Biden and the Washington Post Combine to Argue for War by Melvin Goodman
November 22, 2023
Introduction:
(Counterpunch) David Ignatius, the Washington Post’s national security columnist, has been an apologist for the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency for the past several decades. In the past, he has defended the CIA’s political assassination program as well as its torture and abuse program. He never condemned the CIA training of death squads in Central America and never deplored the Phoenix program during the Vietnam War, when the CIA ran a paramilitary campaign of interrogation, torture, and assassination that targeted many innocent victims. Now, he has a new client—the Israeli Defense Forces—and the IDF couldn’t have a better stenographer than David Ignatius.
Following last week’s briefings from the IDF, Ignatius reported on November 19 that the Gaza War was “moving into a new phase that will require fewer troops and much less bombing” that should “result in fewer Palestinian casualties.” This will shock the Palestinian civilians who have been tortuously making their way to South Gaza only to meet more aerial bombardment and death. “Militarily,” according to Ignatius, the “Israeli campaign against Hamas has been relentless and successful.” This outrageous statement is belied by the absence of evidence regarding the so-called command and control center under the Al-Shifa hospital compound, let alone any success against the Hamas leadership or overall Hamas forces.
The only Israeli losses, according to Ignatius, are in the information war, which is a callous and cynical way to look at the indecent toll to civilians, particularly the children of Gaza each and every day. More Palestinian children have been killed in the past several weeks than the 3,000 children killed in all the world’s major conflicts—involving two dozen countries—during the year 2022. Nevertheless, Israeli military spokesmen credit the IDF with taking “all feasible precautions” to “mitigate harm” to civilians…and Ignatius agrees.
There is ample and mounting evidence of the war crimes of the IDF, but Ignatius refers to the Israeli forces as “thoughtful, professional soldiers.” He is “impressed by their skill and dedication.”
Qatar Official Indicates Release of Captives to Begin on Friday November 23, 2023
Introduction:
(Al Jazeera) A four-day truce between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas will begin on Friday morning with civilian captives set to be released from the Gaza Strip later in the day, a spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said the four-day truce will begin at 7am (05:00 GMT) and 13 captives held by Hamas will be released at 4pm (14:00 GMT) with increased humanitarian aid entering Gaza “as soon as possible”.
“Those hostages who are from the same families will be put together within the same batch,” he said.
“Every day will include a number of civilians as agreed to total 50 within the four days.”
Palestinians would be released from Israeli prisons as part of the deal, which also includes a cessation of hostilities across Gaza, he said.
Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel after an airstrike kills 5 of the group's senior fighters
Source: AP
By BASSEM MROUE
Updated 11:31 AM CST, November 23, 2023
BEIRUT (AP) — The militant Hezbollah group fired more than 50 rockets at military posts in northern Israel on Thursday, a day after an Israeli airstrike on a home in southern Lebanon killed five of the group’s senior fighters.
The waves of rockets sent over the border represented one of the most intense bombardments since Hezbollah started attacking Israeli posts in the country’s north at the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.
Hezbollah has said that by heating up its actions on the Israel-Lebanon border, it is easing pressure on the Gaza Strip, where Israel’s crushing aerial, ground and naval offensive has left more than 13,300 Palestinians dead and caused wide destruction in the sealed-off enclave.
The war was triggered by an Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that left about 1,200 people dead, most of them civilians, and resulted in about 240 hostages getting taken to Gaza.
caltrek wrote: ↑Thu Nov 23, 2023 6:27 pm Qatar Official Indicates Release of Captives to Begin on Friday November 23, 2023
Introduction:
(Al Jazeera) A four-day truce between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas will begin on Friday morning with civilian captives set to be released from the Gaza Strip later in the day, a spokesman for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said the four-day truce will begin at 7am (05:00 GMT) and 13 captives held by Hamas will be released at 4pm (14:00 GMT) with increased humanitarian aid entering Gaza “as soon as possible”.
Prime Minister’s Office Confirms that Israel Had Received an “Initial” List of Names of Abductees Expected to Go Free Tal Schneider and Jacob Magid
November 23, 2023
Extract:
(The Times of Israel) The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that Israel had received an “initial” list of names of abductees expected to go free, and that families of those set to return Friday had been updated, as had families of those whose names did not appear.
Hamas’s military wing also said a ceasefire would go into effect Friday morning, and last four days. “In four days, 50 [hostages] will be released,” Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades said, confirming information from Israel that three jailed Palestinian terror convicts would be freed in exchange for every Israeli hostage, totaling 150.
It had previously been understood that the pause in fighting would begin only after the first group of Israeli hostages was released.
The deal, which was mediated by Qatar and the US, would see Hamas release 50 Israeli women and children it took hostage on October 7, over the course of four days, in exchange for a lull in the fighting during those four days and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel for terror offenses, all of them women or minors.
There needs to be a solution to this shit and I mean now. It isn't ok.
1. Israel needs to make these people citizens and rebuild with their own money as it'll be their own country.
2. Israel needs to give them one state and they can be helped by the international community to rebuild and helped in building a democracy of their own.
3. The jews of Israel need to be granted citizenship in the United states and the land given to the palestianians. I am sure the Republican party will be supportive of granting them such and helping them move to our country!
It isn't ok if gaza remains an island so the people have to suffer
It isn't ok if gaza remain controlled by hamas
It isn't ok to allow what has happened the last 15 years to continue
It isn't ok for this small city state to have to rebuild on their own.
Israel has these three options to choose from. If they choose too continue doing what is not ok then we can't support them and America needs to vote against them.
How will a long-lasting resolution between Israel and Palestine be possible without removing the deep-seated hatred they have for each other? The cycle of revenge is real. To break this cycle will involve something that hasn't been tried before.
To know is essentially the same as not knowing. The only thing that occurs is the rearrangement of atoms in your brain.
raklian wrote: ↑Sat Nov 25, 2023 4:25 pm
How will a long-lasting resolution between Israel and Palestine be possible without removing the deep-seated hatred they have for each other? The cycle of revenge is real. To break this cycle will involve something that hasn't been tried before.
Delayed But Not Denied: Second Hamas-Israeli Prisoner Swap Goes Through by Olivia Rosane
November 25, 2023
Introduction:
(Common Dreams) Despite an initial delay, the second round of hostages were released by Hamas on Saturday night.
The group included 13 Israelis and four foreign nationals believed to be Thai, Middle East Eye reported. Israel also began to release 39 Palestinian prisoners in exchange as the second day of a four-day cease-fire concluded.
"After a delay, obstacles to release of prisoners were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian contacts with both sides," Majed Al Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry, tweeted, adding that the hostages were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
I'm almost certain Israel and Hamas are assuming the worst about each other - that they're using this ceasefire to prepare for the resumption of hostilities.
To know is essentially the same as not knowing. The only thing that occurs is the rearrangement of atoms in your brain.
I'm almost certain Israel and Hamas are assuming the worst about each other - that they're using this ceasefire to prepare for the resumption of hostilities.
