#US / Sanctioned on an Israeli military unit “Netzah Yehuda”
#Blinken and #Biden respond to criticism about ignoring human rights violations by Israel by picking low-hanging fruit, while sending more aid to Israel and ignoring the continued massacre in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
#Axios is reporting that the U.S. is expected to impose sanctions on #IDF "Netzah Yehuda" battalion for human rights violations in the occupied West Bank. This would be the first time the U.S. has sanctioned an Israeli military unit.
The battalion was formed as a special unit for ultra-Orthodox soldiers, but over time became a destination for radical right-wing settlers who were not accepted into other IDF combat units.
One incident that led to the sanctions was the death of 80-year-old Palestinian American Omar Assad, who was arrested, handcuffed, and left in the cold by Netzah Yehuda soldiers, and was later found dead.
State Department has failed to act on internal reports of human rights abuses by Israeli military and police units, despite recommendations from a special panel to deny funding to these units https://kolektiva.social/@oatmeal/112294455860672263
DAWN. “Israel: Netzah Yehudah Battalion Carries Out War Crimes In the West Bank, Including the Killing of Palestinian-American Omar Assad.” DAWN, 29 Nov. 2022, https://dawnmena.org/culprit-netzah-yehuda-battalion/.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to the Netzha Yehuda militia (effectively a fully authorized #Jewishsupremacy terrorist militia ):
“We are standing firm in the battle against seven armies and terrorist organizations. The security establishment stands behind you - no one in the world will lecture us about values and morals."
"#Forensic Architecture has documented the mass displacement of Palestinian civilians being carried out by the Israeli #military [… which] has repeatedly abused the humanitarian measures of evacuation orders, ‘safe routes’, and ‘safe zones’, and failed to comply with the laws governing their application within a wartime context. These patterns of systematic violence and destruction have forced Palestinian civilians from one unsafe area to the next." https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/humanitarian-violence-in-gaza@israel
#JewishSupremacy / The Arab Hunting Season [Amal Oraby, أمل عرابي]
Since the start of the war, every few days right-wing elements identify an Arab of the day, usually well-known figures in their fields, place them in the public spotlight due to a few carefully plucked words, and label them as enemies. The goal is clear: instilling fear and a reminder of whom the masters of this house are.
Since the beginning of the war, the name of an Arab citizen, often a prominent figure in fields such as culture, academia, or medicine, appreciated by the professional community and the Arab public, has been making headlines every week.
Their name does not come up in the context of an article about the beautiful, diverse, and egalitarian Israel, content aimed primarily at audiences abroad for propaganda and public relations purposes. Instead, they find themselves at the center of a media storm, earning them the new title of "terrorist in a suit," "supporter of terrorism," "denier of rape," "anti-Semite," or all of the above.
The circumstances of the events and statements for which these individuals are put on public trial teach us about a recurring and organized strategy of action, which, beyond silencing and persecuting that person, is also intended to send a clear message to Palestinian citizens in Israel.
The campaign of persecution begins in the offices of fascist right-wing organizations, which maintain a target bank that includes the names of Arab researchers, academics, politicians, artists, and opinion leaders. They employ a series of "investigators," "activists," and "coordinators," whose sole purpose is to monitor the target bank, aiming to capture a few seconds of recorded footage, a statement of a few words, or a like that can be latched onto to continue the production line.
At this stage, ordinary Jewish citizens are also involved, voluntarily taking on the task of monitoring every Arab in their vicinity, lying in wait for them with a camera or a finger ready on the screenshot button. Thanks to the public atmosphere, these citizens feel that they are contributing to the home front, strengthening the Jewish nation-state, and may even be entitled to light a torch.
As soon as they manage to find a "suspicious" statement or expression, fascist right-wing organizations, along with fictitious "public organizations" and a series of Knesset members, unleash a flood of inquiries and complaints to a range of official institutions, including employers, law enforcement authorities, official oversight bodies, labor unions, and any entity somehow related to that person. The stated purpose of these letters is to complain about that statement made by the man or woman, but the hidden goal is to intimidate those institutions and exploit the war to redraw the boundaries of who is allowed to speak and what they are allowed to say.
In the days of "together we will win," official and ostensibly state institutions fall into the trap laid for them. At that moment, all principles of proper administration, democratic values, and with them, the rights of that "accused," chief among them the right to defend oneself, evaporate. In an instant, those "prestigious" institutions that boast to the world about values of inclusion and diversity react hysterically like the last talkbaker and rush to dissociate themselves from that person, their words, and their deeds, nullifying their contribution and sending them far away from the public eye.
The Perfect Storm
With the release of the first response from an official body that fell into the trap, the decisive stage of the process begins: the public lynching. On ordinary days, such a lynching would start and end on the accounts of a few nationalist right-wing influencers on social media and an item on Channel 14. However, today, senior journalists and sane opinion leaders with a reputation seek to take part in the fray, and in an act of self-purification, participate in the lynching, fully adopting the fascist narrative and refraining from investigating the facts.
Thus, the perfect storm is created, in which an Arab citizen who turns out to be Palestinian, or simply a person unwilling to accept an ongoing campaign of revenge against everything living and inanimate in Gaza, or the tens of thousands of children starving for bread just beyond the fence, is brought forward. This victim is carefully chosen from among the finest sons and daughters of Arab society because, beyond punishment, this act is intended to deter all others and reward those who pass the Israeli patriotism test.
It is no coincidence that the ever-expanding target bank mostly includes Arabs active in the realms of academia, medicine, law, and the spirit. Because in these spheres, many Arabs manage to excel despite the obstacles in their way, and even surpass their Jewish counterparts who, while running on the paved road, their Arab peers leap over the partition wall to take part in shaping the space. These fields also have the power to shape consciousness, and on the way to establishing a regime of Jewish supremacy, a clear line must be drawn between superiors and inferiors, lest any Arab be confused and think that being a successful doctor, judge, or senior researcher guarantees them equality or protection.
This campaign of persecution has been enjoying dizzying success these days, managing to make significant strides toward purging the public sphere, drawing new ghetto boundaries, and shaping the image of state institutions. This is also due to the resounding public silence from those who, just a moment ago, vehemently opposed any infringement on democracy, individual freedom, and freedom of expression, alongside a growing stream in Israeli society that sees the hunting of Arabs as a national mission and a contribution to the public good.
The next time you hear an Arab's name under the title "supporter of terrorism" or "anti-Semite," try to listen to the hidden message behind the story and ask yourself, "Whose side am I on?" Because in the end, this campaign of persecution is destined to pollute your living environment as well.
#Israel / Ben Gvir: The right to life of the Jewish residents of "Judea and Samaria" (loccupied West Bank) overrides the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Palestinian Authority
[...] National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived at the scene of the attack near Ma'ale Adumim and said he will continue with the policy of distributing weapons. According to him, "there were those who criticized me for this, but I think today everyone understands that weapons save lives."
[...] Ben Gvir added that he "thinks checkpoints should be set up, movement should indeed be restricted - enough of being bleeding hearts... The right to life of the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria overrides the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Authority." Therefore, he said, "I expect there will be more and more checkpoints and restrictions here. I will fight for movement restrictions, and it's good that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepts my position."
#Israel / Ben Gvir: The right to life of the Jewish residents of "Judea and Samaria" (loccupied West Bank) overrides the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Palestinian Authority
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived at the scene of the attack near Ma'ale Adumim and said he will continue with the policy of distributing weapons. According to him, "there were those who criticized me for this, but I think today everyone understands that weapons save lives."
Ben Gvir added that he "thinks checkpoints should be set up, movement should indeed be restricted - enough of being bleeding hearts... The right to life of the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria overrides the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Authority." Therefore, he said, "I expect there will be more and more checkpoints and restrictions here. I will fight for movement restrictions, and it's good that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepts my position."
#Israel / Ben Gvir: The right to life of the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria overrides the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Palestinian Authority
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir arrived at the scene of the attack near Ma'ale Adumim and said he will continue with the policy of distributing weapons. According to him, "there were those who criticized me for this, but I think today everyone understands that weapons save lives."
Ben Gvir added that he "thinks checkpoints should be set up, movement should indeed be restricted - enough of being bleeding hearts... The right to life of the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria overrides the right to freedom of movement of the residents of the Authority." Therefore, he said, "I expect there will be more and more checkpoints and restrictions here. I will fight for movement restrictions, and it's good that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepts my position."
#Israel / Ben-Gvir: “lethal force should be used against women and children approaching the fence”
During a cabinet meeting, far-right Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir clashed with #IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi over rules of engagement along the #Gaza border. Ben-Gvir argued that clear directives were needed to prevent another #Hamas attack, saying lethal force should be used against women and children approaching the fence as potential militants.
The heated exchange reflects tensions between the military and the new right-wing government over policies toward Palestinians, with hawkish ministers pushing for tougher measures and clearly illegal measures, despite warnings from security officials and the international community.
[cont’d] Supreme Court rejected petition against the appointment of Ben Gvir as Minister of National Security.
Justice Amit criticized Ben Gvir's past and current conduct, but emphasized that the minister declared before #Netanyahu and the Court that he has changed his ways, and that Netanyahu has the authority to make decisions based on political considerations.
"The Prime Minister has the authority to consider also political, coalition, and party considerations, within the framework of his decision to appoint a person to the role of minister in his government. The complexity of life in general and political life in particular presents a wide range of possible appointments, including those that clash with the purpose of integrity and public confidence that is required. Therefore, there is room - and even a necessity - to exercise discretion. But this will be done with care, and intervention will be in exceptional cases."
#Israel on trial?
This is not what the #ICJ organises. Its role is to establish the law.
A halt of invasion?
In 2022, the ICJ issued a condemnation on the #Russia invasion, to no consequence.
Kate Ferguson: “Will it be enough to stem the tide of atrocity crimes? No, of course not.” https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/dr-kate-ferguson@israel
The terrible human toll in Gaza has many causes.
A chilling investigation by +972 highlights efficiency:
An engineer: “When a 3-year-old girl is killed in a home in Gaza, it’s because someone in the army decided it wasn’t a big deal for her to be killed.”
An AI outputs "100 targets a day". Like a factory with murder delivery:
"According to the investigation, another reason for the large number of targets, and the extensive harm to civilian life in Gaza, is the widespread use of a system called “Habsora” (“The Gospel”), which is largely built on artificial intelligence and can “generate” targets almost automatically at a rate that far exceeds what was previously possible. This AI system, as described by a former intelligence officer, essentially facilitates a “mass assassination factory.”"
"The third is “power targets,” which includes high-rises and residential towers in the heart of cities, and public buildings such as universities, banks, and government offices."
It was easier to locate the individuals in their private houses.
“We were not interested in killing operatives only when they were in a military building or engaged in a military activity. On the contrary, the IDF bombed them in homes without hesitation, as a first option. It’s much easier to bomb a family’s home. The system is built to look for them in these situations.”
"As conflation and confusion abound after 7 October, we need clear thinking about antisemitism"
by:
David Feldman, director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Study of Antisemitism,
Brendan McGeever, senior lecturer at the Birkbeck Institute for the Study of Antisemitism.
"Palestine, as George Orwell pointed out in 1945, is a ‘colour issue’, and this is the way it was inevitably seen by Gandhi, who pleaded with Zionist leaders not to resort to terrorism against Arabs using Western arms".
Sonia Boulos: "You can study Israel and include Palestinians, but from a perspective that perpetuates their subjugation. You can publish an article about polygamy within the Palestinian Bedouin community in the Naqab desert, and not mention anything about historical processes of forced relocation of the Bedouin community, about them losing most of their lands, and about how all of these control mechanisms contributed to soaring numbers of polygamous marriages."
"Palestinians across the West Bank describe how Israeli settlers, with military backing, are intensifying their takeover of land for illegal construction."
"Armed Israeli settlers raided more than a dozen Palestinian communities under the army’s guard, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their wake"
Amjad #Iraqi explains why Palestinians identify with Khader #Adnan, a prisoner who died on hunger strike, for his struggle against #israel#prisons.
"Those trying to undermine public anger over the hunger striker's death don't want to talk about the violent carceral regime that he struggled against."
"Just as various international humanitarian and state-building interventions into Mogadishu have stifled true political alternatives, thus leaving extremist groups such as al-Shabaab and the Islamic State to fill the void with their own nihilistic projects, so too may we come to find that whatever emerges from the ruins of Gaza will be equally as monstrous, if not more so."
"Despite their narrow focus, recent international sanctions against settlers are laying the foundations to turn verbal condemnations into tangible action."