All posts tagged: Israel-Gaza war

Despite growing consensus, many Jewish and Christian groups loath to admit genocide in Gaza

Despite growing consensus, many Jewish and Christian groups loath to admit genocide in Gaza

Published by skeptic

(RNS) — In the past four years, the United States has recognized the Uyghur genocide in China and the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar. Just this past week (Jan. 7), the U.S. accused a Sudanese paramilitary group and its proxies of committing genocide. But when it comes to Israel’s war in Gaza, which has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, injured thousands more and flattened the coastal strip, making it largely uninhabitable, the U.S. government is nowhere near arriving at that conclusion. The same is true for many U.S. religious groups, including Jews and Christians who have, with some exceptions, remained silent despite growing recognition of the crime. In a lengthly New York Times interview earlier this month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied there was a genocide. And in a sign that the incoming Trump administration would likely take the same position, the U.S. Congress last week passed legislation that would impose sanctions on officials at the International Criminal Court for seeking to charge Israeli leaders with war crimes. Forty-five Democrats joined Republicans to approve the …

Rabbinical group calls for stopping offensive military aid to Israel

Rabbinical group calls for stopping offensive military aid to Israel

Published by skeptic

(RNS) — A rabbinic human rights organization has signed on to a statement calling for an end to offensive military aid to Israel in light of the country’s continued blocking of humanitarian aid to the ravaged Gaza Strip. The group, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, made clear it does not favor an end to all military aid. It still supports defensive military aid to Israel, such as the Iron Dome, the missile shields that intercept short-range rockets. But at this time, it is opposed to further offensive weapons such as those decimating the Gaza Strip, where to date more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed with bombs and munitions that have helped to flatten the enclave and left tens of thousands homeless. “Offensive weapons are keeping the war going, causing horrific damage to Palestinians,” Rabbi Jill Jacobs, T’ruah’s chief executive, told RNS. “It’s not keeping Israelis safe, certainly not getting the hostages back.” On Oct. 13, the Biden administration warned Israel that if it continued blocking humanitarian aid it would constitute violations of …

Israelis and Palestinians React to Assassination of Hamas Leader

Israelis and Palestinians React to Assassination of Hamas Leader

Published by Sam

new video loaded: Israelis and Palestinians React to Assassination of Hamas Leader transcript Back transcript Israelis and Palestinians React to Assassination of Hamas Leader While some Israelis expressed hope that the war might end soon, many Palestinians were doubtful that the death of Yahya Sinwar would lead to a cease-fire. “We are kind of, let’s say, happy to see some kind of justice, to see that Sinwar is dead now. But as I said, what’s most important is that we want to see all the hostages coming back.” “The leader is gone now. But this does not solve the problem. The problem now is that all the hostages that Hamas have in Gaza, and it depends now on the Israeli government.” “I hope it’s going to bring peace as soon as possible. And quiet, and not a war. The war should stop, and I hope it’s going to be positive stage for the State of Israel.” Recent episodes in Middle East Crisis Show more videos from Middle East Crisis Source link

Palestinian allies make last-ditch push for speaker on the DNC stage

Palestinian allies make last-ditch push for speaker on the DNC stage

Published by skeptic

(RNS) — Arab Americans, Muslim Americans and their interfaith allies spent much of Thursday (Aug. 22) pushing Democratic officials to allow a Palestinian American to speak from the party convention’s main stage, to convey a message of solidarity despite the party’s so-far consistent support for Israel in its prosecution of the war in Gaza. The push was accompanied by an all-night sit-in outside Chicago’s United Center at which members of the “uncommitted” movement also made speeches pressing the Democratic National Convention to feature a Palestinian speaker. The uncommitted — so-called because members of the movement wrote in “uncommitted” on their ballots rather than vote for President Joe Biden in this year’s Democratic primaries — want the DNC to recognize the suffering of Palestinians, 40,000 of whom have been killed by Israel’s massive Gaza assault of the past 10 months, an assault backed by U.S. bombs and munitions that has flattened the Gaza Strip and left tens of thousands homeless.  In an emotional speech from the stage of the convention on Wednesday, Israeli Americans Rachel Goldberg-Polin …

The Israeli protesters trying to stop food aid getting to Gaza – podcast | News

The Israeli protesters trying to stop food aid getting to Gaza – podcast | News

Published by skeptic

Since the start of the year, groups of Israeli demonstrators have been gathering, first on the border with Gaza and then later in the West Bank, to lie down in front of food trucks – or in the West Bank even to attack them and their drivers – to try to prevent food aid getting into Gaza. Who are these protesters and why would they try to prevent supplies from getting into the Gaza Strip, where international agencies say some children are already starving? Emma Graham-Harrison went to speak to the protesters to find out. She tells Michael Safi how, while their actions may seem extreme, believing aid should not be sent to Gaza is a worryingly mainstream view in Israel. Michael Safi hears too about other protesters – those who are trying to help the truck drivers get through. Emma tells Michael of her interview with an activist from Standing Together who has risked his life to try to ensure people in Gaza will get aid. Photograph: Abir Sultan/EPA Support The Guardian The Guardian …

Exposing Israel’s secret ‘war’ on the ICC – podcast

Exposing Israel’s secret ‘war’ on the ICC – podcast

Published by skeptic

Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham report on how Israeli intelligence agencies tried to derail an ICC war crimes investigation This week, an investigation by the Guardian and the Israeli-based magazines +972 and Local Call revealed how Israel has run a nine-year “war” against the international criminal court (ICC). Investigative reporters Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham tell Michael Safi about the findings. The investigation found that Israeli intelligence spied on the communications of numerous ICC officials, including the chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and his predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, intercepting phone calls, messages, emails and documents. Continue reading… Source link