[IMPORTANT] Hamas launches foot assault against settlements.
ASPartOfMe
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I've often thought about you and hoped you were safe while watching the news coverage and seeing photos Lebanese citizens are posting online, while being frustrated at not knowing what I can do. Aside from any of us miraculously figuring out how to influence our governments and stop our tax dollars from being funneled to the Netanyahu administration, is there anything we can do? As far as offering support to you, materially, socially or otherwise? I know this is probably a stupid and naive-sounding question, but I genuinely don't know and would rather sound stupid than uncaring. I had been trying to donate to humanitarian aid organizations, but from what I have been reading, very little,
That’s nice of you; for the record I live in Beirut, never lived in Tye for long, but Tyre is where (and my parente) I hail from.
For the time being, yes - but it may not be for long; Israel is already cutting off Lebanon from Syria by holing all key border roads.
Thank you for continuing to inform us during these extremely difficult times. I would have understood if Wrong Planet is the last of your priorities at this time.
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Understood, although I can't say that makes me feel less concerned for your safety or feeling like I wish I could do something.
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There are reports that Iran is expected to launch a massive attack soon and is ready to “breakout” its nuclear program.
Biden or whomever is running the country will not be encumbered by how American action will be perceived by voters or affect an incoming Harris administration.
Not that I expected this to happen but cutting off arms to Israel would seem to be pointless as Trump would be expected to reverse the decision
More likely is not only give Israel the go ahead to do what they please but get involved directly. The B-52’s with their 30,000 pound bombs were sent to the region for a reason.
I can’t rule out a continuation of the current policy of giving Israel most of what it wants but not enough for them to not to worry that an all out war with Iran could not be won while continuing to express “concern” about civilian casualties.
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“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
So we have an aggressor, whom has no compunctions about bombing know civilian gathering spots in a destroyed country..Women and children reported from above . So a stronger case for ethnic cleansing can be made .
But the Catch is the USA is providing these planes and bombs ...And we the US people are manufacturing these things .
And due to the real power behind the Government here is the big Corporations thst lobby favours and influence.
Our Gov. entities . So what the Corporate Wartime mechanism wants , will always be what WE get . And by all outward appearances the Gov. doesnot want that to be addressed . And the Republicans are pro Corporations ( business) not
the people,it appears . And we just elected by order of the Corporations our new Republican pres.
The connections run deep I fear, in media aswell a War making businesses. Odd that VP Harris did not start doing adverts for her presidential run much earlier And made no attempts to look exceptional in the VP office . But Trump kept his name in the media for years good or bad, he recieved free advertising. His name became common term for any current event discussions about his dibocle .Entire time he waited for the election.
So far it looks like he will still support Israel in genocide. And avoid any interests about it in congress I fear.
And he had brought up Hunter Biden large scale business concerns in Ukraine before to undermine the Biden campaign.
Does anyone think the US will be supporting Ukraine after Trumpy takes office.?? (sorry if slightly of topic ).
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The_Face_of_Boo
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https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj11ja00da0
124 countries voted in favor for the UN proposal for arms embargo on Israel.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj11ja00da0
124 countries voted in favor for the UN proposal for arms embargo on Israel.
I think that it probably won't matter as long as the US continues to provide arms to Israel. Since it's the UN General Assembly, it's not legally binding and will probably only be implemented by the countries that agreed with it. On the other hand, if it gets proposed in the Security Council to make it legally binding, the US will veto it.
[thank you Face of Boo for posting something, that seems to be in similiar in facts . about the UN that I only thought .
Was a little similiar to this earlier posting by me .And my writing are not mean't to actually predict the Future information posted about a UN proposal . And judging by Boos most recent post. about the UN vote . Concerning the
immediate actions needed to create peace or a sembilence of that . But a tiny amount of pramatism and common sense
to see, what is obvious . That seems most other countries have also put forth a very similiar Idea, Of Disarming A Nation appearing to have gone rogue . " To disarm Israel .And allow UN soldiers to follow their own humanitarian missions .
And has No one noticed ,the Israeli military , is how it is referred to in the USA , Called the "Israeli Defence Forces "
Note the irony of this name . At this point in time they are NOT defending Israel but are using SS tactics employed by
WW2 Germany Of being StormTroopers. Invading another country and their neighbours is Not ,,by Any known Metric
to be a "Defence Force" or better known to be the IDF . These methods used are just what the crack Waffen SS used
as they crushed Europe , with the rest of the Naz i . Military from that period in time . And stalled any international efforts to protect member Nations by playing the diplomacy card, for peace . Needing that same delay , to invade most of the rest of Europe from the days of WW2 .
Theoretical : since they overan Lebonan UN positions ,technically they have started a War with the UN also . And all those nations wanting to stop Israeli Aggrestion . Are UN members , and Inspite of Israel supposably being a member of the UN , a resolution by the UN to disarm Israel and won by majority should have worked . Or at the very least remove them from the UN as a member . The entire situation wreaks of corruption and criminal behaviour by Any Nation supporting them .
btw : the B-52s deployed to Israel ..should have caused the UN to react with force..As B-52 usually are applied in Carpet bombing methods from high above a battleground ..With the idea , of making that bombed area devoid of Human life. A Big role the B-52 played in Veit Nam .To clear areas Of humans .Making these planes and idea of Genocide on a entirely new scale of destruction.
Now those same weapons are in the Hands of a Genocidal Rogue Nation .
A thought bubble: Why doesnt North Korea or China send troops to aide Palestinian and Lebonese people ..
certainly not a unexpected idea . And logically. A way for those Countries a foothold in the middleeast .
Am quite sure the Lebonese and Palestinians , Even maybe Iran too, would appreciate the Help .
Seems perhaps the Thing could come to a peak, inspite of what the American people want( by appearances)
of wanting our own country to stop their activities of supplying this Rogue nation . This situation could go nuclear
at anytime .
(***********************************************************************************************
Kinda wonder when the UN or the World will figure this is out of control ...Maybe the thought that Israel needs to be disarmed ...YESTERDAY ...Little sad that Lebanon has no security forces of its own to drive back this invading army. ..... And if it has a Ally in the region..? why have they not beseiged Israel ? in Limited military action..only people are made homeless and dead. Does Lebanon have a militia ? And if it Hamas, then, Where are they .?
Thinking hamas is the problem..but if hamas is the ally that supports these countries , Then , why in Allahs/ Yahwehs name ...dont they all ( all of the middleEast)descend on Israel. And any bases in their respective countries that supplies the Israeli War effort
......????? Never been fond of any Ayatollas,that I have heard of ? but this is a actual real time genocide, just based on information from this site alone. the USA needs to entirely let the middle east handle the pesky Israel and not involve in supplying them . Allow Russia and Iran to blockade Israeli Ports and perhaps allow Israel to live under the same terms of existence as Palestine . We supported Ukraine,,in recovering their land, but in Palestine and Lebanon,and ex ally Iran ,it seriously appears that we are on the wrong side . Why not help recover lands in Lebanon,And Palestine .
********************************************************************
a much older saying : We saw them coming for our neighbours and were glad it was not us, And we turned away from helping our neighbours . And we were glad it was them and not us .Then time passed and now they came for us , but now we had no more neighbours to ask for help . ( imagine if we helped our neighbours at least there would be more of us..for them to try to over run)
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The_Face_of_Boo
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https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj11ja00da0
124 countries voted in favor for the UN proposal for arms embargo on Israel.
I think that it probably won't matter as long as the US continues to provide arms to Israel. Since it's the UN General Assembly, it's not legally binding and will probably only be implemented by the countries that agreed with it. On the other hand, if it gets proposed in the Security Council to make it legally binding, the US will veto it.
Indeed, the General Assembly has no authority and can’t issue compulsory resolutions; the above was a proposal of a resolution, but it will be vetoed anyway
ASPartOfMe
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Israel said to believe US prepared to go ‘all the way’ with threats over Gaza aid crisis
A Channel 12 report on Saturday noted that in mid-October, Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel in a letter that it had 30 days — until November 13 — to implement significant improvements to the humanitarian situation in Gaza or jeopardize the continued supply of US weapons.
The drop in aid supplies, they warned at the time, called into question Israel’s commitment that it would not restrict the entry of aid into Gaza and that it is using US weapons in line with international law.
That written commitment was provided last March in order to ensure Israel’s compliance with a national security memorandum (NSM) issued by Biden in February. The memo applies to all recipients of US security assistance.
With the 30-day period set to expire on Wednesday, Austin, according to Saturday’s TV report, urged Katz on Friday to raise the issue before the cabinet and said Israel needed to maintain what Katz told him was a recent increase in aid;. He also stressed the need to ensure there is no harm to noncombatants in Gaza war.
Katz reportedly responded that Israel is trying to cooperate on the aid issue, but Hamas keeps stealing supplies and selling them for high prices. Israel wants to be sure it reaches the populace, Katz said, and is working with Arab states to help ensure this.
The TV report said Israel believes the US intends to go “all the way” in pressing Israel on this issue, rather than letting it slide because the Biden administration will be out of office in two months.
In practice, the report said, this means that if Washington is not convinced there has been a dramatic change for the better as regards aid delivery and distribution, there could be a “direct collision” on the issue of arms supplies.
In its readout of the Austin-Katz call, the US Defense Department noted that the secretary emphasized “the need to improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza.”
Israel has greatly improved aid access to Gaza in recent weeks, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said last week, including the opening of the Kissufim Border Crossing, which brings the number of crossing points into the Strip to five.
While Israel has made progress on the matter, Miller said there was more work to be done to meet the requirements posed in the October 13 letter.
On Friday, the United Nations’ independent Famine Review Committee issued a rare warning that there was a “strong likelihood” of imminent famine in parts of north Gaza with immediate action required from the warring parties to ease a catastrophic situation.
The IDF rejected the FRC report, saying it relied on “partial, biased data and superficial sources with vested interests,” and claimed that it was facilitating full aid transfer efforts to all areas of the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu: I’ve spoken to Trump three times, we see eye to eye on Iran
“These were good and very important conversations” and were "designed to further tighten the strong alliance between Israel and the USA,” Netanyahu said.
He stressed that he and the incoming President were aligned on the dangers posed by Iran.
"We see eye to eye on the Iranian threat in all its components and the danger it poses,” Netanyahu told his government at its weekly meeting on Sunday.
He and Trump are also aligned on the “great opportunities before Israel,” particularly with regard to peace and the opportunities to expand it, Netanyahu said.
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“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Yes,Yes , Israel was suppose to comply , when? Last. " March"...? .And how many people have have , Had a loss of life and property since then . Not a very Funny Stall Tactic , by both the USA and Israel . And you can bet Israel stored up enough extra weapons of mass destruction . If they really thought there might be a War.
Now Trump wanting additional National / World Press exposure . Got his connections with Netenyahu published in the news .After Netenyahu is easily recognizable as being News Worthy .
So two giant , apparently possible Nutters . Are not going to start a War ? Might be alittle late for the Palestinians and
the Lebanese (to think for a moment) that they are not currently involved in a War......IMHO
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A Channel 12 report on Saturday noted that in mid-October, Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel in a letter that it had 30 days — until November 13 — to implement significant improvements to the humanitarian situation in Gaza or jeopardize the continued supply of US weapons.
The drop in aid supplies, they warned at the time, called into question Israel’s commitment that it would not restrict the entry of aid into Gaza and that it is using US weapons in line with international law.
That written commitment was provided last March in order to ensure Israel’s compliance with a national security memorandum (NSM) issued by Biden in February. The memo applies to all recipients of US security assistance.
With the 30-day period set to expire on Wednesday, Austin, according to Saturday’s TV report, urged Katz on Friday to raise the issue before the cabinet and said Israel needed to maintain what Katz told him was a recent increase in aid;. He also stressed the need to ensure there is no harm to noncombatants in Gaza war.
Katz reportedly responded that Israel is trying to cooperate on the aid issue, but Hamas keeps stealing supplies and selling them for high prices. Israel wants to be sure it reaches the populace, Katz said, and is working with Arab states to help ensure this.
The TV report said Israel believes the US intends to go “all the way” in pressing Israel on this issue, rather than letting it slide because the Biden administration will be out of office in two months.
In practice, the report said, this means that if Washington is not convinced there has been a dramatic change for the better as regards aid delivery and distribution, there could be a “direct collision” on the issue of arms supplies.
In its readout of the Austin-Katz call, the US Defense Department noted that the secretary emphasized “the need to improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza.”
Israel has greatly improved aid access to Gaza in recent weeks, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said last week, including the opening of the Kissufim Border Crossing, which brings the number of crossing points into the Strip to five.
While Israel has made progress on the matter, Miller said there was more work to be done to meet the requirements posed in the October 13 letter.
On Friday, the United Nations’ independent Famine Review Committee issued a rare warning that there was a “strong likelihood” of imminent famine in parts of north Gaza with immediate action required from the warring parties to ease a catastrophic situation.
The IDF rejected the FRC report, saying it relied on “partial, biased data and superficial sources with vested interests,” and claimed that it was facilitating full aid transfer efforts to all areas of the Gaza Strip.
Well, this is the US's last chance to go all the way. This threat started after the Biden administration found out about the Israeli generals plan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_generals%27_plan
Once Trump takes over next year though, his administration will give Israel carte blanche to do whatever they want. There's a reason why Israeli right-wingers celebrated his election victory.
ASPartOfMe
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A Channel 12 report on Saturday noted that in mid-October, Austin and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Israel in a letter that it had 30 days — until November 13 — to implement significant improvements to the humanitarian situation in Gaza or jeopardize the continued supply of US weapons.
The drop in aid supplies, they warned at the time, called into question Israel’s commitment that it would not restrict the entry of aid into Gaza and that it is using US weapons in line with international law.
That written commitment was provided last March in order to ensure Israel’s compliance with a national security memorandum (NSM) issued by Biden in February. The memo applies to all recipients of US security assistance.
With the 30-day period set to expire on Wednesday, Austin, according to Saturday’s TV report, urged Katz on Friday to raise the issue before the cabinet and said Israel needed to maintain what Katz told him was a recent increase in aid;. He also stressed the need to ensure there is no harm to noncombatants in Gaza war.
Katz reportedly responded that Israel is trying to cooperate on the aid issue, but Hamas keeps stealing supplies and selling them for high prices. Israel wants to be sure it reaches the populace, Katz said, and is working with Arab states to help ensure this.
The TV report said Israel believes the US intends to go “all the way” in pressing Israel on this issue, rather than letting it slide because the Biden administration will be out of office in two months.
In practice, the report said, this means that if Washington is not convinced there has been a dramatic change for the better as regards aid delivery and distribution, there could be a “direct collision” on the issue of arms supplies.
In its readout of the Austin-Katz call, the US Defense Department noted that the secretary emphasized “the need to improve the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza.”
Israel has greatly improved aid access to Gaza in recent weeks, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said last week, including the opening of the Kissufim Border Crossing, which brings the number of crossing points into the Strip to five.
While Israel has made progress on the matter, Miller said there was more work to be done to meet the requirements posed in the October 13 letter.
On Friday, the United Nations’ independent Famine Review Committee issued a rare warning that there was a “strong likelihood” of imminent famine in parts of north Gaza with immediate action required from the warring parties to ease a catastrophic situation.
The IDF rejected the FRC report, saying it relied on “partial, biased data and superficial sources with vested interests,” and claimed that it was facilitating full aid transfer efforts to all areas of the Gaza Strip.
Well, this is the US's last chance to go all the way. This threat started after the Biden administration found out about the Israeli generals plan:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_generals%27_plan
Once Trump takes over next year though, his administration will give Israel carte blanche to do whatever they want. There's a reason why Israeli right-wingers celebrated his election victory.
I wonder how practical this is. Israel will just wait until Trump restocks them. Maybe I am wrong but I would think Israel has enough weapons to hang in there for two months.
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“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
Yes..yes Israeli " Defence" Forces ....I think NOT ..Nothing about their military would be considered defensive at this point. ..... WW2 People referred to militaries which practiced , these lightening War Tactics as Storm Troopers , as in the WW2 Germans called their SS troops. . .
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ASPartOfMe
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State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters the decision came as "Israel has taken a number of steps" outlined in a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Israeli counterparts last month. "We continue to be in discussion with Israel about the steps they took and other steps they need to take," he said.
An average of just over 30 trucks a day have been let into Gaza in recent weeks, representing “just over six percent of the daily needs,” according to Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations agency assisting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
“What is being allowed into Gaza is not enough,” he wrote in a post on X on Friday.
Before Israel launched its offensive in Gaza, around 500 trucks entered the enclave each day, according to the British Red Cross.
Tuesday's deadline was set by Washington for Israel to meet a host of requirements aimed at boosting aid into Gaza or face restrictions on U.S. military assistance, as required under U.S. law. American spending on Israel’s military operations reached more than $17.9 billion from Oct. 7 last year to Sept. 30, according to Brown University’s Costs of War Project.
Over the weekend, the World Health Organization warned that northern Gaza in particular is at risk of imminent famine as the area falls under heavy Israeli bombardment.
Germany, a firm ally of Israel and one of its leading weapons suppliers, on Sunday issued unusually critical comments about Israeli actions in Gaza.
“At no time in the past 12 months has so little help reached the Gaza Strip as is the case at the moment,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said. “Israel’s right to self-defence is limited by international humanitarian law, which includes the stipulation that humanitarian access must be guaranteed at all times and must never be used as a method of warfare. Time and again, promises have been made and not kept.”
Meanwhile, Israel has informed the United Nations that it planned to sever ties entirely with UNRWA, which has long played a vital role in aid distribution in the enclave, including during Israel’s more than yearlong offensive in Gaza.
According to a copy published by Axios, the letter from Blinkin and Austin to their Israeli counterparts last month noted that Washington must continually assess whether Israel is “directly or indirectly” impeding the transport of U.S. aid to Gaza — a requirement stemming from Provision 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act, under which the U.S. is prevented from providing military assistance to a country that restricts the delivery of humanitarian aid, unless a national security waiver is issued.
NBC News has not seen an original copy of the letter and the Pentagon could not confirm to NBC News whether the letter published by Axios was the final version sent to the Israeli officials.
Meanwhile, fears are growing that pressure to address the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza will fade as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.
“Israel hasn’t come close to allowing the amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza that the Biden administration says is a requirement for ongoing U.S. military aid,” Kenneth Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, said Monday. “Indeed, if anything, the starvation and deprivation in northern Gaza have gotten worse.”
The United Nations said over the weekend that women and children make up more than 70% of those who have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
Israeli minister draws criticism for saying Trump's win is an opportunity to annex parts of the West Bank
Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that “the time has come” to extend Israeli sovereignty over settlements in the area — land recognized by the international community as belonging to Palestinians in their quest for a future state.
The Israeli minister welcomed the president-elect’s victory and said he would seek Trump's support for the move.
“I intend, with God’s help, to lead a government decision that says that the government of Israel will work with the new administration of President Trump and the international community to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria,” he said, using a name employed by many Israelis for the West Bank.
Discussions on plans to annex parts of the West Bank were held between Israel and Washington during Trump’s first term, and Smotrich said that he would push his government to engage with the incoming administration to gain support.
“We will apply the sovereignty, together with our American friends,” he added.
Smotrich added that he would seek international recognition for sovereignty over the West Bank, but his announcement quickly drew global condemnation.
A State Department spokesperson called the comments “disturbing” and “not conducive to building an enduring peace.”
The Biden administration has “reiterated consistently the clear position of the United States in support of a two-state solution as part of a negotiated process that provides for an independent Palestinian state, with security guarantees for Israel,” the spokesperson said.
Germany’s ambassador in Israel, Steffen Seibert, “strongly condemned” Smotrich’s statement, which he said was “an open call for annexation.”
“Any preparation to implement this goal is in full breach of international law,” he wrote on X.
Condemning Smotrich’s call “in the strongest possible terms,” Qatar’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement that it represented a “blatant violation of international law.”
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesperson for the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, said that Smotrich’s remarks confirmed the Israeli government’s intention to annex the West Bank.The Palestinian Authority administers parts of the West Bank while its rival, Hamas, is still nominally in charge of Gaza, after driving Abbas' security forces out in a 2007 takeover.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to comment on Smotrich’s plan.
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DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman