New study concludes that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza

A new study conducted by the University Network for Human Rights, the International Human Rights Clinic at Boston University School of Law, the International Human Rights Clinic at Cornell Law School, the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria and the Lowenstein Human Rights Project at Yale Law School concludes that Israel has committed genocidal acts in Gaza since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war on the 7th of October, last year (1). The summary and press release of the study report stated on Wednesday (2):

“After reviewing the facts established by independent human rights monitors, journalists, and United Nations agencies, we conclude that Israel’s actions in and regarding Gaza since October 7, 2023, violate the Genocide Convention. Specifically, Israel has committed genocidal acts of killing, causing serious harm to, and inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, a protected group that forms a substantial part of the Palestinian people.”

“Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza have been motivated by the requisite genocidal intent, as evidenced in this report by the statements of Israeli leaders, the character of the State and its military forces’ conduct against and relating to Palestinians in Gaza, and the direct nexus between them. As this report details, officials at all levels of Israeli government, up to and including the Prime Minister, have made remarks that not only express blatant and unequivocal dehumanization and cruelty against Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere, but also explicitly reflect intentions to destroy and exterminate Palestinians as such. The patterns of conduct of Israeli military forces in Gaza further reinforce the finding of Israel’s genocidal intent.”

“Israel’s violations of the international legal prohibition of genocide amount to grave breaches of peremptory norms of international law that must cease immediately. These violations also give rise to obligations by all other States: to refrain from recognizing Israel’s breaches as legal or taking any actions that may constitute complicity in these breaches; and to take positive steps to suppress, prevent, and punish the commission by Israel of further genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

The facts in this report are current as of May 1, 2023*. Between its finalization and publication, reports emerged of additional, egregious abuses by Israel against Palestinians in the southern city of Rafah and elsewhere, where more than a million Palestinians are seeking refuge. These developments, though not reflected in the report, further demonstrate Israel’s ongoing genocidal conduct and intent, and underscore the urgency with which the international community must act.”

*Please note that the date was “May 1, 2024” elsewhere in the summary, so this is probably a typo.

References:

(1) “Israel committing genocide in Gaza, new study concludes” Middle East Monitor 16.5.2024

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240516-israel-committing-genocide-in-gaza-new-study-concludes/

(2) “Genocide in Gaza: Analysis of International Law and its Application to Israel’s Military Actions since October 7, 2023” Human Rights Network 15.5.2024

https://www.humanrightsnetwork.org/genocide-in-gaza

Freedom Flotilla to Gaza

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), a grassroots solidarity movement consisting of human rights organizations from around the world, will launch its Freedom Flotilla to Gaza tomorrow, on Friday the 26th of April, in Istanbul. The flotilla of three or four ships will carry over 5000 tons of aid to Gaza. Approximately thousand people will participate in the voyage, including Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela who said, “I am a living example of what international solidarity can achieve, we defeated the apartheid government.” Hundreds of human rights observers will make sure that the aid gets to Palestinians in Gaza. Around hundred journalists will be reporting on the journey. (1, 2)

References:

(1) “Freedom Flotilla activists determined to set sail to Gaza despite Israeli threats” Middle East Eye 19.4.2024

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-freedom-flotilla-determined-sail-istanbul-gaza-break-israel-siege

(2) “South African solidarity: Mandela’s grandson joins Gaza aid flotilla” Middle East Monitor 24.4.2024

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240424-south-african-solidarity-mandelas-grandson-joins-gaza-aid-flotilla

You can follow and support Freedom Flotilla to Gaza here:

https://freedomflotilla.org

Six months of disastrous war in Gaza

The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has continued six months now. The statistics are horrible. About 33,000 Palestinians have been killed, and thousands more are missing under the rubble of collapsed buildings – they are presumed dead. Nearly 76,000 have been injured. Almost all 2.3 million people in Gaza face starvation. According to the United Nations, there will be famine in various parts of Gaza by May. In North Gaza, people have to survive on 245 calories a day, which is only 12% of their caloric needs. Over 80% of Gaza’s population have been internally displaced. The war has damaged or destroyed roughly 62% of all homes in Gaza. Only 10 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are functioning partially. The war has damaged or destroyed 84% of health facilities. (1)

During his speech to the media on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said (2):

“Over the last six months, the Israeli military campaign has brought relentless death and destruction to Palestinians in Gaza – with more than 32,000 people reportedly killed and more than 75,000 injured – the vast majority women and children. Lives are shattered. Respect for international humanitarian law is in tatters.”

“More than half the population – over a million people – are facing catastrophic hunger. Children in Gaza today are dying for lack of food and water. This is incomprehensible, and entirely avoidable. Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”

“I repeat my urgent appeals for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, the protection of civilians, and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.”

“Six months on, we are at the brink: of mass starvation; of regional conflagration; of a total loss of faith in global standards and norms. It’s time to step back from that brink – to silence the guns – to ease the horrible suffering — and to stop a potential famine before it is too late.”

References:

(1) “Israel’s war on Gaza – six relentless months of death and destruction” Al Jazeera 7.4.2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/7/israels-war-on-gaza-six-relentless-months-of-death-and-destruction

(2) “Secretary-General’s Press Encounter on Gaza” United Nations 5.4.2024

https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2024-04-05/secretary-generals-press-encounter-gaza-scroll-down-for-arabic

SOS alert for imminent genocide of Palestinians in Rafah

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention has issued an urgent SOS warning for the imminent genocide of Palestinians in Rafah, South Gaza. Here are some important things the Lemkin Institute pointed out:

“On Wednesday, 27 March, Israel launched several bombing strikes on the city where nearly 1.4 million people are sheltering. These attacks could be the opening salvo to Israel’s promised ground invasion of the town, which is home to the critical crossing to Egypt. This bombing is a genocidal act conducted by Israel against a trapped civilian population.

We welcome the current plan to reschedule a meeting between the US and Israel to discuss Israel’s plan for a ground invasion of Rafah, a plan that US President Biden opposes. Everything must be done to secure the safety of Palestinians in Rafah, the last sanctuary for a population facing genocide in the form of attrition and forced displacement.

We at the Lemkin Institute emphatically condemn Israel for its denial of the transport of aid to the north of Gaza, deepening the risk of widespread famine. We call on Israel to immediately halt all offensive measures taken on Rafah, and throughout Gaza, and act in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2728, which called for an immediate ceasefire.”

“Regarding the recent passage of UNSC 2728, the Lemkin Institute strenuously disagrees with the stance of the United States, which claims that the resolution is ‘non-binding.’ The US abstained from voting to allow the resolution’s passage. The US position is founded neither in international law nor in the United Nations Charter. Claiming UNSC resolutions are non-binding presents an unprecedented threat to the ‘rules-based international order’ of which the United States is a primary architect. The international community must immediately take action in line with Resolution 2728 and coerce Israel into ceasing its genocidal campaign. Israel must further allow the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, Hamas must release Israeli captives being held in Gaza and Israel must release the thousands of arbitrarily detained Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.”

“We would also remind President Biden of his stance that a ground invasion of Rafah would violate a ‘red line’ for his administration. In his State of the Union speech, the President acknowledged that ‘Israel also has a fundamental responsibility, though, to protect innocent civilians in Gaza.’ There is no way to ensure that protection in urban combat with an army that has proved to be motivated by genocidal zeal. If the US President fails to act on his own words to prevent the further genocide of the people of Gaza and to behave in accordance with the rules-based international order he purports to prize, his betrayal of humanity will be remembered by the world forever.”

You can read the full SOS alert here:

https://www.lemkininstitute.com/sos-alerts-1/sos-alert—gaza—6-

The arrogance of some Americans vs. some differing thoughts

On Monday, the United Nations Security Council was finally able to pass a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after the US abstained from the vote. It is notable that several US officials said that the resolution is “non-binding” even though the resolution is considered to be legally binding in international law. White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby also said, “Our vote does not – and I repeat that, does not – represent a shift in our policy.” In spite of that, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accused the US for “abandoning its policy in the UN” and cancelled Israeli delegation’s visit to the US – the delegation was supposed to talk about the planned Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, Southern Gaza. (1)

While the bellicose and arrogant behavior of Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli far-right Zionists has become familiar during the war between Israel and Hamas, it has been quite surprising to see how biased, arrogant and shameless some American public figures can be. Here are just some examples. At the end of January, Democratic congresswoman and former House speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested that some pro-Palestinian protesters, who supported a ceasefire in Gaza, might be connected to Russia and President Putin. Pelosi said, “For them (i.e. the protesters) to call for a ceasefire is Mr. Putin’s message. Make no mistake, this is directly connected to what he would like to see. Same thing with Ukraine. It’s about Putin’s message. I think some of these protesters are spontaneous and organic and sincere. Some, I think, are connected to Russia.” When asked whether she believed that the protesters were “Russian plants”, Pelosi replied, “Seeds or plants. I think some financing should be investigated. And I want to ask the FBI to investigate that.” (2)

At the end of February, President Biden caused an outrage when he talked about his hopes for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza while eating casually ice cream. Gregg Carlstrom, The Economist’s Middle East correspondent, said on X, “Nothing says ‘we’re taking this seriously’ like talking about a war that has killed ~30,000 people with an ice-cream cone halfway to your mouth.” Many commentators also pointed out that the timing of President Biden’s comment was particularly interesting. Biden talked about the possibility of an immediate ceasefire just before the crucial Democratic primary election in Michigan, where Biden was in big trouble with Muslim voters who have been very critical of his unconditional support of Israel during the Israel-Hamas war. Israel and Hamas didn’t believe that there was a chance for an immediate ceasefire, then. (3)

Also in February, Thomas Friedman, veteran journalist of The New York Times who has reported decades about the American-Israeli alliance, reached a new low with his dehumanising article “Understanding the Middle East Through the Animal Kingdom” where he reduced Middle East nations to insects. He wrote that Iran is like a “parasitoid wasp” which “injects its eggs into live caterpillars” – according to Friedman those “caterpillars” are Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq and the “eggs” are Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas and Kataib Hezbollah. In other part of his article, Friedman also wrote that Hamas is like a “trap-door spider” that “leaps out at great speed, seizes its prey and hauls it back into the burrow to be devoured, all in a fraction of a second.” While describing the Middle East as a “jungle”, Friedman wrote, “We have no counterstrategy that safely and efficiently kills the wasp without setting fire to the whole jungle.” Journalist Belén Fernández pointed out that burning down that particular “jungle” has been modus operandi of the American-Israeli alliance for decades and Friedman seemed to endorse that strategy. (4)

Far-right Zionists have been highly critical of President Biden’s talks about two-state solution and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, so the far-right Zionists have put their faith on former president Trump and other Republicans. Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir accused Biden for giving Palestinians humanitarian aid and fuel, which according to Ben Gvir went to Hamas. Ben Gvir continued, “If Trump was in power, the U.S. conduct would be completely different.” (5) David Friedman, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel under President Donald Trump, said during an interview that he would like to present to Trump his idea of a one-state solution where there is only one state, the State of Israel where Palestinians would have “a permanent residency” and that status would give them “self-governance on civil matters, but not voting rights in national elections, only local ones”. When asked if he would want to serve another term under a potential future Trump administration, Friedman replied, “Of course. I mean, you know, he’s a dear friend. He’s been a leader like Israel has never had in the Oval Office.” (6) Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and former senior adviser, said during an interview that Gaza could be a valuable “waterfront property” and that Israel should move Palestinians from Gaza to Negev desert and after that to Egypt before “cleaning up” Gaza (7). Trump himself said during an interview that was published on Monday that Israel made “a very big mistake” by bombing Gaza so massively because that has ruined Israel’s public image. He urged Israel to “finish up” the war and to be very careful because Israel is “losing a lot of support” internationally. (8)

Speaking of bombing Gaza, at the beginning of this month it was reported that, by using a legal loophole, the Biden administration has made more than 100 weapons sales to Israel, including thousands of bombs, since the start of the war in Gaza, but the deliveries “have escaped congressional oversight because each transaction was under the dollar amount requiring approval” (9). This week it was reported that the Biden administration has not determined that Israel has violated international humanitarian law and therefore there are no grounds to halt arms exports to Israel. On Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said to reporters, “We have not found them (i.e. Israel) to be in violation of international humanitarian law, either when it comes to the conduct of the war or when it comes to the provision of humanitarian assistance.” (10) In January, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Arab countries don’t want to rebuild Gaza if the Palestinian question is not resolved and if Gaza is “leveled again” in the future (11). A couple of weeks ago it was reported that according to the UN already 35% of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged (12).

According to latest Gallup poll, 55% of Americans now disapprove Israel’s war against Hamas. However, it is notable that there is a great divide between the two major parties: 64% of Republicans support the Israeli military action in Gaza but only 18% of Democrats support it. (13)

Some Democrats and progressive public figures have become increasingly critical about Israel’s actions during the Israel-Hamas war. A couple a weeks ago, Democratic senator and Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer caused a big surprise when he criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu harshly, gave a stark warning that Israel is in danger of becoming a “pariah” and called for new elections in Israel (14). In February, Jon Stewart, talk-show host of The Daily Show, said something quite essential when he commented Israel’s relentless bombing campaign in Gaza. Stewart said to Israel, “Palestinian liberation is an idea. Unless you have a bomb that kills ideas. Do you have a bomb that kills ideas? I mean, how long would it even take to bomb this shit out of an idea?” (15, 16) As long as the occupying power, i.e. Israel, continues its oppression against the Palestinians, there will quite certainly be some sort of resistance movement against Israel.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the leading progressive Democratic politicians, said on Saturday that the Israeli military campaign in Gaza is an “unfolding genocide” and demanded that the Biden administration should suspend aid to Israel’s armed forces (17). Renowned American professor Jeffrey Sachs said couple of weeks ago, “Of course, what the government of Israel doing, is unconscionable. World opinion is united against Israel. The problem is the United States remains complicit in these war crimes because it’s traditional in U.S. politics that politicians show no space between the United States and Israel. It is, I think quite likely, that the International Court of Justice is going to find that Israel is in violation of the genocide convention. And does the United States want to be complicit in genocide? This is a pretty straightforward question.” (18)

References:

(1) “Will the UN ceasefire resolution stop Israel’s war on Gaza?” Al Jazeera 26.3.2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/26/will-the-un-ceasefire-resolution-stop-israels-war-on-gaza

(2) “Pelosi condemned for suggesting pro-Palestinian activists have ties to Russia” The Guardian 30.1.2024

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/29/pelosi-condemned-pro-palestinian-russia-ties

(3) “Biden Expresses ‘Hope’ for Gaza Ceasefire While Eating Ice Cream With Seth Meyers” TIME 27.2.2024

https://time.com/6835515/biden-gaza-ceasefire-ice-cream/

(4) “Thomas Friedman: Dehumanisation par excellence amid a genocide” Al Jazeera 17.2.2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2024/2/17/thomas-friedman-dehumanisation-par-excellence-amid-a-genocide

(5) “Attacking Biden, Ben Gvir says Trump would have been more supportive of Israel” The Times of Israel 4.2.2024

https://www.timesofisrael.com/attacking-biden-ben-gvir-says-trump-would-have-been-more-supportive-of-israel/

(6) “Top Trump advisor Amb. David Friedman suggests a ‘one-state solution’ to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” All Israel News 1.3.2024

https://allisrael.com/top-trump-advisor-amb-david-friedman-suggests-a-one-state-solution-to-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict

(7) “Jared Kushner: Gaza could be a valuable ‘waterfront property'” Middle East Eye 19.3.2024

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jared-kushner-gaza-could-be-valuable-waterfront-property

(8) “Trump warns Israel that it’s ‘losing a lot of support’” Politico 25.3.2024

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/25/trump-says-israel-should-finish-up-gaza-war-00148910

(9) “US uses loophole to keep 100 arms sales to Israel under the radar amid Gaza war – report” The Guardian 7.3.2024

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/06/israel-weapons-sales-loophole

(10) “US overlooks Israeli abuses in Gaza to justify arms transfers: Advocates” Al Jazeera 27.3.2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/27/us-overlooks-israeli-abuses-in-gaza-to-justify-arms-transfers-advocates

(11) “Arab countries do not want to rebuild Gaza if it is ‘leveled again’: Blinken” Anadolu Agency 17.1.2024

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/arab-countries-do-not-want-to-rebuild-gaza-if-it-is-leveled-again-blinken/3110944#

(12) “Satellite images show 35% of Gaza’s buildings destroyed, UN says” Middle East Monitor 13.3.2024

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240313-ramadan-arrives-as-families-face-famine-in-gaza

(13) “Majority of Americans disapprove of Israel’s war against Hamas: Poll” The Hill 27.3.2024

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4559102-majority-americans-israel-hamas-gaza

(14) “A speech that sent shockwaves from Washington to Jerusalem” CNN 15.3.2024

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/15/politics/schumer-israel-speech-analysis/index.html

(15) “Jon Stewart On Israel – Palestine” The Daily Show 27.2.2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2zbN3AuHG8

(16) “Jon Stewart On Israel – Palestine on The Daily Show” – Happy Scribe 27.2.2024

https://www.happyscribe.com/public/the-daily-show-ears-edition/jon-stewart-on-israel-palestine-murtaza-hussain-yair-rosenberg

(17) “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls Israeli Gaza campaign an ‘unfolding genocide’” The Guardian 23.3.2024

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/23/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-israel-gaza-campaign-unfolding-genocide

(18) “Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs: U.S. Is ‘Complicit’ in Israeli ‘Genocide’ in Gaza” National Review 17.3.2024

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/columbia-university-professor-jeffrey-sachs-u-s-is-complicit-in-israeli-genocide-in-gaza

Israel’s other plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians

Yesterday, Israel made once again clear that it will defy growing international pressure and it is going to start ground offensive against Hamas in densely populated Rafah in Southern Gaza. Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer said that Israeli forces will invade Rafah “even if the whole world is against Israel, including the United States.” (1) After meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will enter Rafah with or without support of the USA (2).

As the USA is going to start to build a temporary makeshift port in order to deliver humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, it has now been revealed that Prime Minister Netanyahu has other plans for the port. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu said at a private meeting of Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee that the port could be used to remove Palestinians from Gaza to other countries, if other countries will accept the refugees. President Biden has given an impression that the temporary port was his idea. However, Netanyahu suggested to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the 31st of October, last year, that a route for “maritime humanitarian aid” should be established between Cyprus and Gaza – so, this suggestion was made only three weeks after the war against Hamas started. Netanyahu reportedly talked about the idea with Biden on the 19th of January, this year. (3, 4)

References:

(1) “Israel minister: We will invade Rafah even if the whole world is against us” Middle East Monitor 22.3.2024

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20240322-israel-minister-we-will-invade-rafah-even-if-the-whole-world-is-against-us

(2) “Netanyahu says Israel will enter Rafah with or without US support” The Hill 22.3.2024

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4549655-israel-gaza-netanyahu-enter-rafah-with-or-without-us

(3) “War on Gaza: Netanyahu ‘suggests new US-built port could help deport Palestinians'” Middle East Eye 20.3.2024

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-gaza-netanyahu-suggests-new-us-built-port-could-help-deport-palestinians-gaza

(4) “War on Gaza: Israel is dragging the US into a future regional war” Middle East Eye 21.3.2024

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/war-gaza-israel-dragging-us-regional-war

First Holocaust denial, now Nakba denial

Holocaust denial has been and still is a very worrying part of predominantly Western antisemitic far-right thinking. Perhaps as a sign of times, a new worrying phenomenon has emerged: Nakba denial. Last week it was reported that Germany’s leading Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the opposition Christian Democratic Party (CDU) have ordered high schools in Berlin’s borough of Neukölln to distribute brochures titled “Myths#Israel1948”. The brochure is created by Jewish association Masiyot. The brochure lists and debunks five “myths” regarding the creation of the state of Israel and Palestinian Nakba, or “Catastrophe”, when – among other things – Israel’s pre-state militia, the Haganah, destroyed over 530 Palestinian villages and forced over 700,000 Palestinians to leave their homes during the 1948 Palestine war. According to the brochure, the Haganah was merely a “defensive” Jewish resistance movement. One essay criticizes the United Nations because of its “extremely one-sided” view of Nakba and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The attempts to distort events regarding Nakba are particularly chilling now because it seems increasingly likely that Israel is trying to get rid of Palestinians way or the other – I wrote about this in my post “What is the endgame of Israel and its allies?”

Read the full story about Nakba as a “myth” on Middle East Eye:

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/berlin-schools-handout-leaflet-myth-israel-1948

More information about Nakba:

https://www.un.org/unispal/about-the-nakba/

https://imeu.org/article/quick-facts-the-palestinian-nakba

Isolated USA on the international arena

On Tuesday, USA once again vetoed the United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel (1). On Wednesday at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing regarding Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, representative of the USA told the ICJ, “The court should not find that Israel is legally obligated to immediately and unconditionally withdraw from occupied territory. Any movement towards Israel’s withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza requires consideration of Israel’s very real security needs.” It is worth remembering what Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli far-right politicians have said about Israel’s “security needs”, lately. I wrote about them in my post “What is the endgame of Israel and its allies?” For example, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly said at the end of January that Israel’s “security needs” leave no space for a sovereign Palestinian state and that after the war ends, Israel wants to keep security control of “all land west of the River Jordan”, i.e. the Palestinian territories. Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, said, “The overall message of the American representative is that the court (i.e. the ICJ) should be at the service of the American and Israeli negotiation strategy – not that the American and Israeli negotiation strategy should abide by the court’s ruling. But a World Court cannot be at the disposal of the US. It is otherwise unclear why a potential ruling by the court that the occupation is illegal would be a burden on the negotiations.” (2, 3)

The unconditional support of Israel is making the USA increasingly isolated on the international arena. This was obvious also at the G20 summit in Brazil, on Thursday. Several journalists were accidentally able to listen to a closed-door meeting of top diplomats. During that meeting, some of the close allies of the USA expressed their frustration because of the vast amount of casualties in Gaza and because of the USA’s reluctancy to join calls for a ceasefire. Australia called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and opposed Israel’s planned and potentially devastating ground offensive in Rafah, South Gaza. Australia’s representative said, “We say again to Israel — do not go down this path. This would be unjustifiable.” Political expert Richard Gowan said about the meeting, “A year ago, the US had Russia on the back foot over Ukraine… Now the Biden administration looks like it is losing its grip on events in Ukraine and Gaza, and could lose its grip on the November elections too.” (4, 5)

References:

(1) “World slams US ceasefire veto at UN Security Council on Israel’s Gaza war” Al Jazeera 21.2.2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/21/world-condemns-uss-latest-un-security-council-veto-on-gaza-ceasefire

(2) “US tells ICJ Israel should not be ordered to immediately end occupation” Al Jazeera 21.2.2024

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/21/us-tells-icj-israel-should-not-be-ordered-to-immediately-end-occupation

(3) “Netanyahu defies Biden, insisting there’s ‘no space’ for Palestinian state” The Guardian 20.1.2024

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/20/netanyahu-defies-biden-insisting-theres-no-space-for-palestinian-state

(4) “G20 meeting reveals extent of US isolation on Gaza” Semafor 23.2.2024

https://www.semafor.com/article/02/22/2024/g20-leaked-audio-reveals-just-how-isolated-us-is-on-gaza

(5) “Gaza ceasefire veto prompts US isolation at G20 summit in Brazil” Al Mayadeen 23.2.2024

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gaza-ceasefire-veto-prompts-us-isolation-at-g20-summit-in-br

Israel’s war in Gaza could kill nearly 86,000 more Palestinians

A joint study published on Monday by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in UK and Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Humanitarian Health in USA suggests that in the worst case scenario, nearly 86,000 more Palestinians could be killed during the next six months in Gaza, if the war between Hamas and Israel continues and escalates. Even in the best-case scenario in which a ceasefire is brokered, the situation would still lead to the deaths of around 11,580 Palestinians. The report’s authors wrote, “Our projections indicate that even in the best-case ceasefire scenario, thousands of excess deaths would continue to occur, mainly due to the time it would take to improve water, sanitation and shelter conditions, reduce malnutrition, and restore functioning healthcare services in Gaza.”

Read the full story on TRT World:

https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/israels-war-could-kill-nearly-86000-more-palestinians-in-gaza-study-17076989

History is watching

The horrible war between Hamas and Israel has now continued over two months. During Israel’s siege and carpet bombing of Gaza over 18,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 49,000 have been injured. 85 percent of the population in Gaza is internally displaced. Around 1,200 have died on the Israeli side. (1) Since the start of the war, settler attacks against Palestinians have more than doubled in the West Bank and at least 275 Palestinians have been killed there (2).

Last month, over 800 scholars and other experts warned about the possibility of the crime of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (3). Independent experts of the United Nations warned that “grave violations” committed by Israel against Palestinians since the 7th of October “point to a genocide in the making.” The experts also said that they are “deeply disturbed by the failure of (world) governments to heed our call and to achieve an immediate ceasefire.” They continued, “We are also profoundly concerned about the support of certain governments for Israel’s strategy of warfare against the besieged population of Gaza, and the failure of the international system to mobilize to prevent genocide.” (4)

The war between Hamas and Israel has once again revealed the Western bias and double standards. At the beginning of the war, Western politicians queued up to show their support for Israel (5) and the Western mainstream media has been predominantly pro-Israel. The editorial in The New Humanitarian summed the situation up in a great way (6):

“We are preconditioned not to see Palestinian humanity because colonialism, white supremacy, and Islamophobia are still the dominant lens through which states, institutions, people, and media in the West view the world (although geopolitical interests are, of course, also at play).”

The bias of the Western politicians has been in full view ever since the Hamas-Israel war started. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said in April that Israel had made “the desert bloom”, was accused of “unacceptable bias” toward Israel when she said that Israel has the right to defend itself but didn’t criticize the humanitarian consequences of Israel’s retaliatory attacks in Gaza (7, 8). Foreign policy chief of the EU Josep Borrell caused controversy last year by saying that “Europe is a garden” and that “most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden.” (9) During a recent interview, Mr. Borrell said that Hamas’ attack on Israel on the 7th of October was a war crime. However, when he was asked if Israel’s attacks on Gaza are war crimes, he responded, “I’m not a lawyer.” (10) In France, prominent politicians – including members of President Macron’s party as well as leaders of the two far-right parties National Rally and Reconquest – marched against antisemitism but not against Islamophobia. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, did not take part to the march – he said that it was the meeting of “friends of unconditional support for the massacre” in Gaza. (11, 12) Dutch pro-Israel far-right politician and notorious Islamophobe Geert Wilders, whose party won the elections in the Netherlands last month, declared that Palestinians should be relocated to Jordan (13).

The European Union has failed to call for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The EU leaders have only agreed to call for “pauses for humanitarian needs” to allow aid into Gaza (14). Many European countries either voted against the United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for humanitarian truce or they abstained from the vote in October. However, majority of European countries supported the new UNGA resolution calling for ceasefire, yesterday. (15, 16) Some European politicians have been more openly critical about the situation. French president Macron as well as prime ministers of Spain and Belgium have called for a ceasefire and criticized the indiscriminate killing of Palestinian civilians. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that the international community and Israel should recognize the state of Palestine. (17, 18) Spanish deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz called for sanctions and arms embargo against Israel (19). European Council President Charles Michel warned Israel that it risks becoming isolated from the international community if it does not stop violating international law in the Gaza Strip (20).

After Brexit, Britain has become part of the US-Israel alliance and pro-Israel bias has become even more visible in Conservative Party and Labour Party. Conservative Friends of Israel CFI has claimed that 80 percent of Conservative MPs are members of their lobby group (21). Only six percent of Conservative MPs and members of the House of Lords are members of Conservative Friends of Palestine (22). During his visit to Israel, Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed solidary with Israel and he said to Prime Minister Netanyahu, “We want you to win.” (23) Al Jazeera revealed in its documentary series “The Lobby” in 2017 how Israel is trying to increase its influence in the British Labour Party (24). After pro-Palestine Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has also been condemned for calling Hamas “a friend”, was suspended from the Labour Party during antisemitism row in the party in 2020, Labour elected new leader Keir Starmer who is a Zionist and who apparently believes that anti-Zionism is antisemitism. (25, 26, 27) Also in 2020, the Labour Party hired Assaf Kaplan to be a social listening and organizing manager. Kaplan is a former intelligence officer from Unit 8200 in Israel Defense Forces. (28) Britain has supported only “humanitarian pauses” in the Hamas-Israel war. Several MPs from the Conservative Party and particularly from the Labour Party have been sacked or have resigned from their position in their party because they have supported a ceasefire. 56 Labour MPs defied the order of Starmer and voted for a motion that called for a ceasefire. (29, 30, 31) Labour leader Starmer’s endorsement of the destructive Israeli war in Gaza has caused massive 66 percent drop in Muslim community’s support for the Labour Party (32).

In the USA, Republicans have supported Israel enthusiastically. Soon after the Hamas-Israel war started, hawkish Republican senator Lindsey Graham claimed that Israel is “in a religious war” and he encouraged Israel to destroy Gaza by saying, “Do whatever you need to do to defend yourself. Level the place.” (33) Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said to Prime Minister Netanyahu, “Finish them. Finish them. Hamas did this. You know Iran is behind it. Finish them.” (34) Another Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said that Israel should use “overwhelming force” so that “Hamas terrorist infrastructure and networks are eradicated from the Earth.” He would also refuse Palestinian refugees entry to the USA. He said, “If you look at how they (i.e. Palestinians) behave — not all of them are Hamas, but they are all antisemitic.” Former vice president and presidential candidate Mike Pence said that Egypt should accept Palestinian refugees. He continued, “Send us the bill. We’ll set up the refugee camps.” (35)

The actions and words of President Biden and his administration during the Hamas-Israel war have also revealed glaring bias. At the end of October, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that the endgame in Gaza is “ultimately” up to Israel (36). However, President Biden sent a request to the Congress that Israel should be given 14 billion dollars extra defense funding to supplement the 3.8 billion dollars the USA gives Israel annually (37). According to media reports, the Biden administration has also requested the ability “to conduct arms deals with Israel in complete secrecy without Congressional or public oversight.” This has been seen as “a preventative measure to reduce complicity” if the International Criminal Court ICC decides to indict Israel for genocide. (38) The Biden administration sent ammunition to Israel without Congress’s approval, last week (39). In spite of growing criticism, President Biden still promised to continue supplying arms to Israel, on Monday (40).

The Biden administration said for weeks that there are “no red lines” regarding Israeli actions in Gaza (41). In his op-ed in The Washington Post on the 18th of November, President Biden demanded some limitations to the Israeli operation in Gaza but he resisted a ceasefire. He wrote, “As Hamas clings to its ideology of destruction, a ceasefire is not peace.” (42) The USA has also voted against any calls for a ceasefire at the United Nations. The UN Security Council was able to pass resolution calling for “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza after the USA abstained from the vote. (15, 16, 43, 44, 45) President Biden called the attack by Hamas on the 7th of October “the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.” (46) However, he questioned the number of Palestinian casualties when he said, “I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s a price of waging war.” (47) President Biden’s unequivocal backing of Israel and his refusal to call for a more permanent ceasefire have caused a significant drop in his support among young adults and American Arabs and Muslims. According to a recent poll, 70 percent of Democratic voters ages 18 to 34 disapproved and only 51 percent of all Democratic voters approved the way Biden has handled the Hamas-Israel war. Only 34 percent of all voters approved of how Biden has handled the conflict (48). According to some recent surveys, Biden’s support among American Arabs and Muslims has fallen to 16-17 percent (49).

President Biden and his administration have now been talking about the importance of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. However, before the Hamas-Israel war started, when the USA was negotiating about the normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the Palestinians and the two-state solution were not that significant. What President Biden and his administration really seemed to care about was to secure the normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the defense deal between the USA and Saudi Arabia. Those agreements would have been a diplomatic victory for President Biden and a way to weaken Chinese influence in the Middle East. (50) When it comes to the two-state solution between the Palestinians and Israel, the USA is not seen as an honest broker. Noura Erakat, associate professor at Rutgers University, said (51):

“The US presents itself as an honest broker. And yet what we’ve seen again and again, especially since 1967, is the US talking out of both sides of its mouth. Out of one side of its mouth, it insists that it wants to see a two-state solution, but on the other side it provides Israel with the unequivocal military, diplomatic and financial support to expand its settler colonial ambitions and to entrench its projects.”

One other recent example of the pro-Israel bias of the USA has been President Trump’s decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights in 2019. President Biden has not reversed that decision. (52)

Israel estimated on Monday that the war against Hamas may continue for months. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that what comes to the duration and the conduct of the fighting, “these are decisions for Israel to make.” (53) Many politicians, political experts and journalists have warned about the risk of a wider war in the Middle East. Nicolas J. S. Davies and Medea Benjamin wrote (54):

“America’s unconditional support for Israel and an endless supply of weapons have succeeded only in turning Israel into an out-of-control, genocidal, destabilising force at the heart of a fragile region already shattered and traumatised by decades of US war-making.

The result is a country that refuses to recognise its own borders or those of its neighbours, and rejects any and all limits on its territorial ambitions and war crimes.

If Israel’s actions lead to a wider war, the US will find itself with few allies ready to jump into the fray.”

Yesterday, President Biden warned Israel that it may start to lose international support because of the “indiscriminate bombing” of civilians in Gaza. However, as the latest UNGA voting results showed, also the USA is becoming more isolated. A total of 153 countries voted in favour of the resolution calling for a ceasefire, 23 countries abstained from the vote. The USA, Israel and only eight other countries voted against the resolution. (16, 55) It is also worth thinking that if there will be a wider war in the Middle East, that may take place at the same time when the situation inside the USA is becoming more volatile. Former president Trump, who is currently leading the polls to become the Republican presidential candidate next year, has talked openly about his autocratic plans. Trump and his far-right supporters are considered to be a serious threat to democracy and political stability in the USA. (56, 57)

In October, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said about the war between Israel and the Palestinians (58):

“History is watching to see if the consequences of this war are going to be generationally bad or if there are going to be ways in which swiftly that can be rebuilt, some kind of comity or neighbourliness between those two tragic peoples.”

At the moment the situation is disastrous and dangerous.

References:

(1) “UN envoys say ‘enough’ to Israel-Hamas war on trip to Gaza border” Al Jazeera 11.12.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/11/un-envoys-say-enough-to-israel-hamas-war-on-trip-to-gaza-border

(2) “EU mulls sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank” Al Jazeera 11.12.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/11/eu-mulls-sanctions-on-violent-israeli-settlers-in-occupied-west-bank

(3) “800 scholars warn of potential genocide in Gaza” Middle East Monitor 1.11.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231101-800-scholars-warn-of-potential-genocide-in-gaza/

(4) “Israel’s ‘grave violations’ against Palestinians ‘point to a genocide in making’: UN experts” Middle East Monitor 16.11.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231116-israels-grave-violations-against-palestinians-point-to-a-genocide-in-making-un-experts/

(5) “The Dignitaries Who Have Visited Israel So Far” Wall Street Journal 25.10.2023

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestinians/card/dignitaries-visits-to-israel-JbqAIbSX8QTXQppPewlV

(6) “Media coverage of Israel and Gaza is rife with deadly double standards” The New Humanitarian 23.10.2023

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/editorial/2023/10/23/media-coverage-israel-and-gaza-double-standards

(7) “Palestinians hit out at EU leader for claiming Israel made ‘desert bloom'” Middle East Eye 27.4.2023

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinians-hit-out-eu-claim-israel-desert-bloom

(8) “Von der Leyen accused of ‘unacceptable bias’ toward Israel” Politico 14.10.2023

https://www.politico.eu/article/von-der-leyen-visit-israel-gaza-hamas-conflict-bias/

(9) “UAE furious over EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell’s ‘jungle’ remarks” Politico 18.10.2022

https://www.politico.eu/article/uae-eu-josep-borrell-jungle-remark-foreign-policy/

(10) “‘I am Not a Lawyer’, Yes, I am – Gaza, and the Moral Inconsistencies of EU Foreign Policy Chief” The Palestine Chronicle 20.11.2023

https://www.palestinechronicle.com/i-am-not-a-lawyer-i-am-a-lawyer-the-inconsistencies-of-eu-foreign-policy-chief/#

(11) “More than 180,000 join marches against anti-Semitism in France” Al Jazeera 13.11.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/13/more-than-180000-join-marches-against-anti-semitism-in-france

(12) “Israel-Palestine war: Anti-Muslim racism in France surges with ‘full impunity'” Middle East Eye 19.11.2023

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-france-anti-muslim-racism-surge-impunity

(13) “Arab states condemn Geert Wilders for push to relocate Palestinians to Jordan” Politico 25.11.2023

https://www.politico.eu/article/geert-wilders-netherlands-palestinians-jordan-arab-states-condemn/

(14) “EU leaders call for humanitarian ‘pauses’ in Israel-Hamas war” Politico 26.10.2023

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-call-for-humanitarian-pauses-in-middle-east-war/

(15) “UNGA calls for humanitarian truce in Israel-Gaza war: How countries voted” Al Jazeera 27.10.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/27/unga-calls-for-humanitarian-truce-in-israel-hamas-war-how-countries-voted

(16) “UNGA demands ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza: How your country voted” Al Jazeera 12.12.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/13/unga-decisively-backs-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-how-your-country-voted

(17) “France’s Macron urges Israel to stop bombing and killing civilians in Gaza” Al Jazeera 11.11.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/11/frances-macron-urges-israel-to-stop-bombing-and-killing-civilians-in-gaza

(18) “Spain and Belgium deplore Israel’s killing of thousands in Gaza” Euronews 24.11.2023

https://www.euronews.com/2023/11/24/spain-and-belgium-deplore-israels-killing-of-thousands-in-gaza

(19) “Spanish deputy PM calls for sanctions and arms embargo against Israel” Middle East Monitor 16.11.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231116-spanish-deputy-pm-calls-for-sanctions-and-arms-embargo-against-israel/

(20) “EU warns Israel it will be isolated” Middle East Monitor 10.11.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231110-eu-warns-israel-it-will-be-isolated/

(21) “Conservative Friends of Israel” Powerbase

https://powerbase.info/index.php/Conservative_Friends_of_Israel

(22) “The Tories can never be true friends of Palestine” Al Jazeera 2.6.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/6/2/the-tories-can-never-be-true-friends-of-palestine

(23) “Rishi Sunak tells Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu: ‘We want you to win’” Politico 18.10.2023

https://www.politico.eu/article/rishi-sunak-uk-to-visit-israel-amidst-increasing-conflict/

(24) “The Lobby” documentary series by Al Jazeera Investigations 2017

https://www.ajiunit.com/investigation/the-lobby/

(25) “What did Jeremy Corbyn say about Israel, Hamas, and Palestine? Is he at the Labour Party conference?” Yahoo News 8.10.2023

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/did-jeremy-corbyn-israel-hamas-152226108.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmZpLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEMvY0CwIZ_ewtoRrx7Xaqie-g5U_NRXhJRpo97x7zycxhJMHxxjTyToYQWvnUhMlvjvq9w3ZsDnJmcKrxRN5AE03g1gbnrO12oUv-qZ_fUk5dRC5bpYQ8Ljav6-sVfv1anmny1jzJXHOugw3-coTQ431MGJPWP7Y-JLXYtHvEqI

(26) “After Corbyn, UK Labour elects Keir Starmer, Zionist with Jewish wife, as leader” The Times of Israel 4.4.2020

https://www.timesofisrael.com/keir-starmer-elected-uk-labour-chief-apologizes-to-jews-for-party-anti-semitism/

(27) “Keir Starmer believes anti-Zionism is antisemitism, Israeli politician reveals” The Jewish Chronicle 25.9.2022

https://www.thejc.com/news/keir-starmer-believes-anti-zionism-is-antisemitism-israeli-politician-reveals-b3s6880b

(28) “UK Labour Party hires former Israeli spy” The Electronic Intifada 19.1.2021

https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/uk-labour-party-hires-former-israeli-spy

(29) “UK MP Paul Bristow sacked as aide after call for Israel-Gaza ceasefire” Al Jazeera 31.10.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/31/uk-mp-paul-bristow-sacked-as-aide-after-call-for-israel-gaza-ceasefire

(30) “Eight members of UK Labour shadow cabinet dismissed after calling for ceasefire in Gaza” Le Monde 16.11.2023

https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/11/16/eight-members-of-uk-labour-shadow-cabinet-dismissed-after-calling-for-ceasefire-in-gaza_6261268_4.html

(31) “Keir Starmer hit by major rebellion as 10 of his frontbenchers back Gaza cease-fire” Politico 15.11.2023

https://www.politico.eu/article/keir-starmer-hit-by-major-rebellion-as-10-of-his-frontbenchers-back-gaza-cease-fire/

(32) “Israel-Palestine: Labour Party sees massive drop in Muslim support” Middle East Eye 26.10.2023

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/labour-party-muslim-support-massive-drop

(33) “US Republican Senator slammed for claiming Israel is waging a ‘religious war’” Middle East Monitor 13.10.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231013-us-republican-senator-slammed-for-claiming-israel-is-waging-a-religious-war/

(34) “Nikki Haley to Netanyahu: Finish Hamas; they should have hell to pay” The Jerusalem Post 9.10.2023

https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-765301

(35) “What Republican presidential candidates are saying about the Israel-Hamas war” NPR 18.10.2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/10/18/1206565510/republican-president-election-israel-hamas-trump-haley-biden

(36) “US: End game in Gaza ‘ultimately’ up to Israel” The Hill 29.10.2023

https://thehill.com/homenews/4282024-us-end-game-in-gaza-ultimately-up-to-israel/

(37) “‘War Is Expensive’: How the Israel Aid Package Went From Big to Bigger” TIME 9.11.2023

https://time.com/6333253/aid-israel-price-us-14-billion/

(38) “Accused of ‘genocide’ in Gaza and fearing ICC prosecution: US seeks to hide arms deal with Israel” Middle East Monitor 3.11.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231103-accused-of-genocide-in-gaza-and-fearing-icc-prosecution-us-seeks-to-hide-arms-deal-with-israel/

(39) “US sent tank shells without Congress approval to bolster Israel’s Gaza war” TRT World 9.12.2023

https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/us-sent-tank-shells-without-congress-approval-to-bolster-israels-gaza-war-16168932

(40) “US President Joe Biden pledges to continue supplying arms to Israel” Middle East Monitor 12.12.2023

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231212-us-president-joe-biden-pledges-to-continue-supplying-arms-to-israel/

(41) “White House says still no red lines for Israel” Mideast Discourse 7.11.2023

https://www.mideastdiscourse.com/2023/11/07/white-house-says-still-no-red-lines-for-israel/

(42) “Biden calls for ‘revitalized PA’ control of Gaza after war” Jewish News Syndicate 19.11.2023

https://www.jns.org/biden-calls-for-revitalized-pa-control-of-gaza-after-war/

(43) “US resists ceasefire call in UN Security Council debate on Israel-Gaza war” Al Jazeera 25.10.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/25/us-resists-ceasefire-call-in-un-security-council-debate-on-israel-gaza-war

(44) “‘Double standards’: World reacts to US veto on Gaza truce resolution at UN” Al Jazeera 9.12.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/9/double-standards-world-reacts-to-us-vetoing-unsc-gaza-resolution

(45) “UN Security Council adopts resolution for ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Gaza” Al Jazeera 15.11.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/15/unsc-adopts-resolution-calling-for-extended-humanitarian-pauses

(46) “Biden calls Hamas attacks the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust as US death toll ticks up” AP 12.10.2023

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-us-biden-blinken-99eb4063edabc80fa1fa198fb0bb020e

(47) “Biden says civilian deaths ‘price of waging war,’ denies Palestinian death toll” The New Arab 26.10.2023

https://www.newarab.com/news/biden-civilian-death-price-war-denies-gaza-death-toll

(48) “Biden’s support among Democrats erodes on handling of Israel-Hamas war” The Hill 19.11.2023

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4317318-bidens-support-among-democrats-erodes-on-handling-of-israel-hamas-war/

(49) “Biden’s outreach to US Arabs, Muslims ‘falling flat’ amid Israel-Gaza war” Al Jazeera 7.11.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/7/bidens-outreach-to-us-arabs-and-muslims-falling-flat-amid-gaza-war

(50) “Report: Riyadh-Washington defense pact to move forward even without Palestinians” Israel Hayom 29.9.2023

https://www.israelhayom.com/2023/09/29/report-saudi-arabia-keen-on-finalizing-us-defense-alliance-even-without-major-palestinian-breakthrough/

(51) “Have the US and Israel agreed on Gaza’s future?” Al Jazeera 21.11.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/21/have-the-us-and-israel-agreed-on-gazas-future

(52) “Biden Can’t Denounce Russia’s Annexations and Ignore Israel’s” Foreign Policy 6.12.2022

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/12/06/biden-cant-denounce-russias-annexations-and-ignore-israels/

(53) “Israel continues to pound Gaza as it warns war could continue for ‘months’” Al Jazeera 11.12.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/11/gaza-war-could-stretch-on-months-as-israel-continues-southern-push

(54) “Israel-Palestine war: America’s enemies are multiplying by the day” Middle East Eye 8.12.2023

https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israel-palestine-war-america-enemies-multiplying-day

(55) “Biden warns Israel risks losing support over ‘indiscriminate’ Gaza bombing” Al Jazeera 12.12.2023

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/12/biden-warns-israel-losing-support-over-indiscriminate-gaza-bombing

(56) “Trump Holds Wide Lead in Republican 2024 Nominating Contest – Reuters/Ipsos Poll” U.S. News 11.12.2023

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-12-11/trump-holds-wide-lead-in-republican-2024-nominating-contest-reuters-ipsos-poll

(57) “A second Trump term will be far more autocratic than the first. He’s telling us” The Guardian 4.12.2023

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/04/a-second-trump-term-will-be-far-more-autocratic-than-the-first-hes-telling-us

(58) “Gaza: ‘History is watching’ warns UN relief chief, saying aid access is key priority” UN News 16.10.2023

https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142382