From the news on: the Israel-Palestine war [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war. Reader discretion is advised]

Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. Content shown in green (which may be only part of a news story) is about what is generally considered “good news”, but personal history may still make such events triggering. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that linked articles may contains names and/or images of deceased people. READER CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED! For anyone distressed by anything in this post, or for any other reason considering seeking support, resources are available in Australia here, here, and here. In other nations, you will have to do an Internet search using terms such as “mental health support - <your nation>” (which, for instance, may lead to this, this, and this, in the USA, or this, this, and this, in France [biased towards English-language - my apologies]), or perhaps try https://www.befrienders.org/.  

As events are happening quickly in the war between Israel and Palestine, I will probably be doing relatively frequent news reports. The latest news media reports I’ve seen include the following: 

• “Yes, Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands has to end – but massacres of civilians won’t bring this end any closer”   https://theconversation.com/yes-israels-occupation-of-palestinian-lands-has-to-end-but-massacres-of-civilians-wont-bring-this-end-any-closer-215814   “Those who care about Palestine should denounce terror, cruelty and violence against civilians, and put more pressure on their governments to support an end to the Israeli occupation in return for more viable solutions for Israel’s legitimate security needs. Those who are concerned about Israel should do the same.   There are no easy solutions to the conflict, but military ones won’t do any more. Violence only begets more violence. It has to stop.”   

• “How women in Israel and Palestine are pushing for peace — together”   https://theconversation.com/how-women-in-israel-and-palestine-are-pushing-for-peace-together-215783  
  

• “Al-Ahli Arab hospital: piecing together what happened as Israel insists militant rocket to blame”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/18/al-ahli-arab-hospital-piecing-together-what-happened-as-israel-insists-militant-rocket-to-blame   “Open-source information gives an idea of what happened at the hospital where hundreds were killed” - and backs up Israeli statements. See also “US intelligence suggests Gaza militants behind deadly hospital blast”   https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/us-intelligence-suggests-gaza-militants-behind-deadly-hospital-blast/9wqpbslxt   

• “A Ceasefire in Gaza”   https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/ceasefire-gaza   “Whoever bears responsibility for the blast killing hundreds in a hospital, the toll of the Gaza war is far too high. Western leaders should join calls for a pause to save lives, prevent fighting from spreading and give diplomacy a chance”  
  

• “7 steps to end the Cycle of Violence in Israel and Palestine”   https://www.juancole.com/2023/10/violence-israel-palestine.html   

• “Analysis: Will Gaza be Israel’s Stalingrad?”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/analysis-will-gaza-be-israels-stalingrad  
  

• “‘Gaza is being strangled’: why Israel’s evacuation order violates international law”   https://theconversation.com/gaza-is-being-strangled-why-israels-evacuation-order-violates-international-law-215787  
  

• “The danger of leaving things be: how the world ‘failed miserably’ in the Middle East”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/17/left-on-the-shelf-how-the-world-failed-miserably-in-the-middle-east  
  

• “Gaza: ‘History is watching’ warns UN relief chief, saying aid access is key priority”   https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142382  
  

• “Saudi Arabia Needs to Show Leadership to avert a Continuing Massacre in Gaza”   https://www.juancole.com/2023/10/leadership-continuing-massacre.html   

• “Israel’s Negev Bedouins, forgotten victims of the _____ attack, rally to provide aid”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231017-negev-bedouins-israel-s-forgotten-victims-of-the-_____-attack-rally-to-provide-aid   “The victims of the 7th October _____ attack included at least 19 members of the Negev Bedouin Arab community, both civilians and members of the Israeli armed forces. The loss has prompted community volunteers to provide aid to a minority that has often suffered state discrimination, as well as calls for a return to peace negotiations to end the deadly cycle of violence”  
  

• “Could a warning by the ICC deter war crimes in Israel-Gaza conflict?”   https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/10/18/could-a-warning-by-the-icc-chief-prosecutor-deter-war-crimes-in-gaza  
  

• in a move causing anger, “Palestinian Authority cracks down on protests over Israel Gaza attacks”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/palestinian-authority-cracks-down-on-protests-over-israel-gaza-attacks   

• “US vetoes UN resolution calling for humanitarian pause in Israel-_____ war”   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/18/us-vetoes-un-resolution-calling-for-humanitarian-pause-in-israel-_____-war   (it could go to the General Assembly if that was in session: this is why online emergency meetings of the UN GA are essential - to overcome the veto power)  
  

• “the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia in Australia”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/19/israel-_____-war-abuse-and-death-threats-as-arabs-and-jews-face-echoes-of-the-violence-in-faraway-australia  

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

If they are of any use of interest, the activism information links from my former news posts are available in this post. 

 

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Remember: we need to be more human being rather than human doing, and all misgendering is an act of active transphobia/transmisia that puts trans+ lives at risk.