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 imperialistic Israel, Gaza, and adjoining nations, includes the following:
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.
This is explained further in my post at https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2023/10/from-news-on-war-in-west-asia-content_25.html.
Note also that the genocidal intent of the VE group I refuse to name is, and has been for some time, clear, according to this from experts in that topic.
- a very strong, strongly worded, and important opinion piece: “Gaza” https://theaimn.com/gaza/ “I have no time for those who fail to read or comprehend the sharp bite of the history that informs the current actions of both the Palestinian and Jewish People”
- “Netanyahu tells US he opposes creation of Palestinian state after Gaza war” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/netanyahu-tells-us-opposes-palestinian-state-after-gaza-war “PM rebuts White House by saying all territory west of Jordan River would be under Israeli security control” This is the end of any chance of a lasting peace, in my opinion. It may take a few decades, but we'll go through the same cycle again ...
- “South Africa’s genocide case against [imperialistic] Israel is imperfect but persuasive. It may win | Kenneth Roth | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/13/south-africa-israel-genocide-the-hague “In the Hague trial, both sides have largely avoided evidence contradicting their case. Yet South Africa’s arguments are strong” The author of this article, Kenneth Roth, is a former executive director of Human Rights Watch (1993-2022) and visiting professor at Princeton’s School for Public and International Affairs: he is an experienced and capable person, and I consider his view has some weight See also “South Africa has made its genocide case against Israel in court. Here’s what both sides said and what happens next” https://theconversation.com/south-africa-has-made-its-genocide-case-against-israel-in-court-heres-what-both-sides-said-and-what-happens-next-221017 and “ICJ genocide case: What are Israel’s arguments and do they hold up? | Israel War on Gaza News | Al Jazeera” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/12/icj-genocide-case-what-are-israels-main-arguments As a final point on this, I consider public pressure has been a major influence in this - all the public protest marches have played a major, constructive role in achieving this
- “‘Different rules’: special policies keep US supplying weapons to Israel despite alleged abuses” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/us-supply-weapons-israel-alleged-abuses-human-rights “Top US officials quietly reviewed more than a dozen incidents of alleged gross violations of human rights by Israeli security forces since 2020, but have gone to great lengths to preserve continued access to US weapons for the units responsible for the alleged violations, contributing – former US officials say – to the sense of impunity with which Israel has approached its war in Gaza”
- lest we think we are superior, “Michael Pascoe: The outrage over Gaza killings but we do it, too” https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2024/01/20/michael-pascoe-australia-gaza I won’t worry about a quote: just read it
on human rights and human suffering (on both sides) aspects:
- This is just part of why the events on 7th October changed everything - this is NOT
new news, it has been known and reported about from the start ... ALL
of it - and warnings have been made about the ongoing risks for female
hostages still being held! This is why I consider calls for a ceasefire will not be listened to - but imperialistic Israel’s reaction has also been appalling and, IMO, genocidal
[Content Warning - graphic descriptions of sexual assaults and other brutality, including on young and old]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/evidence-points-to-systematic-use-of-rape-by-_____-in-7-october-attacks “Evidence points to systematic use of rape and sexual violence by _____ in 7th October attacks”
- “Inside a Gaza refugee camp: How are people surviving the winter? | DW News” https://youtu.be/IkXPAXeIQGw?si=_PzveRf6w-h302x- “Every Day, Gaza Children face Death from Israeli Bombardment, Denial of Safe Water and Food: UNICEF” https://www.juancole.com/2024/01/children-disease-unsafe.html
- “Qatar and France send medicine for _____-held hostages in Gaza • FRANCE 24 English” https://youtu.be/l6mvhRBKDoM?si=or__1nsPqvDIfYX0 “Gaza: Fewer than 1 in 4 aid missions given green light, says OCHA” https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145557 “The
Israeli authorities have continued to block lifesaving aid from
reaching northern Gaza 102 days since _____-led terror attacks triggered
the war, UN humanitarians have insisted, just as UN Secretary-General
António Guterres warned that “the long shadow of starvation” stalks the
people of Gaza”
- “UN chief reiterates Gaza ceasefire call, condemns ‘collective punishment’ of Palestinians” https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145537 and “UN urges radical change to aid relief access in Gaza amid fresh famine fears” https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145512 and “The
brutality and inhumanity of Israel’s assault on Gaza is no surprise.
It’s just what was promised | Owen Jones | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/13/israel-_____-gaza-war-crimes I
note that the brutality and inhumanity of the violent extremist group
_____’s assault on Israel was also what was promised - and is a perfect
example of why conflicts and issues around self determination and
justice must not be endlessly delayed or ignored “Israeli-Made Famine: Denial of Food Aid could Kill 22,000 Palestinians this Month, Half of them Children” https://www.juancole.com/2024/01/israeli-palestinians-children.html
- “‘It is a time of witch hunts in Israel’: teacher held in solitary confinement for posting concern about Gaza deaths | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/13/it-is-a-time-of-witch-hunts-in-israel-teacher-held-in-solitary-confinement-for-posting-concern-about-gaza-deaths “Israel added to list of ‘worst jailers of journalists’ for first time” https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/jan/18/journalists-jailed-imprisoned-israel “The Guardian view on Gaza’s journalists: their lives, and press freedom, must be protected” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/18/the-guardian-view-on-gaza-journalists-their-lives-and-press-freedom-must-be-protected “Scores of media professionals have been killed in the last three months. The truth itself is under threat” “Setting the Record Straight: Weaponising Antisemitism to Cancel Academic Free Speech” https://www.juancole.com/2024/01/straight-weaponizing-antisemitism.html
- “Woman killed and 17 injured after suspected car-ramming attack in Israel” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/15/killed-injured-suspected-car-ramming-attack-israel-raanana “Two Palestinians arrested as police say suspects stole vehicles and ran over people in city of Raanana”
on military aspects:
- “Israeli military says it killed dozens of Palestinian militants in north Gaza” https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20240116-%F0%9F%94%B4-live-israel-says-war-to-wind-down-in-southern-gaza-as-toll-tops-24-000 “The Israeli military said on Tuesday its troops killed dozens of Palestinian militants around the town of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza and also uncovered about 100 rocket launchers. Israel earlier said its operations against _____ in southern Gaza would soon enter a less intensive phase, after the militant group’s health ministry reported the death toll in the territory had surpassed 24,000”
- “New wave of violence sweeps West Bank as Israel launches series of raids” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/israeli-west-bank-strikes-gaza-death-toll-palestine-war-_____ “Palestinian officials say at least 12 people killed since Wednesday and Tulkarem refugee camp under ‘siege’”
regionally:
- an opinion that “The US isn’t the biggest power in the [West Asia] any more. Iran is | Simon Tisdall | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/13/iran-is-thwith-china-and-russia-behind-it-iran-is-the-big-kid-on-the-block I
actually disagree with that: Iran is having a bigger than expected
influence, and has been smarter than the USA of late, but I don’t
consider them the biggest influence yet - although they are getting
closer to being that See also “Biden sent private message to Tehran amid airstrikes: ‘We’re well-prepared’ | Joe Biden | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/13/biden-tehran-yemen-h_____s-airstrikes
- “How H_____ anger with Israel is reshaping the [West Asia] conflict | Yemen | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/13/how-h_____-anger-with-israel-is-reshaping-the-middle-east-conflict and “H_____ attacks continue as US cargo ship hit in defiance of strikes on Yemen” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/15/cargo-ship-near-yemen-reportedly-hit-by-missile-as-fears-grow-conflict-could-spread “Red
Sea crisis: US launches fourth round of strikes on H_____s in Yemen”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/red-sea-crisis-us-military-missile-strikes-h_____s-yemen-gulf-of-aden
& “US carries out fifth strike against H_____s as Biden admits bombing isn’t stopping attacks” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/defiant-h_____s-leader-mocks-biden-and-calls-for-boycott-of-israeli-goods-yemen “US re-designates Yemen's H_____ rebels as “global [violent extremists]” amid Red Sea attacks” https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/us-re-designates-yemens-h_____s-rebels-as-global-terrorists-amid-red-sea-attacks/ivtdjrqw1 “The [violent extremists] designation is part of Washington's strategy to put pressure on the H_____s.” “Suez Canal diversions pile pressure on Egypt's distressed economy” https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/suez-canal-diversions-pile-pressure-egypts-distressed-economy-2024-01-18/ and “War in [West Asia] has put Lebanon on the brink of economic disaster” https://theconversation.com/war-in-the-middle-east-has-put-lebanon-on-the-brink-of-economic-disaster-220797
- “Israel risking serious escalation by killing H_______h leaders, say diplomats” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/14/israel-risking-serious-escalation-by-killing-h_______h-leaders-say-diplomats “Targeted assassinations in Lebanon could rupture fragile understanding between two sides, say envoys”
- “Iran: Chokehold on Dissent” https://www.juancole.com/2024/01/iran-chokehold-dissent.html “Iran strikes ‘militant bases’ in Pakistan in latest [West Asia] flashpoint | Iran | The Guardian” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/16/iran-launches-airstrikes-on-sunni-militant-bases-in-pakistan and “Pakistan hits separatist ‘hideouts’ in retaliatory strikes against Iran” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/18/pakistan-launches-retaliatory-strikes-in-iran-aimed-at-separatist-militant-group
internationally:
- “Could Israel's Gaza Atrocity Spiral into a Red Sea War and Sink Biden's Reelection?” https://www.juancole.com/2024/01/israels-atrocity-reelection.html This has been one of my concerns for some time See also “Gaza: 400K Rally in DC against "Genocide Joe;" Massive Protests in Johannesburg, London, other Capitals” https://www.juancole.com/2024/01/genocide-protests-johannesburg.html
- Australia’s Foreign Minister Senator “Wong under pressure over [West Asia] visit” https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2024/01/15/penny-wong-israel-_____ from all sides: “Wong will meet the Israeli families of hostages and survivors of the October 7 attacks, as well as Palestinians affected by Israeli settler violence in the West Bank. ... “Given she is not visiting the scenes of Israeli atrocities in Gaza, it is not appropriate for the Foreign Minister to visit a kibbutz” ... Wong also faces calls from within Labor to take a tougher stance on Israeli settler violence in Occupied Palestinian Territories ... Australia condemned settler violence but wouldn’t speculate on solutions, Wong said” and “Labor MP urges crackdown on Australians funding illegal Israeli settlements in West Bank” https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/15/labor-mp-urges-crackdown-on-australians-funding-israeli-settlements-in-west-bank See also “Albanese says Australia will not participate in ICJ case against Israel and instead focus on ‘political solution’” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/15/albanese-australia-un-icj-genocide-trial-israel-south-africa-wont-participate
- a social media platform “downplays concerns by Australia’s online safety regulator it is censoring pro-Palestinian content” https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/19/meta-downplays-concerns-by-australias-online-safety-regulator-it-is-censoring-pro-palestinian-content and “Cancelling the Journalist: [a MSM]’s Coverage of the Israel-Gaza War - The Australian Independent Media Network” https://theaimn.com/cancelling-the-journalist-the-abcs-coverage-of-the-israel-gaza-war/
- “Martin Luther King Jr.’s moral stance against the Vietnam War offers lessons on how to fight for peace in the [West Asia]” https://theconversation.com/martin-luther-king-jr-s-moral-stance-against-the-vietnam-war-offers-lessons-on-how-to-fight-for-peace-in-the-middle-east-220129
My links for activism post may aid any activism you may decide to do on any/all of these. If you do, don’t get too fixated on specific instances of problems - important though they may well be: take a moment to also consider the broader issues these incidents and groups of incidents may suggest/reveal.
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.
Copyright © Kayleen White 2016-2024 NO AI
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