Israel

Slaughter in Gaza Continues on World Children’s Day

Father Jamil Al-Agha cradles his 5-year-old son killed in airstrikes

As of Monday, World Children’s Day, Israel’s six-week war on the Gaza Strip has killed at least 5,500 Palestinian children and threatens the lives of about a million more who are enduring the Israeli bombardment and raids of homes, schools, and hospitals.

“An additional 1,800 children are missing under the rubble, most of them presumed dead,” the outlet noted. “A further 9,000 children have been injured, many with life-changing consequences. Many of these children have lived through the trauma of multiple wars.”

Ramez al-Sury’s family was sheltering at the Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church compound in Gaza when it was hit in an Israeli airstrike on October 19. He told Amnesty International that “my heart died with my children that evening. All my children were killed: Majid, 11, Julie, 12, and Suhail, 14. I have nothing left. I should have died with my children.”

“The church was full of peaceful people, only peaceful people,” he added. “There is nowhere safe in Gaza during this war. Bombardments everywhere, day and night. Every day, more and more civilians are killed. We pray for peace, but our hearts are broken.”

Source: Slaughter in Gaza Continues on World Children’s Day

Israel

Rape, ISIS, Mein Kampf and other Lies: How Israel Lost All Credibility  – CounterPunch.org

Never has Israeli propaganda failed so astoundingly and never has the mainstream media failed to shield Israel from the global anger – in fact, seething hatred – for Israel’s ugly apartheid regime. The repercussions of all of this will most certainly impact the way that history will remember the Israeli war on Gaza, which has, so far, killed, and wounded tens of thousands of innocent civilians.

A whole generation, if not more, has already built a perception of Israel as a genocidal regime and no number of future lies, Hollywood movies or Maxim Magazine spreads will ever lessen that in any way.

More importantly, this new perception is likely to compel people, not only to re-examine their views of Israel’s present and future, but of the past as well – the very foundation of the Zionist regime, itself predicated on nothing but lies.

On Saturday, November 11, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari claimed in a press conference that Israel had killed a “terrorist” who had prevented 1,000 civilians from escaping the Shifa Hospital.

The allegations made little sense. Even by the standards of Israeli propaganda, falsifying such a piece of information while providing no context and no evidence, further contributes to the deteriorating credibility of Israel in international media and image worldwide.

Just one day earlier, an unnamed US official was cited by CNN as saying, in a diplomatic cable, “we are losing badly on the messaging battlespace”.

The diplomat was referring to American reputation in the Middle East – in fact, worldwide – which now lies in tatters due to blind American support for Israel.

Source: Rape, ISIS, Mein Kampf and other Lies: How Israel Lost All Credibility  – CounterPunch.org

Israel, Israel Crimes

‘Nowhere Safe in Gaza’ as Evidence of Israeli War Crimes Mounts

Injured Palestinians, including children, are taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital

Amnesty investigators visited the sites of the bombings, Saint Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City and a home in al-Nuseirat refugee camp near Deir al-Balah, and interviewed 14 people, including nine survivors of the attacks and two other witnesses. The group’s Crisis Evidence Lab also analayzed satellite imagery and and audiovisual material.

The two bombings, which killed a total of 46 civilians, including 20 children, “were indiscriminate attacks or direct attacks on civilians or civilian objects, which must be investigated as war crimes,” said Amnesty.

Source: ‘Nowhere Safe in Gaza’ as Evidence of Israeli War Crimes Mounts

Informed Comment

The Connection Between Neofascism and Capitalism (and Happy Birthday, Joe!) | The Smirking Chimp

But if capitalism and its moneyed interests are in charge, those excesses grow to the point where they are able to extinguish democracy and ride roughshod over the common good.

Hence the reason Trump’s neofascism, and the complicity of today’s Republican Party with it, are attracting the backing of some of the richest people in America.

What’s the alternative? A loud pro-democracy movement that fights against concentrated wealth at the top, enormous CEO pay packages, a politically powerful financial sector, and tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations.

And fights for higher taxes on the top (including a wealth tax) to finance Medicare for all, affordable housing, and accessible child care and elder care.

The willingness to make this a fight — to name the moneyed interests backing neofascism, explain why they’re doing this, and mobilize and energize America against their agenda and in favor of democracy — is critical to winning the 2024 election and preserving and rebuilding American democracy.

Source: The Connection Between Neofascism and Capitalism (and Happy Birthday, Joe!) | The Smirking Chimp

Trump

Legal experts warn that Trump-hyped court victory is actually the “very worst decision” he could get | Salon.com

Former President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd of supporters at the Fort Dodge Senior High School on November 18, 2023 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

The Fact that Trump has incited Insurrection has been proven. Whether or whether not and under which law it applies to the role of President is to be tested. Donald Trump has however been proven to be an insurrectionist

Trump bragged about his Colorado court win but longtime appeals lawyer warns he faces “extreme headwinds.”

Source: Legal experts warn that Trump-hyped court victory is actually the “very worst decision” he could get | Salon.com

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- The Corporate media weaponizes Chicken Little, and promotes the Boy crying Wolf over and above Climate, Corporate theft of wages and a Genocidal land grab

Fighting Fake News with REAL,21/11/23, Some Facts, The AFR Really Is Costello, When is Genocide ever Balanced?

ALP Government,

“Several… – The Fiberal Party of Australia – Lies & Misdemeanours | Facebook

The relentless election cycle

While the LNP has swung Trumpist, so far Right The ALP had nothing left to steal they too are almost looking Liberal. The Liberals can no longer talk about the Economy because they’re the ones who fucked it up. The ALP needs to because their priority is to fix it. In the meantime, the coalition wants to suck them into the rabbit warren of the Culture wars where everyone has an opinion, is easily manipulated, and gets so heated it divides families but ambergris to media organizations like News Corp.

However, like it or not the ALP is here to repair the economy and the material world in which we all live. Its priority needs to be to make it a fairer place for everyone. Dropping the stage 3 tax promise might just be the best option available to begin with. Returning the ABC to its intended charter another. It was never meant to be balanced but a body to hold all governments and politicians to account not just a platform for their he said she said voices.

So much of what has happened to our politics can be put down to its Americanisation, which on past performance can hardly be accepted as a winning formula. I guess some have just wanted to emulate features of what is often described as the world’s leading democracy. Others (many in the Coalition) have wanted to pick up from the United States Republican party and, in recent years, to emulate and harness its Trumpism. They have been impressed by the way the former US president has built a conservative edifice by exploiting division, attacking members seen as obstructing a more hardline-right economic and social policy agenda, with little grace or empathy.

Source: “Several… – The Fiberal Party of Australia – Lies & Misdemeanours | Facebook

Media

AFR fudges figures to foment anti-Albanese fervour

AFR’s   FAKE NEWS  and PATHETIC  EXCUSE

1) The AFR is part of the Nine Entertainment media organisation, whose chairman is former Liberal Party federal Treasurer Peter Costello.

2) Error one: Worst outcome in the developed world

 AFR shows real household disposable income per person to June 2023 for only 21 countries. That’s out of 66 very high development nations, according to UNDP classification, or 38 wealthy members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation Oops!!

3)It did not clarify, a) that inflation is a global phenomenon nor b) that the unjust tax system and an economy in poor fiscal condition were both recently inherited from the hapless Coalition.

4)When we check the Senate Hansard for Thursday 9 November, we find the Opposition was not referencing the recent OECD analysis of 38 countries. The craven Coalition was simply quoting that morning’s AFR.

5) Recent history in Australia, Britain and the USA suggests that as the next federal election looms, the mainstream media will increase its output of distortions, exaggerations and fabrications. Such is Australia’s doom.

The mainstream media are ramping up efforts to malign the Albanese Labor Government unfairly, as Alan Austin reports.

Source: AFR fudges figures to foment anti-Albanese fervour

Israel, Israel Crimes

Antony Loewenstein: Israel Is Testing New Weapons on Gaza as Arms Dealers Profit from Gaza War | Democracy Now!

How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World. Loewenstein explains that Israel’s military-industrial complex has used the Occupied Palestinian Territories for decades as a testing ground for weaponry and surveillance technology that it then exports around the world for profit. “You find in over 130 countries across the globe in the last decades, Israel has sold … a range of tools of occupation and repression that have initially been tested in Palestine on Palestinians,” Loewenstein says.

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/11/14/israel_weapons?jwsource=cl

Worldwide protests calling for a ceasefire are drawing attention to the role of weapons manufacturers and distributors supplying machinery to Israel’s assault on Gaza, with demonstrators blocking shipping tankers and entrances to weapons factories, and unionized workers refusing to handle military materiel over the war in Gaza. There is “a growing public awareness and anger” about the global connection between Western powers and the Israeli military industry, says Antony Loewenstein, who has investigated how Israeli weaponry and surveillance technology are used on Palestinians and exported around the world. “Israel is already, as we speak … live-testing new weapons in Gaza,” says Loewenstein. He also discusses what he characterizes as the “intelligence” and “political” failures of the October 7 Hamas incursion.

Source: Antony Loewenstein: Israel Is Testing New Weapons on Gaza as Arms Dealers Profit from Gaza War | Democracy Now!

Israel, Israel Crimes

Israeli helicopter shot civilians at 7 October rave, police find | The Electronic Intifada

Burned out, overturned bus lies amid debris and trees

The Israeli information seems to be proven false at every turn. Israeli helicopter pilots are trained to shoot Civilians not identify them. It’s the Hannibal Directive Israel said was canceled. They are bombing the sites they claim are where the hostages are held as well. They prefer the hostages aren’t returned because they believe it supports the annihilation of Gaza and the West Bank

An Israeli military helicopter shot civilians at the Supernova rave where Israel says 364 people were killed on 7 October.

Source: Israeli helicopter shot civilians at 7 October rave, police find | The Electronic Intifada

Israel

The most successful military raid of this century: the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel – Pearls and Irritations

Gaza envelope after coordinated surprise offensive on Israel.

The problem with the Israeli claims is that they are demonstrably false or misleading. Nearly a third of the Israeli casualties consisted of military, security, and police officers. Moreover, it turns out that the number one killer of Israelis on October 7 wasn’t Hamas or other Palestinian factions, but the Israeli military itself. Recently released video shows Israeli Apache helicopters indiscriminately firing on Israeli civilians trying to flee the Supernova Sukkot Gathering held in the open desert near Kibbutz Re’im, the pilots unable to distinguish between the civilians and the Hamas fighters. Many of the vehicles that the Israeli government has shown as an example of Hamas perfidy were destroyed by the Israeli Apache helicopters.

Source: The most successful military raid of this century: the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel – Pearls and Irritations

Israel

Heavy fighting in north Gaza after hostage deal denied

People mourn as they collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in airstrikes on Sunday at Khan Yunis, Gaza.

Fighting is raging between Hamas militants and Israeli forces in parts of north Gaza and Israeli air strikes have killed dozens of Palestinians in the enclave’s centre, witnesses say, as a report of a tentative hostage release deal has been denied.

Source: Heavy fighting in north Gaza after hostage deal denied

Israel

This Evangelical Company Believes That Finding Oil in Israel Is Part of God’s Plan | The Smirking Chimp

But there is sure as hell Gas in Gaza

Far-right white evangelical Christian fundamentalists have a complex relationship with Israel.

On one hand, they consider themselves very pro-Israel. On the other hand, their severe, dogmatic, ultra-strict interpretation of the New Testament teaches that Jews and other non-Christians will be condemned to eternal damnation unless they convert to fundamentalist Christianity before they die.

Many Catholics and Mainline Protestants, in contrast, have interfaith activities with synagogues and have agreed to disagree with Jewish allies over whether or not Jesus is the Messiah. The modern-day Vatican, in fact, even has a policy against proselytizing to Jews, although atheists and agnostics are considered fair game for conversion.

Source: This Evangelical Company Believes That Finding Oil in Israel Is Part of God’s Plan | The Smirking Chimp

Israel

Netanyahu is prolonging the war to save his life’s mission

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visit at an army base near the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, July 4, 2023. (Shir Torem/Flash90)

Netanyahu may have expected that a massive assault on Gaza would improve his political standing with the Israeli public, but the exact opposite has happened.

It’s hardly the first time this has happened in Israeli history: Menachem Begin was forced to resign a year after the 1982 Lebanon War, and Ehud Olmert was deposed in great part due to the 2006 Lebanon War.

in Netanyahu’s eyes, the bigger threat to Israel, and the bigger threat to Zionism’s historical purpose, is a political process with the Palestinians, at the end of which a different political entity — besides the Jewish State of Israel — can be established between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. And if Israel has to keep fighting to prevent this threat, and if it has to forever live by the sword to block this possibility, so be it. A century ago, this was Ze’ev Jabotinsky’s Iron Wall. Now, this is Benjamin Netanyahu’s Iron Wall.

Source: Netanyahu is prolonging the war to save his life’s mission

Israel

Young people in the West stand in solidarity for a Gaza ceasefire

Israel’s latest bombing campaign shows absolutely no signs of letting up anytime soon, they’ve firmly rebuked diplomatic efforts to impose a ceasefire and with every passing day it only looks more and more likely that the Israeli military will soon begin a full-scale ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Source: Young people in the West stand in solidarity for a Gaza ceasefire

Israel, Israel Crimes

Craig Murray: Activating the Genocide Convention

There are 149 states party to the Genocide Convention. Every one of them has the right to call out the genocide in progress in Gaza and report it to the United Nations.

In the event that another state party disputes the claim of genocide — and Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom are all states party — then the International Court of Justice is required to adjudicate on “the responsibility of a State for genocide.”

These are the relevant articles of the genocide convention:

There is no room to doubt that Israel’s bombing of Palestinian civilians and depriving them of food, water and other necessities of life are grounds to invoke the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Source: Craig Murray: Activating the Genocide Convention

Israel

Things the Zionist media doesn’t say about Hamas

Things mainstream media does not say about Hamas

Hamas is the officially democratically elected government in the Gaza Strip. Jimmy Carter was present during the elections and stated that they were free and fair

Source: Things the Zionist media doesn’t say about Hamas

Israel

When is genocide ever balanced? – Pearls and Irritations

Palestine vs Israel flag on cracked wall. Israel and Palestine war concept

This war didn’t begin on 7th of October and it isn’t Religious

Now, Israel justifies its indiscriminate attacks on Gaza by demanding return of the 230 hostages, military and civilian, captured by Hamas on 7 October (the 50th anniversary of Yom Kippur war). But between 6000 and 7000 (Scott Ritter says 10000) Palestinians are in jail in Israel, and Hamas won’t give the hostages up without their release. Political and military leaders in Israel have repeatedly stated their intention to rid Gaza of all 2.23 million Palestinians, either by forced emigration to Sinai, or by death.

‘Balance’ between supporters of Israel and of the Palestinians is what most police and State governments in Australia say they seek. So does the ABC. But what’s happening in Gaza isn’t balanced: it is asymmetric warfare.

Source: When is genocide ever balanced? – Pearls and Irritations

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- Chris Hedges Pulitzer Prize for coverage of Al Qaeda. Also received the Amnesty International Global Award for Human Rights Journalism

Fighting Fake News with REAL, 20/11/23, Where are Jacinta and Warren Now?, Israel’s Shutting Down its Lab in Gaza,

ALP Government,

Dutton chortles as Labor acts on L-NP Robodebt delinquency

Australians generally elect Labor governments when they believe change is needed and they hold high hopes for progress.

Source: Dutton chortles as Labor acts on L-NP Robodebt delinquency

Informed Comment

Michael West Media Trying to keep the bastards honest
Informed Comment

Redacted. Gas lobby in lock-step with Government on “secret” gas reservation options – Michael West

Redacted gas reservation scheme doc

The Albanese Government is refusing to release details of six gas reservation scheme options that could make energy significantly cheaper, arguing for secrecy which serves the interests of multinational gas companies. Transparency warrior Rex Patrick with the story.

Source: Redacted. Gas lobby in lock-step with Government on “secret” gas reservation options – Michael West

Politics

It’s down to us – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Look what they did to our Politics Mum

So the Coalition suggestion to ignore the ruling of the High Court breaches the Constitution that a month ago the Coalition said was never meant to be changed.

Source: It’s down to us – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Whistleblower

Whistleblower David McBride forced to cut a deal, and plead guilty to 3 of the 5 charges, for exposing war crimesKangaroo Court of Australia

David McBride

Government Secrets we didn’t vote for

David McBride pleaded guilty to 3 of his 5 charges after cutting a deal with the prosecutors to end his trial. David McBride didn’t have much choice but to plead guilty given the federal governments failure to protect whistleblowers and the court whittled away his defence over the last few days.

Source: Whistleblower David McBride forced to cut a deal, and plead guilty to 3 of the 5 charges, for exposing war crimesKangaroo Court of Australia

Israel

Chris Hedges: Israel is Shutting Down its Human Laboratory in Gaza – scheerpost.com

The Palestinians are human laboratory rats to the Israeli military, intelligence services and arms and technology industries. Israel’s drones, surveillance technology — including spyware, facial recognition software and biometric gathering infrastructure — along with smart fences, experimental bombs and AI-controlled machine guns, are tried out on the captive population in Gaza, often with lethal results. These weapons and technologies are then certified as “battle tested” and sold around the world.

Source: Chris Hedges: Israel is Shutting Down its Human Laboratory in Gaza – scheerpost.com

Israel

‘We Are Too Humane. Burn Gaza Now,’ Says Senior Israeli Lawmaker

Israeli Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi delivers a speech beside an Israeli flag

The Israeli leadership has made thousands of genocidal statements. Netanyahu, his Ministers, and Rabbis have all stood in line to publicly declare Palestinians should be wiped off the face of the earth, and their children killed like rats. We have heard it all before and fought a world war against exactly that mindset that’s become Israel’s State policy. We didn’t advocate the killing of all Germans in an act of revenge neither did the Jews. Even the one-time survivors of the holocaust didn’t advocate genocide. But now some Israeli judeo-zionists have adopted the same mindset their parents and grandparents along with the rest of the world once fought against.

https://normanfinkelstein.substack.com/p/fighting-amalek-in-gaza-what-israelis

Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi is one of many Israeli leaders who have made genocidal statements against Palestinians

Source: ‘We Are Too Humane. Burn Gaza Now,’ Says Senior Israeli Lawmaker

Israel, Israel Crimes

Is Israel deliberately Starving the Palestinians of Gaza? WFP Warns of Immediate Possibility of Man-made Famine

The deprivation of food, water, fuel, electricity, and medical equipment to civilians is Genocide, a Crime against Humanity, and a War Crime being waged by a judeo-Fascist regime.

WFP says, “The collapse of food supply chains is a catastrophic turning point in an already dire situation, where people have been stripped of basic necessities”, said Samer Abdeljaber, Representative and Country Director in Palestine. “Without access to fuel, our ability to provide bread or transport food to those in need has been severely compromised, essentially bringing life in Gaza to a standstill. People are going hungry.”

Source: Is Israel deliberately Starving the Palestinians of Gaza? WFP Warns of Immediate Possibility of Man-made Famine

Israel

Opinion | Hamas Didn’t Attack Israelis Because They Are Jewish | Common Dreams

Peace protesters flood Grand Central Station in New York to call for a Gaza cease-fire.

We need a basic analysis of power and history to understand that Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians, while egregious, had nothing to do with those Israelis’ religion and everything to do with occupation and settler colonialism.

Source: Opinion | Hamas Didn’t Attack Israelis Because They Are Jewish | Common Dreams

Democracy

The Struggle for Palestinian Freedom Is a Struggle for Democracy Around the World

The steadfastness of the Palestinian popular struggle for universal freedom and dignity is pointing the way forward for movements for justice everywhere, from London to Cairo and beyond.

Source: The Struggle for Palestinian Freedom Is a Struggle for Democracy Around the World

USA

Now We Know How Hitler Did It | The Smirking Chimp

We’ve been sliding down this slippery slope toward unaccountable fascism for several decades, and this coming year will stand at the threshold of an entirely new form of American government that could mean the end of the American experiment.

To the extent that our Constitution is still intact, the choice for our democracy to rise or fall will be in our hands.

Source: Now We Know How Hitler Did It | The Smirking Chimp

Fight against Fake News, Fighting Fake News

Old Dog Thought- Truth and Justice are based on a foundation of facts. Day one was never Oct 7th Israel has been mowing blades of grass since 1948

Fighting Fake News witn REAL 19/11/23, Israel vs. Palestine with Norman Finkelstein, Israeli’s order “jump” to a crippled people, The Exterminator is killing everything and everyone, McBride forced to plead Guilty,

Informed Comment

The mystery of polls is that they tell us nothing – » The Australian Independent Media Network

What can we take from these figures so far from the next election? Just what has Dutton done to deserve the public’s support? Well, nothing comes to mind. What Newspolls do is provide Murdoch newspapers with a solid base from which to attack Labor. They create stories around their polling that are of little substance or importance.

Source: The mystery of polls is that they tell us nothing – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Whistleblowers

Duty bound to hide a crime. Appeals Court paves the way for McBride “guilty” verdict – Michael West

Duty bound to hide a crime. Appeals Court paves the way for McBride “guilty” verdict

David McBride was not given leave to appeal the decision made yesterday about the nature of his duties. It means Justice Mossop’s decision stands, and his duty is to the military chain of command, and only that.

Source: Duty bound to hide a crime. Appeals Court paves the way for McBride “guilty” verdict – Michael West

It seems the law of the day guarantees all authority flows from the top down and it’s been cemented in law.”Duty is to the chain of command and not to any notion of public interest.” This seems very odd when we give lip service to the belief that the individual is more important than the State in a Liberal Democracy. That, the silent but mutual contracts between them overrides any notion of a “big brother”. Hello, is this Nth Korea? Is David McBride Julian Assange?

Protest, Protestors

Criminalisation of protests may increase draconian laws

This not the Democracy I grew up in. We seem to be becoming more Chinese, Russian, and less and less the country of a “fair go”. We have Jewish friends who we went to school with but are less likely to have Indigenous ones. We may have some Muslim friends but less likely African ones. But it’s our Jewish friends who are now calling us anti-Semites, why? Because we don’t support the Israeli Government’s draconian policies. However, shamefully the Australian Government does, and it’s they who shame us. When did protest stop becoming a civil right?

The criminalisation of pro-Palestinian activism could see states implementing further anti-protest laws that would stifle democratic freedom of speech, writes Tom Tanuki.

Source: Criminalisation of protests may increase draconian laws

Informed Comment

Norman Finkelstein Political Scientist- Lessons My Parents Taught me..Cry for the Palestinians Truth and Justice. A Jew among a growing number of Jews. Banned from Israel.
Israel

Is criticism of Israeli settlement policy anti-Semitic? Israeli nationalists insist it is – Pearls and Irritations

Israel and Palestine flags on cracked wall

Calling out China for its persecution of Uighurs is not to be a Sinophobic racist. Calling out Myanmar for its crimes against Rohingya people is not to be anti-Buddhist. Calling out Saudi Arabia and Egypt for their murder and suppression of dissidents is not to be Islamophobic or anti-Arab. And calling out Israel for its sabotage of the two-state solution and creation of a de facto apartheid state is not to be anti-Semitic.

Source: Is criticism of Israeli settlement policy anti-Semitic? Israeli nationalists insist it is – Pearls and Irritations

Israel

Probe Demanded Over ‘Absurd’ Israeli Narrative About Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital

Pro-Palestinian protesters holding Palestinian flags

“Israel needs to offer the outside world more than a few rifles and other armaments to justify its attacks on Gaza’s hospitals and ill and injured civilians,” said Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.

Source: Probe Demanded Over ‘Absurd’ Israeli Narrative About Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital

Israel

Israeli Communist Leader: The Netanyahu Government Has No Answers

The Israeli Communist Party, one of the oldest left-wing parties in Israel, is calling for an immediate cease-fire in the country’s war on Gaza. We spoke with a party leader about the war, the domestic political situation in Israel, and what comes next.

There are serious dangers, such as a regional war resulting in a world war and an increase in attacks on innocent people and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the West Bank. There is also the danger of increasing racism and fascism and the transformation of Israel into a completely fascist state.

Source: Israeli Communist Leader: The Netanyahu Government Has No Answers

Israel

Gaza – What is the end game? – Pearls and Irritations

Blue UN helmets waiting for their deployment.

In recent weeks some frightening possibilities have come to the world’s attention. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has noted plans, by some, for high density Jewish cities in the Gaza Strip. Such plans call for total destruction and mass expulsion in Gaza.

Source: Gaza – What is the end game? – Pearls and Irritations

Israel

Sandy Tolan: Humanity Has Failed Gaza – scheerpost.com

Tolan also draws from his reporting experience, describing an assignment to cover the water crisis in Gaza where, “97% of the water… was not fit for human consumption,” to exemplify the harsh reality on the ground. The 2006 blockade that saw food, water and electricity become tightly controlled is also discussed as one of the elements that paints Gaza as an “open air prison.”

“If it continues the way it is, it’s hard to imagine there not being another person arising from this terrible rubble and growing up with a lifelong resentment and hatred towards Israel and perpetrating something that we can’t even envision right now. Unless there’s a way for people to feel represented and for them to feel like they have the right to freedom of movement, to be safe, to enjoy an evening in the Gaza Harbor without fear of bombs made in America raining down on them, it’s really going to be hard to imagine how anybody long term is going to feel safe.”

Source: Sandy Tolan: Humanity Has Failed Gaza – scheerpost.com

Israel

The War Machine Wants You to Condemn Hamas

Hamas’s actions were what every Western Government demanded of POWs during WW2, fight back and escape. Resistance was regarded as a duty and heralded as heroic when it occurred. Hamas was an Act of resistance and difficult to condemn of people trapped in the world’s biggest concentration camp for 17 years. It’s even more understandable when conducted by a youth who had never experienced the hope of freedom.

Israel’s actions on the other hand in all 75 years have never been anything other than oppressive colonizers. Even before 2006 70% of Gazans were refugees living in what eventually became what a senior Israeli politician labeled a “concentration camp” A camp with 51% kids 70% unemployed and without a future that Israel stole with force. Any nation that currently supports the genocidal intent witnessed today has brought shame not only on themselves but their children. Those who simply stand by and abstain from demanding a cease-fire, like Australia, will also never be forgotten for their participation in this crime against humanity. Where were they when Israel killed 5000 children 7000 people and maimed 35,000 and never stopped? Where were they when Israel was seen killing their own people held hostage and claiming they were doing their best to save them?

More importantly, where were you when Israel sent in 15 trucks and not 15,000 a day to help save 2.3 million people from starvation clean water, and disease forcing them to go to promised safe areas and then bombing them. Then telling them to move again only to claim they were showing compassion. Where were you when Israel left babies and the sick and injured to die?

But there is an important distinction to be made between recognising that crimes were committed and colluding in an act of condemnation that has been openly politicised, and continues to be politicised, to justify harming Palestinian civilians.

Source: The War Machine Wants You to Condemn Hamas

Uncategorized

Old Dog Thought- Murdoch Media Promotes Genocide ,Apartheid and Fascism

FightinG Fake News with REAL, 18/11/23, Every Picture Tells a Story, Humour, Policing Opposition to Genocide, Weasle Words from a Murdoch Thong ( Flip Flop) Andrew Bolt,

Climate Change

Human-caused climate change cost US $67 bn., produced hottest 12 months for 125,000 years – Pearls and Irritations

Planet Earth - ecology concept, global warming concept, the effect of environment climate change.

The non-profit collective of high-powered scientists, Climate Central, has released a new report demonstrating that the past 12 months have been the hottest on record, and inferring that they are the hottest in 125,000 years.

Source: Human-caused climate change cost US $67 bn., produced hottest 12 months for 125,000 years – Pearls and Irritations

ALP Government,

Fix Stage 3 tax cuts, save billions, make Australians richer – or keep a poor election promise? – Michael West

Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese

The Albanese government has to make a vital decision: support Australians who are financially under water, or keep an election promise. Economist Peter Martin reports on the controversial Stage 3 tax cuts.

Voters may disagree

But when asked in an Australia Institute survey what was more important – keeping a promise or reacting to changing economic circumstances – 61% picked reacting to changing circumstances.

Even among Coalition voters, 56% supported reacting to changing circumstances.

It puts the Stage 3 tax cuts in play. There’s still time, and plenty of electoral and economic reasons to rejig them.

Source: Fix Stage 3 tax cuts, save billions, make Australians richer – or keep a poor election promise? – Michael West

Peter Dutton

The Politics of Indefinite Detention in Australia – » The Australian Independent Media Network

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, was left unsatisfied by the proposals. As a proud, demagogic hater of civil liberties, he feels that prolonged punishment is the preferred formula. How this will be done constitutionally is not something that bothers his minute, vengeful imagination. But he proved enough of a fantasist to link the release of the detainees to the threat of rising antisemitism in Australia, a cavalier effort verging on the imbecilic.

Source: The Politics of Indefinite Detention in Australia – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Informed Comment

Australian media annihilated by someone who knows what they’re talking about – The Shot

Francesca Albanese’s powerful address was simple, forthright and based on international law, a consideration of the history in the region, and compassion for our shared humanity. With the UN urging Israel to enact a ceasefire, with people of all backgrounds protesting daily in major capitals around the world, with one thousand Gazan children dying each and every week, the other Albanese’s government – and Australia’s media class – has lacked that clear understanding of history, lacked that clarity around international law, and most devastatingly lacked that compassion for our fellow humans.

Source: Australian media annihilated by someone who knows what they’re talking about – The Shot

Israel

For all its military might, Israel succumbed to its most fatal weakness

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference with Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, January 11, 2023. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

After the heated atmosphere of revenge subsides, Netanyahu must be removed from power, and his extremist coalition dismantled. If Netanyahu is replaced right now, while the public is still demanding retribution and harboring illusions of victory, the opposition that takes power will fail, and that would be a disaster. There is also no need to rush into direct negotiations between two collapsing political systems — Israeli and Palestinian — as this will not lead anywhere.

Source: For all its military might, Israel succumbed to its most fatal weakness

Israel, Israel Crimes

Does Israel have a right to exist? – Pearls and Irritations

Israeli security fence near Jerusalem separating territory.

America and Israel are last on the list of nations that abide by UN rules and we ask if Israel has a “right to exist”? Israel has only been a member since 1949. It has constantly broken and disregarded the rules that other nations have agreed to. Israel was a mistake. The Belfour agreement was an anti-Semitic mistake, It was Britain’s mistake.

33% of Israelis wanted to emigrate from Israel before this war and even more do today given Netanyahu’s Fascist Apartheid regime. The true test should be given to the Israelis but allow them to not only emigrate but change their citizenship status. Then the world might just have a more realistic picture to the question of the indigeneity of Palestine. In the current circumstance, It’s extremely hard to say yes to when fascists run the 4th most weaponized nation on the planet. BDS

Israel’s membership of the United Nations was approved in 1949. Unlike other states, it was approved conditionally upon Israel complying with Partition Resolution 181 as to the limits of the Israeli State, and UN Resolution 194, allowing the return of refugees. Israel has complied with neither condition. It refuses to define its borders and is today governed by an Apartheid regime that has murdered over 4,500 children in Gaza in the space of one month. Israel’s membership of the UN must be illegal. It should be expelled from the community of nations.

Source: Does Israel have a right to exist? – Pearls and Irritations

Israel

US Critics of Israel’s War Are Being Slandered for Making the Same Criticisms as Israelis

Family members of those who were killed or kidnapped have called for de-escalation or for making peace and demanded that their deaths not be used as an excuse for killing more innocents.

Source: US Critics of Israel’s War Are Being Slandered for Making the Same Criticisms as Israelis

UK

Pass the Parcel is not a solution ! – » The Australian Independent Media Network

All the way with Australia fails the pub test in Britain. But then we didn’t listen to Constitutional Recognition or Treaties. Yet we claim to be in step with the crown. How does that work?

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court in the UK has ruled that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda for their refugee status to be assessed, is unlawful.

A bit of advice for PM Sunak : offshore detention is not a solution it is a nightmare for all concerned although some host countries and dodgy politicians will make a nice little earner out of unsuspecting British taxpayers.

Source: Pass the Parcel is not a solution ! – » The Australian Independent Media Network