Note: CONTENT WARNING - some of this content is about upsetting, disturbing or triggering events & attitudes. Seek competent help - including professional - if you need it. 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/.
Note: in my “from the news” posts, quotes are shown italicised and blue, my comments are in a different shade of blue, and “good” items are shown in green.
I have loosely grouped the posts where such seemed reasonable, but that
is subjective (i.e., my opinion - others are free to disagree), and
challenging, as some posts belong in multiple “groups”.
Reporting on recent and currently ongoing tragic events in West Asia, in Israel, Gaza, and adjoining nations, includes the following:
- ““Tell me how this ends” - Gaza Edition” https://www.juancole.com/2023/12/tell-this-edition.html Beginning
with a recollection on Iraq, a reflection on what could happen - or not
- after fighting in Gaza eventually ends - at east in the interim and “Israel’s ‘killing rage’ will fuel conflict for 50 years, warns ex-UK defence secretary | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/18/israel-killing-rage-fuel-conflict-50-years-warns-ex-uk-defence-secretary-ben-wallace and “Who Killed the Two-State Solution? Israel!” https://www.juancole.com/2023/12/killed-solution-israel.html
- “Battle for the West Bank: Israeli settlers step up attacks on Palestinians” https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/reporters/20231215-every-week-they-chase-people-from-their-homes-inside-the-battle-for-the-west-bank and “Israeli real estate firm pushes settlement building in Gaza | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera” https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2023/12/19/israeli-real-estate-firm-pushes-settlement-building-in-gaza This is appalling
- “Images of Syrian Civil War Take on a Second Life in Gaza Conflict” https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/12/08/images-of-syrian-civil-war-take-on-a-second-life-in-gaza-conflict/ the battle against mis/disinfo continues ...
- on peace/ceasefires: “Israel-Hamas war: a ceasefire is now in sight. Will Israel’s prime minister agree?” https://theconversation.com/israel-hamas-war-a-ceasefire-is-now-in-sight-will-israels-prime-minister-agree-219958 and “Biden administration policy differences reportedly behind delay in Gaza ceasefire vote at UN” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/20/un-security-council-israel-gaza-war-ceasefire-delay-why-biden-administration-policy-differences “Work
continues on UN security council text of resolution that the US could
at least abstain on, as Qatar says hostage talks have been ‘positive’” but “Hamas insists on end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza before hostage talks can begin” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/20/hamas-leaders-arrival-in-egypt-suggests-second-hostage-deal-imminent “UN security council resolution calling for ceasefire and more aid deliveries delayed again at the request of the US”
- on human rights and human suffering (on both sides) aspects: “Israeli hostages killed in Gaza were holding white flag” https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/middle-east-news/2023/12/17/hostages-white-flag Although
not stated, it would be possible the hostages had escaped. Also, the
article mentions talks between Israel’s Mossad and Qatar See also “Israeli Public Pressures Netanyahu for Ceasefire after Hostages Killed: But will He Say 'No'?” https://www.juancole.com/2023/12/pressures-netanyahu-ceasefire.html & “Three hostages killed by mistake: Netanyahu’s shoot-first policies are harming all of us | Dahlia Scheindlin | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/18/three-hostages-mistake-benjamin-netanyahu-israelis-palestinians & “Captives mistakenly killed by Israeli troops left SOS signs in Hebrew | Israel-Palestine conflict News | Al Jazeera” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/18/captives-mistakenly-killed-by-israeli-troops-left-sos-signs-in-hebrew “Gaza: UN expert on sexual violence in conflict reiterates grave concern for hostages” https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/12/1145032 “The
UN expert working to end rape during wartime remains gravely concerned
for the safety and well-being of hostages still being held by _____
militants, especially the 15 women captives, 75 days after the extremist
group’s brutal incursion into southern Israel” “Israel is taking scorched earth policy to a new level | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera” https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/12/16/israel-is-taking-scorched-earth-policy-to-a-new-level The article includes history of term “scorched earth” & “Israeli airstrikes kill 80 in Palestinian refugee camp” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/18/israeli-airstrikes-kill-80-in-palestinian-refugee-camp & “Palestinian casualties in Gaza near 20,000 with nearly 2m people displaced | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/19/palestinian-casualties-in-gaza-near-20000-with-nearly-2m-people-displaced & “Meta wrong to remove graphic Israel-_____ videos, oversight board says | Meta | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/19/facebook-moderation-israel-_____-videos “Board
describes the two videos, which were reinstated, as valuable for
‘informing the world about human suffering on both sides’” “UN votes for aid influx as Gaza famine looms” https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/middle-east-news/2023/12/22/israel-gaza-push-un-vote “The
aid resolution was passed on Saturday morning (AEDT), with 13 Security
Council members, including the UK and China, voting in favour. ... After
days of delays, the United States and Russia both abstained rather than
block the flow of supplies to Palestinians” “Harvard Is Ignoring Its Own Antisemitism Experts” https://jewishcurrents.org/harvard-is-ignoring-its-own-antisemitism-experts So
basically, the university’s (nominal) efforts against antisemitism are
being crippled by listening to donors rather than genuine experts “People ‘buried alive’ outside Gaza hospital during Israeli raid | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera” https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2023/12/18/people-buried-alive-during-israeli-raid-on-gaza-hospital This has been used deliberately against enemy soldiers (e.g., this), and has been an accidental outcome of artillery bombardments (this shows the mythology that has built around such events, but see also this - and is also one of the results of collapsing buildings), but as a deliberate tactic against civilians (and the killing by Israeli soldiers of Israeli hostages shows they have problem identifying the difference) is egregious - it has an element of horror that lifts it out of the overwhelm of other barbaric human rights violations, and does much further harm to Israel’s tattered reputation “Israeli Supreme Court Justices to Visit Prisons Following Deaths of 6 Palestinian Inmates - Israel News - Haaretz” https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-12-17/ty-article/.premium/israeli-supreme-court-justices-to-visit-prisons-following-deaths-of-6-palestinian-inmates/0000018c-78bb-d98c-abef-febff9290000 (most of this is behind a paywall, but the paper is well respected)
- on military aspects: “Israel uncovers ‘biggest tunnel yet’ in Gaza” https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2023/12/18/israel-tunnel-gaza The
tunnel was four km long, and large enough for vehicles to drive in it.
The article also states Israel’s official military death toll from its
invasion of Gaza is 121
- regionally: “Fears grow of all-out Israel-Hezbollah war as fighting escalates” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/17/fears-grow-of-all-out-israel-hezbollah-war-as-fighting-escalates-lebanon Militarily,
Israel has used up a lot of ammunition in Gaza, and has made major
commitments of troops and other resources there: could a second front
stretch them? “Changing Plans? Saudi Regionalism After Gaza” https://blog.bti-project.org/2023/11/28/changing-plans-saudi-regionalism-after-gaza/ “Israel’s
war in Gaza has left Saudi Arabia hedging its bets on the international
stage and has stalled its tentative rapprochement with Iran”
- internationally: “World’s largest shipping firm Maersk suspends Red Sea traffic after Houthi attacks” https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20231215-missiles-fired-from-houthi-territory-in-yemen-target-red-sea-cargo-ships This is likely to have an adverse impact on living costs for quite a few people - which is very well discussed in “Houthi Attacks force Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping & Hapag-Lloyd Turn Their Ships from the Red Sea” https://youtu.be/elvHcJqJagQ?si=sZU4f-wLKzSzUPyv and “US to announce expanded protection force for Red Sea shipping” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/17/us-to-announce-expanded-protection-force-for-red-sea-shipping “Response to Houthi attacks from Yemen seeks to reassure commercial shipping companies avoiding use of Red Sea” “Dozens of Labor figures condemn Israel’s ‘domination’ of Palestine and call for immediate ceasefire” https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/19/israel-gaza-war-labor-figures-ceasefire-letter-palestine-hamas-bob-carr This sentiment exists overseas as well
Note: as with other mass murderers/serial killers/and the like, violent extremists crave publicity, so I refuse to give that to them - I will avoid using their names (which is a policy adopted by good law enforcement and media for other mass murderers), and I will not give them the satisfaction of being described with the T word.
Note also that the genocidal intent of the VEs I refuse to name is clear, according to this from experts in that topic.
My links for activism post may aid any activism you may decide to do on any/all of these.
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.
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