Israel's rage, while understandable up to a point, has led it to become truly unhinged. And our government is deeply implicated in the crimes against humanity that Israel is now undertaking-- and openly bragging about. I'm planning to write something about this but wanted to share with you this image of the leaflet that Israeli planes have been dropping over Gaza:
It instructs people living north of the "Gaza Valley" (as indicated on the little map) to move to the south of it. This is 1.1 million people, including several who are my friends and who have been much involved in nonviolent organizing inside Gaza.
The instructions given in the leaflet are basically that everyone who receives it should "immediately" move to south of the Gaza Valley and may not return to their homes until they receive further notice from the IDF.
The UN, which has many staff members throughout the Gaza Strip, has also been "instructed" by the Israeli authorities to evacuate their staffers from north of the Valley and to assist in the evacuation of the 1.1 million Palestinian residents. The UN leaders responded that this is quite impossible, especially in the context of Israel's shelling, widespread destruction, and deep disruption of all systems throughout Gaza.
Of course, the UN cannot be "instructed" by Israel about anything. But where is our government and Sec. Blinken's (extremely quiet) earlier comment that Israel should act in accordance with international law?
I'll be writing more, and more publicly, about this. But I just wanted to show you the actual leaflet. My friend the English Lit professor Refaat Alareer posted today on Twitter that this might well be the last sunrise that he and his family see.
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Helena Cobban
She/her/they | Honoring the lives & legacies of the Piscataways in whose lands I live
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