“It’s a vision of the future”
via Australia’s Wildfire Catastrophe Isn’t the “New Normal.” It’s Much Worse Than That. – Mother Jones
Tag: Global Shame
Thirty-five Palestinians, including four children, have been killed during the protests that are set to culminate around the 15 May commemoration of the Nakba – the ethnic cleansing of the lands on which the state of Israel was declared in 1948.
“These horrific casualty figures – the 35 Palestinians killed and 1,500 injured by live ammunition – are the predictable outcome of the manifestly illegal rules of engagement implemented during the demonstrations, of ordering soldiers to use lethal gunfire against unarmed demonstrators who pose no mortal danger,” B’Tselem director Hagai El-Ad stated in a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
“Like so many other Palestinians in Gaza, it is highly likely that they never had a chance to leave the small patch of land – roughly half the size of New York City – which is the Gaza Strip,” El-Ad added.
“They lived their lives without any political rights, devoid of any hope for a reasonable future, totally subject to the decisions and policies of the Israeli government.”
El-Ad pointed to Israel’s political leadership, in particular Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and the army chief of staff, for “responsibility for these fatal outcomes.”
via “Gaza is about to explode,” warns UN envoy | The Electronic Intifada
While Israel was slaughtering 11 children a day in Gaza in summer of 2014, B’nai B’rith Europe sent a “solidarity mission” to the soldiers doing the killing. The Israel lobby group is now giving a “Human Rights Prize” to a high-profile EU official. (via Facebook)
A high-profile European Union official says she is “deeply honored” to receive an award from a group that supports Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and war crimes in Gaza.
Katharina von Schnurbein is receiving the “Human Rights Prize” from the European branch of B’nai B’rith, an international Jewish communal organization.
via Supporters of Israel’s war crimes give “Human Rights Prize” to EU official | The Electronic Intifada
Why is the European Union pretending not to see how Israel is deliberately killing civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip?
On Friday, Israel killed four more unarmed protesters, including 14-year-old Muhammad Ayyoub, and injured hundreds more.
This brought to more than 30 the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in its violent suppression of the Great March of Return rallies that began on 30 March and are planned to continue until Nakba Day, the 15 May commemoration of the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
The victims include four children and a journalist.
Thousands more have been injured, more than 1,600 by live ammunition that has caused devastating injuries likely to leave them with lifelong disabilities.
Two weeks ago, the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor warned Israeli leaders that they could end up on trial for this violence against civilians.
But as I told The Real News on Friday, the coddling and rewards Israel receives, particularly from the United States and the European Union, means that Israeli leaders feel completely immune and are continuing to carry out these killings.
via How EU pretends not to see Israel’s calculated slaughter in Gaza | The Electronic Intifada
Saudi Arabia and its allies bombed indiscriminately. A third of their targets have been civilian buildings like schools or hospitals or key civilian infrastructure like bridges. Perhaps half the people they’ve killed have been civilian non-combatants, including children.
Also deadly have been the public health effects of the war.
The numbers on the Saudi-led Yemen War are apocalyptic, worse even than Syria.
The total number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen is 22.2 million – or 76% of the population – including 11.3 million children.
The Saudis and allies have hit Yemen with 15,000 airstrikes.
5,000 children have been killed.
8,700 civilians have been killed
50,000 civilians have been wounded
1.9 million children are not in school, and both sides have recruited children, some as young as ten, as fighters
11.3 million children need humanitarian assistance, with many on the verge of going hungry.
All in all, 22.2 million Yemenis of all ages need humanitarian assistance, 3/4s of the population.
There have been a million cholera cases and there is the threat of another outbreak.
via Apocalyptic Numbers: The Saudi-Trump War on Yemen | Informed Comment
