"In his speech at the UN General Assembly two weeks ago, Netanyahu presented a map of “The New Middle East,” depicting the State of #Israel stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea and building a “corridor of peace and prosperity” with its neighbors across the region, including #Saudi Arabia. A Palestinian state, or even the collection of shrunken enclaves... does not appear on the map."
If you’re confused about what’s happening in the Gaza strip, you’re not alone. It’s a long story with a longer history that’s been tainted and muddied by propaganda and soft reporting.
Here are two videos to help you break it down into simple concepts…
Despite near unanimity of support for Israel in the US political establishment these days, some voices are making it into the mainstream media to explain the causes of violence and state that while they condemn the Hamas attacks on civilians, they were not "unprovoked."
The Islamic Fatwa Council (IFC) has ruled on the conduct of #Hamas (Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah), charging the Islamist entity with violating the laws of the Holy Quran and teachings of the Noble Prophet Mohammad (Peace be Upon Him):
“'One should not be able to hide behind a corporate shield when issuing statements supporting the actions of terrorists,' Ackman said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter."
"A flurry of Harvard University students and groups are desperately trying to backtrack on their support of a letter blaming Israel for the mass slaughter of its own people by Hamas terrorists — as some business titans seek to blacklist them from future jobs."
“…look at the world through the eyes of Palestinians and recognize that neither occupation nor expulsion is the answer - just as Israelis built a state in their homeland, Palestinians have a right to be a free people in their own land."
A painful but important read by someone who lives in Israel and who works for the Israel Religious Action Center - IRAC, the advocacy arm for the Reform movement of Judaism in Israel.
Here are two excerpts that are especially important:
I’m angry at Hamas for undercutting the struggle for Palestinian rights and lending credence to the caricatures of Palestinians as bloodthirsty savages who just want to kill Jews, which is far from the truth. This will not only cost Palestinian lives in the immediate, but it will also set back their pursuit of justice and dignity by decades. They have alienated hard-won support in the international community. And they have made it harder to stand for their recognition, rights, and justice.
The renowned chant 'From the River to the Sea' in support of #Palestine's freedom and #humanrights is on the verge of being criminalized by the British Home Secretary.
Israelis are turning against right-wing ministers who dare to show their faces in public… this is Idit Silman, the minister of “environmental protection” being chased out of an hospital
#Israeli PM #BenjaminNetanyahu & #BennyGantz, leader of the opposition #NationalUnity party, reached an agreement Wed to form a unity govt. The 2 ldrs said the new govt would pursue only bills or decisions concerning the #conflict, which has prompted Israel to mass troops near the Gaza Strip & call up #reservists ahead of an offensive against #Hamas militants.
The #WorldHealthOrganization#WHO said Tues evening that it had documented 22 attacks by Israeli forces on #MedicalCenters & ambulances that killed 6 people. It wasn’t clear whether any of the #UN workers were included in that figure. On Wednesday, the #Palestine#RedCrescentSociety#PRCS, part of the International Federation of #RedCross & RedCrescent Societies, said its #ambulances have been targeted by Israeli strikes. 1 strike killed 3 #medics, it said, & another strike killed another medic.
@TheShuck Well, exactly. All the Palestinians I've ever met have also been delightful people, too; I have friends I value from both populations. This forever war is a tragedy caused originally by a dreadful decision by a British government of almost Johnsonian arrogance and stupidity (see Balfour Declaration), and made worse by poor political leadership in both communities.