From the news on: the war in West Asia [Content Warning - links to reports on bigotry/hate, violence/abuse/war, genocide, language. Reader discretion is advised - extreme cruelty]

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/.  

From the news on the war in West Asia: 

• “Palestinians being ‘collectively punished’ for _____”   https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2023/10/19/ed-husic-palestine-israel/   and   “Cabinet Minister Ed Husic says Palestinians are being ‘collectively punished’ for _____’ barbarism”   https://theconversation.com/cabinet-minister-ed-husic-says-palestinians-are-being-collectively-punished-for-_____-barbarism-216008   which is contrary to Article 33 - Individual responsibility, collective penalties, pillage, reprisals, of Convention (IV) - Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 (see https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gciv-1949/article-33)   

• “US official resigns over Biden’s ‘destructive, unjust’ arms to Israel”   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/19/state-department-official-josh-paul-quits-weapons-israel   “... condemns administration’s ‘intellectual bankruptcy’ in providing weapons and for its support of ‘status quo of occupation’”   

• “Israel-_____ war tests Western unity as Global South slams 'double standards'”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231019-israel-_____-war-tests-western-unity-as-global-south-slams-double-standards   “International responses to the October 7 _____ attack were broadly split between the Global North and South over condemnations of the killings of just Israeli civilians in the terror attack or all civilians in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But as the Gaza humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, divisions are increasing within the West.”   
  

• “Aid convoy set to enter Gaza a ‘drop in the ocean of need’ says WHO”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/19/gaza-aid-rafah-crossing-joe-biden-israel-egypt-agreement   

• Egypt’s “President Sisi blocks mass influx of Gaza refugees”   https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/rest-of-africa/president-sisi-blocks-mass-influx-of-gaza-refugees-4405506   

• “Ex-soldiers shift from protesting to providing aid to people – and pets – in southern Israel”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231019-ex-soldiers-shift-from-protesting-to-providing-aid-to-people-%E2%80%93-and-pets-%E2%80%93-in-southern-israel   “From our special correspondent in Israel – The Brothers and Sisters in Arms group was active in the street protests against Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial justice reforms that rocked Israel for months on end earlier this year. But after the _____ attacks of October 7, this group of former soldiers pivoted from protesting to evacuating kibbutzim, distributing food and saving animals.”   

• “‘I refuse to be associated with _____’: Gazans in Paris lament ban on pro-Palestinian protests”   https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231019-i-refuse-to-be-associated-with-_____-gazans-in-paris-lament-ban-on-protests   “From their homes in Paris, Palestinians Sarah, Saïd and Yasser* are anxiously following the dramatic situation in Gaza, where their relatives are caught up in the massive bombardment and dire humanitarian crisis triggered by the latest war between Israel and _____. They lament French bans on pro-Palestinian protests, which prevents them from rallying in public to support their loved ones and to call for an immediate ceasefire.”   

• “Warning: Benjamin Netanyahu is walking right into _____’s trap”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/20/benjamin-netanyahu-_____-israel-prime-minister  

• “‘Day of rage’ erupts across West Bank after Israeli forces attack refugee camp”   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/20/day-of-rage-erupts-accross-west-bank-after-israeli-forces-attack-refugee-camp   

• “We build bridges between Israelis and Palestinians by focusing on our shared humanity rather than our differences”   https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/oct/21/we-build-bridges-between-israelis-and-palestinians-by-focusing-on-our-shared-humanity-rather-than-our-differences   “Galvanised into action by recent events, Project Rozana hopes to inspire fellow Australians to help”  
  

 

From my links for activism post to aid any activism you decide to do:

• on INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (noting the UN Charter [particularly Chapters VI and VII] and numerous  international  treaties): 
• noting particularly Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter, the 1928 Pact of Paris used in post-WW2 trials, the "laws" of war and IHL and Article 20 of the ICCPR on WAR / CONFLICT: 
  
  
• on HUMAN RIGHTS (noting the various rights and treaties summarised here, IHL, Article 5 of the Rome Statute founding the ICC):
  
• noting the GENOCIDE  Convention:  
  
  
• noting the conventions and the Global Compact on REFUGEES

Don't forget to check whether your nation has ratified any relevant conventions/treaties/etc. 

 

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. 

 

If you appreciated this post, please consider promoting it - there are some links below.

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.