Taylor Casey
50 seconds ago
Saturday, July 13, 2024
More War Crimes with 90 left dead in Gaza
The government of Israel has attacked another refugee camp leaving at least 90 civilians dead.
THE NATIONAL notes, "The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 90 people were killed by Israeli air strikes on Al Mawasi displacement camp in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, updating a series of earlier tolls.The attack injured 300 others, including some in serious condition, the ministry said." Rushdi Abualouf, Tom McArthur and Lucy Clarke-Billings (BBC NEWS) report, "BBC Verify has analysed footage of the aftermath of the strike, confirming that it took place within an area shown on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) website as a humanitarian zone." Get it? War Crime. Hadeel al-Shalchi spoke with Scott Simon (NPR) about the attack, "Now Al Mawasi, like you said, is a designated humanitarian by the Israeli military. Thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering there in encampments." ALJAZEERA reports:
The United Nations and countries across the Middle East have denounced Israel after its military attacked a designed humanitarian safe zone in Gaza, killing at least 90 Palestinians and wounding 300 others.
[. . .]
Jordan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack on “displaced persons’ tents in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, in an area that Israel had previously classified as safe, which resulted in the death and injury of dozens of Palestinians”.
Spokesperson Sufyan Al-Qudah said Jordan called for the international community to act to bring an end to Palestinian suffering amid Israel’s repeated violations of international law.
Egypt
In a statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Israel’s “ongoing violations against the rights of Palestinian citizens” add serious “complications” to achieving a ceasefire deal.
Egypt has been among the countries working to mediate such an agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the Israeli raids on the al-Mawasi area,” the Foreign Ministry said.
[. . .]
United Nations
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “shocked and saddened” by the Israeli air raids which killed at least 90 Palestinians.
“The [Israeli military] stated that they were targeting two senior members of Hamas,” Guterres said in a statement. “The Secretary General underlines that international humanitarian law including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack must be upheld at all times.”
Julia Conley (COMMON DREAMS) adds:
The United Nations' top expert on human rights in Palestine condemned the Israeli military as it resorted to a familiar excuse for the killing of nearly 100 Palestinians on Saturday in an area that had been designated as a "humanitarian zone"—just the latest massacre of dozens of people whom the Israel Defense Forces dismissed as collateral damage in attacks they claimed were targeting Hamas.
"The justification is always the same: 'targeting Palestinian militants,'" said Francesca Albanese, U.N special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. "When is the world going to stop this death machine?"
Albanese was referring this time to the bombardment of al-Mawasi, a coastal area west of Khan Younis where hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents have been sheltering after fleeing cities including Rafah.
And ALJAZEERA notes that Oxfam has called out the attack:
Countries that continue to supply Israel with weapons are demonstrating “abhorrent complicity” with Israel’s “heinous approach to warfare”, the humanitarian organisation Oxfam has said in response to Israel’s latest attacks on the al-Mawasi camp.
“Once again, we are witnessing the absolute disregard Israel has for Palestinian lives and for international law,” said Oxfam’s Regional Director for the Middle East, Sally Abi Khalil in a statement.
“Nowhere in Gaza is safe – we need a ceasefire now, for arms transfer to Israel to end immediately, and for Israel to be held to account for all violations of international law,” she added.
Gaza remains under assault. Day 281 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, "The Gaza Health Ministry said on Saturday that at least 38,443 Palestinians have been killed and 88,481 injured in Israel's war on Gaza since October 7." 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."
Let's turn to the US where 82-year=old Bernie Sanders wants to tell everyone he's endorsing Joe Biden in the race for the Democratic Party nomination. I don't think anyone really cares what cowardly Bernie thinks. He folded in 2016, he folded 2020. I'm glad he folded in 2024. Oh, the stupidity. Watch me bite my tongue while they did their hole.
We should probably note that calling out Joe's age would mean Bernie calling out his own since he's even older than Joe. Who put Joe and Bernie down for their naps today?
Andrew Solendar (AXIOS) reports on Joe's bad day that made him grumpy:
President Biden was raked over the coals by a group of center-left House Democrats on Saturday in what sources said was a "tense" – even "awful" – meeting aimed at stemming defections on Capitol Hill.
Why it matters: Biden got particularly animated towards a question from Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) about slipping public confidence in his leadership as commander-in-chief, according to several members in the meeting.
- "That was a complete disaster. We saw the same Joe Biden from the debate," said one House Democrat on the call.
- "It was awful," said another lawmaker.
- A third told Axios: "Members were not holding back ... it got tense with Crow for sure."
What we're hearing: Biden huddled virtually with the center-left New Democrat Coalition as part of an outreach campaign to Capitol Hill to try to stem the flow of statements calling for him to drop out.
- Reps. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) scrutinized Biden on how he plans to turn his campaign around, according to two lawmakers.
- In response to Veasey asking how Biden plans to win back disaffected voters, he said in part that members need to do a better job advertising his administration's accomplishments.
- As Houlahan outlined distressing polling numbers, Biden interrupted to try to add caveats, with Houlahan having to interject to finish her question, members said.
Zoom in: Crow's question prompted what two members described as "shouting" from the president, who challenged the Coloradan to "name me a foreign leader who thinks I'm not the most effective leader."
Joe's ready to destroy the whole party. He's not just old and senile, he's also being selfish. It's time for him to bow out and shame on the people who are pretending otherwise.
But, by all means, Joe supporting Dems in Congress, please follow Bernie's lead because you help those of us wanting Joe off the ticket every time you do. I honestly can't believe how stupid some people are.
Was there a theme to today's music videos? Ray e-mailed asking that. After Diana Ross and the Supremes this morning and until Dolly Parton this evening, it was piano. All I wanted to do today was play the piano but there was no time. So that's what we were noting and why.
The following sites updated:
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Idiot of the week12 minutes ago
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FLY ME TO THE MOON3 hours ago
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Crazy Josh Hawley and Lauren Boebert20 hours ago
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Tlaib, DeLauro Introduce the Auto Insurance Expense Relief Act
Tlaib, DeLauro Introduce the Auto Insurance Expense Relief Act
Ending Poverty
Justice for All
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) introduced the Auto Insurance Expense Relief Act to support working families by including auto insurance expenses in the cost-of-living formula used to determine eligibility for federal assistance programs.
Currently, 49 of 50 states require drivers to have auto insurance, yet this cost is not factored into the formula for applying for federal assistance—even though the cost of gas and car insurance every month are significant expenses. As many residents already know, the cost of auto insurance has increased by an average of 26% in 2024 leaving many families in the cycle of poverty.
The Auto Insurance Expense Relief Act would help working families more accurately reflect their monthly expenses when applying for federal assistance programs by allowing auto insurance to be part of the calculation, which would increase the number of benefits working families receive.
“While rent, utilities, and other living expenses are deducted from a household’s income to enable more families to qualify for federal assistance, it’s outrageous that auto insurance is currently not considered as an expense. This legislation is needed to alleviate the financial strain on struggling families,” said Congresswoman Tlaib. “Detroiters still pay the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, and the average rates increased by 85% in the last year. This is about economic justice and ensuring that working families receive the support they need.”
“When Americans budget their expenses for the month, they always include their insurance costs – which is why it is absurd that auto insurance is currently not considered an expense when it comes to qualifying for federal assistance” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “I am proud to join Congresswoman Tlaib in introducing legislation that would ensure these costs are factored in when families apply for federal benefits so families receive the resources they need to put food on the table, pay their bills, and take care of their families.”
Tlaib has also introduced the Prohibit Auto Insurance Discrimination (PAID) Act to address auto insurance companies’ outrageous rates using “non-driving factors” such as education level, zip code, marital status, or credit score—that have nothing to do with how safe a driver you are.
This legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Katie Porter (CA-47), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13).
This legislation is endorsed byMothering Justice, People’s Policy Project, Center for Popular Democracy, Detroit Action, We the People Michigan, and Wayne Metro Community Action Agency.
“This bill safeguards a fairer assessment of an individual’s actual disposable income and resources. Since car insurance is a necessary expense, it makes sense not to count it against someone when determining their need for assistance,” said Danielle Atkinson, Executive Director of Mothering Justice. “Detroit, for example, is still the most expensive place to own a car in this country and the lowest income areas are unfairly targeted with higher rates which negatively affects individual and families’ financial well-being.”
“In most parts of the country, public transportation is not available so people must rely on cars to get to work making auto insurance a necessity,” said the consortium at UM Poverty Solutions. “This expense can eat up a substantial portion of a household budget for households with limited means. To illustrate, the current poverty line for an individual is $15,060, so in Florida, the state with the highest premiums, auto insurance costs about $2900 a year or about 19% of annual income. In the state with the lowest premiums, North Carolina, the annual cost of insurance is $1148 which is over 7% of annual income.”
“In most parts of the country, cars are necessary to get to work and insurance is necessary to drive a car,” said Matthew Bruenig, President of the Peoples Policy Project. “These kinds of basic and work-related expenses should be deducted from income in order to get a true understanding of what resources SNAP-eligible families have available to them.”
The full text of the bill is available here.
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Congresswoman Bush Delivers Floor Speech in Recognition of Anniversary of Srebrenica Genocide
July 11, 2024
Congresswoman Bush Delivers Floor Speech in Recognition of Anniversary of Srebrenica Genocide
WATCH HERE: “I will continue to recognize and uplift the rich contributions of the Bosnian community, and to ensure that everyone, no matter their race, faith, or nationality, can live free from violence and persecution,” says Bush
Washington D.C. (July. 11, 2024) — Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) delivered a speech on the House floor to recognize the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide. Watch HERE or read her full remarks, as prepared for delivery, below.
“St. Louis and I rise in recognition and remembrance of the over 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys killed and thousands of women and girls raped, assaulted, and forcibly displaced during the Srebrenica Genocide.
“On this day 29 years ago, the Serbian army and paramilitary forces began massacring civilians in the besieged town of Srebrenica, a U.N.-declared “safe area”, in an attempt to ethnically cleanse the area of Bosniaks.
“Today we remember the victims of the Srebrenica Genocide, and honor them and their families as we continue to stand in fierce opposition to genocide across the globe.
“As a St. Louis Congresswoman proudly representing the largest Bosnian population outside of Bosnia and as the co-chair of the Congressional Bosnian Caucus, I will continue to recognize and uplift the rich contributions of the Bosnian community, and to ensure that everyone, no matter their race, faith, or nationality, can live free from violence and persecution. I yield back.”
Baldwin Scores Major Wins for Wisconsin’s Farmers and Dairy Businesses in Senate’s Annual Agriculture Funding Bill
07.11.2024
Baldwin Scores Major Wins for Wisconsin’s Farmers and Dairy Businesses in Senate’s Annual Agriculture Funding Bill
WISCONSIN – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered direct support for Wisconsin farmers and rural communities in this year’s bipartisan agriculture funding legislation that passed unanimously out of the Senate Appropriations Committee today. Senator Baldwin successfully championed key initiatives to expand resources for Wisconsin dairy businesses, help farmers improve their efficiencies, support farmers’ mental health, and protect American farmland from foreign investment. The bill now heads to the full Senate for a vote.
“Wisconsin’s farmers and ranchers work hard every day to put our state on the map with world-class products and move our Made in Wisconsin economy forward. I’m proud to have their backs, creating and championing programs that help boost businesses’ bottom lines and keep Wisconsin families safe and healthy,” said Senator Baldwin. “Whether it’s helping Wisconsin dairy businesses innovate and grow for the future, protecting America’s heartland from foreign investment, or connecting rural communities with mental health resources, I’m happy to be giving Wisconsinites a seat at the table and delivering on the tools they need to succeed.”
Senator Baldwin successfully fought to include several initiatives to support Wisconsin’s agricultural businesses and rural communities in this year’s bipartisan Fiscal Year 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, including:
Supporting Wisconsin Dairy – Senator Baldwin’s Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (DBII) is funded at $17 million, a $5 million increase over last year’s funding thanks to an amendment Senator Baldwin successfully passed out of the Appropriations Committee. Senator Baldwin first secured the legislation to create the DBII to support dairy businesses in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products in the 2018 Farm Bill. Senator Baldwin also successfully included a provision to allow the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to direct Commodity Credit Corporation funds to DBIIs to help farmers dealing with the outbreak of avian flu (H5N1).
“Senator Baldwin again today demonstrated her steadfast commitment to dairy farmers and processors and her effectiveness as a lawmaker, securing support for education, research, and direct-to-business grants via the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative,” said Rebekah Sweeney, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association Senior Director of Programs and Policy. “We thank Senator Baldwin for her hard work and partnership, both of which are essential as our industry addresses the continued challenges of a labor shortage and volatile marketplace, and emerging issues like the outbreak of H5N1 in dairy herds.”
Helping Farmers, Ranchers, and Producers Improve Efficiencies and Compete on a Global Stage – Senator Baldwin successfully included her bipartisan legislation to help farmers, ranchers, and producers access new innovative feed products that will help them compete on the global stage and reduce byproducts. The Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (FEED) Act creates a new pathway at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of new and innovative feed additive products that improve efficiency in meat and dairy production while also reducing byproducts, on par with our global competitors who are already benefitting from these increased efficiencies.
Funding Mental Health Resources for Farmers – Despite tough spending caps, Senator Baldwin was able to maintain funding for her Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) at $10 million. Senator Baldwin authored the bipartisan legislation that created FRSAN in the 2018 Farm Bill, connecting farmers, ranchers, and other agriculture workers to stress assistance programs and resources. Through FRSAN, state departments of agriculture, state extension services, and non-profits receive funding to establish helplines, provide suicide prevention training for farm advocates, and create support groups for farmers and farm workers.
Protecting American Farmland from Foreign Ownership – After fighting to include key provisions of her Farmland Security Act in the FY23 funding legislation – requiring USDA to transition to an online filing system to improve the transparency of foreign ownership in American agricultural land – this bill successfully included language directing USDA to report to Congress on their failures to enforce penalties on foreign owners of farmland for misreporting or failing to report their acreage.
Expanding Access to Grazing – Senator Baldwin fought to include $20 million, a $10 million increase, for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), a USDA program that helps farmers figure out what approach to grazing might be the best fit for their operation. Managed grazing is one of the most efficient and deployable strategies for carbon sequestration, and this funding will help farmers get ready to take advantage of carbon markets.
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Senator Murray Secures Over $815 Million for Key WA Agriculture, Veterans, and Military Projects in Draft Appropriations Bills
- July 11, 2024
Senator Murray Secures Over $815 Million for Key WA Agriculture, Veterans, and Military Projects in Draft Appropriations Bills
Murray leads Senate Appropriations Committee in passing three draft appropriations bills – MORE HERE
READ and WATCH: Chair Murray’s Opening Remarks at Full Committee Markup
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), voted to advance the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch appropriations bills for fiscal year 2025 that Senator Murray played a key role in writing. All three bills were approved unanimously.
In the draft bills, Senator Murray secured $815.655 million in funding for key Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects, agricultural research, and military construction projects across Washington state. As she helped write the legislation, Senator Murray worked to ensure the bills fully fund WIC, support our veterans and military families, invest in agricultural research, protect our food supply and consumers’ health and safety, and more.
“The bills I wrote and passed through committee today are about making sure kids and families in Washington state don’t go hungry, helping our farmers and rural communities succeed, boosting cutting-edge agricultural research happening in Washington state, and supporting our servicemembers and veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country—ensuring they have the health care, housing, and quality training facilities they need and deserve,” said Senator Murray. “I fought hard to make sure this legislation would fully fund WIC and other critical nutrition programs, so that moms and babies can get the nutrition benefits they need, rather than being told to get in line—I know firsthand how important that is.”
“Our legislation provides essential funding for VA medical care and another historic boost for women veterans’ health care—who deserve a VA that works for them—as well as strong oversight of the EHR program, to ensure we are on a path to fixing the many system issues our veterans and providers are continuing to face as a result of the botched rollout in Spokane and Walla Walla,” Murray continued. “The needs in Washington state were top of mind for me as I was writing these bills, and I made sure local projects and priorities important to folks in every corner of our state were reflected throughout. I’m proud that we were able to pass these bills through Committee today with overwhelming bipartisan support—I’ll be working tirelessly to pass the rest of our funding bills out of committee and to get all of our funding bills to the President’s desk.”
Highlights, key provisions, and funding Senator Murray secured in each of the funding bills are below:
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Bill
In the draft legislation, Senator Murray secured $9.795 million for five important CDS projects in Washington state:
- $210,000 for the City of Ferndale to replace emergency management equipment to respond to natural disasters.
- $1.5 million for the Olympic Peninsula YMCA to construct an early learning center.
- $2 million for the Skokomish Indian Tribe to construct a new educational services building offering services to K-12 youth.
- $3 million for the Tri-State Memorial Hospital for the design and renovation of a surgical center.
- $3.085 million for equipment and construction at the Agricultural Research Service’s worksite in Prosser, which is co-located with Washington State University’s Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center.
Senator Murray also secured a number of national funding priorities that are particularly important to Washington state, including:
- Full funding for WIC—protecting essential nutrition assistance and benefits for 7 million women and kids nationwide, including 204,026 mothers, children, and infants in Washington state. Senator Murray fought tooth and nail during fiscal year 2024 negotiations to fully fund the program in the face of House Republicans’ proposed cuts that would have forced states to deny benefits to eligible families.
- Full funding for child nutrition programs—including the new, permanent Summer EBT program Murray established that is helping an estimated 550,000 children across Washington state get summer grocery benefits.
- Funding to sustain housing assistance to help families in rural communities keep a roof over their heads.
- $38 million more for the Agricultural Research Service, including $5.85 million in new funding for research that will help Washington state farmers and ranchers,
in particular. Much of such research takes place at Washington State
University. In addition to ongoing research activities, the bill
includes the following increases important to Washington state:
- $250,000 more for research on detection and mitigation of Little Cherry Disease and the vector insects involved. This builds on a $500,000 increase Senator Murray secured in fiscal year 2024.
- $2 million to establish a new Resilient Barley Initiative to coordinate research efforts focused on strengthening barley’s resilience to climate stressors that threaten the supply through improved genetics and management.
- $1.4 million to establish a new Potato Plant Pathologist for research on detection and mitigation of insect vector pathogens in the Columbia River Basin, which pose a threat to the sustainable production of nationally important vegetable and seed crops in the Northwest.
- $1.7 million more for the Resilient Livestock Initiative, which was first established by Senator Murray in fiscal year 2024 at $1 million, to conduct research on livestock’s ability to resist diseases and thrive in harsh climates.
- $500,000 more to continue research to identify 6PPD alternatives, a compound in rubber tires that the University of Washington and Washington State University researchers have shown to be toxic to coho salmon once oxidized. This builds on the $1 million Senator Murray secured in fiscal year 2024.
- $650,000 to establish a new position of seafood industry liaison in the Office of the Secretary at USDA to support U.S. seafood as a priority food commodity—and to position American seafood to be more competitive in domestic and global seafood markets.
- $2 million to reinstate the 5-year Vineyard and Orchard Acreage Survey and resume data collection and reporting so grape, wine, and juice producers can continue to remain competitive and respond to challenges in the industry. Data has not been collected for the survey since 2018.
- $1 million more for FDA to regulate cosmetics—building on the $7 million in new funding Senator Murray secured in fiscal year 2024 after she negotiated and secured passage of landmark reforms to better protect consumers from unsafe cosmetics.
- New language encouraging FDA to engage with researchers and providers on perimenopause, menopause, and mid-life women’s health—as Senator Murray pushes to boost menopause research and expand training and awareness with her recently-introduced bipartisan legislation.
A full summary of the bill is available HERE.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
In the draft legislation, Senator Murray secured $774.85 million in funding for specific military construction projects across Washington state (which does not include funding for national programs that will later be allocated on a competitive or formula-specific basis):
- $182.2 million for CVN 78 aircraft carrier electric upgrades at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
- $161 million for barracks at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
- $40 million for power generation and microgrid upgrades at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
- $31 million for Army supply support activity facilities at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
- $26.61 million for the parachute survival training facility at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
- $40 million for the National Guard and Reserve joint forces headquarters facility at Camp Murray.
- $200.55 million for the launcher equipment processing building at Bangor.
- $54 million for the hydrant fueling system at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
- $39.49 million for a microgrid and backup power system at Naval Magazine Indian Island.
Senator Murray secured $25.16 million for five important CDS projects in Washington state:
- $5.7 million in additional funding for the National Guard and Reserve joint forces headquarters facility at Camp Murray, a new state-of-the-art facility.
- $2.5 million for the planning and design of a new aircraft parts warehouse to support the KC-135 fleet at Fairchild Air Force Base.
- $4.5 million for the planning and design of taxi lane pull-through spots at Fairchild Air Force Base.
- $6 million for the Washington Army National Guard to update a controlled humidity warehouse, which will reduce maintenance on vehicles due to environmental corrosion.
- $6.46 million for the planning and design of a new wastewater treatment plant at the Yakima Training Center.
Senator Murray also secured a number of national funding priorities that are particularly important to Washington state, including:
- $2 billion for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization for design and construction of projects at each of the four public shipyards, including at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
- $3.2 billion to combat veteran homelessness and support veterans and their families experiencing housing insecurity—$97 million more than in fiscal year 2024. In particular, Senator Murray secured $661.5 million—a $41.5 million increase over fiscal year 2024—for the HUD-VASH program she restarted in 2010.
- Record investments in women veterans’ health care—providing $1.3 billion, $333 million more than in fiscal year 2024, for gender-specific health care services, as well as initiatives and improvements to health care facilities. Senator Murray also secured language requiring VA to submit a report on the care available to women veterans for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of perimenopause and menopausal symptoms, including efforts to advance care coordination and expand access to appropriate services.
- $2.9 billion to help VA implement the caregivers program Senator Murray helped establish and to extend legacy participant eligibility and benefits—which is $500 million more than fiscal year 2024.
- $18.6 million to expand the VA’s Child Care Pilot Program established by Senator Murray which seeks to eliminate barriers for veterans in need of child care while attending medical appointments, and $3 million for infrastructure modifications to support the VA’s work to create drop-in child care centers.
- $165 million for the design and construction of additional child development centers to expand access to child care for military families.
- Additional language to ensure continued and consistent oversight of VA and Oracle-Cerner in the rollout of the Electronic Health Records Modernization program that builds on Senator Murray’s ongoing oversight efforts.
A full summary of the bill is available HERE.
Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill
More information about the Legislative Branch appropriations bill that Senator Murray played a key role in writing is available HERE.
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Friday, July 12, 2024
Iraq snapshot
Friday, July 12, 2024. The biggest shock about Joe Biden's mental decline may be that he thinks he has a record to run on.
Yesterday, not last night because he needs his sleep, Joe Biden insisted he was staying in the race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Of course, he also insisted, "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn't think she was qualified to be president." With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his side, Joe wanted to tout his record which, for the record, included him introducing Zelensky as "Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin" shortly before Joe held his press conference. There will be jokes this snapshot but, sadly, Joe introducing Zelensky as Putin is not one of them, it really happened. Joe's mind is gone.
I'm not in the mood to play. Joe Biden should have
announced yesterday that he was dropping out of the race for
president. He didn't, so let's help him. He seems to think he's got a record to run on. One in which the war in Ukraine is a plus -- that's the war that's nearing the two-and-a-half year mark and that has cost US tax payers $175,000,000,000 so far per the Council on Foreign Relations. This is an accomplishment?
He wants to run on his record and he's out of touch enough to believe that the GOP is just going to stand by and let him define the record however he wants with no help from them.
How do we think that actually plays out in the real world?
FOX
NEWS ANCHOR IN BLOND WIG (male or female): Deeply disturbing news
tonight as former President Donald Trump accuses sitting President Joe
Biden of being derelict in his official duties.
DONALD
TRUMP: The president of the United States is entrusted with the duty of
protecting all Americans and yet for 280 days five Americans have been
held by the terrorist group Hamas. And Slow Joe has done nothing. He's
talked to Netanyahu? Let me tell you, when I was President, I didn't
talk, I did! And I would have told Bebe to sit down and let me handle it
and I would've handled it. It wouldn't have been 280 days, it wouldn't
have been two weeks. Donald Trump gets things done! America doesn't
let terrorists win! And we certainly don't look the other way while our
fellow Americans are held hostage! I'm not saying Joe's in bed with
the terrorists and sleeping with them but it would explain why he's been
so tired lately. We see you, Sleepy Joe, we see you. Can't rescue our hostages and can't protect the borders.
FOX
NEWS ANCHOR: And now, joining us on life support, and from his iron
lung, Cal Thomas, columnist, author of 10 books and colorer of over 100
adult therapy coloring books. Cal, what do you make of this?
CAL
THOMAS: Why, it's Jimmy Carter's malaise all over again. Tell me, young
whipper snapper, why is it that these Carters and Bidens refuse to
stand up for this country over and over again. Now I thought I'd seen
it all what with them automatic toilets and male Depends that look like
men's briefs but then along comes Do-Nothing Biden and we've got another
Middle East hostage crisis and he doesn't do a damn thing. Not a damn
thing.
FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you, and --
CAL
THOMAS: And that goes for you too, you young whipper snapper! Where
have you been? When Carter failed America, Ted Koppel went on the air
every night saying it was day whatever of the American hostage crisis.
Where have you been?
FOX
NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you. Cal Thomas, everyone, they're wheeling him out
in his iron lung, Thank you, Cal. Peggy Noonan, columnist and GOP
mystic, joins us now. Peggy?
PEGGY NOONAN: Yes, thank you, Fox News Prime Time anchor whose name I haven't
bothered to learn because you'll be gone in two or so years -- like
Tucker, Megyn and Bill before you. But doesn't Cal look spry? That iron
lung really brings out the steel menace in his eyes.
FOX
NEWS ANCHOR: Yes, yes, it does. But, Peggy, you're famous for your
mystic skills that allow you to talk to dead Democrats and then tell the
world how disappointed the dead Democrats are with the Democrats of today. I
understand you've already done one your psychic readings?
PEGGY
NOONAN: That is correct. Just hours ago, I spoke with former president
Jimmy Carter and he conveyed to me -- exclusively to me -- that he
wants all Democrats to vote for Donald Trump in this election. Mr.
Carter told me that America has to hit and to hit hard and that Mr.
Trump was already prepared to do that; however, his upcoming prison
stint will make him even more prepared as he learns to make shivs out of
femurs and the basics of good toilet wine. Upon release, Mr. Trump will be ready to take
on everything, I was told. And Mr. Carter made clear to me that he sees
Joe Biden as too soft and too lazy to lead and that this hostage crisis
just makes it clear. He said, "Peggy, I beg of you to share my message
from the grave with the world before the election."
FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Peggy, former president Carter isn't dead.
PEGGY NOONAN: Oh.
FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Moving over to FOX NEWS' own legal non-authority Jonathan Turley. What do you make of this?
JONATHAN
TURLEY: As our blessed Supreme Court has ruled, a president can get
away with anything. And yet Joe Biden has done nothing. Over and
over. And this goes to the party of inertia -- and I can say that because I
pretend to be a Democrat when not helping right-wingers overturn LGBTQ+
rights with bogus arguments and the divine assistance of our blessed
Supreme Court. Biden refuses to act. It's day 360 of this hostage
crisis --
FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Day 280.
JONATHAN
TURLEY: That's what I said, day 420, and still nothing from Joe Biden.
Look it's like that Vikki Carr song said, "I've seen fire and I've seen
rain but I've never seen a president cause so much pain" --
FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Vikki Carr?
JONATHAN TURLEY: Could have been Pat Boone. But it's true, I've never seen a president cause so much pain. Never. I said never. Ever.
FOX
NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you, Jonathan. It's day 280 of the hostage crisis
and Joe Biden's continued failure as a president, as a leader, as a man,
as a wearer of shoes and someone taking in oxygen on at least a daily
basis. When we come back, Greg Gutfeld will join us with some so-so
observations that we'll laugh at and pretend are humorous. Retired Lt
Gen Michael Flynn will speak to the namby-pamby nature of Joe Biden
which led to this crisis and then our own legal non-authority Jonathan
Turley will be back to offer a commentary about how the media's silence on
this issue is outrageous and every news outlet should be called out --
except, of course, FOX NEWS. And as the news continues to come in,
there were eight hostages. Were. Three are dead and we can pin that on
the failures of President Biden. We must act before the other five are
dead as well. God be with us and praise Supreme Court Justice Clarence
Thomas. Steady and strong, America, steady and strong. We'll be right back.
He wants to run on his record? Jimmy Carter's record on hostages cost Carter a second term.
The media didn't address Joe's mental decline for four years. They also haven't really addressed his policies. We could do the above -- and you can bet the GOP is ready to do it without humor -- on at least five other big moments from Joe's record.
His record argues he should go.
There was a time when American hostages were considered a big deal by the media.
ABC's NIGHLINE used to be a serious news magazine. Today? They deal with Alec Baldwin's trial, Rita Ora, THE BACHELORETTE, Jamie Foxx's health scare and other 'smart' topics as democracy hangs in the balance.
They cared about hostages a lot more back when they were a news program. In fact, back then, American hostages were such a big deal that they'd put any idiot on TV to talk about them, right, Joe?
We can do this all day, by the way. Explain Joe's weaknesses that will destroy him if he goes into the general election.
"I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I didn't think she was qualified to be president."
This is before nightfall. What's his excuse this time? Missed afternoon nap? Juice and cookies?
He needs to step away from the race and do so immediately. His semi-coherent remarks are not sad anymore, they're becoming a joke.
And guess what? At some point, the Republicans will be swinging for him and the aged fool can't even remember who serves as vice president right now.
"The campaign hasn't even started yet," Joe insisted yesterday.
What was the debate? It was a campaign event. Did he really not know that? How out of it, is he? The campaign has started, someone wake Joe and let him know.
Kyle did a strong critique last night.
Following yesterday's disaster, US House Rep Jim Hines became the latest to call on Joe to withdraw from the race.
+ According to Biden intimate Joe Scarborough, Biden believes Obama is behind the plot to oust him. “The Biden campaign and many Democratic officials do believe that Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes to orchestrate this. Joe Biden is deeply resentful of his treatment under not only the Obama staff but also the way he was pushed aside for Hillary Clinton.”
+ On the day Biden announced his abortive presidential campaign in 2008, he said this about Obama: “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” Maybe Biden had decided to steal lines from his old pal Strom Thurmond instead of Neil Kinnock in this campaign.
+ Biden’s phone-in conversations on Morning Joe resemble Nixon’s with Kissinger during the Final Days, where his paranoia, petty grievances, aphasia and megalomania are on full display.
+ Obama enjoyed an approval rating of 60% when he left office (unjustifiably robust to my mind). That’s 25 percent higher than either Biden or Trump at the end of their terms. Blaming Obama for his misfortune is a losing game. But Biden’s a loser and a sore one at that. He owes his presidency to Obama, who cleared the field for him in the Democratic primaries in 2020.
+ Scott Fitzgerald said that a true sign of genius was the ability to hold two opposing ideas in your mind at once. I’m not sure if that’s really a sign of intelligence or evidence of schizophrenia. But the Biden campaign wants you to believe that Black Democrats are firmly behind him, while at the same time blaming the plot to oust him on Obama.
+ In fact, Black Democrats aren’t firmly behind Biden, according to a new poll by The Economist…
Should Biden step aside…
Black voters: Yes 49%, No 34%
Hispanic voters: Yes 56%, No 22%
Younger voters: Yes 58%, No 20%
Independents: Yes 60%, No 21%
+ Post-debate polling shows only 29% believe Biden has the mental capacity and physical stamina to serve for another four years. Even HRC is polling better than Biden. Stop the world, I want to get off…
Turning to Gaza, Julia Conley (COMMON DREAMS) notes:
Doctors who have had to perform "a constant flow of amputations" on injured children in Gaza
said Thursday that the injuries they have witnessed were consistent
with the use of "fragmentation bombs" loaded with shrapnel—which Israel has used in the past and which rights groups have said are designed to cause maximum casualties.
Volunteer doctors who have worked at European Hospital and al-Aqsa Hospital over the past three months told The Guardian that a majority of the patients they operated on were children who had wounds that were barely discernible—called "splinter injuries" by Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon from California—but caused catastrophic internal damage to the children's bodies.
"About half of the injuries I took care of were in young kids," said Sidhwa. "Children are more vulnerable to any penetrating injury because they have smaller bodies. Their vital parts are smaller and easier to disrupt. When children have lacerated blood vessels, their blood vessels are already so small it's very hard to put them back together. The artery that feeds the leg, the femoral artery, is only the thickness of a noodle in a small child. It's very, very small. So repairing it and keeping the kid's limb attached to them is very difficult."
The Guardian also spoke to explosives experts who reviewed pictures of the shrapnel found by medical staff and the doctors' descriptions of the tiny external wounds they treated on seriously injured children, and said the accounts were consistent with bombs the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) fits with "fragmentation sleeves" around warheads.
Amnesty International first documented the IDF's use of fragmentation bombs in Gaza in 2009 and said the explosives "appear designed to cause maximum injury and, in some respects, seem to be a more sophisticated version of the ball-bearings or nails and bolts which armed groups often pack into crude rockets and suicide bombs."
One weapons expert told The Guardian that Israel has claimed the weapons are more precise than large bombs designed to damage and destroy buildings.
Let's note this from yesterday's DEMOCRACY NOW!
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: The Washington Post is reporting Israel and Hamas have agreed to the framework for a new ceasefire and hostage deal following talks in Cairo and Doha. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius reports a senior U.S. official told him that the parties are now, quote, “negotiating details of how it will be implemented.”
But a final deal may not be imminent. This comes as Israel intensifies its attacks on Gaza while ordering all civilians in Gaza City to leave the city despite having no safe place to go. The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem decried the evacuation order of the city as, quote, “absolute madness.”
AMY GOODMAN: On the diplomatic front, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports Israel negotiators have returned from Doha for consultations with Israeli leaders. In Doha, the Israeli negotiators met with Egyptian, Qatari and U.S. officials. On the U.S. side, it was CIA Director William Burns. On the Israeli side, it was the head of Mossad, David Barnea.
We’re joined now by Daniel Levy, president of the U.S./Middle East Project, former Israeli peace negotiator, joining us from London.
Thanks so much for being with us again. Can you explain what’s at stake? What is this three-stage deal, Daniel?
DANIEL LEVY: Yes, indeed. Good to be with you.
So, the idea is that in the initial phase, there would be the withdrawal of the troops from large parts of Gaza, the Israeli military. You would have the release of those Israelis being held who are still alive and are not male soldiers. You would allow the real ramping up of humanitarian access — of course, that should happen anyway. And you would have Palestinian prisoners being released. And then you would move on to a second phase, where there would be a more significant Palestinian prisoner release, a full Israeli military withdrawal. The remaining soldiers would be released. And a third phase, in which bodies would be returned, and there would be the start of more consummate rehabilitation efforts.
But those are supposed to flow one to two to three. The big question — and it’s been the question for months — is whether you can just do phase one and then continue with the destruction, with everything you’ve been reporting on for months now, 21,000 children unaccounted for, 38,000 dead in Gaza and counting, and that’s without knowing what’s under the rubble. Does that continue? Or are there serious commitments that this will be a permanent cessation of this kind of hostility?
And here’s the rub. The document is trying to create a degree of constructive ambiguity, I think. And Hamas have said, “Look, we know there’s nothing ironclad” — I’m paraphrasing, OK? “We know there’s nothing ironclad, but we need to know, with maximum plausibility, that there is a commitment to this being a permanent cessation.” And what you have, on every occasion, is the Israeli prime minister stepping forward and saying, “Whoa! No, I am committing to continuing the war until its objectives are realized.” Those objectives are unrealizable. The military knows that. The families of the hostages know that. And therefore, he is trying to do everything to prevent a deal. And what we are seeing in the reportage is, unfortunately, still a lot of unsubstantiated optimism and, from the U.S. administration, continued deception.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: So, Daniel, if you could talk about — I mean, there was renewed hope that a deal could be reached, after Hamas last week reportedly gave up on its initial demand that a permanent ceasefire be part of the first phase of any agreement. If you could talk about the significance of Hamas doing that, why you think that they took that step? And the fact that there’s such, I mean, increasing opposition within Israel to Netanyahu’s stance, not just from hostage families, but this latest move that he made, saying, you know, that Israel — one of the conditions should be that Israel can resume fighting until conditions are met, that people were so widely critical within Israel of Netanyahu taking that position, do you think that might make any difference in the short term?
DANIEL LEVY: OK. So, on the Hamas side of things, I think there has been a deliberate misinterpretation of the Hamas position. The permanent ceasefire was never locked into phase one. It was always part of the transition from phase one to phase two. And there has constantly been this question of how to make that as reasonable, as likely as possible. Now, Hamas may be looking at this — I’m not privy to their internal conversations, of course. Hamas may be looking at this and saying, “We’re still here. We will be here if the Israelis resume their actions after a six-week hiatus.” We now have a situation where in order to dial down the escalation on the northern Israel-Lebanon, Israel-Hezbollah front, you very clearly need a situation to be dialed down. Maybe we can get the kind of humanitarian relief in. But all of these things will make it increasingly difficult for Israel, even if that’s what they intend, to resume these kinds of actions after six weeks, and we have a more desperate administration in the U.S. That might suggest where some additional wiggle room has been created. However, that wiggle room, I don’t think, can be sufficient enough to sustain what you mentioned in the second part of your question, which is to sustain a very vocal, very transparent and insistent Israeli forcing the issue that, no, there can be no permanent ceasefire. Netanyahu put out four conditions. One of them was any deal will allow Israel to resume fighting until all of the objectives of the war have been achieved. So, that doesn’t give you an ability to work.
Now, what about what’s going on inside Israel, your question regarding is the pressure now at a place where Netanyahu simply has to accept this? The unfortunate answer — and I so hope I’m wrong on all of this — the unfortunate answer is no. You do have greater protest. You do have the families more mobilized. You do have a military that is more clearly saying — again, I’m paraphrasing — “If we want a chance to deal with the situation in the north, whether deescalating or having the attention span to deal militarily, then you need a ceasefire in Gaza.” The military, by the way, prefers a deal. They prefer a ceasefire deal in Gaza because they know that’s the only way they’ll get a significant cohort of the hostages out. And they know that their reservists, their troops have been on the frontline for an awfully long time and are rather exhausted. So, the military, more transparently, has said that.
You do have the parliament going into a summer recess. And so, the hope, I think, was that Netanyahu could tell his right-wing — even more extreme than himself — coalition allies, “Guys, don’t leave me during the summer recess. There’s no urgency here. I promise you that by the time the parliament is back up to the Jewish holidays in October, I’ll be killing Palestinians just like I’ve done and just like you like me to do. We’ll be fighting a war in Gaza. In the meantime, you can have fun in the West Bank, causing provocation, causing mayhem, displacing Palestinians. Don’t rush to do anything crazy.” And they will say, “No, we’re going to bring you down.”
And Netanyahu is looking around, and he sees that the domestic pressure inside Israel is not a threat to his current viewed stability. And, crucially, he is seeing that the U.S. administration will continue, when push comes to shove, to say, “Ah, it’s Hamas’s fault,” and they will continue to send the weapons without which Israel could not be causing this death and destruction, the 500-pound bombs released again. And he knows he has a nice little date with Congress following the invitation by the Republican and Democratic congressional leadership on the 24th of July.
AMY GOODMAN: Daniel, let’s talk about July 24th. Yes, Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on July 24th. A number of prominent Israelis, including a former head of Mossad, a former prime minister and a Nobel Prize winner have written a joint op-ed in The New York Times headlined “We Are Israelis Calling on Congress to Disinvite Netanyahu.” They argue the invitation will make a ceasefire agreement more unlikely. They write, “Netanyahu’s supporters in Israel will be emboldened by his appearance in Congress to insist that the war continue, which will further distance any deal to secure the release of the hostages, including several U.S. citizens. Giving Mr. Netanyahu the stage in Washington will all but dismiss the rage and pain of his people, as expressed in the demonstrations throughout the country. American lawmakers should not let that happen. They should ask Mr. Netanyahu to stay home.” Your response to this?
DANIEL LEVY: I don’t like giving one-word responses, but it would be “amen.” So, if you’re looking at it from the Israeli perspective, then, absolutely, the way that the congressional leadership — but, I would argue, the way the administration — has behaved has cut off at the knees any prospect of the shift in Israel that’s necessary to end this war, that has led to the ICC and the ICJ, those international courts, taking those measures.
By the way, if I was looking at this from the perspective of international law in general, and the perspective of the Palestinians living under these conditions, I would say, “How the hell can you invite Netanyahu?”
But let me just say this, because you referenced that piece by Ignatius in The Washington Post, and here’s what most concerns me this morning. Ignatius is not writing as his own opinion here. He’s a consummate insider. He is being a faithful stenographer of the spin being given to him by the administration. And Ignatius writes the following, that “it would be a ringing validation of President Biden’s patient diplomacy” and “a potential valedictory moment,” if he got this ceasefire. Now, just pause. What the spin that the administration is telling us is, “Wow! We could get it through our patient diplomacy.” Can I translate the term “patient diplomacy”? “Patient diplomacy” means that after nine months, you have tens of thousands who are dead, nine out of 10 people who are displaced, starvation, humanitarian catastrophe, scholasticide. This is patient diplomacy that you should be proud of? The hostages are still there. America’s international reputation, that which was still remaining, as an upholder of international law has been thoroughly taken to the cleaners.
And, of course, there’s the internal situation on the Democrat side. And I would simply say, because I listened to your earlier segment, that you have a real problem if you think you can sell this spin. And if you treat your voters with contempt, you do that at your own risk. And sitting here in the U.K. — and I’ve just come back from Paris — I’ll tell you what happened in our elections here. In our elections here, Labour won a stunning majority in Parliament, but lost and only received 34% in the popular vote, 6% less than Corbyn in 2017. Why? Because voters deserted Labour over Gaza. And then, in France, you saw a new left alliance come together, close the enthusiasm gap with the right. Yes, it was about keeping the extreme right out, but it was also because one of the things that new left alliance did was to come up with a credible position on Gaza. And I would simply ask the question: Is this stunning validation of your approach what you’re going to be selling people? And you still haven’t got the ceasefire. You’re still sending the weapons. You are still in violation of international law.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Finally, Daniel, I wanted to ask you about the position of the Israeli military, which are becoming, as you’ve pointed out, more and more public in their opposition to the war. What is the significance of that? And could that make a difference?
DANIEL LEVY: Wow, it’s a big issue. So, what’s going on here is the military knows they have no political plan. They’re being sent on a mission that is unachievable. They have actually openly said you cannot defeat Hamas in the way Netanyahu talks about. This deradicalization agenda in Gaza, it’s for the birds. So I think what the military are saying is, “We need a different approach.”
The problem here, in addition to, of course, what the military has been conducting in Gaza, is that these are the same guys in the military who were in charge on October 7th. And there is a fight. There is a blame game between the military leadership and Netanyahu. Was it political —
AMY GOODMAN: We have 20 seconds, Daniel.
DANIEL LEVY: Was it political failure, or was it military failure? You have blame games when there is a failure. That’s what it is. And Netanyahu may replace some of this military, and that could be even more dangerous.
AMY GOODMAN: Daniel Levy, we want to thank you for being with us, president of the U.S./Middle East Project, former Israeli peace negotiator under Israeli Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Yitzhak Rabin.
That does it for our show. Democracy Now! will be broadcasting live from the Milwaukee Republican convention and the Chicago Democratic convention, expanding to two hours every day.
And we have a development director position opening to lead our fundraising efforts. You can check it out at democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. Thanks so much for joining us.
Gaza remains under assault. Day 280 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." Yesterday, THE NATIONAL noted, "At least 38,345 Palestinians have been killed and 88,295 injured in Israel's war on Gaza since October 7, the enclave's Health Ministry said on Thursday. In the past 24 hours, 50 people were killed and 54 injured, the ministry added in a statement." 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."
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