"After a year of conflict, two-thirds of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged or destroyed, leaving behind 42 million tonnes of rubble and a mountain of health risks."

This is from Oct. 5th. I likely missed it because I thought I would be too upset. Anyway I called (& wrote) my members of Congress to ask them to look at this article and examine why they haven't called for an arms embargo.

https://www.reuters.com/graphics/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/ANNIVERSARY-GAZA-RUBBLE/akveegbnlvr/

#genocide #israel #gaza #palestine #GenocideJoe

UNRWA is a UN org created with US backing in the early 1950s to help Palestinian refugees. Since world leaders have never kept their promise to the Palestinian people to create and support a nation (within the pre-1967 boundaries) UNRWA forms a huge part of the societal "infrastructure" -- education, health care, etc -- of the West Bank and Gaza.

Yesterday Israel's government voted to ban UNRWA. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/10/1156231

#Israel #Palestine #genocide

In #Seattle, people whose families immigrated or were refugees from #Palestine are dealing with grief and mental health. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/mental-health/for-palestinians-in-seattle-war-in-gaza-brings-lasting-mental-health-toll/

Meanwhile the school district is investigating teachers targeted by right wing extremists for voicing any compassion for Palestinians (outside school until the extremists showed up at their school!) https://southseattleemerald.org/voices/2024/10/30/opinion-open-letter-to-seattle-public-schools-reinstate-teacher-ian-golash-immediately #genocide #UnitedStatesGenocide

united states, israel, palestine
It probably seems pointless but if you live in the US or can vote I encourage you to call or write your members of Congress and ask them to call for an end to sending arms to Israel. There's still a genocide. #genocide #GenocideJoe #gaza #palestine

The local #Seattle Times is manufacturing consent for #genocide.

The president of the largest publicly funded university in the state had her home & car vandalized. The article seems to label messages like "free palestine" and "blood on your hands" as "pro-Hamas".

Jewish groups mentioned or quoted as is issue of antisemitism. No local Palestinian-Americans are quoted. They exist and many have family who have died.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/uw-presidents-home-car-vandalized-university-says/

I don't personally think vandalism like this is particularly effective but who knows! At least people will hear about the issue even in this biased form. It is surely not unexpected when tens of thousands of people including children are being killed with monetary and cultural support from the United States and its institutions. It's even more expected when the university is among many in shutting down more "legitimate" protest actions.

Some recent reading and listening that in part touches on #Palestine:

Book:
- Recognizing the Stranger by Isabella Hammad - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/463942/recognising-the-stranger-by-hammad-isabella/9781911717379
- The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates - https://ta-nehisicoates.com/books/the-message/

Podcasts:
- Makdisi Street esp https://overcast.fm/+ABFQ4VKNQJo (with Rashid Khalidi)
- On the Nose esp https://overcast.fm/+AAwyJIMtIc8 (w Naomi Klein and Hala Alyan) and https://overcast.fm/+AAwyJJdYIo8 (with TNC)
- The Big Picture - https://overcast.fm/+AA_5fR30TBo

#UnitedStates folks! Senator Sanders has introduced 6 Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block arms sales to #Israel. They might not pass. But it's worth calling and telling your senators (at least) why they should vote for them. US and international law clearly at this point are being violated. Tens of thousands of children in #Gaza have been killed with our tax dollars with no sign that it will stop. Please call yours!

#Seattle / #Washington folks. Maybe you also think it's wrong your tax dollars have funded the deaths of tens of thousands of children? Consider calling Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.

Murray: (202) 224-2621 (DC), (206) 553-5545 (Seattle)

Cantwell: (202) 224-3441 (DC)

The SEIU has called for support of resolutions from Sen. Sanders to end arms sales. https://www.seiu.org/2024/11/seiu-supports-sen-sanders-joint-resolutions-of-disapproval-to-block-sale-of-offensive-weapons-to-israel #EndGenocideInGaza

I don't actually like to frame this issue this way -- it's not how I think about it as the US' long standing abuse of its world power is more important than "my taxes" -- but that is not how a lot of folks think.

God it's so gross. Biden's legacy is going to be the murder of tens of thousands of children and not the best climate policy the US has ever seen.

Thread on bluesky of the WH pushing senate dems to vote against the JRD: https://bsky.app/profile/diplomatofnight.com/post/3lbdqnsgbxk2a

It seems unlikely they have the votes to pass it (given need for R votes) but still pushing the minority Dems to vote against?!

The US vetoed another UN security council resolution calling for an unconditional ceasefire and return of hostages / release of prisoners. Nearly every other country in the world supports this. https://bsky.app/profile/diplomatofnight.com/post/3lbfcbntves25 #EndGenocideInGaza

If you are in the US call your senators to ask them to support the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval. They are being voted on today! https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/resource/tell-senators-no-more-weapons-to-israel/ #Israel #palestine #genocide #uspol

I am sad to report that it appears both Senators Murray and Cantwell of #Washington voted against the JRDs. A yes vote would indicate their support for ending arms shipments to Israel supporting the #genocide of the people in Gaza.

Looks like 2 more votes to go but I don't imagine they'd vote against some and for others. But I guess it's too soon to say?

I called the Seattle and DC numbers for Senators Murray and Cantwell to express my disapproval and reiterate the need for an arms embargo.

Also Biden sucks. Keep in mind the ICC also indicted a Hamas leader. One group of people committing atrocities doesn't give other people a free pass for other atrocities.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/20/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-warrant-applications-by-the-international-criminal-court/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/11/21/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-warrants-issued-by-the-international-criminal-court/

I got a response from #Washington Senator Murray about her failure to vote for Senator Sanders' Joint Resolutions of Disapproval. 👎🏼

If you read the 4th paragraph it's clear that to her the people of Gaza being killed by the US & Israel either:

- aren't mostly civilians, or
- aren't innocent, or
- are "culpable" civilians who deserve death, or
- aren't equal to the possible future deaths of people who largely aren't in Gaza.

#Gaza #genocide #israel #uspol

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Technically I suppose there's a fifth option that she thinks decreasing the arms the United States sends to Israel will increase civilian deaths in Gaza. I didn't list that because that's so obviously absurd. But let's be "fair". 🤮

Cross post of something on another social on ways to help Palestinian safety and freedom.

https://bsky.app/profile/r343l.bsky.social/post/3lcsma25fac2u

#EndGenocideInGaza #freepalestine

I'm clearing out my inbox at my desk for the first time since getting covid so the first major thing I did was write my representative in the House that I am disgusted his email update this week on passing the NDAA doesn't even mention this bullshit dehumanizing provision that bans the Pentagon from using Gaza Ministry of Health numbers. The least Adam Smith could do is express regret that the provision stayed in.

https://c.im/@cdarwin/113643461901455642

I didn't expect him to vote against the NDAA -- after all he's long been the ranking member of the main committee in the House on military stuff! -- but he could at least acknowledge the pain of the members of his community who are affected personally by the #genocide in #Gaza and the others who oppose it.

My bike commute today I started this episode of Makdisi Street on international law, the ICC, the ICJ, how hard war crimes and similar are hard to prosecute and how/why #Israel seems to be particularly protected. https://sites.libsyn.com/495388/the-problem-has-always-been-that-israel-is-above-the-law-w-nimer-sultany

Last night we were sorting some US quarters and found this one. I am nostalgic about the vision and promise of the UN and international cooperation. My government constantly undermines and destroys that vision. #EndGenocideInGaza

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Over on bluesky I have a list of things you can actually do. https://bsky.app/profile/r343l.bsky.social/post/3lcsma25fac2u #EndGenocideInGaza #palestine #uspol