Saturday, June 08, 2024

Gaza: Joe Biden explains the exchange rate for Palestinian lives

 

As BREAKTHROUGH NEWS notes above, protests at the White House today over the ongoing genocide.  Megan Lebowitz (NBC NEWS) reports:

Thousands of people from cities across the country gathered outside the White House on Saturday to protest the Biden administration’s policies toward the Israel-Hamas war, many dressed in keffiyehs and red clothes to symbolize what they say is a red line that Israel crossed.

Hundreds of protesters held a red banner that stretched around the White House, urging President Joe Biden to change his approach to the war in Gaza.

“Biden, Biden you can’t hide, we are your red line,” protesters chanted.

The red line is in reference to remarks made by the White House and Joe last month that Israel would be in serious trouble, for real this time, we are telling Daddy as soon as he walks in the door, for real now, if they did not have a plan to avoid civilian casualties when they attacked Rafa. For real now. We're talking not only no more weapons but also no dessert!  Now march yourself on up to your room.
 
Strong words that never had any follow up.  THE HINDUSTAN TIMES notes, "Holding Palestinian flags and chanting 'From DC to Palestine, we are the red line,' the protestors demonstrated placards and banners with names of the Palestinians killed during Israeli offensive during the last nine months." Grace Newton (WTOP) reminds that "the president says Israel hasn’t crossed that line yet."  In the supposed land of the free, the police attacked the peaceful protesters.   Gloria Oladipo (GUARDIAN) reports:

Footage posted to social media showed police using pepper spray on protesters, who faced arrest at the mass demonstration.

At least one demonstrator also held a canister that released green and white smoke near the southern side of the White House.

The demonstrator, who was dressed as the superhero character Spiderman, shouted along with a crowd: “Biden, Biden, we can’t wait! We’ll see you at the Hague!”

The Hague is the Dutch city that is home to the international criminal court that prosecutes war crimes.

 

The 8-month-old conflict became the most destructive conflict of the 21st century, the Associated Press reported, with tens of thousands killed, most of them being women and children. The war left many parts of the city in ruins, leading to a collapse in its healthcare system, leaving 10 out of 36 of Gaza’s main hospitals somewhat functional, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported.

Israel’s bombardment has leveled and destroyed over 60% of Gaza’s homes, forcing over 1.7 million Palestinians to flee, the Associated Press reported.

“How many more homes have to be destroyed, how many children need to be killed, until this [United States] government takes definitive action to stop Israel’s war crimes,” said Celine Qussiny of the Palestinian Youth Movement.


Four Israeli hostages were rescued today.  The rescue effort -- carried out by Israeli forces with US assistance -- is said to have left at least 200 innocent Palestinians dead.  If you're trying to figure out the currency rate, Joe Biden believes that one Israeli life is worth fifty Palestinians.  

And he wonders why he struggles to connect with voters.

Citing hospital workers, CNN's Jonny Hallam and Kareem Khadder note the death toll has risen to 236. THE TIMES OF INDIA notes, "Israel has heavily bombed Nuseirat, a historic Palestinian refugee camp."  ALJAZEERA notes:


In a post on social media, Francesca Albanese said she was “relieved” for the four Israeli captives, but added that Israel “could have freed all hostages, alive and intact, 8 months ago when the first ceasefire and hostage exchange was put on the table”.
“Israel refused in order to continue to destroy Gaza and the Palestinians as a people,” Albanese said.
“This genocidal intent turned into action,” she said.
“Israel has used hostages to legitimise killing, injuring, maiming, starving and traumatising Palestinians in Gaza.”





 
At WSWS, Tom Carter notes:

On Thursday, US congressional leaders announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress on July 24. This invitation, one of the highest honors that can be extended to a foreign head of state, identifies the entire US political establishment and both imperialist political parties with genocide.

The formal invitation dated May 31 was addressed to “His Excellency Benjamin Netanyahu” on behalf of “the bipartisan leadership of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.” It was signed by Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

“We join the State of Israel in your struggle against terror,” the joint letter states, going on to “highlight America’s solidarity with Israel,” which is allegedly in the process of “defending democracy.”

Underscoring the analysis made on the World Socialist Web Site of the violence in Gaza as one front of an expanding global imperialist war, the brief joint letter goes out of its way to identify Israel as a key ally against “the growing partnership between Iran, Russia, and China.”

The bipartisan invitation to Netanyahu was extended exactly one week after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an emergency order under the 1948 Genocide Convention for Israel to “immediately halt its military offensive” in Rafah. The ICJ’s ruling was issued just days after the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sought arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, accusing them of “extermination” of civilians. 



Gaza remains under assault. Day 246 of  the assault in the wave that began in October.  Binoy Kampmark (DISSIDENT VOICE) points out, "Bloodletting as form; murder as fashion.  The ongoing campaign in Gaza by Israel’s Defence Forces continues without stalling and restriction.  But the burgeoning number of corpses is starting to become a challenge for the propaganda outlets:  How to justify it?  Fortunately for Israel, the United States, its unqualified defender, is happy to provide cover for murder covered in the sheath of self-defence."   CNN has explained, "The Gaza Strip is 'the most dangerous place' in the world to be a child, according to the executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund."  ABC NEWS quotes UNICEF's December 9th statement, ""The Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. Scores of children are reportedly being killed and injured on a daily basis. Entire neighborhoods, where children used to play and go to school have been turned into stacks of rubble, with no life in them."  NBC NEWS notes, "Strong majorities of all voters in the U.S. disapprove of President Joe Biden’s handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war, according to the latest national NBC News poll. The erosion is most pronounced among Democrats, a majority of whom believe Israel has gone too far in its military action in Gaza."  The slaughter continues.  It has displaced over 1 million people per the US Congressional Research Service.  Jessica Corbett (COMMON DREAMS) points out, "Academics and legal experts around the world, including Holocaust scholars, have condemned the six-week Israeli assault of Gaza as genocide."   The death toll of Palestinians in Gaza is grows higher and higher.  United Nations Women noted, "More than 1.9 million people -- 85 per cent of the total population of Gaza -- have been displaced, including what UN Women estimates to be nearly 1 million women and girls. The entire population of Gaza -- roughly 2.2 million people -- are in crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse."  THE NATIONAL notes, "Gaza death toll reaches 36,801, with 83,680 injured."   Months ago,  AP  noted, "About 4,000 people are reported missing."  February 7th, Jeremy Scahill explained on DEMOCRACY NOW! that "there’s an estimated 7,000 or 8,000 Palestinians missing, many of them in graves that are the rubble of their former home."  February 5th, the United Nations' Phillipe Lazzarini Tweeted:

  



April 11th, Sharon Zhang (TRUTHOUT) reported, "In addition to the over 34,000 Palestinians who have been counted as killed in Israel’s genocidal assault so far, there are 13,000 Palestinians in Gaza who are missing, a humanitarian aid group has estimated, either buried in rubble or mass graves or disappeared into Israeli prisons.  In a report released Thursday, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said that the estimate is based on initial reports and that the actual number of people missing is likely even higher."
 

As for the area itself?  Isabele Debre (AP) reveals, "Israel’s military offensive has turned much of northern Gaza into an uninhabitable moonscape. Whole neighborhoods have been erased. Homes, schools and hospitals have been blasted by airstrikes and scorched by tank fire. Some buildings are still standing, but most are battered shells."  Kieron Monks (I NEWS) reports, "More than 40 per cent of the buildings in northern Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, according to a new study of satellite imagery by US researchers Jamon Van Den Hoek from Oregon State University and Corey Scher at the City University of New York. The UN gave a figure of 45 per cent of housing destroyed or damaged across the strip in less than six weeks. The rate of destruction is among the highest of any conflict since the Second World War."


The ongoing slaughter leaves the government of Israel more and more distanced from the rest of the world.  THE NATIONAL reports:

Jordan has urged the UN and the international community to act after Israel's military strikes on Nuseirat.

In a translated tweet, Jordan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry criticised the “systematic targeting of Palestinian civilians” and said Israel was “violating international law”.

Ministry spokesman ambassador Dr Sufyan Al Qudah condemned Israel's "aggression" and the “unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.

He urged the international community, especially the Security Council, to take urgent action.

 

The following sites updated:




 

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