The Guardian’s Post

From the Newsweek article: “When American public officials are discussing plain facts, rather that engaging in State Department posturing, they confirm Israel's strong record. Despite President Joe Biden saying that Israel has engaged in "indiscriminate bombing," Assistant Secretary of Defense Celeste Wallander last week testified before Congress that the IDF upholds the same "high standard" as the United States and avoids civilian casualties wherever possible. She affirmed under oath that there is no evidence that Israel deliberately targets civilians. None of this is meant to downplay Gaza's civilian casualty toll or the immense suffering in the coastal strip. Just the opposite. War is a tragedy because the deaths of innocents and widespread devastation are inevitable. There is no doubt that Israel occasionally makes mistakes while it battles an entrenched terrorist group, as it did Tuesday in accidentally killing aid workers from the World Central Kitchen. What country has not made tragic mistakes in war? That is why diplomatic solutions must always be the first choice in settling our geopolitical differences if such solutions are possible. But sometimes a war is necessary, as when your enemy has vowed to invade, kill, rape and torture again and again, and has a record of breaking ceasefires to do just that. … The ludicrous claim that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians has become a common talking point. It is based on redefining the word "genocide" to mean something other than an attempt to wipe out an entire ethnic, religious or national group, and it relies on dubious civilian casualty numbers provided by Ham*s and willful ignorance of the terrorist group's strategic reliance on human shields, including its extensive use of hospitals, schools and United Nations facilities, as cover for its actions, which include holding Israeli hostages: a war crime. … Concerns about Israel's conduct in war are, by any objective measure, outrageously unwarranted. It is prosecuting a legitimate conflict according to high moral standards and with tactical precision. If Israel's fight to save Gaza and itself from Ham*s draws the ire of establishment experts and anti-Israel activists, that says little about Israel—but a lot about its critics.” #Israel #Palestine #Gaza

Opinion: Congress must let Ukraine win, say Barbra Streisand, Sean Penn, Imagine Dragons, Timothy Snyder and other luminaries Opinion by more than 35 artists, activists, scholars and others Wed April 10, 2024 4 min read Editor’s Note: In this appeal to Congress, more than 35 artists, activists, scholars and others call for funding for Ukraine. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the signatories. Read more CNN Opinion. https://lnkd.in/gAtRXTpC we call upon Congress to do the right thing. Ukrainians are fighting for their existence. On territory that Russia occupies, it tortures Ukrainian citizens, kidnaps Ukrainian children and murders Ukrainian leaders. On territory Russia can reach with its weapons, it strikes civilians and rescue workers. Russian missiles, drones and bombs destroy churches and monuments to the Holocaust. Russian occupation threatens Ukraine’s Muslims, the Crimean Tatars. Russian leaders say openly that their goal is the destruction of the Ukrainian state and the elimination of Ukrainians as a people. Russian propagandists threaten genocide almost every day. Right now, Russia is using missiles and glide bombs to destroy the ancient and beautiful city of Kharkiv, once home to 1.5 million people, just as Russia destroyed Mariupol, Aleppo and Grozny. https://lnkd.in/gAtRXTpC

If Putin wins, expect the worst genocide since the Holocaust Sexual violence, ethnic cleansing, and mass executions are all part of the Russian playbook. We must wake up to what its victory would mean What if Putin wins? For the next seven days The Telegraph is running a series of exclusive essays from international commentators imagining the consequences if Russia were successful in its war. The first, by former Ukrainian MP Aliona Hlivco, considered the devastating impact for the Nato alliance. Then historian Dr Thomas Clausen assessed the fallout on European politics. Today, Karolina Hird of the Institute of the Study of War in Washington DC considers the price for ordinary Ukrainians. https://lnkd.in/eZxAUYvf Contact me to license this series and/or to receive updates on our latest content available for licensing #Telegraph #Ukraine #VladimirPutin #RussiaUkraineWar #WarCrimes #InternationalCriminalCourt #ContentLicensing

RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR CALLS OUT GERMAN HYPOCRISY On 12 January, Germany said it would intervene on Israel's behalf in the gen*cide case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its military onslaught in Gaza. Stating the accusations had no basis, it accused South Africa of 'politicising' gen*cide. This stand sent shock waves, with many criticising Germany's horrific history. However, Namibia was most vocal in denouncing Germany's intervention. The southwestern African state of 3 million was a German colony between 1884 and 1919. German colonial forces systematically killed about 100,000 Herero and Nama people between 1904 and 1908 following a popular uprising over land seizures and forced labour. Today, it's the same Germany that defends Israel's military onslaught. That's why Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya stated in this video clip that Germany doesn't have any moral right to teach others about the importance of national reconciliation, having started two world wars, k*lled millions of people in the Holocaust and committed mass crimes in Africa. #Germany #Intervention #Israel #ICJ #Gaza #SouthAfrica #Horror #History

𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 Today marks 1,000 days since the start of the full-scale war launched by Putin's regime against Ukraine. One thousand days of pain, destruction, and suffering for millions of Ukrainians. Thousands have lost their lives, and millions have been forced to leave their homes, cities, and even their country. Innocent lives have been shattered, peaceful towns reduced to ruins, and children are growing up to the sounds of sirens and explosions. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞, a blatant violation of international law, human rights, and the fundamental principles of peace and justice. Every single day of this war brings new victims, new destruction, and new tears. Those responsible for these war crimes must be held accountable. For Ukraine, these 1,000 days have been a continuation of its fight for freedom, independence, and the right to exist. When Crimea was annexed in 2014 and the war in Donbas began, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. This failure emboldened the aggressor, leading to the full-scale invasion in 2022 and the tragedy of these 1,000 days. Today, the world cannot afford to repeat this mistake. These 1,000 days are a stark reminder that war cannot be justified and that turning a blind eye to the suffering it causes is unacceptable. Ukraine is fighting not only for its survival but also for the peaceful principles that the world must uphold. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝. 𝐀 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝.

"two disturbing truths about the Russian way of waging war. First, a cruel disregard for human life extends to Russia’s own forces, which the Kremlin systematically deploys in so-called meat grinder and human-wave attacks. Second, mass death among Russian troops has become part of an increasingly explicit eugenics policy, by which the Kremlin seeks to rid Russia of undesirable elements and reconfigure the Russian population. The eugenics aspect of Russia’s war has long been an open secret, widely discussed on Russian talk shows and social media. Now, a high-ranking Russian politician has made it plain for the first time." https://lnkd.in/ds2HhAuE "Putin on Saturday signed off on legislation that, from December 1, allows recruits who sign a minimum one-year contract to fight in the war forgiveness of up to 10 million rubles of debt arrears (around $96,000), Russia's Interfax news agency reported." https://lnkd.in/d63GyUdu The average life expectancy of a front-line soldier in eastern Ukraine is around 4 hours, an American fighting in 'the meat grinder' says https://lnkd.in/dbmTagD5 Russian Losses 26.11.2024 733,830+2,201,490=2,935,320 Deceased+Wounded=Total https://lnkd.in/eA4NpXNp

"Ukrainians are for peace more than anyone. Western countries have not seen real war on their territories for decades and the Ukrainian army is doing everything it can so that no one else ever will. But one cannot reach peace without stopping the aggressor and making sure the Russians will not invade again, next time better equipped and their armies better brainwashed. We wonder if those who pressure for some abstract peace realize this vulnerability among Ukrainians. Some (even progressive) people in the West fail to comprehend why Ukrainians are so “firm” and principled, and why reconciliation seems impossible. It is just inconceivable that foreigners believe that they know our enemy better than Ukrainians do and are attempting to re-educate Ukrainians instead of trusting their judgment, which is based on centuries of experience living close with the enemy. Ultimately, very few people choose to keep up with the news from Ukraine and stay informed and engaged. History has lots of examples of when Ukrainians turned out to be right and the West did not want to listen. Just look at Stalin’s threat to Europe or the collapse of the USSR. Ukrainians are well aware of Russia’s brutal wartime conduct in places like Chechnya. They remember the horrifying crimes committed by Russia against Ukrainians and other peoples captured by the Moscow empire, as well as centuries of annexations, displacements, deportations, cultural destruction and ethnic cleansing. Most infamously, they remember the genocidal famine of the 1930s and the deportation of the Crimean Tatars — all at the hands of their former “big brother”, as the Russians like to consider themselves." Read in full and share this brilliant piece widely: https://lnkd.in/d6wVRRxY

"“There is nothing antisemitic about fighting for people’s right to live,” says Jewish Voice for Peace organizer Elena Stein, who on Monday joined hundreds of protesters arrested to block entrances to the New York Stock Exchange. .... ELENA STEIN: ... as we arrived in the morning, we were learning the news that just that night Israel had bombed the Al-Aqsa Hospital and had set at least 30 tents ablaze full of people who had already been displaced, who still had IVs in their arms from being at the hospital, burning people alive. And this comes after days and days of massacring whole families in the Jabaliya refugee camp as part of the larger strategy to block off, to starve, to essentially complete the ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza, where 400,000 people are. This is being called a genocide within a genocide. People are posting their final goodbyes. So we are filled with horror beyond words and are attempting just to embody just an ounce of that refusal in our actions. And, of course, what’s so important for all of us here in the U.S. to understand is that this is being done with U.S. bombs, those bombs that are massacring family after family in this war of extermination — because, make no mistake, that is the goal: extermination. It is being done with U.S. bombs, with U.S. weapons and with U.S. cover, with shielding Israel from accountability at any international institution. ... The next thing to know is that none of that money is used — when we hear the word “aid,” we might think, “Oh, that’s for recovery from a natural disaster or for housing or education.” No, all of this money has to be used on the Israeli military, for military purposes. And not only that, but all that money has to be used then back in the United States on U.S. defense contractors, on U.S. weapons corporations. So we see here that the entire enterprise has the goal of propping up the U.S.’s war economy. Now, $3.8 billion is just the amount of money typically going in taxpayer public funding. It is nothing to say of the billions going in private funding. But this year, the U.S. sent — in public funding, the U.S. government sent 18 — 18 — billion dollars in taxpayer funds to the Israeli military. There are no words to describe how unprecedented this is. And so, when we say that it’s all in the service of propping up the U.S.'s war economy, it works. This year, the stock prices of weapons manufacturers were skyrocketing. Last year, if you were to invest $10,000 in Raytheon, right now you would have $18,000, in just one year. That's an 80% return in one year. Raytheon is the firm making the bunker buster bombs, that are prohibited from use in civilian areas, that Israel is currently using right now in southern Lebanon. Now, not only that, 50 — over 50, at least, members of Congress and their spouses are invested in Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, two of the leading weapons manufacturers. So, we can see they are, quite literally, profiting from this genocide. ..."

Copied from X Amjad Taha أمجد طه @amjadt25 If every time a terrorist group commits genocide, like Hamas did on October 7th in Israel, you reward them with recognition, then Norway might as well recognize ISIS next. Recognizing a state that promotes hate, racism, and antisemitism in its curriculum is unwise. It’s akin to recognizing a Nazi after they committed the Holocaust as a democratic state. States must earn recognition by respecting their neighbors and renouncing violence. However, Norway, Spain, and Sweden's recognition efforts seem driven by the Biden administration's desire to pressure Israel, betraying allies and ignoring the risks of such policies. This move will only empower groups like Hamas, potentially giving them embassies and spokespeople in Norway. The Middle East and the world are watching as the Biden administration rewards Islamist terrorists while ignoring advice from modern, developed nations. What you build in 70 years, these jihadists that you want a ceasefire with can destroy in 7 minutes. There's also a video, see https://lnkd.in/ekVvu_th