Blood..

 

Protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza repeatedly interrupted Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday. The protesters derailed proceedings at least five times, staggering their interjections throughout his opening statement. 

“Blinken, you have blood on your hands! Murderer!” one protester yelled amid calls for a ceasefire from others in the room. “From Palestine to Mexico all the walls have got to go,” the demonstrators chanted.

Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin appeared before the Appropriations Committee to discuss the Biden administration’s $105 billion national security funding request, which includes aid for both Israel and Ukraine. Blinken addressed the interruptions during his remarks to the committee. 

“I also hear, very much, the passions expressed in this room and outside this room,” Blinken said in response. “All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life. All of us know the suffering that is taking place as we speak. All of us are determined to see it end.”                  Do we really know?

Displaced.

 

Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.

It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.

The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. 

They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished.  Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing.

But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas.  And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

Even war has rules. 

We must demand that all parties uphold and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law; take constant care in the conduct of military operations to spare civilians; and respect and protect hospitals and respect the inviolability of UN facilities which today are sheltering more than 600,000 Palestinians. 

EV..

 

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Money..

 

Shifting..

 

The U.N. General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution Friday calling for a “humanitarian truce” in Gaza leading to a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas war.

The 193-member world body adopted the resolution after rejecting a Canadian amendment backed by the United States.  

The United Arab Emirates Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, the Arab representative on the Security Council, expressed delight at the result.

“120 votes in this kind of geopolitical environment is a very, very high signal of the support for international law. Just a thought.

Pinata..

 

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Casualties..

 

Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France President Emmanuel Macron, Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released a joint statement Sunday.

"The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians," the statement read.

Just a thought.

Nearing..