Current Affairs Israel is an apartheid state

[peteblue]

It is mad how the media never talks about how the religious settlers, who wield serious power within the Israeli government and army these days, who have a near-idential mission, though. They really are little different.

Probably due to both scale and level of barbarity, but who knows……

 

[DavidH]

She looks fine, not a scar on her face

Don't believe that, they must be covering them or something......

 

[magicjuan]

Sounds beautiful - for ISrael. The settlers are never EVER going to move! They have taken lands and homes from their hosts and attacked them regularly for protesting. This has gone too far for "peace". Your peace (in Israel's favour) would involve the map of Palestine staying pretty much as it is now, something that they (palestinians) cannot and obviously should not have to accept. It is slightly akin to Ukraine but far worse. The invading aggressor demands lands which are not theirs. For the victims it is either put up or shut up to people like you and Kevtherat/davek/zat

Tell me, do you honestly think Israel will revert back to any time, land wise, that Palestine can even begin to accept - honestly?

Also, expel hamas?? Not that easy, Pete.
Without threat of terrorism.....every day for Palestinians living with or near settlers
The whole of the GAza strip cut off from support....happens constantly - water, aid and energy routinely cut off.

Accurate, and strangely, reminded me of how parasites work in the animal kingdom

 

[magicjuan]

His husband is still being kept hostage. I'm sure she does what ever to give his husband better chances of surviving.
This is excellent sample of Hamas propaganda and you will be seeing this more in coming days.

Knobend

 

[magicjuan]

Don't believe that, they must be covering them or something......

It's CGI and she's pumped full of Jesus juice surely?

 

[tsubaki]

Meanwhile, at the Security Council:



what he actually said:

Mr. President, with your permission, I will make a small introduction and then ask my colleagues to brief the Security Council on the situation on the ground.


Excellencies,


The situation in the Middle East is growing more dire by the hour.


The war in Gaza is raging and risks spiralling throughout the region.


Divisions are splintering societies. Tensions threaten to boil over.


At a crucial moment like this, it is vital to be clear on principles -- starting with the fundamental principle of respecting and protecting civilians.


I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel.


Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.


All hostages must be treated humanely and released immediately and without conditions. I respectfully note the presence among us of members of their families.


Excellencies,


It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.


The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.


They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing.


But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.


Excellencies,


Even war has rules.


We must demand that all parties uphold and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law; take constant care in the conduct of military operations to spare civilians; and respect and protect hospitals and respect the inviolability of UN facilities which today are sheltering more than 600,000 Palestinians.


The relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, the level of civilian casualties, and the wholesale destruction of neighborhoods continue to mount and are deeply alarming.


I mourn and honour the dozens of UN colleagues working for UNRWA – sadly, at least 35 and counting – killed in the bombardment of Gaza over the last two weeks.


I owe to their families my condemnation of these and many other similar killings.


The protection of civilians is paramount in any armed conflict.


Protecting civilians can never mean using them as human shields.


Protecting civilians does not mean ordering more than one million people to evacuate to the south, where there is no shelter, no food, no water, no medicine and no fuel, and then continuing to bomb the south itself.


I am deeply concerned about the clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing in Gaza.


Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law.


Excellencies,


Thankfully, some humanitarian relief is finally getting into Gaza.


But it is a drop of aid in an ocean of need.


In addition, our UN fuel supplies in Gaza will run out in a matter of days. That would be another disaster.


Without fuel, aid cannot be delivered, hospitals will not have power, and drinking water cannot be purified or even pumped.


The people of Gaza need continuous aid delivery at a level that corresponds to the enormous needs. That aid must be delivered without restrictions.


I salute our UN colleagues and humanitarian partners in Gaza working under hazardous conditions and risking their lives to provide aid to those in need. They are an inspiration.


To ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer, and facilitate the release of hostages, I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.


Excellencies,


Even in this moment of grave and immediate danger, we cannot lose sight of the only realistic foundation for a true peace and stability: a two-State solution.


Israelis must see their legitimate needs for security materialized, and Palestinians must see their legitimate aspirations for an independent State realized, in line with United Nations resolutions, international law and previous agreements.


Finally, we must be clear on the principle of upholding human dignity.


Polarization and dehumanization are being fueled by a tsunami of disinformation.


We must stand up to the forces of antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry and all forms of hate.


Mr. President,


Excellencies,


Today is United Nations Day, marking 78 years since the UN Charter entered into force.


That Charter reflects our shared commitment to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights.


On this UN Day, at this critical hour, I appeal to all to pull back from the brink before the violence claims even more lives and spreads even farther.


Thank you very much.

 

[Noisy noise annoys]

In addition from the son of a Hamas Leader…

“ He also said the group initiates war with the Israelis every few years when they 'need money'.

'This war, Israel did not start. Hamas started this war. Hamas, blood for money, they start a war every few years when they want money they shed children's blood and this has to stop. This has to stop. It has to come to an end.

'Unfortunately the price is not going to be cheap.

'I feel very sorry for Israel that they have to go into Gaza where there are booby traps all over the place...I don't know how many Israeli soldiers have to die in order to destroy Hamas.'

Yousef then appeared on Fox News, where he said the group is 'more dangerous' than ISIS.

'Look at the division and the global confusion because of Hamas. They brought us to our knees somehow by their brutality and their barbarism. Brutality is even understating Hamas' acts.

'Hamas is a religious movement, and they are a raging religious movement against Israel. The mainstream media cannot say this because they are afraid to ignite a religious war.”…..

The war started 70 years ago ffs and not by Palestinian

 

[Martin Alvito]

Meanwhile, at the Security Council:



what he actually said:

Which is more or less the boilerplate required of a UN Secretary-General, as part of the job.

The ambassador was writing for a domestic audience where the UN has been vilified. That makes sense in context. The General Assembly has been no friend to Israel for a very long time now.

The attitude shift that might move Israel would have to occur among the NATO allies, and that likely will not occur until supporting Israel becomes untenable politically. There was no sign of that in what Blinken said today.

 

[magicjuan]

Meanwhile, at the Security Council:



what he actually said:

I find it genuinely upsetting that in this day and age the emotive propaganda, especially the use of the word 'nazi' in the context it is, to use the holocaust 'imagery' to garner support and deflect from Israel's own inhumanity.
How, really, are we where we are as a community across the world, when this sort of behaviour isn't immediately called out by so called 'leaders'?
It's sickening, very, very sickening.

 

[tsubaki]

In addition from the son of a Hamas Leader…

“ He also said the group initiates war with the Israelis every few years when they 'need money'.

'This war, Israel did not start. Hamas started this war. Hamas, blood for money, they start a war every few years when they want money they shed children's blood and this has to stop. This has to stop. It has to come to an end.

'Unfortunately the price is not going to be cheap.

'I feel very sorry for Israel that they have to go into Gaza where there are booby traps all over the place...I don't know how many Israeli soldiers have to die in order to destroy Hamas.'

Yousef then appeared on Fox News, where he said the group is 'more dangerous' than ISIS.

'Look at the division and the global confusion because of Hamas. They brought us to our knees somehow by their brutality and their barbarism. Brutality is even understating Hamas' acts.

'Hamas is a religious movement, and they are a raging religious movement against Israel. The mainstream media cannot say this because they are afraid to ignite a religious war.”…..

Pete I think you give far too much credence to the "son of a Hamas leader", as if he is an impartial expert in this. By his own admission, he is someone who sold out his own people to the occupying force.

 

[tsubaki]

Which is more or less the boilerplate required of a UN Secretary-General, as part of the job.

The ambassador was writing for a domestic audience where the UN has been vilified. That makes sense in context. The General Assembly has been no friend to Israel for a very long time now.

The attitude shift that might move Israel would have to occur among the NATO allies, and that likely will not occur until supporting Israel becomes untenable politically. There was no sign of that in what Blinken said today.

I don't know - he did call for humanitarian pauses today (which is IIRC the first time the US has said something along those lines), and there was a notable focus on increasing the amount of aid going into Gaza. Obviously it wasn't put to a vote but there seemed to be a consensus on ending the siege conditions, which might lead to at least some vote along those lines (ie: establishing safe zones / uninterrupted supplies).

 

[tsubaki]

An update:



… the Israeli government has lost the plot

 

[Martin Alvito]

I don't know - he did call for humanitarian pauses today (which is IIRC the first time the US has said something along those lines), and there was a notable focus on increasing the amount of aid going into Gaza. Obviously it wasn't put to a vote but there seemed to be a consensus on ending the siege conditions, which might lead to at least some vote along those lines (ie: establishing safe zones / uninterrupted supplies).

Aid has been Biden's big sticking point from very early in the crisis. Once it became clear that Israel intended to go in, he started pushing that one hard. By all accounts it has never escalated to "there needs to be a continuous flow of humanitarian aid, or I can't support you" being said explicitly, but everyone concerned knew this was more or less what he meant.

 

[Toffeeslam]

Meanwhile, at the Security Council:



what he actually said:

Imagine wanting someone sacked or forced out for telling the truth….

 

[ramacca]

There seem to be contradictory statements within this document.

2. Palestine, which extends from the River Jordan in the east to the Mediterranean in the west and from Ras al-Naqurah in the north to Umm al-Rashrash in the south, is an integral territorial unit. It is the land and the home of the Palestinian people. The expulsion and banishment of the Palestinian people from their land and the establishment of the Zionist entity therein do not annul the right of the Palestinian people to their entire land and do not entrench any rights therein for the usurping Zionist entity.

20. Hamas believes that no part of the land of Palestine shall be compromised or conceded, irrespective of the causes, the circumstances and the pressures and no matter how long the occupation lasts. Hamas rejects any alternative to the full and complete liberation of Palestine, from the river to the sea. However, without compromising its rejection of the Zionist entity and without relinquishing any Palestinian rights, Hamas considers the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital along the lines of the 4th of June 1967, with the return of the refugees and the displaced to their homes from which they were expelled, to be a formula of national consensus.

It doesn't strike me as the basis for a lasting peace.

That section of the document was similar to the setting up of the Irish Fee State. Eventually, the constitution laid claim to the north of Ireland. The setting up of the Free State was a compromise along the path of a United Ireland.