Israel's Use of White Phosphorus in Lebanon 6/8/2024

 

                                Israel's Use of White Phosphorus in Lebanon

The recent report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) detailing Israel's use of white phosphorus munitions in southern Lebanon is alarming and highlights a serious violation of international law. Since October 2023, Israeli forces have dropped these incendiary weapons on at least 17 municipalities, causing significant civilian harm and widespread displacement.

White phosphorus is known for its horrific effects, including severe burns that can penetrate to the bone and cause lifelong suffering. According to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health, at least 173 people have been injured due to these attacks. The resulting fires have not only destroyed homes and forests but have also turned populated areas into militarized zones, forcing many residents to flee.

HRW’s investigation, which included analysis of over 100 photos and videos and interviews with local residents and officials, confirmed the use of white phosphorus in civilian areas. This use of white phosphorus violates international humanitarian law, which prohibits indiscriminate attacks and mandates the protection of civilians during conflict.

Despite these findings, Israeli authorities have denied the unlawful use of white phosphorus, stating that their munitions are intended for creating smokescreens rather than causing harm. However, the evidence presented by HRW contradicts these claims, showing that these munitions have been used in ways that directly endanger civilian lives and property.

It is imperative for the international community to address this issue urgently. Israel must cease the use of white phosphorus in populated areas, and stronger international regulations are needed to prevent the misuse of incendiary weapons. Additionally, the Lebanese government should pursue legal action through the International Criminal Court to ensure accountability for these war crimes.

The international community's silence and inaction on this matter only embolden such violations. We must collectively advocate for the protection of civilians and uphold international laws designed to prevent such atrocities.

 

Biden's Hypocracy 6/7/2024

 

                                       Biden's Hypocracy

Biden lectures autocrats around the world but embraces  autocracy of Israel!

I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment over the recent Israeli airstrike that killed dozens of civilians at a shelter in Gaza, reportedly using U.S.-supplied munitions. This tragic event underscores a significant contradiction in President Biden's foreign policy stance, particularly as articulated during the D-Day ceremony.

In his address, President Biden stated, "And make no mistake: The autocrats of the world are watching closely to see what happens in Ukraine, to see if we let this illegal aggression go unchecked. We cannot let that happen. To surrender to bullies, to bow down to dictators is simply unthinkable." These are powerful words, emphasizing the need to resist autocratic aggression and defend democratic principles.

However, President Biden's support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contradicts this message. Under Netanyahu's leadership, the Israeli Defense Forces have conducted a relentless 24-hour bombing campaign in Gaza, using U.S. weapons, resulting in the deaths of approximately 36,000 innocent civilians and the destruction of schools and hospitals. This has effectively turned Gaza into an uninhabitable graveyard and perpetuated the suffering of Palestinians in the West Bank.

By continuing to provide military support to Israel, President Biden is enabling one of the worst autocrats in the world, making us complicit in these atrocities. It is outrageous that President Biden has become a mere pawn of Israel’s ongoing genocide, mass murder, and mass starvation.

Shame on you, Mr. President. You have made all Americans complicit in these barbaric crimes against a defenseless population. I shudder to think what awaits you on the Day of Judgment!

Israel Targets U.S. Lawmakers with Fake Accounts 6/6/2024

                                          Israel Targets U.S. Lawmakers with Fake Accounts

In response to the worldwide revulsion over its ongoing genocide of the Palestinians, Israel has created an influence campaign targeting U.S. lawmakers.

According to officials and documents, Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs orchestrated a covert operation using fake social media accounts to garner support for Israel's military actions in Gaza. The campaign, with a budget of $2 million, hired the political marketing firm Stoic to create and manage hundreds of fake accounts on platforms such as X, Facebook, and Instagram. These accounts posed as real Americans and urged U.S. lawmakers, particularly Black Democrats like Representative Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Raphael Warnock, to fund Israel’s military efforts. Additionally, the campaign fabricated three fake news sites to further disseminate pro-Israel content.

Despite the campaign's limited impact, with many followers likely being bots, the implications of a foreign government's attempt to influence American policy and public opinion are significant. It highlights the urgent need for transparency and accountability in both political marketing and social media regulation.

I urge lawmakers and social media companies to take this matter seriously and implement measures to prevent such manipulations in the future.

Censorships in Elite Colleges 6/5/2924

 

                                             Censorships in Elite Colleges

I am writing to express my concern over the recent decision by the board of directors of the Columbia Law Review to take down their website, ostensibly for maintenance, but in reality, to suppress the publication of a significant scholarly article. The article in question, "Toward Nakba as a Legal Concept" by Palestinian human rights lawyer Rabea Eghbariah, explores the legal ramifications of the Nakba, the 1948 Palestinian catastrophe.

This decision followed the refusal of the journal's student editors to comply with the board's request to delay the article's publication. In response, the board, composed of Columbia University faculty and alumni, shut down the entire website. This move has sparked controversy and raises serious questions about academic freedom and censorship.

Despite the board's actions, the student editors persisted and the article has since gone viral after being uploaded to a public site. Eghbariah's work delves into the inadequacies of existing legal language to fully capture the Palestinian experience of occupation, apartheid, and genocide, and proposes the recognition of the Nakba as a distinct legal concept.

This incident mirrors a similar rejection by the Harvard Law Review, highlighting a troubling trend of censorship against Palestinian scholarship. Such actions not only undermine the principles of free speech and academic inquiry but also amplify the very voices they seek to silence.

It is imperative that academic institutions uphold their commitment to open discourse and the free exchange of ideas. The suppression of Eghbariah's article is a disservice to the academic community and the broader quest for justice and human rights.

GAZA 6/2/2024

 

                                                      GAZA

The current tragedy in Israel involves the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Gaza's terrified civilians through mass starvation and bombings. This dire situation is exacerbated by the encouragement of Palestinians to flee the country, often paying corrupt Egyptian officials exorbitant fees to escape. The IDF has targeted aid workers who are now fearful of driving into Gaza from Egypt. Although Israel has paused the fighting to allow aid, it claims that armed gangs are looting the trucks. Why can’t the IDF escort the trucks across the border? This pause seems like mere propaganda to satisfy the Biden administration’s demands rather than a genuine effort to provide humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, settler terrorism in the West Bank continues.

Despite a daily pause in fighting observed by Israel along a key road, over 1,000 truckloads of supplies remain stranded near the Kerem Shalom border crossing, just miles away from Palestinians who urgently need them. Trucks have been riddled with bullet holes by armed gangs, and the risk to employees’ lives has led aid agencies to stop sending goods into the territory. As a result, the Israeli military’s daily pause in fighting along the aid route has produced minimal humanitarian benefit.

 

 8/11/2023                     Concerns Over Recent U.S. Marine Deployment in the Persian Gulf

 I am profoundly concerned regarding the recent deployment of U.S. Marines to guard commercial ships in the Persian Gulf, as reported in the article titled "Is Biden Risking War with Iran as U.S. Deploys Marines to Guard Commercial Ships in the Persian Gulf?" published on August 8, 2023, by Democracy Now!

This development has raised alarm bells regarding the potential escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran. By positioning Marines to protect commercial vessels, the Biden administration seems to be taking a proactive stance in ensuring safe maritime trade routes. However, this move carries the risk of unintentionally provoking Iran and heightening an already fragile geopolitical situation in the region.

While it is crucial to safeguard international shipping lanes, it is equally vital to consider diplomatic solutions that foster stability and prevent unnecessary military confrontations. The history of U.S.-Iran relations underscores the complexity of the situation, and any move that may be perceived as aggressive could exacerbate hostilities.

As concerned global citizens, we must encourage open dialogue and peaceful resolutions to conflicts. It is my hope that the U.S. administration remains committed to diplomatic efforts and exercises caution in its actions, avoiding any unintended consequences that might lead to further conflict.

Drone Strikes 6/24/2023

 

24, June 2023                                  Drone Strikes

I am appalled that our government is aiding terrorist attacks by Israeli settlers and the army on defenseless Palestinian civilians including young children. For decades the US government has donated $billions of aid and a blanket complete impunity to facilitate these terrorist attacks. 

From Drone Strikes to Settler terrorist attacks, Israel is intensifying efforts to drive out all Palestinians to usher in a “greater Israel.”

Israel has launched several attacks on Palestinians with new weapons, including deploying U.S.-made Apache helicopter gunships inside the West Bank and firing a targeted assassination aerial strikes. Jewish settlers have also raided Palestinian villages in the West Bank, attacking residents and setting fire to homes and vehicles. Mariam Barghouti, senior Palestine correspondent for Mondoweiss, calls the attacks “an intensification to completely take over Palestine.” The growing violence is reflective of the leadership of Israel’s minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who recently called for the renewing of Defensive Shield, a military operation which used similar weaponry in 2002 that has been condemned for “crimes against humanity.” This all comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government has agreed to accelerate the process for approving new settlements in the West Bank despite criticism from the United Nations, European Union and United States.

Mr. Biden, it's time to stiffen your spin, call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately halt Israel’s terrorism, end the occupation and lift the siege of Gaza.