear sites in the hopes of preventing the conflict that has erupted in the region from widening further.

    “No one’s saying don’t respond,” one senior administration official said.

    Kamala Harris’ statement Tuesday: “Iran launched 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in a reckless and brazen attack. I condemn this attack unequivocally. Iran is a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East, and today’s attack on Israel only further demonstrates that fact.”

    After talking about the Iranian attack as a brazen and unacceptable escalation, State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller was asked by the press if he considered anything Israel has done in the past three weeks escalatory. Miller ridiculously refused to acknowledge any escalatory behavior on Israel’s part, saying instead that Israel had merely “done things to expand the conflict” in order to fight terrorism.

    US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that the US would work with Israel to ensure Iran faces “severe consequences” for launching a missile attack on Israel.

    THAT IS TO SAY: Harris does not consider Israel’s multiple unprovoked attacks to be destabilizing or dangerous; Miller could not bring himself to admit that Israel had done anything provocative; Sullivan announced that the US was collaborating with Israel to bring another attack from Iran.

    Sina Toossi of the Center for International Policy offers this commentary: “After a string of assassinations and other Israeli escalations in recent weeks, Iran is trying to create a new deterrence equilibrium. They are saying that we can still hit you, and we can hit you hard. Iran is actually trying to ‘escalate to de-escalate’ here.”


    Several Israeli politicians openly call for a large-scale assault on Iran

    Middle East Eye reports:

    Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said: “Israel has now its greatest opportunity in 50 years, to change the face of the Middle East. We must act now to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, its central energy facilities, and to fatally cripple this terrorist regime.”

    National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said: “What we did to Lebanon must also be done to Iran… no political arrangements, no diplomacy – crush, crush, crush.”

    Parliament member Avigdor Lieberman said: “Bomb all the oil, gas and nuclear facilities, and destroy the refineries and dams.”

    NOTE: According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative: Although Israel has possessed nuclear weapons since the 1960s, it maintains a policy of nuclear opacity, never officially confirming the existence of its nuclear program. Accordingly, Israel has never signed the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

    Peace is within reach – if Israel will be a partner

    From the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi:

    The Arab world calls on the international community to bring Israel to the table, where a peace initiative is waiting for him.



    US finally steps up to evacuate Americans from Lebanon

    BACKGROUND: The US State Department faced harsh criticism after announcing Sunday that it would not be assisting Americans who wanted to leave Lebanon, as Israel (backed by the US) has increased its attacks on southern Lebanon.

    National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said, “Right now, the State Department does not feel a need for [evacuation]. There are still commercial operations, commercial air traffic that is getting out of Beirut and are still available to those Americans that want to leave…if you’re in Lebanon and you want to go, go now while these options are available to you.”

    Apparently, the agency has had second thoughts.

    CNN reports:

    The US organized a charter flight for Americans to depart Lebanon on Wednesday and plans to offer future flights based on demand, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said.

    There were just over 100 people, including Americans and family members of American citizens, on the flight today, he said. The flight flew from Beirut to Istanbul.

    “It’s been a priority for us to enhance the capacity of flights in and out of the region, so we’ve contracted with additional carriers to facilitate the transport of American citizens,” Miller said.

    “We do hope to organize additional flights in the coming days, depending on demand.”

    Around 7,000 people have registered with the State Department to get more information about US-supported ways to depart Lebanon.

    Malaysian PM calls out Netanyahu’s genocidal self-preservation strategy

    Anadolu Agency reports:

    Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim criticized Israeli politicians Wednesday, saying they are sacrificing innocent lives to keep themselves in power.

    In a statement on X, Anwar said Israel’s continued aggression and attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Yemen are deliberate attempts to divert the global community’s focus from its brutal atrocities and acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

    “This escalation is plainly aimed at keeping Israel’s current political leaders in power and out of prison, sacrificing innocent lives at the altar of one man’s political career,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    He called on all parties in the Middle East to urgently de-escalate tensions which are destabilizing the region.



    Israeli court rules that body of Walid Daqqa can be held as bargaining chip in hostage negotiations

    The New Arab reports:

    Israel’s highest court on Monday ruled authorities have the right to indefinitely hold the body of Palestinian novelist Walid Daqqa, rejecting a petition filed by his family to secure the return of his remains for a dignified burial.

    Daqqa, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, died from cancer at age 62 while still in custody in April.

    He had spent 38 years in detention for the kidnapping and murder of an Israeli soldier in 1984, with Israel accusing him of being a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

    During his time in prison, Daqqa authored several highly regarded works of Arabic literature, including the 2018 children’s fable The Tale of the Secrets of the Oil.

    Following his cancer diagnosis, there were widespread calls for him to be released early, with only two years left on his sentence. However, Israel refused.

    Additionally, Amnesty International visited him a few weeks before his death and reported that he had been subject to torture while in an already weakened state.

    Palestinian journalist released by Israel

    Middle East Monitor reports:

    The Israeli authorities released journalist Asmaa Harish Tuesday after holding her for six months in administrative detention in Damon Prison, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported.

    She was detained in April of this year, and has been since subjected to ill-treatment and serious human rights violations.

    READ: Welcome to Hell: the Israeli prison system as a network of torture camps

    Israel continues to hold 96 Palestinian women in its prison, including 27 administrative detainees, not including prisoners from Gaza.

    The release of Harish means that Israel is now holding six women journalists in its prisons.

    NOTE: The Committee To Protect Journalists reports that at least 174 journalists have been killed in the Palestinian territories since October 7th, making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992. Israel also recently banned Al Jazeera from broadcasting in Israel and the West Bank, forbids international journalists entrance into Gaza, and heavily censors reporting by international news organizations.

    Read about the assassination by Israel of one of Palestine’s most beloved journalists, Shireen Abu Akleh, here.



    https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-has-wiped-out-902-palestinian-families-in-gaza-over-past-year-day-361/
    Israel has wiped out 902 Palestinian families in Gaza over past year – Day 361 [email protected] October 3, 2024 Ahmed al-Zard, António Guterres persona non grata, bernie sanders, blocking weapons to israel, evacuation from lebanon, genocide, Iran, iran sanctions, massacre, palestinian journalist, walid daqqa, weapons to israel, white phosphorus Israel admits air bases were hit in Iran attack – how much damage was there? Various agencies report: Middle East Monitor says: The Israeli army yesterday admitted that some of its air bases were hit during Iran’s missile attack on the occupation state on Tuesday night, but claimed the impact was insignificant. Army Radio quoted the military: “No air force aircraft were damaged in the attack and all of the missile impacts in the air bases are deemed by the military as ‘ineffective’, meaning that no harm was caused to the continuous operations of the air force.” A number of videos on social media Tuesday night, during the attack, show impact explosions, infrastructure damage, and huge craters (for example, this and this and this and this and this). Military Watch Magazine says: Reports have indicated that the bulk of Nevatim Air Base’s F-35s – over 20 fighters – were destroyed in the attack, with the stealth fighters representing one of the most high value targets in Israel. F-35s play a central role in Israeli plans for potential attacks on Iran, with their stealth capabilities and advanced avionics, including electronic warfare systems and other air defense suppression features, making them optimal assets for such operations. Forbes, however, stated that these “reports” are from Iranian state media, and is an example of “spread[ing] misinformation and propaganda without supporting evidence.” Ha’aretz points out: According to images taken by Planet Labs, one missile hit an aircraft hangar. Most photos of the damage were banned from publication. Israel heavily censors information on its military, so the truth may never come out. On April 13, Iran launched several hundred of its older missiles toward Israel, most of which were intercepted. The Iranian mission to the UN declared, “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” and said Iran now “deemed the matter concluded”. On July 31, Israel assassinated Hamas political leader – the Palestinians’ head ceasefire negotiator – while he was an official guest on sovereign soil in Iran. In late September, Israel carried out attacks in Lebanon, killing over 700 in just a few days, including Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Iran vowed to respond, and on Tuesday night, it did. Following its missile attack on Israel, Iran indicated that its retaliation was complete and the chapter could be closed (unless Israel again did something provocative). Various agencies report: US President Joe Biden is counseling Israel to take a proportional response to this week’s barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles, voicing opposition to a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear sites in the hopes of preventing the conflict that has erupted in the region from widening further. “No one’s saying don’t respond,” one senior administration official said. Kamala Harris’ statement Tuesday: “Iran launched 200 ballistic missiles at Israel in a reckless and brazen attack. I condemn this attack unequivocally. Iran is a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East, and today’s attack on Israel only further demonstrates that fact.” After talking about the Iranian attack as a brazen and unacceptable escalation, State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller was asked by the press if he considered anything Israel has done in the past three weeks escalatory. Miller ridiculously refused to acknowledge any escalatory behavior on Israel’s part, saying instead that Israel had merely “done things to expand the conflict” in order to fight terrorism. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that the US would work with Israel to ensure Iran faces “severe consequences” for launching a missile attack on Israel. THAT IS TO SAY: Harris does not consider Israel’s multiple unprovoked attacks to be destabilizing or dangerous; Miller could not bring himself to admit that Israel had done anything provocative; Sullivan announced that the US was collaborating with Israel to bring another attack from Iran. Sina Toossi of the Center for International Policy offers this commentary: “After a string of assassinations and other Israeli escalations in recent weeks, Iran is trying to create a new deterrence equilibrium. They are saying that we can still hit you, and we can hit you hard. Iran is actually trying to ‘escalate to de-escalate’ here.” Several Israeli politicians openly call for a large-scale assault on Iran Middle East Eye reports: Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said: “Israel has now its greatest opportunity in 50 years, to change the face of the Middle East. We must act now to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, its central energy facilities, and to fatally cripple this terrorist regime.” National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said: “What we did to Lebanon must also be done to Iran… no political arrangements, no diplomacy – crush, crush, crush.” Parliament member Avigdor Lieberman said: “Bomb all the oil, gas and nuclear facilities, and destroy the refineries and dams.” NOTE: According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative: Although Israel has possessed nuclear weapons since the 1960s, it maintains a policy of nuclear opacity, never officially confirming the existence of its nuclear program. Accordingly, Israel has never signed the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Peace is within reach – if Israel will be a partner From the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi: The Arab world calls on the international community to bring Israel to the table, where a peace initiative is waiting for him. US finally steps up to evacuate Americans from Lebanon BACKGROUND: The US State Department faced harsh criticism after announcing Sunday that it would not be assisting Americans who wanted to leave Lebanon, as Israel (backed by the US) has increased its attacks on southern Lebanon. National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said, “Right now, the State Department does not feel a need for [evacuation]. There are still commercial operations, commercial air traffic that is getting out of Beirut and are still available to those Americans that want to leave…if you’re in Lebanon and you want to go, go now while these options are available to you.” Apparently, the agency has had second thoughts. CNN reports: The US organized a charter flight for Americans to depart Lebanon on Wednesday and plans to offer future flights based on demand, State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said. There were just over 100 people, including Americans and family members of American citizens, on the flight today, he said. The flight flew from Beirut to Istanbul. “It’s been a priority for us to enhance the capacity of flights in and out of the region, so we’ve contracted with additional carriers to facilitate the transport of American citizens,” Miller said. “We do hope to organize additional flights in the coming days, depending on demand.” Around 7,000 people have registered with the State Department to get more information about US-supported ways to depart Lebanon. Malaysian PM calls out Netanyahu’s genocidal self-preservation strategy Anadolu Agency reports: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim criticized Israeli politicians Wednesday, saying they are sacrificing innocent lives to keep themselves in power. In a statement on X, Anwar said Israel’s continued aggression and attacks on Lebanon, Syria and Yemen are deliberate attempts to divert the global community’s focus from its brutal atrocities and acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. “This escalation is plainly aimed at keeping Israel’s current political leaders in power and out of prison, sacrificing innocent lives at the altar of one man’s political career,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He called on all parties in the Middle East to urgently de-escalate tensions which are destabilizing the region. Israeli court rules that body of Walid Daqqa can be held as bargaining chip in hostage negotiations The New Arab reports: Israel’s highest court on Monday ruled authorities have the right to indefinitely hold the body of Palestinian novelist Walid Daqqa, rejecting a petition filed by his family to secure the return of his remains for a dignified burial. Daqqa, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, died from cancer at age 62 while still in custody in April. He had spent 38 years in detention for the kidnapping and murder of an Israeli soldier in 1984, with Israel accusing him of being a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). During his time in prison, Daqqa authored several highly regarded works of Arabic literature, including the 2018 children’s fable The Tale of the Secrets of the Oil. Following his cancer diagnosis, there were widespread calls for him to be released early, with only two years left on his sentence. However, Israel refused. Additionally, Amnesty International visited him a few weeks before his death and reported that he had been subject to torture while in an already weakened state. Palestinian journalist released by Israel Middle East Monitor reports: The Israeli authorities released journalist Asmaa Harish Tuesday after holding her for six months in administrative detention in Damon Prison, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported. She was detained in April of this year, and has been since subjected to ill-treatment and serious human rights violations. READ: Welcome to Hell: the Israeli prison system as a network of torture camps Israel continues to hold 96 Palestinian women in its prison, including 27 administrative detainees, not including prisoners from Gaza. The release of Harish means that Israel is now holding six women journalists in its prisons. NOTE: The Committee To Protect Journalists reports that at least 174 journalists have been killed in the Palestinian territories since October 7th, making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992. Israel also recently banned Al Jazeera from broadcasting in Israel and the West Bank, forbids international journalists entrance into Gaza, and heavily censors reporting by international news organizations. Read about the assassination by Israel of one of Palestine’s most beloved journalists, Shireen Abu Akleh, here. https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-has-wiped-out-902-palestinian-families-in-gaza-over-past-year-day-361/
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    Israel has wiped out 902 Palestinian families in Gaza over past year – Day 361
    Sanders' bill to block weapons to Israel; Biden admin makes Israel the victim, encourages attack on Iran; Arab world offers Israel peace.
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  • Israel’s defiance on full display; Biden admin commences hand-wringing – Day 356
    [email protected] September 28, 2024 blinken, google, Hezbollah, humanitarian aid to gaza, nasrallah, Netanyahu, un general assembly walks out, West Bank


    The Israeli military conducts an airstrike on the Dahieh area located south of Beirut, Lebanon, resulting in plumes of smoke rising from the site on September 28, 2024. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency]
    The Israeli military conducts an airstrike on the Dahiyeh area located south of Beirut, Lebanon, resulting in plumes of smoke rising from the site on September 28, 2024. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
    Mass Walkout as ‘Global Pariah’ Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly

    Common Dreams reports:

    A large number of diplomats and other officials walked out of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to defend his nation’s slaughter of more than 41,000 people in the Gaza Strip during the past year and over 700 in Lebanon this week.

    Journalists and critics of the “global pariah” shared photos and videos of people filing out of the hall before Netanyahu’s address—which came just a day after 25 anti-genocide protesters were arrested for blocking his motorcade in Manhattan.

    While there was some audience applause from the sparsely populated room on Friday, Al Jazeera Arabic’s Rami Ayari explained that “the people you hear cheering the PM during the speech are in the gallery who he brought for that purpose.”

    Netanyahu began his Friday address by taking aim at the world leaders who throughout the week have condemned the recent escalation against Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as the past year of Israeli forces bombing and starving Palestinians in Gaza.

    “I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is at war fighting for its life,” Netanyahu said. “But, after I heard the lies and slanders leveled at my country by many of the speakers standing at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight.”

    Armed with more of his infamous maps of the Middle East, the right-wing leader went on to claim that “Israel seeks peace,” while also pledging to wage war on Hamas-governed Gaza until “total victory” and telling “the tyrants of Tehran” that “if you strike us, we will strike you.”

    Noting that Netanyahu also spoke of “savage enemies who seek to destroy our common civilization,” James Zogby, co-founder and president of the Arab American Institute, said: “Words spoken by the man who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. This is a disgrace. Abusing the General Assembly platform to lie and incite.”

    JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE (JNS) ADDS: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. envoy to the global body, and Robert Wood, the political special affairs ambassador who tends to take her place at the Security Council, did not appear to be in the room.

    An excerpt from Netanyahu’s defiant speech to the UN – to a largely empty chamber, except for the guest area, which was filled with Israel supporters:



    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared,

    I say to you, until Israel – until the Jewish state – is treated like other nations, until this anti-Semitic swamp is drained, the UN will be viewed by fair-minded people everywhere as nothing more than a contemptuous farce.

    Popularity of Netanyahu’s Likud party grows as Israel pounds Lebanon: Survey

    Al Jazeera reports:

    A poll conducted by Israeli daily Maariv shows that Israel’s deadly attacks on Lebanon have significantly boosted the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

    If elections were held today, Likud would lead with 25 seats in the Knesset, compared with 19 for its main rival, the opposition National Unity party led by Benny Gantz, the survey showed.

    This is the first time since the war on Gaza began last year that Likud has gained such an advantage, the newspaper said.

    Blinken faces calls to resign after lying to Congress to cover for Israel’s genocide

    Middle East Monitor reports:

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is facing mounting pressure to resign after a report earlier this week uncovered that he misled Congress about Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

    The 62-year-old, who is a staunch Zionist, is said to have misled the American people to maintain US weapons flow to Israel despite fears that the apartheid state is committing genocide in Gaza.

    The report details how Blinken contradicted findings from his own department’s experts and USAID in a May report to Congress, stating that Israel was not “prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance” to Gaza.

    It’s believed that Blinken misled the government because US law prohibits the supply of arms to countries blocking American humanitarian aid.

    Israel is a small country lacking the means to manufacture weapons at a rate required to execute regular wars and preserve its so-called deterrence capacity.

    Israel’s ability to carry out a year-long assault on Gaza would be severely hampered without the constant supply of weapons from the US and its western allies.

    (Read the full article here.)

    RECOMMENDED READING: “Laws Of War” Biden-Blinken Style

    US to ‘adjust’ its military force posture in Middle East

    Al Jazeera reports:

    President Joe Biden directed the Pentagon to “assess and adjust as necessary US force posture” in the Middle East, the White House says, following repeated Israeli air strikes in southern Beirut collapsed at least six residential towers in the heavily populated Dahiyeh area.

    “He has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary US force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection, and support the full range of US objectives,” the White House said in a statement.

    Secretary of State Blinken said Friday, “I want to be clear that anyone using this moment to target American personnel, American interests in the region – the United States will take every measure to defend our people.”

    MILITARY TIMES ADDS: The U.S. has kept an increased military presence in the Middle East throughout much of the past year, with about 40,000 forces, at least a dozen warships and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons spread across the region both to protect allies and to serve as a deterrent against attacks, several U.S. officials said.

    US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters to the Middle East last month.
    US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters to the Middle East last month. (photo)
    West Bank: Israeli forces destroy food warehouse during raid

    WAFA reports:

    A convoy of Israeli military vehicles stormed the occupied West Bank city of Qalqilya in the early hours of Friday morning.

    Israeli forces toured the city’s Kafr Saba neighborhood, where they raided a workshop and a food warehouse, destroying the contents of the latter.

    Destruction following a raid by Israeli forces in Tulkarem Camp, occupied West Bank, oPT. [East Jerusalem YMCA/ Save the Children]
    Destruction following a raid by Israeli forces in Tulkarem Camp, occupied West Bank, oPT. [East Jerusalem YMCA/ Save the Children] (photo)
    Israel accused of breaking global labor law by withholding Palestinian worker pay

    The Guardian reports:

    Ten trade unions have accused Israel of breaching international labor law by holding back pay and benefits from more than 200,000 Palestinian workers since 7 October.

    The Israeli government stands accused of “blatant” violations of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) protection of wages convention, tipping many Palestinians into extreme poverty.

    Workers from Gaza and the West Bank, employed in Israel, did not receive payment for work completed prior to last October 7th, and have received no wages since, according to the complaint.

    A complaint filed on Friday aims to recover the wages of Palestinian workers who previously worked in Israel.

    Israel revoked work permits for about 13,000 Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip to work legally in Israel following the Hamas attack on 7 October, according to the complaint, leaving those workers with unpaid wages from September and October. Those wages would have normally been paid on 9 October.

    An additional nearly 200,000 Palestinian workers from the West Bank employed in Israel have not been permitted to enter Israel, and have received no termination notices, according to the brief, which argues they are owed wages stipulated by their employment contracts for their previous work and subsequent months.

    The unions allege that Israel is violating the ILO’s protection of wages convention, which has been ratified by a hundred member states, including Israel in 1959…

    (Read the full article here.)

    RECOMMENDED READING: Israeli industrial zones exploit Palestinian workers, steal Palestinian land

    Scene from Jenin refugee camp
    Scene from Jenin refugee camp (screengrab)
    US’ Blinken urges diplomacy as Israel intensifies attacks in Lebanon

    Anadolu Agency reports:

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called for path to diplomacy as Israel intensified its strikes in Lebanon, warning both Israel and Hezbollah to “stop firing”.

    “The most important thing to do through diplomacy is to try first to stop firing in both directions, and then to use the time that we would have in such a ceasefire to see if we can reach a broader diplomatic agreement,” Blinken told reporters at a news conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

    “The path to diplomacy may seem difficult to see at this moment, but it is there, and in our judgment, is necessary, and we will continue to work intensely with all parties to urge them to choose that course,” he said.

    NOTE: Blinken’s both-sides-ism sidesteps the facts: Israel has been responsible for about 82 percent of the cross-border attacks.



    Google Was Set to Host an Israeli Military Conference. When We Asked About It, the Event Disappeared.

    The Intercept reports:

    The Israel Defense Tech Conference, aimed at tech companies working with the Israeli military, was scheduled for November at the Google for Startups campus in Tel Aviv.

    The event, according to a listing posted on the event management app Luma, was pitched at “founders, investors and innovators” looking to network and learn more about the defense tech space.

    It was co-sponsored by Google; Fusion Venture Capital; Genesis, a startup accelerator; and the Israeli military’s research and development arm, known as the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D, or Ma’fat).

    Google was not only listed as the physical host of the event and one of its sponsors, but the event listing also included a notice that attendees “approve of sharing [their] details with the organizers (Fusion & Google)” as part of signing up.

    When The Intercept contacted Google and the other companies and venture capital firms on the event page, the event page disappeared. Google spokesperson Andréa Willis told The Intercept in an email, “Google is not associated with this event.”

    Willis did not respond when asked how this could be possible if Google is hosting and co-sponsoring the event, or why the event page went down. None of the other companies or venture capital firms on the event page responded to requests for comment.

    After months of sustained protests against Google’s relationship with Israel, the company appears to be trying to muddy that relationship, at least in the public eye, while continuing its collaboration with the Israeli military…

    (Read the full investigation here.)

    israeli espionage against the US hits 366 billion
    Israeli espionage against the US is hurting the US economy – and has been for years. (photo)
    MORE NEWS:

    IMEMC Daily Reports.

    Anadolu Agency: OPINION – Israel needs to face trial for organ trafficking: Claims and confessions

    Middle East Eye: The BBC is weaponizing its Lebanon reporting to help disguise Israel’s crimes

    STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – SEPTEMBER 27:

    Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 27, 2024: at least 42,304* (41,586 in Gaza* – 11,308 women (30%), 16,715 children 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 718 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 300,000 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 27: at least 101,910 (including at least 96,210 in Gaza and 5,700 in the West Bank, including 830 children). [It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.]

    Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 27, 2024: ~1,457 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 293*** 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.

    The death toll from Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon since Oct. 8 has reached 1,540 including women and children, with some 5,410 injured, a Lebanese official said Wednesday. The number of displaced individuals registered in approved shelters is 77,100. The actual number of displaced people has likely surpassed 250,000.

    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.

    ***More than 40 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)
    You can’t arm a genocidal state into moderation. So why does the West keep trying?
    How Does Israel Justify Mass Killings? It Starts in the Schools.
    From the Americas to Gaza: Spreading disease has long been used by colonizers to commit genocide
    Contrived charges of antisemitism are the new ‘Red Scare’
    How Israel’s quadcopters traumatize, maim and kill Palestinians in Gaza
    Israeli society’s dehumanization of Palestinians is now absolute
    The unpublished genocide diaries of Refaat Alareer
    An arms embargo on Israel is not a radical idea — it’s the law
    Israel is redrawing the West Bank, cutting into a prospective Palestinian state
    Gaza breakdown: 20 times Israel used US arms in likely war crimes
    U.S. universities spent the summer strategizing to suppress student activism. Here is their plan.
    ‘Words like Slaughter:’ A comparative study of The New York Times reporting in Ukraine and Gaza
    Cracks in the Dome: Israel’s security mirage
    Israel Suddenly Has A Problem With Attacks On Population Centers
    Americans are always the last to know…about Israel’s crimes
    Does Any Other Country besides Israel have the Right to Defend Itself?
    ‘Raped by female soldiers’: Palestinian in leaked Sde Teiman photo speaks out
    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

    https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-defiance-full-display-biden-admin-commences-hand-wringing-day-356/
    Israel’s defiance on full display; Biden admin commences hand-wringing – Day 356 [email protected] September 28, 2024 blinken, google, Hezbollah, humanitarian aid to gaza, nasrallah, Netanyahu, un general assembly walks out, West Bank The Israeli military conducts an airstrike on the Dahieh area located south of Beirut, Lebanon, resulting in plumes of smoke rising from the site on September 28, 2024. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency] The Israeli military conducts an airstrike on the Dahiyeh area located south of Beirut, Lebanon, resulting in plumes of smoke rising from the site on September 28, 2024. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency] (photo) Mass Walkout as ‘Global Pariah’ Netanyahu Addresses UN General Assembly Common Dreams reports: A large number of diplomats and other officials walked out of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on Friday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to defend his nation’s slaughter of more than 41,000 people in the Gaza Strip during the past year and over 700 in Lebanon this week. Journalists and critics of the “global pariah” shared photos and videos of people filing out of the hall before Netanyahu’s address—which came just a day after 25 anti-genocide protesters were arrested for blocking his motorcade in Manhattan. While there was some audience applause from the sparsely populated room on Friday, Al Jazeera Arabic’s Rami Ayari explained that “the people you hear cheering the PM during the speech are in the gallery who he brought for that purpose.” Netanyahu began his Friday address by taking aim at the world leaders who throughout the week have condemned the recent escalation against Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as the past year of Israeli forces bombing and starving Palestinians in Gaza. “I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is at war fighting for its life,” Netanyahu said. “But, after I heard the lies and slanders leveled at my country by many of the speakers standing at this podium, I decided to come here and set the record straight.” Armed with more of his infamous maps of the Middle East, the right-wing leader went on to claim that “Israel seeks peace,” while also pledging to wage war on Hamas-governed Gaza until “total victory” and telling “the tyrants of Tehran” that “if you strike us, we will strike you.” Noting that Netanyahu also spoke of “savage enemies who seek to destroy our common civilization,” James Zogby, co-founder and president of the Arab American Institute, said: “Words spoken by the man who has been charged with genocide and crimes against humanity. This is a disgrace. Abusing the General Assembly platform to lie and incite.” JEWISH NEWS SYNDICATE (JNS) ADDS: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. envoy to the global body, and Robert Wood, the political special affairs ambassador who tends to take her place at the Security Council, did not appear to be in the room. An excerpt from Netanyahu’s defiant speech to the UN – to a largely empty chamber, except for the guest area, which was filled with Israel supporters: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also declared, I say to you, until Israel – until the Jewish state – is treated like other nations, until this anti-Semitic swamp is drained, the UN will be viewed by fair-minded people everywhere as nothing more than a contemptuous farce. Popularity of Netanyahu’s Likud party grows as Israel pounds Lebanon: Survey Al Jazeera reports: A poll conducted by Israeli daily Maariv shows that Israel’s deadly attacks on Lebanon have significantly boosted the popularity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. If elections were held today, Likud would lead with 25 seats in the Knesset, compared with 19 for its main rival, the opposition National Unity party led by Benny Gantz, the survey showed. This is the first time since the war on Gaza began last year that Likud has gained such an advantage, the newspaper said. Blinken faces calls to resign after lying to Congress to cover for Israel’s genocide Middle East Monitor reports: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is facing mounting pressure to resign after a report earlier this week uncovered that he misled Congress about Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The 62-year-old, who is a staunch Zionist, is said to have misled the American people to maintain US weapons flow to Israel despite fears that the apartheid state is committing genocide in Gaza. The report details how Blinken contradicted findings from his own department’s experts and USAID in a May report to Congress, stating that Israel was not “prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance” to Gaza. It’s believed that Blinken misled the government because US law prohibits the supply of arms to countries blocking American humanitarian aid. Israel is a small country lacking the means to manufacture weapons at a rate required to execute regular wars and preserve its so-called deterrence capacity. Israel’s ability to carry out a year-long assault on Gaza would be severely hampered without the constant supply of weapons from the US and its western allies. (Read the full article here.) RECOMMENDED READING: “Laws Of War” Biden-Blinken Style US to ‘adjust’ its military force posture in Middle East Al Jazeera reports: President Joe Biden directed the Pentagon to “assess and adjust as necessary US force posture” in the Middle East, the White House says, following repeated Israeli air strikes in southern Beirut collapsed at least six residential towers in the heavily populated Dahiyeh area. “He has directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary US force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection, and support the full range of US objectives,” the White House said in a statement. Secretary of State Blinken said Friday, “I want to be clear that anyone using this moment to target American personnel, American interests in the region – the United States will take every measure to defend our people.” MILITARY TIMES ADDS: The U.S. has kept an increased military presence in the Middle East throughout much of the past year, with about 40,000 forces, at least a dozen warships and four Air Force fighter jet squadrons spread across the region both to protect allies and to serve as a deterrent against attacks, several U.S. officials said. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters to the Middle East last month. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters to the Middle East last month. (photo) West Bank: Israeli forces destroy food warehouse during raid WAFA reports: A convoy of Israeli military vehicles stormed the occupied West Bank city of Qalqilya in the early hours of Friday morning. Israeli forces toured the city’s Kafr Saba neighborhood, where they raided a workshop and a food warehouse, destroying the contents of the latter. Destruction following a raid by Israeli forces in Tulkarem Camp, occupied West Bank, oPT. [East Jerusalem YMCA/ Save the Children] Destruction following a raid by Israeli forces in Tulkarem Camp, occupied West Bank, oPT. [East Jerusalem YMCA/ Save the Children] (photo) Israel accused of breaking global labor law by withholding Palestinian worker pay The Guardian reports: Ten trade unions have accused Israel of breaching international labor law by holding back pay and benefits from more than 200,000 Palestinian workers since 7 October. The Israeli government stands accused of “blatant” violations of the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) protection of wages convention, tipping many Palestinians into extreme poverty. Workers from Gaza and the West Bank, employed in Israel, did not receive payment for work completed prior to last October 7th, and have received no wages since, according to the complaint. A complaint filed on Friday aims to recover the wages of Palestinian workers who previously worked in Israel. Israel revoked work permits for about 13,000 Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip to work legally in Israel following the Hamas attack on 7 October, according to the complaint, leaving those workers with unpaid wages from September and October. Those wages would have normally been paid on 9 October. An additional nearly 200,000 Palestinian workers from the West Bank employed in Israel have not been permitted to enter Israel, and have received no termination notices, according to the brief, which argues they are owed wages stipulated by their employment contracts for their previous work and subsequent months. The unions allege that Israel is violating the ILO’s protection of wages convention, which has been ratified by a hundred member states, including Israel in 1959… (Read the full article here.) RECOMMENDED READING: Israeli industrial zones exploit Palestinian workers, steal Palestinian land Scene from Jenin refugee camp Scene from Jenin refugee camp (screengrab) US’ Blinken urges diplomacy as Israel intensifies attacks in Lebanon Anadolu Agency reports: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday called for path to diplomacy as Israel intensified its strikes in Lebanon, warning both Israel and Hezbollah to “stop firing”. “The most important thing to do through diplomacy is to try first to stop firing in both directions, and then to use the time that we would have in such a ceasefire to see if we can reach a broader diplomatic agreement,” Blinken told reporters at a news conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. “The path to diplomacy may seem difficult to see at this moment, but it is there, and in our judgment, is necessary, and we will continue to work intensely with all parties to urge them to choose that course,” he said. NOTE: Blinken’s both-sides-ism sidesteps the facts: Israel has been responsible for about 82 percent of the cross-border attacks. Google Was Set to Host an Israeli Military Conference. When We Asked About It, the Event Disappeared. The Intercept reports: The Israel Defense Tech Conference, aimed at tech companies working with the Israeli military, was scheduled for November at the Google for Startups campus in Tel Aviv. The event, according to a listing posted on the event management app Luma, was pitched at “founders, investors and innovators” looking to network and learn more about the defense tech space. It was co-sponsored by Google; Fusion Venture Capital; Genesis, a startup accelerator; and the Israeli military’s research and development arm, known as the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D, or Ma’fat). Google was not only listed as the physical host of the event and one of its sponsors, but the event listing also included a notice that attendees “approve of sharing [their] details with the organizers (Fusion & Google)” as part of signing up. When The Intercept contacted Google and the other companies and venture capital firms on the event page, the event page disappeared. Google spokesperson Andréa Willis told The Intercept in an email, “Google is not associated with this event.” Willis did not respond when asked how this could be possible if Google is hosting and co-sponsoring the event, or why the event page went down. None of the other companies or venture capital firms on the event page responded to requests for comment. After months of sustained protests against Google’s relationship with Israel, the company appears to be trying to muddy that relationship, at least in the public eye, while continuing its collaboration with the Israeli military… (Read the full investigation here.) israeli espionage against the US hits 366 billion Israeli espionage against the US is hurting the US economy – and has been for years. (photo) MORE NEWS: IMEMC Daily Reports. Anadolu Agency: OPINION – Israel needs to face trial for organ trafficking: Claims and confessions Middle East Eye: The BBC is weaponizing its Lebanon reporting to help disguise Israel’s crimes STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – SEPTEMBER 27: Palestinian death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 27, 2024: at least 42,304* (41,586 in Gaza* – 11,308 women (30%), 16,715 children 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 718 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 300,000 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 27: at least 101,910 (including at least 96,210 in Gaza and 5,700 in the West Bank, including 830 children). [It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties in Gaza.] Reported Israeli death toll from October 7, 2023 – September 27, 2024: ~1,457 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 293*** 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. The death toll from Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon since Oct. 8 has reached 1,540 including women and children, with some 5,410 injured, a Lebanese official said Wednesday. The number of displaced individuals registered in approved shelters is 77,100. The actual number of displaced people has likely surpassed 250,000. 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. ***More than 40 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) You can’t arm a genocidal state into moderation. So why does the West keep trying? How Does Israel Justify Mass Killings? It Starts in the Schools. From the Americas to Gaza: Spreading disease has long been used by colonizers to commit genocide Contrived charges of antisemitism are the new ‘Red Scare’ How Israel’s quadcopters traumatize, maim and kill Palestinians in Gaza Israeli society’s dehumanization of Palestinians is now absolute The unpublished genocide diaries of Refaat Alareer An arms embargo on Israel is not a radical idea — it’s the law Israel is redrawing the West Bank, cutting into a prospective Palestinian state Gaza breakdown: 20 times Israel used US arms in likely war crimes U.S. universities spent the summer strategizing to suppress student activism. Here is their plan. ‘Words like Slaughter:’ A comparative study of The New York Times reporting in Ukraine and Gaza Cracks in the Dome: Israel’s security mirage Israel Suddenly Has A Problem With Attacks On Population Centers Americans are always the last to know…about Israel’s crimes Does Any Other Country besides Israel have the Right to Defend Itself? ‘Raped by female soldiers’: Palestinian in leaked Sde Teiman photo speaks out 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 https://israelpalestinenews.org/israel-defiance-full-display-biden-admin-commences-hand-wringing-day-356/
    ISRAELPALESTINENEWS.ORG
    Israel's defiance on full display; Biden admin commences hand-wringing – Day 356
    Mass walkout in UN as "global pariah" Netanyahu takes the stage; calls for Sec'y Blinken's resignation after he lied to Congress for Israel
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  • Operation Clear Skies: The Ultimate Guide to Fighting Geoengineering
    A CALL TO ACTION AGAINST GEOENGINEERING

    Last Thursday, we had another of our bi-monthly Save Our Skies Swarm webinars, and it was one of our most insightful and inspiring ones yet! Click on it above.

    First, we had Isaac Bareno from In Power Movement, who enlightened us on the power of the pen: Notices of Liability. It's not just fancy paperwork—it's our secret weapon against sky vandals. These legal love letters are our way of saying, "Hey, geoengineering goons, we see you, and we're not having it."

    LOBBYING 101 WITH TARA THORNTON

    We then welcomed Tara Thornton from Freedom Angels, who gave us a crash course in lobbying that would make K Street sweat. Tara didn't just talk the talk; she has been walking the walk for years. She walked us through the legislative labyrinth, showing us the art of pushing anti-geoengineering bills through the system.

    THE LEGISLATIVE OBSTACLE COURSE

    Speaking of systems, let's take a gander at the California legislative process. It's a wild ride that makes Disneyland look like a kiddie pool. From bill introduction to the governor's desk, it's a gauntlet of committees, votes, and enough red tape to gift wrap the Golden Gate Bridge. But fear not, intrepid sky defenders! This is where we make our stand.


    KEY STAGES TO WATCH DURING LEGISLATION

    Key Stages to Watch:

    Bill Introduction: Where our anti-geoengineering dreams take flight

    Committee Hearings: It is time to flood those offices with calls and emails

    Floor Votes: When we hold our representatives' feet to the fire

    Governor's Desk: The final boss battle

    Share

    GOING BEYOND COMPLAINING

    Here at SOS, we go beyond complaining. Over the last year, we have provided months of Save Our Skies bi-monthly webinars, teaching our skywatchers how to collect and test rain samples, test for heavy metals, track weather modification planes overhead, read the atmosphere, file public records requests, and search for ongoing geoengineering programs. We've also created a 75-slide PowerPoint presentation to give you informed talking points, paid for numerous rain samples, submitted two public records requests for our upcoming legal endeavor, and partnered with InPower Movement's Notices of Liability campaign to fight geoengineering.

    Check out our past interviews on the topic as well:

    Foghorn Fixes

    EXCLUSIVE: Take Back the Sky, Your Guide to Unmasking Weather Manipulation
    Please note, THIS WEDNESDAY SWARM WEBINAR HAS BEEN MOVED TO 6 PM PST FRIDAY, MARCH 1ST!

    Read full story

    Here:

    Jim Lee of ClimateViewer Joins Reinette Senum Again to Uncover the Reality of Geoengineering
    Jim Lee from ClimateViewer.com returns for another eye-opening conversation with Reinette Senum about geoengineering; what we think it is versus what it really is.
    Read full story
    And here:

    Jim Lee of ClimateViewer Takes on the History of Geoengineering
    Read full story

    Finally….

    ….. to assist you in drafting anti-geoengineering legislation, we've combined the most comprehensive anti-geoengineering legislation nationwide to give you the best foundation for bringing forward legislation in your respective state.

    Share

    While this has been crafted for California, all or portions of this draft bill can be utilized and customized for your state….. you have my permission!


    For the entire legislation, click below.


    California Senate Bill No

    146KB ∙ PDF file

    Download
    YOUR MISSION SHOULD YOU ACCEPT IT

    Now, my fellow truth-seekers, it's time to don your activist hats. We're not just tilting at windmills here—we're taking on the very forces that are messing with our atmosphere.

    1. Get Nosy: Dive into those public records. What are your local officials hiding about cloud seeding and other sky shenanigans?

    2. Speak Up: Attend town halls, city council meetings, and your neighbor's barbecue, and spread the word everywhere.

    3. Lobby Like You Mean It: Armed with Tara's wisdom, let's swarm the capitol like bees.

    4. Do You Hear Me Now?: Send those Notices of Liability. Make your voice heard! Make them sweat.

    Remember, folks, this isn't just about clear skies. It's about our future, our health, and our right not to have our weather served with a side of chemicals.

    So, are you ready to join the fight? Because the sky's not the limit – it's the battlefield. And we're just getting started.

    Stay vigilant, stay informed, and, for heaven's sake, keep looking up!

    If you find my efforts inspiring, please become a paid subscriber today! My SOS work is all volunteer… as is much of my Substack work!

    Share

    Tip Jar!

    If you find these interviews and articles informative, please become a paid subscriber for under 17¢ a day. I don’t believe in paywalls, but this is how I make a living, so any support is appreciated. Either way…. it’s available to you….
    https://substack.com/@reinettesenumsfoghornexpress/p-149540982
    Operation Clear Skies: The Ultimate Guide to Fighting Geoengineering A CALL TO ACTION AGAINST GEOENGINEERING Last Thursday, we had another of our bi-monthly Save Our Skies Swarm webinars, and it was one of our most insightful and inspiring ones yet! Click on it above. First, we had Isaac Bareno from In Power Movement, who enlightened us on the power of the pen: Notices of Liability. It's not just fancy paperwork—it's our secret weapon against sky vandals. These legal love letters are our way of saying, "Hey, geoengineering goons, we see you, and we're not having it." LOBBYING 101 WITH TARA THORNTON We then welcomed Tara Thornton from Freedom Angels, who gave us a crash course in lobbying that would make K Street sweat. Tara didn't just talk the talk; she has been walking the walk for years. She walked us through the legislative labyrinth, showing us the art of pushing anti-geoengineering bills through the system. THE LEGISLATIVE OBSTACLE COURSE Speaking of systems, let's take a gander at the California legislative process. It's a wild ride that makes Disneyland look like a kiddie pool. From bill introduction to the governor's desk, it's a gauntlet of committees, votes, and enough red tape to gift wrap the Golden Gate Bridge. But fear not, intrepid sky defenders! This is where we make our stand. KEY STAGES TO WATCH DURING LEGISLATION Key Stages to Watch: Bill Introduction: Where our anti-geoengineering dreams take flight Committee Hearings: It is time to flood those offices with calls and emails Floor Votes: When we hold our representatives' feet to the fire Governor's Desk: The final boss battle Share GOING BEYOND COMPLAINING Here at SOS, we go beyond complaining. Over the last year, we have provided months of Save Our Skies bi-monthly webinars, teaching our skywatchers how to collect and test rain samples, test for heavy metals, track weather modification planes overhead, read the atmosphere, file public records requests, and search for ongoing geoengineering programs. We've also created a 75-slide PowerPoint presentation to give you informed talking points, paid for numerous rain samples, submitted two public records requests for our upcoming legal endeavor, and partnered with InPower Movement's Notices of Liability campaign to fight geoengineering. Check out our past interviews on the topic as well: Foghorn Fixes EXCLUSIVE: Take Back the Sky, Your Guide to Unmasking Weather Manipulation Please note, THIS WEDNESDAY SWARM WEBINAR HAS BEEN MOVED TO 6 PM PST FRIDAY, MARCH 1ST! Read full story Here: Jim Lee of ClimateViewer Joins Reinette Senum Again to Uncover the Reality of Geoengineering Jim Lee from ClimateViewer.com returns for another eye-opening conversation with Reinette Senum about geoengineering; what we think it is versus what it really is. Read full story And here: Jim Lee of ClimateViewer Takes on the History of Geoengineering Read full story Finally…. ….. to assist you in drafting anti-geoengineering legislation, we've combined the most comprehensive anti-geoengineering legislation nationwide to give you the best foundation for bringing forward legislation in your respective state. Share While this has been crafted for California, all or portions of this draft bill can be utilized and customized for your state….. you have my permission! For the entire legislation, click below. California Senate Bill No 146KB ∙ PDF file Download YOUR MISSION SHOULD YOU ACCEPT IT Now, my fellow truth-seekers, it's time to don your activist hats. We're not just tilting at windmills here—we're taking on the very forces that are messing with our atmosphere. 1. Get Nosy: Dive into those public records. What are your local officials hiding about cloud seeding and other sky shenanigans? 2. Speak Up: Attend town halls, city council meetings, and your neighbor's barbecue, and spread the word everywhere. 3. Lobby Like You Mean It: Armed with Tara's wisdom, let's swarm the capitol like bees. 4. Do You Hear Me Now?: Send those Notices of Liability. Make your voice heard! Make them sweat. Remember, folks, this isn't just about clear skies. It's about our future, our health, and our right not to have our weather served with a side of chemicals. So, are you ready to join the fight? Because the sky's not the limit – it's the battlefield. And we're just getting started. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and, for heaven's sake, keep looking up! If you find my efforts inspiring, please become a paid subscriber today! My SOS work is all volunteer… as is much of my Substack work! Share Tip Jar! If you find these interviews and articles informative, please become a paid subscriber for under 17¢ a day. I don’t believe in paywalls, but this is how I make a living, so any support is appreciated. Either way…. it’s available to you…. https://substack.com/@reinettesenumsfoghornexpress/p-149540982
    SUBSTACK.COM
    Operation Clear Skies: The Ultimate Guide to Fighting Geoengineering
    From Notices of Liabilities (NOLs) to laws, we're reclaiming our atmosphere and announcing the most robust anti-geoengineering legislation to date! Check out last Thursday's SOS Swarm Webinar.
    0 Comments 0 Shares 3133 Views
  • 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 AyÅŸenur 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 AyÅŸenur 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.

    AyÅŸenur, 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.”

    AyÅŸenur 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

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    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
    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 AyÅŸenur 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 AyÅŸenur 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. AyÅŸenur, 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.” AyÅŸenur 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) 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/israel-kills-american-activist-terrorizes-prisoners-as-biden-admin-shrugs-day-335/ https://donshafi911iamthefaceoftruth.blogspot.com/2024/09/israel-kills-american-activist.html
    ISRAELPALESTINENEWS.ORG
    Israel kills American activist, terrorizes prisoners, as Biden admin shrugs – Day 335
    US activist killed during peaceful protest; leaked video shows Israeli torture of Palestinian prisoners; Israel blocks polio vaccination teams
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  • US Is Dishonest, Biased, Partner in Genocide to be Mediator in Gaza
    September 6, 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.


    “CNN “Meanwhile in America”

    CNN in a Byline dated September 6 by Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu and Shelby Rose raised the question in Meanwhile in America “Why the US keeps failing and trying again to reach a Mideast ceasefire deal?

    “When an administration repeatedly predicts s a foreign policy goal is in sight but fails to deliver, as this one has, it risks shattering its credibility and looks like it botched one of its top priority”.

    “despite its frustration, the White House has yet used all possible leverage on Netanyahu-and properly wont’” Biden is a deeply pro-Israel president “unwilling to do the right thing?

    We all know, and all America knows Mr. Biden never cared about the lives of any Palestinian whether they die in the thousands or hundreds of thousands. He does not give a damn.

    ZETEO “US Silence Despite Americans Attacked in Occupied West Bank”
    Prem Thanker writing for Zeteo (September 5) raises the question of “US Silence Despite Americans Attacked in Occupied West Bank” He referes to the Israeli forces alleged throwing “stun grenade” at US citizens, a teacher from New Jersey, in support of Jewish settler’s attacks.

    “Israeli violence against US citizens in the occupied West Bank intensified this week following near radio silence from Washington after Israeli forces shot a New Jersey teacher last month.”

    “Settlers on Wednesday allegedly attacked a shepherd in the Palestinian village of Qusra, in the West Bank. After he initially drove them out, American demonstrators arrived to support the shepherd and his sheep. A handful of minutes passed before the settlers returned in with reinforcements. The Americans began to run, but the settlers caught up to them and began throwing rocks and beating them.”

    Today September 6, the Israeli army shot and killed in cold blood an American Alsenure Eygi who was with other Americans protesting Israeli settlers in the City of Nablus.


    Of course the Justice Department, only open cases where American Jews are killed and murdered but not others American Muslims, or Christians or Arabs. Their lives do not matter. Both the Justice Department and the US State Department only wait for the release of the Israeli finding into the death… we all know what the report will say, as in the case of deliberate cold blooded murder of the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh. Both government agencies do not see it is worth to open its own investigation on the murder and killings by Israel of lives of Non-Jews. Not that Jewish lives does not matter it does, but we do expect our government, a government of all the people, for the all the people, should rethink that all other American lives does and should matter.

    Special Note: Thanks to CNN and to Zeteo.


    ATTENTION READERS

    We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed
    In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.

    About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
    Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT.

    https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/09/us-is-dishonest-biased-partner-in-genocide-to-be-mediator-in-gaza/
    US Is Dishonest, Biased, Partner in Genocide to be Mediator in Gaza September 6, 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. “CNN “Meanwhile in America” CNN in a Byline dated September 6 by Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu and Shelby Rose raised the question in Meanwhile in America “Why the US keeps failing and trying again to reach a Mideast ceasefire deal? “When an administration repeatedly predicts s a foreign policy goal is in sight but fails to deliver, as this one has, it risks shattering its credibility and looks like it botched one of its top priority”. “despite its frustration, the White House has yet used all possible leverage on Netanyahu-and properly wont’” Biden is a deeply pro-Israel president “unwilling to do the right thing? We all know, and all America knows Mr. Biden never cared about the lives of any Palestinian whether they die in the thousands or hundreds of thousands. He does not give a damn. ZETEO “US Silence Despite Americans Attacked in Occupied West Bank” Prem Thanker writing for Zeteo (September 5) raises the question of “US Silence Despite Americans Attacked in Occupied West Bank” He referes to the Israeli forces alleged throwing “stun grenade” at US citizens, a teacher from New Jersey, in support of Jewish settler’s attacks. “Israeli violence against US citizens in the occupied West Bank intensified this week following near radio silence from Washington after Israeli forces shot a New Jersey teacher last month.” “Settlers on Wednesday allegedly attacked a shepherd in the Palestinian village of Qusra, in the West Bank. After he initially drove them out, American demonstrators arrived to support the shepherd and his sheep. A handful of minutes passed before the settlers returned in with reinforcements. The Americans began to run, but the settlers caught up to them and began throwing rocks and beating them.” Today September 6, the Israeli army shot and killed in cold blood an American Alsenure Eygi who was with other Americans protesting Israeli settlers in the City of Nablus. Of course the Justice Department, only open cases where American Jews are killed and murdered but not others American Muslims, or Christians or Arabs. Their lives do not matter. Both the Justice Department and the US State Department only wait for the release of the Israeli finding into the death… we all know what the report will say, as in the case of deliberate cold blooded murder of the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu-Akleh. Both government agencies do not see it is worth to open its own investigation on the murder and killings by Israel of lives of Non-Jews. Not that Jewish lives does not matter it does, but we do expect our government, a government of all the people, for the all the people, should rethink that all other American lives does and should matter. Special Note: Thanks to CNN and to Zeteo. ATTENTION READERS We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully Informed In fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion. About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy Due to the nature of uncensored content posted by VT's fully independent international writers, VT cannot guarantee absolute validity. All content is owned by the author exclusively. Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners, or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. All images are the full responsibility of the article author and NOT VT. https://www.vtforeignpolicy.com/2024/09/us-is-dishonest-biased-partner-in-genocide-to-be-mediator-in-gaza/
    WWW.VTFOREIGNPOLICY.COM
    US Is Dishonest, Biased, Partner in Genocide to be Mediator in Gaza
    “CNN “Meanwhile in America”CNN in a Byline dated September 6 by Stephen Collinson, Caitlin Hu and Shelby Rose raised the question in Meanwhile in America “Why the US keeps failing and trying again to reach a Mideast ceasefire deal? “When an administration repeatedly predicts s a foreign policy goal is in sight but fails to
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  • 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
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    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/
    ISRAELPALESTINENEWS.ORG
    Israeli-inflicted Palestinian injuries in Gaza, West Bank surpass 100,000 – Day 332
    Palestinian journalists imprisoned like never before; US files criminal charges vs Hamas members; Bibi blatantly erases Palestine from the map
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  • Singapore to offer Mpox vaccine to high-risk healthcare workers and close contacts - The Online Citizen
    The Online Citizen4 September 2024
    Singapore has announced new measures to combat the spread of the deadlier mpox clade 1 strain, as concerns mount over its potential impact.

    At a press conference on Wednesday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung revealed that the mpox vaccine JYNNEOS will be offered to two key groups: healthcare workers at high risk of exposure and close contacts of confirmed cases.

    The announcement comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years due to the resurgence of clade 1 cases in Africa.

    Minister Ong emphasized that while there is limited data on the virus, the government has sufficient information to implement precautionary measures. “We do not have full information on the characteristics of this virus, but we have good information on how it behaves,” he said. Ong added that Singapore’s response plan would remain flexible and adapt as the global understanding of the virus evolves.

    Response Measures and Border Controls

    As part of a whole-of-government approach, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has coordinated a comprehensive public health strategy to prevent the spread of mpox clade 1 in Singapore.

    While no direct flights connect Singapore to countries experiencing mpox outbreaks, temperature and visual screening measures have been put in place at Changi and Seletar airports for travellers and crew arriving from affected regions. Screening at sea checkpoints has also been implemented for ships from mpox-affected areas.

    Travellers are required to report any mpox-related symptoms (such as fever or rash) and provide travel history via the SG Arrival Card. Those displaying symptoms will be assessed by medical professionals at the borders and referred to hospitals if necessary.

    Vaccination Strategy and Quarantine

    The JYNNEOS vaccine, previously approved in Singapore for both smallpox and mpox, will be offered to two key groups. Healthcare workers at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and other high-risk facilities will be provided with pre-exposure prophylaxis, in addition to existing infection control protocols. Close contacts of confirmed mpox cases will receive a single vaccine dose within 14 days of exposure during their 21-day quarantine period. The MOH has assured that the current vaccine supply is sufficient to meet the needs of these priority groups.

    MOH highlighted that a “significant” portion of the population—those born before 1981—may already have some immunity due to mandatory smallpox vaccinations administered in Singapore until that year.

    Detection, Isolation, and Treatment

    MOH has instructed all healthcare providers to be vigilant and promptly report any suspected mpox cases, especially those involving clade 1.

    Suspected cases will be referred to designated hospitals for further assessment and testing, with paediatric cases directed to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and adult-child family groups to National University Hospital. Confirmed clade 1 cases will be isolated in healthcare facilities until they are no longer infectious to prevent further community spread.

    Testing for mpox involves polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory. While there are no rapid point-of-care test kits available, cases are managed through supportive care. For severe cases, antivirals such as Tecovirimat may be used, aligning with treatment protocols in other countries.

    Community Measures and Mask-Wearing

    Based on current data, the virus spreads mainly through close physical contact, such as within households. Therefore, mask-wearing for the general public is not recommended unless there is significant evidence of respiratory transmission. MOH has stated that if respiratory spread becomes a concern, measures such as mask-wearing on public transport or in crowded indoor spaces may be considered.

    In settings such as preschools and schools, existing infectious disease protocols—such as visual screenings for symptoms and hygiene measures—will continue to be implemented to control any potential spread. Additionally, MOH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower and the National Environment Agency, has begun wastewater testing at migrant worker dormitories and the Onboard Centre to detect any presence of mpox.

    Ongoing Surveillance and Preparedness

    MOH will continue to work closely with international counterparts to monitor the evolving mpox situation. Border measures, detection protocols, and vaccination strategies will be adjusted as needed to safeguard Singapore’s public health.

    As of now, Singapore has not detected any clade 1 cases, with all 14 mpox cases this year involving the less severe clade 2 subtype. However, Minister Ong stressed the importance of vigilance, particularly in protecting vulnerable groups such as children and the immunocompromised, should clade 1 reach Singapore.

    “Our best course of action is to suppress the spread, provide proper treatment, and have an effective vaccination strategy in place,” Ong said. Despite the concern surrounding mpox, Ong reassured the public that it is unlikely to cause the level of disruption seen during COVID-19.

    https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/09/04/singapore-to-offer-mpox-vaccine-to-high-risk-healthcare-workers-and-close-contacts/
    Singapore to offer Mpox vaccine to high-risk healthcare workers and close contacts - The Online Citizen The Online Citizen4 September 2024 Singapore has announced new measures to combat the spread of the deadlier mpox clade 1 strain, as concerns mount over its potential impact. At a press conference on Wednesday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung revealed that the mpox vaccine JYNNEOS will be offered to two key groups: healthcare workers at high risk of exposure and close contacts of confirmed cases. The announcement comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years due to the resurgence of clade 1 cases in Africa. Minister Ong emphasized that while there is limited data on the virus, the government has sufficient information to implement precautionary measures. “We do not have full information on the characteristics of this virus, but we have good information on how it behaves,” he said. Ong added that Singapore’s response plan would remain flexible and adapt as the global understanding of the virus evolves. Response Measures and Border Controls As part of a whole-of-government approach, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has coordinated a comprehensive public health strategy to prevent the spread of mpox clade 1 in Singapore. While no direct flights connect Singapore to countries experiencing mpox outbreaks, temperature and visual screening measures have been put in place at Changi and Seletar airports for travellers and crew arriving from affected regions. Screening at sea checkpoints has also been implemented for ships from mpox-affected areas. Travellers are required to report any mpox-related symptoms (such as fever or rash) and provide travel history via the SG Arrival Card. Those displaying symptoms will be assessed by medical professionals at the borders and referred to hospitals if necessary. Vaccination Strategy and Quarantine The JYNNEOS vaccine, previously approved in Singapore for both smallpox and mpox, will be offered to two key groups. Healthcare workers at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and other high-risk facilities will be provided with pre-exposure prophylaxis, in addition to existing infection control protocols. Close contacts of confirmed mpox cases will receive a single vaccine dose within 14 days of exposure during their 21-day quarantine period. The MOH has assured that the current vaccine supply is sufficient to meet the needs of these priority groups. MOH highlighted that a “significant” portion of the population—those born before 1981—may already have some immunity due to mandatory smallpox vaccinations administered in Singapore until that year. Detection, Isolation, and Treatment MOH has instructed all healthcare providers to be vigilant and promptly report any suspected mpox cases, especially those involving clade 1. Suspected cases will be referred to designated hospitals for further assessment and testing, with paediatric cases directed to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and adult-child family groups to National University Hospital. Confirmed clade 1 cases will be isolated in healthcare facilities until they are no longer infectious to prevent further community spread. Testing for mpox involves polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory. While there are no rapid point-of-care test kits available, cases are managed through supportive care. For severe cases, antivirals such as Tecovirimat may be used, aligning with treatment protocols in other countries. Community Measures and Mask-Wearing Based on current data, the virus spreads mainly through close physical contact, such as within households. Therefore, mask-wearing for the general public is not recommended unless there is significant evidence of respiratory transmission. MOH has stated that if respiratory spread becomes a concern, measures such as mask-wearing on public transport or in crowded indoor spaces may be considered. In settings such as preschools and schools, existing infectious disease protocols—such as visual screenings for symptoms and hygiene measures—will continue to be implemented to control any potential spread. Additionally, MOH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower and the National Environment Agency, has begun wastewater testing at migrant worker dormitories and the Onboard Centre to detect any presence of mpox. Ongoing Surveillance and Preparedness MOH will continue to work closely with international counterparts to monitor the evolving mpox situation. Border measures, detection protocols, and vaccination strategies will be adjusted as needed to safeguard Singapore’s public health. As of now, Singapore has not detected any clade 1 cases, with all 14 mpox cases this year involving the less severe clade 2 subtype. However, Minister Ong stressed the importance of vigilance, particularly in protecting vulnerable groups such as children and the immunocompromised, should clade 1 reach Singapore. “Our best course of action is to suppress the spread, provide proper treatment, and have an effective vaccination strategy in place,” Ong said. Despite the concern surrounding mpox, Ong reassured the public that it is unlikely to cause the level of disruption seen during COVID-19. https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/09/04/singapore-to-offer-mpox-vaccine-to-high-risk-healthcare-workers-and-close-contacts/
    WWW.THEONLINECITIZEN.COM
    Singapore to offer Mpox vaccine to high-risk healthcare workers and close contacts
    Singapore will offer free mpox vaccines to high-risk healthcare workers and close contacts of confirmed cases, amid concerns over the deadlier clade 1 strain. The Ministry of Health stated mask-wearing is unnecessary for the public, as the virus primarily spreads through close contact.
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  • 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/
    ISRAELPALESTINENEWS.ORG
    Israeli-inflicted Palestinian injuries in Gaza, West Bank surpass 100,000 – Day 332
    Palestinian journalists imprisoned like never before; US files criminal charges vs Hamas members; Bibi blatantly erases Palestine from the map
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  • Covid surge forces schools to close and bring back pandemic-era measures- and more are at risk as millions head back to class next week
    17:12 BST 26 Aug 2024, updated 18:27 BST 26 Aug 2024 By Luke Andrews Senior Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com

    READ MORE: Fauci wants to bring back masks after contracting Covid
    Schools in two states experiencing a rise in Covid cases announced they were closing facilities and switching to remote learning.

    Alabama and Tennessee announced the closure of two schools — affecting more than a thousand children — just days into the new academic year, with officials saying the virus had forced them to shut and carry out a 'deep clean.'

    At one of the schools, children had to abandon their desks and revert to remote learning for two days — a move reminiscent of the early days of Covid.

    The closures — both in Republican states — came despite a mountain of evidence suggesting they hamper children's learning, social interactions and ability to develop natural immunity to common infections.

    And there are fears that more disruption could be in store for students in the coming months — with many schools, in states like New York, New Jersey and Michigan, returning after the Labor Day weekend.

    Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, closed for two days and switched to remote learning just four days into its new term amid a surge in Covid cases
    Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, closed for two days and switched to remote learning just four days into its new term amid a surge in Covid cases
    Stigall elementary in western Tennessee also closed for a day just a week into its new term for deep cleaning
    Stigall elementary in western Tennessee also closed for a day just a week into its new term for deep cleaning
    Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, which has 1,500 students in grades 9 through 12, made the decision to switch to virtual classes just four days into its new academic year after 15 teachers caught Covid. There was no data on how many students were infected.

    Staff and children were told to stay home on Wednesday, August 14 and Thursday, August 15 and attend lessons via remote learning while a deep clean was conducted in the school buildings.

    The school has now re-opened with masks and disinfection wipes available in every classroom. Masks have not been made mandatory.

    At Stigall Elementary, part of the Humboldt school system in western Tennessee, a one-day closure was announced just a week into the new term amid an 'uptick' in cases.

    The 246 students through first grade had to stay home on Tuesday, August 13 as their school was cleaned, with parents forced to either skip work or hire a babysitter.

    Read More

    Mpox ISN'T the new Covid, WHO announce in urgent update on spread of deadly virus


    article image
    A spokesperson for the school did not reveal how many staff or children had tested positive, only saying they had recorded an 'uptick.'

    Jessica Williamson, a mother of a first grader at the school, told FOX13: 'Everyone is like, "Covid is back, Covid is back."

    'Those are little kids. They're most prone to put things in their mouths, to touch each other, to just share germs.'

    She had to find a babysitter for her daughter for the day, but said she preferred that to her child catching Covid — which could lead to her being at home for multiple days.

    Teachers will now also be required to wipe down desks and desktop surfaces with disinfectant every time students move from class to class.

    Masks have not been made mandatory, and no other pandemic-era policies — like social distancing — have been brought back.

    Covid cases have increased across the US in recent weeks, thought to be driven by summer travel and gatherings.

    Eighteen percent of swabs were positive for the virus in the week to August 17, the latest available — up 40 percent from a month earlier.

    But these levels are far below those from the most severe days of the pandemic, when the proportion of tests detecting the virus surged over 30 percent.

    Hospitalizations and deaths are also much lower than at earlier periods of the pandemic, although rising slightly — with experts saying most people now only suffer from a mild illness because of previous immunity from vaccines or infections.

    Covid cases have risen in recent weeks, which experts say is likely being driven by summer travel and gatherings
    Covid cases have risen in recent weeks, which experts say is likely being driven by summer travel and gatherings
    The Covid hospitalization rate - 4.4 per 100,000 people - is also far below the peak of 35.4 per 100,000 people in 2022 when the Omicron variant was spreading.

    It is also lower than the of 10.9 per 100,000 and 7.7 per 100,000 at the start of 2024.

    Data also shows there were 696 deaths involving Covid recorded in the week to July 27, the latest available, well-below the tally from previous waves and less than a third of the level in January this year when 2,500 fatalities were being recorded every seven days.

    Several studies have been published since the pandemic warning how remote learning harmed children's development.

    They include the Education Recovery Scorecard paper from researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Johns Hopkins among others — which analyzed data from 7,800 school districts to determine the impact of remote learning.

    It found students in districts where remote learning was in place for most of the 2020 to 2021 school year fell, on average, more than half a grade behind in math.

    For comparison, those who had remote learning in place for just over a third of the year fell behind by just over a third of a grade.

    Another study published in early 2022 found children were performing worse in math and reading in 2020 and 2021 than before the pandemic began — after analyzing the results of 7.3million exams.

    In the UK, experts have come forward to say lockdowns caused 'long-lasting and era-defining' harm to the education of children — which could have been prevented.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13780665/covid-outbreak-school-closure-remote-learning-alabama-tennessee.html
    Covid surge forces schools to close and bring back pandemic-era measures- and more are at risk as millions head back to class next week 17:12 BST 26 Aug 2024, updated 18:27 BST 26 Aug 2024 By Luke Andrews Senior Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com READ MORE: Fauci wants to bring back masks after contracting Covid Schools in two states experiencing a rise in Covid cases announced they were closing facilities and switching to remote learning. Alabama and Tennessee announced the closure of two schools — affecting more than a thousand children — just days into the new academic year, with officials saying the virus had forced them to shut and carry out a 'deep clean.' At one of the schools, children had to abandon their desks and revert to remote learning for two days — a move reminiscent of the early days of Covid. The closures — both in Republican states — came despite a mountain of evidence suggesting they hamper children's learning, social interactions and ability to develop natural immunity to common infections. And there are fears that more disruption could be in store for students in the coming months — with many schools, in states like New York, New Jersey and Michigan, returning after the Labor Day weekend. Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, closed for two days and switched to remote learning just four days into its new term amid a surge in Covid cases Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, closed for two days and switched to remote learning just four days into its new term amid a surge in Covid cases Stigall elementary in western Tennessee also closed for a day just a week into its new term for deep cleaning Stigall elementary in western Tennessee also closed for a day just a week into its new term for deep cleaning Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (JAB) high school in Montgomery, Alabama, which has 1,500 students in grades 9 through 12, made the decision to switch to virtual classes just four days into its new academic year after 15 teachers caught Covid. There was no data on how many students were infected. Staff and children were told to stay home on Wednesday, August 14 and Thursday, August 15 and attend lessons via remote learning while a deep clean was conducted in the school buildings. The school has now re-opened with masks and disinfection wipes available in every classroom. Masks have not been made mandatory. At Stigall Elementary, part of the Humboldt school system in western Tennessee, a one-day closure was announced just a week into the new term amid an 'uptick' in cases. The 246 students through first grade had to stay home on Tuesday, August 13 as their school was cleaned, with parents forced to either skip work or hire a babysitter. Read More Mpox ISN'T the new Covid, WHO announce in urgent update on spread of deadly virus article image A spokesperson for the school did not reveal how many staff or children had tested positive, only saying they had recorded an 'uptick.' Jessica Williamson, a mother of a first grader at the school, told FOX13: 'Everyone is like, "Covid is back, Covid is back." 'Those are little kids. They're most prone to put things in their mouths, to touch each other, to just share germs.' She had to find a babysitter for her daughter for the day, but said she preferred that to her child catching Covid — which could lead to her being at home for multiple days. Teachers will now also be required to wipe down desks and desktop surfaces with disinfectant every time students move from class to class. Masks have not been made mandatory, and no other pandemic-era policies — like social distancing — have been brought back. Covid cases have increased across the US in recent weeks, thought to be driven by summer travel and gatherings. Eighteen percent of swabs were positive for the virus in the week to August 17, the latest available — up 40 percent from a month earlier. But these levels are far below those from the most severe days of the pandemic, when the proportion of tests detecting the virus surged over 30 percent. Hospitalizations and deaths are also much lower than at earlier periods of the pandemic, although rising slightly — with experts saying most people now only suffer from a mild illness because of previous immunity from vaccines or infections. Covid cases have risen in recent weeks, which experts say is likely being driven by summer travel and gatherings Covid cases have risen in recent weeks, which experts say is likely being driven by summer travel and gatherings The Covid hospitalization rate - 4.4 per 100,000 people - is also far below the peak of 35.4 per 100,000 people in 2022 when the Omicron variant was spreading. It is also lower than the of 10.9 per 100,000 and 7.7 per 100,000 at the start of 2024. Data also shows there were 696 deaths involving Covid recorded in the week to July 27, the latest available, well-below the tally from previous waves and less than a third of the level in January this year when 2,500 fatalities were being recorded every seven days. Several studies have been published since the pandemic warning how remote learning harmed children's development. They include the Education Recovery Scorecard paper from researchers at Harvard, Stanford and Johns Hopkins among others — which analyzed data from 7,800 school districts to determine the impact of remote learning. It found students in districts where remote learning was in place for most of the 2020 to 2021 school year fell, on average, more than half a grade behind in math. For comparison, those who had remote learning in place for just over a third of the year fell behind by just over a third of a grade. Another study published in early 2022 found children were performing worse in math and reading in 2020 and 2021 than before the pandemic began — after analyzing the results of 7.3million exams. In the UK, experts have come forward to say lockdowns caused 'long-lasting and era-defining' harm to the education of children — which could have been prevented. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13780665/covid-outbreak-school-closure-remote-learning-alabama-tennessee.html
    WWW.DAILYMAIL.CO.UK
    Covid surge forces schools to close, bring back pandemic-era measures
    Two schools in Alabama and Tennessee have shuttered just days into the new term amid an 'uptick' in Covid cases, and there are fears more disruption could be in store.
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  • Israeli media’s coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees shows support for sexual violence in service of genocide
    [email protected] August 23, 2024 Media, prisoners, rape, Sde Teiman, torture
    Screen image from an Israeli Channel 12 report on the sexual assault and rape of a Palestinian prisoner at Sde Teiman prison. (screen image)


    Israeli media coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees demonstrates the widespread acceptance within Israeli society of sexual violence as a weapon of genocide.

    By Jonathan Ofir, reposted from Mondoweiss, August 12, 2024

    Israel’s drama around the investigation of ten soldiers suspected of gang-raping a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman torture facility keeps reaching new lows. The reaction from Israelis, not just on the right, but also in the Israeli mainstream, has revealed a lust for sadistic revenge and an obsession with Hamas that is used to justify releasing all hell on Palestinians, including sexual abuse.

    In fact, the media coverage of events last week paints a grim and revealing picture of Israeli society.

    It began when the mainstream Israeli Channel 12 broadcasted a report concerning the gang rape case. The report features a segment from the security camera that caught the rape taking place — with three of the soldiers holding their shields up so as to obscure the crime from the camera. They knew exactly what they were doing.

    But beyond the harrowing aspect of the act itself is the nature of Channel 12’s report. A full fourth of the four-minute report dedicates itself to the scrutiny of whether the detainee was a “Nukhba” Hamas member — an elite fighter who participated in the October 7 attack. Such a focus reflects an obsession. It suggests that some people deserve to get gang-raped and have objects inserted into their anus, some less so.

    Let us see what Channel 12 says on this issue:

    “The terrorist that appears in the documentation did not participate in the massacre of October 7 and was not among the Nukhba forces. According to AMAN (military intelligence) information, he is a Hamas policeman who was involved in the drug-control department. In the intelligence report that was submitted in his case, it was written that despite this, he is counted with the force perpetrating acts of terror against Israel and it was emphasized that he represents a grave risk if released. Likewise, the terrorist was not arrested at the beginning of the war but in March. In contradiction to what was claimed, he was not a (military) Company Commander in Jabalia — the source of the mistake is in the interpretation of the initials — that is, not [military] M.P. [in Hebrew, military terminology stands for ‘Mefaked Pluga,’ or Company Commander], but rather M.P., which stands for ‘Mahane Plitim’ — refugee camp [in Hebrew] Jabalia.”

    So, let’s pause here to just reflect upon what was said – this is a civil servant, a policeman. But anyone remotely connected to Hamas is considered a terrorist, because Hamas is considered a terrorist organization. Actually, it doesn’t really matter for Israel, because like President Isaac Herzog said in October, there are simply no “uninvolved civilians” in Gaza; they are all involved with Hamas.

    But why is Channel 12 really going into all of this if it doesn’t make a difference?

    Channel 12 is a centrist channel and is the biggest news provider. By taking us through these details, it is distancing itself from the perpetrators and their defenders, who are mostly from the far right. The channel also aired interviews and unhinged statements of the gang rape suspects’ attorneys. One of the attorneys, Nati Rom, claims that the Israeli soldiers were acting in self-defense, as if it wasn’t a premeditated gang rape case at all:

    “He [the Palestinian detainee] tries to bite two soldiers, he tries to scratch another soldier, and when a taser is used on him he also resists, and attacks and scratches this soldier, and that’s why they are forced to use force in order to restrain him”.

    Another attorney, Adi Kedar, complains that

    “the military attorney office and military investigation unit are recruited fully, in a targeted and intentional way with all their forces … We are in a war — to invest all these resources for the sake of the rights of the terrorist against these ten heroes who really acted above and beyond, and against whom the suspicion is very very vague, it’s very disappointing, both at the legal level, as well as the personal level, and I hope this arrest will soon end.”

    Channel 12 gave the lawyers airtime for their egregious statements without comment — supposedly a neutral stance. As Tali Shapiro commented on social media: “According to Israeli media, what’s important in the rape case involving military personnel is not so much the rape but rather how much of a Nukhba the victim is.”

    Then, on Wednesday, Channel 14, the far-right channel which aired several snuff videos of these torture facilities earlier this year, featured a 10-minute interview with one of the rape suspects on its program, “The Patriots.” He is sitting there in an army uniform and a gun across his shoulder, with a black mask. The host begins by stating that the masked suspect is charged under the case with “the Nukhba terrorist, cursed be his name.” The suspect is complaining about what he sees as a witch-hunt and congratulates the right wing for rising up to protest it. He receives countless ovations. Asked about the security camera footage and the soldiers holding up the shields like that, he says this is just standard procedure. He chided Channel 12 and their journalist, Guy Peleg, for slandering the soldiers in the other mentioned report.

    This is an unbelievable sight to behold — here is a partially subtitled version in Middle East Eye. And imagine, this guy is calling for law and order. While hailing the right-wing protests of the arrest, he nonetheless urges them not to “break into camps,” because it “hurts our good name.”

    Another shocking development came the same day, during a Channel 12 morning news discussion.

    The Channel 12 journalist and panelist Yehuda Shlezinger commented on the gang rape case:

    “It interests my anus what they did to this Hamas person…From my perspective, the problem here is that it is not a regulated policy from the state to abuse prisoners. First of all — they deserve it. Maybe it will serve as deterrence.. It’s a worthy revenge, it’s just a pity that it’s not done in an institutional manner.”

    Later, Ynet published an article with a title suggesting that Shlezinger “apologized.” Here is his “apology”:

    “It was a mistake to say those things in a live broadcast. I was wrong. We need to get into them (sic), in the strongest possible manner, like I saw the heroic soldiers do it in Khan Younis, Jabalia, and Rafah … The terrorists need to be executed according to law. To let the state deal with them, to remember and to remind what Amalek did to you.”

    So, Shlezinger is now once again referring to the biblical Amalek story, suggesting total genocide down to babies and animals. This is his “apology.” By the way, the systematic abuse of prisoners is already established state policy — but not necessarily gang rape.

    Channel 12 tried to distance itself from Shlezinger’s views expressed on air. The production “regretted” the discussion and noted that it was said to Shlezinger that those things should not have been said. The host, Niv Raskin, said that he “distances himself from those sayings,” and that “it would have been right to do so in the broadcast itself” (which he didn’t do — the challenge to Shlezinger came from Haaretz journalist Josh Breiner). Raskin notes that “Shlezinger expressed remorse over the sayings and issued an apology.” But the “apology,” as we see, invokes genocide and is merely a regret of having advocated for rape on air.

    The broadcaster Keshet “unequivocally condemned the statements that were said today on live broadcast,” asking the production “not to invite Shlezinger to the morning program in the near future.”

    A day later, on Thursday, Middle East Eye released another testimony of a male Palestinian prisoner who was subject to rape, reporting on the systematic sexual abuse, but this time with an additional angle — female teenage soldiers raping men. It must be noted that the whole phenomenon of men testifying openly, with their name and on video, is something that had not existed pre-October 7. The shame related to such occurrences meant that, on the rare occasion where it was reported, it would be anonymous. But now we have seen a series of such testimonies, which demonstrates not only the systematic nature of the abuse but also the fact that these men are now willing to put their privacy and personal dignity aside to help change the reality for their brethren still undergoing the abuse on a daily basis.

    Ibrahim Salem, who was released last week after nearly eight months of detention, told Middle East Eye of his torture and interrogation at Sde Teiman (trigger warning):

    “I noticed that [the soldier] was glueing something on me. Then I started shaking. He was electrocuting me. He electrocuted me in sensitive spots and hit me in these spots.”

    The report continues:

    “Though it was rampant, inmates rarely spoke about it to each other, he said. It was embarrassing for many to admit, especially when they were raped by female soldiers, who were sometimes in their teens. It was common practice for soldiers to strip detainees naked, insert objects into their rectum and grab their genitals aggressively when they changed. When word got around that a prisoner in his 40s was raped, Salem kept getting close to him until he told him what happened to him.

    ‘He told me he was raped by a female soldier,’ Salem told Middle East Eye. When he asked him how it happened, the prisoner explained it would take place in the presence of another soldier in the room. The prisoner would be bent over a desk with his hands placed in front of him, handcuffed. The female soldier, standing behind him, would insert her fingers and other objects into his rectum.

    Salem said he was also touched in his private parts by a female soldier and had objects inserted in his rectum at some point.”

    Last week began with the Israeli human rights non-governmental organization B’tselem releasing a new report on Monday titled “Welcome to Hell – The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps,” which makes the point that Sde Teiman is “only the tip of the iceberg.” So everything above is not exceptional. It’s the product of a system.

    And this is partly why this one story of gang rape is making the headlines in Israel, although for various and opposing reasons. The right wing wants the story to be justified and to go away so that soldiers can continue abusing Palestinian detainees with impunity. The center and left mostly want it prosecuted so that it can be chalked up to a few “bad apples.” This was the case with the murder case of Elor Azarya in 2016 — where the medic-soldier shot an already incapacitated Palestinian suspect in the head at point-blank range. Azarya was also caught on video. Although what he did happened “tons of times,” according to his comrades, he was to serve as the “bad apple,” which in turn would prove the innocence of the system. Azarya’s trial was a sham, and he eventually returned home to a hero’s welcome after a nine-month prison term. This is roughly what we should expect here. The Israeli center needs to differentiate between the murdering Zionist, the gang-raping Zionist, and the liberal Zionist.

    But the rot is way too overwhelming. It won’t help to close down Sde Teiman. This story is about the systemic usage of sexual violence as a weapon of genocide. And Sde Teiman is just a reflection of Israeli society, a cog in a network of torture that reflects and replicates an overall rape culture.

    Jonathan Ofir is an Israeli musician, conductor and blogger / writer based in Denmark.

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    https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-medias-coverage-of-the-rape-of-palestinian-detainees-shows-support-for-sexual-violence-in-service-of-genocide/
    Israeli media’s coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees shows support for sexual violence in service of genocide [email protected] August 23, 2024 Media, prisoners, rape, Sde Teiman, torture Screen image from an Israeli Channel 12 report on the sexual assault and rape of a Palestinian prisoner at Sde Teiman prison. (screen image) Israeli media coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees demonstrates the widespread acceptance within Israeli society of sexual violence as a weapon of genocide. By Jonathan Ofir, reposted from Mondoweiss, August 12, 2024 Israel’s drama around the investigation of ten soldiers suspected of gang-raping a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman torture facility keeps reaching new lows. The reaction from Israelis, not just on the right, but also in the Israeli mainstream, has revealed a lust for sadistic revenge and an obsession with Hamas that is used to justify releasing all hell on Palestinians, including sexual abuse. In fact, the media coverage of events last week paints a grim and revealing picture of Israeli society. It began when the mainstream Israeli Channel 12 broadcasted a report concerning the gang rape case. The report features a segment from the security camera that caught the rape taking place — with three of the soldiers holding their shields up so as to obscure the crime from the camera. They knew exactly what they were doing. But beyond the harrowing aspect of the act itself is the nature of Channel 12’s report. A full fourth of the four-minute report dedicates itself to the scrutiny of whether the detainee was a “Nukhba” Hamas member — an elite fighter who participated in the October 7 attack. Such a focus reflects an obsession. It suggests that some people deserve to get gang-raped and have objects inserted into their anus, some less so. Let us see what Channel 12 says on this issue: “The terrorist that appears in the documentation did not participate in the massacre of October 7 and was not among the Nukhba forces. According to AMAN (military intelligence) information, he is a Hamas policeman who was involved in the drug-control department. In the intelligence report that was submitted in his case, it was written that despite this, he is counted with the force perpetrating acts of terror against Israel and it was emphasized that he represents a grave risk if released. Likewise, the terrorist was not arrested at the beginning of the war but in March. In contradiction to what was claimed, he was not a (military) Company Commander in Jabalia — the source of the mistake is in the interpretation of the initials — that is, not [military] M.P. [in Hebrew, military terminology stands for ‘Mefaked Pluga,’ or Company Commander], but rather M.P., which stands for ‘Mahane Plitim’ — refugee camp [in Hebrew] Jabalia.” So, let’s pause here to just reflect upon what was said – this is a civil servant, a policeman. But anyone remotely connected to Hamas is considered a terrorist, because Hamas is considered a terrorist organization. Actually, it doesn’t really matter for Israel, because like President Isaac Herzog said in October, there are simply no “uninvolved civilians” in Gaza; they are all involved with Hamas. But why is Channel 12 really going into all of this if it doesn’t make a difference? Channel 12 is a centrist channel and is the biggest news provider. By taking us through these details, it is distancing itself from the perpetrators and their defenders, who are mostly from the far right. The channel also aired interviews and unhinged statements of the gang rape suspects’ attorneys. One of the attorneys, Nati Rom, claims that the Israeli soldiers were acting in self-defense, as if it wasn’t a premeditated gang rape case at all: “He [the Palestinian detainee] tries to bite two soldiers, he tries to scratch another soldier, and when a taser is used on him he also resists, and attacks and scratches this soldier, and that’s why they are forced to use force in order to restrain him”. Another attorney, Adi Kedar, complains that “the military attorney office and military investigation unit are recruited fully, in a targeted and intentional way with all their forces … We are in a war — to invest all these resources for the sake of the rights of the terrorist against these ten heroes who really acted above and beyond, and against whom the suspicion is very very vague, it’s very disappointing, both at the legal level, as well as the personal level, and I hope this arrest will soon end.” Channel 12 gave the lawyers airtime for their egregious statements without comment — supposedly a neutral stance. As Tali Shapiro commented on social media: “According to Israeli media, what’s important in the rape case involving military personnel is not so much the rape but rather how much of a Nukhba the victim is.” Then, on Wednesday, Channel 14, the far-right channel which aired several snuff videos of these torture facilities earlier this year, featured a 10-minute interview with one of the rape suspects on its program, “The Patriots.” He is sitting there in an army uniform and a gun across his shoulder, with a black mask. The host begins by stating that the masked suspect is charged under the case with “the Nukhba terrorist, cursed be his name.” The suspect is complaining about what he sees as a witch-hunt and congratulates the right wing for rising up to protest it. He receives countless ovations. Asked about the security camera footage and the soldiers holding up the shields like that, he says this is just standard procedure. He chided Channel 12 and their journalist, Guy Peleg, for slandering the soldiers in the other mentioned report. This is an unbelievable sight to behold — here is a partially subtitled version in Middle East Eye. And imagine, this guy is calling for law and order. While hailing the right-wing protests of the arrest, he nonetheless urges them not to “break into camps,” because it “hurts our good name.” Another shocking development came the same day, during a Channel 12 morning news discussion. The Channel 12 journalist and panelist Yehuda Shlezinger commented on the gang rape case: “It interests my anus what they did to this Hamas person…From my perspective, the problem here is that it is not a regulated policy from the state to abuse prisoners. First of all — they deserve it. Maybe it will serve as deterrence.. It’s a worthy revenge, it’s just a pity that it’s not done in an institutional manner.” Later, Ynet published an article with a title suggesting that Shlezinger “apologized.” Here is his “apology”: “It was a mistake to say those things in a live broadcast. I was wrong. We need to get into them (sic), in the strongest possible manner, like I saw the heroic soldiers do it in Khan Younis, Jabalia, and Rafah … The terrorists need to be executed according to law. To let the state deal with them, to remember and to remind what Amalek did to you.” So, Shlezinger is now once again referring to the biblical Amalek story, suggesting total genocide down to babies and animals. This is his “apology.” By the way, the systematic abuse of prisoners is already established state policy — but not necessarily gang rape. Channel 12 tried to distance itself from Shlezinger’s views expressed on air. The production “regretted” the discussion and noted that it was said to Shlezinger that those things should not have been said. The host, Niv Raskin, said that he “distances himself from those sayings,” and that “it would have been right to do so in the broadcast itself” (which he didn’t do — the challenge to Shlezinger came from Haaretz journalist Josh Breiner). Raskin notes that “Shlezinger expressed remorse over the sayings and issued an apology.” But the “apology,” as we see, invokes genocide and is merely a regret of having advocated for rape on air. The broadcaster Keshet “unequivocally condemned the statements that were said today on live broadcast,” asking the production “not to invite Shlezinger to the morning program in the near future.” A day later, on Thursday, Middle East Eye released another testimony of a male Palestinian prisoner who was subject to rape, reporting on the systematic sexual abuse, but this time with an additional angle — female teenage soldiers raping men. It must be noted that the whole phenomenon of men testifying openly, with their name and on video, is something that had not existed pre-October 7. The shame related to such occurrences meant that, on the rare occasion where it was reported, it would be anonymous. But now we have seen a series of such testimonies, which demonstrates not only the systematic nature of the abuse but also the fact that these men are now willing to put their privacy and personal dignity aside to help change the reality for their brethren still undergoing the abuse on a daily basis. Ibrahim Salem, who was released last week after nearly eight months of detention, told Middle East Eye of his torture and interrogation at Sde Teiman (trigger warning): “I noticed that [the soldier] was glueing something on me. Then I started shaking. He was electrocuting me. He electrocuted me in sensitive spots and hit me in these spots.” The report continues: “Though it was rampant, inmates rarely spoke about it to each other, he said. It was embarrassing for many to admit, especially when they were raped by female soldiers, who were sometimes in their teens. It was common practice for soldiers to strip detainees naked, insert objects into their rectum and grab their genitals aggressively when they changed. When word got around that a prisoner in his 40s was raped, Salem kept getting close to him until he told him what happened to him. ‘He told me he was raped by a female soldier,’ Salem told Middle East Eye. When he asked him how it happened, the prisoner explained it would take place in the presence of another soldier in the room. The prisoner would be bent over a desk with his hands placed in front of him, handcuffed. The female soldier, standing behind him, would insert her fingers and other objects into his rectum. Salem said he was also touched in his private parts by a female soldier and had objects inserted in his rectum at some point.” Last week began with the Israeli human rights non-governmental organization B’tselem releasing a new report on Monday titled “Welcome to Hell – The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps,” which makes the point that Sde Teiman is “only the tip of the iceberg.” So everything above is not exceptional. It’s the product of a system. And this is partly why this one story of gang rape is making the headlines in Israel, although for various and opposing reasons. The right wing wants the story to be justified and to go away so that soldiers can continue abusing Palestinian detainees with impunity. The center and left mostly want it prosecuted so that it can be chalked up to a few “bad apples.” This was the case with the murder case of Elor Azarya in 2016 — where the medic-soldier shot an already incapacitated Palestinian suspect in the head at point-blank range. Azarya was also caught on video. Although what he did happened “tons of times,” according to his comrades, he was to serve as the “bad apple,” which in turn would prove the innocence of the system. Azarya’s trial was a sham, and he eventually returned home to a hero’s welcome after a nine-month prison term. This is roughly what we should expect here. The Israeli center needs to differentiate between the murdering Zionist, the gang-raping Zionist, and the liberal Zionist. But the rot is way too overwhelming. It won’t help to close down Sde Teiman. This story is about the systemic usage of sexual violence as a weapon of genocide. And Sde Teiman is just a reflection of Israeli society, a cog in a network of torture that reflects and replicates an overall rape culture. Jonathan Ofir is an Israeli musician, conductor and blogger / writer based in Denmark. RELATED ARTICLES: ‘I have the prison inside me’: The emaciated Palestinian bodybuilder broken by Israel The genocide in Israeli prisons How Israeli prison doctors assist in the torture of Palestinian detainees Palestinian Released From Israeli Prison Describes Beatings, Sexual Abuse and Torture The writing was on the wall for Israel’s torture of prisoners Israel’s torture and humiliation of female and male Gazan prisoners Hostages of Israeli revenge in the Gaza Strip: Testimonies of 100 released Palestinian detainees reveal crimes of torture, cruel treatment https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-medias-coverage-of-the-rape-of-palestinian-detainees-shows-support-for-sexual-violence-in-service-of-genocide/
    ISRAELPALESTINENEWS.ORG
    Israeli media’s coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees shows support for sexual violence in service of genocide
    Israeli media coverage of the rape of Palestinian detainees demonstrates acceptance of sexual violence as a weapon of genocide.
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  • MPox Americana - WHO Declares Global Emergency Right Before Another Plandemic Treaty Meeting
    Scott Creighton
    by Scott Creighton

    The latest public version (PDF) of the negotiating text was published on 22 April 2024.

    The first thing they will tell you about the World Health Organizations' (WHO) Pandemic Treaty is that is is definitely NOT a power-grab by the WHO designed to dictate to the various nations of the world what they do to protect their own people.

    But then again little quips like this are published... recently.

    "With this agreement, we take steps to hold countries accountable and strengthen measures to stop outbreaks before they threaten Americans and our security,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Saturday.' Reuters June 2024

    So it seems at least as recently as a couple months ago even our own public health authorities were tacitly admitting there is a PUNITIVE aspect to this agreement that will FORCE countries to do what they are told. That's what 'hold countries accountable' means.

    But hold countries accountable for what?

    "The historic decisions taken today demonstrate a common desire by member states to protect their own people, and the world's, from the shared risk of public health emergencies and future pandemics," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.' Reuters June 2024

    Ah yes, of course, the old shared risk doctrine. You remember that, don't you? It went something like this:

    if one person isn't vaccinated with the experimental mRNA jabs, then NO ONE is

    a PANDEMIC OF THE UNVACCINATED

    it's SELFISH to do your own research and make up your mind

    You remember those right? Turns out it was propaganda designed to shame individuals, shame and harass individuals into doing something that was clearly not in their best interest.

    This is based on the 'common good' principle. Yes, they eventually admitted, the side effects of the experimental mRNA 'vaccines' are potentially life altering while the effectiveness of the vaccine itself is minimal at best (as you can catch, carry, transfer, get sick and die from the virus AFTER taking the 'vaccine') but it is for the 'Common Good' that you take the vaccine anyway and suffer the risks and side effects anyway, no matter what your personal decision might be.

    This is the logic of the 'Common Good' principle. Take one for the team. On an individual, person by person scale.

    The WHO Pandemic Treaty expands that flawed (and unconstitutional) concept to a global scale, imploring nation states to view themselves and the whole of their populations to literally 'take one for the team' on the basis of 'shared risk' in the future were someone to 'declare a pandemic'

    And of course, there are measures by which they will 'hold countries accountable' who don't bow to the demands of the 'Common Good'

    'The main goal of this treaty would be to foster an all of government and all of society approach, strengthening national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics...

    Currently, the parties are negotiating on issues such as:

    The definition, means, and procedure for declaring a pandemic, and what this actually means in practice for states.

    How states and the WHO should be coordinating and cooperating in pandemic preparedness and response

    Setting up a new Governing Body for the treaty – a COP or Conference of the Parties.

    Other general legal issues relating to the treaty, such as amendments, withdrawal, and dispute settlement. UK Parliament House of Commons May 2024

    Years ago the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) was a contentious issue going into the 2016 (S)election especially for the so-called 'Left' in this country.

    “It is ironic in a way that the government thinks it’s alright to have a record of every single call that an American makes, but not alright for an American citizen to know what sovereign powers the government is negotiating away.” Congressman Alan Grayson

    Barack Obama wanted to hand Big Business one more huge WIN and he was pushing hard to pass a ratification for the trade agreement while Hillary Clinton said, at one point before backing off, it was the 'Gold Standard' of trade deals.

    The problem was... it handed over the sovereignty of all nations who were party to it. And how did it do that? It created an international, supranational body which would oversee all disputes, something similar to the COP, and they would hand out punishment, 'hold countries accountable', for not living up to the mandates set by the TPP. These rules, by the punishments they would impose, superseded all laws and protections in place in various partner nations and would in fact seriously impact their economic and social structures.

    That's why the TPP failed and even Killary Clinton, leading up to the 2016 election, had to do an about face on her support for the Gold Standard of trade deals.

    And here we are today. The WHO Pandemic Treaty is just another attempt at taking supranational control over nation states and the people who call them home by unelected and unaccountable bodies of corporate heads who answer only to their share-holders.

    Government of, by and for Big Business.

    Today the head of the WHO, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr. Tedros), has declared a 'global health emergency over the recent Mpox (Monkeypox) outbreak in Africa. The deadline, self-imposed, to formerly conclude and ratify the Pandemic Treaty across the globe is by the end of the year. What a coincidence.

    'The declaration comes after Africa recorded more than 15,000 suspected and confirmed cases and 537 deaths this year, exceeding the toll in all of 2023. Infections reached record highs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the virus has been endemic for decades and where the vast majority of African cases are concentrated.' Washington Post Aug 14 2024

    We are told this is a new version, or 'clade', of Monkeypox, not merely a new, let us say less offensive, name which is more dangerous than say the version that popped up out of nowhere back in 2021.

    'A new form of the virus, known as clade 1b, has spilled into eastern parts of the central African nation and has been reported in other countries for the first time, including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Viruses from the clade 1 classes tend to result in more deaths than another form that spread globally in 2022 and 2023.' Washington Post Aug 14 2024

    Mpox is a zoonotic virus. That is an important clarification.

    'Mpox is a zoonotic virus that causes flu-like symptoms and a rash with painful lesions. It was formerly known as monkeypox, but officials changed the name because it is inaccurate (scientists now believe the virus originates in rodents) and stigmatizing by associating a disease disproportionately affecting Black people with a slur used against them.

    The WHO previously declared mpox an international health emergency in 2022 amid an outbreak that affected mostly gay and bisexual men across the globe, with nearly 100,000 cases and 208 deaths across 116 countries...' Washington Post Aug 14 2024

    So. Dr. Tedros, who is still pushing for the acceptance of the WHO Pandemic Treaty by the end of this year, has decided to declare a global health emergency after 15,000 'suspected' cases worldwide. Didn't do that in 2022, just two years ago, until the numbers hit 22k but considering the new 'clade' of Mpox is seemingly more deadly (are all fatalities associated with CONFIRMED cases or SUSPECTED cases?) perhaps that might be justified, convenient timing aside.

    'Dr. Tedros justified this decision at a press conference on Wednesday evening by citing "the detection and rapid spread of a new clade [a viral strain] in eastern DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond." Le Monde Aug 15 2024

    But then that brings us to the question of origin. Just how did Mpox suddenly, at this crucial time mind you, suddenly become so much more lethal? Could there be anything that we should look at in terms of causality? Might this end up being another lab 'leak' case?

    Well...

    ' The Mpox outbreak began in May 2022, when confirmed cases were reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 12 Mpox non-endemic countries from the Global North.2 The growing number of cases therefore, led the WHO to declare the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 23 July 2022.' NIH

    In May of 2022 the Mpox outbreak kicked off in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and it took quite sometime for the world to send 50k vaccines to help them combat it.

    Was anything else happening in and around in the lead-up to the outbreak?

    Well...

    DEEP VZN is a USAID project that replaced the Predict Project in Oct. of 2021. It's purpose was to study and perform gain of function research on ... zoonotic viruses... across the globe.

    'USAID launched the program, known as the Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens – Viral Zoonoses (DEEP VZN), in October 2021. It tapped the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health at Washington State University (WSU) to lead a consortium that planned to work in up to 12 foreign countries over 5 years. Goals included training people in those countries to safely collect and characterize viruses found in animals, and to identify and develop strategies to thwart pathogens that might gain the capacity to jump to humans and spark a global pandemic.' Science Sept 2023

    What? You say it wasn't gain of function research?

    ' There’s a lot of concern about lab leaks and creating a human-animal interface that wouldn’t naturally exist,”

    'Critics feared DEEP VZN research projects could help viruses jump from animals to humans' Science Sept 2023

    Yes indeed, DEEP VZN was a mass GAIN of FUNCTION project that was designed to posit the possibilities of deadly viruses making leaps to humans in an effort, supposedly, to better prepare for the potential outbreaks. They claim it had nothing to do with weaponizing zoonotic diseases.

    That's what they claimed anyway.

    Washington State University (WSU) where DEEP VZN was based, has a website which is still up detailing all the various governmental projects they participated in, including DEEP VZN.

    Would you like to know something interesting? In 2021, Oct of 2021, they took their killer virus making show down to Africa of all places, studying flu-like zoonotic diseases... like Mpox. A few months later, a dangerous outbreak of Mpox hits Africa.


    The current outbreak of Mpox, this recent clade, started around Jan. of 2023.

    'The current outbreak, Congo's worst ever, has seen 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths since January 2023, largely among children.' Reuters Aug 16 2024

    In late July of 2023 USAID informed WSU they had cancelled DEEP VZN.

    'In late July, however, USAID officials notified WSU investigators that they had canceled DEEP VZN (pronounced “deep vision”), as first reported yesterday by The BMJ.' Science Sept 2023

    DEEP VZN was in operation, doing gain of function research, in neighboring African nations the whole time this Mpox outbreak, clade 1 and 2, seemingly came out of nowhere.

    And most recently just in time to help promote the need for the WHO's Pandemic Treaty.

    I quit believing in coincidences a long time ago. For good reason.

    The more dangerous nature of this round of Mpox also leads one to wonder about it's genesis as most often a new variation of an organic virus living in an area tends to be less lethal than those that came before them, not more. This fact is evidence by all the recent Covid-19 variations we have seen over the years.

    But suddenly, a couple months before the Dec. deadline, we get a much much more dangerous variation of Mpox? Near where DEEP VZN gain of function research was taking place?

    Perhaps we should start looking for furin cleavage site mods on the Mpox viruses. Or something to that effect. Of course, by time someone finds anything that might indicate this new Mpox strain or clade was 'modified' we will already be knee deep in WHO lockdowns for the Common Good.

    Not definitive by certain interesting enough to warrant further investigation, if you ask me.

    https://meryl.substack.com/cp/147787840
    MPox Americana - WHO Declares Global Emergency Right Before Another Plandemic Treaty Meeting Scott Creighton by Scott Creighton The latest public version (PDF) of the negotiating text was published on 22 April 2024. The first thing they will tell you about the World Health Organizations' (WHO) Pandemic Treaty is that is is definitely NOT a power-grab by the WHO designed to dictate to the various nations of the world what they do to protect their own people. But then again little quips like this are published... recently. "With this agreement, we take steps to hold countries accountable and strengthen measures to stop outbreaks before they threaten Americans and our security,” said U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Saturday.' Reuters June 2024 So it seems at least as recently as a couple months ago even our own public health authorities were tacitly admitting there is a PUNITIVE aspect to this agreement that will FORCE countries to do what they are told. That's what 'hold countries accountable' means. But hold countries accountable for what? "The historic decisions taken today demonstrate a common desire by member states to protect their own people, and the world's, from the shared risk of public health emergencies and future pandemics," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.' Reuters June 2024 Ah yes, of course, the old shared risk doctrine. You remember that, don't you? It went something like this: if one person isn't vaccinated with the experimental mRNA jabs, then NO ONE is a PANDEMIC OF THE UNVACCINATED it's SELFISH to do your own research and make up your mind You remember those right? Turns out it was propaganda designed to shame individuals, shame and harass individuals into doing something that was clearly not in their best interest. This is based on the 'common good' principle. Yes, they eventually admitted, the side effects of the experimental mRNA 'vaccines' are potentially life altering while the effectiveness of the vaccine itself is minimal at best (as you can catch, carry, transfer, get sick and die from the virus AFTER taking the 'vaccine') but it is for the 'Common Good' that you take the vaccine anyway and suffer the risks and side effects anyway, no matter what your personal decision might be. This is the logic of the 'Common Good' principle. Take one for the team. On an individual, person by person scale. The WHO Pandemic Treaty expands that flawed (and unconstitutional) concept to a global scale, imploring nation states to view themselves and the whole of their populations to literally 'take one for the team' on the basis of 'shared risk' in the future were someone to 'declare a pandemic' And of course, there are measures by which they will 'hold countries accountable' who don't bow to the demands of the 'Common Good' 'The main goal of this treaty would be to foster an all of government and all of society approach, strengthening national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics... Currently, the parties are negotiating on issues such as: The definition, means, and procedure for declaring a pandemic, and what this actually means in practice for states. How states and the WHO should be coordinating and cooperating in pandemic preparedness and response Setting up a new Governing Body for the treaty – a COP or Conference of the Parties. Other general legal issues relating to the treaty, such as amendments, withdrawal, and dispute settlement. UK Parliament House of Commons May 2024 Years ago the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) was a contentious issue going into the 2016 (S)election especially for the so-called 'Left' in this country. “It is ironic in a way that the government thinks it’s alright to have a record of every single call that an American makes, but not alright for an American citizen to know what sovereign powers the government is negotiating away.” Congressman Alan Grayson Barack Obama wanted to hand Big Business one more huge WIN and he was pushing hard to pass a ratification for the trade agreement while Hillary Clinton said, at one point before backing off, it was the 'Gold Standard' of trade deals. The problem was... it handed over the sovereignty of all nations who were party to it. And how did it do that? It created an international, supranational body which would oversee all disputes, something similar to the COP, and they would hand out punishment, 'hold countries accountable', for not living up to the mandates set by the TPP. These rules, by the punishments they would impose, superseded all laws and protections in place in various partner nations and would in fact seriously impact their economic and social structures. That's why the TPP failed and even Killary Clinton, leading up to the 2016 election, had to do an about face on her support for the Gold Standard of trade deals. And here we are today. The WHO Pandemic Treaty is just another attempt at taking supranational control over nation states and the people who call them home by unelected and unaccountable bodies of corporate heads who answer only to their share-holders. Government of, by and for Big Business. Today the head of the WHO, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Dr. Tedros), has declared a 'global health emergency over the recent Mpox (Monkeypox) outbreak in Africa. The deadline, self-imposed, to formerly conclude and ratify the Pandemic Treaty across the globe is by the end of the year. What a coincidence. 'The declaration comes after Africa recorded more than 15,000 suspected and confirmed cases and 537 deaths this year, exceeding the toll in all of 2023. Infections reached record highs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the virus has been endemic for decades and where the vast majority of African cases are concentrated.' Washington Post Aug 14 2024 We are told this is a new version, or 'clade', of Monkeypox, not merely a new, let us say less offensive, name which is more dangerous than say the version that popped up out of nowhere back in 2021. 'A new form of the virus, known as clade 1b, has spilled into eastern parts of the central African nation and has been reported in other countries for the first time, including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Viruses from the clade 1 classes tend to result in more deaths than another form that spread globally in 2022 and 2023.' Washington Post Aug 14 2024 Mpox is a zoonotic virus. That is an important clarification. 'Mpox is a zoonotic virus that causes flu-like symptoms and a rash with painful lesions. It was formerly known as monkeypox, but officials changed the name because it is inaccurate (scientists now believe the virus originates in rodents) and stigmatizing by associating a disease disproportionately affecting Black people with a slur used against them. The WHO previously declared mpox an international health emergency in 2022 amid an outbreak that affected mostly gay and bisexual men across the globe, with nearly 100,000 cases and 208 deaths across 116 countries...' Washington Post Aug 14 2024 So. Dr. Tedros, who is still pushing for the acceptance of the WHO Pandemic Treaty by the end of this year, has decided to declare a global health emergency after 15,000 'suspected' cases worldwide. Didn't do that in 2022, just two years ago, until the numbers hit 22k but considering the new 'clade' of Mpox is seemingly more deadly (are all fatalities associated with CONFIRMED cases or SUSPECTED cases?) perhaps that might be justified, convenient timing aside. 'Dr. Tedros justified this decision at a press conference on Wednesday evening by citing "the detection and rapid spread of a new clade [a viral strain] in eastern DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo], its detection in neighboring countries that had not previously reported mpox and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond." Le Monde Aug 15 2024 But then that brings us to the question of origin. Just how did Mpox suddenly, at this crucial time mind you, suddenly become so much more lethal? Could there be anything that we should look at in terms of causality? Might this end up being another lab 'leak' case? Well... ' The Mpox outbreak began in May 2022, when confirmed cases were reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 12 Mpox non-endemic countries from the Global North.2 The growing number of cases therefore, led the WHO to declare the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 23 July 2022.' NIH In May of 2022 the Mpox outbreak kicked off in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and it took quite sometime for the world to send 50k vaccines to help them combat it. Was anything else happening in and around in the lead-up to the outbreak? Well... DEEP VZN is a USAID project that replaced the Predict Project in Oct. of 2021. It's purpose was to study and perform gain of function research on ... zoonotic viruses... across the globe. 'USAID launched the program, known as the Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens – Viral Zoonoses (DEEP VZN), in October 2021. It tapped the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health at Washington State University (WSU) to lead a consortium that planned to work in up to 12 foreign countries over 5 years. Goals included training people in those countries to safely collect and characterize viruses found in animals, and to identify and develop strategies to thwart pathogens that might gain the capacity to jump to humans and spark a global pandemic.' Science Sept 2023 What? You say it wasn't gain of function research? ' There’s a lot of concern about lab leaks and creating a human-animal interface that wouldn’t naturally exist,” 'Critics feared DEEP VZN research projects could help viruses jump from animals to humans' Science Sept 2023 Yes indeed, DEEP VZN was a mass GAIN of FUNCTION project that was designed to posit the possibilities of deadly viruses making leaps to humans in an effort, supposedly, to better prepare for the potential outbreaks. They claim it had nothing to do with weaponizing zoonotic diseases. That's what they claimed anyway. Washington State University (WSU) where DEEP VZN was based, has a website which is still up detailing all the various governmental projects they participated in, including DEEP VZN. Would you like to know something interesting? In 2021, Oct of 2021, they took their killer virus making show down to Africa of all places, studying flu-like zoonotic diseases... like Mpox. A few months later, a dangerous outbreak of Mpox hits Africa. The current outbreak of Mpox, this recent clade, started around Jan. of 2023. 'The current outbreak, Congo's worst ever, has seen 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths since January 2023, largely among children.' Reuters Aug 16 2024 In late July of 2023 USAID informed WSU they had cancelled DEEP VZN. 'In late July, however, USAID officials notified WSU investigators that they had canceled DEEP VZN (pronounced “deep vision”), as first reported yesterday by The BMJ.' Science Sept 2023 DEEP VZN was in operation, doing gain of function research, in neighboring African nations the whole time this Mpox outbreak, clade 1 and 2, seemingly came out of nowhere. And most recently just in time to help promote the need for the WHO's Pandemic Treaty. I quit believing in coincidences a long time ago. For good reason. The more dangerous nature of this round of Mpox also leads one to wonder about it's genesis as most often a new variation of an organic virus living in an area tends to be less lethal than those that came before them, not more. This fact is evidence by all the recent Covid-19 variations we have seen over the years. But suddenly, a couple months before the Dec. deadline, we get a much much more dangerous variation of Mpox? Near where DEEP VZN gain of function research was taking place? Perhaps we should start looking for furin cleavage site mods on the Mpox viruses. Or something to that effect. Of course, by time someone finds anything that might indicate this new Mpox strain or clade was 'modified' we will already be knee deep in WHO lockdowns for the Common Good. Not definitive by certain interesting enough to warrant further investigation, if you ask me. https://meryl.substack.com/cp/147787840
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  • Gaza records first polio case in 25 years – Day 314
    [email protected] August 17, 2024 arms embargo, ceasefire, DNC, freedom flotilla, from the river to the sea, humanitarian aid, icc arrest warrant, Jayson Gillham, Mark Smith FCDO, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, pogrom, polio, safe zone, UC Irvine, uncommitted movement
    Smoke rises from the Hamad area following an Israeli attack, which came immediately after Israel issued an evacuation warning to the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on August 16, 2024 [Doaa Albaz/Anadolu Agency] (photo)
    Polio epidemic begins; new flyers about Gaza to distribute; just 11 percent of Gaza for Gazans; Israeli settlers carry out pogrom in Palestinian town of Jit; Gaza Freedom Flotilla drawing near – will it break Israel’s blockade?; Israeli leaders mull how to dodge ICC arrest warrants; German courts grapple with the meaning of “from the river to the sea”; awaiting UC-Irvine’s fall policy on Palestine protest; Dems want ceasefire and arms embargo, but will Kamala listen?; senior UK diplomat resigns over Gaza; Australia’s classical music scene scuffle over Gaza; “Blue Vote Red Line” movement continues to gather signatures; more.

    By IAK staff, from reports.

    Gaza records first polio case as UN calls for truce to tackle virus

    Al Jazeera reports: The Health Ministry in Gaza has said that it detected the first polio case in the besieged enclave, hours after United Nations officials called for a pause in the fighting to enable a vaccination campaign for children against the virus.

    In a statement on Friday, the Health Ministry blamed the “difficult” conditions in Gaza – including the spread of sewage water in the streets, shortages of medical supplies and lack of personal hygiene products due to the Israeli blockade – for the emergence of the virus in the territory.

    Hours earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called for humanitarian pauses in the war in Gaza to conduct a polio vaccine campaign.

    “It is impossible to conduct a polio vaccination campaign with war raging all over,” he told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.

    Guterres appealed for assurances of humanitarian pauses to be provided immediately from the warring parties as he warned that preventing and containing the spread of polio in Gaza would take a massive coordinated and urgent effort.

    “Let’s be clear: The ultimate vaccine for polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” Guterres said. “But in any case, a polio pause is a must.”

    (Read the full article here.)

    Details of the proposed vaccination campaign are here.

    After Israel destroyed Gaza's water and sewage systems, filthy water runs or stands stagnant all over the enclave, carrying polio and other diseases.
    After Israel destroyed Gaza’s water and sewage systems, filthy water runs or stands stagnant all over the enclave, carrying polio and other diseases. (collage)
    New fact sheets about Gaza to be distributed in Chicago and around the country

    If Americans knew has produced two new flyers printed front and back with facts about Gaza for educating Americans.

    These will be available in Chicago at the demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention for everyone to distribute widely. To obtain these, email [email protected]. Below is one of the flyers:


    Front and back sides of one of the new factsheets about Gaza. (IAK)
    Latest evacuation order leaves just 11 percent of Gaza for Gazans; food kitchens in crisis

    OCHA reports: The Israeli military issued an order on 16 August that affects six blocs in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, including two within the Israeli-designated zone in Al Mawasi in western Khan Younis.

    This is one of the largest evacuation orders affecting the zone to date, and it shrinks the size of the so-called “humanitarian area” to about 41 square kilometers, or 11 per cent of the total area of the Gaza Strip.

    Initial mapping indicates that this order affects 122 internally displaced persons sites, makeshift shelters, and collective centers that are collectively hosting over 170,000 people.

    There is an urgent need for increased hot meal capacity in Gaza due to recurrent waves of displacement, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on 12 August. Many community kitchens in central and southern Gaza struggle due to unstable supplies of humanitarian cargo and the lack of food and fuel.

    The situation has worsened since 22 July following the issuance of multiple evacuation orders in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, which forced the relocation of four kitchens and the closure of 19 food delivery points.

    Moreover, in Deir al Balah, about 1,400 metric tons of food stocks in one of the warehouses became inaccessible and only one WFP warehouse with about 3,000 metric tons of commodities is currently accessible but is insufficient to meet the August cycle requirements.

    In July, 70 community kitchens in Gaza supported by WFP provided around 11.5 million hot meals to more than 200,000 people, the majority in central Gaza.

    Of the total food cargo entering through Kerem Shalom Crossing in July, only eight per cent was humanitarian aid and the rest were commercial trucks. There was reportedly a slight improvement in food availability and diversity in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, but a deterioration in other governorates, and persistent challenges to market functionality including high food prices, lack of liquidity and the emergence of “thieves markets.”



    Israeli settlers rampage across Palestinian town in latest West Bank pogrom

    The Cradle reports: More than 70 armed Jewish settlers invaded the Palestinian town of Jit in the occupied West Bank on 15 August, firing bullets and tear gas at residents and setting several homes and cars and other property on fire, CNN reported.

    Settlers killed 23-year-old Rashid Sedda during the pogrom. The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health confirmed the 23-year-old Palestinian died due to a gunshot wound to the chest.

    “We have attacks but nothing to this level,” the head of Jit’s village council, Nasser Sedda, told CNN. “We haven’t seen anything like this before, and without a prior warning. They caught the people off guard – women, children, and elders were there.”

    “Dozens of Israeli civilians, some of them masked, entered the town of Jit and set fire to vehicles and structures in the area, hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

    Haaretz reported that the only person arrested after the settler raid on the village of Jit was suspected of interfering with a policeman and was released. No arrests have yet been made for those involved in the pogrom.


    New film from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition:



    And as this IAK video reported eight years ago, Israeli blockades of Gaza began years before Hamas came to power:



    Gaza Freedom Flotilla: Activists prepare to defy Israel naval blockade of Gaza

    Reuters reports: Peace activists from several countries are setting out on a converted trawler to defy an Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

    “The purpose of this mission is to send a message that civil society is not OK with what’s happening in Gaza,” said Fellipe Lopes, the Portuguese media coordinator of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition on board the ship, “Handala” during a stopover in Malta.

    It will be a trip fraught with danger. Another coalition ship on a similar mission to Gaza in 2010 was stopped and boarded by Israeli troops, and nine activists died. Other ships were similarly stopped and boarded, without loss of life.

    “We expect to encounter resistance throughout our mission,” said Australian activist, Michael Coleman.

    “Ours is not an illegal activity in any shape or form. The International Court of Justice has asked them to grant unfettered access to aid into Gaza and I implore them to let us and other aids through immediately,” he said.

    The “Handala” was visited in Malta by 78-year-old retired US Army Colonel and diplomat, Ann Wright, who was on board another coalition ship boarded by Israeli troops in 2010, in the incident in which nine activists died.

    “These people are very brave, because we don’t know what’s going to happen. If the Israelis stop them, we know it’ll be brutal,” Wright said.

    The brightly colored “Handala” carries activists from Italy, France, Norway, Australia, the Netherlands, Syria and a number of Palestinians. It has made several port calls around Scandinavia and the Mediterranean to raise awareness about the situation in Gaza.

    Its hull carries slogans reading: “Free Palestine”, “Gaza you are not alone” and “Stop the Genocide”, while its humanitarian aid cargo consists mostly of medicines.

    The trip along the Eastern Mediterranean to Gaza will take a week but organizers said they might stop over in another harbor on the way.

    NOTE: The flotilla movement was begun by activists Greta Berlin, Paul Larudee and associates.

    The ship named Handala, belonging to the Freedom Flotilla (Ship to Gaza), which set sail from the capital of Norway, Oslo, on May 1st with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza arrives in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 25 May, 2024 [ Abdullah Asiran/Anadolu via Getty Images]
    The ship named Handala, belonging to the Freedom Flotilla (Ship to Gaza), which set sail from the capital of Norway, Oslo, on May 1st with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza arrives in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 25 May, 2024 [ Abdullah Asiran/Anadolu via Getty Images] (photo)
    Israeli leaders strategize about how to dodge ICC arrest warrants

    Andalou Agency reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with other officials Thursday to discuss efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against them.

    “The Attorney General reiterated her position regarding the establishment of a State Commission of Inquiry to examine the humanitarian situation in Gaza even though, according to the view of the Attorney General herself, there is no certainty that establishing this commission would lead to the cancellation of the request to issue the warrants,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.



    ‘From the river to the sea’: six words that are testing freedom of speech in Germany

    The Guardian reports: Is it legal to say the words “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” in Germany? The answer appears to be yes: you can shout them from the rooftops in German, English, Arabic or Hebrew, so long as a court accepts that you are not doing so to indicate support for Hamas or its murderous assault of 7 October.

    This distinction came to bear on the activist Ava Moayeri last week, when she was convicted of “condoning a crime” for leading a chant of the slogan at a Berlin rally on 11 October. If the speaker of the phrase is understood to mean, for instance, that they support the peaceful liberation of Palestinians, then the utterance would be protected.

    But the presiding judge, Birgit Balzer, didn’t think that was possible in this case, citing the date of the protest in her decision. Moayeri is expected to challenge the verdict in a higher court.

    The slogan has come to symbolize a rift running through German society amid Israel’s war in Gaza. For some people, the expression is implicitly genocidal, especially because of its long history of use by Hamas and other terrorist organizations. The judge reportedly said that it was clear to her that it “denied the right of the state of Israel to exist”, while Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser, has declared it to be a Hamas slogan.

    (Read the full article here.)



    Student protesters at UC Irvine were suspended with no chance to defend themselves. Will courts return them to campus?

    The Intercept reports: Amid the brutal police crackdowns at more than 100 campus protests against the war in Gaza the spring, one university in California stood out for its especially harsh treatment of student protesters. The school effectively eliminated any due process for the students by suspending them without making specific allegations of misconduct or allowing the students to respond to vague charges.

    Last month, student protesters at University of California, Irvine sued the school regents and chancellor for suspending them without any notice or a chance to present evidence in their defense. On Tuesday, plaintiffs in the suit filed a motion to ask the Superior Court of California to step in.

    The five students are asking the court to force the school to halt the suspensions and allow students to resume their studies, register for fall classes, go back to campus jobs, and regain access to campus housing.

    More than 3,000 people were arrested during brutal police crackdowns on campus protests this year, according to a protest tracker developed by The Appeal. UCI is still an outlier — it’s one of the only schools in the country that issued interim suspensions banning students from campus before they had a chance to respond. The university’s approach was, a representative for the students said, unprecedented.

    (Read the full article here.)

    Are these people Hamas? Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images
    Are these people Hamas? Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images (photo)
    ‘Not Another Bomb’ to Israel Demand Grows Ahead of Democratic Convention

    Common Dreams reports: Leading up to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week, calls for the U.S. government to stop arming Israel’s devastating assault on the Gaza Strip—widely denounced around the world as genocide—continued to mount on Friday.

    “We join the millions of people who’ve taken action the last 10 months, taxpayers who don’t want to pay for genocide and are demanding an immediate arms embargo on Israel,” U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) executive director Ahmad Abuznaid said in a statement Friday.

    “We know that politicians won’t change their unjust policies until it’s in their own self-interest to do so,” he continued. “We must double down on our demands ahead of the DNC, where we’ll be marching in the streets for the liberation of all.”

    Pro-Palestine protests in Chicago are set to start Sunday, a day before the DNC officially begins. They will continue throughout the week, according to a schedule shared Friday by the Chicago Sun-Times. The March on the DNC is planned for Monday afternoon.

    (Read the full article here.)

    NOTE: If Americans Knew has created fact sheets about Gaza that will be distributed at the protests shown above. IAK will also have a digital billboard truck in Chicago during the convention and large posters about Gaza will be plastered around the city.

    Protesters in Atlanta, Georgia, demand a ceasefire in Gaza on June 27, 2024. Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images
    Protesters in Atlanta, Georgia, demand a ceasefire in Gaza on June 27, 2024. Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images (photo)
    New Poll Suggests Gaza Ceasefire and Arms Embargo Would Help Dems with Swing State Voters

    A new poll, just released Wednesday by YouGov and the Institute for Mideast Understanding (IMEU) showed that in three key battleground states, “About a quarter of those surveyed across these states say the violence in Gaza will sway how they vote,” and that “60% or more disapprove of more weapons to Israel.”

    Even more stunning, the number of Democratic and Independent voters who would be less likely to vote for Harris if she vowed to stop arming Israel is minuscule. In Pennsylvania, only 7% said they would be less likely to vote for Harris if she pledged to stop sending weapons to Israel; in both Arizona and Georgia, that figure was just 5%.

    The gaps are huge. In those same states, the numbers saying they would be more likely to vote for Harris if she pledged to stop arming Israel were 34% in Pennsylvania, 39% in Georgia, and 35% in Arizona. The rest said it wouldn’t affect their vote.

    “This polling clearly shows that if the Democrats want Vice President Harris to be the strongest nominee possible going into November, then they should be demanding that President Biden stop the flow of weapons to Israel and secure a permanent ceasefire immediately,” IMEU Policy Project Executive Director Margaret DeReus said in a statement. “Not only are these policies popular, but they actually move voters from the ‘undecided’ or ‘not voting’ column and into the Democrats’ column in the states Democrats will need to win.”

    It is clear that the idea that forcing Israel into a ceasefire by withholding weapons would be beneficial to Harris, and all the more so if Israel then stops its genocide, and Iran and the rest of the Axis of Resistance stand down, as has been promised, and is the overwhelmingly likely result.

    Harris leads Trump in Pennsylvania by 2.1%, Arizona by 0.7%, and Georgia by 0.1%, according to the data-driven news site FiveThirtyEight’s polling averages as of Aug. 14.

    An Israeli soldier carries a 155mm artillery shell near a self-propelled howitzer deployed at a position near the border with Lebanon in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel on October 18, 2023. (Photo: Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images)
    An Israeli soldier carries a 155mm artillery shell near a self-propelled howitzer deployed at a position near the border with Lebanon in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel on October 18, 2023. (Photo: Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images) (photo)
    Senior diplomat resigns over UK’s complicity in ‘war crimes’ in Gaza

    Middle East Monitor reports: A senior British diplomat has resigned from the Foreign Office over the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel, which he said have “no justification”.

    Mark Smith, the head of Africa Programmes and Expertise Department and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, submitted a resignation letter entitled “FCDO complicity in War Crimes” reports revealed yesterday.

    “It is with sadness that I resign after a long career in the diplomatic service,” he wrote, “however I can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in War Crimes. ”

    “Each day we witness clear and unquestionable examples of War Crimes and breaches of International Humanitarian Law in Gaza perpetrated by the State of Israel,” he continued.

    He went on to highlight how “senior members of the Israeli government and militar have expressed open genocidal intent, Isralei soldiers take videos, deliberately burning destroying, and looting civilian property and openly admit to the rape and torture of prisoners.”

    Melbourne orchestra leaders voted out for removing pianist over Gaza tribute

    Middle East Eye reports: Musicians at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) have passed a vote of no confidence in its board after it cancelled a show by a pianist who had dedicated a performance to Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.

    In a letter to the management, the musicians said, “We believe it is the duty of senior management to lead and manage in accordance with the MSO’s values and behaviors, however, it has become apparent that these values no longer appear to be aligned with those of the orchestra and staff.”

    On Sunday, British-Australian pianist Jayson Gillham premiered a five-minute piece called Witness, which he performed after a brief comment on Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza, which he referred to as a war crime.

    Following the concert, MSO announced that it had cancelled Gillham’s upcoming performance, which was to take place on Thursday, due to “a series of introductory remarks” he made.

    It said that it had sought “independent security advice” following Sunday’s concert, and in light of the advice, “had no option but to cancel” Gillham’s next show.

    AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW ADDS: After a litany of protest from its staff, some subscribers and members of the public, the MSO had by Thursday relented and released a statement admitting its cancellation of Gillham had been “an error”, and that it was working to program a new concert with him shortly.

    The backdown has in turn upset some Jewish stakeholders.

    “The MSO got it right the first time,” said the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Peter Wertheim.

    Jayson Gillham has been involved in the Palestinian issue in the past.

    “Blue Vote Red Line” movement continues to gather signatures

    The “Blue Vote Red Line” movement seeks to collect 1 million voters to pledge a vote for the Democratic ticket if, and only if, it commits to 1) enforce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as ordered by the World Court and UN Security Council Resolution 2735 or 2) end all military aid to Israel.

    Their goal is to “force the Democratic Party to listen to its voters and not just its donors. The pledge can be viewed and signed here.

    MORE NEWS:

    IMEMC Daily Reports.

    BBC: ‘On verge of an explosion’: Policeman’s killing part of spiraling West Bank violence

    The Cradle: Canada violates UN arms treaty with ‘unofficial’ shipments to Israel via US

    DropSite News: While Elon Musk battles the UK and EU over social media censorship, Israel is jailing citizens for Instagram posts

    Palestine Chronicle: Deceptive Optimism – What is really happening at the Gaza ceasefire talks (analysis)


    STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – AUGUST 16:

    Palestinian death toll from October 7 – August 16: at least 40,706* (40,074 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 632 in the West Bank (~145 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 46,848 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, 18 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 – August 16: at least 97,957 (including at least 92,537 in Gaza and 5,420 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 – August 16: ~1,454 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 290*** 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 in Israel 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 41 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)
    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
    What Would You Do With An Extra $320 Million?
    Assassination of Haniyeh an intentional, dangerous escalation – Parsi, Macgregor
    When Israel Burned Refugees Alive, Establishment Media Called It a ‘Tragic Accident’
    Israel has turbocharged West Bank housing demolitions under the cover of war
    Western media ignores Israeli confirmation of Hannibal Directive on 7 Oct
    US Should Arrest Benjamin Netanyahu When He’s in Washington
    Airwars investigation: Israeli airstrikes uniquely lethal (video)
    Hesen Jabr paid the price of conscience
    Gaza genocide denial
    Why the news media’s job is to groom us
    ‘Disappeared, buried, detained’: The horrors of Gaza’s missing children

    https://israelpalestinenews.org/gaza-records-first-polio-case-in-25-years-day-314/
    Gaza records first polio case in 25 years – Day 314 [email protected] August 17, 2024 arms embargo, ceasefire, DNC, freedom flotilla, from the river to the sea, humanitarian aid, icc arrest warrant, Jayson Gillham, Mark Smith FCDO, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, pogrom, polio, safe zone, UC Irvine, uncommitted movement Smoke rises from the Hamad area following an Israeli attack, which came immediately after Israel issued an evacuation warning to the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on August 16, 2024 [Doaa Albaz/Anadolu Agency] (photo) Polio epidemic begins; new flyers about Gaza to distribute; just 11 percent of Gaza for Gazans; Israeli settlers carry out pogrom in Palestinian town of Jit; Gaza Freedom Flotilla drawing near – will it break Israel’s blockade?; Israeli leaders mull how to dodge ICC arrest warrants; German courts grapple with the meaning of “from the river to the sea”; awaiting UC-Irvine’s fall policy on Palestine protest; Dems want ceasefire and arms embargo, but will Kamala listen?; senior UK diplomat resigns over Gaza; Australia’s classical music scene scuffle over Gaza; “Blue Vote Red Line” movement continues to gather signatures; more. By IAK staff, from reports. Gaza records first polio case as UN calls for truce to tackle virus Al Jazeera reports: The Health Ministry in Gaza has said that it detected the first polio case in the besieged enclave, hours after United Nations officials called for a pause in the fighting to enable a vaccination campaign for children against the virus. In a statement on Friday, the Health Ministry blamed the “difficult” conditions in Gaza – including the spread of sewage water in the streets, shortages of medical supplies and lack of personal hygiene products due to the Israeli blockade – for the emergence of the virus in the territory. Hours earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called for humanitarian pauses in the war in Gaza to conduct a polio vaccine campaign. “It is impossible to conduct a polio vaccination campaign with war raging all over,” he told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. Guterres appealed for assurances of humanitarian pauses to be provided immediately from the warring parties as he warned that preventing and containing the spread of polio in Gaza would take a massive coordinated and urgent effort. “Let’s be clear: The ultimate vaccine for polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” Guterres said. “But in any case, a polio pause is a must.” (Read the full article here.) Details of the proposed vaccination campaign are here. After Israel destroyed Gaza's water and sewage systems, filthy water runs or stands stagnant all over the enclave, carrying polio and other diseases. After Israel destroyed Gaza’s water and sewage systems, filthy water runs or stands stagnant all over the enclave, carrying polio and other diseases. (collage) New fact sheets about Gaza to be distributed in Chicago and around the country If Americans knew has produced two new flyers printed front and back with facts about Gaza for educating Americans. These will be available in Chicago at the demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention for everyone to distribute widely. To obtain these, email [email protected]. Below is one of the flyers: Front and back sides of one of the new factsheets about Gaza. (IAK) Latest evacuation order leaves just 11 percent of Gaza for Gazans; food kitchens in crisis OCHA reports: The Israeli military issued an order on 16 August that affects six blocs in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, including two within the Israeli-designated zone in Al Mawasi in western Khan Younis. This is one of the largest evacuation orders affecting the zone to date, and it shrinks the size of the so-called “humanitarian area” to about 41 square kilometers, or 11 per cent of the total area of the Gaza Strip. Initial mapping indicates that this order affects 122 internally displaced persons sites, makeshift shelters, and collective centers that are collectively hosting over 170,000 people. There is an urgent need for increased hot meal capacity in Gaza due to recurrent waves of displacement, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on 12 August. Many community kitchens in central and southern Gaza struggle due to unstable supplies of humanitarian cargo and the lack of food and fuel. The situation has worsened since 22 July following the issuance of multiple evacuation orders in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, which forced the relocation of four kitchens and the closure of 19 food delivery points. Moreover, in Deir al Balah, about 1,400 metric tons of food stocks in one of the warehouses became inaccessible and only one WFP warehouse with about 3,000 metric tons of commodities is currently accessible but is insufficient to meet the August cycle requirements. In July, 70 community kitchens in Gaza supported by WFP provided around 11.5 million hot meals to more than 200,000 people, the majority in central Gaza. Of the total food cargo entering through Kerem Shalom Crossing in July, only eight per cent was humanitarian aid and the rest were commercial trucks. There was reportedly a slight improvement in food availability and diversity in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, but a deterioration in other governorates, and persistent challenges to market functionality including high food prices, lack of liquidity and the emergence of “thieves markets.” Israeli settlers rampage across Palestinian town in latest West Bank pogrom The Cradle reports: More than 70 armed Jewish settlers invaded the Palestinian town of Jit in the occupied West Bank on 15 August, firing bullets and tear gas at residents and setting several homes and cars and other property on fire, CNN reported. Settlers killed 23-year-old Rashid Sedda during the pogrom. The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health confirmed the 23-year-old Palestinian died due to a gunshot wound to the chest. “We have attacks but nothing to this level,” the head of Jit’s village council, Nasser Sedda, told CNN. “We haven’t seen anything like this before, and without a prior warning. They caught the people off guard – women, children, and elders were there.” “Dozens of Israeli civilians, some of them masked, entered the town of Jit and set fire to vehicles and structures in the area, hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails,” the Israeli military said in a statement. Haaretz reported that the only person arrested after the settler raid on the village of Jit was suspected of interfering with a policeman and was released. No arrests have yet been made for those involved in the pogrom. New film from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition: And as this IAK video reported eight years ago, Israeli blockades of Gaza began years before Hamas came to power: Gaza Freedom Flotilla: Activists prepare to defy Israel naval blockade of Gaza Reuters reports: Peace activists from several countries are setting out on a converted trawler to defy an Israeli blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. “The purpose of this mission is to send a message that civil society is not OK with what’s happening in Gaza,” said Fellipe Lopes, the Portuguese media coordinator of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition on board the ship, “Handala” during a stopover in Malta. It will be a trip fraught with danger. Another coalition ship on a similar mission to Gaza in 2010 was stopped and boarded by Israeli troops, and nine activists died. Other ships were similarly stopped and boarded, without loss of life. “We expect to encounter resistance throughout our mission,” said Australian activist, Michael Coleman. “Ours is not an illegal activity in any shape or form. The International Court of Justice has asked them to grant unfettered access to aid into Gaza and I implore them to let us and other aids through immediately,” he said. The “Handala” was visited in Malta by 78-year-old retired US Army Colonel and diplomat, Ann Wright, who was on board another coalition ship boarded by Israeli troops in 2010, in the incident in which nine activists died. “These people are very brave, because we don’t know what’s going to happen. If the Israelis stop them, we know it’ll be brutal,” Wright said. The brightly colored “Handala” carries activists from Italy, France, Norway, Australia, the Netherlands, Syria and a number of Palestinians. It has made several port calls around Scandinavia and the Mediterranean to raise awareness about the situation in Gaza. Its hull carries slogans reading: “Free Palestine”, “Gaza you are not alone” and “Stop the Genocide”, while its humanitarian aid cargo consists mostly of medicines. The trip along the Eastern Mediterranean to Gaza will take a week but organizers said they might stop over in another harbor on the way. NOTE: The flotilla movement was begun by activists Greta Berlin, Paul Larudee and associates. The ship named Handala, belonging to the Freedom Flotilla (Ship to Gaza), which set sail from the capital of Norway, Oslo, on May 1st with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza arrives in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 25 May, 2024 [ Abdullah Asiran/Anadolu via Getty Images] The ship named Handala, belonging to the Freedom Flotilla (Ship to Gaza), which set sail from the capital of Norway, Oslo, on May 1st with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza arrives in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 25 May, 2024 [ Abdullah Asiran/Anadolu via Getty Images] (photo) Israeli leaders strategize about how to dodge ICC arrest warrants Andalou Agency reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with other officials Thursday to discuss efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against them. “The Attorney General reiterated her position regarding the establishment of a State Commission of Inquiry to examine the humanitarian situation in Gaza even though, according to the view of the Attorney General herself, there is no certainty that establishing this commission would lead to the cancellation of the request to issue the warrants,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. ‘From the river to the sea’: six words that are testing freedom of speech in Germany The Guardian reports: Is it legal to say the words “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” in Germany? The answer appears to be yes: you can shout them from the rooftops in German, English, Arabic or Hebrew, so long as a court accepts that you are not doing so to indicate support for Hamas or its murderous assault of 7 October. This distinction came to bear on the activist Ava Moayeri last week, when she was convicted of “condoning a crime” for leading a chant of the slogan at a Berlin rally on 11 October. If the speaker of the phrase is understood to mean, for instance, that they support the peaceful liberation of Palestinians, then the utterance would be protected. But the presiding judge, Birgit Balzer, didn’t think that was possible in this case, citing the date of the protest in her decision. Moayeri is expected to challenge the verdict in a higher court. The slogan has come to symbolize a rift running through German society amid Israel’s war in Gaza. For some people, the expression is implicitly genocidal, especially because of its long history of use by Hamas and other terrorist organizations. The judge reportedly said that it was clear to her that it “denied the right of the state of Israel to exist”, while Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser, has declared it to be a Hamas slogan. (Read the full article here.) Student protesters at UC Irvine were suspended with no chance to defend themselves. Will courts return them to campus? The Intercept reports: Amid the brutal police crackdowns at more than 100 campus protests against the war in Gaza the spring, one university in California stood out for its especially harsh treatment of student protesters. The school effectively eliminated any due process for the students by suspending them without making specific allegations of misconduct or allowing the students to respond to vague charges. Last month, student protesters at University of California, Irvine sued the school regents and chancellor for suspending them without any notice or a chance to present evidence in their defense. On Tuesday, plaintiffs in the suit filed a motion to ask the Superior Court of California to step in. The five students are asking the court to force the school to halt the suspensions and allow students to resume their studies, register for fall classes, go back to campus jobs, and regain access to campus housing. More than 3,000 people were arrested during brutal police crackdowns on campus protests this year, according to a protest tracker developed by The Appeal. UCI is still an outlier — it’s one of the only schools in the country that issued interim suspensions banning students from campus before they had a chance to respond. The university’s approach was, a representative for the students said, unprecedented. (Read the full article here.) Are these people Hamas? Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images Are these people Hamas? Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images (photo) ‘Not Another Bomb’ to Israel Demand Grows Ahead of Democratic Convention Common Dreams reports: Leading up to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week, calls for the U.S. government to stop arming Israel’s devastating assault on the Gaza Strip—widely denounced around the world as genocide—continued to mount on Friday. “We join the millions of people who’ve taken action the last 10 months, taxpayers who don’t want to pay for genocide and are demanding an immediate arms embargo on Israel,” U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) executive director Ahmad Abuznaid said in a statement Friday. “We know that politicians won’t change their unjust policies until it’s in their own self-interest to do so,” he continued. “We must double down on our demands ahead of the DNC, where we’ll be marching in the streets for the liberation of all.” Pro-Palestine protests in Chicago are set to start Sunday, a day before the DNC officially begins. They will continue throughout the week, according to a schedule shared Friday by the Chicago Sun-Times. The March on the DNC is planned for Monday afternoon. (Read the full article here.) NOTE: If Americans Knew has created fact sheets about Gaza that will be distributed at the protests shown above. IAK will also have a digital billboard truck in Chicago during the convention and large posters about Gaza will be plastered around the city. Protesters in Atlanta, Georgia, demand a ceasefire in Gaza on June 27, 2024. Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images Protesters in Atlanta, Georgia, demand a ceasefire in Gaza on June 27, 2024. Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images (photo) New Poll Suggests Gaza Ceasefire and Arms Embargo Would Help Dems with Swing State Voters A new poll, just released Wednesday by YouGov and the Institute for Mideast Understanding (IMEU) showed that in three key battleground states, “About a quarter of those surveyed across these states say the violence in Gaza will sway how they vote,” and that “60% or more disapprove of more weapons to Israel.” Even more stunning, the number of Democratic and Independent voters who would be less likely to vote for Harris if she vowed to stop arming Israel is minuscule. In Pennsylvania, only 7% said they would be less likely to vote for Harris if she pledged to stop sending weapons to Israel; in both Arizona and Georgia, that figure was just 5%. The gaps are huge. In those same states, the numbers saying they would be more likely to vote for Harris if she pledged to stop arming Israel were 34% in Pennsylvania, 39% in Georgia, and 35% in Arizona. The rest said it wouldn’t affect their vote. “This polling clearly shows that if the Democrats want Vice President Harris to be the strongest nominee possible going into November, then they should be demanding that President Biden stop the flow of weapons to Israel and secure a permanent ceasefire immediately,” IMEU Policy Project Executive Director Margaret DeReus said in a statement. “Not only are these policies popular, but they actually move voters from the ‘undecided’ or ‘not voting’ column and into the Democrats’ column in the states Democrats will need to win.” It is clear that the idea that forcing Israel into a ceasefire by withholding weapons would be beneficial to Harris, and all the more so if Israel then stops its genocide, and Iran and the rest of the Axis of Resistance stand down, as has been promised, and is the overwhelmingly likely result. Harris leads Trump in Pennsylvania by 2.1%, Arizona by 0.7%, and Georgia by 0.1%, according to the data-driven news site FiveThirtyEight’s polling averages as of Aug. 14. An Israeli soldier carries a 155mm artillery shell near a self-propelled howitzer deployed at a position near the border with Lebanon in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel on October 18, 2023. (Photo: Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images) An Israeli soldier carries a 155mm artillery shell near a self-propelled howitzer deployed at a position near the border with Lebanon in the upper Galilee region of northern Israel on October 18, 2023. (Photo: Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images) (photo) Senior diplomat resigns over UK’s complicity in ‘war crimes’ in Gaza Middle East Monitor reports: A senior British diplomat has resigned from the Foreign Office over the UK’s continued arms sales to Israel, which he said have “no justification”. Mark Smith, the head of Africa Programmes and Expertise Department and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, submitted a resignation letter entitled “FCDO complicity in War Crimes” reports revealed yesterday. “It is with sadness that I resign after a long career in the diplomatic service,” he wrote, “however I can no longer carry out my duties in the knowledge that this Department may be complicit in War Crimes. ” “Each day we witness clear and unquestionable examples of War Crimes and breaches of International Humanitarian Law in Gaza perpetrated by the State of Israel,” he continued. He went on to highlight how “senior members of the Israeli government and militar have expressed open genocidal intent, Isralei soldiers take videos, deliberately burning destroying, and looting civilian property and openly admit to the rape and torture of prisoners.” Melbourne orchestra leaders voted out for removing pianist over Gaza tribute Middle East Eye reports: Musicians at the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) have passed a vote of no confidence in its board after it cancelled a show by a pianist who had dedicated a performance to Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. In a letter to the management, the musicians said, “We believe it is the duty of senior management to lead and manage in accordance with the MSO’s values and behaviors, however, it has become apparent that these values no longer appear to be aligned with those of the orchestra and staff.” On Sunday, British-Australian pianist Jayson Gillham premiered a five-minute piece called Witness, which he performed after a brief comment on Israel’s killing of journalists in Gaza, which he referred to as a war crime. Following the concert, MSO announced that it had cancelled Gillham’s upcoming performance, which was to take place on Thursday, due to “a series of introductory remarks” he made. It said that it had sought “independent security advice” following Sunday’s concert, and in light of the advice, “had no option but to cancel” Gillham’s next show. AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW ADDS: After a litany of protest from its staff, some subscribers and members of the public, the MSO had by Thursday relented and released a statement admitting its cancellation of Gillham had been “an error”, and that it was working to program a new concert with him shortly. The backdown has in turn upset some Jewish stakeholders. “The MSO got it right the first time,” said the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Peter Wertheim. Jayson Gillham has been involved in the Palestinian issue in the past. “Blue Vote Red Line” movement continues to gather signatures The “Blue Vote Red Line” movement seeks to collect 1 million voters to pledge a vote for the Democratic ticket if, and only if, it commits to 1) enforce an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as ordered by the World Court and UN Security Council Resolution 2735 or 2) end all military aid to Israel. Their goal is to “force the Democratic Party to listen to its voters and not just its donors. The pledge can be viewed and signed here. MORE NEWS: IMEMC Daily Reports. BBC: ‘On verge of an explosion’: Policeman’s killing part of spiraling West Bank violence The Cradle: Canada violates UN arms treaty with ‘unofficial’ shipments to Israel via US DropSite News: While Elon Musk battles the UK and EU over social media censorship, Israel is jailing citizens for Instagram posts Palestine Chronicle: Deceptive Optimism – What is really happening at the Gaza ceasefire talks (analysis) STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – AUGUST 16: Palestinian death toll from October 7 – August 16: at least 40,706* (40,074 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 632 in the West Bank (~145 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 46,848 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, 18 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 – August 16: at least 97,957 (including at least 92,537 in Gaza and 5,420 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 – August 16: ~1,454 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 290*** 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 in Israel 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 41 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) 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 What Would You Do With An Extra $320 Million? Assassination of Haniyeh an intentional, dangerous escalation – Parsi, Macgregor When Israel Burned Refugees Alive, Establishment Media Called It a ‘Tragic Accident’ Israel has turbocharged West Bank housing demolitions under the cover of war Western media ignores Israeli confirmation of Hannibal Directive on 7 Oct US Should Arrest Benjamin Netanyahu When He’s in Washington Airwars investigation: Israeli airstrikes uniquely lethal (video) Hesen Jabr paid the price of conscience Gaza genocide denial Why the news media’s job is to groom us ‘Disappeared, buried, detained’: The horrors of Gaza’s missing children https://israelpalestinenews.org/gaza-records-first-polio-case-in-25-years-day-314/
    ISRAELPALESTINENEWS.ORG
    Gaza records first polio case in 25 years – Day 314
    Polio epidemic; Gaza's shrinking "safe" spaces; pogrom in Palestinian town of Jit; Freedom Flotilla; how to dodge ICC arrest warrants; more
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  • "An Intricate Fabric of Bad Actors Working Hand-in-Hand" – So is War Inevitable?, by Alastair Crooke - The Unz Review
    Netanyahu did not appreciate Iran’s moderation. He doubled-down on war, making it inevitable, sooner or later.

    Walter Kirn, an American novelist and cultural critic, in his 2009 memoir, Lost in the Meritocracy, described how, after a sojourn at Oxford, he came to be a member of ‘the class that runs things’ – the one that “writes the headlines, and the stories under them”. It was the account of a middle-class kid from Minnesota trying desperately to fit into the élite world, and then to his surprise, realising that he didn’t want to fit in at all.

    Now 61, Kirn has a newsletter on Substack and co-hosts a lively podcast devoted in large part to critiquing ‘establishment liberalism’. His contrarian drift has made him more vocal about his distrust of élite institutions – as he wrote in 2022:

    “For years now, the answer, in every situation—‘Russiagate,’ COVID, Ukraine—has been more censorship, more silencing, more division, more scapegoating. It’s almost as if these are goals in themselves – and the cascade of emergencies mere excuses for them. Hate is always the way,”

    Kirn’s politics, a friend of his suggested, was “old-school liberal,” underscoring that it was the other ‘so-called liberals’ who had changed: “I’ve been told repeatedly in the last year that free speech is a right-wing issue; I wouldn’t call [Kirn] Conservative. I would just say he’s a free-thinker, nonconformist, iconoclastic”, the friend said.

    To understand Kirn’s contrarian turn – and to make sense of today’s form of American politics – it is necessary to understand one key term. It is not found in standard textbooks, but is central to the new playbook of power: the “whole of society”.

    “The term was popularised roughly a decade ago by the Obama administration, which liked that its bland, technocratic appearance could be used as cover to erect a mechanism for a governance ‘whole-of-society’ approach” – one that asserts that as actors – media, NGOs,corporations and philanthropist institutions – interact with public officials to play a critical role not just in setting the public agenda, but in enforcing public decisions.

    Jacob Siegel has explained the historical development of the ‘whole of society’ approach during the Obama administration’s attempt to pivot in the ‘war on terror’ to what it called ‘CVE’ – countering violent extremism. The idea was to surveil the American people’s online behaviour in order to identify those who may, at some unspecified time in the future, ‘commit a crime’.

    Inherent to the concept of the potential ‘violent extremist’ who has, as yet, committed no crime, is a weaponised vagueness: “A cloud of suspicion that hangs over anyone who challenges the prevailing ideological narratives”.

    “What the various iterations of this whole-of-society approach have in common is their disregard for democratic process and the right to free association – their embrace of social media surveillance, and their repeated failure to deliver results …”.

    Aaron Kheriaty writes:

    “More recently, the whole of society political machinery facilitated the overnight flip from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris, with news media and party supporters turning on a dime when instructed to do so—democratic primary voters ‘be damned’. This happened not because of the personalities of the candidates involved, but on the orders of party leadership. The actual nominees are fungible, and entirely replaceable, functionaries, serving the interests of the ruling party … The party was delivered to her because she was selected by its leaders to act as its figurehead. That real achievement belongs not to Harris, but to the party-state”.

    What has this to do with Geo-politics – and whether there will be war between Iran and Israel?

    Well, quite a lot. It is not just western domestic politics that has been shaped by the Obama CVE totalising mechanics. The “party-state” machinery (Kheriaty’s term) for geo-politics has also been co-opted:

    “To avoid the appearance of totalitarian overreach in such efforts”, Kheriaty argues,“the party requires an endless supply of causes … that party officers use as pretexts to demand ideological alignment across public and private sector institutions. These causes come in roughly two forms: the urgent existential crisis (examples include COVID and the much-hyped threat of Russian disinformation) – and victim groups supposedly in need of the party’s protection”.

    “It’s almost as if these are goals in themselves – and the cascade of emergencies mere excuses for them. Hate is always the way”, Kirn underlines.

    Just to be clear, the implication is that all geo-strategic critics of the party-state’s ideological alignment must be jointly and collectively treated as potentially dangerous extremists. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea therefore are bound together as presenting a single obnoxious extremism that stands in opposition to ‘Our Democracy’; versus ‘Our Free Speech’ and versus ‘Our Expert Consensus’.

    So, if the move to war against one extremist (i.e. versus Iran) is ‘acclaimed’ by 58 standing ovations in the joint session of Congress last month, then further debate is unnecessary – any more than Kamala Harris’ nomination as Presidential candidate needs to be endorsed through primary voting:

    Candidate Harris told hecklers on Wednesday, chanting about genocide in Gaza, ‘to pipe down’ – unless they “want Trump to win”. Tribal norms must not be challenged (even for genocide).

    Sandra Parker, Chairwoman of the political advocacy arm for the three thousand members of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) was advising on correct talking points, the Times of Israel reports:

    “The rise of Republican far right-wingers who spurn decades of (bi-partisan) pro-Israel orthodoxies, favouring isolationism and resurrecting anti-Jewish tropes is alarming pro-Israel evangelicals and their Jewish allies… The break with decades of assertive foreign policy was evident last year when Sen. Josh Hawley derided the “liberal empire” that he dismissively characterised as bipartisan “Neoconservatives on the right, and liberal globalists on the left: Together they make up what you might call the uniparty, the DC establishment that transcends all changing administrations””.

    At the CUFI talking points conference, the fear of increased isolation on the Right was the issue:

    “You’re going to see that adversaries will see the U.S. as in retreat” – should isolationists get the upper hand: Activists were advised to push back: Should lawmakers claim that NATO expansion is what triggered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “Should anybody begin to make the argument that the reason the Russians have moved in on Ukraine – is because of NATO enlargement – can I just say that this is the age-old ‘blame America trope,’” the Chair advised the assembled delegates.

    “They have the strain of isolationism that’s – ‘Let’s just do China and forget about Iran, forget about Russia, let’s just do one thing’ – but it doesn’t work that way,” said Boris Zilberman, director of policy and strategy for the CUFI Action Fund. Instead , he described “an intricate fabric of bad actors working hand in hand”.

    So, to get to the bottom of this western mind-management in which appearance and reality are cut from the same cloth of hostile extremism: Iran, Russia and China are ‘cut from it’ likewise.

    Plainly put, the import of this “behavioural-engineering enterprise (it no longer having much to do with the truth, no longer having much to do with your right to desire what you wish – or not desire what you don’t wish)” – is, as Kirn says: “everyone is in on the game”. “The corporate and state interests don’t believe you are wanting the right things—you might want Donald Trump— or, that you aren’t wanting the things you should want more” (such as seeing Putin removed).

    If this ‘whole of society’ machinery is understood correctly in the wider world, then the likes of Iran or Hizbullah are forced to take note that war in the Middle East inevitably may bleed across into wider war against Russia – and have adverse ramifications for China, too.

    That is not because it makes sense. It doesn’t. But it is because the ideological needs of ‘whole of society’ foreign-policy hinge on simplistic ‘moral’ narratives: Ones that express emotional attitudes, rather than argued propositions.

    Netanyahu went to Washington to lay out the case for all-out war on Iran – a moral war of civilisation versus the Barbarians, he said. He was applauded for his stance. He returned to Israel and immediately provoked Hizbullah, Iran and Hamas in a way that dishonoured and humiliated both – knowing well that it would draw a riposte that would most likely lead to wider war.

    Clearly Netanyahu, backed by a plurality of Israelis, wants an Armageddon (with full U.S. support, of course). He has the U.S., he thinks, exactly where he wants it. Netanyahu has only to escalate in one way or another – and Washington, he calculates (rightly or wrongly), will be compelled to follow.

    Is this why Iran is taking its time? The calculus on an initial riposte to Israel is ‘one thing’, but how then might Netanyahu retaliate in Iran and Lebanon? That can be altogether an ‘other thing’. There have been hints of nuclear weapons being deployed (in both instances). There is however nothing solid, to this latter rumour.

    Further, how might Israel respond towards Russia in Syria, or might the U.S. react through escalation in Ukraine? After all, Moscow has assisted Iran with its air defences (just as the West is assisting Ukraine against Russia).

    Many imponderables. Yet, one thing is clear (as former Russian President Medvedev noted recently): “the knot is tightening” in the Middle East. Escalation is across all the fronts. War, Medvedev suggested, may be ‘the only way this knot will be cut’.

    Iran must think that appeasing western pleas in the wake of the Israeli assassination of Iranian officials at their Damascus Consulate was a mistake. Netanyahu did not appreciate Iran’s moderation. He doubled-down on war, making it inevitable, sooner or later.



    Video Link

    https://www.unz.com/article/an-intricate-fabric-of-bad-actors-working-hand-in-hand-so-is-war-inevitable/
    "An Intricate Fabric of Bad Actors Working Hand-in-Hand" – So is War Inevitable?, by Alastair Crooke - The Unz Review Netanyahu did not appreciate Iran’s moderation. He doubled-down on war, making it inevitable, sooner or later. Walter Kirn, an American novelist and cultural critic, in his 2009 memoir, Lost in the Meritocracy, described how, after a sojourn at Oxford, he came to be a member of ‘the class that runs things’ – the one that “writes the headlines, and the stories under them”. It was the account of a middle-class kid from Minnesota trying desperately to fit into the élite world, and then to his surprise, realising that he didn’t want to fit in at all. Now 61, Kirn has a newsletter on Substack and co-hosts a lively podcast devoted in large part to critiquing ‘establishment liberalism’. His contrarian drift has made him more vocal about his distrust of élite institutions – as he wrote in 2022: “For years now, the answer, in every situation—‘Russiagate,’ COVID, Ukraine—has been more censorship, more silencing, more division, more scapegoating. It’s almost as if these are goals in themselves – and the cascade of emergencies mere excuses for them. Hate is always the way,” Kirn’s politics, a friend of his suggested, was “old-school liberal,” underscoring that it was the other ‘so-called liberals’ who had changed: “I’ve been told repeatedly in the last year that free speech is a right-wing issue; I wouldn’t call [Kirn] Conservative. I would just say he’s a free-thinker, nonconformist, iconoclastic”, the friend said. To understand Kirn’s contrarian turn – and to make sense of today’s form of American politics – it is necessary to understand one key term. It is not found in standard textbooks, but is central to the new playbook of power: the “whole of society”. “The term was popularised roughly a decade ago by the Obama administration, which liked that its bland, technocratic appearance could be used as cover to erect a mechanism for a governance ‘whole-of-society’ approach” – one that asserts that as actors – media, NGOs,corporations and philanthropist institutions – interact with public officials to play a critical role not just in setting the public agenda, but in enforcing public decisions. Jacob Siegel has explained the historical development of the ‘whole of society’ approach during the Obama administration’s attempt to pivot in the ‘war on terror’ to what it called ‘CVE’ – countering violent extremism. The idea was to surveil the American people’s online behaviour in order to identify those who may, at some unspecified time in the future, ‘commit a crime’. Inherent to the concept of the potential ‘violent extremist’ who has, as yet, committed no crime, is a weaponised vagueness: “A cloud of suspicion that hangs over anyone who challenges the prevailing ideological narratives”. “What the various iterations of this whole-of-society approach have in common is their disregard for democratic process and the right to free association – their embrace of social media surveillance, and their repeated failure to deliver results …”. Aaron Kheriaty writes: “More recently, the whole of society political machinery facilitated the overnight flip from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris, with news media and party supporters turning on a dime when instructed to do so—democratic primary voters ‘be damned’. This happened not because of the personalities of the candidates involved, but on the orders of party leadership. The actual nominees are fungible, and entirely replaceable, functionaries, serving the interests of the ruling party … The party was delivered to her because she was selected by its leaders to act as its figurehead. That real achievement belongs not to Harris, but to the party-state”. What has this to do with Geo-politics – and whether there will be war between Iran and Israel? Well, quite a lot. It is not just western domestic politics that has been shaped by the Obama CVE totalising mechanics. The “party-state” machinery (Kheriaty’s term) for geo-politics has also been co-opted: “To avoid the appearance of totalitarian overreach in such efforts”, Kheriaty argues,“the party requires an endless supply of causes … that party officers use as pretexts to demand ideological alignment across public and private sector institutions. These causes come in roughly two forms: the urgent existential crisis (examples include COVID and the much-hyped threat of Russian disinformation) – and victim groups supposedly in need of the party’s protection”. “It’s almost as if these are goals in themselves – and the cascade of emergencies mere excuses for them. Hate is always the way”, Kirn underlines. Just to be clear, the implication is that all geo-strategic critics of the party-state’s ideological alignment must be jointly and collectively treated as potentially dangerous extremists. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea therefore are bound together as presenting a single obnoxious extremism that stands in opposition to ‘Our Democracy’; versus ‘Our Free Speech’ and versus ‘Our Expert Consensus’. So, if the move to war against one extremist (i.e. versus Iran) is ‘acclaimed’ by 58 standing ovations in the joint session of Congress last month, then further debate is unnecessary – any more than Kamala Harris’ nomination as Presidential candidate needs to be endorsed through primary voting: Candidate Harris told hecklers on Wednesday, chanting about genocide in Gaza, ‘to pipe down’ – unless they “want Trump to win”. Tribal norms must not be challenged (even for genocide). Sandra Parker, Chairwoman of the political advocacy arm for the three thousand members of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) was advising on correct talking points, the Times of Israel reports: “The rise of Republican far right-wingers who spurn decades of (bi-partisan) pro-Israel orthodoxies, favouring isolationism and resurrecting anti-Jewish tropes is alarming pro-Israel evangelicals and their Jewish allies… The break with decades of assertive foreign policy was evident last year when Sen. Josh Hawley derided the “liberal empire” that he dismissively characterised as bipartisan “Neoconservatives on the right, and liberal globalists on the left: Together they make up what you might call the uniparty, the DC establishment that transcends all changing administrations””. At the CUFI talking points conference, the fear of increased isolation on the Right was the issue: “You’re going to see that adversaries will see the U.S. as in retreat” – should isolationists get the upper hand: Activists were advised to push back: Should lawmakers claim that NATO expansion is what triggered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “Should anybody begin to make the argument that the reason the Russians have moved in on Ukraine – is because of NATO enlargement – can I just say that this is the age-old ‘blame America trope,’” the Chair advised the assembled delegates. “They have the strain of isolationism that’s – ‘Let’s just do China and forget about Iran, forget about Russia, let’s just do one thing’ – but it doesn’t work that way,” said Boris Zilberman, director of policy and strategy for the CUFI Action Fund. Instead , he described “an intricate fabric of bad actors working hand in hand”. So, to get to the bottom of this western mind-management in which appearance and reality are cut from the same cloth of hostile extremism: Iran, Russia and China are ‘cut from it’ likewise. Plainly put, the import of this “behavioural-engineering enterprise (it no longer having much to do with the truth, no longer having much to do with your right to desire what you wish – or not desire what you don’t wish)” – is, as Kirn says: “everyone is in on the game”. “The corporate and state interests don’t believe you are wanting the right things—you might want Donald Trump— or, that you aren’t wanting the things you should want more” (such as seeing Putin removed). If this ‘whole of society’ machinery is understood correctly in the wider world, then the likes of Iran or Hizbullah are forced to take note that war in the Middle East inevitably may bleed across into wider war against Russia – and have adverse ramifications for China, too. That is not because it makes sense. It doesn’t. But it is because the ideological needs of ‘whole of society’ foreign-policy hinge on simplistic ‘moral’ narratives: Ones that express emotional attitudes, rather than argued propositions. Netanyahu went to Washington to lay out the case for all-out war on Iran – a moral war of civilisation versus the Barbarians, he said. He was applauded for his stance. He returned to Israel and immediately provoked Hizbullah, Iran and Hamas in a way that dishonoured and humiliated both – knowing well that it would draw a riposte that would most likely lead to wider war. Clearly Netanyahu, backed by a plurality of Israelis, wants an Armageddon (with full U.S. support, of course). He has the U.S., he thinks, exactly where he wants it. Netanyahu has only to escalate in one way or another – and Washington, he calculates (rightly or wrongly), will be compelled to follow. Is this why Iran is taking its time? The calculus on an initial riposte to Israel is ‘one thing’, but how then might Netanyahu retaliate in Iran and Lebanon? That can be altogether an ‘other thing’. There have been hints of nuclear weapons being deployed (in both instances). There is however nothing solid, to this latter rumour. Further, how might Israel respond towards Russia in Syria, or might the U.S. react through escalation in Ukraine? After all, Moscow has assisted Iran with its air defences (just as the West is assisting Ukraine against Russia). Many imponderables. Yet, one thing is clear (as former Russian President Medvedev noted recently): “the knot is tightening” in the Middle East. Escalation is across all the fronts. War, Medvedev suggested, may be ‘the only way this knot will be cut’. Iran must think that appeasing western pleas in the wake of the Israeli assassination of Iranian officials at their Damascus Consulate was a mistake. Netanyahu did not appreciate Iran’s moderation. He doubled-down on war, making it inevitable, sooner or later. Video Link https://www.unz.com/article/an-intricate-fabric-of-bad-actors-working-hand-in-hand-so-is-war-inevitable/
    WWW.UNZ.COM
    'An Intricate Fabric of Bad Actors Working Hand-in-Hand' – So is War Inevitable?
    Netanyahu did not appreciate Iran’s moderation. He doubled-down on war, making it inevitable, sooner or later. Walter Kirn, an American novelist and cultural critic, in his 2009 memoir, Lost in the Meritocracy, described how, after a sojourn at Oxford, he came to be a member of ‘the class that runs things’ – the one that “writes the headlines, and the stories under them”. It was the account of a middle-class kid from Minnesota trying desperately to fit into the élite world, and then to his surprise, realising that he didn’t want to fit in at all. Now 61, Kirn has a newsletter
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  • Official Gaza death toll passes 40,000; over 92,000 injured – Day 312
    [email protected] August 15, 2024 genocide, hatch act, humanitarian aid, israel attacks on schools, israeli settlement, mask ban, minouche shafik, US made weapons, West Bank
    FEWS NTET reports: The amount of humanitarian food supplies entering Gaza through crossings in the south were at their lowest levels in July since Israel’s war on the enclave began.

    The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) said that only 724 humanitarian trucks with food or mixed items entered through the Karem Abu Salem crossing in the entire month of July. They carried roughly 5,035 to 5,566 metric tonnes of supplies.

    A further 54,764 to 60,529 metric tonnes of food supplies carried on commercial trucks also entered through the crossing, but the network said that increased “commercial cargo entry into Gaza may not necessarily translate to improved food availability and access within Gaza, particularly given low household purchasing power”.

    RECOMMENDED READING: This is the truth about “there is no famine in Gaza”

    NOTE: Hundreds of aid trucks are reportedly waiting and spoiling at the southern border of Gaza, where Israel has made it extremely difficult to pass, employing complicated and arbitrary procedures.

    Israel has also attacked food aid convoys and those who accompanied them.

    In mid-March, Israel promised to “flood” Gaza with aid, but has failed to do so.



    Israel has killed 2,100 babies under two in Gaza: Rights monitor

    The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reports that out of nearly 17,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 7, about 2,100 were babies under the age of two.

    “The number of Palestinian children – whether infants or children in general – killed by the Israeli army is horrifying, and the rate of their killing is unprecedented in the history of modern wars,” says the Geneva-based organization.

    “It also represents a dangerous trend based on the dehumanization of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military targets Palestinians and their children daily, methodically, and widely in the most heinous and brutal ways possible, and virtually without pause for 10 consecutive months.”

    Palestinian triplets with their mother flee following the Israeli army’s attacks on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza on March 21, 2024 [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency]
    Palestinian triplets with their mother flee following the Israeli army’s attacks on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza on March 21, 2024 [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency] (photo)
    Israel shoots dead 2 firefighters in Gaza


    Middle East Monitor reports: Two civil defense crew members were shot dead today by Israeli occupation forces in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

    The General Directorate of Civil Defence confirmed the death of firefighter Suhaib Abu Taqiya and Hussein Abu Jamous after they were shot while carrying out their work in Rafah.

    Their deaths bring to 82 the number of civil defense crew members who have been killed since the outbreak of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the directorate added.

    Since the beginning of the Israeli war of genocide, the IOF has targeted dozens of civil defense and ambulance crew members while they were providing services to displaced Palestinians in addition to destroying civil defense facilities and vehicles to prevent rescue and evacuation efforts.

    Firefighters intervene fire broke out following Israeli attack on the house of the Al-Tavil family as Israeli attacks continue at Az-Zawayda town of Gaza City, Gaza on December 27, 2023 [Ashraf Amra – Anadolu Agency]
    Firefighters intervene fire broke out following Israeli attack on the house of the Al-Tavil family as Israeli attacks continue at Az-Zawayda town of Gaza City, Gaza on December 27, 2023 [Ashraf Amra – Anadolu Agency] (photo)
    Israel’s intensifying attacks on Gaza schools

    Al Jazeera reports: Israel has hit more than 500 of Gaza’s 564 schools in the past 10 months. Within a 10-day period in August, Israeli forces struck five schools in Gaza City, killing more than 179 people and injuring scores more.

    Last week, more than 100 people were killed after Israel hit a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced Palestinians. The UN accused Israel of intensifying attacks on schools.

    Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, schools are considered civilian objects and should be protected from attacks.




    West Bank: Israeli occupation forces kill five Palestinians in assault on Tubas

    WAFA reports: Five Palestinians today were killed during the ongoing Israeli aggression on the city of Tubas and the town of Tamoun, southeast of the city.

    Security sources reported that four Palestinians were killed when an Israeli drone bombed a group of young men in the town of Tamoun, southeast of Tubas.

    They also said that the occupation forces withheld the bodies of the four young men after killing them.

    The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that the occupation prevented its crews from reaching the targeted location.

    Meanwhile, the fifth Palestinian was killed after Israeli occupation forces besieged his house in the early morning hours in the city of Tubas.

    Israeli army vehicles near Tubas, occupied West Bank
    Israeli army vehicles near Tubas, occupied West Bank (screengrab)
    Shocking news in OCHA’s weekly report on the West Bank

    Since October 7th, there have been over 100 instances of Palestinian bodies being withheld by Israeli forces.

    In the last week, Israeli settlers perpetrated 25 attacks against Palestinians, while Palestinians perpetrated three attacks against settlers. Between 7 October 2023 and 12 August 2024, OCHA recorded around 1,250 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which around 120 led to Palestinian fatalities and injuries.

    On 12 August, Israeli settlers physically assaulted and injured two 15-year-old Palestinian boys near Artas, Bethlehem, attacking them with knives. The settlers assaulted the boys, broke their legs, and urinated on them, then handcuffed the boys and threw them in an open area near Artas. A local resident discovered them and called for an ambulance. The boys were then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

    On 7 August, the Israeli Civil Administration along with Israeli forces dismantled and confiscated three donor-funded tents in the Birin herding community, Hebron governorate. As a result, three families comprising 15 people including 6 children were displaced. The tents had been provided by the Palestinian Authority as a response to a previous demolition that took place on 4 July 2024 in the same area.

    Between 7 October 2023 and 12 August 2024, Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated, or forced the demolition of 1,380 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing more than 3,100 Palestinians, including 1,375 children.

    Israeli forces, and in some cases settlers, have killed over 570 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7th, with near total impunity.
    Israeli forces, and in some cases settlers, have killed over 600 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7th, with near total impunity. (photo)
    Israel approves new West Bank settlement on UNESCO World Heritage Site near Bethlehem

    The Cradle reports: The Israeli government on 14 August officially approved municipal boundaries for a new settlement on a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.

    Jewish supremacist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his office had “completed its work and published a plan for the new Nahal Heletz settlement in Gush Etzion,” a bloc of settlements south of occupied Jerusalem.

    “No anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist decision will stop the development of settlements. We will continue to fight against the dangerous project of creating a Palestinian state by creating facts on the ground. This is my life’s mission, and I will continue it as much as I can,” the Israeli official, who lives in an illegal settlement, said via social media.

    All of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have planning permission or not.

    According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, the intended area of the new settlement was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. “Smotrich continues to promote de facto annexation, disregarding the UNESCO Convention that Israel is a signatory to, and we will all pay the price,” the organization said in a statement, calling the move by the Civil Administration a “wholesale attack” on an area “renowned for its ancient terraces and sophisticated irrigation systems, evidence of thousands of years of human activity.”

    “These actions are not only fragmenting Palestinian space and depriving large communities of their natural and cultural heritage, but they also pose an imminent threat to an area considered to be of the highest cultural value to humanity,” Peace Now added.

    The Times of Israel reports: “The new settlement will be built on land it says belongs to Battir, home to ancient hillside agricultural terraces that have been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.”

    NOTE: Israel has illegally built around 280 settlements on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are home to more than 700,000 illegal settlers. As the ICJ ruling confirms, Israeli settlements and settlers on Palestinian land are a violation of international law, and considered by many Palestinians to be the main barrier to any lasting peace agreement.

    Some settler groups, moreover, have a history of violence against Palestinians, often with the assistance of Israeli military forces.



    Map: Israel attacked ‘nearly every inch of Gaza with US-made bombs’

    Jewish Voice for Peace, a US-based advocacy group, has made a map of the more than 70,000 bombs that Israel has dropped on the Gaza Strip since October 7 using UN satellite data.

    “With the US as its collaborator, the Israeli military is carrying out the goal of Zionism: the complete and total ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land,” the group says.

    “The US isn’t just allowing the Israeli government to commit a genocide, it’s actively assisting it. It’s well past time for a weapons embargo. We demand a complete end to US funding, arming, and backing of the state of Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.”


    She wrote an op-ed criticizing Biden on Gaza. The Justice Department accused her of breaking the law.


    Emma West Rasmus wrote in The Hill: I used to see myself as part of the future of the Democratic Party, but I just got back from Palestine, and I will now work to ensure it never wins again.” (photo)
    The Intercept reports (excerpt): In March, Justice Department employee Emma West Rasmus wrote an [extremely powerful, personalized] op-ed criticizing the Biden administration over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    he next business day, she was accused by senior Justice Department attorneys and ethics officials of violating the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their “official authority” to engage in certain political activity, especially advocating for or against a particular candidate or political party.

    Five months later, however, the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates Hatch Act violations, determined there was no Hatch Act violation in the first place.

    “Although you engaged in political activity while referencing that you work for the federal government in the op-ed, and specifically the Department of Justice in the byline, these references do not constitute a use of official authority rising to the level of a Hatch Act violation,” reads an August 8 determination letter from OSC.

    West Rasmus, who still works for the Justice Department, says this decision lifted a huge weight off her shoulders, but that the investigation itself “absolutely had a chilling effect” on her and other federal employees trying to galvanize internal dissent on Gaza policy.

    “I always felt like putting the op-ed out there in the way that I did was worth the risk,” she said. “That speaks to how urgently I and other federal employees feel about the need to take actions that we wouldn’t otherwise take.”

    (Read the full article here.)



    Columbia University president Minouche Shafik resigns in wake of Gaza protests


    Al Jazeera reports: Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia University, has announced her resignation after a tumultuous year marked by tensions with staff and students over her handling of campus protests against the Gaza war.

    The university announced her departure in a statement on its website on Wednesday.

    “This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community,” Shafik wrote in a letter to the university’s staff and students. “It has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community.”

    Protests against the Gaza war began on Columbia’s New York City campus in April inspiring similar encampments at other institutions across the United States and beyond.

    As the protests gathered momentum, Shafik was summoned to a congressional committee over allegations the university had failed to protect students and staff from rising anti-Semitism.

    The next day, she allowed New York City police onto the campus to clear the protests and about 100 people were arrested, triggering outrage from protesters and some academics and calls for her resignation. Tensions rose further at the end of April, when police returned again to campus, arresting some 300 people and removing the encampment.

    THE GUARDIAN ADDS: Meanwhile, Elise Stefanik, one of the congressional representatives most critical of Shafik’s handling of reports of antisemitism on campus, wrote: “THREE DOWN, so many to go,” adding “after failing to protect Jewish students and negotiating with pro-Hamas terrorists, this forced resignation is long overdue”.


    Sludge reports: Stefanik’s trip to Israel was paid for by the Jewish Policy Center, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit that describes its mission as “educat[ing the American public about Israel, foreign affairs and domestic issues of importance to the Jewish community.” The organization spent nearly $48,000 on the trip, including on business-class airfare tickets for the representative and stays at luxury hotels.

    [The Jewish Policy Center has multiple individuals on its board of fellows who have been identified as anti-Muslim hate figures, including Daniel Pipes and David Horowitz.]

    This election cycle, the PAC of lobbying group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has given $284,000 to Stefanik’s campaign in conduit contributions through April 30, placing her in its top 10 recipients among House Republicans.

    New York county signs first mask ban into US law, sparking controversy


    Bruce Blakeman hosts a number of rabbis for a mezuzah instalation at his new office ahead of his inauguration as Nassau County’s first Jewish County Executive on Dec. 31, 2021. The Forward reports: “Blakeman situated himself at the right on issues related to Israel.” (photo)
    The Guardian reports: Nassau county in New York implemented a controversial ban on wearing face coverings in public on Wednesday, in a move criticized by state politicians and civil rights advocates. Opponents of the bill have described it as “a dangerous misuse of the law to score political points and target protesters”, given it was introduced in response to protests against Israel’s war on Gaza.

    The Mask Transparency Act, signed into law by Bruce Blakeman, the Republican county executive, makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to wear a facial covering to hide their identity in public.

    [Vote Smart reports that Blakeman has been a board member of the American Jewish Congress, which advocates for Israel.]

    People who defy the law could be sentenced to up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, although there are some exemptions for health or religious reasons.

    Susan Gottehrer, the regional director of the Nassau county New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), said after the bill was passed, “Masks protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular. Making anonymous protest illegal chills political action and is ripe for selective enforcement, leading to doxxing, surveillance and retaliation against protesters.”

    Columbia students protest in support of Palestine on campus on Oct. 12. More demonstrations have occurred since, including one on Nov. 9 that appears to have led to the suspension of two groups. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
    Columbia students protest in support of Palestine on campus on Oct. 12. More demonstrations have occurred since, including one on Nov. 9 that appears to have led to the suspension of two groups. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (photo)
    Melbourne orchestra cancels pianist’s performance after he speaks out on Gaza

    Al Jazeera reports: Musician Jayson Gillham was scheduled to perform at Melbourne Town Hall on Thursday, but he was dropped after he discussed the media workers killed in Gaza in a Sunday performance.

    “The killing of journalists is a war crime in international law, and it is done in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world,” the musician told the audience, adding that Israel has killed more than 100 journalists since October 7.

    UPDATE FROM VARIETY: The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra on Thursday tried to extricate itself from controversy caused by its earlier decision to cancel future performances by Australian-British classical pianist Jayson Gillham.

    “The MSO acknowledges that an error was made in asking Jayson Gillham to step back from his performance on Thursday 15 August,” it said in a new statement.


    MORE NEWS:

    IMEMC Daily Reports.

    The Intercept: Israeli Society Is in a Deepening State of Contradiction

    Middle East Eye: Pro-Palestinian campus protests: What have they achieved so far?



    STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – AUGUST 14:

    Palestinian death toll from October 7 – August 14: at least 40,634* (40,005 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 629 in the West Bank (~145 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 46,848 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, 18 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 – August 14: at least 97,821 (including at least 92,401 in Gaza and 5,420 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 – August 14: ~1,486 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 331 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza; 16 in the West Bank) and~8,730 injured.

    Times of Israel reports: The IDF listed 41 soldiers killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents – nearly 16%.

    NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries in Israel 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.

    † 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)
    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
    What Would You Do With An Extra $320 Million?
    Assassination of Haniyeh an intentional, dangerous escalation – Parsi, Macgregor
    When Israel Burned Refugees Alive, Establishment Media Called It a ‘Tragic Accident’
    Israel has turbocharged West Bank housing demolitions under the cover of war
    Western media ignores Israeli confirmation of Hannibal Directive on 7 Oct
    US Should Arrest Benjamin Netanyahu When He’s in Washington
    Airwars investigation: Israeli airstrikes uniquely lethal (video)
    Hesen Jabr paid the price of conscience
    Gaza genocide denial
    Why the news media’s job is to groom us
    ‘Disappeared, buried, detained’: The horrors of Gaza’s missing children

    https://israelpalestinenews.org/official-gaza-death-toll-passes-40000-over-92000-injured-day-312/
    Official Gaza death toll passes 40,000; over 92,000 injured – Day 312 [email protected] August 15, 2024 genocide, hatch act, humanitarian aid, israel attacks on schools, israeli settlement, mask ban, minouche shafik, US made weapons, West Bank FEWS NTET reports: The amount of humanitarian food supplies entering Gaza through crossings in the south were at their lowest levels in July since Israel’s war on the enclave began. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) said that only 724 humanitarian trucks with food or mixed items entered through the Karem Abu Salem crossing in the entire month of July. They carried roughly 5,035 to 5,566 metric tonnes of supplies. A further 54,764 to 60,529 metric tonnes of food supplies carried on commercial trucks also entered through the crossing, but the network said that increased “commercial cargo entry into Gaza may not necessarily translate to improved food availability and access within Gaza, particularly given low household purchasing power”. RECOMMENDED READING: This is the truth about “there is no famine in Gaza” NOTE: Hundreds of aid trucks are reportedly waiting and spoiling at the southern border of Gaza, where Israel has made it extremely difficult to pass, employing complicated and arbitrary procedures. Israel has also attacked food aid convoys and those who accompanied them. In mid-March, Israel promised to “flood” Gaza with aid, but has failed to do so. Israel has killed 2,100 babies under two in Gaza: Rights monitor The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reports that out of nearly 17,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 7, about 2,100 were babies under the age of two. “The number of Palestinian children – whether infants or children in general – killed by the Israeli army is horrifying, and the rate of their killing is unprecedented in the history of modern wars,” says the Geneva-based organization. “It also represents a dangerous trend based on the dehumanization of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military targets Palestinians and their children daily, methodically, and widely in the most heinous and brutal ways possible, and virtually without pause for 10 consecutive months.” Palestinian triplets with their mother flee following the Israeli army’s attacks on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza on March 21, 2024 [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency] Palestinian triplets with their mother flee following the Israeli army’s attacks on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza on March 21, 2024 [Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency] (photo) Israel shoots dead 2 firefighters in Gaza Middle East Monitor reports: Two civil defense crew members were shot dead today by Israeli occupation forces in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. The General Directorate of Civil Defence confirmed the death of firefighter Suhaib Abu Taqiya and Hussein Abu Jamous after they were shot while carrying out their work in Rafah. Their deaths bring to 82 the number of civil defense crew members who have been killed since the outbreak of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the directorate added. Since the beginning of the Israeli war of genocide, the IOF has targeted dozens of civil defense and ambulance crew members while they were providing services to displaced Palestinians in addition to destroying civil defense facilities and vehicles to prevent rescue and evacuation efforts. Firefighters intervene fire broke out following Israeli attack on the house of the Al-Tavil family as Israeli attacks continue at Az-Zawayda town of Gaza City, Gaza on December 27, 2023 [Ashraf Amra – Anadolu Agency] Firefighters intervene fire broke out following Israeli attack on the house of the Al-Tavil family as Israeli attacks continue at Az-Zawayda town of Gaza City, Gaza on December 27, 2023 [Ashraf Amra – Anadolu Agency] (photo) Israel’s intensifying attacks on Gaza schools Al Jazeera reports: Israel has hit more than 500 of Gaza’s 564 schools in the past 10 months. Within a 10-day period in August, Israeli forces struck five schools in Gaza City, killing more than 179 people and injuring scores more. Last week, more than 100 people were killed after Israel hit a school in Gaza City sheltering displaced Palestinians. The UN accused Israel of intensifying attacks on schools. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, schools are considered civilian objects and should be protected from attacks. West Bank: Israeli occupation forces kill five Palestinians in assault on Tubas WAFA reports: Five Palestinians today were killed during the ongoing Israeli aggression on the city of Tubas and the town of Tamoun, southeast of the city. Security sources reported that four Palestinians were killed when an Israeli drone bombed a group of young men in the town of Tamoun, southeast of Tubas. They also said that the occupation forces withheld the bodies of the four young men after killing them. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that the occupation prevented its crews from reaching the targeted location. Meanwhile, the fifth Palestinian was killed after Israeli occupation forces besieged his house in the early morning hours in the city of Tubas. Israeli army vehicles near Tubas, occupied West Bank Israeli army vehicles near Tubas, occupied West Bank (screengrab) Shocking news in OCHA’s weekly report on the West Bank Since October 7th, there have been over 100 instances of Palestinian bodies being withheld by Israeli forces. In the last week, Israeli settlers perpetrated 25 attacks against Palestinians, while Palestinians perpetrated three attacks against settlers. Between 7 October 2023 and 12 August 2024, OCHA recorded around 1,250 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians, of which around 120 led to Palestinian fatalities and injuries. On 12 August, Israeli settlers physically assaulted and injured two 15-year-old Palestinian boys near Artas, Bethlehem, attacking them with knives. The settlers assaulted the boys, broke their legs, and urinated on them, then handcuffed the boys and threw them in an open area near Artas. A local resident discovered them and called for an ambulance. The boys were then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. On 7 August, the Israeli Civil Administration along with Israeli forces dismantled and confiscated three donor-funded tents in the Birin herding community, Hebron governorate. As a result, three families comprising 15 people including 6 children were displaced. The tents had been provided by the Palestinian Authority as a response to a previous demolition that took place on 4 July 2024 in the same area. Between 7 October 2023 and 12 August 2024, Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated, or forced the demolition of 1,380 Palestinian structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, displacing more than 3,100 Palestinians, including 1,375 children. Israeli forces, and in some cases settlers, have killed over 570 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7th, with near total impunity. Israeli forces, and in some cases settlers, have killed over 600 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7th, with near total impunity. (photo) Israel approves new West Bank settlement on UNESCO World Heritage Site near Bethlehem The Cradle reports: The Israeli government on 14 August officially approved municipal boundaries for a new settlement on a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Jewish supremacist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his office had “completed its work and published a plan for the new Nahal Heletz settlement in Gush Etzion,” a bloc of settlements south of occupied Jerusalem. “No anti-Israeli and anti-Zionist decision will stop the development of settlements. We will continue to fight against the dangerous project of creating a Palestinian state by creating facts on the ground. This is my life’s mission, and I will continue it as much as I can,” the Israeli official, who lives in an illegal settlement, said via social media. All of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank occupied since 1967, are considered illegal under international law, regardless of whether they have planning permission or not. According to the Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now, the intended area of the new settlement was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. “Smotrich continues to promote de facto annexation, disregarding the UNESCO Convention that Israel is a signatory to, and we will all pay the price,” the organization said in a statement, calling the move by the Civil Administration a “wholesale attack” on an area “renowned for its ancient terraces and sophisticated irrigation systems, evidence of thousands of years of human activity.” “These actions are not only fragmenting Palestinian space and depriving large communities of their natural and cultural heritage, but they also pose an imminent threat to an area considered to be of the highest cultural value to humanity,” Peace Now added. The Times of Israel reports: “The new settlement will be built on land it says belongs to Battir, home to ancient hillside agricultural terraces that have been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.” NOTE: Israel has illegally built around 280 settlements on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are home to more than 700,000 illegal settlers. As the ICJ ruling confirms, Israeli settlements and settlers on Palestinian land are a violation of international law, and considered by many Palestinians to be the main barrier to any lasting peace agreement. Some settler groups, moreover, have a history of violence against Palestinians, often with the assistance of Israeli military forces. Map: Israel attacked ‘nearly every inch of Gaza with US-made bombs’ Jewish Voice for Peace, a US-based advocacy group, has made a map of the more than 70,000 bombs that Israel has dropped on the Gaza Strip since October 7 using UN satellite data. “With the US as its collaborator, the Israeli military is carrying out the goal of Zionism: the complete and total ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land,” the group says. “The US isn’t just allowing the Israeli government to commit a genocide, it’s actively assisting it. It’s well past time for a weapons embargo. We demand a complete end to US funding, arming, and backing of the state of Israel’s oppression of Palestinians.” She wrote an op-ed criticizing Biden on Gaza. The Justice Department accused her of breaking the law. Emma West Rasmus wrote in The Hill: I used to see myself as part of the future of the Democratic Party, but I just got back from Palestine, and I will now work to ensure it never wins again.” (photo) The Intercept reports (excerpt): In March, Justice Department employee Emma West Rasmus wrote an [extremely powerful, personalized] op-ed criticizing the Biden administration over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. he next business day, she was accused by senior Justice Department attorneys and ethics officials of violating the Hatch Act. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their “official authority” to engage in certain political activity, especially advocating for or against a particular candidate or political party. Five months later, however, the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates Hatch Act violations, determined there was no Hatch Act violation in the first place. “Although you engaged in political activity while referencing that you work for the federal government in the op-ed, and specifically the Department of Justice in the byline, these references do not constitute a use of official authority rising to the level of a Hatch Act violation,” reads an August 8 determination letter from OSC. West Rasmus, who still works for the Justice Department, says this decision lifted a huge weight off her shoulders, but that the investigation itself “absolutely had a chilling effect” on her and other federal employees trying to galvanize internal dissent on Gaza policy. “I always felt like putting the op-ed out there in the way that I did was worth the risk,” she said. “That speaks to how urgently I and other federal employees feel about the need to take actions that we wouldn’t otherwise take.” (Read the full article here.) Columbia University president Minouche Shafik resigns in wake of Gaza protests Al Jazeera reports: Minouche Shafik, the president of Columbia University, has announced her resignation after a tumultuous year marked by tensions with staff and students over her handling of campus protests against the Gaza war. The university announced her departure in a statement on its website on Wednesday. “This period has taken a considerable toll on my family, as it has for others in our community,” Shafik wrote in a letter to the university’s staff and students. “It has also been a period of turmoil where it has been difficult to overcome divergent views across our community.” Protests against the Gaza war began on Columbia’s New York City campus in April inspiring similar encampments at other institutions across the United States and beyond. As the protests gathered momentum, Shafik was summoned to a congressional committee over allegations the university had failed to protect students and staff from rising anti-Semitism. The next day, she allowed New York City police onto the campus to clear the protests and about 100 people were arrested, triggering outrage from protesters and some academics and calls for her resignation. Tensions rose further at the end of April, when police returned again to campus, arresting some 300 people and removing the encampment. THE GUARDIAN ADDS: Meanwhile, Elise Stefanik, one of the congressional representatives most critical of Shafik’s handling of reports of antisemitism on campus, wrote: “THREE DOWN, so many to go,” adding “after failing to protect Jewish students and negotiating with pro-Hamas terrorists, this forced resignation is long overdue”. Sludge reports: Stefanik’s trip to Israel was paid for by the Jewish Policy Center, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit that describes its mission as “educat[ing the American public about Israel, foreign affairs and domestic issues of importance to the Jewish community.” The organization spent nearly $48,000 on the trip, including on business-class airfare tickets for the representative and stays at luxury hotels. [The Jewish Policy Center has multiple individuals on its board of fellows who have been identified as anti-Muslim hate figures, including Daniel Pipes and David Horowitz.] This election cycle, the PAC of lobbying group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has given $284,000 to Stefanik’s campaign in conduit contributions through April 30, placing her in its top 10 recipients among House Republicans. New York county signs first mask ban into US law, sparking controversy Bruce Blakeman hosts a number of rabbis for a mezuzah instalation at his new office ahead of his inauguration as Nassau County’s first Jewish County Executive on Dec. 31, 2021. The Forward reports: “Blakeman situated himself at the right on issues related to Israel.” (photo) The Guardian reports: Nassau county in New York implemented a controversial ban on wearing face coverings in public on Wednesday, in a move criticized by state politicians and civil rights advocates. Opponents of the bill have described it as “a dangerous misuse of the law to score political points and target protesters”, given it was introduced in response to protests against Israel’s war on Gaza. The Mask Transparency Act, signed into law by Bruce Blakeman, the Republican county executive, makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to wear a facial covering to hide their identity in public. [Vote Smart reports that Blakeman has been a board member of the American Jewish Congress, which advocates for Israel.] People who defy the law could be sentenced to up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, although there are some exemptions for health or religious reasons. Susan Gottehrer, the regional director of the Nassau county New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), said after the bill was passed, “Masks protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular. Making anonymous protest illegal chills political action and is ripe for selective enforcement, leading to doxxing, surveillance and retaliation against protesters.” Columbia students protest in support of Palestine on campus on Oct. 12. More demonstrations have occurred since, including one on Nov. 9 that appears to have led to the suspension of two groups. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Columbia students protest in support of Palestine on campus on Oct. 12. More demonstrations have occurred since, including one on Nov. 9 that appears to have led to the suspension of two groups. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (photo) Melbourne orchestra cancels pianist’s performance after he speaks out on Gaza Al Jazeera reports: Musician Jayson Gillham was scheduled to perform at Melbourne Town Hall on Thursday, but he was dropped after he discussed the media workers killed in Gaza in a Sunday performance. “The killing of journalists is a war crime in international law, and it is done in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world,” the musician told the audience, adding that Israel has killed more than 100 journalists since October 7. UPDATE FROM VARIETY: The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra on Thursday tried to extricate itself from controversy caused by its earlier decision to cancel future performances by Australian-British classical pianist Jayson Gillham. “The MSO acknowledges that an error was made in asking Jayson Gillham to step back from his performance on Thursday 15 August,” it said in a new statement. MORE NEWS: IMEMC Daily Reports. The Intercept: Israeli Society Is in a Deepening State of Contradiction Middle East Eye: Pro-Palestinian campus protests: What have they achieved so far? STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – AUGUST 14: Palestinian death toll from October 7 – August 14: at least 40,634* (40,005 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 629 in the West Bank (~145 children). This does not include an estimated 10,000 more still buried under rubble (4,900 women and children). Euro-Med Monitor reports 46,848 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, 18 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 – August 14: at least 97,821 (including at least 92,401 in Gaza and 5,420 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 – August 14: ~1,486 (~1,139 on October 7, 2023, of which ~32 were Americans, and ~36 were children); 331 military forces since the ground invasion began in Gaza; 16 in the West Bank) and~8,730 injured. Times of Israel reports: The IDF listed 41 soldiers killed due to friendly fire in Gaza and other military-related accidents – nearly 16%. NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries in Israel 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. † 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) 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 What Would You Do With An Extra $320 Million? Assassination of Haniyeh an intentional, dangerous escalation – Parsi, Macgregor When Israel Burned Refugees Alive, Establishment Media Called It a ‘Tragic Accident’ Israel has turbocharged West Bank housing demolitions under the cover of war Western media ignores Israeli confirmation of Hannibal Directive on 7 Oct US Should Arrest Benjamin Netanyahu When He’s in Washington Airwars investigation: Israeli airstrikes uniquely lethal (video) Hesen Jabr paid the price of conscience Gaza genocide denial Why the news media’s job is to groom us ‘Disappeared, buried, detained’: The horrors of Gaza’s missing children https://israelpalestinenews.org/official-gaza-death-toll-passes-40000-over-92000-injured-day-312/
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    Official Gaza death toll passes 40,000; over 92,000 injured – Day 312
    2K Gazan babies killed; new Israeli settlement; Hatch Act; Columbia president Minouche Shafik resigns; NY mask ban targets Palestine protests
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  • Five prominent Israeli rabbis condemn provocative settler incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque
    Thursday, 15 August 2024 7:36 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 15 August 2024 7:36 AM ]

    Five senior Israeli rabbis have deplored a recent settler incursion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds, highlighting a longstanding ban on Jewish prayers at the holy site.

    In a joint video statement released on Wednesday, the rabbis based in al-Quds slammed “radical fringes,” a day after thousands of Israeli settlers, joined by far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the complex.

    Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef emphasized that extremist ministers like Ben-Gvir do not represent Israelis.

    “I call on the nations of the world, do not see those ... ministers as representing the people of Israel,” he said. “Please calm things down… We mustn’t let radical fringes lead us.”

    During his 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.

    Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl also said, “It is strictly forbidden to enter the Temple Mount," referring to the name used by the Jews for the holy site.

    Meanwhile, Rabbi David Cohen denounced “thugs in religious garb who only inflame tensions.”

    Tuesday’s intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound also drew condemnations from the United Nations, as well as Muslim countries and Western powers, including the US and the European Union.

    Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers, led by notorious minister Ben Gvir, storm al-Aqsa mosque
    Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers, led by notorious minister Ben Gvir, storm al-Aqsa mosque
    Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers storm the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office criticized Ben-Gvir’s visit as a “deviation from the status quo” at the scared site.

    The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said it was "provocation to the feelings of Muslims all over the world."

    "Minister Ben Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque, is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside al-Aqsa Mosque," an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that oversees the site, told AFP.

    The recent violation of the al-Aqsa Mosque's sanctity came at a time when more than 10 months of a genocidal Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip has exposed the terrorist nature of the occupying regime to the world.

    In his Tuesday's remarks, Ben-Gvir renewed his opposition to any ceasefire in Gaza.

    https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/08/15/731399/Israeli-rabbis-condemn-settler-incursion
    Five prominent Israeli rabbis condemn provocative settler incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque Thursday, 15 August 2024 7:36 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 15 August 2024 7:36 AM ] Five senior Israeli rabbis have deplored a recent settler incursion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds, highlighting a longstanding ban on Jewish prayers at the holy site. In a joint video statement released on Wednesday, the rabbis based in al-Quds slammed “radical fringes,” a day after thousands of Israeli settlers, joined by far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the complex. Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef emphasized that extremist ministers like Ben-Gvir do not represent Israelis. “I call on the nations of the world, do not see those ... ministers as representing the people of Israel,” he said. “Please calm things down… We mustn’t let radical fringes lead us.” During his 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. Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl also said, “It is strictly forbidden to enter the Temple Mount," referring to the name used by the Jews for the holy site. Meanwhile, Rabbi David Cohen denounced “thugs in religious garb who only inflame tensions.” Tuesday’s intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound also drew condemnations from the United Nations, as well as Muslim countries and Western powers, including the US and the European Union. Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers, led by notorious minister Ben Gvir, storm al-Aqsa mosque Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers, led by notorious minister Ben Gvir, storm al-Aqsa mosque Hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers storm the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office criticized Ben-Gvir’s visit as a “deviation from the status quo” at the scared site. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said it was "provocation to the feelings of Muslims all over the world." "Minister Ben Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque, is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside al-Aqsa Mosque," an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that oversees the site, told AFP. The recent violation of the al-Aqsa Mosque's sanctity came at a time when more than 10 months of a genocidal Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip has exposed the terrorist nature of the occupying regime to the world. In his Tuesday's remarks, Ben-Gvir renewed his opposition to any ceasefire in Gaza. https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/08/15/731399/Israeli-rabbis-condemn-settler-incursion
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    Five prominent Israeli rabbis condemn provocative settler incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque
    Five senior Israeli rabbis deplore a recent settler incursion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
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