From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 05:11:14 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0E383B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 05:11:13 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 0E383B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="j6rz72s4" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id DD812BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 05:11:13 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f51.google.com (mail-lf1-f51.google.com [209.85.167.51]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id D9F4CBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 05:11:13 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f51.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52e9b9fb3dcso2617873e87.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 05:11:13 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721477472; x=1722082272; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=/RdmNh2Q6DBpg6ikHdnTHBRGsQt4tM9F5zUx8p4v58c=; b=j6rz72s4l03zutltQ2IEfoCwH9PJLessedGcHw8D0LzRcX2F2QGemdI8tDPoTXc0wl ggje7tVMiJLT/EwpfkgC92xsWoz6Db/g+sSW6ULeRlv9WCDfD0QvSmqTG8jdGpfiqI0e bc4vPCu2rpO+5XH3aqC9f8WRqeqLDJLq5yY5oggCcYFjU2QZcDyQTm9ckSFo/2tkDB1E to0qsIH7V2KQ4jzHuiY6MI4jLokL3m+W7dVWd/5WztzEcC1N0lPFtZmY9AwnrIVNQ7Wz 12v7TFI2xRTSlGWCUGokb1TcAtTXRRQqlOLDBhCqpxvRVsoN3ZkllOr4B36VjDNW25C7 01vw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721477472; x=1722082272; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=/RdmNh2Q6DBpg6ikHdnTHBRGsQt4tM9F5zUx8p4v58c=; b=K4qt3F5pwljHlOu6nRZ34IFgqy160Mb+1wa+mN1vBOwGWatYtUojvbWxg6Q2H9qpa8 OU7L0OwL41tew3nm/pJNKSpo/giAT108S6UQU+iVdLnIUAZQ3WzHc5bKQrtYh/syQPqS ippEVRtTXnbpj4xfZpelKNgIx/heKbxcPYvtcLYQlwakksLx2ypXlOSAHAK+Rw8684UO boduCw+ftu+iFFxMFmydad6tDajqFPR3R3Vzo/aDHodmgcuv+ejvPhNv18/4bl+UfKaH ANNks9PO7Y4MJPd/Q2Tdx3TPXP1l8v3FrcDhRrBMFUwPfOQZIDR6c3f0H9KklpnBJ5xb 21fg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YyW3v0Twuul17NgjxWtzcFUaQjI4tHC6gBUjsJgWcV5K1b0N/cj jyslJQl9SCMCoTpI/OMfzxOlyDxWgwN9JDoLhncaoKUvNOWIkDvhiX87nZtZssNE43eIYt0QIxS +4Cj+M9CrFPTJPJ7XRdJ+u544WOkbxY8K X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFfoIwCFGjbOCONv+Z9Y5uL8+wHuAJZvNFch91iSLZLrLenYe5j36OZhf+rY2W7PM1Cb8ulLIFaoxnxfHHAD80= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:3409:b0:52e:9cf0:69db with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb7c000emr795811e87.46.1721477471294; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 05:11:11 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:10:55 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000002a615b061dacb543" Subject: [Salon] Surviving the New World Order (video) X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:11:14 -0000 --0000000000002a615b061dacb543 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://youtu.be/6iva-hr9KMc --0000000000002a615b061dacb543 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"

--0000000000002a615b061dacb543-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 08:42:08 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 98D94B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:42:08 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 98D94B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="iECyRXNU" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 86040BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:42:08 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-wm1-f43.google.com (mail-wm1-f43.google.com [209.85.128.43]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 403E2BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:42:08 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-wm1-f43.google.com with SMTP id 5b1f17b1804b1-4257d5fc9b7so22575565e9.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:42:08 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721490126; x=1722094926; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=wRJtaoobJ5SI8NIjJa3VJ0Q/XyalXQ5UhPBT118pi34=; b=iECyRXNUQx7sud1xHLzKcJJEYu6Qegl5rK8tWBUOxtK88SHhRZvDvbhXQiTt9uqNeI ubAVEdZJarNUp3AxXrfklFh7Kt0yUDFmjqvxfbco9FC/go0E20Uh+bOOTcusayw68s98 fQfk+OHc88L1mxB9w8DZLr499xJSpNMAawK/fPS1625inHW1+oZTHqXGi9hb7yvCTYos pyPrjkilnG2CJ+vILWY1mIkoH6xF7g+jh50k8oLKWwt0hINNSwjerwZX68BSbIChWiCv YDaFozPkMwVOL9Im0TnyqPu9mwhUbFmZNogtpf2i55/edAZdYPYKZmrkn7paQGQ2xWpA 2bYQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721490126; x=1722094926; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=wRJtaoobJ5SI8NIjJa3VJ0Q/XyalXQ5UhPBT118pi34=; b=A7xCYaHxBXUzBiKsqooXMb2f+aQ36rNZ2Lb6ZZL7ePL3EjhDvvbjraviL2FvlcsbWf ZhMyDcpj+LugnWFanejVrXDBl/F5uT9hHYW7ilU2ct2ScY2xtaYhg90/muCfWPBnCsnT S6QLJKMDiuoDX00Iai6IxGaSHj5LJH4adoY3ARoauvG8egRThj/CuqIS+mJJcCLxgy/c BKuavhjbiUKMy3MVHyV2Z4vp2uwkgDa/98q7D6oRtGt51NEAWtpFA23VPPN0rgbnb26+ okiCsLDA7ei5YddZI5XKMfP8BtgGi3dn5vCybI0rDMPdOLVkPcF+YCS44yqCQSQ2WouN heDQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Ywxb7GC4L780tIYiGYxcLrzp4/6q9EIjJyzowPg1YMyAWkO8U2C rWqElhQSvgtNfXJ7j3p7u+wxgiS3x6wO06OP8B2c0UpDlLTXf4wXc7m5SS4D7RsSi2+qg2RP97t XKRVdniT6QpAjmQJ3/oFYeQ4LFTlmyNQD X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IEBfSU85+iDR2H0D5oH2/fE+Rw3bHmyyNxPwPQ3LDn3ZIMjGuiSz67wZERyWLfkqRnXLbMOl0+cL0lcVHxVRzo= X-Received: by 2002:a5d:64ea:0:b0:366:f04d:676f with SMTP id ffacd0b85a97d-369bae3a43emr1686120f8f.12.1721490125461; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:42:05 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:41:57 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="00000000000069a454061dafa78f" Subject: [Salon] In this city, people say Russia must defeat Ukraine and the West at any cost X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:42:08 -0000 --00000000000069a454061dafa78f Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/20/kirov-russia-war-west-ukrai= ne/?location=3Dalert In this city, people say Russia must defeat Ukraine and the West at any cos= t Children sing at Russia Day festivities in Kirov, in western Russia, on June 12. Behind them is a statue of Vladimir Lenin, first ruler of the Soviet state. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) The Post visited Kirov, in western Russia, where residents say President Vladimir Putin=E2=80=99s war in Ukraine is a fight for Russia=E2=80=99s sur= vival against the U.S. and NATO. By Francesca Ebel July 20, 2024 KIROV, Russia =E2=80=94 In Kirov, a small city in the heart of western Russ= ia, about 1,000 miles from the front lines in Ukraine, the war that initially few people wanted continues to fill graves in local cemeteries. But most residents now seem to agree with President Vladimir Putin that the bloodshed is necessary. =E2=80=9CThe U.S. and NATO gave us no choice,=E2=80=9D said Vlad, the comma= nder of a Russian storm unit who has been wounded three times since signing a contract to join the military a year ago. He spoke on the condition he be identified only by first name because he is still an active-duty soldier. After fighting in Ukraine this spring left him with 40 pieces of shrapnel in his body, Vlad was sent home to recover. Once healed, he plans to return to battle. =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m going back because I want my kids to be pro= ud of me,=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CYou have to raise patriotism. Otherwise, Russia will be eate= n up.=E2=80=9D Elena Smirnova, whose brothers have been fighting in Ukraine since they were conscripted in September 2022, said she is proud they =E2=80=9Cserve t= he motherland=E2=80=9D rather than sit on the couch at home. Nina Korotaeva, who works every day at a volunteer center sewing nets and anti-drone camouflage blankets, said that she feels =E2=80=9Csuch pity=E2= =80=9D for the young men dying but that their sacrifice is unavoidable. =E2=80=9CWe don=E2= =80=99t have a choice,=E2=80=9D Korotaeva said. =E2=80=9CWe have to defend our state. We c= an=E2=80=99t just agree to being broken up.=E2=80=9D A glimpse of a Russian city grieving and patriotic 1:25 The Post=E2=80=99s Francesca Ebel reported in June from Kirov, Russia, wher= e even far from the front lines the war has visibly changed the fabric of life. (Video: Francesca Ebel, Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post) A visit to Kirov last month revealed that many Russians firmly believe that their country is fighting an existential war with the West, which has sent Ukraine more than $100 billion in military aid, including sophisticated weapons, to defend against Russia=E2=80=99s invasion =E2=80=94 assistance t= hat has sharply increased Russia=E2=80=99s casualties. Interviews showed that the Kremlin has mobilized public support for the war while also masking the full, horrific consequences of it. Some residents of Kirov said they still find the war incomprehensible, while others who have lost relatives insist that the fighting must be serving a higher purpose. Vlad, the commander of a Russian storm unit, receives treatment for a shrapnel wound in Kirov. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Volunteer Nina Korotaeva makes an anti-drone blanket in Kirov to be sent to the front lines. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Olga Akishina, whose boyfriend, Nikita Rusakov, 22, was killed with at least 20 other soldiers when a U.S.-provided HIMARS missile slammed into their base this spring, said she found it too difficult to speak about him. Instead, she spoke for nearly an hour in an unbroken torrent about NATO bases in Ukraine and =E2=80=9Cthe extermination=E2=80=9D of Russian-speaker= s there =E2=80=94 echoing the Kremlin=E2=80=99s unfounded justifications for the war, which a= re repeated frequently on state television. =F0=9F=8C=8E *Follow* World news =E2=80=9COf course, if he hadn=E2=80=99t died, it would certainly be much m= ore pleasant for me and his family,=E2=80=9D Akishina said. =E2=80=9CBut I am aware that thi= s was a necessary measure =E2=80=94 to protect those people.=E2=80=9D People in Kirov walk under a billboard featuring an ad for the Russian army. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Washington Post journalists traveled to Kirov at the invitation of Maria Butina, a Russian citizen who served 15 months in a U.S. federal prison after being convicted of operating as an unregistered foreign agent . Butina had been an advocate for gun rights and other conservative causes during her years in the United States. Deported after her release, she was embraced as a hero in Russia and now represents Kirov in the State Duma, Russia=E2=80=99s lower house of parliament. Butina=E2=80=99s office organized interviews with soldiers on leave from ac= tive duty, wounded servicemen, soldiers=E2=80=99 families, volunteers, local med= ical staff and young police cadets. Butina insisted that one of her assistants, Konstantyn Sitchikhin, sit in on most of the conversations, which meant some people may have felt unable to speak freely. At times, Sitchikhin interrupted, telling young cadets, for example, to speak =E2=80=9Ccarefully= and patriotically.=E2=80=9D The Post also interviewed several people independently, in person or by phone. Butina said she extended the invitation because she still believes in dialogue with the West and wanted The Post to report =E2=80=9Cthe truth.=E2= =80=9D But she insisted that Sitchikhin=E2=80=99s presence in interviews was necessary. = =E2=80=9CWe need to feel that we can trust you,=E2=80=9D Butina said. =E2=80=9CI advise you = to build bridges, not walls.=E2=80=9D The Post accepted Butina=E2=80=99s invitation because it allowed access to = a city outside Moscow where reporting might otherwise have proved risky. Since the invasion, Russian authorities have outlawed criticism of the war or the military and have arrested and charged journalists with serious offenses including espionage. Journalists also are routinely put under surveillance. Sitchikhin, Butina=E2=80=99s aide, cited a climate of fear. =E2=80=9CYou ne= ed to understand that we are at war and people here see you as the enemy,=E2=80=9D he said. = =E2=80=9CI am just trying to protect the people I care about.=E2=80=9D Maria Butina, who invited Post journalists to Kirov. She served 15 months in a U.S. prison after being convicted of operating as an unregistered foreign agent and is a now a member of Russia's parliament. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Young cadets at Russia Day celebrations in Kirov. One cadet told The Post: =E2=80=9CYoung people shouldn=E2=80=99t stay on the sidelines.=E2=80=9D (Na= nna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) A day after speaking to The Post, Akishina, whose boyfriend was killed in the missile strike, sent a text message saying that she regretted talking to an American newspaper. =E2=80=9CYou will most likely be asked to present the material in the artic= le in a way that will be beneficial to the newspaper=E2=80=99s editors,=E2=80=9D sh= e wrote. =E2=80=9CI would not want there to be a headline under my story and our pho= tographs that would blame our country and our President for the death of our military,=E2=80=9D she wrote, adding that the 78 percent of Russians who vo= ted to reelect Putin in March were proof of widespread public support for the war. (Independent observers said the Russian election failed to meet democratic standards, with genuine challengers blocked from running and Putin controlling all media.) =E2=80=9CThe truth is that the United States and the European Union countri= es that supply weapons to Ukraine are to blame for the death of our guys, as well as civilians in Donbas and Belgorod,=E2=80=9D Akishina wrote. Members of enterprises, universities and public organizations parade in Kirov on Russia Day. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) On Wednesday, June 12, thousands of people crammed onto Kirov=E2=80=99s mai= n square to celebrate Russia Day, swaying to patriotic rock songs in the warm sunshine. Among them was Lyubov, tears streaming down her face as she cradled a portrait of her son, Anton, in uniform. =E2=80=9CI cry every single day,=E2=80=9D Lyubov said of Anton, 39, who was= confirmed dead this spring. Lyubov said she had joined the festivities hoping to take her mind off her grief. But the dancing, happy families, and rousing music that at times drowned out her words proved too much. =E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t want everyo= ne to join us in our sadness,=E2=80=9D she said, =E2=80=9Cbut I can=E2=80=99t take this.=E2= =80=9D People gather in Kirov to watch a fireworks show on Russia Day. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Lyubov holds a photo of her son, who was killed fighting in Ukraine. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Anton was killed by machine-gun fire near Avdiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine that Russia captured in February after months of fierce fighting. Anton called her the night before the assault and told her that he was =E2= =80=9Con a one-way ticket=E2=80=9D =E2=80=94 a suicide mission. When she finally got= her son=E2=80=99s body back, she was warned not to open the coffin. Lyubov said she did not understand the reasons for the war, who Russia is fighting or why her son volunteered to join the army. But she insisted that his death was not in vain. =E2=80=9CHe did it for us,=E2=80=9D she said, sm= iling a bit, =E2=80=9Cand for Russia.=E2=80=9D The Post arranged the interview with Lyubov independently by contacting her through a social media page for soldiers=E2=80=99 families. The Post is ide= ntifying her and her son by first name only because of the risk of backlash from the authorities. The interviews =E2=80=94 with Lyubov, and more than a dozen others in Kirov= =E2=80=94 highlighted a striking duality: Many Russians are struggling with the deaths of loved ones or their return with grievous injuries, and some are deeply engaged in volunteer efforts, but many others are largely untouched by the war, which has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians and destroyed entire cities. Olga Akishina, 40, looks at a religious icon that travels between the front lines in Donbas and Kirov. Her boyfriend, Nikita Rusakov, was killed by HIMARS rocket in Ukraine. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) At the entrance to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a pamphlet written by Kirov=E2=80=99s chief bishop, Mark Slobodsky, tells wor= shipers that this is not a fight over territory but a war to defend Orthodox Christian values. =E2=80=9CIt is a sacred and civilizational conflict,=E2= =80=9D Slobodsky wrote. =E2=80=9CNo one can stand to the side of these events.=E2=80=9D Inside, priests blessed an icon that Butina=E2=80=99s office had commission= ed by an artist from Donetsk, in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, to honor Kirov=E2= =80=99s soldiers. The icon bore an odd combination of images: Czar Nicholas II, Russian Prince Alexander Nevsky and the former head of the Russian-backed Donetsk People=E2=80=99s Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko, standing in vari= ous positions of piety before the slag heaps of Ukraine=E2=80=99s coal-mining D= onbas region. At a small concert organized by a local volunteer group, people sang patriotic songs about victory and love for the motherland. Three men, the fathers of soldiers either killed or still fighting in Ukraine, were awarded medals for raising =E2=80=9Cheroes of Russia.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CEach fighter is a hero for us, and today we wish them the fastest victory,=E2=80=9D the concert=E2=80=99s host proclaimed. =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80= =99s thanks to them that we are able to hold such events like this today.=E2=80=9D Public unity behind the war was fully on display in Kirov, including a little girl, whose father is fighting in Ukraine, in a T-shirt that said: =E2=80=9CI am the daughter of a hero.=E2=80=9D Several elderly residents said they donate their pensions to the war effort. Many are children of soldiers who fought in World War II and now view Russia as fighting a new war against fascism. Young cadets in their teens and early 20s, who are training to be police officers and emergency workers, spoke eagerly of volunteer stints they had just completed in occupied Ukraine. One cadet said: =E2=80=9CYoung people s= houldn=E2=80=99t stay on the sidelines.=E2=80=9D Asked how they would explain the war in Ukr= aine, they requested to skip the question. People sing a patriotic song in support of Russia=E2=80=99s war in Ukraine = during Russia Day celebrations in Kirov. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Cadets pose for a portrait during an interview with The Post. From left: Maxim, Ksenia and two Ivans. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Some young people who joined the fight, however, are disillusioned by it. Denis, 29, a former Wagner mercenary whose left foot was amputated because of a war injury and who participated in a short-lived mutiny last year when Wagner fighters marched toward Moscow, said he was still enraged at =E2=80= =9Cthe corrupt and decaying=E2=80=9D Defense Ministry. Post journalists encountered Denis by chance, independently of Butina=E2=80= =99s office, and he agreed to meet to talk about his experiences in the war on the condition that he be identified only by first name because criticizing the military is now a crime in Russia. Speaking as fireworks marked the end of Russia Day, Denis complained that there was =E2=80=9Cnot enough truth about the war and not enough real, orga= nic involvement.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CWhy are people still partying? Why are they spending money on fire= works and this concert?=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s as if nothing is = going on. Everyone should be helping, but most people do not feel the war concerns them, and politicians are using it to cleanse themselves and increase their ratings.= =E2=80=9D Denis said he planned to return to Ukraine once he is fitted with a prosthesis. =E2=80=9CWe have to end this, otherwise the West will see us as weak,=E2=80= =9D he said. =E2=80=9CI thought this war would be short, that it would last six months maximum. We have really been screwed. And I=E2=80=99m disappointed that everyone who te= lls the truth about the war, about the Russian Defense Ministry, is immediately jailed.=E2=80=9D An injured soldier and former Wagner mercenary named Denis. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) Meanwhile, Kirov=E2=80=99s social media pages are flooded daily with funera= l notices and pleas to help find missing fathers, sons or husbands. At the cemetery outside Kirov where Lyubov=E2=80=99s son is buried, there a= re about 40 graves of soldiers killed since 2022, adorned with wreaths and flags. Thirty freshly dug graves await bodies. Next to one grave, a family gathered to say a few words and raise a glass. =E2=80=9CThank you, Seryoga, for defending us,=E2=80=9D said a man, who gav= e his name only as Mikhail. =E2=80=9CYou were only there for three days, but at least you t= ried your best.=E2=80=9D A cemetery outside Kirov where Russian soldiers are buried. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post) *Anastasia Trofimova contributed to this report. * --00000000000069a454061dafa78f Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

ht= tps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/20/kirov-russia-war-west-ukraine= /?location=3Dalert

In this city, p= eople say Russia must defeat Ukraine and the West at any cost

Children sing at Russia Day festivities in Kirov, in western Russia, on June 12. Behind them is a statue of Vladimir Lenin, first ruler of the Soviet=20 state. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post)

The Post visited Kirov, in western Russia, where residents say President=20 Vladimir Putin=E2=80=99s war in Ukraine is a fight for Russia=E2=80=99s sur= vival against the U.S. and NATO.

By Francesca Ebel

July 20, 2024

<= /div>

KIROV, Russia =E2=80=94 In Kirov, a small city in the heart of western Russia, ab= out=20 1,000 miles from the front lines in Ukraine, the war that initially few=20 people wanted continues to fill graves in local cemeteries. But most=20 residents now seem to agree with President Vladimir Putin that the=20 bloodshed is necessary.

=E2=80=9CThe U.S. and NATO gave us no choice,=E2=80=9D said Vlad, the commander of a Ru= ssian storm unit who has been wounded three times since signing a contract to join the military a year ago. He spoke on the condition he be=20 identified only by first name because he is still an active-d= uty soldier.

Afte= r fighting in Ukraine this spring left him with 40 pieces of shrapnel in=20 his body, Vlad was sent home to recover. Once healed, he plans to return to battle. =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m going back because I want my kids to be pr= oud of me,=E2=80=9D=20 he said. =E2=80=9CYou have to raise patriotism. Otherwise, Russia will be e= aten=20 up.=E2=80=9D

Elen= a Smirnova, whose brothers have been fighting in Ukraine since they were=20 conscripted in September 2022, said she is proud they =E2=80=9Cserve the=20 motherland=E2=80=9D rather than sit on the couch at home.

Nina Korotaeva, who works every day at a volunteer center sewing nets and=20 anti-drone camouflage blankets, said that she feels =E2=80=9Csuch pity=E2= =80=9D for the=20 young men dying but that their sacrifice is unavoidable. =E2=80=9CWe= =20 don=E2=80=99t have a choice,=E2=80=9D Korotaeva said. =E2=80=9CWe have to d= efend our state. We=20 can=E2=80=99t just agree to being broken up.=E2=80=9D

<= /div>

The Post=E2=80=99s Francesca Ebel reported in June from Kirov, Russia, where e= ven=20 far from the front lines the war has visibly changed the fabric of life. (Video: Francesca Ebel, Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

A visit to K= irov last month revealed that many Russians firmly believe that their country is fighting an existential war with=20 the West, which has sent Ukraine more than $100 billion in military aid, including sophisticated weapons, to defend against Russia=E2=80=99s invasi= on =E2=80=94=20 assistance that has sharply increased Russia=E2=80=99s casualties.

Interviews showed that the Kremlin has mobilized public support for the war while also=20 masking the full, horrific consequences of it. Some residents of Kirov=20 said they still find the war incomprehensible, while others who have=20 lost relatives insist that the fighting must be serving a higher=20 purpose.

<= div style=3D"line-height:0" class=3D"gmail-w-100 gmail-mw-100 gmail-h-auto"= width=3D"600" height=3D"428"> 3D""

Vlad, the commander of a Russian storm unit, receives treatment for a=20 shrapnel wound in Kirov. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The=20 Washington Post)

Volunteer Nina Korotaeva makes an anti-drone blanket in Kirov to be sent to the=20 front lines. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post)

<= /div>

Olga Akishina, whose boyfriend, Nikita Rusakov, 22, was killed with at least 20 other soldiers when a U.S.-provided HIMARS missile slammed into=20 their base this spring, said she found it too difficult to speak about=20 him. Instead, she spoke for nearly an hour in an unbroken torrent about=20 NATO bases in Ukraine and =E2=80=9Cthe extermination=E2=80=9D of Russian-sp= eakers there =E2=80=94 echoing the Kremlin=E2=80=99s unfounded justifications for the war, which = are=20 repeated frequently on state television.

=F0=9F=8C=8E

Follow= World news

=E2=80=9COf course, if he hadn=E2=80=99t died, it would certainly be much more pleasan= t for me and his family,=E2=80=9D Akishina said. =E2=80=9CBut I am aware that th= is was a=20 necessary measure =E2=80=94 to protect those people.=E2=80=9D

People in Kirov walk under a billboard featuring an ad for the Russian army.=20 (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post)

Washington Post journalists traveled to Kirov at the invitation of Maria Butina, a Russian citizen who served 15 months in a U.S. federal prison after=20 being convicted of operating as an unregistered foreign ag= ent. Butina had been an advocate for gun rights and other conservative=20 causes during her years in the United States. Deported after her=20 release, she was embraced as a hero in Russia and now represents Kirov=20 in the State Duma, Russia=E2=80=99s lower house of parliament.

Butina=E2=80=99s office organized interviews with soldiers on leave from active duty,=20 wounded servicemen, soldiers=E2=80=99 families, volunteers, local medical s= taff=20 and young police cadets. Butina insisted that one of her assistants,=20 Konstantyn Sitchikhin, sit in on most of the conversations, which meant some people may have felt unable to speak freely. At times,=20 Sitchikhin interrupted, telling young cadets, for example, to speak=20 =E2=80=9Ccarefully and patriotically.=E2=80=9D

The Post also interviewed several people inde= pendently, in person or by phone.

Butina said she extended the invitation because she still believes in dialogue with the West and wanted The Post to report =E2=80=9Cthe truth.=E2=80=9D B= ut she=20 insisted that Sitchikhin=E2=80=99s presence in interviews was necessary. = =E2=80=9CWe=20 need to feel that we can trust you,=E2=80=9D Butina said. =E2=80=9CI advise= you to build bridges, not walls.=E2=80=9D

The Post accepted Butina=E2=80=99s invitation because it allowed access to a c= ity=20 outside Moscow where reporting might otherwise have proved risky. Since=20 the invasion, Russian authorities have outlawed criticism of the war or=20 the military and have arrested and charged journalists with serious=20 offenses including espionage. Journalists also are routinely put under=20 surveillance.

Sit= chikhin, Butina=E2=80=99s aide, cited a climate of fear. =E2=80=9CYou need to under= stand that we are at war and people here see you as the enemy,=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80= =9CI am just=20 trying to protect the people I care about.=E2=80=9D

Maria Butina, who invited Post journalists to Kirov. She served 15 months in a U.S. prison after being convicted of operating as an unregistered=20 foreign agent and is a now a member of Russia's parliament. (Nanna=20 Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post)

Young cadets at Russia Day celebrations in Kirov. One cadet told The Post:=20 =E2=80=9CYoung people shouldn=E2=80=99t stay on the sidelines.=E2=80=9D (Na= nna Heitmann/Magnum=20 Photos for The Washington Post)

A day after speaking to The Post, Akishina, whose boyfriend was killed in the missile strike, sent a text message saying that she regretted=20 talking to an American newspaper.

=E2=80=9CYou will most likely be asked to present the material in the article in a=20 way that will be beneficial to the newspaper=E2=80=99s editors,=E2=80=9D sh= e wrote.

=E2=80= =9CI would not want there to be a headline under my story and our=20 photographs that would blame our country and our President for the death of our military,=E2=80=9D she wrote, adding that the 78 percent of Russian= s who voted to reelect Putin in March were proof of widespread public support for the war. (Independent observers said the Russian election=20 failed to meet democratic standards, with genuine challengers blocked=20 from running and Putin controlling all media.)

=E2=80=9CThe truth is that the United States and the European Union countries that=20 supply weapons to Ukraine are to blame for the death of our guys, as=20 well as civilians in Donbas and Belgorod,=E2=80=9D Akishina wrote.

Members of enterprises, universities and public organizations parade in Kirov=20 on Russia Day. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington Post)

On Wednesday, June 12, thousands of people crammed onto Kirov=E2=80=99s main= =20 square to celebrate Russia Day, swaying to patriotic rock songs in the <= /b>warm sunshine. Among them was Lyubov, tears streaming down her face as s= he cradled a portrait of her son, Anton, in uniform.

=E2=80=9CI cry every single day,=E2=80= =9D Lyubov said of Anton, 39, who was confirmed dead this spring.

=
Lyubov said she had joined the festivities hoping to take her mind off her=20 grief. But the dancing, happy families, and rousing music that at times=20 drowned out her words proved too much. =E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t want everyo= ne to join us in our sadness,=E2=80=9D she said, =E2=80=9Cbut I can=E2=80=99t take this.= =E2=80=9D
=
People gather in Kirov to watch a fire= works show on Russia Day. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washington = Post)

<= div style=3D"line-height:0" class=3D"gmail-w-100 gmail-mw-100 gmail-h-auto"= width=3D"600" height=3D"428">

Lyubov holds a photo of her son, who wa= s killed fighting in Ukraine. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The Washing= ton Post)

Anto= n was killed by machine-gun fire near Avdiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine that Russia captured in February after months of fierce fighting. Anton called her the night before the assault and told her that he was =E2=80=9C= on a=20 one-way ticket=E2=80=9D =E2=80=94 a suicide mission. When she finally got h= er son=E2=80=99s body back, she was warned not to open the coffin.

Lyubov said she did not understand the reasons for the war, who Russia is=20 fighting or why her son volunteered to join the army. But she insisted=20 that his death was not in vain. =E2=80=9CHe did it for us,=E2=80=9D she sai= d, smiling a=20 bit, =E2=80=9Cand for Russia.=E2=80=9D

The Post arranged the interview with Lyubov independently by contacting her through a social media page for soldiers=E2=80=99 families. The Post is=20 identifying her and her son by first name only because of the risk of=20 backlash from the authorities.

The interviews =E2=80=94 with Lyubov, and more than a dozen others in Kirov = =E2=80=94=20 highlighted a striking duality: Many Russians are struggling with the=20 deaths of loved ones or their return with grievous injuries, and some=20 are deeply engaged in volunteer efforts, but many others are largely=20 untouched by the war, which has killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians=20 and destroyed entire cities.

Olga Akishina, 40, looks at a religious icon that travels between the front=20 lines in Donbas and Kirov. Her boyfriend, Nikita Rusakov, was killed by=20 HIMARS rocket in Ukraine. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The=20 Washington Post)

At the entrance to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a pamphlet written by Kirov=E2=80=99s chief bishop, Mark Slobodsky, tells=20 worshipers that this is not a fight over territory but a war to defend=20 Orthodox Christian values. =E2=80=9CIt is a sacred and civilizational confl= ict,=E2=80=9D Slobodsky wrote. =E2=80=9CNo one can stand to the side of these events.=E2= =80=9D

Inside, priests blessed an icon that Butina=E2=80=99s office had commissioned by a= n=20 artist from Donetsk, in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine, to honor=20 Kirov=E2=80=99s soldiers. The icon bore an odd combination of images: Czar= =20 Nicholas II, Russian Prince Alexander Nevsky and the former head of the=20 Russian-backed Donetsk People=E2=80=99s Republic, Alexander Zakharchenko,= =20 standing in various positions of piety before the slag heaps of=20 Ukraine=E2=80=99s coal-mining Donbas region.

At a small concert organized by a local volunteer group, people sang=20 patriotic songs about victory and love for the motherland. Three men,=20 the fathers of soldiers either killed or still fighting in Ukraine, were awarded medals for raising =E2=80=9Cheroes of Russia.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CEach fighter is a hero for us, and today we wish them the fastest victory,=E2= =80=9D=20 the concert=E2=80=99s host proclaimed. =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s thanks to them= that we are able to=20 hold such events like this today.=E2=80=9D

Public unity behind the war was fully on display in Kirov, including a little=20 girl, whose father is fighting in Ukraine, in a T-shirt that said: =E2=80= =9CI am the daughter of a hero.=E2=80=9D

Several elderly residents said they donate their pensions to the war effort.=20 Many are children of soldiers who fought in World War II and now view=20 Russia as fighting a new war against fascism.

Young cadets in their teens and early 20s, who are training to be police=20 officers and emergency workers, spoke eagerly of volunteer stints they=20 had just completed in occupied Ukraine. One cadet said: =E2=80=9CYoung peop= le=20 shouldn=E2=80=99t stay on the sidelines.=E2=80=9D Asked how they would expl= ain the war=20 in Ukraine, they requested to skip the question.

People sing a patriotic song in support of Russia=E2=80=99s war in Ukraine during= =20 Russia Day celebrations in Kirov. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The=20 Washington Post)

Cadets pose for a portrait during an interview with The Post. From left:=20 Maxim, Ksenia and two Ivans. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The=20 Washington Post)

Some young people who joined the fight, however, are disillusioned by it.=20 Denis, 29, a former Wagner mercenary whose left foot was amputated=20 because of a war injury and who participated in a short-lived mutiny=20 last year when Wagner fighters marched toward Moscow, said he was still=20 enraged at =E2=80=9Cthe corrupt and decaying=E2=80=9D Defense Ministry.

Post journalists encountered Denis by chance, independently of Butina=E2=80=99s= =20 office, and he agreed to meet to talk about his experiences in the war=20 on the condition that he be identified only by first name because=20 criticizing the military is now a crime in Russia.

Speaking as fireworks marked the end of Russia Day, Denis complained that there=20 was =E2=80=9Cnot enough truth about the war and not enough real, organic=20 involvement.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CWhy are people still partying? Why are they spending money on fireworks and this concert?=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s as if nothing is goi= ng on. Everyone=20 should be helping, but most people do not feel the war concerns them,=20 and politicians are using it to cleanse themselves and increase their=20 ratings.=E2=80=9D

Denis said he planned to return to Ukraine once he is fitted with a prosth= esis.

=E2=80=9CWe have to end this, otherwise the West will see us as weak,=E2=80=9D he said= . =E2=80=9CI=20 thought this war would be short, that it would last six months maximum.=20 We have really been screwed. And I=E2=80=99m disappointed that everyone who= =20 tells the truth about the war, about the Russian Defense Ministry, is=20 immediately jailed.=E2=80=9D

An= injured soldier and former Wagner mercenary named Denis. (Nanna Heitmann/M= agnum Photos for The Washington Post)

Meanwhile, Kirov=E2=80=99s social media pages are flooded daily with funeral notices = and=20 pleas to help find missing fathers, sons or husbands.

At the cemetery outside Kirov where Lyubov=E2=80=99s son is buried, there are= =20 about 40 graves of soldiers killed since 2022, adorned with wreaths and=20 flags. Thirty freshly dug graves await bodies.

Next to one grave, a family gathered to say a few words and raise a glass.=20 =E2=80=9CThank you, Seryoga, for defending us,=E2=80=9D said a man, who gav= e his name=20 only as Mikhail. =E2=80=9CYou were only there for three days, but at least = you=20 tried your best.=E2=80=9D

A cemetery outside Kir= ov where Russian soldiers are buried. (Nanna Heitmann/Magnum Photos for The= Washington Post)

Anastasia Trofimova contributed to this report.

--00000000000069a454061dafa78f-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 10:31:41 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 65DE2B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:31:41 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 65DE2B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="gOz3yjUo" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 4EF4EBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:31:41 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f45.google.com (mail-ej1-f45.google.com [209.85.218.45]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 4BEDCBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:31:41 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f45.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77c9c5d68bso304797866b.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:31:41 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721496699; x=1722101499; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=Z4NgzCRZ7nahaPKk+ar0aDS26koD38UD9PaV+hDVfOM=; b=gOz3yjUom0D2eVG+sct5sWiQLrHiBR4u6nbOniKu4J0j79GUVJeHcnD6NmihxMwMEX QH1ebVL28yOeZftelq8gAp+meDqVZ6JK0czta39FEOODUnfKggi8q24v6dr1IjEC16Sg oAYWR5VyWirNdowmpHX2puKhrcDMIIrXdYpYHFksmmK5/kgDQ7xYMtVGV8J+3vLx3T7O gdcV+v71sBproaKu6TZpnx4NPqpNEj+QdcwHeVGWRrEaDTGkH/fBgbMh6lsKxEQhG1ZJ YeRUmSmm/sJYx+kCGAUWXskTGLjrCoDVispumuzev5RbIZZrk8pFno5f5ypjEYqyJOpA kyCA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721496699; x=1722101499; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=Z4NgzCRZ7nahaPKk+ar0aDS26koD38UD9PaV+hDVfOM=; b=wk5L+UKX7nQivz0f+sHSqo6jB3LJvSJdABrVfwrBstbI4N2GKhabxGvRSLmFa4QVKR ymFcH8lrzKjGrl0BM7+zptauYMt8REzlWNMcyC1I6sffiq68dXsgWTew8y0reMfQV+2K HOvyjpnpSY90qTOGjixaYp3JhHigCf+qv+Q80hFQSwctzSiq/UXZDC7Fse2GRZHZrvyL GRNOZVcGEuQ0i0j0fKbC85lp5QvLJIzU9LtO2bjKmr+i8J7MRD7sE9LLJTRGPt4/D9dP JoERuB75/PI70fnW5M+17cfaX0VLoXTYla6JwyJvFrLhvokrVFEBOLb2dT8D+KeTzzqN +N1g== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yy93HgtIAeNekC2Oqliys4Ta81H9WdRPIXBG5hTfUCMeVP9LikZ jhprW1zbL+H5kShuFfu0ikHx8dcfet9eUK+v0TOs3qARYAgo+LM1SSogVrTU1xzeTyI8ZuWOdeW nxHqIOT6X/7ShumRyyc79k8q6o59Dbg== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHnSpoqPtNBEQQpi9Oa67Hugou8L1od6uPE2uLLccAxal9qHdpL38En9HnqvqXe4FFk/jbLLweNR1WRuND9i/E= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:3faa:b0:a79:8318:2881 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4bfa4905mr143413166b.4.1721496698822; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:31:38 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <1179245311.3002419.1721484907790.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1179245311.3002419.1721484907790@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <1179245311.3002419.1721484907790@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:31:29 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000003725e3061db12f8d" Subject: [Salon] USA was not able to get an Iron Dome because Israel didn't want to share technology X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:31:41 -0000 --0000000000003725e3061db12f8d Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://x.com/dizalifornia/status/1814451477651567038 --0000000000003725e3061db12f8d Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/dizalifornia/status/1814451477651567038<= /a>

--0000000000003725e3061db12f8d-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 10:34:52 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 184FAB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:34:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 184FAB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="hW3H/Tai" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 052BFBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:34:52 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f54.google.com (mail-ej1-f54.google.com [209.85.218.54]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id EDE00BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:34:51 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f54.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a728f74c23dso310699466b.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:34:51 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721496890; x=1722101690; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=4hh9tjEdMGeC8hcbD83H1T5FMPC1++0eXL1KWKD1vR8=; b=hW3H/TaiceFhIuEKwhLlbpVN3VKrLMX3byh5IuDGP3uydgg4IAKTLHgc8bWr8ttHKk esWXw+2EcWJH1EqzGavmNzzY7p2Gh/axp9uYePmgwuQFDlVB8Um0P0vdBOh0LHKt2pQe zy96+Fhkfy+koTSMbXcNFdOk2LIV8g5meCFYCWKSbzwAxUElKgmRfY21V33+YLq258fp 69zf4o55Obu1TRzRRvrKYLrxZUmuKxwE4mhkUbM2RuOspQXJlZjDSr9z80twaEoLtdSH hAYCwZ0COe0CcRIyXf0r2W5L9VjD2+gtwqFtuRvcrFzPtr3QWqLekgILH8TSs8tk35jD UrMw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721496890; x=1722101690; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=4hh9tjEdMGeC8hcbD83H1T5FMPC1++0eXL1KWKD1vR8=; b=S1gsmmRgA0f4DRfXUYurcdJV8OnNmjuTPI2FVChnT19pqN6vJo4MrrA8SqC21qwcFd e/FBH0lkRPivbQAF/jHVRD3VJew5Il/Wwj4APHB22wIffeI88EB19mIAc+TgKhmHLEZF GW4fQFBH023A1p13vcKbD39puxk6ILB/GbVuPXLUpgZOFqy9OetJavfAAFbIVZUXKto6 2OwjltdPxHzBkeCA8Ka7VcXl+ctft0yJdRmxT7iuAO3ajdiru0QG1onX9n90RwyzbAc5 ECyATC3YAE4VU1u/lVH5ntl21CXuYklGzkfgp1EAmAFHswdDb/m1HONGBVqEtY4ubEvP hf0A== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YzsT1i2whtStxWM3UYOHxqCTOd6ETCq/cSTRvC0Tkbl899iGKFm ELTOG4vYGNliZlk42Ejp+bO2ezliL8+n9IQhm79UV83M7QOMQ9RgQ4ztpj9A1pyuV304TlXVZt/ Ch0tYKHoQvEoyvSChfLeM+M0c9pKww+P5 X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGdKHnAAvwMj+WRphoz+SSpwWcO7i4DKNSwe88TPFd57AUYFqbpFtQ84y60bCjHcfWHHpel+O0bT9mlcYzB9/k= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:72c9:b0:a77:cd3c:e9b7 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4c44b4a9mr119085466b.57.1721496890096; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:34:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:34:42 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000009dc531061db13a55" Subject: [Salon] Israel strikes Yemen after Houthis claimed drone attack in Tel Aviv X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:34:52 -0000 --0000000000009dc531061db13a55 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable The Washington Post Israel strikes Yemen after Houthis claimed drone attack in Tel Aviv Israel=E2=80=99s attack Saturday heralded a further expansion of the war in= Gaza, and added a volatile new dynamic to what has become a building regional conflict. July 20, 2024 A man watches Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea deliver a televised statement claiming a drone attack on Israel's Tel Aviv on Friday. (Yahya Arhab/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) By Kareem Fahim ,= Alon Rom, Steve Hendrix and Mohamad El Chamaa July 20, 2024 Israel said Saturday that it had carried out airstrikes on a port city in Yemen controlled by the Houthi militant group, in an attack that sparked massive fires and caused deaths and injuries, the Israel Defense Forces and the Houthi-run Masirah news channel said. The attack came a day after the Houthis, an Iranian-allied group, claimed responsibility for a rare drone attack on Tel Aviv that killed one person and struck just yards from a U.S. Embassy branch office. A brief IDF statement Saturday said that its jets had struck =E2=80=9Cmilit= ary targets of the Houthi terrorist regime=E2=80=9D in the port of the city, Al-Hodeida, in response to =E2=80=9Chundreds of attacks=E2=80=9D carried ou= t against Israel in recent months. The attacks were approved at a rare Saturday Sabbath emergency cabinet meeting called in the afternoon, according to Israeli media reports. The United States and Britain have been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen for months, in an unsuccessful bid to end Houthi attacks on maritime traffic in the Red Sea. Israel=E2=80=99s attack Saturday heralded a further expansion of the war in Gaza, and added a volatile new dynamic to what has become a building regional conflict. The Houthis have framed their attacks, many on commercial ships in the Red Sea, as aimed at ending Israel=E2=80=99s offensive in Gaza. Mohammed Abduls= alam, a Houthi spokesman, writing on X, said the strikes Saturday =E2=80=9Cwill not= deter the Yemeni people or its brave armed forces, but only increase their determination and steadfastness in supporting Gaza.=E2=80=9D The Israeli attacks, he added, had targeted =E2=80=9Ccivilian facilities, o= il depots and the electricity station=E2=80=9D in Hodeida, an impoverished cit= y that serves as a lifeline for imports to northern Yemen, as well as a critical source of revenue for the Houthis, a militant group from northern Yemen that has taken control of large swaths of the country during a civil war that started a decade ago. Footage of the aftermath of Saturday=E2=80=99s strikes showed black smoke b= illowing from massive fires in the port, and residents in Hodeida bathed in an orange glow as they watched. Al-Masirah quoted the Ministry of Health as saying that the strikes had caused an unspecified number of deaths and injuries and that a number of people were =E2=80=9Cseverely burned=E2=80=9D= as result of the attacks. The channel aired footage from what appeared to be a hospital, of injured people on gurneys lining a hallway. --0000000000009dc531061db13a55 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
The Washington Post

Israel strikes Yemen after Houthis claimed drone attac= k in Tel Aviv
Israel=E2=80=99s attack Saturday heralded a further expansion of the war in Gaza, and=20 added a volatile new dynamic to what has become a building regional=20 conflict.
July 20, 2024
<= /div>
A man watches Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea deliver a=20 televised statement claiming a drone attack on Israel's Tel Aviv on=20 Friday. (Yahya Arhab/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
By Kareem Fahim, Alon Rom, Steve Hendr= ix and Mohamad El Chamaa<= /div>
=
July 20, 2024
Israel said Saturday that it had carried out airstrikes on a port city in=20 Yemen controlled by the Houthi militant group, in an attack that sparked massive fires and caused deaths and injuries, the Israel Defense Forces and the Houthi-run Masirah news channel said.
The attack came a day after the Houthis, an Iranian-allied group, claimed=20 responsibility for a rare drone attack on Tel Aviv that killed one=20 person and struck just yards from a U.S. Embassy branch office.
A brief IDF statement Saturday said that its jets had struck =E2=80=9Cmilita= ry=20 targets of the Houthi terrorist regime=E2=80=9D in the port of the city,=20 Al-Hodeida, in response to =E2=80=9Chundreds of attacks=E2=80=9D carried ou= t against=20 Israel in recent months. The attacks were approved at a rare Saturday=20 Sabbath emergency cabinet meeting called in the afternoon, according to=20 Israeli media reports.
The United States and Britain have been carrying out airstrikes in Yemen=20 for months, in an unsuccessful bid to end Houthi attacks on maritime=20 traffic in the Red Sea. Israel=E2=80=99s attack Saturday heralded a further= =20 expansion of the war in Gaza, and added a volatile new dynamic to what=20 has become a building regional conflict.
The Houthis have framed their attacks, many on commercial ships in the Red=20 Sea, as aimed at ending Israel=E2=80=99s offensive in Gaza. Mohammed Abduls= alam, a Houthi spokesman, writing on X, said the strikes Saturday =E2=80=9Cwill = not=20 deter the Yemeni people or its brave armed forces, but only increase=20 their determination and steadfastness in supporting Gaza.=E2=80=9D
The Israeli attacks, he added, had targeted =E2=80=9Ccivilian facilities, oil= =20 depots and the electricity station=E2=80=9D in Hodeida, an impoverished cit= y=20 that serves as a lifeline for imports to northern Yemen, as well as a=20 critical source of revenue for the Houthis, a militant group from=20 northern Yemen that has taken control of large swaths of the country=20 during a civil war that started a decade ago.
Foota= ge of the aftermath of Saturday=E2=80=99s strikes showed black smoke billowin= g=20 from massive fires in the port, and residents in Hodeida bathed in an=20 orange glow as they watched. Al-Masirah quoted the Ministry of Health as saying that the strikes had caused an unspecified number of deaths and=20 injuries and that a number of people were =E2=80=9Cseverely burned=E2=80=9D= as result of the attacks. The channel aired footage from what appeared to be a=20 hospital, of injured people on gurneys lining a hallway.

--0000000000009dc531061db13a55-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 10:37:52 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1EAEBB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:37:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 1EAEBB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="UnDZnfWO" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 13492BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:37:52 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f42.google.com (mail-ej1-f42.google.com [209.85.218.42]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 07E9CBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:37:52 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f42.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a797c62565aso271469566b.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:37:51 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721497070; x=1722101870; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=BKprAGEzZBhqg0SiJaDo0pJLYkP0Hv7MC8qBT/Zy6ig=; b=UnDZnfWOgZzuM5ysUEx2KL3J29U1D9hDpans3lDtlzaJJOhCyYE5Ou+mSwdGeqPACY Kp41iQAkKzt/OU+PTsg7lv9uVaibOzA50S1s7NsRB/4jc9RsJd2tu8sBNfcTLsQkzCfD o297GyBBjDungzSWextjV/SeqbDCasi7VAEC0bi5YDkUrg9QnFRG2ES4zFNj7nyNABdt SCssmnjVaQ4K6lQpRuo7Jz7InFV+88WYAa+d+wKGqIrZwaGTsg9VgLyCeRiAIsu1VmaT 0zD/M7L50uwGoG2F7xuL84f6+rHD25S+2FuzjPuWbkpueixdAoIsbpQ/wrjfJZ8WXOXr d80w== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721497070; x=1722101870; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=BKprAGEzZBhqg0SiJaDo0pJLYkP0Hv7MC8qBT/Zy6ig=; b=HKm8vfPbKbRlBwgbs7kag7Jw6plpGlLUdJK6CQtQS4+7ckYdNlpmG5SWr3vxMB+OUX DQG48h67o4LLPSMPV8LqMt5pibYKOGefOgCGI7vSADb3lAMZveu9NyxATohQNggxJsD3 KyNOjHjb1EmCCh8vbBuKKo4om2iHuTm/Ey0JzctpvrtiFNbY2m5tVHZF9BYJf8pmcw0x DHMFnYK2JnhkpB952jdHy17CEG3EC/taDn0GV4dxEBFU/dSdtSTnzx+dxIftDAAPcQuy HuwOiRlDiQpuFbWPFIU1/U+8T3QNwHEUlUKbzEQlKKVQIO2DUlC+WPpJKEJ3W0arZoBz eetg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YxuYbyFUvVgJY9+sp6KQW4lURERMmIzfsWihPJvnnbTqQhslYll tAWDyHVHdaMUIITGoqbU2PT6Ez4vn3uHFAlPTwbu2C0bP5EsKcXIPCFumOgAL9p1VdbBxdQWedr ntyjWv+M89z+91ZVHCif02DX1yP4CF5Sd X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IH4dHM/eZeT1TQ8n27565py9IBBA+SwiA8p9zCgPoZORCPLWQFNNTPx/y97SD9uL5RbwUPgzaI9q7i5HRh0U4M= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:7801:b0:a77:b4e3:4fca with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a01116224mr793130366b.9.1721497070081; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:37:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:37:42 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000581e64061db14560" Subject: [Salon] Russian pilots: "The West will be shocked by the downing of F-16s - Our fighters are superior and we are ready" X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:37:52 -0000 --000000000000581e64061db14560 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://warnews247-gr.translate.goog/diethnh/rwsia/rwsoi-pilotoi-h-dush-tha= -sokaristei-me-tis-katarripseis-twn-f-16-ta-maxhtika-mas-uperexoun-kai-eima= ste-panetoimoi-deite-to-binteo/?_x_tr_sl=3Dauto&_x_tr_tl=3Den&_x_tr_hl=3Den= &_x_tr_pto=3Dwapp Russian pilots: "The West will be shocked by the downing of F-16s - Our fighters are superior and we are ready" - Watch the video "We know the strengths and weaknesses of the F-16" *"The West will be shocked by the downing of F-16s. Our fighters excel in almost all areas" Russian pilots say in an interview on Russian television.= * *The first F-16s are only a matter of time before they start appearing on Ukrainian airwaves.* Countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark have already agreed to provide dozens of such fighters to Kiev, and what remains to be determined is from which airfields they will operate (if bases inside or even outside Ukraine are used). On the other side, the Russians, although they have warned about the escalation that their delivery will bring to Ukraine, have made it clear that the F-16s have no chance of changing the balance on the field. In a report on Russian television, Russian pilots reveal that they have been preparing for a long time for a... meeting with Western-made fighters. When the pilot of the Russian P.A. asked if he fears the imminent arrival of F-16s in Ukraine, he replied: *=E2=80=9CIt will appear and there will now be a new target. What's the dif= ference; We are waiting for him to appear."* *"Generally it has not changed. We know the strengths and weaknesses of the F-16," * another Russian pilot tells the camera, adding: *"If we meet it in close combat, we will push it into conditions where we will have the upper hand and where it (including the F-16) will be nothing.= * *That is why we conduct all kinds of exercises and remember who and what we are fighting.* *We realize that they will act cunningly and lay ambushes.* *But our aircraft outperforms the F-16 in everything, both in terms of maneuverability and armament."* Watch the video of the interview The Russian Air Force will line up hundreds of fighters that will shoot down the F-16s from a distance of 300 km without counting the involvement of the air defense S-300, S-400 etc. Recently, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the discovery of unmanned vessels in one of the sea areas near the coast of Crimea. Su-30SM fighters of the naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy were immediately dispatched, which destroyed the USVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. *the aircraft's return, that the fighter was carrying two R-37M and two R-77-1 air-to-air missiles.* *This is the first public appearance of a Su-30 fighter specially modified to carry the R-37M missile.* *Previously, only Su-35S and MiG-31BM fighters were carriers of these missiles.* This means that Russia has already taken steps in anticipation of the arrival of US F-16 fighters in Ukraine which may make a surprise landing with Ukrainian (or mercenary) pilots. The R-77-1 medium-range air-to-air missile was adopted by the Russian Air Force and Air Defense in 1994. Initially, these missiles were intended for the then-newest MiG-29 fighter. Subsequently, the R-77 and its modifications were received by many air force fighters, and then by the Russian Air Force. Its flight range is just over a hundred kilometers. Much more interesting is the demonstration of the Soviet-Russian long-range air-to-air missile R-37M in a modified version. It is the longest-range air-to-air guided missile in the world, capable of covering a distance of up to 300 kilometers. The only western "opponents" of the R-37M are the American air-to-air missiles AIM-47 Falcon and AAM-N-10 Eagle. Their flight range is up to 200 km, but they have never entered service with the US Air Force. --000000000000581e64061db14560 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

https://wa= rnews247-gr.translate.goog/diethnh/rwsia/rwsoi-pilotoi-h-dush-tha-sokariste= i-me-tis-katarripseis-twn-f-16-ta-maxhtika-mas-uperexoun-kai-eimaste-paneto= imoi-deite-to-binteo/?_x_tr_sl=3Dauto&_x_tr_tl=3Den&_x_tr_hl=3Den&a= mp;_x_tr_pto=3Dwapp

Russian pilots: "The West will be shocked by the downing of F-16s - Our=20 fighters are superior and we are ready" - Watch the video

"We know the strengths and weaknesses of the F-16"<= /font>

"The West will= be shocked by the downing of F-16s. Our fighters excel in almost all areas= " Russian pilots say in an interview on Russian = television.

The first F-16s are only a matter of time before th= ey start appearing on Ukrainian airwaves.

Countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark have already agreed to provide=20 dozens of such fighters to Kiev, and what remains to be determined is=20 from which airfields they will operate (if bases inside or even outside=20 Ukraine are used).

On the other side, the Russians, although they have warned about the=20 escalation that their delivery will bring to Ukraine, have made it clear that the F-16s have no chance of changing the balance on the field.=

In a report on Russian television, Russian pilots reveal that they have=20 been preparing for a long time for a... meeting with Western-made=20 fighters.

When the pilot of the Russian P.A. asked if he fears the im= minent arrival of F-16s in Ukraine, he replied:

=E2=80=9CIt will appear and there will now be a= new target. What's the difference; We are waiting for him to appear.&q= uot;

"Generally it has not changed. We know the= strengths and weaknesses of the F-16," another Russian pilot tells the camera, adding:

"If we meet it in close combat, we will push it into conditions where we=20 will have the upper hand and where it (including the F-16) will be=20 nothing.

That is why we conduct all kinds of exercises a= nd remember who and what we are fighting.

We realize that they will act cunningly and lay= ambushes.

But our aircraft outperforms the F-16 in everyt= hing, both in terms of maneuverability and armament."

Watch the video of the i= nterview
=

The Russian Air Force will line up hundreds of fighters that will shoot=20 down the F-16s from a distance of 300 km without counting the=20 involvement of the air defense S-300, S-400 etc.
Rec= ently, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the discovery of unmanned=20 vessels in one of the sea areas near the coast of Crimea.

Su-30SM fighters of the naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian=20 Navy were immediately dispatched, which destroyed the USVs of the Armed=20 Forces of Ukraine.
the aircraft's= return, that the fighter was carrying two R-37M and two R-77-1 air-to-air = missiles.

This is the first public appearance of a Su-30 figh= ter specially modified to carry the R-37M missile.
Previously, only Su-35S and MiG-31BM fighters were = carriers of these missiles.

This means that Russia has already taken steps in anticipation of the=20 arrival of US F-16 fighters in Ukraine which may make a surprise landing with Ukrainian (or mercenary) pilots.

The R-77-1 medium-range air-to-air missile was adopted by the Russian Air=20 Force and Air Defense in 1994. Initially, these missiles were intended=20 for the then-newest MiG-29 fighter.

Subsequently, the R-77 and its modifications were received by many air force=20 fighters, and then by the Russian Air Force. Its flight range is just=20 over a hundred kilometers.

Much more interesting is the demonstration of the Soviet-Ru= ssian long-range air-to-air missile R-37M in a modified version.

It is the longest-range air-to-air guided missile in the wo= rld, capable of covering a distance of up to 300 kilometers.<= /p>
The only western "opponents" of the R-37M are the American air-to-ai= r=20 missiles AIM-47 Falcon and AAM-N-10 Eagle. Their flight range is up to=20 200 km, but they have never entered service with the US Air Force.

--000000000000581e64061db14560-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 10:43:25 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 32F2FB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:43:25 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 32F2FB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="lY0vJ29r" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 16EC5BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:43:25 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f52.google.com (mail-lf1-f52.google.com [209.85.167.52]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id C4C82BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:43:24 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f52.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52eafa1717bso2524576e87.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:43:24 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721497403; x=1722102203; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=cd5NaVNmArN7U4nn9gREURCnAPwxcwwpxHl8sTPG7ig=; b=lY0vJ29r0IJhKc3TNuYaCz5jFyOSn7BjjgxP37qyl4fqpt43n+m11gdD6Mn5XmZopW Vy+NXJXrYf0nSHwgA8WX/9LrMFiu8ddR/kFiFe8HGQ1Ww0fnrFEK5baxnfxU4i6/BgT/ eXoanjhmR1ckK45YKuMvmcPl1PygZfqHFAkFTRq6RbFvv5U0xb5okfNANhKwu9d1EhYz U5o/NK2gtn/sW9rSga5zB6jwAPBz9MjuGJrfdtKRDDuwVorZQ9RqsBSOv/RgW6rofWMj pKuC2p5qgL6jkYsMPHImj3+Mj5z1Zo0VsIgcH3Wkh08kn92MAcxYroxb4Ny5ctU5SREH GL+w== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721497403; x=1722102203; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=cd5NaVNmArN7U4nn9gREURCnAPwxcwwpxHl8sTPG7ig=; b=nkhkrRcScEA1Qcd1yJThpvjI/Tr/X5H1iiFD7Ps3WktdqDAQ9x40pcTSSyUQntim05 TSTCfPNz3JLDBeviOMugSrcskEZWXaeniszP4tdG0hso5dfIAIsmiPLWDxzIT/KqvT2/ cFJr49L7NqXDY3+aLMuWpi+o3lu77cR3le24sTX8LDTjHzqWwoWDdJcpBdYiS5gXdf9M kOgFoV4Bl5/TXvQNpabZ1ymvgrNk/Ivx9E0ZhBmbC3q+o4yEbxAQWn69RoJIbeoh8UB7 5gVzKyqgXKo3+P7R9izYV1ks9txi1fMuUKiOCg2KsvTLaj37AX+4SNhaCvWpZAeayrG0 ECZA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YyyVnNJcpee3TzdZy8W+Fc+EKUzPEq2TdmR2N6PzzdPNhrv5WyX K2Ovw8kBONKci+E0GNTCmz7Yt2OiV0MxjTHykp2koHpeWHcrtvEgIldbzbbVS8PnGCVrYIA4E8/ b4PFO5sNUl8dYp6yfr6vYZysXbl6l7ozE X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHDAXdgX7l6qbse5LcPWyv2c4Wn7wJ3Ycjspfg88usQ57Cc8Ykl4jXju2buXZMCJtvHSo2467vRivhqjCw2bQk= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:e98:b0:52e:bdd4:610b with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52ef8d8586emr1980888e87.4.1721497402163; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 10:43:22 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:43:14 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000234cb6061db15919" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?A_PRESIDENCY=E2=80=99S_BITTER_END?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:43:25 -0000 --000000000000234cb6061db15919 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable View in browser A PRESIDENCY=E2=80=99S BITTER END Biden knows he has to go, but that doesn=E2=80=99t mean he=E2=80=99s happy about = it Seymour Hersh Jul 20 =E2=88=99 Paid READ IN APP President Joe Biden and members of the Congressional Black Caucus visit Mario's Westside Market grocery store in Las Vegas on July 16. / Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images. Donald Trump=E2=80=99s core campaign issue, as he made clear again and agai= n on Thursday night, is still the border and what he calls =E2=80=9Cunchecked il= legal immigration=E2=80=9D and the murder and mayhem that he insists, as he did i= n earlier campaigns, those from the south have brought to America. But the Democrats have a far more immediate and complicated political issue to address. Scores of published reports have stated that President Joe Biden has come to his political senses=E2=80=94with the help of Representat= ive Nancy Pelosi, the strong-willed and straight-talking former speaker of the House=E2=80=94and concluded that he cannot run for re-election. The big issue for Biden has been the disaffection of many of his previously enthusiastic funders. One donor told me that there was much anger among his East Coast group at Biden=E2=80=99s inner circle for their mishandling of t= he president=E2=80=99s growing disconnection. =E2=80=9CNot one of the presiden= t=E2=80=99s key aides,=E2=80=9D he told me, =E2=80=9Cever said one word to the donors=E2=80=9D about the ex= tent of Biden's disabilities prior to his revelatory debate with Trump last month. =E2=80= =9CIt was as if the Democratic band was playing =E2=80=98Nearer, My God, to Thee=E2= =80=99 on the deck of the *Titanic*.=E2=80=9D Pelosi was the one with the political savvy to tell the president that there will be no second term=E2=80=94something no one in the White House ap= parently saw fit to do=E2=80=94and her intervention, once publicly known, freed the = cowering and mumbling Democratic leaders in the Senate and the House to begin to share their real fears to the White House and Washington press. Pelosi=E2=80=99s influence has rescued the Democratic Party=E2=80=94at leas= t in the short run. Just what Biden will do next is not yet clear. Will he resign immediately and turn the White House over to Vice President Kamala Harris? Or will he follow Lyndon B. Johnson, who on March 31, 1968, told a stunned nationwide television audience that he would not run for re-election in November and would instead, eschewing domestic politics, focus on running the disastrous Vietnam war that he insisted at that late date, in what might charitably be called his own derangement, could still be won. The notion that Biden is capable of managing the disastrous American involvement in the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip until the inauguration of his successor next January 20 is just as far-fetched. There are a lot of caveats in the reporting published so far. In fact, no one in the media has heard directly from Biden in recent days. He is now recovering from a COVID infection and is presumably still in isolation. And no one really knows whether the president has deviated from his delusional line=E2=80=94buttressed by his immediate staff, who will go down in infamy = for their self-serving protection of their careers=E2=80=94that he is doing jus= t fine in the polls. One long-time family friend of the Bidens today sent me a message that seemed to contradict the headlines: =E2=80=9CJoe=E2=80=99s hee= ls are dug in.=E2=80=9D But those are cosmetic issues compared to the one now haunting many with ties to the upper reaches of the Democratic Party=E2=80=99s funding apparat= us. I was told that Vice President Harris wants Biden=E2=80=99s job and has been = working hard with many in the media to push the notion that it is time for a woman, especially a woman of color, to serve as president. She has even floated, to the dismay of party managers, the names of three men=E2=80=94Governor An= dy Beshear of Kentucky, Governor Joshua Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former astronaut=E2=80=94to serve as her vice pres= ident and running mate in the campaign that could emerge. (In 2019 Harris had early traction in the primary campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination but performed poorly in the second round of debates and ran into money problems that forced her to drop out of the race in early December.) None of the political pros I=E2=80=99ve spoken to this week would talk on t= he record about the extreme concern felt by Democratic Party bigwigs about the prospect of a woman of color and a Jew running for the White House against Trump, whose MAGA followers are predominantly white and resentful of the increasing influence of people of color in America. At the debate in June, Trump said that Biden had =E2=80=9Cbecome like a Palestinian=E2=80=9D and that =E2=80=9Cthey,=E2=80=9D the Palestinians, =E2= =80=9Cdon=E2=80=99t like him because he=E2=80=99s a very bad Palestinian. He=E2=80=99s a weak one.=E2=80=9D His = point seemed to be that Biden and his foreign policy team have failed to get the Israeli government and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire that would free the remaining Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners of Israel and give the battered people of Gaza a break from the months-long siege they=E2=80=99ve endured. The Bid= en administration has continued to be the main supplier of bombs and other arms to Israel. The war has continued, fueled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu=E2=80=99s insistence that the Israeli air and ground att= acks will not cease until Hamas is destroyed. Biden has been sharply criticized by Arabs around the world, and also by untold thousands of college and other students in America for continuing to supply weapons to the Israelis. The Biden administration=E2=80=99s efforts = to arrange a ceasefire in Gaza have been dismissed out of hand by Netanyahu, who has no intention=E2=80=94as the Biden White House apparently has yet to comprehend=E2=80=94of pausing what has become his war. So, what now? The top issue, according to those with first-hand information, is to make sure that Biden does not decide immediately to abdicate the office and turn it over to Harris. =E2=80=9CWe want him to stay in office until January 20,= 2025, when the new president is sworn in.=E2=80=9D There would inevitably be a po= litical downside to that strategy, I was told, because the Republicans would rightly =E2=80=9Cmake hay=E2=80=9D with the notion =E2=80=9Cthat Biden is n= ot fit to run for the presidency but still fit to be president=E2=80=9D until the inauguration. And the question confronting the political planners, I was told, is: =E2=80= =9CDoes Biden has the strength to stay to the end?=E2=80=9D Another problem with keeping the ailing Biden in office for the next six months, as a political expert told me, is that =E2=80=9CKamala thinks she= =E2=80=99s a solid candidate.=E2=80=9D There is a lot of evidence that she may not be. On June= 6, a *Politico*/Morning Consult poll found that =E2=80=9Conly a third of voters = think it is likely Harris would win an election were she to become the Democratic nominee, and just three of five Democrats believe she would prevail. A quarter of independents think she would win.=E2=80=9D The poll also showed = that Harris shares the same poor ratings as Biden. Both are well under water: Biden at 43 percent favorable and 54 percent unfavorable; Harris is at 42 percent favorable and 52 percent unfavorable. Meanwhile, the Democrats are also facing immediate and murderous foreign policy crises in both Ukraine and Gaza. Biden and his stunningly incompetent foreign policy team, who share a visceral contempt for President Vladimir Putin of Russia, have boxed themselves in with their continuing support, including billions in military and social aid, for the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. The war is going badly and Putin has what he wants in terms of captured Ukrainian territory. The only rational solution is diplomatic talks and so far the Biden administration has refused to engage in negotiations. In stricken Gaza, where the Biden team continues to be involved in indirect talks with Hamas and others, there has been no progress in obtaining a much-needed ceasefire that would, at a minimum, provide the release of Israeli hostages in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners. The sticking point has been Netanyahu=E2=80=99s refusal to engage seriously= with the back and forth of the talks, despite occasional hints that an opening might be possible. His goal, as he has said again and again, is to kill as many Hamas leaders and cadres as possible. Israeli bombings and attacks continue apace in Gaza, with horrid scenes of civilian deaths without any significant complaints from Biden or his foreign policy team. It is a shabby performance that will be made worse when Netanhayu comes to Washington next Wednesday at the invitation of Republicans in Congress. The unyielding Israeli leader is scheduled to give a speech to a joint session of Congress and also have public and private meetings with Biden, if he is cleared of COVID, and with Harris. Oh, to be a note taker at that meeting . . . if it comes off. --000000000000234cb6061db15919 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

=
View i= n browser
A PRESIDENCY=E2=80=99S BITT= ER END
Biden k= nows he has to go, but that doesn=E2=80=99t mean he=E2=80=99s happy about i= t
Seymour Hersh
Jul 20

=E2=88=99

= Paid
=C2=A0
=

=

=
READ IN APP
<= /td>
=C2=A0

President Joe Biden and members of the Congressional Black Caucus visit Mario's= =20 Westside Market grocery store in Las Vegas on July 16. / Kent=20 Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images.
Donald Trump=E2=80=99s core campaign issue, as he made clear again and again on= =20 Thursday night, is still the border and what he calls =E2=80=9Cunchecked il= legal immigration=E2=80=9D and the murder and mayhem that he insists, as he did = in=20 earlier campaigns, those from the south have brought to America.
But the Democrats have a far more immediate and complicated political issue to address. Scores of published reports have stated that President Joe=20 Biden has come to his political senses=E2=80=94with the help of Representat= ive Nancy Pelosi, the strong-willed and straight-talking former speaker of the=20 House=E2=80=94and concluded that he cannot run for re-election.=C2=A0
The big issue for Biden has been the disaffection of many of his previously enthusiastic funders. One donor told me that there was much anger among his East Coast group at Biden=E2=80=99s inner circle for their mishandling= of=20 the president=E2=80=99s growing disconnection. =E2=80=9CNot one of the pres= ident=E2=80=99s key=20 aides,=E2=80=9D he told me, =E2=80=9Cever said one word to the donors=E2=80= =9D about the extent=20 of Biden's disabilities prior to his revelatory debate with Trump last= =20 month. =E2=80=9CIt was as if the Democratic band was playing =E2=80=98Neare= r, My God, to Thee=E2=80=99 on the deck of the Titanic.=E2=80=9D
Pelosi was the one with the political savvy to tell the president that there=20 will be no second term=E2=80=94something no one in the White House apparent= ly=20 saw fit to do=E2=80=94and her intervention, once publicly known, freed the= =20 cowering and mumbling Democratic leaders in the Senate and the House to=20 begin to share their real fears to the White House and Washington=20 press.=C2=A0
Pelosi=E2=80=99s influence has rescued the Democr= atic Party=E2=80=94at least in the short run.
Just what Biden will do next is not yet clear. Will he resign immediately=20 and turn the White House over to Vice President Kamala Harris? Or will=20 he follow Lyndon B. Johnson, who on March 31, 1968, told a stunned=20 nationwide television audience that he would not run for re-election in=20 November and would instead, eschewing domestic politics, focus on=20 running the disastrous Vietnam war that he insisted at that late date,=20 in what might charitably be called his own=C2=A0 derangement, could still b= e=20 won. The notion that Biden is capable of managing the disastrous=20 American involvement in the wars in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip until the inauguration of his successor next January 20 is just as far-fetched.
<= p style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);font-size:16px;line-height:26px;margin:0px 0= px 20px">There are a lot of caveats in the reporting published so far. In fact, no one in the media has heard=C2=A0 directly from Biden in recent days. He is now= =20 recovering from a COVID infection and is presumably still in isolation.=20 And no one really knows whether the president has deviated from his=20 delusional line=E2=80=94buttressed by his immediate staff, who will go down= in=20 infamy for their self-serving protection of their careers=E2=80=94that he i= s=20 doing just fine in the polls. One long-time family friend of the Bidens=20 today sent me a message that seemed to contradict the headlines: =E2=80=9CJ= oe=E2=80=99s=20 heels are dug in.=E2=80=9D
But those are cosmetic issues compared to the one now haunting many with=20 ties to the upper reaches of the Democratic Party=E2=80=99s funding apparat= us. I was told that Vice President Harris wants Biden=E2=80=99s job and has been= =20 working hard with many in the media to push the notion that it is time=20 for a woman, especially a woman of color, to serve as president. She has even floated, to the dismay of party managers, the names of three=20 men=E2=80=94Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Governor Joshua Shapiro of= =20 Pennsylvania, and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former astronaut=E2=80= =94to=20 serve as her vice president and running mate in the campaign that could=20 emerge. (In 2019 Harris had early traction in the primary campaign for=20 the Democratic presidential nomination but performed poorly in the=20 second round of debates and ran into money problems that forced her to=20 drop out of the race in early December.)
None of the political pros I=E2=80=99ve spoken to this week would talk on the r= ecord about the extreme concern felt by Democratic Party bigwigs about the=20 prospect of a woman of color and a Jew running for the White House=20 against Trump, whose MAGA followers are predominantly white and=20 resentful of the increasing influence of people of color in America.=C2=A0<= /p>
At the debate in June, Trump said that Biden had =E2=80=9Cbecome like a=20 Palestinian=E2=80=9D and that =E2=80=9Cthey,=E2=80=9D the Palestinians, =E2= =80=9Cdon=E2=80=99t like him because=20 he=E2=80=99s a very bad Palestinian. He=E2=80=99s a weak one.=E2=80=9D His = point seemed to be=20 that Biden and his foreign policy team have failed to get the Israeli=20 government and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire that would free the=20 remaining Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners of Israel and give=20 the battered people of Gaza a break from the months-long siege they=E2=80= =99ve=20 endured. The Biden administration has continued to be the main supplier=20 of bombs and other arms to Israel. The war has continued, fueled by=20 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu=E2=80=99s insistence that the Isr= aeli=20 air and ground attacks will not cease until Hamas is destroyed.
So, what now?=C2=A0
The top issue, according to those with first-hand information, is to make=20 sure that Biden does not decide immediately to abdicate the office and=20 turn it over to Harris. =E2=80=9CWe want him to stay in office until Januar= y 20, 2025, when the new president is sworn in.=E2=80=9D There would inevitably = be a=20 political downside to that strategy, I was told, because the Republicans would rightly =E2=80=9Cmake hay=E2=80=9D with the notion =E2=80=9Cthat Bid= en is not fit to run=20 for the presidency but still fit to be president=E2=80=9D until the=20 inauguration.=C2=A0
And the question confronting the political= planners, I was told, is: =E2=80=9CDoes Biden has the strength to stay to = the end?=E2=80=9D
Another problem with keeping the ailing Biden in office for the next six=20 months, as a political expert told me, is that =E2=80=9CKamala thinks she= =E2=80=99s a=20 solid candidate.=E2=80=9D There is a lot of evidence that she may not be. O= n=20 June 6, a Politico/Morning Consult poll found that =E2=80=9Conly a third of voters think it is likely Harris would win an ele= ction were she to become the Democratic nominee, and just three of five=20 Democrats believe she would prevail. A quarter of independents think she would win.=E2=80=9D The poll also showed that Harris shares the same poor= =20 ratings as Biden. Both are well under water: Biden at 43 percent=20 favorable and 54 percent unfavorable; Harris is at 42 percent favorable=20 and 52 percent unfavorable.
Meanwhile, the Democrats are also facing immediate and murderous foreign policy=20 crises in both Ukraine and Gaza. Biden and his stunningly incompetent=20 foreign policy team, who share a visceral contempt for President=20 Vladimir Putin of Russia, have boxed themselves in with their continuing support, including billions in military and social aid, for the=20 government of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. The war is going=20 badly and Putin has what he wants in terms of captured Ukrainian=20 territory.=C2=A0
The only rational solution is diplomatic talk= s and so far the Biden administration has refused to engage in negotiations= .=C2=A0
In stricken Gaza, where the Biden team continues to be involved in=20 indirect talks with Hamas and others, there has been no progress in=20 obtaining a much-needed ceasefire that would, at a minimum, provide the=20 release of Israeli hostages in return for the release of Palestinian=20 prisoners.=C2=A0=C2=A0
The sticking point has been Netanyahu=E2=80=99s refusal to engage seriously wi= th=20 the back and forth of the talks, despite occasional hints that an=20 opening might be possible. His goal, as he has said again and again, is=20 to kill as many Hamas leaders and cadres as possible. Israeli bombings=20 and attacks continue apace in Gaza, with horrid scenes of civilian=20 deaths without any significant complaints from Biden or his foreign=20 policy team.=C2=A0=C2=A0
It is a shabby performance that will be made worse when Netanhayu comes to Washington next Wednesday at the invitation of Republicans in Congress. The unyielding Israeli leader is scheduled to give a speech to a joint=20 session of Congress and also have public and private meetings with=20 Biden, if he is cleared of COVID, and with Harris.
Oh, to be a note tak= er at that meeting . . . if it comes off.

--000000000000234cb6061db15919-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 11:55:04 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id BD816B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:55:04 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net BD816B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="KqoGty8P" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id A8E1EBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:55:04 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f46.google.com (mail-lf1-f46.google.com [209.85.167.46]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id A59A8BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:55:04 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f46.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efd08e6d9so516709e87.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:55:04 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721501702; x=1722106502; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=AT60bt9cKw2AHr14Uhtw48zfpvFelePH8wAqdCvdFP8=; b=KqoGty8PZJKLzKy4g7Eo4p2Bujut08X/VLJOA7dlBM6+RPgjiit72T+D3gzDXCTCOw WpYHcO1pzhmWKYsW41dcFKMUKstPiHL8M+jJKMk/i47AzQGchI88STdDAULkxhk62HIt Rgm2f6uL9GuEFa+qKZipOwRE5fmRQN31YX7UwK9C+1Cns1atJp6xjT0sXTqBNv0raXGe 3A8bM/FXqm1lwUa9z6MYbzyx+5/lUJl2QjdbjQlQmgFP/zDknB3Dg1pt7RiiVLcZFgJ8 2YmeI0pQNFmXFpNXGuSOm++Vylo7+CY7gcn+3i6ep5mzuWPTwGvu0+HWSaD69UEG0YF8 jSkg== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721501702; x=1722106502; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=AT60bt9cKw2AHr14Uhtw48zfpvFelePH8wAqdCvdFP8=; b=mOFJd93dpolaVHLOlD9Ack8Ed4b1Cs32qoo3CG/PbCX+ynEhWGAk3apSKC+5UH7WQD Lvl+qG9/A9qXGUY1ShIt8tZP8V/tUmwlyzTag3PvUV/RleutCKt1lADE0umD7oRuQTSF 9FyJsBD48B24Zypi4IwYcuKdMnWSgjhBMYe0dusDMRSMbiLAGOJ0Mo7qpw1OERkiQCdc Et43gLawd3NmZVAz1+tLCqAHiejglOXXQjq8r3shG5pmYRzCJ7qEOPoo3bD61vI33JbO R5b8qKr/3K3tVthewDWmMRz4b8Efx7U84tVOUBvwFGdm/m7ANp4Stjnhd55esUGrkZkp JB8A== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yyt6L8+RoScYvFyzsccfpTmpmhyAV2xz3uW4G5T+JcUHJt74h// QBfdiI13qcY9qK/Dnuvsdnj06JbOvuzY1/JhJ2Jjdu2nITAbw033zpN/v9yjWSLMc3xHzGMW+ju iW5Hwo8aO1qo08AC0eC4L9g8Nedbhjw== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGwqY+AUdwx4UrYb84zMBo9ekNMjfatYHuSsC8fPNGsLBxxsiX7IkFwLZ/Ihtpe+mPHRZbX6Jj7yK6ENSZC+Zs= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:ac8:b0:52c:d617:f4da with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb88575amr1184606e87.41.1721501701949; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:55:01 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:54:53 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000006cd4af061db259ee" Subject: [Salon] We Volunteered at a Gaza Hospital. What We Saw Was Unspeakable. - POLITICO X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 18:55:05 -0000 --0000000000006cd4af061db259ee Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/19/gaza-hospitals-surgeons-00167697?nname=politico-toplines&nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nrid=00000170-cfce-dc29-adf9-ffde5a6c0000&nlid=2758340 --0000000000006cd4af061db259ee Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/19/gaza-hospit= als-surgeons-00167697?nname=3Dpolitico-toplines&nid=3D0000018f-3124-de0= 7-a98f-3be4d1400000&nrid=3D00000170-cfce-dc29-adf9-ffde5a6c0000&nli= d=3D2758340

--0000000000006cd4af061db259ee-- From spytalk@me.com Sat Jul 20 12:34:56 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4162EB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:34:55 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 4162EB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=me.com header.i=@me.com header.b="HqihtDtp" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 23823BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:34:55 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from qs51p00im-qukt01072502.me.com (qs51p00im-qukt01072502.me.com [17.57.155.15]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 7E16BBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:34:54 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=me.com; s=1a1hai; t=1721504093; bh=FfGtRw7nnWUYTjP5SqKuVPJWZWF47gMZw/1smvXVHmk=; h=From:Content-Type:Mime-Version:Subject:Message-Id:Date:To; b=HqihtDtpWy5MVm1FQ6FxvBHFOf9ZUJC8UJbPqylQhRbuRdeTL+t6b0niCw342rb7D 49QFx8S9BSc0R8Ga/gBu6eOAmbUx/BoH2U2eFbikLcnRArUrlJ6Rtx1qF5tE34jQTi 1f4H/GBCoOBpoElgTdVnsQaSIRUQwPzQefdsrwFJ0kLzHpFZ13EqdjlmIfRtAQiAom py4CwPRpVaNJ/g+0m+LGynH9mTy4FHa5XgrOiTGtco7B8nvvyANuQ4c22iPOyGRqLw jjSdQBE3AYRK8evB8VtWRaKcjTbMK1PDWTGLkSzcV1OvX9VAO64i921uNAeQ4KmbRG 18jjg02VjGV3w== Received: from smtpclient.apple (qs51p00im-dlb-asmtp-mailmevip.me.com [17.57.155.28]) by qs51p00im-qukt01072502.me.com (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 9F9D86EC020D for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:34:48 +0000 (UTC) From: Jeff Stein Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="Apple-Mail=_A75AA508-5D6D-4943-8118-AC10390CA218" Mime-Version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 16.0 $3774.600.62$) Message-Id: Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:34:37 -0400 To: salon@listserve.com X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.3774.600.62) X-Proofpoint-ORIG-GUID: vilrYlw_HCdAHrO4QoTma565dRgXuKNd X-Proofpoint-GUID: vilrYlw_HCdAHrO4QoTma565dRgXuKNd X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=baseguard engine=ICAP:2.0.272,Aquarius:18.0.1039,Hydra:6.0.680,FMLib:17.12.28.16 definitions=2024-07-20_16,2024-07-18_01,2024-05-17_01 X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 adultscore=0 mlxscore=0 spamscore=0 mlxlogscore=999 malwarescore=0 bulkscore=0 phishscore=0 clxscore=1015 suspectscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=8.19.0-2308100000 definitions=main-2407200143 Subject: [Salon] New in SpyWeek: Seoul Sister? The Sue Mi Terry Fallout and More X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:34:56 -0000 --Apple-Mail=_A75AA508-5D6D-4943-8118-AC10390CA218 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 >=20 > https://www.spytalk.co/p/new-in-spyweek-the-sue-mi-terry-fallout >=20 >=20 > > >=20 >=20 > Dashboard >=20 > New in SpyWeek: Seoul Sister? The Sue Mi Terry Fallout and More > Also: The Secret Service under fire, the DCIA's Gaza peace missions, = more Russia disinfo ops, Cannon fire at DoJ, Windows' epic crash and = empty chairs in Aspen > > > JONATHAN BRODER AND JEFF = STEIN > JUL 20, 2024 > =E2=88=99 PAID >=20 > 14 > <> > 1 > = > Share > <> > = Former CIA analyst, = elite think-tank fixture and commentator Sue Mi Terry denies charges = that she worked as an undeclared agent for South Korea after she left = the agency.=20 > SpyWeek columnist Seth Hettena is away this week.=20 > Koreagate Redux: Back in 1976, official Washington roiled with = revelations that South = Korea=E2=80=99s CIA had conducted a clandestine influence campaign on = Capitol Hill to persuade members of Congress to reverse a decision by = the Jimmy Carter administration to withdraw U.S. troops from the = embattled nation. This week, the Acela Corridor was roiled by the = criminal indictment = of Sue Mi Terry , a top = former CIA analyst and prominent think tank expert on the two Koreas, on = charges that she acted as an unregistered secret agent for Seoul, whose = agents lavished thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods and cash on = her to help promote South Korean security interests. Terry admitted to = the FBI during its investigation that she had resigned = from the CIA in 2009 to avoid being fired over what she described = as the agency's "problems" concerning her contacts with South Korean = intelligence. > Terry facilitated their access to U.S. officials, testified in = congressional hearings and wrote think tank and newspaper pieces pushing = South Korea=E2=80=99s interests, all the while concealing her = arrangements with the agents, who posed as diplomats, according to the = indictment. One of those pieces, in The Washington Post on Mar. 3, 2023, = =E2=80=9CSouth Korea takes a brave step toward reconciliation with = Japan, = =E2=80=9D was co-written with her husband Max = Boot, a prominent national security columnist at the Post and author of = an influential book on U.S. intelligence during the Cold War, The Road = Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam = . = On Thursday, the Post affixed an Editor=E2=80=99s note = to the Boot-Terry piece noting the indictment = and saying, =E2=80=9CIf true, this is information that would have been = pertinent for The Post=E2=80=99s publication decision. Ms. Terry has = denied these charges and has asserted through counsel that the = allegations in the indictment are unfounded.=E2=80=9D No word yet on = the standing at the paper of Boot, who was not charged in the case. = Neither he nor the paper=E2=80=99s communications director responded to = emails requesting comment. We=E2=80=99ll have more on this case in the = coming days.=20 > Rocky Mountain Low: For years now, the Aspen Security Forum = has attracted the nation=E2=80=99s = top intelligence and military officials to the toney ski resort town in = the Colorado Rockies for unclassified but frank, on-the-record = discussions with journalists and top experts about the most urgent = security challenges around the world. CIA Director William Burns was a = regular, but this week he, along with several other top Biden officials, = bowed out because of what Forum organizers delicately referred to as = =E2=80=9Crecent events.=E2=80=9D=20 > Burns canceled his appearance because of the possibility of a trip to = Qatar for further negotiations for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war = in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas, a source told = SpyTalk. Others called away in the wake of the Trump assassination = incident and rising terror threats included: Homeland Security = Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle, = Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco; and Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, = Biden=E2=80=99s Homeland Security Advisor on the White House National = Security Council.=20 > Cheatle, of course, is rightly facing fire over her agency=E2=80=99s = security lapses in Butler, Pa. and initial attempts to shift blame to = local police. On Capitol Hill, several committees are now gearing up for = hearings and investigations into the assassination attempt featuring = Cheatle and other top Biden officials. > Over at the SpyTalk podcast = on = Friday, former DHS intelligence chief John Cohen told substitute host = and Contributing Editor Michael Isikoff, =E2=80=9CI think they've got a = lot to explain and they need to get it explained pretty quickly or the = situation is going to spiral out of control even more so than it is = today.=E2=80=9D See Isikoff=E2=80=99s take on their convo here = . =20 > The Republican-led House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Cheatle to = appear at a July 22 hearing to answer questions about the assassination = attempt. Secret Service officials also briefed committee members in a = closed meeting on July 16. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has = asked Cheatle to hand over records to the committee before she = testifies, including a list of local police who were providing security = at the Trump rally.=20 > The Senate Homeland Security Committee announced it will conduct its = own bipartisan investigation into the attempted assassination. Committee = Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., and ranking member Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, = sent a letter = to Mayorkas and FBI Director = Christopher Wrey, requesting a briefing from their department as well as = the Secret Service no later than July 25. They also requested that = Mayorkas and Wrey, or their designees, appear before the committee for a = public hearing no later than Aug. 1.=20 > Earlier this week, a senior FBI official briefed Senate Judiciary = Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on the shooting. Durbin has = asked that Secret Service, Homeland Security and FBI officials provide = a closed-door briefing for committee members this coming week, Politico = reported.=C2=A0 = > House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called on Cheatle to resign. = But Cheatle says she has no plans to step down. In a July 15 statement = , Cheatle said she will cooperate = with an independent investigation announced by President Biden and work = =E2=80=9Cwith the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight = action.=E2=80=9D > = Kim Cheatle: How long = can she hold on? > Ironically, all this comes as the Secret Service finally releases = nearly 160 pages of documents showing abject security lapses at = Trump=E2=80=99s own Mar-a-Lago home and resort. =E2=80=9CTaken = together,=E2=80=9D wrote Jason Leopold = , Bloomberg=E2=80=99s = maestro of Freedom of Information Act requests, =E2=80=9Cthey reveal = dozens of incidents where people gained access to Mar-a-Lago while Trump = was at the resort, despite not having the authorization to be there. In = a couple instances, those individuals were mistakenly waived through = checkpoints by Secret Service or Mar-a-Lago security.=E2=80=9D > Leopold added that, according to the records = , = which the Secret Service handed over to him in response to a FOIA = request that he had filed two years ago, it appears that none of the = unauthorized individuals who gained access to Mar-a-Lago posed an = immediate threat to Trump. =E2=80=9C Still,=E2=80=9D he added, =E2=80=9Cma= ny of the offenders were charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, = and several were sent to mental health facilities. > Maybe some wayward visitors stumbled upon a box of Trump=E2=80=99s = purloined Top Secret documents in the john and mistook them for party = favors=E2=80=94who knows? More on the stalled docs case below. > Lies & Damned Lies Boosted by AI: A lie, it has been said, can travel = halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its = shoes.=E2=80=9D But today, a lie metastasizes so quickly across both = social and traditional media that for many users, it can drown out the = truth entirely, with potentially destabilizing results. > The latest case in point: the conspiracy theory that President Joe = Biden and his Democratic allies ordered the assassination attempt on = Donald Trump. > This baseless assertion first surfaced = on = an anonymous X account only minutes after the initial reports of a = shooting at the July 13 Trump rally in Butler, Pa. Soon, Trump = supporters of all stripes, ranging from QAnon followers to Republican = lawmakers =E2=80=94 notably including Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance = , = Trump=E2=80=99= s vice presidential running mate =E2=80=94 piled on, amplifying the = unverified claim. By the next day, the narrative that Biden was behind = Trump=E2=80=99s attempted assassination had been posted on numerous = platforms and shared millions of times, prompting some Trump acolytes to = issue murderous threats = of violence against Democratic lawmakers. > For hostile foreign intelligence services, such rightwing anger, = stoked by news broadcasts that repeatedly show Trump grabbing his ear, = dropping to the ground and coming up, his face streaked with blood and = defiantly pumping his fist as Secret Service agents hustle him away, = has created a fertile climate for their anti-American influence = operations. Russia, and to a lesser extent China and Iran, have wasted = no time in exploiting Republican outrage. > =E2=80=9CBiden calls Trump =E2=80=98threat to the nation,=E2=80=99=E2=80= =9D Sputnik International, a Russian state-controlled news site, said = in a report accompanied by a video = showing Biden using that phrase in a recent speech. =E2=80=9CTrump gets = shot the very next day. . . . Coincidence?=E2=80=9D=20 >=20 > Subscribe > The information warfare campaigns, both domestic and foreign, threaten = to exacerbate social tensions, stoke more domestic violence and foment = greater chaos across America=E2=80=99s deeply divided population, = experts say.=20 > =E2=80=9C=46rom a counter-terrorism and personal security protection = standpoint for elected officials, we are now at an extremely elevated = threat level,=E2=80=9D Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at the Council = on Foreign Relations, told War on the Rocks = = , a website that posts expert national security commentary. =E2=80=9CTo = borrow a clich=C3=A9 commonly deployed by terrorism scholars, the alarms = are flashing red, with multiple political factions actively promising = retribution or threatening violence against a variety of targets.=E2=80=9D= > Hoffman added: =E2=80=9CThis assassination attempt was not the = beginning = of political violence during this = election cycle, but it will likely also not be the end.=E2=80=9D > Of the foreign influence operations targeting the United States, = Russia is the most active, experts say. And its disinformation campaign = extends beyond pointing a finger at Biden for the attempted Trump = assassination to efforts to undermine U.S. support for the war in = Ukraine. The disinformation also portrays the United States as a = bullying superpower meddling in Russia=E2=80=99s so-called = =E2=80=9Cnear-abroad.=E2=80=9D =20 > In a statement earlier this month, Russia=E2=80=99s SVR foreign = intelligence agency, anticipating a victory for pro-Russian candidates = in October elections in former Soviet-controlled yGeorgia, accused = the United States of plotting to = overthrow the new government. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller = denied the accusation, calling it =E2=80=9Cabsurd.=E2=80=9D=20 > In addition to using official statements and state-run media like = Sputnik and RT, Russian intelligence is also generating disinformation = on X and the messaging service Telegram, using bots with fictitious = identities.=20 > Moscow=E2=80=99s disinformation campaigns go back to the earliest days = of the Cold War, when the Soviet Union sought to undermine the Marshall = Plan for rebuilding postwar Europe, and continued thereafter with other = fictitious charges to discredit the West, such as a media campaign = accusing the CIA of creating AIDS = . But with the = advent of the internet, social media and most-recently, artificial = intelligence (AI), Russia=E2=80=99s influence operations have become far = more sophisticated.=20 > In the run-up to the 2016 election that brought Trump to office, = Russian intelligence created battalions of bots posing as made-up = Americans and deployed them on social media platforms. Some bots = targeted Republicans, stoking their fears about immigrants and crime, = while others posed as Black Americans, voicing anger over police = brutality. > On July 15, the Justice Department announced=C2=A0 = that, together with its = counterparts in Canada and the Netherlands, it had taken down a covert = Russian influence operation that used two U.S.-based internet domains = and nearly a thousand AI-powered bots to spread pro-Russian propaganda = and foment internal divisions in the United States, Europe and Israel = over the past two years. > =E2=80=9CToday=E2=80=99s actions represent a first in disrupting a = Russian-sponsored Generative AI-enhanced social media bot farm,=E2=80=9D = said FBI Director Christopher Wray in the Justice Department=E2=80=99s = press release = . =E2=80=9CThe FBI is = committed to working with our partners and deploying joint, sequenced = operations to strategically disrupt our most dangerous adversaries and = their use of cutting-edge technology for nefarious purposes.=E2=80=9D > But Emily Harding , = director of the Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program = at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, = says that despite the bust, U.S. efforts to defend itself against this = new AI-powered threat =E2=80=9Cremain anemic at best.=E2=80=9D=20 > =E2=80=9CThe Global Engagement Center at the State Department and the = Foreign Malign Influence Center at the Office of the Director of = National Intelligence are small and understaffed,=E2=80=9D Harding wrote = in a CSIS commentary. =E2=80=9CThe rules about what U.S. = government (USG) agencies are and are not allowed to do in the = information space are unclear and sometimes contradictory. In truth, the = USG is largely dependent on industry to keep the bot farms away, and = even the USG=E2=80=99s ability = to talk to = social media companies about these issues was recently the subject of = intense legal debate = .=20 > Like the old adage about the unequal competition between lies and the = truth, =E2=80=9Cthe sum total of these efforts,=E2=80=9D Harding = concluded, =E2=80=9Cis that the United States is crawling, and its = adversaries just strapped on a jet pack.=E2=80=9D > = CSIS=E2=80=99 Emily = Harding > Secret Agent Burns:=20 > Last Saturday, the CIA chief told = = an exclusive closed-door gathering in Sun Valley, Idaho that Yahya = Sinwar, the top Hamas leader in Gaza, has come under increasing pressure = from his own military commanders to accept a U.S.-brokered ceasefire = deal and suspend the war with Israel. > For months, Burns has been serving as the Biden administration=E2=80=99s= lead negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks between Israeli Mossad = chief David Barnea and Hamas political leaders, with Qatari intelligence = officials delivering messages between the two combatants, who refuse to = recognize each other. Intelligence chiefs from Egypt and Jordan also are = playing a role in the talks, which have shifted between Cairo and Doha. =20= > The Sun Valley attendee quoted Burns as saying it was incumbent on = both Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire, which would open the door = for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinians being = held in Israeli jails and Gaza=E2=80=99s eventual reconstruction under a = new non-Hamas Palestinian leadership. =E2=80=9CI believe we=E2=80=99re = inside the ten-yard line on getting an agreement that would produce a = ceasefire (in Gaza) and bring the hostages home," Secretary of State = Antony Blinken=C2=A0said = at the Aspen = Security Forum. "But the last ten yards are often the hardest." > Death Tolls: The carnage in Gaza, meanwhile, prompted Yossi Melman, = the veteran intelligence reporter for the left-leaning Haaretz daily, to = take note = of the coarsening of Israeli attitudes toward the recent = killing of civilians in the country=E2=80=99s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. = Until those wars, Melman wrote, Israel conducted strictly targeted = assassinations of the country=E2=80=99s enemies, striving to eliminate = only their target. Melman noted that numerous operations were canceled = if it was determined that civilian deaths couldn=E2=80=99t be avoided. > =E2=80=9CSince the start of the Gaza war, Israel has loosened the = reins,=E2=80=9D Melman said. =E2=80=9CWhat started with targeted = killings evolved into non-targeted killings and is now developing into a = policy of tolerating the deaths of innocents, including children and = women, in order to eliminate a terrorist.=E2=80=9D > =E2=80=9CThe problem is that once upon a time, assassinations like = this were a means to achieve wider military, political and strategic = goals,=E2=80=9D Melman said. =E2=80=9CToday, the IDF's operations in = Lebanon and Gaza seem to show that the assassinations themselves have = become an end in themselves. The politicians, most of the defense = establishment, the IDF, the media and much of the public laud them. They = hold that targeted killings will solve Israel's war problems.=E2=80=9D > But Melman argues Israel=E2=80=99s current policy of nontargeted = killings serves no political purpose. =E2=80=9CThey are of no use and in = the long run even increase violence and acts of terrorism,=E2=80=9D he = said. =E2=80=9CPeople deceive themselves when they place hope in such = tactics.=E2=80=9D > Boxed Out: In the wake of Judge Aileen Cannon=E2=80=99s decision this = past week to dismiss the classified documents case against Donald Trump, = it=E2=80=99s worth remembering the long list of less privileged federal = officials and members of the military who were quickly arrested, = stripped of their security clearances, fired from their jobs, and given = stiff fines and jail sentences for essentially the same crime that the = former president stands accused of =E2=80=94 illegally holding = classified documents. > Consider, for example, the cases of Thomas Drake, William Binney and = J. Kirk Wiebe, three senior officials at the National Security Agency = who were merely suspected of mishandling classified documents, as = recounted in a piece = late last year by = SpyTalk Editor-in-Chief Jeff Stein.=20 > Following the 9/11 terror attacks, the three men had lobbied = internally against an electronic data-collection program, arguing that = the program, the brainchild of NSA contractors and which secretly = searched the private communications of millions of Americans, was both = unconstitutional and overpriced to the tune of billions of dollars. = When elements of the program appeared in The New York Times and = Baltimore Sun, the trio landed in the crosshairs of investigators = determined to find the source of the leak.=20 > According to the Government Accountability Project = , a = private group that supports whistleblowers, the way law enforcement = officials treated the three men stands in sharp contrast to the = government=E2=80=99s deferential treatment of Trump, who was indicted = for not only illegally holding classified documents, but also also for = lying about his retention of those documents and willfully obstructing = the efforts of federal officials to retrieve them.=20 > =E2=80=9CFBI officers held a gun to Binney=E2=80=99s head as he = stepped naked from the shower,=E2=80=9D the group=E2=80=99s account = says. =E2=80=9CHe watched with his wife and youngest son as the FBI = ransacked their home. Later Binney was separated from the rest of his = family, and FBI officials pressured him to implicate one of the other = complainants in criminal activity. During the raid, Binney attempted to = report to FBI officials the crimes he had witnessed at NSA, in = particular the NSA=E2=80=99s violation of the constitutional rights of = all Americans. However, the FBI wasn=E2=80=99t interested in these = disclosures. Instead, FBI officials seized Binney=E2=80=99s private = computer, which to this day has not been returned despite the fact that = he has not been charged with a crime. > =E2=80=9CMeanwhile, Wiebe=E2=80=99s family was subjected to a day-long = armed raid, during which FBI agents rummaged through all the family=E2=80=99= s belongings, taking phone directories and computer hard drives = containing business records and other personal information, some of = which have still not been returned. Binney, Wiebe, and the other = complainants were forced to sue = the NSA in November 2011, in order to attempt = to recover their property. > =E2=80=9CThe day after the raids, both Binney and Wiebe were summoned = to NSA headquarters, where they were informed that the Agency was = suspending their security clearances, a decision that cannot be = adequately challenged. Binney had held a security clearance since 1965, = and Wiebe since 1964.=E2=80=9D As Stein recounts, FBI agents also raided = Drake=E2=80=99s home, seizing his computer, documents and books. But as = the details of NSA=E2=80=99s illegal conduct and the FBI=E2=80=99s = draconian tactics became known, the government=E2=80=99s case against = the three men largely collapsed. The Justice Department gave Binney and = Wiebe immunity from prosecution, and Drake pleaded guilty = to a = misdemeanor charge of misusing a government computer. =E2=80=9CStill, = his life was made hell,=E2=80=9D Stein wrote, =E2=80=9Cforcing him and = the others out of the patriotic work they had devoted their lives to.=E2=80= =9D=20 >=20 > Subscribe > Here=E2=80=99s another link to Stein=E2=80=99s 2023 piece = , which provides = details of another 13 l cases of people who were charged and convicted = of mishandling classified documents since 2000 and who received = sentences ranging from two years probation to 60 years in prison and = fines ranging from $5,500 to $1.5 million. =20 > It=E2=80=99s important to note that Judge Cannon based her dismissal = of Trump=E2=80=99s case not on any dissection of the allegations against = Trump but on a questionable legal technicality: she agreed with the = assertion of Trump=E2=80=99s lawyers that Attorney General Merrick = Garland=E2=80=99s appointment of special counsel Jack Smith to prosecute = the classified documents case had violated the Constitution=E2=80=99s = Appointments Clause, arguing that Garland=E2=80=99s choice of Smith had = never been brought before the Senate for approval and confirmation and = therefore had undermined the authority of Congress. > The Justice Department has authorized Smith to appeal Judge Cannon=E2=80= =99s ruling. But even if the 11th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals = overturns her dismissal, it=E2=80=99s virtually certain that Trump=E2=80=99= s legal team will ask the Supreme Court for a final ruling. And it=E2=80=99= s a good bet that the six Republican-appointed =E2=80=9Coriginalists=E2=80= =9D on the bench will side with Trump=E2=80=99s lawyers, forcing Garland = to decide whether he wants to bring Smith=E2=80=99s special counsel = nomination before the Senate for its approval and confirmation.=20 > Moscow Rules: In recent weeks there=E2=80=99s been speculation in = Washington that an expected Russian conviction of imprisoned Wall = Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich for espionage could potentially = clear the way for a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. On July = 19, after 478 days of pre-trial detention in Moscow=E2=80=99s notorious = Lefortovo Prison, Gershkovich, his head shaved and looking thin in a = dark T-shirt, stood before a court in Yekaterinburg, a city about 1,000 = miles east of Moscow, and listened as a judge found him guilty=C2=A0 = of spying for the CIA and = sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security prison. Both the Journal = and the U.S.government have vehemently denied the charges. =E2=80=9CWe = are pushing hard for Evan=E2=80=99s release and will continue to do = so,=E2=80=9D President Biden said in a statement. =E2=80=9CAs I have = long said and as the U.N. has also concluded, there is no question that = Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime.=E2=80=9D = =20 > Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to=C2=A0prisoner = swap = for Gershkovich and = that Russian and American officials have quietly discussed the matter. = But he also said any deal could only be negotiated =E2=80=9Cin = silence.=E2=80=9D In a February interview with former Fox News = commentator and conspiracies enthusiast Tucker Carlson, Putin hinted he = would trade Gerkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian national serving a = life sentence in a German prison for the 2019 murder of an exiled = Chechen-Georgian dissident in a Berlin park. A German judge said Putin = must have ordered the killing, a charge that the Russian leader denies. = He told Carlson that Krasikov was a person who "due to patriotic = sentiments, eliminated a bandit in one of the European capitals.=E2=80=9D > Circuit Breaking: Details are still trickling in about that massive = Microsoft Windows software fail = that crippled = health-care, business and transportation systems worldwide starting = Thursday evening and continuing Friday. =E2=80=9CEmergency 911 call = service was disrupted in several U.S. states, although service improved = throughout the morning,=E2=80=9D The Washington Post = reported. Our first thought was that it was = China=E2=80=94again=E2=80=94but the tech firm Crowdstrike = accepted responsibility for = the =E2=80=9Cglitch.=E2=80=9D=20 > =E2=80=9COne way to view this is like a large-scale ransomware = attack,=E2=80=9D a publicist for the firm said in a statement. That=E2=80= =99s exactly what worries us, of course. It=E2=80=99s yet another = =E2=80=9Cwake up call=E2=80=9D on our cyber vulnerability. > Pocket Litter > A jury in Manhattan federal court convicted Sen. Robert Menendez, = D-NJ, on 16 felony counts, including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, = obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. The = prosecution showed how Egyptian intelligence officials and three = businessmen enriched Mendendez and his wife with cash, gold bars and a = Mercedes-Benz in return for unclassified insider information and the = senator=E2=80=99s help in getting Egypt $300 million in U.S. military = aid that had been blocked in Congress over concerns about Egypt=E2=80=99s = human rights record. Menendez, once the powerful chairman of the senate = Foreign Relations Committee, has said he will resign from the Senate but = also appeal his conviction. If his guilty verdict is upheld, the = 70-year-old faces a long prison sentence and a ban on holding public = office.=C2=A0The Washington Post = =20 > The Senate Armed Services Committee last Monday released the full text = and report for its version of the fiscal 2025 National Defense = Authorization Act with a number of cybersecurity provisions included in = it related to zero trust, a concept that assumes adversaries have access = to your network and thus requires constant authentications. Key among = them is a requirement that would require the Pentagon=E2=80=99s chief = information officer to make the Defense Department's zero-trust = framework available on =E2=80=9Chuman-wearable devices, sensors, and = other smart technology=E2=80=9D included in the so-called military = internet of things within 180 days of the law=E2=80=99s passage.=C2=A02025= NDAA Executive Summary = > The Navy has begun to deploy information warfare specialists on = submarines as part of two pilot projects off the East Coast, according = to Vice Admiral Kelly Aeschbach, the Navy=E2=80=99s information warfare = chief. Aeschbach says the additional crew members =E2=80=94 both = officers and sailors =E2=80=94 have enabled submarines to conduct = information warfare, bringing aboard their expertise in cybersecurity, = communications, and intelligence. The additional crew also includes = cryptologic technicians for electronic intelligence and warfare. Later = this year, Aeschbach says she plans to embed information warfare = specialists aboard submarines plying the Pacific.=C2=A0Defense One = > =C2=A0 = Outraged Republican lawmakers are demanding the = Army provide them with an explanation after its gate security awareness = briefing atFort Liberty = , N.C., included = anti-terrorism slide show that lumped mainstream anti-abortion groups in = with extremist groups. Though the briefing also labeled non-violent = left-wing groups as terrorists, the Republicans are focusing on the = terrorist portrayal of the anti-abortion groups to accuse the Army of = targeting conservative political policies. House Armed Services = Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., personnel subcommittee Chairman = Jim Banks, R-Ind., and other committee Republicans sent a letter to Army = Secretary Christine Wormuth last weekend, calling for answers by July = 25 on how the slideshow was created.=C2=A0Military.com = > Twenty-three years after the 9/11 terrorist attack, 30 prisoners = captured during the so-called global war on terror are still languishing = in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba =E2=80=94 even = though most have never been charged with any crime. Legal experts say = it=E2=80=99s doubtful any will ever be charged or go to trial because = they were all tortured in secret CIA prisons after their capture, = involving information that remains classified. This inconvenient fact = has created major legal problems for military prosecutors, as well as = fights over the defense=E2=80=99s access to classified material. So = while in theory, there will eventually be a 9/11 trial for the alleged = 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, in reality, few legal experts = believe that will ever happen. =C2=A0NPR = > MITRE, a Massachusetts and Virginia-based think tank that conducts = federally funded research to support the Pentagon and the intelligence = community, has released a new white paper that endorses a new approach = to national security planning based on =E2=80=9Ccriticality=E2=80=9D, a = system that assesses and ranks assets based on their potential risks and = likelihood of failure. This approach, the paper says, =E2=80=9Cpromotes = the essential information, human factors, organization and technology to = improve U,S. readiness and minimize intelligence failures, catastrophic = losses and diminished national power.=E2=80=9D MITRE = > SpyTalk is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and = support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. >=20 > Subscribe > = > = > = > = > = > 14 Likes <> >=20 > 14 > <> > 1 > = > Share > <> > Previous > 1 Comment >=20 >=20 > =09 > Larry Brown > 9 hrs ago > = =C2=B7 > edited 8 hrs ago > Liked by Jonathan Broder > Concerning President Carter's reversal of his decision to draw down US = troop strength in South Korea in the mid 1970's: My Army Reserve MI = Detachment, which supported ITAC (the Army's Intelligence and Threat = Analysis Center) was in DC at the time. Our focus was = counterintelligence in an entirely different part of the world. We had = no Korea analysts, nor did we have any "squints" (photo interpreters. ) > But the story making the rounds in ITAC was that an ITAC squint had = put together a briefing showing that the conventional threat from North = Korea was far greater than Carter had been led to believe. The briefing = caused the Pentagon to recommend that Carter leave all our troops in = place. He agreed and reversed his decision. > Although I never saw the briefing in question (nor was there any = reason I should have seen it), I'm pretty sure most everyone in ITAC = heard about it. Just a particularly well supported intelligence rumor? = Perhaps. But it is another possible explanation for the tangled web = surrounding why the troop withdrawal was cancelled.=20 >=20 > LIKE (1) > <> > REPLY > <> > SHARE > <> >=20 > Top >=20 > Latest >=20 > Discussions >=20 > Putin Shooting to be Russia's Greatest Czar, Former Top Powell Aide = Says > > Lawrence Wilkerson also excoriates US arms makers for 'obscene = profits' from Ukraine war. > > MAR 18, 2022 =E2=80=A2 JEFF STEIN >=20 > 17 > <> > 1 > = >=20 > Exclusive: FBI Agents Accuse CIA of 9/11 Coverup=C2=A0 > > Previously unreported interviews filed in court claim CIA is hiding = information relating to a failed 'recruitment' effort > > MAR 22, 2023 =E2=80=A2 SETH HETTENA >=20 > 80 > <> > 3 > = >=20 > How the KGB Hooked Trump=C2=A0 > > 'American Kompromat,' a new book by Craig Unger, gets the lowdown from = former Russian and U.S. spies > > JAN 26, 2021 =E2=80=A2 JEFF STEIN >=20 > 24 > <> > 18 > >=20 > High-level Chinese Defection Rumored > > Chinese State Security Vice Minister Dong Jingwei would be = highest-level defector in the history of the People's Republic. > > JUN 17, 2021 =E2=80=A2 MATT BRAZIL = AND JEFF STEIN >=20 > 9 > <> > 4 > = >=20 > How Did Hamas Acquire Advanced Rockets? > > Iran agents, Bedouin smugglers, shifting routes critical to dramatic = arms upgrade > > OCT 9, 2023 =E2=80=A2 JONATHAN BRODER = >=20 > 66 > <> > 10 > = = >=20 > Mossad=E2=80=99s New Boss is a Gadget-Loving Killing Machine > > David Barnea warned Iran the =E2=80=9Clong arm of Mossad=E2=80=9D = isn=E2=80=99t finished with it. > > OCT 20, 2021 =E2=80=A2 JONATHAN BRODER = >=20 > 11 > <> > 2 > = >=20 > Kushner=E2=80=99s Deal with Pro-Russia Serbs Raises Hackles > > Belgrade development, joined by former Trump envoy Ric Grenell, = includes a memorial to =E2=80=9Cvictims of NATO aggression" > > JUN 4 =E2=80=A2 MICHAEL ISIKOFF >=20 > 116 > <> > 3 > = >=20 > How Sick is the Spying Game? > > Legendary former CIA officer Jim Lawler says the tricks of the trade = turned him into a sociopath=E2=80=94of sorts > > JAN 30, 2023 =E2=80=A2 JEFF STEIN >=20 > 33 > <> > 3 > >=20 > Classified US Intelligence Chat Rooms a 'Dumpster Fire' of Hate = Speech, Says Ex-NSA Contractor > > 'Many' spy agency employees say Jan. 6th riot 'was justified,' says = NSA veteran > > MAR 11, 2022 =E2=80=A2 JEFF STEIN >=20 > 32 > <> > 6 > = >=20 > Russian Army=E2=80=99s Quiet Fatal Flaw: No Sergeants=C2=A0 > > Issues of corruption, poor logistics and inept leadership overshadow a = critical hole in the Russian lines: Few NCOs to keep the troops fighting > > OCT 26, 2022 =E2=80=A2 JEFF STEIN >=20 > 36 > <> > 6 > >=20 > See all > =C2=A9 2024 Jeff Stein > Privacy =E2=88=99 Terms = =E2=88=99 Collection notice = > Start Writing > Get the app > = > Substack is the home for great culture =EF=BF=BC Jeff Stein=20 Editor-in-chief, SpyTalk (202) 812-3034 =E2=80=94 cell/Signal Twitter: @spytalker www.spytalk.co =EF=BF=BC=EF=BF=BC= --Apple-Mail=_A75AA508-5D6D-4943-8118-AC10390CA218 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="Apple-Mail=_FDE8E14F-7D07-4B50-95E1-E22787B4EBDC" --Apple-Mail=_FDE8E14F-7D07-4B50-95E1-E22787B4EBDC Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8

= https://www.spytalk.co/p/new-in-spyweek-the-sue-mi-terry-fallout

New in SpyWeek: = Seoul Sister? The Sue Mi Terry Fallout and More
Also: The Secret = Service under fire, the DCIA's Gaza peace missions, more Russia disinfo = ops, Cannon fire at DoJ, Windows' epic crash and empty chairs in = Aspen
JONATHAN = BRODER
AND
JEFF = STEIN
JUL 20, 2024
=E2=88=99 PAID
14
1
Share
Former CIA analyst, elite = think-tank fixture and commentator Sue Mi Terry denies charges that she = worked as an undeclared agent for South Korea after she left the = agency.
SpyWeek columnist Seth Hettena is away this = week.
Koreagate Redux: Back in 1976, official Washington roiled with revelations that South = Korea=E2=80=99s CIA had conducted a clandestine influence campaign on = Capitol Hill to persuade members of Congress to reverse a decision by = the Jimmy Carter administration to withdraw U.S. troops from the = embattled nation. This week, the Acela Corridor was roiled by the = criminal indictment of Sue Mi Terry, a top former CIA = analyst and prominent think tank expert on the two Koreas, on charges = that she acted as an unregistered secret agent for Seoul, whose agents = lavished thousands of dollars worth of luxury goods and cash on her to = help promote South Korean security interests. Terry admitted to the FBI = during its investigation that she had resigned from the CIA in 2009 to = avoid being fired over what she described as the agency's "problems" = concerning her contacts with South Korean intelligence.
Terry facilitated their access to U.S. = officials, testified in congressional hearings and wrote think tank and = newspaper pieces pushing South Korea=E2=80=99s interests, all the while = concealing her arrangements with the agents, who posed as diplomats, = according to the indictment. One of those pieces, in The Washington Post = on Mar. 3, 2023, =E2=80=9CSouth Korea takes a = brave step toward reconciliation with Japan,=E2=80=9D was co-written with her husband Max Boot, a prominent national security columnist at = the Post and author of an influential book on U.S. intelligence during = the Cold War, The Road Not Taken: = Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam. On Thursday, the Post affixed an Editor=E2=80=99s = note to the Boot-Terry = piece noting the indictment and saying, =E2=80=9CIf true, this is = information that would have been pertinent for The Post=E2=80=99s = publication decision. Ms. Terry has denied these charges and has = asserted through counsel that the allegations in the indictment are = unfounded.=E2=80=9D No word yet on the standing at the paper of = Boot, who was not charged in the case. Neither he nor the paper=E2=80=99s = communications director responded to emails requesting comment. We=E2=80=99= ll have more on this case in the coming days.
Rocky Mountain Low: For years now, = the Aspen Security Forum has attracted the = nation=E2=80=99s top intelligence and military officials to the toney = ski resort town in the Colorado Rockies for unclassified but frank, = on-the-record discussions with journalists and top experts about the = most urgent security challenges around the world. CIA = Director William = Burns was a = regular, but this week he, along with several other top = Biden officials, bowed out because of what Forum organizers delicately = referred to as =E2=80=9Crecent events.=E2=80=9D
Burns canceled his appearance because of the = possibility of a trip to Qatar for further negotiations for a ceasefire = in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the release of hostages held = by Hamas, a source told SpyTalk. Others called away in the wake of the = Trump assassination incident and rising terror threats included: = Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco; and Elizabeth = Sherwood-Randall, Biden=E2=80=99s Homeland Security Advisor on the White House = National Security Council.
Cheatle, of = course, is rightly facing fire over her agency=E2=80=99s security lapses = in Butler, Pa. and initial attempts to shift blame to local police. On = Capitol Hill, several committees are now gearing up for hearings and = investigations into the assassination attempt featuring Cheatle and = other top Biden officials.
Over at the SpyTalk podcast on Friday, former = DHS intelligence chief John = Cohen told substitute = host and Contributing Editor Michael Isikoff, =E2=80=9CI think they've got a lot to = explain and they need to get it explained pretty quickly or the = situation is going to spiral out of control even more so than it is = today.=E2=80=9D See Isikoff=E2=80=99s take on their convo here.
The Republican-led House Oversight Committee = has subpoenaed Cheatle to appear at a July 22 hearing to answer = questions about the assassination attempt. Secret Service officials also = briefed committee members in a closed meeting on July 16. Committee = Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., has asked Cheatle to hand over = records to the committee before she testifies, including a list of local = police who were providing security at the Trump = rally.
The Senate Homeland Security Committee = announced it will conduct its own bipartisan investigation into the = attempted assassination. Committee Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., and ranking member Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, sent a letter to Mayorkas and = FBI Director Christopher Wrey, requesting a briefing from their department = as well as the Secret Service no later than July 25. They also requested = that Mayorkas and Wrey, or their designees, appear before the committee = for a public hearing no later than Aug. 1.
Earlier this week, a senior FBI official = briefed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on the shooting. Durbin has = asked that Secret Service, Homeland Security and FBI officials = provide a closed-door briefing for committee members this coming week, = Politico reported.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called on Cheatle to resign. But = Cheatle says she has no plans to step down. In a July 15  statement, Cheatle said she will cooperate with an independent investigation = announced by President Biden and work =E2=80=9Cwith the appropriate = Congressional committees on any oversight action.=E2=80=9D
Kim Cheatle: How long can she hold = on?
Ironically, all this comes as the Secret = Service finally releases nearly 160 pages of documents showing abject = security lapses at Trump=E2=80=99s own Mar-a-Lago home and resort. = =E2=80=9CTaken together,=E2=80=9D wrote Jason Leopold, Bloomberg=E2=80=99s maestro of Freedom of Information Act requests, = =E2=80=9Cthey reveal dozens of incidents where people gained access to = Mar-a-Lago while Trump was at the resort, despite not having the = authorization to be there. In a couple instances, those individuals were = mistakenly waived through checkpoints by Secret Service or Mar-a-Lago = security.=E2=80=9D
Leopold added that, according to the records, which the Secret Service handed over to him in response to a FOIA = request that he had filed two years ago, it appears that none of = the unauthorized individuals who gained access to Mar-a-Lago posed = an immediate threat to Trump. =E2=80=9C Still,=E2=80=9D he added, = =E2=80=9Cmany of the offenders were charged with trespassing and = resisting arrest, and several were sent to mental health = facilities.
Maybe some = wayward visitors stumbled upon a box of Trump=E2=80=99s purloined Top = Secret documents in the john and mistook them for party favors=E2=80=94who= knows? More on the stalled docs case below.
Lies & Damned Lies Boosted by AI: A lie, it has been said, can travel halfway = around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.=E2=80=9D = But today, a lie metastasizes so quickly across both social and = traditional media that for many users, it can drown out the truth = entirely, with potentially destabilizing results.
The = latest case in point: the conspiracy theory that President Joe Biden and = his Democratic allies ordered the assassination attempt on Donald = Trump.
This baseless assertion first = surfaced on an anonymous X = account only minutes after the initial reports of a shooting at the July = 13 Trump rally in Butler, Pa. Soon, Trump supporters of all stripes, = ranging from QAnon followers to Republican lawmakers =E2=80=94 notably = including Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump=E2=80=99s = vice presidential running mate =E2=80=94 piled on, amplifying the = unverified claim. By the next day, the narrative that Biden was = behind Trump=E2=80=99s attempted assassination had been posted on = numerous platforms and shared millions of times, prompting some Trump = acolytes to issue murderous = threats of violence = against Democratic lawmakers.
For hostile = foreign intelligence services, such rightwing anger, stoked by news = broadcasts that repeatedly show Trump grabbing his ear, dropping to the = ground and coming up, his face streaked with blood and defiantly pumping = his fist as Secret Service agents hustle him away, has created a = fertile climate for their anti-American influence operations. = Russia, and to a lesser extent China and Iran, have wasted no time = in exploiting Republican outrage.
=E2=80=9CBiden calls Trump =E2=80=98threat to = the nation,=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D Sputnik International, a Russian = state-controlled news site, said in a report = accompanied by a video showing Biden using that phrase in a recent = speech. =E2=80=9CTrump gets shot the very next day. . . . = Coincidence?=E2=80=9D
The information = warfare campaigns, both domestic and foreign, threaten to exacerbate = social tensions, stoke more domestic violence and foment greater chaos = across America=E2=80=99s deeply divided population, experts = say.
=E2=80=9C=46rom a counter-terrorism and = personal security protection standpoint for elected officials, we are = now at an extremely elevated threat level,=E2=80=9D Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at the Council on Foreign = Relations, told War on the = Rocks, a website that posts expert national security commentary. =E2=80=9CTo= borrow a clich=C3=A9 commonly deployed by terrorism scholars, the = alarms are flashing red, with multiple political factions actively = promising retribution or threatening violence against a variety of = targets.=E2=80=9D
Hoffman added: =E2=80=9CThis = assassination attempt was not the beginning of political = violence during this election cycle, but it will likely also not be the = end.=E2=80=9D
Of the foreign = influence operations targeting the United States, Russia is the most = active, experts say. And its disinformation campaign extends beyond = pointing a finger at Biden for the attempted Trump assassination to = efforts to undermine U.S. support for the war in Ukraine. The = disinformation also portrays the United States as a bullying superpower = meddling in Russia=E2=80=99s so-called = =E2=80=9Cnear-abroad.=E2=80=9D
In a statement earlier this month, Russia=E2=80=99= s SVR foreign intelligence agency, anticipating a victory for = pro-Russian candidates in October elections in former Soviet-controlled = yGeorgia, accused the United States = of plotting to overthrow the new government. State Department = spokesman Matthew Miller denied the accusation, = calling it =E2=80=9Cabsurd.=E2=80=9D
In = addition to using official statements and state-run media like Sputnik = and RT, Russian intelligence is also generating disinformation on X and = the messaging service Telegram, using bots with fictitious = identities.
Moscow=E2=80=99s disinformation campaigns go = back to the earliest days of the Cold War, when the Soviet Union sought = to undermine the Marshall Plan for rebuilding postwar Europe, and = continued thereafter with other fictitious charges to discredit the = West, such as a media campaign accusing the CIA of creating AIDS. But with the advent of the internet, social = media and most-recently, artificial intelligence (AI), Russia=E2=80=99s = influence operations have become far more = sophisticated.
In the run-up to = the 2016 election that brought Trump to office, Russian intelligence = created battalions of bots posing as made-up Americans and deployed them = on social media platforms. Some bots targeted Republicans, stoking = their fears about immigrants and crime, while others posed as Black = Americans, voicing anger over police brutality.
On July 15, the Justice Department announced that, together with its counterparts in Canada = and the Netherlands, it had taken down a covert Russian influence = operation that used two U.S.-based internet domains and nearly a = thousand AI-powered bots to spread pro-Russian propaganda and foment = internal divisions in the United States, Europe and Israel over the past = two years.
=E2=80=9CToday=E2=80=99s actions represent a = first in disrupting a Russian-sponsored Generative AI-enhanced social = media bot farm,=E2=80=9D said FBI Director Christopher Wray in the Justice = Department=E2=80=99s press release. =E2=80=9CThe FBI is committed to working with our partners and = deploying joint, sequenced operations to strategically disrupt our most = dangerous adversaries and their use of cutting-edge technology for = nefarious purposes.=E2=80=9D
But Emily Harding, director of the Intelligence, National Security, and Technology = Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in = Washington, says that despite the bust, U.S. efforts to defend itself = against this new AI-powered threat =E2=80=9Cremain anemic at = best.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThe Global Engagement Center at the = State Department and the Foreign Malign Influence Center at the Office = of the Director of National Intelligence are small and understaffed,=E2=80= =9D Harding wrote in a CSIS commentary. = =E2=80=9CThe rules about what U.S. government (USG) agencies are and are = not allowed to do in the information space are unclear and sometimes = contradictory. In truth, the USG is largely dependent on industry to = keep the bot farms away, and even the USG=E2=80=99s ability to talk to social = media companies about these issues was recently the subject of intense legal debate.
Like the old = adage about the unequal competition between lies and the truth, = =E2=80=9Cthe sum total of these efforts,=E2=80=9D Harding concluded, = =E2=80=9Cis that the United States is crawling, and its adversaries just = strapped on a jet pack.=E2=80=9D
CSIS=E2=80=99 Emily = Harding
Secret Agent Burns:
Last Saturday, the CIA chief told an exclusive = closed-door gathering in Sun Valley, Idaho that Yahya Sinwar, the top Hamas leader in Gaza, has come under = increasing pressure from his own military commanders to accept a = U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal and suspend the war with = Israel.
For months, = Burns has been serving as the Biden administration=E2=80=99s lead = negotiator in indirect ceasefire talks between Israeli Mossad chief = David Barnea and Hamas political leaders, with Qatari intelligence = officials delivering messages between the two combatants, who = refuse to recognize each other. Intelligence chiefs from Egypt and = Jordan also are playing a role in the talks, which have shifted between = Cairo and Doha.
The Sun Valley attendee quoted Burns as saying = it was incumbent on both Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire, which = would open the door for the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for = Palestinians being held in Israeli jails and Gaza=E2=80=99s eventual = reconstruction under a new non-Hamas Palestinian leadership. =E2=80=9CI = believe we=E2=80=99re inside the ten-yard line on getting an agreement = that would produce a ceasefire (in Gaza) and bring the hostages home," = Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the Aspen Security = Forum. "But the last ten yards are often the hardest."
Death Tolls: The carnage in Gaza, meanwhile, prompted Yossi Melman, the veteran intelligence reporter for the = left-leaning Haaretz daily, to take note of the coarsening = of Israeli attitudes toward the recent killing of civilians in the = country=E2=80=99s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Until those wars, Melman = wrote, Israel conducted strictly targeted assassinations of the = country=E2=80=99s enemies, striving to eliminate only their = target. Melman noted that numerous operations were canceled if it = was determined that civilian deaths couldn=E2=80=99t be = avoided.
=E2=80=9CSince = the start of the Gaza war, Israel has loosened the reins,=E2=80=9D = Melman said. =E2=80=9CWhat started with targeted killings evolved into = non-targeted killings and is now developing into a policy of tolerating = the deaths of innocents, including children and women, in order to = eliminate a terrorist.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThe = problem is that once upon a time, assassinations like this were a means = to achieve wider military, political and strategic goals,=E2=80=9D = Melman said. =E2=80=9CToday, the IDF's operations in Lebanon and Gaza = seem to show that the assassinations themselves have become an end in = themselves. The politicians, most of the defense establishment, the IDF, = the media and much of the public laud them. They hold that targeted = killings will solve Israel's war problems.=E2=80=9D
But = Melman argues Israel=E2=80=99s current policy of nontargeted killings = serves no political purpose. =E2=80=9CThey are of no use and in the long = run even increase violence and acts of terrorism,=E2=80=9D he said. = =E2=80=9CPeople deceive themselves when they place hope in such = tactics.=E2=80=9D
Boxed Out: In the wake of Judge Aileen Cannon=E2=80=99s decision this past week to dismiss the = classified documents case against Donald Trump, it=E2=80=99s worth = remembering the long list of less privileged federal officials and = members of the military who were quickly arrested, stripped of their = security clearances, fired from their jobs, and given stiff fines = and jail sentences for essentially the same crime that the former = president stands accused of =E2=80=94 illegally holding classified = documents.
Consider, for example, the cases of Thomas Drake, William Binney and J. Kirk = Wiebe, three senior officials at the National Security Agency who were = merely suspected of mishandling classified documents, as recounted in = a piece late last year by = SpyTalk Editor-in-Chief Jeff Stein.
Following the 9/11 terror attacks, the three = men had lobbied internally against an electronic data-collection = program, arguing that the program, the brainchild of NSA contractors and = which secretly searched the private communications of millions of = Americans, was both unconstitutional and overpriced to the tune of = billions of dollars. When elements of the program appeared in The = New York Times and Baltimore Sun, the trio landed in the = crosshairs of investigators determined to find the source of the = leak.
According to the Government Accountability Project, a private group that supports = whistleblowers, the way law enforcement officials treated the three men = stands in sharp contrast to the government=E2=80=99s deferential = treatment of Trump, who was indicted for not only illegally = holding classified documents, but also also for lying about his = retention of those documents and willfully obstructing the efforts of = federal officials to retrieve them.
=E2=80=9C= FBI officers held a gun to Binney=E2=80=99s head as he stepped naked = from the shower,=E2=80=9D the group=E2=80=99s account says. =E2=80=9CHe = watched with his wife and youngest son as the FBI ransacked their home. = Later Binney was separated from the rest of his family, and FBI = officials pressured him to implicate one of the other complainants in = criminal activity. During the raid, Binney attempted to report to FBI = officials the crimes he had witnessed at NSA, in particular the NSA=E2=80=99= s violation of the constitutional rights of all Americans. However, the = FBI wasn=E2=80=99t interested in these disclosures. Instead, FBI = officials seized Binney=E2=80=99s private computer, which to this day = has not been returned despite the fact that he has not been charged with = a crime.
=E2=80=9CMeanwhile, Wiebe=E2=80=99s family was = subjected to a day-long armed raid, during which FBI agents rummaged = through all the family=E2=80=99s belongings, taking phone directories = and computer hard drives containing business records and other personal = information, some of which have still not been returned. Binney, Wiebe, = and the other complainants were forced to suethe NSA in November 2011, in order to attempt to recover their = property.
=E2=80=9CThe day after the raids, both Binney = and Wiebe were summoned to NSA headquarters, where they were informed = that the Agency was suspending their security clearances, a decision = that cannot be adequately challenged. Binney had held a security = clearance since 1965, and Wiebe since 1964.=E2=80=9D As Stein recounts, = FBI agents also raided Drake=E2=80=99s home, seizing his computer, = documents and books. But as the details of NSA=E2=80=99s illegal conduct = and the FBI=E2=80=99s draconian tactics became known, the government=E2=80= =99s case against the three men largely collapsed. The Justice = Department gave Binney and Wiebe immunity from prosecution, and = Drake pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor = charge of misusing a government computer. =E2=80=9CStill, his life was = made hell,=E2=80=9D Stein wrote, =E2=80=9Cforcing him and the others out = of the patriotic work they had devoted their lives to.=E2=80=9D
Here=E2=80=99s another link to Stein=E2=80=99s 2023 piece, which provides details of another 13 l cases = of people who were charged and convicted of mishandling classified = documents since 2000 and who received sentences ranging from two = years probation to 60 years in prison and fines ranging from $5,500 to = $1.5 million.
It=E2=80=99s important to note that Judge = Cannon based her dismissal of Trump=E2=80=99s case not on any dissection = of the allegations against Trump but on a questionable legal = technicality: she agreed with the assertion of Trump=E2=80=99s lawyers = that Attorney General Merrick Garland=E2=80=99s appointment of special counsel Jack Smith to prosecute the classified = documents case had violated the Constitution=E2=80=99s = Appointments Clause, arguing that Garland=E2=80=99s choice of Smith had = never been brought before the Senate for approval and confirmation and = therefore had undermined the authority of Congress.
The = Justice Department has authorized Smith to appeal Judge Cannon=E2=80=99s = ruling. But even if the 11th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals = overturns her dismissal, it=E2=80=99s virtually certain that Trump=E2=80=99= s legal team will ask the Supreme Court for a final ruling. And it=E2=80=99= s a good bet that the six Republican-appointed =E2=80=9Coriginalists=E2=80= =9D on the bench will side with Trump=E2=80=99s lawyers, forcing Garland = to decide whether he wants to bring Smith=E2=80=99s special counsel = nomination before the Senate for its approval and = confirmation.
Moscow Rules: In recent weeks there=E2=80=99s been = speculation in Washington that an expected Russian conviction of = imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich for espionage could = potentially clear the way for a prisoner swap between Moscow and = Washington. On July 19, after 478 days of pre-trial detention in = Moscow=E2=80=99s notorious Lefortovo Prison, Gershkovich, his head = shaved and looking thin in a dark T-shirt, stood before a court in = Yekaterinburg, a city about 1,000 miles east of Moscow, and listened as = a judge found him guilty of spying for the CIA and sentenced him to 16 = years in a maximum security prison. Both the Journal and the = U.S.government have vehemently denied the charges. =E2=80=9CWe are = pushing hard for Evan=E2=80=99s release and will continue to do so,=E2=80=9D= President Biden said in a statement. =E2=80=9CAs I have long said and = as the U.N. has also concluded, there is no question that Russia is = wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a = crime.=E2=80=9D
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open = to prisoner = swap for Gershkovich = and that Russian and American officials have quietly discussed the = matter. But he also said any deal could only be negotiated =E2=80=9Cin = silence.=E2=80=9D In a February interview with former Fox News = commentator and conspiracies enthusiast Tucker Carlson, Putin hinted he would trade Gerkovich = for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian national serving = a life sentence in a German prison for the 2019 murder of an exiled = Chechen-Georgian dissident in a Berlin park. A German judge said Putin = must have ordered the killing, a charge that the Russian leader denies. = He told Carlson that Krasikov was a person who "due to patriotic = sentiments, eliminated a bandit in one of the European = capitals.=E2=80=9D
Circuit Breaking:  Details are still trickling in about that = massive Microsoft Windows software fail that crippled = health-care, business and transportation systems worldwide starting = Thursday evening and continuing Friday. =E2=80=9CEmergency 911 = call service was disrupted in several U.S. states, although service = improved throughout the morning,=E2=80=9D The Washington = Post reported. = Our first thought was that it was China=E2=80=94again=E2=80=94but the = tech firm Crowdstrike accepted = responsibility for the =E2=80=9Cglitch.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9C= One way to view this is like a large-scale ransomware attack,=E2=80=9D&nbs= p; a publicist for the firm said in a statement. That=E2=80=99s exactly = what worries us, of course. It=E2=80=99s yet another =E2=80=9Cwake up = call=E2=80=9D on our cyber vulnerability.
Pocket Litter
A jury in Manhattan federal court convicted = Sen. Robert Menendez, D-NJ, on 16 felony counts, including = bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and acting as a = foreign agent for Egypt. The prosecution showed how Egyptian = intelligence officials and three businessmen enriched Mendendez and his = wife with cash, gold bars and a Mercedes-Benz in return for unclassified = insider information and the senator=E2=80=99s help in getting Egypt $300 = million in U.S. military aid that had been blocked in Congress over = concerns about Egypt=E2=80=99s human rights record. Menendez, once = the powerful chairman of the senate Foreign Relations Committee, has = said he will resign from the Senate but also appeal his conviction. If = his guilty verdict is upheld, the 70-year-old faces a long prison = sentence and a ban on holding public office. The Washington = Post
The Senate Armed Services Committee last = Monday released the full text and report for its version of the fiscal = 2025 National Defense Authorization Act with a number of cybersecurity = provisions included in it related to zero trust, a concept that assumes = adversaries have access to your network and thus requires constant = authentications. Key among them is a requirement that would require the = Pentagon=E2=80=99s chief information officer to make the Defense = Department's zero-trust framework available on =E2=80=9Chuman-wearab= le devices, sensors, and other smart technology=E2=80=9D included in the = so-called military internet of things within 180 days of the law=E2=80=99s= passage. 2025 NDAA Executive = Summary
The Navy has begun to deploy information = warfare specialists on submarines as part of two pilot projects off the = East Coast, according to Vice Admiral Kelly Aeschbach, the Navy=E2=80=99s information warfare = chief. Aeschbach says the additional crew members =E2=80=94 both = officers and sailors =E2=80=94 have enabled submarines to conduct = information warfare, bringing aboard their expertise in cybersecurity, = communications, and intelligence. The additional crew also includes = cryptologic technicians for electronic intelligence and warfare. Later = this year, Aeschbach says she plans to embed information warfare = specialists aboard submarines plying the Pacific. Defense One
Outraged Republican lawmakers are demanding = the Army provide them with an explanation after its gate security = awareness briefing atFort Liberty, N.C., included anti-terrorism slide show that lumped mainstream = anti-abortion groups in with extremist groups. Though the briefing also = labeled non-violent left-wing groups as terrorists, the Republicans are = focusing on the terrorist portrayal of the anti-abortion groups to = accuse the Army of targeting conservative political policies. House = Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., personnel subcommittee Chairman Jim Banks, R-Ind., and other committee Republicans sent = a letter to Army Secretary Christine Wormuth last weekend, calling = for answers by July 25 on how the slideshow was created. Military.com
Twenty-three years after the 9/11 terrorist = attack, 30 prisoners captured during the so-called global war on terror = are still languishing in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in = Cuba =E2=80=94 even though most have never been charged with any crime. = Legal experts say it=E2=80=99s doubtful any will ever be charged or go = to trial because they were all tortured in secret CIA prisons = after their capture, involving information that remains classified. This = inconvenient fact has created major legal problems for military = prosecutors, as well as fights over the defense=E2=80=99s access to = classified material. So while in theory, there will eventually be a 9/11 = trial for the alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, in = reality, few legal experts believe that will ever happen.  NPR
MITRE, a Massachusetts and Virginia-based think tank that = conducts federally funded research to support the Pentagon and the = intelligence community, has released a new white paper that endorses a = new approach to national security planning based on =E2=80=9Ccriticality=E2= =80=9D, a system that assesses and ranks assets based on their potential = risks and likelihood of failure. This approach, the paper says, = =E2=80=9Cpromotes the essential information, human factors, organization = and technology to improve U,S. readiness and minimize intelligence = failures, catastrophic losses and diminished national power.=E2=80=9D MITRE
SpyTalk is a reader-supported publication. To receive = new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid = subscriber.
14 = Likes
14
1
Share
1 Comment

Larry Brown
9 hrs ago=C2=B7edited 8 hrs agoLiked by Jonathan = Broder
Concerning President Carter's reversal of his = decision to draw down US troop strength in South Korea in the mid = 1970's: My Army Reserve MI Detachment, which supported ITAC (the Army's = Intelligence and Threat Analysis Center) was in DC at the time. Our = focus was counterintelligence in an entirely different part of the = world. We had no Korea analysts, nor did we have any "squints" (photo = interpreters. )
But the story making the rounds in ITAC was = that an ITAC squint had put together a briefing showing that the = conventional threat from North Korea was far greater than Carter had = been led to believe. The briefing caused the Pentagon to recommend that = Carter leave all our troops in place. He agreed and reversed his = decision.
Although I never saw the briefing in question (nor was there any = reason I should have seen it), I'm pretty sure most everyone in ITAC = heard about it. Just a particularly well supported intelligence rumor? = Perhaps. But it is another possible explanation for the tangled web = surrounding why the troop withdrawal was cancelled.
LIKE (1)
REPLY
SHARE
<= div class=3D"single-post-section" style=3D"--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; = --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; = --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; = --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; = --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; = --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: = ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; = --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; = --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); = --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; = --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; = --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; = --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; = --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; = --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; = --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; = --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: = ;">
Putin Shooting to = be Russia's Greatest Czar, Former Top Powell Aide Says
Lawrence Wilkerson = also excoriates US arms makers for 'obscene profits' from Ukraine = war.
MAR 18, 2022 =E2=80=A2
JEFF STEIN
17
1
Exclusive: FBI = Agents Accuse CIA of 9/11 Coverup
Previously = unreported interviews filed in court claim CIA is hiding information = relating to a failed 'recruitment' effort
MAR 22, 2023 =E2=80=A2
SETH HETTENA
80
3
How the KGB = Hooked Trump
'American = Kompromat,' a new book by Craig Unger, gets the lowdown from former = Russian and U.S. spies
JAN 26, 2021 =E2=80=A2
JEFF STEIN
24
18
High-level = Chinese Defection Rumored
Chinese State = Security Vice Minister Dong Jingwei would be highest-level defector in = the history of the People's Republic.
JUN 17, 2021 =E2=80=A2
MATT BRAZIL
AND
JEFF = STEIN
9
4
How Did Hamas = Acquire Advanced Rockets?
Iran agents, Bedouin = smugglers, shifting routes critical to dramatic arms = upgrade
OCT 9, 2023 =E2=80=A2
JONATHAN = BRODER
66
10
Mossad=E2=80=99s = New Boss is a Gadget-Loving Killing Machine
David Barnea warned = Iran the =E2=80=9Clong arm of Mossad=E2=80=9D isn=E2=80=99t finished = with it.
OCT 20, 2021 =E2=80=A2
JONATHAN = BRODER
11
2
Kushner=E2=80=99s = Deal with Pro-Russia Serbs Raises Hackles
Belgrade = development, joined by former Trump envoy Ric Grenell, includes a = memorial to =E2=80=9Cvictims of NATO aggression"
JUN 4 =E2=80=A2
MICHAEL ISIKOFF
116
3
How Sick is the = Spying Game?
Legendary former CIA = officer Jim Lawler says the tricks of the trade turned him into a = sociopath=E2=80=94of sorts
JAN 30, 2023 =E2=80=A2
JEFF STEIN
33
3
Classified US = Intelligence Chat Rooms a 'Dumpster Fire' of Hate Speech, Says Ex-NSA = Contractor
'Many' spy agency = employees say Jan. 6th riot 'was justified,' says NSA = veteran
MAR 11, 2022 =E2=80=A2
JEFF STEIN
32
6

Russian Army=E2=80=99= s Quiet Fatal Flaw: No Sergeants
Issues of = corruption, poor logistics and inept leadership overshadow a critical = hole in the Russian lines: Few NCOs to keep the troops = fighting
OCT 26, 2022 =E2=80=A2
JEFF STEIN
36
6

=

<= /div>

Jeff = Stein = <= /span>= <= /span>
Editor-in-chief, SpyTalk<= /div>
(202) 812-3034 =E2=80=94 cell/Signal<= /span>
Twitter: = @spytalker<= /span>
www.spytalk.co
= <= /span>
= <= /span>

= --Apple-Mail=_FDE8E14F-7D07-4B50-95E1-E22787B4EBDC Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Disposition: inline; filename=icon_spytalk.gif Content-Type: image/gif; name="icon_spytalk.gif" Content-Id: <78229DF5-86F0-41B1-BEF6-E192EB1D3354@local> R0lGODlhNwAwAPf/APnflvnmqfrlpfrlpvnelfrko/ngmfnmq/rmqvrmqfrkofrnq/nfmPrmp4lp J/nlpvrhm/nko1ZEI1hQQbyOLPrjovngl1hQQvnmp/ninfnjoPnhmvnlpa+FK/rgmUk6ItahLjAr KPjekzwxIfrin8mYLWNNJPninvrjoEpEOfnkofjnrnxgJqqAIi8qJ+6zMJZyKaJ8KmUwHfrlqHBW JeOrLz45J++zMPrinZMzMY2CZDAqJz03MPvruqmbdnc1LsqYKEItDtG/ikpDOfnlqOyxL7KFJPG4 O/vnr9/LkvG3OHNnTtiiK+KpLb97cd/NluetLmZcSfnioTwtDNOeKuuwL7anf7ane46BYuzaol8v G/PDWr+PJtHAj8+bKZuOalhQQJ49OD85KHNpU/nhnPvor/K8R+XOjKRIMfG7RPjjoJg2MvC2NkdB LatTRvrjoXNpUd3HiffWjYhiHf3z15xLQNq3g+TEsfK/Tp2NYN/Jj7qMJfrhnKmZcfrjo4B2XKOS YnZYGLFfUnwxJ/rkosSzhrupdOPPkvTfnfnmqPXMc5uMZ/niny8nIPbSgs2aKdCcKuzVk2ZcQNfB hEQ4J1hPPvPdnGZbR7FhU440Mdqrfo9XI/jdlPnjouTPlI+BWatVSvbRf+CoLd6nLE5GMPTIZvXO d4F1Wo6CZdvGi0I8KWdbPfzwzezapMS0hqtRQ4IxKa6DI/vnrPjcnvC0MfG6QY5/XY0yLuzZnsKh dNukLLplN6ibdJ1tU+3MoPzvx2swIJeIXfjgmZuObMSzhOiuLuHMkPjeo+zZoPPblfjeld/MlLZl S9ehK2JJFOOqLcWUJ/Tenq5TMpJ6V3AwIt7NmfPEXUo3KfPBU4dlG4E5J3NqVKmac29jQ5eIW5A2 M97Mlb98cumvL920m/Xfn7uqePDYlPvnsHBkQkAwDVMvFoFzTbakdfvoslFKNK+eb3xwS72teoN3 VP302LyNJvvlp6RjKPzuxdG8hPnhnsOzg/nnrfC0MJkzMyIeHwAAACH5BAEAAP8ALAAAAAA3ADAA AAj/AP8JHEiwoMGDCBMqXMiwocOHECMy3Eex4oIFBxAEQIAgAZEGMxoMeDBgAIcIBVBWUIDkl5N+ MGPKnEkTJr+bOHPq3MmTHx5Tr2oKFVrxQFEEGQMkCIChqUiSHDgIEBABZQEkPYZqndmTnwN/YMOK BcvTzJataPsVNXqgrY6xcP1NTVmgQIVEZUCl1dr1a1yxPJXU2rV3aEWKBy4GePsXrIupAuoWUKHA j6bCQrtKaAy2Ec8X4kahwUzzMMWLqDiH/TLVqgIp0Q7lIs1VJ4jNqsOaAKHzRRNo9mjHNJ0id9wo SQooqKAGkbFyvYT302n8L4WcN4pRabFpDW3TF8KL/xc/obz582DACKmgooIGBYwspXo3rQ7prjop 6KfAGz/OG1UwAUQz0mBmGkYHBGDFGMXFtUMU3FCF0nIrvYcCCfnU0w4mmPHUwQjVfeDfEaWEEoaB ph1gRXVgUVUXZRWgoAEKb5xzzzhDfZMJTT3hFtYHJcAAl4g80aIENo7M4sZQWkwRhDoyAEMNLCsc ltECWTToTwhdNFWIC2JdUVVdyxEigCw9sELHS0LlQAk8gHizTjeroNNVDQ5IYEIJOYHAggQSdKAT G2lsoYgcx/giiFYyOMMFFM8wAQkQj1RpUVIBZLoUBjOENBIHD0QWWV0NpDnPHeFs9YMqeZyhDAAA EP8gq3+06nSENcyglYMMU2TjRRE7mbZPYplqGkADGDQg0kgCmFRXBAp0ooEdJw71wzWkBDNJMhbA GisBItQqLj++7TGHNjnIdMsgWgSRTiBG6AIsT4hZdFGCxSar7EihzlWAAK+R40k88rhjgxhi2GBD G5J8Ykgc5gjjgQEMdPstAeOO+wIUVNATSwsgG8GFF6JUcYN/K1ha1AIbLeVRsiOVBNmodimgwIwX knACDjhkgAMZEEBggAEWWMCAt7JizFMJMeBEgQNQQy3oTTTE0F/G/h3Wig/b8ODPMJkigEwIYj1R 0gBXgDUEFkLYrIIGGpCg8wkZ1M1H0BBMTDSsBMT/Gm4JDnwglgQ6dRCWAzqZINYINHRQA9Y6kT1W CNVopFQCDRTHQ8wDTLXMDnFdsogeJ9BdN9BCG+ABA0fzDW5cMPC02Qg8CdnYByzwOW5cPuDbEeaS l0QSZH0Y58IS7ETiwQZDs460rHGZwFNYPCnOoj+0/pVFsUo9ERY4Mk+VxPVgbQAB80a3/u1fsedE QVjX5eQXi0Ti91cKHGnKS1jEnB2V19erROpUZ7FviaAxV/NKWJqGE8ORjwXZ+4sOfpeAP4QFC8wS ABzI5w9bMG9oRfNWrDjRGNrhxEeIu0kNOOiP+NmvMV3gSAKGEJZTkGQAX2AhPpi3uoo974CNgeBN PAaHExBxsFacCYFSAiCWCZBEHyzcQdD05rxYrY8zgnrfj6jGQsJFsDFjQIArxjIAXICJg0s43wer 6LqAAAA7 --Apple-Mail=_FDE8E14F-7D07-4B50-95E1-E22787B4EBDC Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Disposition: inline; filename=90bd73e8-83ab-44d2-a9ab-946de44699ef_500x500.jpeg Content-Type: image/jpeg; x-unix-mode=0666; name="90bd73e8-83ab-44d2-a9ab-946de44699ef_500x500.jpeg" Content-Id: /9j/4QC8RXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAGABIBAwABAAAAAQAAABoBBQABAAAAVgAAABsBBQABAAAAXgAA ACgBAwABAAAAAgAAABMCAwABAAAAAQAAAGmHBAABAAAAZgAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAABAAAA BgAAkAcABAAAADAyMTABkQcABAAAAAECAwAAoAcABAAAADAxMDABoAMAAQAAAP//AAACoAQAAQAA AGAAAAADoAQAAQAAAGAAAAAAAAAA/9sAQwAGBgYGBwYHCAgHCgsKCwoPDgwMDg8WEBEQERAWIhUZ FRUZFSIeJB4cHiQeNiomJio2PjQyND5MRERMX1pffHyn/9sAQwEGBgYGBwYHCAgHCgsKCwoPDgwM Dg8WEBEQERAWIhUZFRUZFSIeJB4cHiQeNiomJio2PjQyND5MRERMX1pffHyn/8IAEQgAYABgAwEi AAIRAQMRAf/EABsAAAIDAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFAwQGAgEH/8QAGAEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAECAwT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAfpwGspXdO5L4BYAAAAAJnFbPRbxmNzz9c0eKf3D7zMcXOn5Wz3D Q5N8UF5nTx2s4nSTzeY0Ga0Ge8KXZKLhog1Rvz5aTSk0cdrt8LQlYxXaR8zXNRqkLjFA1ubRz1Ye +Aheonkq+nLCOVDVURMaEZpfAsABZdVPJasd0KhbKoTWQilBP//EACYQAAICAQIFBQEBAAAAAAAA AAIDAQQABRMQERIVMxQgMDE0NSH/2gAIAQEAAQUC4XvH8bVg3477jTVr1a016gEFiGqmd9HXJDGQ YTMNXMg5Zzw5xjlC5UHc04kWFvB6R7rfrqmmiIu6fo5DsqSqbKkAsucZzjO2Vd226UgQiQ6eG1qD v7N4umnpi5Cm0vRaile2ns9POz08HSaglj0A8IrtGEV1oiyPVqxU5bjWLSspTaZ7ZIYzdXm6rJoV CkRgRfAkqnCduLHNvscuDZfiIW1QmmCgV76+c/Wn+Gf6BOUMxMTHHUPHH1YQTcvkO3H+r0/wmQje CYdPs1Dxx9WDLeuwAIHxaf4i/f8Alf7HBWjAWIYxK2Z6dPTsL6QQoJ9MnmalswAEI43vH8P/xAAp EQACAgIAAwYHAAAAAAAAAAABAgMSABEEITEUcYGRscEQEyAjMFFT/9oACAEDAQE/AfqjKrIhYcrD eTrKiubXjfo3jvDBEGhF2+4Ae7eNw4WOU7NkbRHvjJEN823oeeawSlnT5rEqPTFkWOKVb2uOQ98k oOyszdI15eORyMZJZGQ0e1vXFnlQsVci3XWdr4n+refxaSRhpnJ7zlmrWx1+vz//xAAiEQABAwMD BQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIREiFBECIxEyAwUVL/2gAIAQIBAT8B7jwYTaTGCFU7dbhV3HohS7SmAaUQ SWmOEJ3wMoizQDcItaYkLps+RqABhZ8//8QAMhAAAQMCAgcFCAMAAAAAAAAAAQACEQMSITEiUXFy gZHBBBATIEEjMDIzQmGx8WJj4f/aAAgBAQAGPwLuZv8AvA1x9Z93Ucz4sAOKZ7NrrmglxxJldqaX E/BbOpACo3HLFWeKy7VOKxICgOBO1QHt5qGnvzT6bsirXC6lPDhqV7D/AIqTW6NwExhrVSGNFjZb hlCtfi7FsnWPVPZaA9jseKrVRTbhoDDmVN6zCzC8TSm67PimvmPaNnYSi1wkHMLtNNvwgfpUN0fg quf4Ec0yfqJdzRqRo1WnD7/tNYc40tpzX1819fNNcLpBnPuDX5XA7YVrO0ODfSQDHFG2ZJlzjmVR EkaIxHFDxqzntBm2ABxhF7jDQuyluIE1J2YfnzYkBfMbzXzG81cacnXJQaMhxTg6ne31Cd4VO0TG tCnY4Hy0ZEiSmYDPonC0Tbgmk4YBATE5SCEdidvdE3Z0UOeAgR5Gb3RDYmQ+IVs43IbvRO3uiBJg W9F4no06I6+Vm90Q2KlSmA7NNaIGlkhudE7e6Juzov63eW6rOesqBPOVpBFtufNW4xtKloI4lTBn XcZQuEx91DcvIzf91//EACcQAQACAQIEBgMBAAAAAAAAAAEAESExUUFhcaEggZGx8PEQMMHR/9oA CAEBAAE/IfwkqUw9o6/rOdKoBB/WxVZDa1XGlWIbAtbcwVGZHbioXyigLoBV6Qah7Vjy6StLzS0L jIc1ALAyatAGZCWr01OX55D1mni1fEeD5TOnYburi5QvbNEdVsyrYVc0W03ILaIVOJioLEMLMmh/ qZQgMKa3dHELwxQBkz1s1KLDjGnq7tYn3k+8nC/Lt3AGqrfnISkVJoktOrz0T+vwQFrj5zAmkB8g WO0YBLFOO344x0l6jfMvVnL+PScv49ITVWOcb2/FkWYOwwEOYCo2F/Yd3Wgt91hO2MpSNUqMGrC5 PclIomh5ABMpl4CjAefs8VTnNLan0ufQ5RCmbs+ty/HgWq9WPGQx7Gb4QtgAybNGMsNVvW0xi+Hh BaxXGMEpos9COPScM3Ub2nG6aTLWtyOlzv0+ByTtfuj5BzjoWJh8HdI7RNd1vfic4oixCm2HXaNU 6t4+ByQnwC16oXwWHM3fzw90jt0UB1rmFt0uAHqAdNZ2aPickoknyo3xvZ+vaa5PBSaiha5doC4W yqVtcJC+tHRJxpKWquHOAul2us8KeU8hMo9J82Bvczm4GUocmy19/B272jq/p//aAAwDAQACAAMA AAAQ9y99993fbL38LD4k8N847uW9tGBcZd9e+M89/8QAHhEBAQACAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAREAUSFB ECAxkXH/2gAIAQMBAT8Qx+HrY8UGwec0DUaDHLTxMbEBGH0nO8QDDMcRYVrIHgMCdizjWVpx3RZH maFwhwAAQG2r3/MulDGFUE8dfuOyENPkF2Y1bVpK4oIuJHw4wEDPgiH7gbFLWmLuY+es1nXp16// xAAhEQEAAgEDBQEBAAAAAAAAAAABABEhEDFBIFGBscFxkf/aAAgBAgEBPxCG70lSWaajQ1yjvioM Kmb5qCToyh+QSsFW/wAlneIpAX3MLFsvyXVsV58Qwpgr1BADRi9AZbMkAXsRCjRdbwdTdjzOT86O ZRKJRp//xAAmEAEBAAICAQIGAwEAAAAAAAABEQAhMUFRYXEQIDCBofCR0fGx/9oACAEBAAE/EPg+ qdSnbxnJ7/TY0ipCE4brHl+k7TQ/coeoceuCtQ7fBaq63rEdvaE7lzSld42nohPMA74zr3Jfom1v pibNcORzKlmD0ijAdVBdY0NiCqdAPOJpRDYA0qeTfx3zbZIt8ZcorDgND1RcNka5u5t7HtacflWN PEen8OUxBSJBTpEIpi4lmLujRpNOCikYRyzupPViXrJCrKUbYP2ZztJ8GghybvOsWSKCo51UdGiQ nWf4X+8ohueCP7xf9TmJxcKxVwPAO/TFhYBvqBxHElW8oL2lHwspSAB7Mv5cZQhQ6TYfcDjmxgLT p6wYgK215r98jgAHw47d6r0RC/Z8LpiH4pfae5gle8E4LYdbOC//AAoUrzwaw5+Yg5EvNOHnjDTm gK4ZD7NGRbQaPKeQFgYQpYQoVA8UP5fMOts06ni4Lwnt/bhbwfrzidqljPIiv2wnCEERbtVfu5vP +APQV2E1N4mNAvtlIsLosMvfLakKtm2fLK47aioPos9846i0HbxjUSqBg2IhecCGY9NogOV9Oci6 6AV+og5+x8Ofg/gagb+Us53rW82dm2FH3+T9x5Z+s8GIqhqi9ODpNYGkoNphw5PhxQqFPlaz8Hg4 +RUDRjSVhch0i8Ph0b+XifrWKp5/4mOFpPgQjoa685aKgKaEP5bXNX6yfh8AGESIlHqTFSHh8/7v 74EAgiUTYj2fJMSHQU2QCw/GBSNQDeANn2zk98lo5iZs+yMh4bt11hpsHSAhLUHXGOlKRKmptMZ1 4xSz3b2jV5LhoMqIm+0Er6uHSBUUt6KYenyFZC+L3Z+R9H//2Q== --Apple-Mail=_FDE8E14F-7D07-4B50-95E1-E22787B4EBDC Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Disposition: inline; filename=04a946e2-f02a-444d-98eb-fefedd9d8f7f_1344x256.png Content-Type: image/png; x-unix-mode=0666; name="04a946e2-f02a-444d-98eb-fefedd9d8f7f_1344x256.png" Content-Id: <7C5FBCDB-AFDE-4BC1-907C-9828A20620CA> iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAPwAAABICAMAAADlLmg2AAAAgVBMVEVHcEyNjY2mHiKjLjGNjY2N jY2mHiKTdnaNjY2NjY2NjY2mHiKmHiKNjY2mHiKNjY2NjY2mHiKNjY2NjY2mHiKmHiKmHiKmHiKm HiKmHiKmHiKNjY2mHiKNjY2mHiKmHiKmHiKmHiKmHiKNjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2mHiJW LRxtAAAAKXRSTlMA1xMIv+f8BPYckJn2J+0PUN9fLmjTelfEKh9FSnGqPjOLtc2wojqDlZaNc+YA AAnlSURBVHja5ZvplqI6FEZBhIAyC4KMIijC+z/gJSTBAGGyylqrvfnVnZKSnXNyhi8pjvtnh6EY gOOAoZnlPiaTmmK0PwrjouC+eIRVM+SqHQc8B/jXnAi+GP6EIeF4Evj8NfnV8BzQYrHqW57jFHP/ v4CnrH+g12T/Brywu1wuO+GjL/uI49huhmmbZIRh908T/shuPrH+te9jeM7cCh84N71uhmQlXssP jsfg9+Gf1ZohGqt/ocmAN+RN8MFRheC6ZenNP9yoeSxQ68vvw5eETxZFPs9JeOJznufFLlbxq20G Tgx4jt8CH0Gj69m1MblwOVu1dNxxXl3vfh8+RuSFqaE3Q9tT1lCsCg8ogOXr3V5jwecb4D1odr9z 8t1RqvWjW0sf2P52+1Zm9/8ePORvJ/brf6HCgt+vh7+27LSZzxLc/uoH4OEWlUNuEp4zoNWKP4MX XAja298gg/D6B+BhVXbnZuDB8BOfhXcgaMJYkE/AP5qXeszBtwXq86/gAeSso2EYkD4DfxrksTE8 zIaHv4K/tNs7YOwF6zPwBTcPb/4hvMOObefPwDeZqVyAbyrWP4PP2PAX9VOWtxfgDfHv4BOm23PA +hT8YwG+qc8+HfDCe74/aAR+FPDgvPWRaC8rS/DFINUBzYzLsoxJVfhTeFCKZWjeRZvAH0efOLPg d7gUEi6e43jX7asTDpoWFvyzB38qeVLzy3lsvAFvlk2fiLrHpmM8cbb4MGNbseUTd2zh9ZHfe7WL HxY8L0rTNHKym561S3B2VdQBZq/aaOdF12AHR3C5ppGX4tjheFH7dORFbSjvNy0s+JJKCFohN8z3 w/OOmhU+3A6/73WMMeBjRS73PCjuMKzDcRtYEVxvGX74WndDajwEeNZrQj/j50DU/FTV4VDblbl1 WYMM6ElGGHJL8Ip56lqBBr1E3g7CFl82N8Pbh0Ls+sX7SZNPimyYIrBFLsWvdpz04eCGDI22B8ik 2jo6ztlvG4A6wc9dfOQNiNO/OdiBuod11jew4Ps9YPzibBFE5Y09b9jt1slNA4YdRZF52W68kBN0 YtTpHSxcbh38WdLP7c4HHnoywd8BLj5ZovOu9zDcWZLPlEZm4UP4xnKXGkHc0yo3BTwA+6VnGzE0 +aHIWpmDmMeJvnXUGeVmh139GKl62skAyMzn7kMutvFACADN0llscWAWHm1z+UHlyZHMsxK+KR6q A/5//mzc/iEr+aGVbLDtrWiaHu/dxFKjQYFEdYR4NYbw8GGH2wyPdYpX+DPQ1g3fgLebVhF0DmWf ADg92w30iklqNine4NCgvuwMTY3WrWsJAXb86wh+qmaYgw+Jokc3fNWgPl4Hr4lV8XIYWyziOBdb jxL8V0R2p4wfkJC9G5WHlOk95ELZ4OFbnXG/B3/fDG/kVW7QVVNZFDEOnIFFJzO28XdS3d/gyM/R ZDYIDW7fzjtdur4Bj0XYKh/A77fCG/uKV6bbWpqevfMxfF/xIbNWt8aoZKrTiXppW8DDmrw9gM83 woOiEk9zTb1bU/iZMAk/pEDPvQx7lRjVcjLwl7XwBvypXIIhPNgED55UwmB7dULR1+5lAl5KWD0h FctxyOvF+52qBgvwE4YBYWwPFK7t8OWoKhx/j6NStte9CcsfWWoAPe2gCa8nl/jce/BDTxDfgLfp InHa9f2e64NV8Jj11q3hDpV9N+pxfyrJb4W3q+3w9kpdSDhTxu9q9nl4HO7d1wwKedJr4wSSuvsV eFPeDG+U64Vw2vhSAlbA49pHfwWldFDzNhVOwv0CvHInndlaeNl8on1irqMHtPHPK+Bxu0up3ILb 9a9EGvd+Dn+6y5Vobwt4r0NfZaXUcn0lPSldD78bdQFpJ43P6f+r4AG8bCEfDPAm/PrjLyrp0Ul9 Av4yhg/0XsGfjSWybfAAGly+a9tTnWLn1aBOWhxniZjeWw0vjHI/Xg9gSelP4Fv0qji9l+eN/bzj C8Ko9HQI/W212/cygEQVPilV+74BH+aUcPdGkaNgAasAE7r9KAsDom9QOWoWXnJ7y4k6BR+gzJdx 78IDcGi7OOMHFZ5JdEvmN/iMwrtrctOVef7GKPvaVC9MN3TL8Mhpi5/V9jhDsr/CZwUknKwpp5iA 9wY9LTnqIpNe7XLvwqMrZZRq9RY8cfw9YMIzKm8iyZxXlrfeULwgqX6moVuEL4f++l5jY884vk+V ZyOoRfiM1eUD7A9R09BJwbvwSlvN0qdbb7a0OOKz+lq/Zr1fuhL+NhAzeoJOMtvQLcEjoZrnfgrP aaQnMBjwrKbrIq3b8xb7pA87xG6uoVuCL0aaFYbnN8LjZRwonwSe0XjgmLUU7QMkcYyELyLozDV0 S/D5r8GDfMrxfYbOTt5+Mc97/SZmGDCluYZuCX4s2D3k9+DJg2PH92uW33tUnTIDnzAUXTpgzjV0 FGH1mLS8TB245dUk/JPxKKXblxVrjZAEOTbdcfjqTHh0aME6icKCzuKFLmwSc1q77X4E7qybufju 7Z11zkWtG15kOWTor2fm0Rwtv2P4ZHyGJTGte2RHwokTqcO0aEUUd+Ne8XjPGwxpa5wkq4rKkqHM 7HBaeP3COJnrxTEM37vEgJrXhNkzoBoxXdBO7jNyA5Yrm7amgTXMvBIf6MI6TP1GaUwn8Xhc1oAC z+2VcbJye7k+bal6GiY5saEuMaAOwGXH8/Zu42xDZyhh0ckNvK0ZgG36ZmnyXGyvK+MDrPvDbi8t AePUaVuiraDnDS3urrGQuWa2+6o8pBxHr1V4rcCijNTeQB/cViDwdUJgd22BY01VcOdRyd+vXanr 9fgCPr8fBOOY/kT+eNkZrtaDO/V/hSweoIX7czzyiO5vcQbbRq+P4HqTajWJWizhmsAwpp6Z6q1v 1ZYTCOhafu+i+uhkU6Ul3NE44LdDg/13ISDMuxdGV5E0krHvCrrH2/sNRfOIOJgzX9GeTFKtkgqv oQHPhUcV7i3xLUgp3a4ThxYBXCfLsto4r2cz0TyhM+W4cg/Dk6YpZGja6RGG44b+URb7fVF2rmrY d/j/ti4wwvBx6n5B8zy0MpzTqDnl9W1o8hRS4cFF213wEp1IGG52BZMnNoKHLt80HzvPNi3JUmlL QXKfGgu/GXTG2109x3G8NGCZk8rzIIiaz0XBbA4Hcyd0/9qYaGymhzOQd/5X8P5iafu98BdV3/3P 4NOjf3MElOaP3P8Lvv0btaZuaOXr9OvgZ4OY8LqkEkmu8D3wl3pCtxhrX02kA/6CavtvDaJOzBUu 107B8CTre8Idl1rdJc3p0gVfZFWDpit0voU8ulkSfVHPn7igjZQ76ZapbdD7jnGuh2PC+uQyo5R9 T7S7NhV/lF4v12akEWwApjZ0kLm63vRF/wjYf0daT1+orWLAAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC --Apple-Mail=_FDE8E14F-7D07-4B50-95E1-E22787B4EBDC-- --Apple-Mail=_A75AA508-5D6D-4943-8118-AC10390CA218-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 12:50:52 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 31D0CB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:50:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 31D0CB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="DH4vepbW" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 246C7BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:50:52 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f51.google.com (mail-ej1-f51.google.com [209.85.218.51]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 22A38BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:50:52 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f51.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77c080b521so305846666b.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:50:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721505050; x=1722109850; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=GzLbK6YlfEZSQSI4eimlkipG3bt74EA76tU8X1om8dc=; b=DH4vepbW+VeSXMxInIAmd8RE5MARXpoFWndTKJTRn/KxwMQD0uZiC1gHKTpdZXMgka oKwPh8WI8vdOQjpcND5BVcCojY3oCX+vl4sKuAR/JSPN3+IQvFSg5dZFNB6lpu8SrQ7K UtWoS/+fwyVgTnLlvq3KShZUtVt9Y9ec2F487L2iKdXlDIM8ICC3wJH78+gpQXHwKWTA BpEvB1iDrc1TvLOS7Jd+cyEuohG1cPRNHVJ+axrEEYWplZKGHPRFCcKmCixkjOfmGQda IEn91y542Bflfqs4T5GtXSe99qiZZstqaeIVLf+kJqF5lNkZiuNkOwLcqk8GkEeEINfG THtQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721505050; x=1722109850; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=GzLbK6YlfEZSQSI4eimlkipG3bt74EA76tU8X1om8dc=; b=STpwY59rDNGQ5a5oU267yMNFq0Cxu3dJnvnoATzcriJxN4yTKo/yAjw/2agko04+Bi AG5y2t2x4FHoX3SH3dY1YZvvbHCoo/znagvSg63f1I0SgAiLWHPe4hz0iODBoNC7KYrU MtJQAV7Cj8DxigV3+nqqHeEWcr6rXJrv+rLB9j0mQl7i+FlNtC07ZNnQr+lfJHpFdGFo KVsqJaZLAi1g5cEIVb7BmE3gjloZXZNvRRvoZklXZr8u/sjaK1PjbL+v0P+7T5o7gUt9 MtO0ZVr3yrjQmgy1rEWvwN4MgWqqeFTGdyF1NSkWxFhcY+72gZ4DL43D2/iVpbkDwlVi dIZg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Ywy8in/Qud04uQ73wcSaxN3s6gLz9tlTC8ACS1Cxls0Zsd3GO7l T2f4Mt1FdK18c2cKilJcy9Wt7UGEPBDeEiCDZcf64WOhAoP6ZR/l77i2bqtpnbgMdc3HkGffqwA OhTjq42+m5DEMzmI/IqrO/w/ekV8q/Ls3 X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHGuG3hzMkuxdKXVfuLTCR4JvUvMyTV3fB0gaS4jBL3yKKhbxfCjoViWGCHeCj2ghKqWREfWwzVOXpOY++9CPQ= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:6d06:b0:a77:e0ac:2a74 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4c07cb49mr147408266b.17.1721505050247; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 12:50:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:50:42 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000ffcbe3061db3206f" Subject: [Salon] Distraction? Blinken Says Iran Just 1-2 Weeks Away From Producing Material For A Nuclear Weapon X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:50:52 -0000 --000000000000ffcbe3061db3206f Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/distraction-blinken-says-iran-just-1-2-weeks-away-producing-material-nuclear-weapon --000000000000ffcbe3061db3206f Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:11:06 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f46.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77bf336171so493898166b.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:11:06 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721506264; x=1722111064; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=R2H2bTKFEtQmmj4/uHC6o6Mf5EXLxzrSJ87B9/XVTqQ=; b=A8bbAclKp3BhliZzh/p0frNCPyVSnEWAbccaxojsTqi2MHNYeHgBQG/FyIfU9IxnZM o2hy6qPD8+yavcGB57AJwZjptChlFS7LLCILxn5Pby0PmI35pxIUEMr4WPYzb0M/hjUK SJnR+nRjbjoqMaHgrO5S4f44CabWTDWvQcKykeOh/4TqstDtu98fK6qLt0vvTKuQStAt M34zs2wy9TqqkpMjTswtV8e7DpEtVLSrHDf73vDFdieG4I/iCnkXga4BiIWGFwqbNC3l aZtxSyB6ySokqqMYRxMD3LZgIoBziCNI+Ptn19kjF0PvRV8qEyD/pGf3ominFGNrqlgO BeHQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721506264; x=1722111064; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=R2H2bTKFEtQmmj4/uHC6o6Mf5EXLxzrSJ87B9/XVTqQ=; b=sRoCO0vhmXdIgmWXsLqLSNA1UhodpAoaIdgeKz8YzXcWUHVv6h8fSQfdW1+XDODYra P4Y3FJVV5AvNhLt08RNKr8iFd+1G3KnPLcPO52hJ2vYhj2bmcS/M1bjVwP6DKUU/5/cL tg4qdp3nQ5NG0WX3m4VbeOeLgliz8rGqRIG/N13HDjdkOzaaqtqwyTuMgohbESx3xtch YPxdFn5U06UrRYOBnFPU2+0QPNrxqlehQuMRzSfxwOKELH5rz5F9b1WkEtzFoVZuej99 IHoK5hv+s7jatm1hRZsexUxS9U/S4Q7ktgGUM6jsJOfZwAzhDEheQSWcsp+sZMo6Mlwq yzyA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YwlirIA+Pi+BpA3D93mZAI9vIC/5sENXOwn6+Da/z46vLX3doVD nhTMQlSBAyxl8U7uEXVbF/OlmQVtIW4TARt776eHOH4VvcrSOf9MlxsJqnKwe131KDlhyd3Qo/G 3YsWZ2oLmp2rN3a8d6/bFgydb9BPWUDaY X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFTP1qDtMDe06DuSadstS5QprKgy44fFkQqJOCZBY0rbXuOQrWi8W0u09iqHqKKx7uNWzqDhMwdO4bGovcXu0o= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:96a8:b0:a77:e6dd:7f35 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a41afa616mr318033366b.13.1721506264171; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:11:04 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:10:55 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="0000000000005ae14c061db3691b" Subject: [Salon] For the Rest of the World, the U.S. President Has Always Been Above the Law X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:11:06 -0000 --0000000000005ae14c061db3691b Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000005ae14b061db3691a" --0000000000005ae14b061db3691a Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/rest-world-us-president-has-al= ways-been-above-law For the Rest of the World, the U.S. President Has Always Been Above the LawAmericans Will Now Know What a Lack of Accountability Means By Oona A. Hathaway July 16, 2024 [image: The White House in Washington, D.C., July 2024] The White House in Washington, D.C., July 2024 Evelyn Hockstein / Reuters The U.S. Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision on former President Donald Trump= =E2=80=99s claims of criminal immunity has provoked grave warnings about a new expansion of presidential power. On July 1, the Court ruled 6=E2=80=933 along partisan l= ines that presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for =E2=80=9Cofficial = acts=E2=80=9D but found that they may still be prosecuted for unofficial acts. =E2=80=9CT= he Court effectively creates a law-free zone around the President,=E2=80=9D wrote Ju= stice Sonia Sotomayor in her dissent. =E2=80=9CIn every use of official power, th= e President is now a king above the law.=E2=80=9D Many commentators have echoed her critique. The ruling =E2=80=9Cjettisons t= he long-settled principle that presidents, like all others, are subject to the operation of law,=E2=80=9D observed the legal scholar Kate Shaw. =E2=80=9CI= f the president is a king, then we are subjects, whose lives and livelihoods are only safe insofar as we don=E2=80=99t incur the wrath of the executive,=E2=80=9D warn= ed the *New York Times* columnist Jamelle Bouie. =E2=80=9CIf Trump, as commander in chief, o= rdered his troops to assassinate somebody or stage a coup, that would seem to fall within the absolute immunity provision of the court=E2=80=99s decision,=E2= =80=9D explained the legal scholar Cheryl Bader. Judge Aileen Cannon=E2=80=99s decision on J= uly 15 to dismiss the charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents, while likely to be appealed and overturned, has added to the chorus of concerned voices. What most analysts have failed to note, however, is that this lack of legal accountability for decisions by the U.S. president, including decisions to direct the military to use lethal force, is nothing new. It has long been the reality for most of the world outside the United States. For decades, American presidents have waged illegal wars, plotted to assassinate foreign leaders, unlawfully detained and tortured people, toppled democratic governments, and supported repressive regimes without any possibility of legal accountability in either domestic or international courts. Although people all over the world have suffered from these unlawful acts, Americans have lived in a bubble=E2=80=94a bubble this Court decision has f= inally burst. Indeed, what is so frightening about this decision is that it has the potential to make the president=E2=80=99s actions within the United Sta= tes just as unchecked as they are outside it. *DEADLY FORCE* In her dissent, Sotomayor outlined a disturbing example of the type of action a president could now take and expect criminal immunity, thanks to the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s ruling: =E2=80=9COrders the Navy=E2=80=99s Seal= Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune.=E2=80=9D Yet the president has long had the abilit= y to order the U.S. military to kill with impunity. In the years since the 9/11 attacks in 2001, American presidents have overseen a vast expansion of the U.S. military=E2=80=99s use of lethal force abroad, sometimes in ways that have = violated international law, domestic law, or both. Around 300,000 Iraqi civilians were killed as a direct result of the U.S. w= ar in Iraq beginning in 2003, a war that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called =E2=80=9Cillegal.=E2=80=9D = More than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians are estimated to have died as a direct result of the war against the Taliban, al Qaeda, and associated forces in Afghanistan beginning in 2001. The United States justified that war as lawful under Article 51 of the UN Charter at a time when few states had accepted that Article 51 could be used to justify wars against nonstate actors. The U.S. military participated in ongoing combat in Afghanistan for two decades and faced serious allegations of war crimes, including torture at a detention center at Bagram Air Base. Bagram was just one of several U.S. detention facilities at which detainees were tortured. The United States operated unlawful CIA =E2=80=9Cblack sites=E2=80=9D in several locations around the world, su= ch as Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Thailand, where it held and tortured detainees in secrecy. Around 300,000 Iraqi civilians were killed as a direct result of the U.S. war in Iraq. Hundreds died in the 2011 war in Libya led by NATO with significant U.S. participation. Although the war was authorized by the UN Security Council, the U.S. Congress never approved U.S. participation in it. Two top administration lawyers advised that the U.S. law known as the War Powers Resolution required that the war cease after 60 days. President Barack Obama disregarded that advice, deciding instead to side with two other top administration lawyers who argued that the military operation in Libya did not amount to =E2=80=9Chostilities=E2=80=9D and therefore was not subject t= o that law. Between 2021 and 2023, the U.S. government conducted counterterrorism operations in 78 countries, including ground combat missions in at least nine countries. Now with over 11,000 unmanned aircraft systems, the United States has the capacity to conduct airstrikes in much of the world with little notice. These systems, commonly known as drones, are generally used to target and kill suspected terrorists. In the recent past, those strikes included =E2=80=9Csignature strikes=E2=80=9D=E2=80=94lethal strikes against= people whose identity was unknown but whose observed behavior was consistent with that of terrorists. A target could include, for example, a male of military age carrying what appears to be a weapon in an area where fighting has taken place. In the last several years, the United States has conducted airstrikes in at least four countries. Most of these operations have been based on a tenuous reading of a law passed by Congress a week after the 9/11 attacks authorizing the president to use force against those who carried out the attacks and any country, organization, or persons who harbored them. All these actions raise difficult legal questions about which there remains ongoing disagreement. U.S. government lawyers can and have come up with legal arguments to defend them=E2=80=94some more plausible than others. But= few of these arguments have ever been made public or been tested in court. *THE SHORT ARM OF THE LAW* For years, attempts have been made to hold the United States accountable for its unsanctioned violence. Lawyers in the United States and overseas have filed case after case challenging U.S. military and CIA operations abroad, but few have made it past procedural and jurisdictional hurdles. As a result, the U.S. president has long been a =E2=80=9Cking above the law=E2= =80=9D when it comes to actions outside the United States. Legal challenges in U.S. courts to wars waged by the president without the constitutionally required authorization of Congress have been repeatedly dismissed by U.S. courts in recent decades. The courts have dismissed the cases before even hearing the arguments about whether the president is violating the law. Instead, they have generally concluded that the cases present political questions that the courts are not well suited to resolve or that the plaintiffs lack standing. The effect of these decisions has been to flip the constitutional order on its head=E2=80=94requiring Congres= s to muster supermajorities in both houses to try to stop a president from waging war rather than requiring the president to get congressional approval in advance to do so. Even U.S. citizens have been killed without any accountability or legal review. Anwar al-Awlaki=E2=80=99s father sued Obama in U.S. federal court seeking to remove al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen, from the U.S. targeted killing list. Not long after the court dismissed the suit on the grounds that it presented political questions and al-Awlaki=E2=80=99s fathe= r lacked standing, the U.S. government killed al-Awlaki in a drone strike. Al-Awlaki=E2=80=99s 16-year-old son, also a U.S. citizen, was killed in a d= rone strike two weeks later. His eight-year-old daughter, also a U.S. citizen, was killed in a U.S. commando raid several years later. No court assessed the legality of these decisions to use lethal force. The well-documented program of torture has also led to little accountability. After taking office in 2009, Obama decided to investigate only two instances of detainee mistreatment leading to death, despite ample evidence of an expansive U.S. government program of unlawful detention and torture in the years following the 9/11 attacks. Obama later closed the investigation into the two deaths and into the destruction of interrogation videotapes by the CIA without initiating criminal charges. No significant administration officials involved faced any discipline. One became a federal judge. Gina Haspel, who, according to the *New York Times, * watched while a detainee was subjected to =E2=80=9Cenhanced interrogation=E2=80=9D = and waterboarding at a CIA black site that she ran in Thailand, later became the CIA director during the Trump administration. With criminal accountability off the table, plaintiffs harmed in the =E2=80= =9Cwar on terror=E2=80=9D filed civil lawsuits in U.S. courts against the U.S. gov= ernment and U.S. government officials under the Alien Tort Statute, which allows non-U.S. citizens to file lawsuits seeking damages for harm done to them as a result of violations of international law. Hope Metcalf, who represented victims of torture at the hands of U.S. officials, recalled, =E2=80=9Cwe ra= n into 7,000 different obstacles=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cnone of the ATS lawsuits pr= ogressed except against private contractors many years later.=E2=80=9D Very few of those la= wsuits reached the merits; most failed for the lack of jurisdiction or on grounds of sovereign immunity. In its most recent decision on the law, the Supreme Court dealt the statute a major blow by holding that it doesn=E2=80=99t app= ly to conduct that takes place outside the United States. Even U.S. citizens have been killed without any accountability or legal review. The few attempts at legal accountability in foreign courts also quickly faltered. A war crimes lawsuit in Belgium against President George H. W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell filed by Iraqi victims of the 1991 Gulf War was dropped under heavy diplomatic pressure from the U.S. government. In February 2011, President George W. Bush canceled an appearance in Geneva amid the threat of criminal proceedings against him for his involvement in the post-9/11 U.S. torture program. The United States has not agreed to the jurisdiction of any international court that might have jurisdiction to determine whether the wars it wages are lawful. When the International Criminal Court began an investigation into allegations of torture by U.S. forces in Afghanistan (the ICC had jurisdiction because Afghanistan is a party to the Rome Statute that created the court), the Trump administration used unprecedented economic sanctions against the court=E2=80=99s judges and staff to bully it into =E2=80=9Cdeprioritizing=E2=80=9D the prosecution. That case has remained at= a standstill. The absence of any legal accountability for multiple presidents=E2=80=99 ac= tions abroad is made even worse by the absence of any political accountability. U.S. citizens who are upset about a president=E2=80=99s actions at home or = abroad at least have the opportunity to vote in the presidential election. They also have the opportunity to vote for members of Congress who could=E2=80= =94at least in theory=E2=80=94impeach and remove the president from office for br= eaking the law. But voting for the president or for members of Congress is not an option for non-U.S. citizens who live in the many countries where the U.S. president has ordered forces to carry out targeted killings or topple their governments. In this respect, U.S. citizens remain in a privileged position even after the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision in *Trump v. United States*= . Indeed, it is striking that a country that rightly celebrates its commitment to the rule of law and democratic principles of governance has come to assert such global control with so little legal or political accountability to those most significantly affected by its government=E2=80= =99s actions. None of this is to defend the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision granting the president immunity for official acts. Its critics are right that it is antithetical to the American democratic ideal that power must be accountable to law. But the outrage prompted by the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision reflects little understanding of the way in which many of the actions of the U.S. president have long been felt and understood in much of the rest of the world. *HOW TO BE AN ACCOUNTABLE SUPERPOWER* Addressing the problem of impunity requires addressing not just the absence of criminal accountability for the clearly unlawful acts of the president in the United States but also the long-standing absence of accountability for the clearly unlawful acts of the president and the government the president leads around the globe. In other parts of the world, patience with unaccountable power=E2=80=94Amer= ican or otherwise=E2=80=94may be growing thin. An unprecedented 43 states referred = the situation in Ukraine to the ICC. That investigation has already resulted in six arrest warrants, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin. There has been a concerted global effort to use Russia=E2=80=99s central bank assets to help pay for the harm done by Russi= a during its unlawful war in Ukraine. Momentum is also growing behind an effort to create a new tribunal to try the crime of aggression in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing his own likely arrest warrant from the ICC. And a French court recently upheld an arrest warrant for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The United States has a long-fraught relationship with the ICC. One step toward addressing impunity at home and abroad would be to continue to strengthen U.S. ties with the court. A first step is to stop threatening to level sanctions at the court, as members of Congress recently did in the wake of the announcement that the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan was seeking arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The United States should also continue to support the work of the court, as it has with the investigation into Russian war crimes. In other parts of the world, patience with unaccountable power may be growing thin. But that is not enough. The United States should also accept that it is not immune from the ICC=E2=80=99s jurisdiction when it allegedly commits crimes= on the territory of a state that is a party to the court. That does not have to mean turning U.S. citizens over to The Hague. It instead requires demonstrating that the United States has undertaken a genuine effort at providing accountability for the same crimes at home. After all, the ICC is set up as a court of last resort=E2=80=94stepping in only when domestic cou= rts are unable or unwilling to do so. The U.S. government can also provide more robust civil accountability when it wrongfully commits harms abroad. The U.S. military already provides *ex gratia* payments in limited circumstances in which it acknowledges that civilians have been harmed by U.S. military action. For example, the United States regularly provided voluntary condolence payments to the civilian victims of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. But that system comes nowhere close to providing accountability for the harms done in war, including the many civilian deaths caused by =E2=80=9Cmistake.=E2=80=9D The= United States could pioneer a more robust compensation program that would permit civilians to seek compensation for harm done to them or their property as a result of U.S. military operations=E2=80=94adopting a =E2=80=9Cwar torts re= gime =E2=80= =9D to minimize needless civilian suffering. Congress should also reclaim its constitutional role in deciding when the United States engages in military operations abroad. A critical first step would be to revise the War Powers Resolution to clearly define =E2=80=9Chostilities=E2=80=9D and establish a funding cutoff for any war th= at extends beyond 60 days unless specifically authorized by Congress. Doing so would make it harder for presidents to wage wars without seeking assent from Congress. The problem of presidential immunity=E2=80=94and the capacity of the presid= ent to act outside the law=E2=80=94was not created by the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s = decision in *Trump v. United States*. It was simply exposed and expanded by it. Outside the United States, American presidents have long been able to violate the law with impunity, inflicting death and property destruction on civilians in the process. Now that this is also true in the United States, perhaps there will be the will to do something about it. - OONA A. HATHAWAY is Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of International Law at Yale Law School and a Nonresident Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. --0000000000005ae14b061db3691a Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www.foreignaf= fairs.com/united-states/rest-world-us-president-has-always-been-above-law

For the Rest of the World, the U.S. President = Has Always Been Above the Law
Americans Will Now Know What a Lack o= f Accountability Means
By Oona A. Hathaway
July= 16, 2024

The White House in Washing= ton, D.C., July 2024

Evelyn Hockstein / Reuters
<= /div>
The U.S. Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision on former President Donald Trump=E2= =80=99s claims of criminal immunity has provoked grave warnings about a new expansion=20 of presidential power. On July 1, the Court ruled 6=E2=80=933 along partisa= n=20 lines that presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for =E2=80=9Coff= icial acts=E2=80=9D but found that they may still be prosecuted for unofficial a= cts.=20 =E2=80=9CThe Court effectively creates a law-free zone around the President= ,=E2=80=9D=20 wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her dissent. =E2=80=9CIn every use of offi= cial=20 power, the President is now a king above the law.=E2=80=9D
Many=20 commentators have echoed her critique. The ruling =E2=80=9Cjettisons the=20 long-settled principle that presidents, like all others, are subject to=20 the operation of law,=E2=80=9D observed the legal scholar Kate Shaw. =E2=80= =9CIf the=20 president is a king, then we are subjects, whose lives and livelihoods=20 are only safe insofar as we don=E2=80=99t incur the wrath of the executive,= =E2=80=9D=20 warned the New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie. =E2=80=9CIf Trump= ,=20 as commander in chief, ordered his troops to assassinate somebody or=20 stage a coup, that would seem to fall within the absolute immunity=20 provision of the court=E2=80=99s decision,=E2=80=9D explained the legal sch= olar Cheryl=20 Bader. Judge Aileen Cannon=E2=80=99s decision on July 15 to dismiss the cha= rges=20 against Trump for mishandling classified documents, while likely to be=20 appealed and overturned, has added to the chorus of concerned voices.
What most analysts have failed to note, however, is that this lack of legal=20 accountability for decisions by the U.S. president, including decisions=20 to direct the military to use lethal force, is nothing new. It has long=20 been the reality for most of the world outside the United States. For=20 decades, American presidents have waged illegal wars, plotted to=20 assassinate foreign leaders, unlawfully detained and tortured people,=20 toppled democratic governments, and supported repressive regimes without any possibility of legal accountability in either domestic or=20 international courts.

<= div>
Although people all over the world have suffered from these unlawful acts,=20 Americans have lived in a bubble=E2=80=94a bubble this Court decision has= =20 finally burst. Indeed, what is so frightening about this decision is=20 that it has the potential to make the president=E2=80=99s actions within th= e=20 United States just as unchecked as they are outside it.
DEADLY FO= RCE
In her dissent, Sotomayor outlined a disturbing example of the type of=20 action a president could now take and expect criminal immunity, thanks=20 to the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s ruling: =E2=80=9COrders the Navy=E2=80=99s S= eal Team 6 to=20 assassinate a political rival? Immune.=E2=80=9D Yet the president has long = had=20 the ability to order the U.S. military to kill with impunity. In the=20 years since the 9/11 attacks in 2001, American presidents have overseen a vast expansion of the U.S. military=E2=80=99s use of lethal force abroad, sometimes in ways that have= =20 violated international law, domestic law, or both.
Around 300,000 Ira= qi civilians were killed as a direct result of the U.S. war in Iraq beginning in 2003, a war that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called=20 =E2=80=9Cillegal.=E2=80=9D More than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians = are estimated to have died as a direct result of the war against the Taliban, al=20 Qaeda, and associated forces in Afghanistan beginning in 2001. The=20 United States justified that war as lawful under Article 51 of the UN=20 Charter at a time when few states had accepted that Article 51 could be=20 used to justify wars against nonstate actors.
The U.S. military=20 participated in ongoing combat in Afghanistan for two decades and faced=20 serious allegations of war crimes, including torture at a detention=20 center at Bagram Air Base. Bagram was just one of several U.S. detention facilities at which detainees were tortured. The United States operated unlawful CIA =E2=80=9Cblack sites=E2=80=9D in several locations a= round the=20 world, such as Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Thailand, where=20 it held and tortured detainees in secrecy.
Around 30= 0,000 Iraqi civilians were killed as a direct result of the U.S. war in Ira= q.
Hundreds died in the 2011 war in Libya led by NATO with significant U.S. participation. Although the war was authorized by the UN Security Council, the U.S. Congress never approved U.S.=20 participation in it. Two top administration lawyers advised that the=20 U.S. law known as the War Powers Resolution required that the war cease=20 after 60 days. President Barack Obama disregarded that advice, deciding=20 instead to side with two other top administration lawyers who argued=20 that the military operation in Libya did not amount to =E2=80=9Chostilities= =E2=80=9D and therefore was not subject to that law.
Between 2021 and 2023, the U.S. government conducted counterterrorism operations in 78 countries,=20 including ground combat missions in at least nine countries. Now with=20 over 11,000 unmanned aircraft systems, the United States has the=20 capacity to conduct airstrikes in much of the world with little notice.=20 These systems, commonly known as drones, are generally used to target=20 and kill suspected terrorists. In the recent past, those strikes=20 included =E2=80=9Csignature strikes=E2=80=9D=E2=80=94lethal strikes against= people whose=20 identity was unknown but whose observed behavior was consistent with=20 that of terrorists. A target could include, for example, a male of=20 military age carrying what appears to be a weapon in an area where=20 fighting has taken place. In the last several years, the United States=20 has conducted airstrikes in at least four countries. Most of these=20 operations have been based on a tenuous reading of a law passed by=20 Congress a week after the 9/11 attacks authorizing the president to use=20 force against those who carried out the attacks and any country,=20 organization, or persons who harbored them.
All these actions=20 raise difficult legal questions about which there remains ongoing=20 disagreement. U.S. government lawyers can and have come up with legal=20 arguments to defend them=E2=80=94some more plausible than others. But few o= f=20 these arguments have ever been made public or been tested in court.
= THE SHORT ARM OF THE LAW
For years, attempts have been made to hold the United States accountable=20 for its unsanctioned violence. Lawyers in the United States and overseas have filed case after case challenging U.S. military and CIA operations abroad, but few have made it past procedural and jurisdictional=20 hurdles. As a result, the U.S. president has long been a =E2=80=9Cking abov= e the law=E2=80=9D when it comes to actions outside the United States.
Leg= al=20 challenges in U.S. courts to wars waged by the president without the=20 constitutionally required authorization of Congress have been repeatedly dismissed by U.S. courts in recent decades. The courts have dismissed=20 the cases before even hearing the arguments about whether the president=20 is violating the law. Instead, they have generally concluded that the=20 cases present political questions that the courts are not well suited to resolve or that the plaintiffs lack standing. The effect of these=20 decisions has been to flip the constitutional order on its=20 head=E2=80=94requiring Congress to muster supermajorities in both houses to= try=20 to stop a president from waging war rather than requiring the president=20 to get congressional approval in advance to do so.
Even U.S. citizens= have been killed without any accountability or legal review. Anwar al-Awla= ki=E2=80=99s father sued Obama in U.S. federal court seeking to remove al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen, from the U.S. targeted killing list. Not long after the court dismissed the=20 suit on the grounds that it presented political questions and=20 al-Awlaki=E2=80=99s father lacked standing, the U.S. government killed al-A= wlaki in a drone strike. Al-Awlaki=E2=80=99s 16-year-old son, also a U.S. citize= n,=20 was killed in a drone strike two weeks later. His eight-year-old=20 daughter, also a U.S. citizen, was killed in a U.S. commando raid=20 several years later. No court assessed the legality of these decisions=20 to use lethal force.
The well-documented program of torture has=20 also led to little accountability. After taking office in 2009, Obama=20 decided to investigate only two instances of detainee mistreatment=20 leading to death, despite ample evidence of an expansive U.S. government program of unlawful detention and torture in the years following the=20 9/11 attacks. Obama later closed the investigation into the two deaths=20 and into the destruction of interrogation videotapes by the CIA without=20 initiating criminal charges. No significant administration officials=20 involved faced any discipline. One became a federal judge. Gina Haspel,=20 who, according to the New York Times, = watched while a detainee was subjected to =E2=80=9Cenhanced interrogation=E2=80=9D= and=20 waterboarding at a CIA black site that she ran in Thailand, later became the CIA director during the Trump administration.
With criminal=20 accountability off the table, plaintiffs harmed in the =E2=80=9Cwar on terr= or=E2=80=9D=20 filed civil lawsuits in U.S. courts against the U.S. government and U.S. government officials under the Alien Tort Statute, which allows=20 non-U.S. citizens to file lawsuits seeking damages for harm done to them as a result of violations of international law. Hope Metcalf, who=20 represented victims of torture at the hands of U.S. officials, recalled, =E2=80=9Cwe ran into 7,000 different obstacles=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cnone = of the ATS lawsuits=20 progressed except against private contractors many years later.=E2=80=9D Ve= ry=20 few of those lawsuits reached the merits; most failed for the lack of=20 jurisdiction or on grounds of sovereign immunity. In its most recent=20 decision on the law, the Supreme Court dealt the statute a major blow by holding that it doesn=E2=80=99t apply to conduct that takes place outside = the=20 United States.
Even U.S. citizens have been killed w= ithout any accountability or legal review.
The few attempts at legal accountability in foreign courts also quickly=20 faltered. A war crimes lawsuit in Belgium against President George H. W.= Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell filed by Iraqi victims of the 1991=20 Gulf War was dropped under heavy diplomatic pressure from the U.S.=20 government. In February 2011, President George W. Bush canceled an=20 appearance in Geneva amid the threat of criminal proceedings against him for his involvement in the post-9/11 U.S. torture program.
The=20 United States has not agreed to the jurisdiction of any international=20 court that might have jurisdiction to determine whether the wars it=20 wages are lawful. When the International Criminal Court began an=20 investigation into allegations of torture by U.S. forces in Afghanistan=20 (the ICC had jurisdiction because Afghanistan is a party to the Rome=20 Statute that created the court), the Trump administration used=20 unprecedented economic sanctions against the court=E2=80=99s judges and sta= ff to bully it into =E2=80=9Cdeprioritizing=E2=80=9D the prosecution. That case = has remained=20 at a standstill.
The absence of any legal accountability for=20 multiple presidents=E2=80=99 actions abroad is made even worse by the absen= ce of any political accountability. U.S. citizens who are upset about a=20 president=E2=80=99s actions at home or abroad at least have the opportunity= to=20 vote in the presidential election. They also have the opportunity to=20 vote for members of Congress who could=E2=80=94at least in theory=E2=80=94i= mpeach and=20 remove the president from office for breaking the law. But voting for=20 the president or for members of Congress is not an option for non-U.S.=20 citizens who live in the many countries where the U.S. president has=20 ordered forces to carry out targeted killings or topple their=20 governments. In this respect, U.S. citizens remain in a privileged=20 position even after the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision in Trump v. Uni= ted States. Indeed, it is striking that a country that rightly celebrates its=20 commitment to the rule of law and democratic principles of governance=20 has come to assert such global control with so little legal or political accountability to those most significantly affected by its government=E2= =80=99s actions.
None of this is to defend the Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decis= ion=20 granting the president immunity for official acts. Its critics are right that it is antithetical to the American democratic ideal that power=20 must be accountable to law. But the outrage prompted by the Supreme=20 Court=E2=80=99s decision reflects little understanding of the way in which = many=20 of the actions of the U.S. president have long been felt and understood=20 in much of the rest of the world.
HOW TO BE AN ACCOUNTABLE SUPERP= OWER
Addressing the problem of impunity requires addressing not just the absence of=20 criminal accountability for the clearly unlawful acts of the president=20 in the United States but also the long-standing absence of=20 accountability for the clearly unlawful acts of the president and the=20 government the president leads around the globe.
In other parts of the world, patience with unaccountable power=E2=80=94American or otherwise= =E2=80=94may=20 be growing thin. An unprecedented 43 states referred the situation in=20 Ukraine to the ICC. That investigation has already resulted in six=20 arrest warrants, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin. There=20 has been a concerted global effort to use Russia=E2=80=99s central bank assets to help pay for the harm done = by=20 Russia during its unlawful war in Ukraine. Momentum is also growing=20 behind an effort to create a new tribunal to try the crime of aggression in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime=20 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing his own likely arrest warrant from the ICC. And a French court recently upheld an arrest warrant for=20 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The United States has a=20 long-fraught relationship with the ICC. One step toward addressing=20 impunity at home and abroad would be to continue to strengthen U.S. ties with the court. A first step is to stop threatening to level sanctions at the court, as members of Congress recently did in the wake of the announcement that the ICC prosecutor Karim Khan was=20 seeking arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister=20 Yoav Gallant. The United States should also continue to support the work of the court, as it has with the investigation into Russian war crimes.
In other parts of the world, patience with unaccountab= le power may be growing thin.
But that is not enough. The United States should also accept that it is not immune from the ICC=E2=80=99s jurisdiction when it allegedly commits crime= s on=20 the territory of a state that is a party to the court. That does not=20 have to mean turning U.S. citizens over to The Hague. It instead=20 requires demonstrating that the United States has undertaken a genuine=20 effort at providing accountability for the same crimes at home. After=20 all, the ICC is set up as a court of last resort=E2=80=94stepping in only w= hen=20 domestic courts are unable or unwilling to do so.
The U.S.=20 government can also provide more robust civil accountability when it=20 wrongfully commits harms abroad. The U.S. military already provides ex g= ratia payments in limited circumstances in which it acknowledges that=20 civilians have been harmed by U.S. military action. For example, the=20 United States regularly provided voluntary condolence payments to the=20 civilian victims of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. But that=20 system comes nowhere close to providing accountability for the harms=20 done in war, including the many civilian deaths caused by =E2=80=9Cmistake.= =E2=80=9D The United States could pioneer a more robust compensation program that=20 would permit civilians to seek compensation for harm done to them or=20 their property as a result of U.S. military operations=E2=80=94adopting a = =E2=80=9Cwar torts regime=E2=80=9D to minimize nee= dless civilian suffering.
Congress should also reclaim its constitutional role in deciding when the United States engages in military operations abroad. A critical first step=20 would be to revise the War Powers Resolution to clearly define=20 =E2=80=9Chostilities=E2=80=9D and establish a funding cutoff for any war th= at extends=20 beyond 60 days unless specifically authorized by Congress. Doing so=20 would make it harder for presidents to wage wars without seeking assent=20 from Congress.
The problem of presidential immunity=E2=80=94and the= =20 capacity of the president to act outside the law=E2=80=94was not created by= the=20 Supreme Court=E2=80=99s decision in Trump v. United States. It was= =20 simply exposed and expanded by it. Outside the United States, American=20 presidents have long been able to violate the law with impunity,=20 inflicting death and property destruction on civilians in the process.=20 Now that this is also true in the United States, perhaps there will be=20 the will to do something about it.
OONA A. HATHAWAY is Gerard C. and Bernice Latrobe Smith Professor of=20 International Law at Yale Law School and a Nonresident Scholar at the=20 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

--0000000000005ae14b061db3691a-- --0000000000005ae14c061db3691b Content-Type: image/webp; name=image Content-Disposition: inline; filename=image Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-ID: X-Attachment-Id: ii_lyukbdc80 UklGRkAAAABXRUJQVlA4IDQAAADwAQCdASoBAAEAAQAcJaACdLoB+AAETAAA/vW4f/6aR40jxpHx cP/ugT90CfugT/3NoAAA --0000000000005ae14c061db3691b-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:15:14 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 88EB7B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:15:14 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 88EB7B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="kYD7M4xU" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 7F5AEBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:15:14 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f45.google.com (mail-ej1-f45.google.com [209.85.218.45]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 7D419BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:15:14 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f45.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77c0b42a8fso670112366b.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:15:14 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721506513; x=1722111313; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=ArX3r7ojh0FAe29zYy66wbb/KWruBqSw0ykENwhyk2U=; b=kYD7M4xU1MMnhc8+xND3QdGN8KqGIjBXbtlX+wn8sUZLe6V1ocXih0RnZkf6vEvuiU TJHBZ97QUMb/om1oNtb9bnpMlfmGTpdfKYnNf0iGJxEq+ZZ/G2FVdjQzouqgGvumqyIK 7KyV0D0SLHgdOmRkWwH2d0D5xdRgEb9naW5zpcYP7v9glzd3/3m4nxd4UFE/PDpvfyDF fodXRx6Tka07VmY7hZi7oCmA8bNduvKgYUdu1pmMvKwOoZ+T0U/B1aEs/j2HktEyDPqu r+w8wme6KrORAgh1w+dNCcfdhrE/T9MKNqVQNCgbYmOciETgYFn8ZGboLqwjHux2d3Zx 4Xuw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721506513; x=1722111313; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=ArX3r7ojh0FAe29zYy66wbb/KWruBqSw0ykENwhyk2U=; b=aIg5MdPfmJMhV3/QoutI2b6XZtVM4J8SSXAfDEc3/Q0Ukpyx54yHEuuXENN6IJU5X8 I+wxt0N7vZgEoGgygRtToZdM0wq5J4WsmN0wE4vkdqoQq6KnOS1WG1lnBwn2Nm3wGkAB OsXUeKf7Qqw2Gz3PR0FBrNHo12CiyVtYdBKt9jW5FINr+UR/BxUzwbgJJS4Ch6+ZbbUX D7ujymrl8R8/vfAlET09hAKYCT51oV/ZHnISs4dWc1ttvWRmsuRv1fxuBkvBiOMCnoCI TLKyMWCWAd1ByzSKYyDB18v/GLzSxq+6gFWGOMQgUlLacCyKDl5K9XQkY8PWfr5xZmGz Qmdw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yzi07YpT9UpXAJxL1xmSoA/h//ENuQk3zpvx+5yrNZmRV18/E+n PEs3t65psq27pfpD5cFWYpY7OpTXNG3CHYZv+M5YEzBTf3oZ+xfZ6jgzkxfhVgz6tdtcZByVSJo O8zBGOoYkMsh+UE+bDPLJ/6IkX3ja4g== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IF59fh0gB/W0ZZYLsZTCw7CXw0jgirJEDseQ6ogTBrETEgAwI4DF+oB4Ln36m4YfcWWKvSlZWwbhmBwaCIJb08= X-Received: by 2002:a17:906:1304:b0:a6f:4287:f196 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a0f0c6cf2mr902586066b.2.1721506512722; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:15:12 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <65403734.3013461.1721485606487.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <65403734.3013461.1721485606487@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <65403734.3013461.1721485606487@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:15:04 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000002b64e2061db378b7" Subject: [Salon] Blatant land theft caught on camera X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:15:14 -0000 --0000000000002b64e2061db378b7 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://x.com/DrMansourMansou/status/1810684197754872168 Blatant land theft caught on camera: As Israel relentlessly destroys Palestinian Gaza and intensifies the annexation and ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, a US Christian Zionist evangelical organization=E2=80=94a 501(c)(3)=E2=80=94shamelessly brings Americans to the West Bank for "Specia= l Ops" fun to aid the settlers! This is an outrageous display of complicity and injustice. Via @LaraFriedmanDC --0000000000002b64e2061db378b7 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/DrMansourMansou/status/18106841977548= 72168

<= span style=3D"border:0px solid black;color:rgb(15,20,25);display:inline;fon= t-stretch:inherit;font-size:17px;line-height:inherit;font-family:TwitterChi= rp,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Helvetica,A= rial,sans-serif;list-style:none;margin:0px;padding:0px;min-width:0px">Blatant land theft caught on camera: As Israel relentlessly destroys Palestinian Gaza and intensifies the annexa= tion and ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, a US Christian Zionist evangeli= cal organization=E2=80=94a 501(c)(3)=E2=80=94shamelessly brings Americans t= o the West Bank for "Special Ops" fun to aid the settlers! This i= s an outrageous display of complicity and injustice. Via
@LaraFriedmanDC
--0000000000002b64e2061db378b7-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:38:25 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9B766B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:38:25 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 9B766B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="L+gGhacz" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 65CB6BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:38:25 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f51.google.com (mail-lf1-f51.google.com [209.85.167.51]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 34A90BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:38:25 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f51.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52ea929ea56so4898759e87.0 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:38:25 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721507903; x=1722112703; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=rgRJ7YKIXNUrKhPeUegwoj4FK4QO8qIIiL0lsHExEkE=; b=L+gGhacz1EF+fgoMZct/WW5uc258x5fUfEUQOnn8dkodm+E7VV6ibt1bYBOSvbHjrg RmQye/yMjpnBxGicAxI8kvvF24MjAN1/PzoZONx/4FnlHjI+/V09kXPR+5S5ZCnDWfHy uE6l+9PeTloTRJ3yT/rpT2wyNfxB5MPEO2aV3cbFoG6uNYfYn1pDaFNIxIPPynOXr76R 02XpH129Cpdu9zP/oWmND69Ffc/YqZMAsGOBK/UnYmyNn2lYFPQ2jgfK5da0CYVBZ9j5 KTj4zuAqOzcSubPijed5h3GOtvUYbrOydtm7wfY/UB5c14jQhLF3MmLgQw/pyR+NlqLL PTSw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721507903; x=1722112703; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=rgRJ7YKIXNUrKhPeUegwoj4FK4QO8qIIiL0lsHExEkE=; b=lFVNY8cVJEmZDjWazeUn1136CQNmR/dA/1H/fQcjpGZ75bAn+W3maM1DMJpgP8ND7x YO5n9zlDCu6nBvIEmyL11It+ShA3IJ9sSKpg82xeweMIXWGbjwx75aUreyz08vaveexn DMBw4xaachoUlkIImmSQLVLQPVpVwP5qJS/IaLIV6xO6xM+7xWDm3q6hNsUpZVEy9V0R 5s0SSnZUUGBKxGxsMrShGsM6l1hu9EPMwdWxf25jgZzMpJLeAxxGkKULLXwq0KCdZJDz Z67CYHgmNcRjOOw0k0mifWOpm2h8hcZIQBOnwzDes9I8GYKNgsHAfhhOPl+nI+ZWIweP VVUA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yy6ZgoKFhydjiAWOatBo42cPHoSp4/cEsIaIBxDU+6zrihyQCSA 6OWOc2Nt4r7zWakXcJRa9bX6t5ntCrS/6UntsWMPjkGNusKKUFU3g/RNpmFl88IUCoCdcZcrwl9 BVKre+Hq9xxvV3ZbVLO37jHL0znWo4azo X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IESHalyfZL1OzV+YW0IAWzyop3xUEEg/00nWgqEB6ULIoIWuxxAqodBuQbrWKAQl8j7nUcGVWqw+Tlgaaml4Is= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:3d88:b0:52c:e080:6a07 with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb7808a0mr2069675e87.39.1721507902801; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:38:22 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:38:14 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000065352061db3cb7b" Subject: [Salon] Israel Is Stuck in the Year 2000 X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:38:25 -0000 --000000000000065352061db3cb7b Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/07/19/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-palestin= e-policy-stuck/ Israel Is Stuck in the Year 2000 The country=E2=80=99s relationship with Le= banon hasn=E2=80=99t moved beyond decades-old dilemmas. [image: Cook-Steve-foreign-policy-columnist4] Cook-Steve-foreign-policy-columnist4 Steven A. Cook By *Steven A. Cook* , a columnist at *Foreign Policy* and the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak ge July 19, 2024 Whoever =E2=80=9Cthey=E2=80=9D are, they often say, =E2=80=9CEverything old= is new again.=E2=80=9D That seems indisputable when it comes to pop culture. One of my daughters listens to classic rock, and she isn=E2=80=99t an outlier among her friends= . Both kids dig 90s television, and I am told that pants cuffs and three-button suit jackets will be making a comeback soon. It is not just music, television, and fashion, however. The same =E2=80=9Cold is new=E2=80=9D phe= nomenon is also true about the Middle East. Many of the ideas that policymakers and the foreign-policy community have put forward to resolve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians after the war between Israel and Hamas comes to an end are based on initiatives proffered in the second half of the 20th century=E2=80=94or even before the= n. Israel=E2=80=99s leaders have mostly ignored these proposals. Yet there is = an undeniable =E2=80=9Cback to the future=E2=80=9D quality to their own approa= ch to security. Even if the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) do not establish a full-blown military administration in the Gaza Strip, it is likely that Israel is going to occupy parts of the territory=E2=80=94a reversal of the withdrawal= it carried out in August 2005. And, as the Israelis turn their attention to their northern border and Lebanon, they may be embarking on a military operation that will likely put them back where they were on May 23, 2000=E2=80=94the day before Israeli military forces withdrew from southern = Lebanon after 28 years. Both policies would pose political dilemmas for which Israel has never found lasting solutions. By the turn of the 21st century, Israel was confronted with at an impasse with Lebanon. It had invaded its northern neighbor almost three decades prior in an attempt to bring peace to the Galilee. It achieved that objective, but at a significant cost. The Israelis remained in Lebanon for almost three decades=E2=80=94for the last 25 years maintaining a 328 square= mile security zone in the country=E2=80=99s south that they patrolled along with= allied militias, notably including the South Lebanon Army (SLA). In those years, the Israelis lost about 300 soldiers and spent billions maintaining their presence and ensuring the capabilities of their proxy forces. When he became prime minister in 1999, the Labor Party=E2=80=99s Ehud Barak =E2=80=94Israel=E2=80=99s most decorated soldier=E2=80=94promised Israelis that he would withdraw fro= m the security zone. He made the case that Israel=E2= =80=99s investment in southern Lebanon was hardly worth it. From Barak=E2=80=99s perspective, the IDF=E2=80=99s presence gave militant group Hezbollah and S= yria a golden opportunity to bog it down and draw as much Israeli blood as possible. It was only bureaucratic inertia resulting from fiercely held differences about the value of the mission among the IDF high commander that had locked the Israelis in a policy that left their forces vulnerable. Once Barak made the decision to withdraw, however, the Israelis were so eager to get out of Lebanon that they left five weeks earlier than planned . Since then, there has been one major conflict with Hezbollah (in 2006) and too many skirmishes to count, not including the daily exchange of fire since the war in Gaza began more than nine long months ago. Up until Oct. 7, 2023, the Israelis seemed reasonably confident that they could continue to secure their border by deterring Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons through the timely and judicious use of force in Lebanon; Syria; and at times, Iraq and even Iran. This shadow war was successful , but there were worrying signs before Hamas=E2=80=99s attack that Israel=E2= =80=99s deterrent was weakening. Hezbollah=E2=80=99s leaders sent their forces right down on = the Israeli border, and the group=E2=80=99s militants periodically tried to infiltrate Israel from both above and below ground . Since Hamas=E2=80=99s attack last fall, the Israelis have reconsidered thei= r tolerance for Hezbollah=E2=80=99s provocations. Fearing that the Lebanese g= roup would stage an assault on Israel=E2=80=99s northern communities akin to wha= t Hamas carried out, Israeli authorities evacuated 80,000 civilians from the area. This situation is intolerable for Israelis. Of course there is hardship for those who have left their homes, but as long as they are gone, Hezbollah has effectively rendered Israel=E2=80=99s sovereignty over = its own territory an open question. As a result, Israel is determined to change the status quo. Principle among its concerns is pushing Hezbollah back to the Litani River, which runs parallel to the Israel-Lebanon border, located about 18 miles north of it. This is consistent with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 , a 2006 document that, among other things, requires that Hezbollah be dismantled and prohibits forces other U.N. peacekeepers and the Lebanese Army from operating south of the Litani. Fearing a devastating conflict, the Biden administration has been hard at work=E2=80=94with the French government along for the ride=E2=80=94trying t= o find a diplomatic solution to the issue. It is a heavy lift. Hezbollah has thrown cold water on any agreement that would require it to withdraw. And the Israelis are not willing to accept an agreement on paper=E2=80=94like Resolution 1701=E2=80=94but would= instead require an actual Hezbollah withdrawal. For either side to concede would amount to a strategic defeat. That makes escalation more likely. Setting aside what is likely to be a shattering war that will lay waste to significant portions of both countries, the same question that has bedeviled the IDF in Gaza=E2=80=94what comes next?=E2=80=94beckons in south= ern Lebanon. Assuming that they prevail=E2=80=94not a forgone conclusion=E2=80=94the Isr= aelis have no clear way forward once the fighting stops. Like in Gaza, there is no authority to whom to hand off territory once it is cleared. Israel=E2=80=99= s proxies in southern Lebanon collapsed long ago. A quick Israeli withdrawal would likely result in the return of Hezbollah, rendering the conflict strategically meaningless for Israel. Meanwhile, a lot of blood would have been expended. No doubt, Israel=E2=80=99s leaders want to avoid that outcome, but their op= tions are limited. Even with its firepower, the IDF is unlikely to eliminate Hezbollah=E2=80=99s threat. With no partners on the ground, a feckless U.N.= , an ineffective Lebanese army, and zero prospect of getting help from NATO peacekeepers, the Israelis may very well turn back the clock to establish a security zone in southern Lebanon. The Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon are quite different in terms of the political, diplomatic, and specific security challenges that Israelis confront in each place. Yet, Hamas=E2=80=99s October 2023 attack against Is= rael and Hezbollah=E2=80=99s ability to compromise the country=E2=80=99s sovereignty= are making the case for Israelis that the withdrawals of the early 2000s have not brought Israel peace, but rather, the opposite. It is an argument that Israel=E2=80=99s right wing was making at the time. = It is now more potent than ever. Analysts and policymakers should not be surprised if the future of Gaza and southern Lebanon looks eerily similar to the recent past. *Never miss a story:* Click + to add authors, topics and regions to your *M= y FP* profile. - Middle East and North Africa - Steven A. Cook *Steven A. Cook* is a columnist at *Foreign Policy* and the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His latest book, *The End of Ambition: America*=E2=80=99= *s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East*, will be published in June 2024. Twitter: @stevenacook --000000000000065352061db3cb7b Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://foreignpolicy.com= /2024/07/19/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-palestine-policy-stuck/
=

Israel Is Stuck in the Year 2000

The country=E2=80=99s relationship with Leb= anon hasn=E2=80=99t moved beyond decades-old dilemmas.

=20 Cook-Steve-foreign-policy-columnist4 Steven A. Cook =09
=20
By Steven A. Cook, a colum= nist at Foreign Policy and the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa=20 studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak = ge =09 =09
=09 =09 =09
=20

=20 July 19, 2024
=09 =09 =09
Whoever =E2=80=9Cthey=E2=80=9D are, they often say, =E2=80=9CEv= erything old is new=20 again.=E2=80=9D That seems indisputable when it comes to pop culture. One o= f my=20 daughters listens to classic rock, and she isn=E2=80=99t an outlier among h= er=20 friends. Both kids dig 90s television, and I am told that pants cuffs=20 and three-button suit jackets will be making a comeback soon. It is not=20 just music, television, and fashion, however. The same =E2=80=9Cold is new= =E2=80=9D=20 phenomenon is also true about the Middle East.

Many of the ideas that policymakers and the foreign-policy community=20 have put forward to resolve the conflict between Israelis and=20 Palestinians after the war between Israel and Hamas comes to an end are=20 based on initiatives proffered in the second half of the 20th century=E2=80= =94or even before then.

Israel=E2=80=99s leaders have mostly ignored these proposals. Yet there = is an undeniable =E2=80=9Cback to the future=E2=80=9D quality to their own appro= ach to=20 security. Even if the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) do not establish a=20 full-blown military administration in the Gaza Strip, it is likely that=20 Israel is going to occupy parts of the territory=E2=80=94a reversal of the= =20 withdrawal it carried out in August 2005. And, as the Israelis turn=20 their attention to their northern border and Lebanon, they may be=20 embarking on a military operation that will likely put them back where=20 they were on May 23, 2000=E2=80=94the day before Israeli military forces=20 withdrew from southern Lebanon after 28 years. Both policies would pose=20 political dilemmas for which Israel has never found lasting solutions.

By the turn of the 21st century, Israel was confronted with at an=20 impasse with Lebanon. It had invaded its northern neighbor almost three=20 decades prior in an attempt to bring peace to the Galilee. It achieved=20 that objective, but at a significant cost. The Israelis remained in=20 Lebanon for almost three decades=E2=80=94for the last 25 years maintaining = a 328 square mile security zone in the country=E2=80=99s south that they patroll= ed=20 along with allied militias, notably including the South Lebanon Army=20 (SLA). In those years, the Israelis lost about=C2=A0300 soldiers=C2=A0and s= pent billions maintaining their presence and ensuring the capabilities of t= heir proxy forces.

When he became prime minister in 1999, the Labor Party=E2=80=99s Ehud Barak=E2=80=94Israel=E2=80=99s most decorated sold= ier=E2=80=94promised Israelis that he would withdraw from the security zone= . He=C2=A0made the case=C2=A0that Israel=E2=80=99s investment in southern Lebanon was hardly worth it. From= =20 Barak=E2=80=99s perspective, the IDF=E2=80=99s presence gave militant group= Hezbollah=20 and Syria a golden opportunity to bog it down and draw as much Israeli=20 blood as possible. It was only bureaucratic inertia resulting from=20 fiercely held differences about the value of the mission among the IDF=20 high commander that had locked the Israelis in a policy that left their=20 forces vulnerable.

=
Once Barak made the decision to withdraw, however, the Israelis we= re so eager to get out of Lebanon that they left five weeks earlie= r than planned.=C2=A0Since then, there has been one major conflict wi= th Hezbollah (in 2006) and too many skirmishes to count, not including = the daily exchange of fire since the war in Ga= za began more than nine long months ago.

Up until Oct. 7, 2023, the Israelis seemed reasonably confident that=20 they could continue to secure their border by deterring Hezbollah and=20 its Iranian patrons through the timely and judicious use of force in=20 Lebanon; Syria; and at times, Iraq and even Iran. This shadow war was successful, but there were worrying signs before Hamas=E2=80=99s attack that Israel=E2= =80=99s=20 deterrent was weakening. Hezbollah=E2=80=99s leaders sent their forces righ= t=20 down on the Israeli border, and the group=E2=80=99s militants periodically tried = to infiltrate Israel from both above = and below g= round.

Since Hamas=E2=80=99s attack last fall, the Israelis have reconsidered t= heir=20 tolerance for Hezbollah=E2=80=99s provocations. Fearing that the Lebanese g= roup=20 would stage an assault on Israel=E2=80=99s northern communities akin to wha= t=20 Hamas carried out, Israeli authorities evacuated 80,000 civilians from the area. This situation is intolerable for Israelis. Of course=20 there is hardship for those who have left their homes, but as long as=20 they are gone, Hezbollah has effectively rendered Israel=E2=80=99s sovereig= nty=20 over its own territory an open question.

As a result, Israel is determined to change the status quo. Principle among its concerns is pushing Hezbollah back to the Litani River, which runs parallel to the Israel-Lebanon border, located about 18 miles=20 north of it. This is consistent with U.N. Security Council=C2=A0Resolution 1701,=C2=A0 a 2006 document that, among other things, requires that Hezbollah be=20 dismantled and prohibits forces other U.N. peacekeepers and the Lebanese Army from operating south of the Litani.

Fearing a devastating conflict, the Biden administration has been=20 hard at work=E2=80=94with the French government along for the ride=E2=80=94= trying to=20 find a diplomatic solution to the issue. It is a heavy lift. Hezbollah=20 has=C2=A0thrown cold= water=C2=A0on any agreement that would require it to withdraw. And the Israelis are=20 not willing to accept an agreement on paper=E2=80=94like Resolution 1701=E2= =80=94but=20 would instead=C2=A0re= quire an actual Hezbollah withdrawal.=C2=A0For either side to concede would amou= nt to a strategic defeat. That makes escalation more likely.

Setting aside what is likely to be a shattering war that will lay=20 waste to significant portions of both countries, the same question that=20 has bedeviled the IDF in Gaza=E2=80=94what comes next?=E2=80=94beckons in s= outhern=20 Lebanon. Assuming that they prevail=E2=80=94not a forgone conclusion=E2=80= =94the=20 Israelis have no clear way forward once the fighting stops. Like in=20 Gaza, there is no authority to whom to hand off territory once it is=20 cleared. Israel=E2=80=99s proxies in southern Lebanon collapsed long ago. A= =20 quick Israeli withdrawal would likely result in the return of Hezbollah, rendering the conflict strategically meaningless for Israel. Meanwhile, a lot of blood would have been expended.

No doubt, Israel=E2=80=99s leaders want to avoid that outcome, but their= =20 options are limited. Even with its firepower, the IDF is unlikely to=20 eliminate Hezbollah=E2=80=99s threat. With no partners on the ground, a fec= kless U.N., an ineffective Lebanese army, and zero prospect of getting help=20 from NATO peacekeepers, the Israelis may very well turn back the clock=20 to establish a security zone in southern Lebanon.

The Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon are quite different in terms of=20 the political, diplomatic, and specific security challenges that=20 Israelis confront in each place. Yet, Hamas=E2=80=99s October 2023 attack= =20 against Israel and Hezbollah=E2=80=99s ability to compromise the country=E2= =80=99s=20 sovereignty are making the case for Israelis that the withdrawals of the early 2000s have not brought Israel peace, but rather, the opposite.

It is an argument that Israel=E2=80=99s right wing was making at the tim= e. It is now more potent than ever. Analysts and policymakers should not be=20 surprised if the future of Gaza and southern Lebanon looks eerily=20 similar to the recent past.

=09 =09 =09

=09
=09

Never miss a story: Click + to add authors, topics a= nd regions to your My FP= profile.

=20 Middle East and North Africa
=20 Steven A. Cook

=09 =09

Steven A. Cook is a columnist at=C2=A0Foreign Po= licy and the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa=20 studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His latest book, The End o= f Ambition: America=E2=80=99s Past, Present, and Future in the Mid= dle East, will be published in June 2024. Twitter:=C2=A0@stevenacook

=09
--000000000000065352061db3cb7b-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:44:58 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id E696FB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:44:57 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net E696FB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="fQi06Lso" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id DDD38BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:44:57 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-wm1-f49.google.com (mail-wm1-f49.google.com [209.85.128.49]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id B700ABD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:44:57 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-wm1-f49.google.com with SMTP id 5b1f17b1804b1-4266ea6a488so24221385e9.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:44:57 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721508296; x=1722113096; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=zGeiGwMCISbfS/TWVwd5Rl9wKdUVvtMnS7A06IixVcE=; b=fQi06LsoVYpsE3k6jKkAqX1vC6rVvL6UKoLeBXzq7hcQeL+WL1reuWTpbpxSikznQP nGWE8nolWgY8Ta4l2dZCmrndWuUGdR3XZmTwDiRavWl6YTmghwNpTlujC/+dpVoNUZP+ Lhp8CUKEU519dUQFgXAuwzbRbwDqinCJ9Q9Bk3mwIRTByXSj9PgrMLOo6D70xRKPo41n KnIl6haLawDn3sOH0dwiOwc1HrFm2ttFsUq3/+93wCmoKd3wKDpfIpfE4X1/DYWqh2eD cG//9RxdFu2TNapbaWMX2YFOp6nc2hW2EtfNvL1fJ8q9jNwkCRMoWuNbjcZfrIRChmY2 OS5g== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721508296; x=1722113096; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=zGeiGwMCISbfS/TWVwd5Rl9wKdUVvtMnS7A06IixVcE=; b=QPmK62EV+2E4+3eOH8g5GT/WVeVSmeV/B6k+Tgp/csUpuIyKHXnTPz60lbTyMuW3NA rqkrj/hbYQWsT/+XbJhT2FSQwLWRBOFoZ7nStQ4NJUEDiDQIDmlqQ8WSPbteyutdhHXD dCfIK0jrOLKaTZkMl5J/fl0/hj0vi/aHNNaczJonjmcWyiNOMXrKaRF1w7v8+ElY/HBu tmBatTEZMH6B8BhivasgTR2SvOA1QeQfXFqQQhNmbrxG+gc8B+8UIpCNPQ1YORSBtE4q vwF2Ape5/wEbjdbVg9qkGz44ryd19lSBgShhmf8kYDzXjXB/donyacMFTCDhyWognQ/F QM0g== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YxkUzVkXD8i1iZAYmumN189X/1qF3UzuHOk14df5X9pcu3J4AXL OUcYnqj7yFgIIW9v1HM3OCMATENuyIXrvytqPnaE02bTqHW44R4i4ZmA52vxqimy8ub3kJll4UG ysF9WslNwF1wRXeY5Uc+45tXTK8drLS/5 X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IENp0tLv30W1i2QYwUMus97M1dqsO9joPUk7GDSb3C15bxi6bg5rAxTcE2ui/1ja+dvpARjwcserjiNRUikpIk= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6000:1e8c:b0:367:9114:4693 with SMTP id ffacd0b85a97d-369bae65cd8mr1705033f8f.31.1721508295619; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:44:55 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:44:47 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000704011061db3e281" Subject: [Salon] US Allows Tax Incentives for Donations to Israeli Groups Blocking Aid X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:44:58 -0000 --000000000000704011061db3e281 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://scheerpost.com/2024/07/19/report-us-allows-tax-incentives-for-donat= ions-to-israeli-groups-blocking-aid/ Report: US Allows Tax Incentives for Donations to Israeli Groups Blocking Aid July 19, 2024 Israel solidarity protest Berlin. Leonhard Lenz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons *By Sharon Zhang / Truthout * Americans who wish to financially support far right Israeli groups working to block humanitarian aid from entering Gaza are given tax incentives to do so, a new investigation finds. Reporting from *The Associated Press* and Israeli news site *Shomrim *finds that three groups that have worked to obstruct aid efforts in Gaza have gotten tax deductible donations from the U.S. and Israel. The groups have collectively raised $200,000, the investigation found. The groups, Mother=E2=80=99s March, Torat Lechima and Tzav 9, have been active in organizing Israelis to block and attack aid trucks as Palestinians in Gaza are subjected to what UN officials have called a =E2=80=9Cgenocidal starvation campaign=E2=80=9D by Israeli forces. Over the past two months, Israeli forces have intensified their blockade on resources like food, fuel, and medical aid entering Gaza, which has been in place since October =E2=80=94 on top of the illegal air, = land and sea blockade Israel has used to impoverish and isolate the people of Gaza for over 17 years . The purpose of donations being tax deductible in the U.S. is supposedly to incentivize giving to charitable groups, though these rules are often abuse= d by the ultra-wealthy in order to dodge taxes. In this case, Americans have an incentive to donate to groups, including one that was recently sanctioned by the U.S. for its efforts to block aid, that are seeking to manufacture a famine in Gaza amid Israel=E2=80=99s genocide =E2=80=94 even as U.S. and Israeli officials= dubiously claim that they wish to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza. The groups receive funding from crowdfunding websites Givechak, an Israeli site, and JGive, a U.S. and Israeli site, the investigation found, with Mother=E2=80=99s March raising funds through a partnership with Torat Lechi= ma. Mother=E2=80=99s March has raised the equivalent of roughly $138,000 throug= h these sites. =E2=80=9CNo to =E2=80=98humanitarian=E2=80=99 aid that grants fuel to the e= nemy who kills us! No to the hundreds of trucks that pass every day through Kerem Shalom =E2=80=94 a= nd drag out the war!=E2=80=9D the group reportedly said in a recent funding appeal. The group=E2=80=99s comment about supposedly stopping the =E2=80=9Cwar=E2= =80=9D appears to be a call for Israeli forces to accelerate their extermination campaign in Gaza and effectively wipe out the Palestine population by denying aid. This echo= es statements by some of the most extreme members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu=E2=80=99s administration, who have similarly called for a total b= lockade of aid and any supplies that support Palestinian life. The group=E2=80=99s claim that =E2=80=9Chundreds=E2=80=9D of trucks pass ev= ery day through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing is false. According to the UN, Israeli officials h= ave allowed less than 100 trucks into Gaza on average each day in recent months, with only 59 trucks a day entering Gaza in June =E2=80=94 far, far less than the 500 to 600 tru= cks needed each day to meet Palestinians=E2=80=99 needs. Tzav 9, which was sanctioned by the U.S. State Department last month, has raised $85,000 through JGive. The State Department said the group is responsible for multiple acts of sabotage of humanitarian aid, including an attack in May in which Israeli settlers set two aid trucks bound for Gaza on fire in the occupied West Bank. JGive said that donations to Tzav 9 were frozen before the sanctions and have not been delivered to the group, according to the *AP* and *Shomrim* report. The report points out that allowing tax incentives for supporting these groups is fundamentally incompatible with U.S. officials=E2=80=99 claims th= at they wish to increase the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza. =E2=80=9CIf you=E2=80=99re on the one hand saying you=E2=80=99re allowing a= id in but then also facilitating the actions of groups that are blocking it, can you really say you=E2=80=99re facilitating aid?=E2=80=9D Tania Hary, executive director of= Israeli nonprofit Gisha, told *AP* and *Shomrim*. Meanwhile, Hary pointed out that Israeli officials are essentially endorsing these groups through their own efforts to block desperately-needed humanitarian aid: =E2=80=9CThey=E2=80=99re getting signa= ls from various places in the government that Gaza should be completely cut off.=E2=80=9D *Please share this story and help us grow our network!* - - Reddit Sharon Zhang Sharon Zhang is a news writer at *Truthout* covering politics, climate and labor. Before coming to *Truthout*, Sharon had written stories for *Pacific Standard*, *The New Republic*, and more. She has a master=E2=80=99s degree = in environmental studies. She can be found on Twitter: @zhang_sharon . - - WhatsApp - --000000000000704011061db3e281 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://scheerpost.com/2024/07/19/report-us-allows-tax-incent= ives-for-donations-to-israeli-groups-blocking-aid/

=

Report: US Allows Tax Incentives for Donations to Israeli= Groups Blocking Aid

=20
=20 July 19, 2024 <= i class=3D"gmail-fas gmail-fa-tag"> =

Israel solidarity protest Berlin. Leo= nhard Lenz, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
By Sharon Zhang / T= ruthout

Americans who wish to financially support f= ar=20 right Israeli groups working to block humanitarian aid from entering=20 Gaza are given tax incentives to do so, a new investigation finds.

Reporting from=C2=A0The Associated Press=C2=A0and Israeli news = site=C2=A0Shomrim=C2=A0finds that three groups that have worked to obstruct aid efforts in Gaza have gotten tax deductible donations from the U.S. and Israel. The groups=20 have collectively raised $200,000, the investigation found.

The groups, Mother=E2=80=99s March,=C2=A0Torat Lechima=C2=A0and Tzav 9, have been active in organizing Israelis to block and attack aid trucks as Palestinians in Gaza are subjected to what=C2=A0UN officials have called a =E2=80=9Cgenocidal sta= rvation campaign=E2=80=9D=C2=A0by Israeli forces. Over the past two months, Israeli forces have=20 intensified their blockade on resources like food, fuel, and medical aid entering Gaza, which has been in place since October =E2=80=94 on top of t= he=20 illegal air, land and sea blockade Israel has used to impoverish and=20 isolate the people of Gaza for=C2=A0over 17 years.

The purpose of donations being tax deductible in the U.S. is supposedly = to incentivize giving to charitable groups, though=C2=A0these rules are often abused=C2=A0by the ultra-wealthy in order to dodge taxes. In this case, Americans have an incentive to donate to groups, including one that=C2=A0 was recently sanctioned by the U.S.=C2=A0for its efforts to block aid, that are seeking to manufacture a famine in=20 Gaza amid Israel=E2=80=99s genocide =E2=80=94 even as U.S. and Israeli offi= cials=C2=A0dubiously claim= =C2=A0that they wish to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The groups receive funding from crowdfunding websites Givechak, an=20 Israeli site, and JGive, a U.S. and Israeli site, the investigation=20 found, with Mother=E2=80=99s March raising funds through a partnership with= =20 Torat Lechima. Mother=E2=80=99s March has raised the equivalent of roughly= =20 $138,000 through these sites.

=E2=80=9CNo to =E2=80=98humanitarian=E2=80=99 aid that grants fuel to th= e enemy who kills us! No to the hundreds of trucks that pass every day through Kerem Shalom =E2= =80=94 and drag out the war!=E2=80=9D the group reportedly said in a recent fundi= ng=20 appeal.

The group=E2=80=99s comment about supposedly stopping the =E2=80=9Cwar= =E2=80=9D appears to be a call for Israeli forces to accelerate their extermination campaign in Gaza and effectively wipe out the Palestine population by denying aid.=20 This=C2=A0echoes statements=C2=A0by some of the most extreme members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin=20 Netanyahu=E2=80=99s administration, who have similarly called for=C2=A0 a total blockade=C2=A0of ai= d and any supplies that support Palestinian life.

The group=E2=80=99s claim that =E2=80=9Chundreds=E2=80=9D of trucks pass= every day through=20 the Kerem Abu Salem crossing is false. According to the UN, Israeli=20 officials=C2=A0have allowed less than=C2=A0100 trucks into Gaza on average each day in recent months, with only 59=20 trucks a day entering Gaza in June =E2=80=94 far, far less than the 500 to = 600=20 trucks needed each day to meet Palestinians=E2=80=99 needs.

Tzav 9, which was sanctioned by the U.S. State Department last month, has raised $85,000 through JGive. The State Department said the group=20 is responsible for multiple acts of sabotage of humanitarian aid,=20 including an attack in May in which Israeli settlers set two aid trucks=20 bound for Gaza on fire in the occupied West Bank.

JGive said that donations to Tzav 9 were frozen before the sanctions and= have not been delivered to the group, according to the=C2=A0AP=C2= =A0and=C2=A0Shomrim=C2=A0report.

The report points out that allowing tax incentives for supporting=20 these groups is fundamentally incompatible with U.S. officials=E2=80=99 cla= ims=20 that they wish to increase the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
=E2=80=9CIf you=E2=80=99re on the one hand saying you=E2=80=99re allowin= g aid in but then=20 also facilitating the actions of groups that are blocking it, can you=20 really say you=E2=80=99re facilitating aid?=E2=80=9D Tania Hary, executive = director of=20 Israeli nonprofit Gisha, told=C2=A0AP=C2=A0and=C2=A0Shomrim.

Meanwhile, Hary pointed out that Israeli officials are essentially=20 endorsing these groups through their own efforts to block=20 desperately-needed humanitarian aid: =E2=80=9CThey=E2=80=99re getting signa= ls from=20 various places in the government that Gaza should be completely cut=20 off.=E2=80=9D

Please= share this story and help us grow our network!

Reddit

Sharon Zhang

Sharon Zhang is a news writer at=C2=A0Truthout=C2=A0covering po= litics, climate and labor. Before coming to=C2=A0Truthout, Sharon = had written stories for=C2=A0Pacific Standard,=C2=A0The New Re= public, and more. She has a master=E2=80=99s degree in environmental s= tudies. She can be found on Twitter:=C2=A0@zhang_sharon.

WhatsApp
--000000000000704011061db3e281-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:47:00 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9F7D1B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:47:00 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 9F7D1B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="E071yE6E" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 97469BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:47:00 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ed1-f48.google.com (mail-ed1-f48.google.com [209.85.208.48]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 9058CBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:47:00 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ed1-f48.google.com with SMTP id 4fb4d7f45d1cf-5a20de39cfbso2056013a12.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:47:00 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721508419; x=1722113219; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=6rMtgOBVjQMACoTB6mAfFKoSsE6Bk5ZYR6KbRLPsG0k=; b=E071yE6EdS/EZUdWCeAYhCbL6OzLzTcv29L8TSi5c8TpyRYAqnISan9xPyuw8Pninp WB5sqP1+pk8LYlxG8iTMf+vYWyXJDjfyUWXWZZYs3lFCC+W89/uktwyWhsfKRuoKzneR jP9VGz3HntYTJZUzufzg/tdRrv+TAc+OhUafoYvyM9QF0lwoFLWCRnuF/lchm/4c8osU 73qXKCDa0z8wApZW8mwVqMe2lPTThPpYWGxHMOwKN1k0rf+hcD7fcR6v86FtAU5EyVYh EXCOXvuiKLne3IyDuNPG7YoSSPi3mPgj3OywjfFYDA9VxdJ1YbtUcvs3N5xxIFUtumhX JVyg== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721508419; x=1722113219; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=6rMtgOBVjQMACoTB6mAfFKoSsE6Bk5ZYR6KbRLPsG0k=; b=U39sXx7NkApBgMGPNzDiXB82fIq0UNzwGW8SJ+B5NhheCqjcSwiXlRUm3kAF6pXWAy uk3gAzeLbfV1k6pMPKXwmXm0XBgxAtoRFr51Ol4UFkqddg0O5srV9bgnCZMtj2OecEtc MDjPwSX8W8feaSqIPHZZb6O6gz94ks2S002zNAw/Puok8lGxBbD7cP1AsGE1FsxL5OoN ys+b3CsKxPq0EJIspNic6YGvWezrZrPvk0gQ+doTmJzRrIJE26DOej7BhzKWvK5zEGyZ k3fwoTJfxrzH01vVXoMOgVZ4udCVCAq3sEKOLyncIANA5mkJX4IzcDfI5Sb1z8Obf6Cy inxg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YwSpnImbO/yvZ1V4QMhf9RokkPXu4EO+sUGJVyh2lvF2/S0bIIS PeAepqkX45jelnGNvbWWjfM8QihgzlpSfhPZmQvqXlwD1s/xesLnWsGvsmuTPAsK7qwPCRMZZQM bJ2DetEUfUeWcV92SY3k1dwjULJFKlxQQ X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFMl9uaFiuvVjGnTaDNqtXGF+TF05VUzVIq51LM7N4RDY8oUpRVLeQzzSsDfHHzIthFuS/5IMiJxfCVkRQ9jkA= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:11da:b0:a79:81a4:faff with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a013531eemr663617966b.66.1721508418495; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:46:58 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:46:50 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000c32c8c061db3e937" Subject: [Salon] An American military adviser will join the Armenian military X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:47:00 -0000 --000000000000c32c8c061db3e937 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://harici.com.tr/ermenistan-ordusuna-amerikali-bir-askeri-danisman-ka= tilacak/ * *An American military adviser will join the Armenian military* *19.07.2024 * *US Deputy Secretary of State Uzra Zeya stated that a representative from the American army will start working at the Armenian Ministry of Defense.* *According to News.am, Zeya said in a statement, "This is a long-awaited event. We welcome the deepening of defense and civil security cooperation between the USA and Armenia,=E2=80=9D he said.* *Noting that Yerevan's continued to be a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CPS) will not prevent the military interaction of the two countries for now, Zeya argued that the Washington administration 'sees no indication that Russia's military presence contributes to regional peace and stability in the South Caucasus'.* *Plans to send an adviser to the Armenian Ministry of Defense were announced by the US Ambassador in the country, Kristina Kvien, in April.* *According to Kvien, the US representative will carry out 'capacity development' activities in relations between Washington and Yerevan.* *"We want to help and we will work both in the field of peacekeeping and in the direction of internal reforms, especially in the reorganization of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia according to modern standards," the ambassador said.* *At the beginning of last month, the US and Armenia decided to raise their relations to the level of strategic partnership. The US-Armenia exercise from July 15 to 24 started in Eagle Partner 2024 Armenia.* *The Armenian Peacekeeping Brigade, the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa, and the Kansas National Guard are participating in the exercise. The exercise is about participation in international peacekeeping missions.* *The same exercise was held in September 2023, accompanied by the cooling of Yerevan's relations with CGA and especially Russia.* *At the time, Yerevan had refused to participate in the CPO exercises. In February, Armenia announced that it had suspended its participation in the organization and stopped paying its dues in May.* --000000000000c32c8c061db3e937 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

https://harici.com.t= r/ermenistan-ordusuna-amerikali-bir-askeri-danisman-katilacak/

An American military adviser wi= ll join the Armenian military
19.07.2024
<= div style=3D"max-width:100%">
<= div style=3D"max-width:100%;clear:both">
US Deputy Secretary of State Uzra Zeya stated that a representative from=20 the American army will start working at the Armenian Ministry of=20 Defense.
According to=C2=A0News.am= , Zeya said in a statement, "This is a long-awaited event. We welcome t= he deepening of defense and civil security cooperation between the USA and Armenia,=E2=80=9D he said.
Noting that Yerevan's continued to be a member of the Collective Security=20 Treaty Organization (CPS) will not prevent the military interaction of=20 the two countries for now, Zeya argued that the Washington=20 administration 'sees no indication that Russia's military presence= =20 contributes to regional peace and stability in the South Caucasus'.
Plans to send an adviser to the Armenian Ministry of Defense were announced=20 by the US Ambassador in the country, Kristina Kvien, in April.
According to Kvien, the US representative will carry out 'capacity development&#= 39;=20 activities in relations between Washington and Yerevan.
"We want to help and we will work both in the field of peacekeeping and in=20 the direction of internal reforms, especially in the reorganization of=20 the Ministry of Defense of Armenia according to modern standards," the= =20 ambassador said.
At the beginning of last month, the US and Armenia decided to raise their=20 relations to the level of strategic partnership. The US-Armenia exercise from July 15 to 24 started in Eagle Partner 2024 Armenia.
The Armenian Peacekeeping Brigade, the U.S. Army in Europe and Africa, and=20 the Kansas National Guard are participating in the exercise. The=20 exercise is about participation in international peacekeeping missions.
The same = exercise was held in September 2023, accompanied by the cooling of Yerevan&= #39;s relations with CGA and especially Russia.
At the time, Yerevan had refused to participate in the CPO exercises. In=20 February, Armenia announced that it had suspended its participation in=20 the organization and stopped paying its dues in May.

--000000000000c32c8c061db3e937-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:48:27 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9F518B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:48:27 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 9F518B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="nJCbN9a5" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 97BB1BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:48:27 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f44.google.com (mail-ej1-f44.google.com [209.85.218.44]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 73BAFBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:48:27 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f44.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77dc08db60so328009666b.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:48:27 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721508506; x=1722113306; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=3P/aS0YNBCcSLrRuHQkbahJcKR5ZodbVvXuDjEBtu8A=; b=nJCbN9a54piT7/nU7cGBhyoA60nrtqW/TQwVHAtbgamqVfIcWxz7rrMa1hMLNTB50l ba3owsca3HEInHDWRIvVd11uPMByl/Anaalunzyb6tJeT3kJKD/oHmmOAhb2hv5gvc0n OF8g2qOrYwZH9aWC/jHXs1hdWKiwkNcpoGblE+PW0XBpnTRVQs0of5NHwWE1O5G0NBrM Joyi8syklX+cw/ahc9y9yjzTgeKLzKCFUIq8lG6dJzOIWcf0OfMqlK5WCD9z8P6iUYv6 5//STFiUyCrBWUwBfUGMa8LmeXW6RV8Vl1oaSzlRjI/RqF7/rJHP1szkS3dVHGkjrIM3 w6cw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721508506; x=1722113306; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=3P/aS0YNBCcSLrRuHQkbahJcKR5ZodbVvXuDjEBtu8A=; b=pmVBJ+9XF+X+HOozZwOf+8CU0ivPZ2ooPpetOg11oTXQuco6NFSkqMoUcP5ybRAwOD X5nzwmYVCj5Nio+2rnxE5AGioKdosphb6fmWfmNfIGZ+YS1iKKhhYrVN5CbuZkpJBDAZ MWSwFa9eweKPwEc+2SKqG0spg5HeCaSTET+0kAQcW9INUSCCUsq0tGzXvkG02BjpYDia vzbJ7GLtde7FujLHnDCzJ0DF/0Y42d6ql54fsQO8sNdu4gd7vaLNx7D60NKbTeuUaOJK pIipGD7JIBq/uVJwzfo0wsAWU+J4vr+kZu7trHrLLsaUo+og8/pn+n6fJoBQD/15zKA3 0uIg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Ywuopwbae8A0kZLVzj99gajXaw549JRSRfBvON65WzFwu5iDwJL z6bIrho7v+dxNrbwTlXoJLZQJEO7zdLvWjAefepqj7lDV2ic7W/FuyXhQ/Ts2SUH5yBq/0g+Hfa +gEhMu9mD24SiWaoqHyD0ybm63K/x0w== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGMV1tRoJFyE8GqZ+Q3xBBCBBzd26R3lQtuQ1lqwJHaUVtZryV3sgwM8y5pVvAbq0SvATrBqwYPShhb3dHKMco= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:2d86:b0:a72:b34f:e15b with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4c4461a6mr187680766b.57.1721508505526; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:48:25 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:48:17 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000f3281f061db3ee3c" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?IMF_and_China=E2=80=99s_2024_economic_growth_f?= =?utf-8?q?orecast_to_5=25?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:48:27 -0000 --000000000000f3281f061db3ee3c Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2024/07/20/imf-and-chinas-2024-economic-growth-= forecast-to-5/ * *IMF and China=E2=80=99s 2024 economic growth forecast to 5%* *Dr.Nadia Helmy July 20, 2024* *photo:unsplash* *Following the announcement of China=E2=80=99s economic growth rate at 5% i= n the first half year of 2024 by the =E2=80=9CNational Bureau of Statistics=E2=80= =9D, the IMF raises China=E2=80=99s 2024 economic growth forecast to 5%. This step indic= ate many expectations of the Chinese economy, regarding China=E2=80=99s 2024 GDP gro= wth target of 5% for the current year reflects a measured approach to economic development, with China recognizing the need for sustainable growth. Achieving this goal may require additional stimulus measures within China= =E2=80=99s national economy.* * The most important broad outlines of the Chinese leadership to stimulate the rate of economic growth within China in 2024 are to work on the necessity of transforming the existing development model to address issues such as the real estate crisis, local government debt, and weak consumer demand. This would stimulate economic growth rates to a higher level. This goal is in line with China=E2=80=99s 14th five-year plan.* * Here comes the Chinese focus on attracting long-term investments and addressing deep-rooted issues in the stock market, in line with efforts to revive investor confidence and achieve stability in financial markets within China.* * The International Monetary Fund expected the Chinese economy to grow by 5% in 2024, after a =E2=80=9Cstrong=E2=80=9D performance in its first quart= er, an increase from its previous estimates that indicated a growth of 4.6% in China, and the International Monetary Fund now expects China to be the second economy largest in the World: China=E2=80=99s national economy will grow by 5% duri= ng the current year 2024.* *Over the past three decades, the Chinese economy has been characterized by exceptional growth rates that have established the country=E2=80=99s positi= on as the second largest economy in the world. However, recent years have witnessed radical transformations that have cast a shadow on the path of this economic giant, as a result of the pandemic and the subsequent =E2=80= =9CZero Covid=E2=80=9D policy that imposed strict restrictions on economic activity= .* * This coincided with the slowdown in global economic growth, and the worsening crisis in the real estate sector, one of the most important drivers of the Chinese economy, not to mention the accumulation of debt by local governments and weak consumer confidence. In the midst of these challenges, the Chinese government initiated a package of stimulus to support the economy, which included major sectors such as real estate and infrastructure.* * Positive indicators began to appear in some economic data, indicating signs of recovery in the Chinese economy.* *Data from the (General Administration of Customs in Beijing) showed that the country=E2=80=99s exports grew faster than expected in May 2024, as exp= orts rose by 7.6 percent in May compared to the same period last year 2023 in dollar terms, exceeding all expectations of 5.7 percent, but imports rose by 1.8 percent during that period.* * In April 2024, China=E2=80=99s exports rose 1.5 percent year-on-year, whi= le imports rose 8.4 percent. In the first five months of the year, exports rose by 2.7 percent compared to last year, while imports rose by 2.9 percent.* *The rise In Chinese exports is a fundamental driver and driver of the Chinese economy, and recent export data is a very important indicator of the strength and growth of the country=E2=80=99s economy despite geopolitic= al trade pressures.* * The rise in Chinese exports to Southeast Asia comes in a shift of Chinese goods from the European and American direction towards this Asian destination, which gives a new base for the Chinese economy, with the success of the stimulus and development measures taken by the Chinese authorities to address some of the weak points in its economy. This confirms China=E2=80=99s determination to achieve growth may exceed 5% in t= he current year 2024, which prompted the International Monetary Fund to raise its forecast for the growth of the Chinese economy to 5%, i.e. the same number that the Chinese government had previously planned.* *As for my personal expectations as an expert in Chinese political affairs regarding the Chinese economy, I expect a significant increase in economic growth rates in China in 2024, especially with a strong start to this year, with confidence in the ability of the Chinese economy to achieve the annual growth target set at about 5%.* * When we shed light on the rate of the main indicators in China, we will find that the proportion of China=E2=80=99s exports increased by about 10% = in the first two months of 2024, and medium and long-term bank loans increased by more than 30%.* * We find that during the annual session of the National People=E2=80=99s C= ongress of China, which is the country=E2=80=99s legislative body governed by the r= uling Communist Party led by President Xi Jinping, broad outlines of China=E2=80= =99s social and economic policies for the year 2024 were presented. This year 2024, the focus of Chinese lawmakers in their meetings was To increase interest in projects (scientific and technological innovation, integration between urban and rural areas, food security, and energy security), while acknowledging the challenges ahead. But at the same time, they emphasized the enormous potential in demand for construction in these vital areas.* * To support the ambitious goals, Chinese economic leaders are exploring several policy tools, such as: the potential use of measures such as (reducing reserve ratio requirements to inject liquidity into the Chinese market). In addition, Chinese officials highlighted a plan to deploy 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion) in long-term special bonds to boost industries and technologies, especially in clean energy.* * Taking into account the importance of China=E2=80=99s large market for modernizing factory equipment, estimated at about 5 trillion yuan ($694 billion), which indicates China=E2=80=99s commitment to modernizing its manufacturing capabilities.* * In order to boost exports, China aims to promote higher-value products, support small and medium-sized enterprises in the world, and tap global markets more to stimulate consumer spending, tax policies and incentives will be planned to encourage households to replace old vehicles, upgrade appliances, and redesign their homes, which will reflect the shift towards a consumption-led growth model.* --000000000000f3281f061db3ee3c Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2024/07/20/imf-and-chinas= -2024-economic-growth-forecast-to-5/

=
IMF and China=E2=80=99s 2024 e= conomic growth forecast to 5%
Dr.Nadia HelmyJuly 20, 2024
photo:unsplash<= /b>
Following the announcement of China=E2=80=99s economic= growth rate at 5% in the first half year of 2024 by the =E2=80=9CNational = Bureau of Statistics=E2=80=9D, the IMF raises China=E2=80=99s 2024 economic= growth forecast to 5%. This step indicate many expectations of the Chinese= economy, regarding China=E2=80=99s 2024 GDP growth target of 5% for the cu= rrent year reflects a measured approach to economic development, with China= recognizing the need for sustainable growth. Achieving this goal may requi= re additional stimulus measures within China=E2=80=99s national economy.
=C2=A0The most= important broad outlines of the Chinese leadership to stimulate the rate o= f economic growth within China in 2024 are to work on the necessity of tran= sforming the existing development model to address issues such as the real = estate crisis, local government debt, and weak consumer demand. This would = stimulate economic growth rates to a higher level. This goal is in line wit= h China=E2=80=99s 14^th=C2=A0five-year plan.
=C2=A0Here comes t= he Chinese focus on attracting long-term investments and addressing deep-ro= oted issues in the stock market, in line with efforts to revive investor co= nfidence and achieve stability in financial markets within China.
=C2=A0The International Monetary Fund expected the Chinese = economy to grow by 5% in 2024, after a =E2=80=9Cstrong=E2=80=9D performance= in its first quarter, an increase from its previous estimates that indicat= ed a growth of 4.6% in China, and the International Monetary Fund now expec= ts China to be the second economy largest in the World: China=E2=80=99s nat= ional economy will grow by 5% during the current year 2024.
<= p style=3D"max-width:100%;font-family:-apple-system-font">Over the past three decades, the Chinese economy has been charact= erized by exceptional growth rates that have established the country=E2=80= =99s position as the second largest economy in the world. However, recent y= ears have witnessed radical transformations that have cast a shadow on the = path of this economic giant, as a result of the pandemic and the subsequent= =E2=80=9CZero Covid=E2=80=9D policy that imposed strict restrictions on ec= onomic activity.
=C2=A0This coincided with the slo= wdown in global economic growth, and the worsening crisis in the real estat= e sector, one of the most important drivers of the Chinese economy, not to = mention the accumulation of debt by local governments and weak consumer con= fidence. In the midst of these challenges, the Chinese government initiated= a package of stimulus to support the economy, which included major sectors= such as real estate and infrastructure.
=C2=A0Pos= itive indicators began to appear in some economic data, indicating signs of= recovery in the Chinese economy.
Data from the (G= eneral Administration of Customs in Beijing) showed that the country=E2=80= =99s exports grew faster than expected in May 2024, as exports rose by 7.6 = percent in May compared to the same period last year 2023 in dollar terms, = exceeding all expectations of 5.7 percent, but imports rose by=C2=A0 1.8 pe= rcent during that period.
=C2=A0In April 2024, Chi= na=E2=80=99s exports rose 1.5 percent year-on-year, while imports rose 8.4 = percent.=C2=A0 In the first five months of the year, exports rose by 2.7 pe= rcent compared to last year, while imports rose by 2.9 percent.<= /p>
The rise In Chinese exports is a fundamental driver and dri= ver of the Chinese economy, and recent export data is a very important indi= cator of the strength and growth of the country=E2=80=99s economy despite g= eopolitical trade pressures.
=C2=A0The rise in Chinese exports to Southeast Asia comes = in a shift of Chinese goods from the European and American direction toward= s this Asian destination, which gives a new base for the Chinese economy, w= ith the success of the stimulus and development measures taken by the Chine= se authorities to address some of the weak points in its economy. This conf= irms China=E2=80=99s determination to achieve growth may exceed 5% in the c= urrent year 2024, which prompted the International Monetary Fund to raise i= ts forecast for the growth of the Chinese economy to 5%, i.e. the same numb= er that the Chinese government had previously planned.
As for my personal expectations as an expert in Chinese political affa= irs regarding the Chinese economy, I expect a significant increase in econo= mic growth rates in China in 2024, especially with a strong start to this y= ear, with confidence in the ability of the Chinese economy to achieve the a= nnual growth target set at about 5%.
=C2=A0When we shed light on the rate of the main= indicators in China, we will find that the proportion of China=E2=80=99s e= xports increased by about 10% in the first two months of 2024, and medium a= nd long-term bank loans increased by more than 30%.
= =C2=A0We find that during the annual session of the National People=E2= =80=99s Congress of China, which is the country=E2=80=99s legislative body = governed by the ruling Communist Party led by President Xi Jinping, broad o= utlines of China=E2=80=99s social and economic policies for the year 2024 w= ere presented. This year 2024, the focus of Chinese lawmakers in their meet= ings was=C2=A0 To increase interest in projects (scientific and technologic= al innovation, integration between urban and rural areas, food security, an= d energy security), while acknowledging the challenges ahead. But at the sa= me time, they emphasized the enormous potential in demand for construction = in these vital areas.
=C2=A0To support the ambitio= us goals, Chinese economic leaders are exploring several policy tools, such= as: the potential use of measures such as (reducing reserve ratio requirem= ents to inject liquidity into the Chinese market).=C2=A0 In addition, Chine= se officials highlighted a plan to deploy 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion) in= long-term special bonds to boost industries and technologies, especially i= n clean energy.
=C2=A0Taking into account the impo= rtance of China=E2=80=99s large market for modernizing factory equipment, e= stimated at about 5 trillion yuan ($694 billion), which indicates China=E2= =80=99s commitment to modernizing its manufacturing capabilities.
=C2=A0In order to boo= st exports, China aims to promote higher-value products, support small and = medium-sized enterprises in the world, and tap global markets more to stimu= late consumer spending, tax policies and incentives will be planned to enco= urage households to replace old vehicles, upgrade appliances, and redesign = their homes, which will reflect the shift towards a consumption-led growth = model.

--000000000000f3281f061db3ee3c-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:55:53 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id ECE5CB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:55:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net ECE5CB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="XdmBSLKy" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id E2CFEBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:55:52 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f41.google.com (mail-ej1-f41.google.com [209.85.218.41]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id BC49EBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:55:52 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f41.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77e85cb9b4so356643866b.0 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:55:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721508951; x=1722113751; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=utS4jllEoRE69hlv5K/lUfMlyibc0DKWbdrJvfas9as=; b=XdmBSLKyPYlhteZWrsWo4n4qIbiEYCUouXWDD/f54ZzMXm1sjMCDhqjfgJsSRd+rxw POFPaPkkyYkuYR2PDg/fnmYrmTo5VnlOBRDrOp9D9jnkuRiah+e/jOQLvy/QSBsRGd5z BA0Ut1hus5QfmNoVTxz+CZiMPz907eC4Rs/0VITQjYkoKqGxPslumR0LkMv4P9+zF+Ef dJmIED8lsFOXat4mPFv/NGQob/5Y7dKouDaVDRqK8XRewVe/SGiKwGeZ9i20MqqqRfmz yAUuNvSkhiS/K+9B9s829sXclqh5iaDsX11L8mPW/t5tW3emgDnwCoYJSk+seypRCIdB S+yA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721508951; x=1722113751; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=utS4jllEoRE69hlv5K/lUfMlyibc0DKWbdrJvfas9as=; b=suTS/vvm+9UeBIifPpw3yKHsLmEBcrfDqbwkaEsyYQtmgaCR5EjxPSDBHzinNxtf8c fqR3D6Phxsuu1IlKKwDF9CPyOcy2yVpmagdhTOYQN/u4PAteTXWRIBg4ZAWPeqdnmzF5 7shZ2kn3Kxa7upQnuARi6jCo+IanIGZ7LPH70XTgmcPUUTcoTecJGrmfvjuWS1/8U9je 1LkHZdrWGFUPH9Ilct4RyaBbWf9oHH2rLUqB43sZzYdQlE8bvz2LB7n4ieh2yg8/s/UK qEX1IX1ThYt7b1dlRHLzzxwe7keBlBLWfQua2tDNWbKO5gMY7emtbhmb+pcAYqepQx7r M1xw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YyRopd2nfsj1aehWv4Oytuvg4gZ/UBw9Aal0G7bbG6sc7PUveRp eD0L7naIRsJDza2E6fkReP4WOt32M/HNi5oc70hvq/5Q2JHpDLauYObRWoZ4v1+xGOJmATzgRa8 HsG+DUP9OxsyrRO7xy0pXXtfMwof0yw== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFnFqpdf5txXC32+9xY1IG410vhnZ8FQd3fv1oc0nZcW0I4Ut+RLNDeIUpAprV1r1EnF/SFjH/47madfZeq2sk= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:7f16:b0:a72:76c8:ef68 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4c575794mr159514366b.69.1721508950963; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:55:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:55:42 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="00000000000080019e061db40903" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?Hungary=E2=80=99s_Prime_Minister_Orb=C3=A1n_to?= =?utf-8?q?_Each_Leader_in_Europe=3A_Make_Peace?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:55:53 -0000 --00000000000080019e061db40903 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://eir.news/2024/07/daily-brief/eir-daily-news-saturday-july-20-2024/ * EIR Daily News =E2=80=A2 Saturday, July 20, 2024*Hungary=E2=80=99s Prime Mi= nister Orb=C3=A1n to Each Leader in Europe: Make Peace* *by Marcia Merry Baker (EIRNS) =E2=80=94 Jul. 19, 2024* *Yesterday evening, July 18, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb=C3=A1n sent out a report on X of his latest efforts in his =E2=80=9Cmission for peace=E2=80=9D to st= op the NATO war machine, and get talks going over Ukraine. He attended yesterday=E2=80=99s = fourth European Political Community event (begun in 2022), hosted in Britain at Blenheim Palace, attended by over 40 heads of state and leaders of organizations. Orb=C3=A1n=E2=80=99s message carried a short video of himsel= f talking individually to such leaders as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He told each one, =E2=80=9CThousands and thousands = are dying on the battlefield every day. We will find no #peace on the battlefield, but only at the negotiating table. My goal is to convince European leaders to make a shift to a pro-peace policy.=E2=80=9D* *Orb=C3=A1n also released, timed with the meeting, the full text of the let= ter he had sent July 12 to the Brussels leadership of the European Union, which Hungary now heads for six months, as of July 1. The letter is Orb=C3=A1n=E2=80=99s repo= rt on his trips to Ukraine, Russia, China, NATO and the United States, to open the door for getting negotiations going to bring peace in Ukraine. He wants to re-open =E2=80=9Cdirect lines of diplomatic communication with Russia,=E2= =80=9D and rehabilitate political communication all around. He said there has been a =E2=80=9Cglobal isolation of the Transatlantic community,=E2=80=9D and loss= of respect from the Global South. He wrote about China=E2=80=99s intention to =E2=80=9Ccont= inue its policy also formulated in international documents calling for a ceasefire and peace talks.=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D* *The danger of regional conflict and battle escalating to all-out World War III is unrelenting, and will happen, unless there are significant breaks in the dynamic=E2=80=94diplomatic moves, public protest, mass actions.* *To make clear the danger, Helga Zepp-LaRouche today gave an image in her opening remarks to the International Peace Coalition (IPC) about how the world is as close to nuclear war, as President Trump was to the assassin=E2= =80=99s bullet that fortunately only grazed his ear. Her message? We have to act.* *Today=E2=80=99s IPC deliberations, with people from many countries and con= tinents, was the 59th consecutive gathering, to push and align all possible efforts for the world to see the danger and act to stop it.* *The Global NATO war machine is rolling ahead. Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gave an interview to BBC yesterday before the start of the European Political Community summit in the U.K., and reiterated indefinite and expanded support of Ukraine against Russia. He held forth on how the meeting would discuss defending =E2=80=9Cour democrac= ies, both from external threats, but also from internal threats.=E2=80=9D* *[An aside: Stoltenberg spoke yesterday morning of defending specifically against =E2=80=9CRussian hostile actions against NATO Allies with cyber att= acks.=E2=80=9D Within less than a day, an unprecedented global cyber failure did take place, but not from Russia, but from the United States! If the current story is to be believed, CrowdStrike, the Texas-based cyber security firm, admits causing the mass IT outage, when doing some updating of its system. The damage to global aviation, banking, hospitals, business, shipping and other activity is huge. =E2=80=9CSorry,=E2=80=9D says George Kurtz, CEO of = CrowdStrike, infamous for U.S. government shady operations. Consider what this means, as pointed out Jason Ross, Science Adviser to The LaRouche Organization: =E2= =80=9CIt might demonstrate CrowdStrike=E2=80=99s level of expertise in testing their software. This makes them look extremely incompetent. If it=E2=80=99s due t= o their own errors, they=E2=80=99re a joke. And if the bad code was added from the = outside, so much for their security defense credentials!"]* *Ukraine President (self-extended term) Volodomyr Zelenskyy, after hobnobbing yesterday at Blenheim Palace, today attended a Ministerial meeting at No. 10 Downing Street, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Zelenskyy pressed his request for Ukraine to use U.K. weapons inside Russia.* *In Germany, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius yesterday spoke insanely about how the new Germany-U.S. accord for emplacement of U.S. long-range missiles in Germany, set for 2026, will contribute to peace, because they add to =E2=80=9Cdeterrence.=E2=80=9D Pistorius said that the government doe= s not yet know the exact locations for the missiles, but there would be no crisis like that sparked by Euromissiles in Germany in the 1980s, when mass protests erupted.* *Russia=E2=80=99s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, when asked about Pistorius=E2=80=99 statements, said that if the U.S. missile deployment goe= s ahead in Germany, the missiles themselves become targets. =E2=80=9CIf officials f= rom the German Federal government believe it is reasonable to carry out inflammatory activities =E2=80=A6 there is a wide range of options=E2=80=9D= for Russia to respond.* *There is also new, serious friction with China. The Beijing government this week suspended arms control and nuclear non-proliferation talks with Washington. The immediate issue is U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. =E2=80=9CThis= has seriously compromised the political atmosphere for continuing the arms control consultations. Consequently, the Chinese side has decided to hold off discussion with the U.S. on a new round of consultations on arms control and non-proliferation. The responsibility fully lies with the U.S.,=E2=80=9D said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian July 17, according to Global Times.* *Helga Zepp-LaRouche today at the IPC meeting, said at one point, that mass demonstrations today, of hundreds of thousands of people, like those in Bonn and throughout then West Germany in the 1980s, is exactly what we need today. People need to know the truth and react.* *She reiterated her call for the formation of a =E2=80=9CCouncil of Reason,= =E2=80=9D bringing together statesmen, diplomats, elders of all nations, vocations and experience, =E2=80=9Cto bring back onto the table what true diplomacy i= s. Because our current politicians have completely forgotten what this is.=E2= =80=9D There are ways to overcome the dangerous situations. =E2=80=9CI believe tha= t the nature of human beings is such that you can appeal to reason, and that we can get out of this mess.* *=E2=80=9CI think a very crucial stepping stone to this will be to find tho= se elder statesmen, former military, former doctors, people who are in pension age or maybe early retirement or whatever. But who are stepping forward to say we must give ourselves another order, an international peace and development order and architecture which allows for the survival and interest of every country on the planet. And, who can help to change the public debate.=E2=80=9D* --00000000000080019e061db40903 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://eir.news/2024/07/daily-brief/eir-daily-news-saturday-july-= 20-2024/
<= b>
EIR Daily News =E2=80=A2 Saturday, July 20, 2024
<= h2 style=3D"max-width:100%;font-family:-apple-system-font">Hungary=E2=80=99s Prime Mini= ster Orb=C3=A1n to Each Leader in Europe: Make Peace
by Marcia Merry Baker (EIRNS) =E2=80=94= Jul. 19, 2024
Yesterday evening, July 18, Hun= garian Prime Minister=C2=A0Viktor Orb=C3=A1n=C2=A0sent out a re= port on X of his latest efforts in his =E2=80=9Cmission for peace=E2=80=9D = to stop the NATO war machine, and get talks going over Ukraine. He attended= yesterday=E2=80=99s fourth European Political Community event (begun in 20= 22), hosted in Britain at Blenheim Palace, attended by over 40 heads of sta= te and leaders of organizations. Orb=C3=A1n=E2=80=99s message carried a sho= rt video of himself talking individually to such leaders as French Presiden= t Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He told each one, =E2= =80=9CThousands and thousands are dying on the battlefield every day. We wi= ll find no=C2=A0#peace=C2=A0on the battlefield, but only at the negotia= ting table. My goal is to convince European leaders to make a shift to a pr= o-peace policy.=E2=80=9D
Orb=C3=A1n also released,= timed with the meeting, the full=C2=A0text of the letter=C2=A0= he had sent July 12 to the Brussels leadership of the European Union, which= Hungary now heads for six months, as of July 1. The letter is Orb=C3=A1n= =E2=80=99s report on his trips to Ukraine, Russia, China, NATO and the Unit= ed States, to open the door for getting negotiations going to bring peace i= n Ukraine. He wants to re-open =E2=80=9Cdirect lines of diplomatic communic= ation with Russia,=E2=80=9D and rehabilitate political communication all ar= ound. He said there has been a =E2=80=9Cglobal isolation of the Transatlant= ic community,=E2=80=9D and loss of respect from the Global South. He wrote = about China=E2=80=99s intention to =E2=80=9Ccontinue its policy also formul= ated in international documents calling for a ceasefire and peace talks.=E2= =80=A6=E2=80=9D
The danger of regional conflict an= d battle escalating to all-out World War III is unrelenting, and will happe= n, unless there are significant breaks in the dynamic=E2=80=94diplomatic mo= ves, public protest, mass actions.
To make clear t= he danger, Helga Zepp-LaRouche today gave an image in her opening remarks t= o the International Peace Coalition (IPC) about how the world is as close t= o nuclear war, as President Trump was to the assassin=E2=80=99s bullet that= fortunately only grazed his ear. Her message? We have to act.
Today=E2=80=99s IPC deliberations, with people from many count= ries and continents, was the 59th consecutive gathering, to push and align = all possible efforts for the world to see the danger and act to stop it.
<= font color=3D"#000000">The Global NATO war machine is rolling ahead. Outgoi= ng NATO Secretary General=C2=A0Jens Stoltenberg gave an interview=C2=A0t= o BBC yesterday before the start of the European Political Community summit= in the U.K., and reiterated indefinite and expanded support of Ukraine aga= inst Russia. He held forth on how the meeting would discuss defending =E2= =80=9Cour democracies, both from external threats, but also from internal t= hreats.=E2=80=9D
[An aside: Stoltenberg spoke yest= erday morning of defending specifically against =E2=80=9CRussian hostile ac= tions against NATO Allies with cyber attacks.=E2=80=9D Within less than a d= ay, an unprecedented global cyber failure did take place, but not from Russ= ia, but from the United States! If the current story is to be believed, Cro= wdStrike, the Texas-based cyber security firm, admits causing the mass IT o= utage, when doing some updating of its system. The damage to global aviatio= n, banking, hospitals, business, shipping and other activity is huge. =E2= =80=9CSorry,=E2=80=9D says George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike, infamous for U= .S. government shady operations. Consider what this means, as pointed out J= ason Ross, Science Adviser to The LaRouche Organization: =E2=80=9CIt might = demonstrate CrowdStrike=E2=80=99s level of expertise in testing their softw= are. This makes them look extremely incompetent. If it=E2=80=99s due to the= ir own errors, they=E2=80=99re a joke. And if the bad code was added from t= he outside, so much for their security defense credentials!"]
Ukraine President (self-extended term) Volodomyr Zelenskyy= , after hobnobbing yesterday at Blenheim Palace, today attended a Ministeri= al meeting at No. 10 Downing Street, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Zele= nskyy pressed his request for Ukraine to use U.K. weapons inside Russia.
<= font color=3D"#000000">In Germany, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius yesterd= ay spoke insanely about how the new Germany-U.S. accord for emplacement of = U.S. long-range missiles in Germany, set for 2026, will contribute to peace= , because they add to =E2=80=9Cdeterrence.=E2=80=9D Pistorius said that the= government does not yet know the exact locations for the missiles, but the= re would be no crisis like that sparked by Euromissiles in Germany in the 1= 980s, when mass protests erupted.
Russia=E2=80=99s= Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, when asked about Pistorius=E2=80= =99 statements, said that if the U.S. missile deployment goes ahead in Germ= any, the missiles themselves become targets. =E2=80=9CIf officials from the= German Federal government believe it is reasonable to carry out inflammato= ry activities =E2=80=A6 there is a wide range of options=E2=80=9D for Russi= a to respond.
There is also new, serious friction = with China. The Beijing government this week suspended arms control and nuc= lear non-proliferation talks with Washington. The immediate issue is U.S. a= rms sales to Taiwan. =E2=80=9CThis has seriously compromised the political = atmosphere for continuing the arms control consultations. Consequently, the= Chinese side has decided to hold off discussion with the U.S. on a new rou= nd of consultations on arms control and non-proliferation. The responsibili= ty fully lies with the U.S.,=E2=80=9D said=C2=A0Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian=C2=A0July= 17, according to=C2=A0Global Time= s.
Helga Zepp-LaRouche today at the IPC meetin= g, said at one point, that mass demonstrations today, of hundreds of thousa= nds of people, like those in Bonn and throughout then West Germany in the 1= 980s, is exactly what we need today. People need to know the truth and reac= t.
She reiterated her call for the formation of a = =E2=80=9CCouncil of Reason,=E2=80=9D bringing together statesmen, diplomats= , elders of all nations, vocations and experience, =E2=80=9Cto bring back o= nto the table what true diplomacy is. Because our current politicians have = completely forgotten what this is.=E2=80=9D There are ways to overcome the = dangerous situations. =E2=80=9CI believe that the nature of human beings is= such that you can appeal to reason, and that we can get out of this mess.<= /font>
=E2=80=9CI think a very crucial stepping stone to = this will be to find those elder statesmen, former military, former doctors= , people who are in pension age or maybe early retirement or whatever. But = who are stepping forward to say we must give ourselves another order, an in= ternational peace and development order and architecture which allows for t= he survival and interest of every country on the planet. And, who can help = to change the public debate.=E2=80=9D

--00000000000080019e061db40903-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 13:58:12 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6BFACB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:58:12 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 6BFACB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="BM3+Ba8E" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 65831BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:58:12 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f44.google.com (mail-lf1-f44.google.com [209.85.167.44]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 3B559BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:58:12 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f44.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efba36802so607054e87.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:58:12 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721509090; x=1722113890; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=/PZvfmPuiQ3xmhYCUrt+f/JOO4PJP5U3OAYa0zCfSUY=; b=BM3+Ba8Eki2C5zzTLQGgiZxZppdddxp5/gpkL7c780awOLHY4m6ar4ElXjxL33oi2G 7gsnlPOGrbpxxr2m6L+0tJvURxW2/jykQP1sQXiOn988Cj+nQr36U9pNy8VSctPj187E TYJA1qPE6q9UucuhWOVdZcxMcYX2oqDyw+Aq32jxptKd3TrtLw9U1OglNT+gSc0WXR7r 6av87FSkuTduwutuFYnMHOkYMRwGMN8dhk6f/5Qzjx52Y0QCptpZ6eC1MUsJ0XdNhBcU RogQxbvp9iwKH5ffjFOvBM5BGO/4qjx394ysAIlBVQHLE0GJx2byvrNGA4oXVN6QoAX0 x+PQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721509090; x=1722113890; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=/PZvfmPuiQ3xmhYCUrt+f/JOO4PJP5U3OAYa0zCfSUY=; b=ai2Kk8MYc5JaAYxdZL6uukuf1NC6pGXrEq5Ft/H3IQKAlmSEPNXLSx8D4L0RHHwC0K +tEDYk2iUP9vYq4KU285T3n27yOuAkGamZRGfu1o9n0VKv5lmMjmpnZWj6vtaDNCo/B3 T7tzABTC+pQAwHfZdsJC2+048O/sIBW6z7+gQxzgBPuvJ/znbvDmrEQjOFXPpxF8Tjfk AeoTjgJW/c/6kDZuLRhTnPMmxXbNIj5RJxIyOGat/CcG2W6IPay3DXf8P9SL/uNkSKDR jM04egafCavliHSQONsGrVk1vvww3WxyKTgfQIVaJHGeJD5ZVagYocoIrawujxolc1H7 5oxQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YzFZlB9N5lu4gCRqtUXOdRM8rFATpU5I7owoHg0pL/hFJn+eGe2 qlXyviYyUVwYRo/GSkHD5Fb+B0wFY8L7PPlCHfKqo4gUeszcFT09v6pfGYtLVFLew4wEvWmdsdC 5UqLpoUkS+dZzvANdNalf5HRRtOWhgg== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGGRtCdzmSJq4xxgUVJB+WeA2OJ5calsY6ia1ZpKVm6yOoCSphVb8/qJRXTRExdagwk77yhF6+d52GWaZh6PFQ= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:3d1a:b0:52c:df4e:3343 with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb63cd8dmr1695971e87.16.1721509090081; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 13:58:10 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:58:01 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000cac3e9061db41121" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?China=E2=80=99s_top_diplomat_Wang_Yi_urges_Can?= =?utf-8?q?ada_to_=E2=80=98seriously_reflect=E2=80=99_on_strained_t?= =?utf-8?q?ies?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:58:12 -0000 --000000000000cac3e9061db41121 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3271242/chinas-top-diplo= mat-wang-yi-urges-canada-seriously-reflect-strained-ties?module=3Dtop_story= &pgtype=3Dhomepage * *China=E2=80=99s top diplomat Wang Yi urges Canada to =E2=80=98seriously re= flect=E2=80=99 on strained ties* *20 Jul 2024* *Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua* *Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Canada to =E2=80=9Cseriously re= flect=E2=80=9D on their strained relationship, calling for an improvement as he cited =E2= =80=9Cno fundamental conflict of interest=E2=80=9D between the two countries.* *In a meeting with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly in Beijing on Friday, Wang held up Canada ties as being =E2=80=9Cat the forefront=E2=80= =9D of China=E2=80=99s relations with Western economies.* *But he also pointed to =E2=80=9Cdifficulties and twists=E2=80=9D in recent= years.* *=E2=80=9C[That] is not what China wants to see and requires Canada to seri= ously reflect on it,=E2=80=9D he said, according to a readout published by the Ch= inese foreign ministry.* *=E2=80=9CThere is no fundamental conflict of interest between China and Ca= nada, and the two peoples have a long history of friendly exchanges.=E2=80=9D* *China and Canada, as major countries with important influence in Asia-Pacific, have =E2=80=9Cextensive common interests=E2=80=9D and maintai= ning and developing relations is in the interests of both sides, Wang was quoted as saying.* *China-Canada ties have soured in recent years, partly due to the tit-for-tat arrests in 2018, when a top Huawei Technologies executive was held in Vancouver on fraud charges at the request of the US, followed by China detaining two Canadians living in the country on charges of espionage .* *Canada had accused China of engaging in =E2=80=9Chostage diplomacy=E2=80= =9D before a deal was eventually reached with US prosecutors in 2021 that saw all three people released.* *Relations were further strained over accusations of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections and an attempted intimidation of lawmakers that resulted in the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat last year.* *China has repeatedly denied claims of interference.* *According to Wang, China and Canada needed to treat each other with mutual respect, handle differences in the spirit of seeking common ground, and deepen cooperation based on mutual benefit.* *The two sides should =E2=80=9Cpromote the improvement of bilateral relatio= ns and move forward along a healthy and stable track=E2=80=9D, he said.* *The Chinese and Canadian delegations discussed bilateral issues as well as global ones like the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, according to a Canadian readout. Photo: Xinhua* *With next year marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Canada strategic partnership, the two countries should =E2=80=9Cretur= n to their original intentions=E2=80=9D, and =E2=80=9Cinject momentum into the n= ormalisation of bilateral relations=E2=80=9D, Wang said.* *He called on both countries to explore dialogue and cooperation in various fields, and urged Canada to take =E2=80=9Cpractical actions=E2=80=9D to fac= ilitate personnel exchanges.* *Wang also said issues relating to Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong were part of China=E2=80=99s domestic politics and that Canada should not i= nterfere in them.* *According to a Canadian readout, the two ministers held an =E2=80=9Cextend= ed=E2=80=9D meeting, where they discussed bilateral issues as well as global ones such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.* *Joly told Wang that Canada would =E2=80=9Ccontinue to defend our democracy= and the values it has always stood for, including human rights, the rule of law, and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter=E2=80=9D.* *The two leaders also discussed ways to strengthen engagements in areas including trade and environmental protection, and agreed to advance =E2=80=9Cconcrete measures=E2=80=9D to promote people-to-people ties, such = as for tourists and students.* *=E2=80=9CThe ministers agreed on the importance of maintaining open lines = of communication and committed to holding regular discussions at the ministerial level, including on peace and security, and trade,=E2=80=9D the Canadian readout said.* *Joly is the first Canadian foreign minister to hold face-to-face talks with their Chinese counterpart in Beijing in nearly seven years. Her three-day visit to China ends today.* *The Canadian statement said the visit reaffirmed Joly=E2=80=99s commitment= to =E2=80=9Cpragmatic engagement=E2=80=9D with China and the development of = =E2=80=9Csound and stable=E2=80=9D relations.* *Chinese and Canadian leaders last met in Indonesia in November 2022, when President Xi Jinping criticised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over alleged leaks of discussions at a closed-door meeting.* *In a phone call with Joly earlier this year, Wang said Beijing was open to maintaining dialogue with Canada and did not want to see a continuation of the =E2=80=9Cdifficult situation=E2=80=9D.* *He said then that the =E2=80=9Cserious deviation of Canada=E2=80=99s perce= ption of China=E2=80=9D had led to ties reaching =E2=80=9Ca low point=E2=80=9D.* --000000000000cac3e9061db41121 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3271242/chinas-top= -diplomat-wang-yi-urges-canada-seriously-reflect-strained-ties?module=3Dtop= _story&pgtype=3Dhomepage

C= hina=E2=80=99s top diplomat Wang Yi urges Canada to =E2=80=98seriously refl= ect=E2=80=99 on strained ties
= 20 Jul 2024
<= b>Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Jo= ly in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
Ch= inese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Canada to =E2=80=9Cseriously refle= ct=E2=80=9D on their strained relationship, calling for an improvement as h= e cited =E2=80=9Cno fundamental conflict of interest=E2=80=9D between the t= wo countries.
In a meeting with his C= anadian counterpart Melanie Joly in Beijing on Friday, Wang held up Canada = ties as being =E2=80=9Cat the forefront=E2=80=9D of China=E2=80=99s relatio= ns with Western economies.
But he als= o pointed to =E2=80=9Cdifficulties and twists=E2=80=9D in recent years.=
=E2=80=9C[That] is not what China wants to see and requires Cana= da to seriously reflect on it,=E2=80=9D he said, according to a readout pub= lished by the Chinese foreign ministry.
=E2=80=9CThere is no = fundamental conflict of interest between China and Canada, and the two peop= les have a long history of friendly exchanges.=E2=80=9D
China= and Canada, as major countries with important influence in Asia-Pacific, h= ave =E2=80=9Cextensive common interests=E2=80=9D and maintaining and develo= ping relations is in the interests of both sides, Wang was quoted as saying= .
China-Canada ties have soured in recent years, partly due= to the tit-for-tat arrests in 2018, when a top Huawei Technologies executi= ve was held in Vancouver on fraud charges at the request of the US, followe= d by China detaining two Canadians living in the country on=C2=A0charges of e= spionage.
Canada had accused China of engaging i= n =E2=80=9Chostage diplomacy=E2=80=9D before a deal was eventually reached = with US prosecutors in 2021 that saw all three people released.
Relations were further strained over accusations of Chinese meddling i= n Canadian elections and an attempted intimidation of lawmakers that result= ed in the=C2=A0expulsion=C2=A0of a Ch= inese diplomat last year.
China has repeatedly denied claim= s of interference.
According to Wang, China and Canada needed= to treat each other with mutual respect, handle differences in the spirit = of seeking common ground, and deepen cooperation based on mutual benefit.
The two sides should =E2=80=9Cpromote the improvement of bilat= eral relations and move forward along a healthy and stable track=E2=80=9D, = he said.
The Chinese and Canadian delegations dis= cussed bilateral issues as well as global ones like the wars in Ukraine and= Gaza, according to a Canadian readout. Photo: Xinhua
With next year marking the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Ch= ina-Canada strategic partnership, the two countries should =E2=80=9Creturn = to their original intentions=E2=80=9D, and =E2=80=9Cinject momentum into th= e normalisation of bilateral relations=E2=80=9D, Wang said.
H= e called on both countries to explore dialogue and cooperation in various f= ields, and urged Canada to take =E2=80=9Cpractical actions=E2=80=9D to faci= litate personnel exchanges.
Wang also said issues relating to= Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong were part of China=E2=80=99s domesti= c politics and that Canada should not interfere in them.
Acco= rding to a Canadian readout, the two ministers held an =E2=80=9Cextended=E2= =80=9D meeting, where they discussed bilateral issues as well as global one= s such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Joly told Wang that C= anada would =E2=80=9Ccontinue to defend our democracy and the values it has= always stood for, including human rights, the rule of law, and the princip= les enshrined in the UN Charter=E2=80=9D.
The two leaders als= o discussed ways to strengthen engagements in areas including trade and env= ironmental protection, and agreed to advance =E2=80=9Cconcrete measures=E2= =80=9D to promote people-to-people ties, such as for tourists and students.=
=E2=80=9CThe ministers agreed on the importance of maintaini= ng open lines of communication and committed to holding regular discussions= at the ministerial level, including on peace and security, and trade,=E2= =80=9D the Canadian readout said.
Joly is the first Canadian = foreign minister to hold face-to-face talks with their Chinese counterpart = in Beijing in nearly seven years. Her three-day visit to China ends today.<= /b>
The Canadian statement said the visit reaffirmed Joly=E2=80= =99s commitment to =E2=80=9Cpragmatic engagement=E2=80=9D with China and th= e development of =E2=80=9Csound and stable=E2=80=9D relations.
<= b>Chinese and Canadian leaders last met in Indonesia in November 2022, when= President Xi Jinping criticised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over alleged= leaks of discussions at a closed-door meeting.
In a phone ca= ll with Joly earlier this year, Wang said Beijing was open to maintaining d= ialogue with Canada and did not want to see a continuation of the =E2=80=9C= difficult situation=E2=80=9D.
He said then that the =E2=80=9C= serious deviation of Canada=E2=80=99s perception of China=E2=80=9D had led = to ties reaching =E2=80=9Ca low point=E2=80=9D.

--000000000000cac3e9061db41121-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:31:47 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0C0C3B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:31:47 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 0C0C3B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="WtFJEt6J" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 02927BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:31:47 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f45.google.com (mail-lf1-f45.google.com [209.85.167.45]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 0061BBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:31:46 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f45.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52ed9b802ceso2732200e87.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:31:46 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721511105; x=1722115905; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=BAiz7AsZzZRKEBVaOtnS8obUnzxCgp9iNlgbqaxlnqY=; b=WtFJEt6JhdyGtm14aYDk589PM8MhyF4lNH5AKQAsOrZ2n29CcGiAv7DiWar0cxqUg4 ME2TCZgUE64e16oGp4Or5bPNsIxiHAIMMI38keHJMhTPKrhf0dWGJppUfAQomKXGTnOA W4gaLTjUoCfi+55EDVMuLMaMHvle5H+KLd3Et2wmQaBW9vR2nTUFEJb6V2D2ILMmMU0g MpX9N/9q/0o3BrEEcsDujS0uif76xwELorV+EGGlVV/v9k0NV0rgzVB5QRJxhBztijXb SDJvk8htQRIj01P5WdACD05I+Di+ZZ9JSjC9M5BFriWQcBeSJP50Jabr11/6Ap3ROaJG Xa9Q== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721511105; x=1722115905; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=BAiz7AsZzZRKEBVaOtnS8obUnzxCgp9iNlgbqaxlnqY=; b=Nk51Be0Cvwzcs4DcdTalNDHTaD8VYf46a8zLGp4fFfcV6SZgGkhEOvkQGNE0QECK+h qiG+Ss3U4iRXzj8v/eQ2hYIr1dpB4KdRWOHF94PEN7mXV1kX+R+BHO1ARv7gzLZuKVxP 8/kyMDavfkkZ56+NIw+3PtOi3XIjw9/9fTpJ5vq1M9LEOYA3NQnfUEMYniplffZZ5ZMk /FDF1ALYM2gAyqLNyLTeFrfAqyEAeDi1v2hPSOE1HIdbbERyI+kIPbiY+z618DmiFMmq qknFBO/QlyWudzWTPiZuqkWyAYI7KDgHByxlkmv1BMlmjdl6O6JLTA99L0dFfuct+c57 GHtA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YxZOOMjxWUOCYcjdzMyYW94gxlRuvAxLdTXW21r+nmfyV7jTo98 AF+Sm4hQWN59RgyKry/pnUTVy9bmjHw5zeAlmnuyPN77yXHmsb5GnALJJ5t97f+9fB5fF3oabbz 9juJTcmFcGZCt8nM+kH9sfQd8yIBnRA== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHqMo076gEntrsLkJtVwjYRbg5SQCU9IatTuWvUsX+vXxP+RUE4LGc/jjNMmefPL7/JpeTpN+Im1q+9LUSqOlw= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:31c9:b0:52e:faf0:410 with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb533724mr1742463e87.1.1721511104593; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:31:44 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <1487123103.2962135.1721473989296.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1487123103.2962135.1721473989296@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <1487123103.2962135.1721473989296@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:31:35 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000ddc6b7061db48926" Subject: [Salon] "We all know what happens next..." X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:31:47 -0000 --000000000000ddc6b7061db48926 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://x.com/BowesChay/status/1814444922709123235 "Iran is one or two weeks away from reaching capacity of producing fissile material for Nuclear Weapons" US Secretary of State Blinken, July 2024 "We know that Saddam Hussein is determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction; he's determined to make more" US Secretary of State Powell, February 2003 We all know what comes next. --000000000000ddc6b7061db48926 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/BowesChay/status/1814444922709123235
"Iran is one or two weeks away f= rom reaching capacity of producing fissile material for Nuclear Weapons&quo= t;=20 US Secretary of State Blinken,=20 July 2024=C2=A0

=C2=A0"We know that Saddam Hussein is = determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction; he's determined to = make more"=20 US Secretary of State Powell, February 2003=C2=A0

=C2=A0We = all know what comes next.
--000000000000ddc6b7061db48926-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:37:52 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id B0885B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:37:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net B0885B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="mktujXB6" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 9E861BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:37:52 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ed1-f44.google.com (mail-ed1-f44.google.com [209.85.208.44]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 9BF4ABD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:37:52 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ed1-f44.google.com with SMTP id 4fb4d7f45d1cf-5a1c49632deso2196660a12.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:37:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721511471; x=1722116271; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=35YxFryMeaEQOaj/U6x7BNWM5cyIS3HLc+X8Is0AALY=; b=mktujXB6rp26GLif4fhQLIYoVZSJBiAobiUzHY2I1vVJMyZO/35QoV/znLJ6sQQoC7 mpu47TD7wIn70DQOntgbWSSh+dRCe/6b2kxH21l2aUu/OiUKHTlckIxkBNYGi+wJcXCd fr9ft+XNmphqTBkoWOwYp57ltTF03BzDv9cASXKFFtECkCbED4IE27YY2TJ4gY0UqAvx qEX14d0pLU+4pz3ZyNdXQQ/Ir5gAORURqiuwg71EUTE5Tj2ZkEMNnRBN8ABKxuKNzzmK n6MLh8xc7JuPXg+bznkByZDgtDC1y0rPI56buQcBETBR5nsRfKbB50mI3Me8ro4/vyQ/ P8ZA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721511471; x=1722116271; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=35YxFryMeaEQOaj/U6x7BNWM5cyIS3HLc+X8Is0AALY=; b=Gi9Sf3SwaRDNBIdB3Ll2PoRI46gZlXUgtKBRro3HTrNpia9B56tCnGsefRUu3OMNBh TM4q8eGS3b7+Mu9juET3tvIIOrBk25tqBdvsyZ295MQ+9uAbVa4Po3njmZVNLdyLNetY E91AKuZWZhTkubWBkNvQTNqjEWglRjIlw/FKxpBCgB2RZoAVZHCtNktDG0qtIwCIlx1c /GC44f+0B4fEVnEPuZ1Mh+59d+CAp8PJZ0klE8iKJRb3clbBpdkC2yoc4yjs50jL0Qc4 eWW4TszL9kxIzEbTa+QrIH2lqJyEkBbJTtpgsQ8iY+dVH4n6lhWjqEwcp/NiHGD/3nH1 P5pw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YwxvvOXG0gxV8URmBVH/MoFbhAPB5PhdFKcvfel04hFp4FY0hRl M5Gk8usOPC/CndXnkKHzurHbTFxJPMS0At8uCV/o834P+iceWbGJAjoes1I5fu8LaktwFaARBOy Rg24mETKRri8+cObRDBH6B6XjFtkRhg== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IEvFR3bfhHMy0k8PKoK79F7BpUfrEXumZGEOuA5G+hLxQKZUyIEhfBwYRCi/QCngaDaZD8cSWpqwDG8wl49Klw= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:6d17:b0:a6f:53a7:adaa with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4bfe6329mr163939666b.11.1721511470647; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:37:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <1768704669.3105152.1721510809224.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1768704669.3105152.1721510809224@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <1768704669.3105152.1721510809224@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:37:42 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000af4f18061db49f3f" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?Only_Israel_can_simultaneously_bomb_multiple_c?= =?utf-8?q?ountries_without_a_peep_from_the_=E2=80=9Cinternational_?= =?utf-8?b?Y29tbXVuaXR5LuKAnQ==?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:37:52 -0000 --000000000000af4f18061db49f3f Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://x.com/sahouraxo/status/1814749664140272048 --000000000000af4f18061db49f3f Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/sahouraxo/status/1814749664140272048

--000000000000af4f18061db49f3f-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:41:23 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id C78F3B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:41:23 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net C78F3B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="In5GgRB4" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id B9F56BD030; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:41:23 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f54.google.com (mail-lf1-f54.google.com [209.85.167.54]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 0C10CBD02F for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:41:23 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f54.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efa9500e0so696221e87.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:41:22 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721511681; x=1722116481; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=c/sG7+vvJBhYPWuAjNAP+Sl/HdngPEBFoV1eUHIrM9M=; b=In5GgRB4s44RtXFOFisCSExuE9NkZVVgiRIhLz9DmlpAB0rtM0SXlhm0IPkeiPah58 9TSMr1S/48PcjPcpBg/Zff9f4n5GMO9Gkqd7xE9O9R7B37uK419cXGnKfdwfM6Ep/agT eGmQz5b0On0h52uAXhuYbttqfrv88CgrFWi0MuI8uHw4EPvu112qEAKMRuftA985Yxk1 rR1QCczcn9XxolgSnXSLXMu5KRYdgu7DAm/p313TJLXSFfNvEuql1t6YGjuqwBEFA0EG WyXyQo0nu5E3Fv7cd7+em/Ysg0ePOvy50MAYfm7KpuVuj20bPvcVbfMD9VNVGZkUNjcv Rk+Q== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721511681; x=1722116481; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=c/sG7+vvJBhYPWuAjNAP+Sl/HdngPEBFoV1eUHIrM9M=; b=sesG4F/cW/5CGXNcqKCyD3aBFuT34uSXhz29x76JnnccLO/4GIR8IPIdF65Xcytfjq TEJzoJxUT+/Mol/Gp9HkrWu8EClkp5+y9F1R1nnKWPtF3pHNebWkntO8b05IfBednNAF 6K5pyG35Cu7JMzbmeAomV5V8y4Azv3bm0KNz7NLoFOt8PfTzGZvoeU9WUSbEWhGrB7h/ Ukr0GVKRN7enR/GOWpU53PzHxMFz0R8WjiEhIblrtW9oppH+pi2yEG4GZZMZ2eNmZf/b YM1xgEsY32I6ItI1uCV09mmap+rUypmkf0tPi3oPmzSxIvB/71CkRKLzxlbctSy9g98S bKfg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yz63JRPM4Yp+sVLPe2XOwLazGU9vBodX+DPHf759Gwoo5FqereC JisMYhwVTSvyTNZoJfnwBH/osmNEG8rTF5fOhgS6KrEX4SDB/VxZRzBQykG4U6qpBHX9QFlZN7w QSd1+AR9mM5C15xAOeLIuZaDB4rZ6Entj X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IE8LGQLVZ2iXzZZr9RUroDiAzQb24g8i3bYJ8YmtICE2aTDcpnJDoHh609h+P7YxZmO8wf86zlIuSwl3vXBpyE= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:ac8:b0:52c:9e25:978d with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb7c99b6mr1369186e87.45.1721511679885; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:41:19 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:41:11 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000280b50061db4acb5" Subject: [Salon] World Court Finds Israel Responsible for Apartheid X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:41:24 -0000 --000000000000280b50061db4acb5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >From Human Rights Watch: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/19/world-court-finds-israel-responsible-ap= artheid World Court Finds Israel Responsible for Apartheid July 19, 2024 The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on July 19, 2024, with significant consequences for human rights protections in Palestine under Israel=E2=80=99s 57-year occupa= tion. The opinion stems from a December 2022 request by the United Nations General Assembly to the court to consider the legal consequences of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices in the Occupied Pal= estinian Territory. The following quote can be attributed to Tirana Hassan , Human Rights Watch Executive Director: In a historic ruling the International Court of Justice has found multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including, for the first time, finding Israel responsible for apartheid. *The court has placed responsibility with all states and the United Nations to end these violations of international law. *The ruling should be yet another wake up call for the United States to end its egregious policy of defending Israel=E2=80=99s oppression of Palestinians and prompt a thorough reassessment in other countries as well. The ICJ opinion is found here: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/186/186-20240719-a= dv-01-00-en.pdf Among its findings: =C2=B6 104: =E2=80=9C. . . the Court notes that Israel=E2=80=99s occupation= has lasted for more than 57 years.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 108: =E2=80=9C. . . it does not follow from Article 6 of the Fourth = Geneva Convention that, in cases of prolonged occupation, the occupying Power acquires additional powers through the passage of time. The fact of the occupation cannot result in the transfer of title, regardless of the duration of the occupation.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 109: "The fact that an occupation is prolonged does not in itself ch= ange its legal status under international humanitarian law.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 113: "The Court recalls that Israel has been carrying out a settleme= nt policy throughout its occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 114: "The Court further notes that, between 1967 and 2005, Israel=E2= =80=99s settlement policy was carried out in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 115: =E2=80=9C . . . the Court found that Israel=E2=80=99s settlemen= t policy was in breach of the sixth paragraph of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which provides that =E2=80=9C[t]he Occupying Power shall not de= port or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies=E2=80=9D. . . . In the present case, there is extensive evidence = of Israel=E2=80=99s policy of providing incentives for the relocation of Israe= li individuals and businesses into the West Bank, as well as for its industrial and agricultural development by settlers . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 117: =E2=80=9C. . . Israel=E2=80=99s construction of settlements is = accompanied by specially designed civilian infrastructure in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which integrates the settlements into the territory of Israel.= =E2=80=9D . . . The Independent International Commission of Inquiry adds that the continuous expansion by Israel of settlements and related infrastructure actively contributes to the entrenchment of the occupation . . .. As the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has noted, the population of the Israeli settlements has grown rapidly as a result of the establishment of Israeli infrastructure . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6118: "The transfer of members of the civilian population of the occup= ying Power into the occupied territory is prohibited regardless of whether it results in the displacement of the local population.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 120: "The expansion of Israel=E2=80=99s settlements in the West Bank= and East Jerusalem is based on the confiscation or requisitioning of large areas of land. According to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, over 2 million dunams (approximately 2,000 sq km) have been expropriated in Area C alone since 1967, amounting to more than a third of the West Bank . . .. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that almost all of this State land has been allocated for the benefit of Israeli settlements . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 122: "According to Article 46 of the Hague Regulations, private prop= erty must be respected and cannot be confiscated. . . . [T]he occupying Power bears the duty to administer public property for the benefit of the local population or, exceptionally, to meet the needs of the army of occupation. In the present case, however, the public property confiscated or requisitioned for the development of Israeli settlements benefits the civilian population of settlers, to the detriment of the local Palestinian population. The Court, therefore, concludes that these land policies are not in conformity with Articles 46, 52 and 55 of the Hague Regulations.=E2= =80=9D =C2=B6 124: =E2=80=9C. . . under the principle of customary international l= aw contained in Article 55 of the Hague Regulations, the occupying Power shall be regarded only as administrator and usufructuary of natural resources in the occupied territory, including but not limited to forests and agricultural estates, and it shall =E2=80=9Csafeguard the capital=E2=80=9D of these reso= urces. . . . [T]he occupying Power has the continuing duty to ensure that the local population has an adequate supply of foodstuffs, including water . . .. =C2=B6 128: "United Nations Reports confirm that Israel prioritizes the wat= er supply of settlements, to the detriment of Palestinian communities, which suffer from lengthy and frequent water outages . . .. Israel has imposed restrictions on the construction and maintenance by Palestinians of water installations without a military permit, and it prevents Palestinians from accessing and extracting water from the Jordan River . . .. Thus, in practice, Palestinians have little ability to ensure access to water in large parts of the West Bank; instead they must purchase significant quantities of water from Israel at a high price . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 130: "Israel=E2=80=99s water and land policies have resulted in the = reduction of agricultural land from 2.4 million dunams (approximately 2,400 sq km) in 1980 to around 1 million dunams (approximately 1,000 sq km) in 2010, while the share of agriculture in the gross domestic product of the Occupied Palestinian Territory declined from 35 per cent in 1972 to 12 per cent in 1995, to less than 4 per cent by 2020. Moreover, the expansion of settlements and of industrial zones has contributed to the pollution of freshwater and groundwater. Dwindling supplies of water and associated environmental degradation have severely undermined the Palestinian agricultural sector, reducing employment possibilities . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 131: "The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission stated that= 86 per cent of the mineral-rich Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea was in practice under the jurisdiction of the regional councils of Israeli settlements and that settlements extract minerals and cultivate fertile agricultural lands at the expense of Palestinians . . . . =C2=B6 132: "The General Assembly has repeatedly demanded that Israel =E2= =80=9Ccease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem=E2=80=9D . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6133: "On the basis of the evidence before it, the Court considers tha= t Israel=E2=80=99s use of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian T= erritory is inconsistent with its obligations under international law. By diverting a large share of the natural resources to its own population, including settlers, Israel is in breach of its obligation to act as administrator and usufructuary. . . . The Court further considers that, by severely restricting the access of the Palestinian population to water that is available in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel acts inconsistently with its obligation to ensure the availability of water in sufficient quantity and quality (Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention). . . . [T= ]he Court also concludes that Israel=E2=80=99s policy of exploitation of natura= l resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is inconsistent with its obligation to respect the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to permanent sovereignty over natural resources.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 134: "Under Article 43 of the Hague Regulations, the occupying Power= must in principle respect the law in force in the occupied territory unless absolutely prevented from doing so. =C2=B6135: "Since the start of the occupation, Israel has extended its lega= l domain in the West Bank, which has resulted in far-reaching changes to the applicable law and, in practice, two sets of applicable law: military law and Israeli domestic law, which has been extended extra-territorially to apply only to Israeli settlers. This has been done through military orders, legislation and Supreme Court decisions and includes criminal law, national health insurance law, taxation laws and laws pertaining to elections.=E2=80= =9D =C2=B6 136: "Israel has to a large degree substituted its military law for = the local law in force in the Occupied Palestinian Territory at the beginning of the occupation in 1967. Offences under Israel=E2=80=99s military law are= tried by Israeli military courts rather than by local civil or criminal courts. Moreover, as a matter of practice, the competent Israeli military authorities apply to settlers the law applicable to civilians in Israel, as well as to non-Israeli Jews present in the West Bank. As a result, settlers in the West Bank enjoy the rights and privileges of Israeli citizenship, as well as the protections of Israeli domestic laws and social benefits. In addition, settlers are not subjected to Israeli military courts and are instead tried before Israeli civilian courts. Palestinians in the West Bank are thus subject to military law and military courts, whereas settlers benefit from the criminal law and criminal justice system applicable to civilians in Israel.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 137: "Moreover, regional and local councils of settlers have assumed= de facto jurisdiction over the settlements in the West Bank . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 138: "In East Jerusalem, domestic Israeli law has been applied since= the beginning of the occupation in 1967. By its Government and Law Procedures Ordinance (No. 11), 5727-1967, of 28 June 1967, Israel declared that its domestic law, jurisdiction and administration were applicable to East Jerusalem, the geographical boundaries of which were expanded. . . . [F]rom the perspective of domestic law, Israel treats East Jerusalem as its own national territory, where Israeli law is applied in full and to the exclusion of any other domestic legal system.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 141: "For these reasons, the Court considers that Israel has exercis= ed its regulatory authority as an occupying Power in a manner that is inconsistent with the rule reflected in Article 43 of the Hague Regulations and Article 64 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 143: "The Court observes that the large-scale confiscation of land a= nd the deprivation of access to natural resources divest the local population of their basic means of subsistence, thus inducing their departure. Furthermore, a series of measures taken by Israeli military forces has exacerbated the pressure on the Palestinian population to leave parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory against their will (see paragraphs 180-229 below). Reports by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the UnitedNations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UnitedNations bodies document that Israel evicts or displaces hundreds of Palestinians from the Occupied Palestinian Territory every year, commonly as a result of the demolition of their property or as a result of zoning and planning policies and the relocation plans associated with them. . . . [T]he Secretary-General of the United Nations reported that more than a thousand Palestinians were displaced between June 2022 and May 2023 after Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated or sealed their properties . . .. Also, demolitions caused the displacement of over 700 Palestinians between April 2021 and March 2022 . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 144: "The Court recalls that, under the first paragraph of Article 4= 9 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, =E2=80=9C[i]ndividual or mass forcible transf= ers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive=E2=80=9D.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 145: "The purpose of the prohibition also indicates, in the Court=E2= =80=99s view, that the provision protects an occupied population against any transfer that is involuntary in character. . . . Therefore, the absence of physical force does not exclude the possibility that the transfer in question is forcible.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 147: "The Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practic= es, which it discusses in greater detail below (see paragraphs 180-229), including its forcible evictions, extensive house demolitions and restrictions on residence and movement, often leave little choice to members of the Palestinian population living in Area C but to leave their area of residence. The nature of Israel=E2=80=99s acts, including the fact that Isr= ael frequently confiscates land following the demolition of Palestinian property for reallocation to Israeli settlements, indicates that its measures are not temporary in character and therefore cannot be considered as permissible evacuations.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 148: "The Court notes that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy has gi= ven rise to violence by settlers and security forces against Palestinians.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 149: =E2=80=9C[T]he right to life of protected persons in the occupi= ed territory is guaranteed under the rule reflected in Article 46 of the Hague Regulations. This rule is complemented by the first paragraph of Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which provides that protected persons shall be humanely treated and protected against all threats or acts of violence.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 150: "According to various United Nations reports, settlers often su= bject Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to extensive violence, which Israeli authorities fail to prevent or to punish . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 151: "The Secretary-General of the United Nations has regularly documented an increase in the frequency and severity of attacks by settlers against Palestinians . . .. Other United Nations reports document incidents of armed settlers carrying out attacks inside Palestinian communities, sometimes in the proximity of the Israeli security forces who fail to intervene or, indeed, even support settlers in their attacks . . .. Accordi= ng to the Human Rights Committee, the lack of access for victims to justice and effective remedies fosters a =E2=80=9Cgeneral climate of impunity=E2=80= =9D in the case of settler violence against Palestinians . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 152: "Evidence before the Court indicates that Israeli security forc= es intervene with unnecessary or disproportionate force against Palestinians in the aftermath of settler attacks or in the context of Palestinian demonstrations against settlement expansion. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry has reported several incidents in which Israeli security forces have used live ammunition to suppress demonstrations by Palestinians resulting in hundreds of fatalities and injuries . . .. [M]ore Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 2022 than in any other year since 2005 . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 153: "Further, it is reported that Palestinian women and girls are subjected to gender-based violence in the form of excessive use of force and abuse, including physical, psychological and verbal abuse and sexual harassment, by Israeli security forces and settlers . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 154: "In the present case, on the basis of the evidence before it, t= he Court is of the view that Israel=E2=80=99s systematic failure to prevent or= to punish attacks by settlers against the life or bodily integrity of Palestinians, as well as Israel=E2=80=99s excessive use of force against Palestinians, is inconsistent with the obligations identified in paragraph 149 above.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 155: "In light of the above, the Court reaffirms that the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the re=CC=81gime assoc= iated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 156: "The Court notes with grave concern reports that Israel=E2=80= =99s settlement policy has been expanding . . .. In particular, in December 2022 Israel=E2= =80=99s parliament approved the establishment of an additional minister within the Ministry of Defence vested with governing powers in the West Bank, including land designations, planning and co-ordination of demolitions, which would expedite the approval process for new settlements. Also, the size of existing Israeli settlements expanded from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023 at a significant rate, with approximately 24,300 housing units within existing Israeli settlements in the West Bank being advanced or approved, including approximately 9,670 in East Jerusalem (=E2=80=9CIsraeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 158: "By the term =E2=80=9Cannexation=E2=80=9D, in the present conte= xt, the Court understands the forcible acquisition by the occupying Power of the territory that it occupies, namely its integration into the territory of the occupying Power. Annexation, then, presupposes the intent of the occupying Power to exercise permanent control over the occupied territory.= =E2=80=9D =C2=B6 159: Regardless of the circumstances in which the occupation was bro= ught about, the fact of the occupation alone cannot confer sovereign title to the occupying Power. Consequently, conduct by the occupying Power that displays an intent to exercise permanent control over the occupied territory may indicate an act of annexation.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 163: "Israel has asserted that East Jerusalem is part of its territo= ry, as evidenced by the notification of the Israeli Government to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, according to which =E2=80=9CJerusa= lem is not, in any part, =E2=80=98occupied territory=E2=80=99; it is the sovereign= capital of the State of Israel=E2=80=9D . . .. The Independent International Commission of= Inquiry reports that =E2=80=9C[o]ver one third of East Jerusalem has been expropria= ted for the construction of Israeli settlements, and only 13 per cent of the annexed area is currently zoned for Palestinian construction=E2=80=9D . . .= . It adds that approximately 230,000 persons live in 14 settlements established in East Jerusalem . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 165: "Because Israel treats East Jerusalem as its own territory, it regards Palestinians residing there as foreigners, and it requires that they hold a valid residence permit . . .. =C2=B6 166: "Turning to Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy in the West Bank= , the Court observes that, pursuant to the Basic Law of 2018 (see paragraph 163 above), the State of Israel =E2=80=9Cviews the development of Jewish settlement as = a national value, and shall act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation=E2=80=9D. As noted above, considerable areas of land have= already been declared as State land and allocated for the benefit of Israeli settlements (see paragraph 120). Palestinian construction is entirely prohibited in 70 per cent of Area C and severely restricted in the remaining 30 per cent of the area; less than 1 per cent of Area C is available to Palestinians for building housing and infrastructure (=E2=80= =9CReport of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel=E2=80=9D, UN do= c. A/77/328 (14 September 2022), paras. 39 and 42). The rate of expansion of Israeli settlements has been consistently increasing (see paragraph 156 above). The growth rate of the settler population in the West Bank appears to be significantly higher than that of the population in Israel and of the Palestinian population in the West Bank . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 167: "The Court observes that the continued expansion of settlements= in Area C increases Israel=E2=80=99s civilian and military presence in the ter= ritory and pushes the Palestinian population to other areas of the West Bank. This, together with the infrastructure re=CC=81gime associated with the settlements, advances the integration of large areas of the West Bank into the territory of Israel. . . . [T]he same is true for Israel=E2=80=99s poli= cy of integrating the infrastructure in the West Bank, including the road network, with that of Israel, which results in the interlacement of the settlements in the West Bank with Israel in a contiguous area, fragmenting the remaining areas in the West Bank (see paragraph 200). These measures are designed to be of indefinite duration, as evidenced by the fact that they are not easily reversible.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 168: "In this connection, the Court takes note of the report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which observed in 2022 that =E2=80=9CIsrael treats the occupation as a permanent fixture and has = =E2=80=94 for all intents and purposes =E2=80=94 annexed parts of the West Bank, while seekin= g to hide behind a fiction of temporariness. Actions by Israel constituting de facto annexation include expropriating land and natural resources, establishing settlements and outposts, maintaining a restrictive and discriminatory planning and building regime for Palestinians and extending Israeli law extraterritorially to Israeli settlers in the West Bank.=E2=80= =9D =C2=B6 173: "In light of the above, the Court is of the view that Israel=E2= =80=99s policies and practices, including the maintenance and expansion of settlements, the construction of associated infrastructure, including the wall, the exploitation of natural resources, the proclamation of Jerusalem as Israel=E2=80=99s capital, the comprehensive application of Israeli domes= tic law in East Jerusalem and its extensive application in the West Bank, entrench Israel=E2=80=99s control of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably of = East Jerusalem and of Area C of the West Bank. These policies and practices are designed to remain in place indefinitely and to create irreversible effects on the ground. Consequently, the Court considers that these policies and practices amount to annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 175: "The annexation of occupied territory by an occupying Power is unlawful. Under the principle enshrined in Article 2, paragraph 4, of the Charter of the United Nations,=E2=80=9C[a]ll Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations=E2=80=9D.= . . . =E2=80=9C[n]o territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal=E2=80=9D (General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV), Annex= , first principle).=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 176: "The Security Council affirmed this principle by resolution 252 (1968) of 21 May 1968, where it also declared that =E2=80=9Call legislative= and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, including expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem are invalid and cannot change that status=E2=80= =9D. . . . More recently, the Security Council, in its resolution 2334 (2016) of 23 December 2016, stated that =E2=80=9Cthe establishment by Israel of settleme= nts in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace=E2=80=9D. =C2=B6 179: "The Court has found that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practic= es amount to annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It is the view of the Court that to seek to acquire sovereignty over an occupied territory, as shown by the policies and practices adopted by Israel in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, is contrary to the prohibition of the use of force in international relations and its corollary principle of the non-acquisition of territory by force.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 185: "The Court observes that the prohibition of discrimination in t= he enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms forms part of the purposes of the United Nations. Under Article 1, paragraph 3, of the United Nations Charter, one of the purposes of the United Nations is =E2=80=9C[t]o= achieve international co-operation . . . in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion=E2=80=9D. The Universal Declaration of Hum= an Rights also provides that =E2=80=9C[e]veryone is entitled to all the rights= and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.=E2=80=9D (Article 2.)=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 194: "The Court considers that, at least in so far as it is applied = in East Jerusalem, Israel=E2=80=99s residence permit policy results in the differential treatment of Palestinians in relation to their right to reside in East Jerusalem . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 200: =E2=80=9C. . . [T]here were 565 movement obstacles in the West = Bank in early 2023, including 49 constantly staffed checkpoints and more than 300 roadblocks (OCHA, =E2=80=9CFact sheet: Movement and access in the West Bank= =E2=80=9D (August 2023)). Where Palestinians are allowed access to the restricted road network, this access is dependent on obtaining an individual travel permit, which is not required for settlers. =C2=B6 203: "Moreover, Israel=E2=80=99s restrictions on movement impede acc= ess of Palestinians in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip to places of worship in East Jerusalem. Evidence before the Court indicates that restrictions such as checkpoints and area closures during holy days have prevented Palestinians from attending religious rituals . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 204: "United Nations reports indicate that Israel=E2=80=99s security= forces engage in the destruction of the roads and other infrastructure used by Palestinians in the West Bank . . .. Such activities further exacerbate the differentiation in the treatment of Palestinians with reference to their freedom of movement.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 205: "On the basis of the evidence before it, the Court considers th= at, through its practice of restricting movement, Israel differentiates in its treatment of Palestinians with reference to their freedom of movement. . . . Moreover, the Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s measures imposing restrictions on all Palestinians solely on account of their Palestinian identity are disproportionate to any legitimate public aim and cannot be justified with reference to security.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 207: "According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which has been compiling data on the practice of property demolition in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 2009, almost 11,000 Palestinian structures have been demolished since then. Properties demolished included more than 4,500 residential and livelihood structures, over 3,000 agricultural structures and almost 1,000 water, sanitation and hygiene structures (OCHA, =E2=80=9CData on demolition and displacement in t= he West Bank=E2=80=9D). Israel=E2=80=99s practice of house demolitions takes two ma= in forms: demolition of property as a punitive sanction for a criminal offence; and demolition of property for lack of a building permit.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 208: =E2=80=9C[T]he military commander of the Israeli Defense Forces= has the power to order the demolition of properties that are linked with individuals having committed any of a cluster of offences deemed to be terrorist in nature: these properties are primarily homes in which the individuals in question live, or have lived, or where their families live. Israel is reported to have demolished more than 2,000 Palestinian properties since the beginning of the occupation as punishment for criminal offences . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 210: =E2=80=9C[A]lthough several thousand Palestinian homes have bee= n demolished . . ., the measure of punitive demolition appears never to have been used against properties connected to Israeli civilians having committed similar offences . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 212: =E2=80=9C[W]hile linked in some way to the individual having co= mmitted specific offences, the properties under demolition are commonly used or owned by a wide circle of people, including the individual=E2=80=99s family= or relatives. In this regard, the Court observes that the first paragraph of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention provides: =E2=80=9CNo protected = person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited.=E2=80=9D This provision follows from the general principle of individual criminal responsibility, which prohibits attributing responsibility to an individual for acts of another. In the Court=E2=80=99s view, punitive demolition of property amounts to punishment= of other persons living in or using this property for acts that they have not committed, and it is therefore contrary to Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 215: =E2=80=9C. . . Palestinians have been excluded from the plannin= g committees entrusted with issuing and enforcing building permits; in the 20 years prior to the report, 94 per cent of Palestinian permit applications had been denied. =E2=80=A6 It is reported that the approval rate of Palestinian= permit applications has further declined since then . . . In July 2023, the head of infrastructure at the Israeli Civil Administration confirmed that more than 90 per cent of Palestinian requests for permits were rejected, while approximately 60-70 per cent of Israeli requests were discussed and approve= d . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 217: "The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has repo= rted the demolition of more than 7,000 Palestinian-owned structures between 2012 and 2022, mostly in Area C and East Jerusalem. Among these structures, more than 1,600 were structures providing humanitarian aid, more than 600 were water, sanitation and hygiene buildings, and more than 20 were schools educating approximately 1,300 children . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 218: "According to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, five times more demolition orders were issued for Palestinian structures than Israeli ones in the period 2019-2020. In light of the extensive unlicensed construction in settlements and outposts, the Secretary-General considered this to indicate discrimination against Palestinians . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 220: "On the basis of the evidence before it, the Court considers th= at Israel=E2=80=99s planning policy in relation to the issuance of building pe= rmits, and its practice of property demolition for lack of a building permit, constitutes differential treatment of Palestinians in the enjoyment of their right to be protected from arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy, family and home, as guaranteed under Article 17, paragraph 1, of the ICCPR. [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 19 December 1966]=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 223: =E2=80=9C[T]he Court concludes that a broad array of legislatio= n adopted and measures taken by Israel in its capacity as an occupying Power treat Palestinians differently on grounds specified by international law. . . . Accordingly, the Court is of the view that the re=CC=81gime of comprehensive restriction= s imposed by Israel on Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory constitutes systemic discrimination based on, inter alia, race, religion or ethnic origin . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 225: "Article 3 of CERD [International Convention on the Elimination= of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 21 December 1965] provides as follows: =E2=80=9CStates Parties particularly condemn racial segregation an= d apartheid and undertake to prevent, prohibit and eradicate all practices of this nature in territories under their jurisdiction.=E2=80=9D This provisio= n refers to two particularly severe forms of racial discrimination: racial segregation and apartheid.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 226: "The Court observes that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practice= s in the West Bank and East Jerusalem implement a separation between the Palestinian population and the settlers transferred by Israel to the territory.=E2=80= =9D =C2=B6 227: "This separation is first and foremost physical: Israel=E2=80= =99s settlement policy furthers the fragmentation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the encirclement of Palestinian communities into enclaves. As a result of discriminatory policies and practices such as the imposition of a residence permit system and the use of distinct road networks, which the Court has discussed above, Palestinian communities remain physically isolated from each other and separated from the communities of settlers . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 228: "As a result of the partial extension of Israeli law to the Wes= t Bank and East Jerusalem, settlers and Palestinians are subject to distinct legal systems in the Occupied Palestinian Territory . . .. In addition, Israel=E2=80=99s legislation and measures that have been applicable for dec= ades treat Palestinians differently from settlers in a wide range of fields of individual and social activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (see paragraphs 192-222 above).=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 229: "The Court observes that Israel=E2=80=99s legislation and measu= res impose and serve to maintain a near-complete separation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem between the settler and Palestinian communities. For this reason, the Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s legislation and measures constitu= te a breach of Article 3 of CERD.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 230: "The Court has found that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy, i= ts acts of annexation, and its related discriminatory legislation and measures are in breach of international law. The Court now turns to the aspect of question (a) that enquires as to the effects of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practi= ces on the exercise of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to self-determinatio= n.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 231: "The right of all peoples to self-determination has been recogn= ized by the General Assembly as one of the =E2=80=9Cbasic principles of internat= ional law=E2=80=9D (Annex to resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970).=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 232: "The Court has affirmed that the right of all peoples to self-determination is =E2=80=9Cone of the essential principles of contempor= ary international law=E2=80=9D . . .. Indeed, it has recognized that the obliga= tion to respect the right to self-determination is owed erga omnes [universally applicable] and that all States have a legal interest in protecting that right . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 233: "The Human Rights Committee has explained that the importance o= f the right to self-determination stems from the fact that =E2=80=9Cits realizati= on is an essential condition for the effective guarantee and observance of individual human rights and for the promotion and strengthening of those rights=E2=80=9D . . .. [T]he General Assembly has repeatedly emphasized the significance of the right to self-determination as an =E2=80=9Cinalienable = right=E2=80=9D . . . =E2=80=9C =C2=B6 237: =E2=80=9C[T]he right to territorial integrity is recognized und= er customary international law as =E2=80=9Ca corollary of the right to self-determinatio= n=E2=80=9D . . .. In the context of Palestine, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council have called for =E2=80=9Cthe respect for and preservation of the territorial unity, contiguity and integrity of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem=E2=80=9D . . .. The Court c= onsiders that Israel, as the occupying Power, has the obligation not to impede the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination, including its right to an independent and sovereign State, over the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 238: "The Court has already found that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement p= olicy has fragmented the West Bank and severed East Jerusalem from it (see paragraph 164 above). The sprawl of settlements in the West Bank, coupled with the expansion of a road network to which Palestinians have limited or no access, has had the effect of encircling Palestinian communities in enclaves in the West Bank (see paragraphs 200 and 227 above). Moreover, Israel=E2=80=99s annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Terr= itory violates the integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as an essential element of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to self-determi= nation.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 239: "Second, by virtue of the right to self-determination, a people= is protected against acts aimed at dispersing the population and undermining its integrity as a people. . . . The Court has also found above that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy as a whole, its annexation of territory = and its related legislation and measures that discriminate against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory contribute to the departure of Palestinians from certain areas of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably from Area C and East Jerusalem. Moreover, Israel=E2=80=99s strict restrictions on movement between the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem divide the Palestinian populations living in different parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (see paragraphs 202 and 206 above). In the Court=E2=80=99s view, these policies and practices undermine the integr= ity of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, significantly impeding the exercise of its right to self-determination.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 240: "A third element of the right to self-determination is the righ= t to exercise permanent sovereignty over natural resources, which is a principle of customary international law . . .. The Court has already found above that Israel has been exploiting the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for its own benefit and for the benefit of settlements, in breach of its obligation to respect the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s permanent sovereignty over natural resources (see paragrap= h 133). In depriving the Palestinian people of its enjoyment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for decades, Israel has impeded the exercise of its right to self-determination.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 241: "Fourth, a key element of the right to self-determination is th= e right of a people freely to determine its political status and to pursue its economic, social and cultural development. . . . The Court has already discussed the impact of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices on some asp= ects of the economic, social and cultural life of Palestinians, in particular by virtue of the impairment of their human rights. The dependence of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and especially of the Gaza Strip, on Israel for the provision of basic goods and services impairs the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, in particular the right to self-determination . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 242: =E2=80=9C[T]he Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia = observed in 2023 that =E2=80=9CIsraeli-imposed restrictions, expansion of the illegal settlements and other practices not only prevent development but have also exacerbated the fragmentation of the Palestinian territory. These policies and practices have had a severe humanitarian, economic, social and political impact on Palestinians and their ability to exercise their fundamental human rights. Their repercussions have had a cumulative, multilayered and intergenerational impact on the Palestinian society, economy and environment and have caused the deterioration of the living conditions of the Palestinians, their forced displacement, =E2=80=98de-deve= lopment=E2=80=99 of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, entrenchment of the Palestinian economy=E2=80=99s asymmetric dependence on Israel, and exacerbation of Pale= stinian institutional dependence on foreign aid.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 243: "The prolonged character of Israel=E2=80=99s unlawful policies = and practices aggravates their violation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 247: "The Security Council, in its resolution 252 (1968), after reaffirming that acquisition of territory by military conquest is inadmissible, declared that it =E2=80=9C[c]onsiders that all legislative an= d administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, including expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem are invalid and cannot change that status=E2=80= =9D. The Council also, by its resolution 446 (1979), called upon Israel =E2=80=9Cto = rescind its previous measures and to desist from taking any action which would result in changing the legal status and geographical nature and materially affecting the demographic composition of the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and, in particular, not to transfer parts of its own civilian population into the occupied Arab territories=E2=80=9D.= Moreover, by resolution 465 (1980), the Council determined that=E2=80=9Call measures = taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof have no legal validity and that Israel=E2=80=99s policy and practices of se= ttling parts of its population and new immigrants in those territories constitute a flagrant violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and also constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East=E2= =80=9D.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 248: =E2=80=9C[I]n 2015, [the General Assembly] called upon =E2=80= =9CIsrael, the occupying Power, to comply strictly with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to cease all of its measures that are contrary to international law and all unilateral actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, that are aimed at altering the character, status and demographic composition of the Territory, including the confiscation and de facto annexation of land, and thus at prejudging the final outcome of peace negotiations, with a view to achieving without delay an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967=E2=80=9D (resolution 70/15 (2015)).=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 253: "The Court observes that an occupation involves, by its very na= ture, a continued use of force in foreign territory. Such use of force is, however, subject to the rules of international law governing the legality of the use of force or jus ad bellum. As indicated . . . above, these rules prohibit the use of force to acquire territory. =C2=B6 254: "Israel=E2=80=99s assertion of sovereignty over and its annexat= ion of certain parts of the territory constitute, as shown above, a violation of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force. This violation has a direct impact on the legality of Israel=E2=80=99s continued presence,= as an occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Court considers that Israel is not entitled to sovereignty over or to exercise sovereign powers in any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory on account of its occupation. Nor can Israel=E2=80=99s security concerns override the princip= le of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 256: "The Court observes that the effects of Israel=E2=80=99s polici= es and practices as discussed above, and its exercise of sovereignty over certain parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly the West Bank and East Jerusalem, constitute an obstruction to the exercise by the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination (see paragraphs 234-243 above). The effects of these policies and practices include Israel=E2=80=99s annexation of parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory,= the fragmentation of this territory, undermining its integrity, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of the enjoyment of the natural resources of the territory and its impairment of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to p= ursue its economic, social and cultural development (see paragraphs 230-243 above).=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 257: "The above-described effects of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and p= ractices, resulting, inter alia, in the prolonged deprivation of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination, constitute a breach of this fundamental right. =E2=80=9C =C2=B6 261: "The Court considers that the violations by Israel of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force and of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to self-determination have a direct impact on the le= gality of the continued presence of Israel, as an occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying Power, through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel=E2=80=99s presence in th= e Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 262: "This illegality relates to the entirety of the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in 1967. This is the territorial unit across which Israel has imposed policies and practices to fragment and frustrate the ability of the Palestinian people to exercise its right to self-determination, and over large swathes of which it has extended Israeli sovereignty in violation of international law. The entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory is also the territory in relation to which the Palestinian people should be able to exercise its right to self-determination, the integrity of which must be respected.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 267: "With regard to the Court=E2=80=99s finding that Israel=E2=80= =99s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal, the Court considers that such presence constitutes a wrongful act entailing its international responsibility. It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israel=E2=80=99s violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Consequently, Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 268: "Israel must immediately cease all new settlement activity. Isr= ael also has an obligation to repeal all legislation and measures creating or maintaining the unlawful situation, including those which discriminate against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as all measures aimed at modifying the demographic composition of any parts of the territory.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 269: "Israel is also under an obligation to provide full reparation = for the damage caused by its internationally wrongful acts to all natural or legal persons concerned . . .. The Court recalls that the essential principle is that =E2=80=9Creparation must, as far as possible, wipe out al= l the consequences of the illegal act and reestablish the situation which would, in all probability, have existed if that act had not been committed=E2=80= =9D . . ... Reparation includes restitution, compensation and/or satisfaction.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 270: "Restitution includes Israel=E2=80=99s obligation to return the= land and other immovable property, as well as all assets seized from any natural or legal person since its occupation started in 1967, and all cultural property and assets taken from Palestinians and Palestinian institutions, including archives and documents. It also requires the evacuation of all settlers from existing settlements and the dismantling of the parts of the wall constructed by Israel that are situated in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as allowing all Palestinians displaced during the occupation to return to their original place of residence.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 272: "The Court emphasizes that the obligations flowing from Israel= =E2=80=99s internationally wrongful acts do not release it from its continuing duty to perform the international obligations which its conduct is in breach of. Specifically, Israel remains bound to comply with its obligation to respect the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law . . ..=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 274: "The Court observes that the obligations violated by Israel inc= lude certain obligations erga omnes. As the Court indicated in the Barcelona Traction case, such obligations are by their very nature =E2=80=9Cthe conce= rn of all States=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9C[i]n view of the importance of the rights = involved, all States can be held to have a legal interest in their protection=E2=80=9D . = . .. Among the obligations erga omnes violated by Israel are the obligation to respect the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the obligation arising from the prohibition of the use of force to acquire territory as well as certain of its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 276: "As regards the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force, the Court notes that the Security Council has declared on several occasions, in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force and has determined that =E2=80=9Call measures taken by Israel to change the physical character= , demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof have no legal validity=E2=80=9D (Security Co= uncil resolution 465 (1980)). Moreover, the Security Council in resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that =E2=80=9Cit will not recognize any changes to the 4 = June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations=E2=80=9D, and called upon =E2=80=9Call Sta= tes, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967=E2=80=9D. =C2=B6277: "Similarly, the General Assembly has called upon all States (a) Not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations, including by ensuring that agreements with Israel do not imply recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel in 1967; (b) To distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967; (c) Not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities, including not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the occupied territories, in line with Security Council resolution 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980; (d) To respect and ensure respect for international law, in all circumstances, including through measures of accountability, consistent with international law=E2=80=9D (resolution 74/11 (2019)). In its resolution 77/126, the General Assembly also called upon =E2=80=9Cal= l States, consistent with their obligations under international law and the relevant resolutions, not to recognize, and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining, the situation created by measures that are illegal under international law, including those aimed at advancing annexation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967; while in resolution 32/161 (1977), the General Assembly called upon =E2=80= =9Call States, international organizations, specialized agencies, investment corporations and all other institutions not to recognize, or cooperate with or assist in any manner in, any measures undertaken by Israel to exploit the resources of the occupied territories or to effect any changes in the demographic composition or geographic character or institutional structure of those territories=E2=80=9D. =C2=B6 279: "Moreover, the Court considers that, in view of the character a= nd importance of the rights and obligations involved, all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. They are also under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel=E2=80=99s illegal presence in the Occupied Pale= stinian Territory. It is for all States, while respecting the Charter of the United Nations and international law, to ensure that any impediment resulting from the illegal presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to the exercise of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination is brought to an end. In addition, all the States parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention have the obligation, while respecting the Charter of the United Nations and international law, to ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law as embodied in that Convention.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 280: "The duty of non-recognition specified above also applies to international organizations, including the United Nations, in view of the serious breaches of obligations erga omnes under international law. . . . = In view of the character and importance of the obligations erga omnes involved in the illegal presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the obligation to distinguish in their dealings with Israel between the territory of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory apply also to the United Nations.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 282: "The Court considers it important to stress as it did in its Wall Advisory Opinion, =E2=80=9Cthe urgent necessity for the United Nations as a whole to redouble its efforts to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to pose a threat to international peace and security, to a speedy conclusion, thereby establishing a just and lasting peace in the region=E2= =80=9D.=E2=80=9D =C2=B6 285: "For these reasons, THE COURT (1) Finds that it has jurisdiction to give the advisory opinion requested; (2) Decides to comply with the request for an advisory opinion; (3) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel=E2=80=99s continued presence= in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful; (4) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible; (5) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory; (6) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel has the obligation to make reparation for the damage caused to all the natural or legal persons concerned in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; (7) Is of the opinion that all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; (8) Is of the opinion that international organizations, including the United Nations, are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and (9) Is of the opinion that the United Nations, and especially the General Assembly, which requested this opinion, and the Security Council, should consider the precise modalities and further action required to bring to an end as rapidly as possible the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory." --000000000000280b50061db4acb5 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
From Human Rights Watch:=C2=A0https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/19/world-court= -finds-israel-responsible-apartheid=C2=A0

World Court Finds Israel Responsible for Apartheid

July 19, 2024

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued=C2=A0an advisory opinion=C2=A0on Ju= ly 19, 2024, with=C2=A0significant consequences= =C2=A0for human rights protections in Palestine under Israel=E2=80=99s 57-year occupation. The opinion stems from a December 2022=C2=A0request=C2=A0by the United Nations General Assembly=C2=A0to the court to consider the legal consequences of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The following quote can be attributed to=C2=A0Tirana Hassan, Human Rights Watch Executive Director:

In a historic ruling the International Court of Justice has found multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including, for the first time, finding Israel responsible for apartheid. The court has placed responsibility with all states and the United Nations to end these violations of international law. The ruling should be yet another wake up call for the United States to end its egregious policy of defending Israel=E2=80=99s oppression of Palestinians and prompt a thorough reassessment in other countries as well.

The ICJ opinion is found here:=C2=A0https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/186/18= 6-20240719-adv-01-00-en.pdf

Among its findings:

=C2=B6 104: =E2=80=9C. . .=C2=A0the = Court notes that Israel=E2=80=99s occupation has lasted for more than 57 years.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 108:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C. . .=C2=A0it does not follow from Article 6 of the Fourth Geneva Convention that, in cases of prolonged occupation, the occupying Power acquires additional powers through the passage of time. The fact of the occupation cannot result in the transfer of title, regardless of the duration of the occupation.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 109: "The fact that an occupation is prolonged does not in itself change its legal status under international humanitarian law.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 113: "The Court recalls that Israel has been carrying out a settlement policy throughout its occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 114: "The Court further notes that, between 1967 and 2005, Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy was carried out in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 115:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C=C2=A0. . .=C2=A0= the Court found that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy was in breach of the sixth paragraph of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which provides that =E2=80=9C[t]he Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies=E2=80=9D. . . . =C2=A0In the present case, there is extensive evidence of Israel=E2=80=99s policy of providing incentives for the relocation of Israeli individuals and businesses into the West Bank, as well as for its industrial and agricultural development by settlers=C2=A0. . ..=E2= =80=9D

=C2=B6 117:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C. . .=C2=A0Israel=E2=80=99s construction of settlements is accompanied by specially designed civilian infrastructure in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which integrates the settlements into the territory of Israel.=E2=80=9D . . .=C2=A0The Independent International Commission of Inquiry adds that the continuous expansion by Israel of settlements and related infrastructure actively contributes to the entrenchment of the occupation . . ..=C2=A0As the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has noted, the population of the Israeli settlements has grown rapidly as a result of the establishment of Israeli infrastructure=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6118: "The transfer of members of the civilian population of the occupying Power into the occupied territory is prohibited regardless of whether it results in the displacement of the local population.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 120: "The expansion of Israel=E2=80=99s settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is based on the confiscation or requisitioning of large areas of land. According to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, over 2 million dunams (approximately 2,000 sq km) have been expropriated in Area C alone since 1967, amounting to more than a third of the West Bank=C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reports that almost all of this State land has been allocated for the benefit of Israeli settlements=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 122: "According to Article 46 of the Hague Regulations, private property must be respected and cannot be confiscated. . . . [T]= he occupying Power bears the duty to administer public property for the benefit of the local population or, exceptionally, to meet the needs of the army of occupation. In the present case, however, the public property confiscated or requisitioned for the development of Israeli settlements benefits the civilian population of settlers, to the detriment of the local Palestinian population. The Court, therefore, concludes that these land policies are not in conformity with Articles 46, 52 and 55 of the Hague Regulations.=E2=80=9D<= /font>

=C2=B6 124:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C. . .=C2=A0under the principle of customary international law contained in Article 55 of the Hague Regulations, the occupying Power shall be regarded only as administrator and usufructuary of natural resources in the occupied territory, including but not limited to forests and agricultural estates, and it shall =E2=80=9Csafeguard the capital=E2=80=9D of these resources. . . . [T]he occupying Power has the continuing duty to ensure that the local population has an adequate supply of foodstuffs, including water . . ..

=C2=B6 128: "United Nations Reports confirm that Israel prioritizes the water supply of settlements, to the detriment of Palestinian communities, which suffer from lengthy and frequent water outages . . ..=C2=A0Israel has imposed restrictions on the construction and maintenance by Palestinians of water installations without a military permit, and it prevents Palestinians from accessing and extracting water from the Jordan River= =C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0Thus= , in practice, Palestinians have little ability to ensure access to water in large parts of the West Bank; instead they must purchase=C2=A0significant quantities of water from Israel at a high price . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 130: "Israel=E2=80=99s water and land policies have resulted in the reduction of agricultural land from 2.4 million dunams (approximately 2,400 sq km) in 1980 to around 1 million dunams (approximately 1,000 sq km) in 2010, while the share of agriculture in the gross domestic product of the Occupied Palestinian Territory declined from 35 per cent in 1972 to 12 per cent in 1995, to less than 4 per cent by 2020. Moreover, the expansion of settlements and of industrial zones has contributed to the pollution of freshwater and groundwater. Dwindling supplies of water and associated environmental degradation have severely undermined the Palestinian agricultural sector, reducing employment possibilities . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 131: "The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission stated that 86 per cent of the mineral-rich Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea was in practice under the jurisdiction of the regional councils of Israeli settlements and that settlements extract minerals and cultivate fertile agricultural lands at the expense of Palestinians=C2=A0. . . .

=C2=B6 132: "The General Assembly has repeatedly demanded that Israel =E2=80=9Ccease the exploitation, damage, cause of loss or depletion and endangerment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem=E2=80=9D=C2= =A0. . ..=E2=80=9D
=C2=B6133: "On the basis of the evidence before it, the Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s use of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is inconsistent with its obligations under international law. By diverting a large share of the natural resources to its own population, including settlers, Israel is in breach of its obligation to act as administrator and usufructuary. . . .=C2=A0The Court further considers that, by severely restricting the access of the Palestinian population to water that is available in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel acts inconsistently with its obligation to ensure the availability of water in sufficient quantity and quality (Article 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention). . . . [T]he Court also concludes that Israel=E2=80=99s policy of exploitation of natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is inconsistent with its obligation to respect the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to permanent sovereignty over natural resources.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 134: "Under Article 43 of the Hague Regulations, the occupying Power must in principle respect the law in force in the occupied territory unless absolutely prevented from doing so.

=C2=B6135: "Since the start of the occupation, Israel has extended its legal domain in the West Bank, which has resulted in far-reaching changes to the applicable law and, in practice, two sets of applicable law: military law and Israeli domestic law, which has been=C2=A0extended extra-territorially to apply only to Israeli settlers. This has been done through military orders, legislation and Supreme Court decisions and includes criminal law, national health insurance law, taxation laws and laws pertaining to elections.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 136: "Israel has to a large degree substituted its military law for the local law in force in the Occupied Palestinian Territory at the beginning of the occupation in 1967. Offences under Israel=E2=80=99s military law are tried by Israeli military courts rather than by local civil or criminal courts. Moreover, as a matter of practice, the competent Israeli military authorities apply to settlers the law applicable to civilians in Israel, as well as to non-Israeli Jews present in the West Bank. As a result, settlers in the West Bank enjoy the rights and privileges of Israeli citizenship, as well as the protections of Israeli domestic laws and social benefits. In addition, settlers are not subjected to Israeli military courts and are instead tried before Israeli civilian courts. Palestinians in the West Bank are thus subject to military law and military courts, whereas settlers benefit from the criminal law and criminal justice system applicable to civilians in Israel.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 137: "Moreover, regional and local councils of settlers have assumed=C2=A0de facto=C2=A0j= urisdiction over the settlements in the West Bank . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 138: "In East Jerusalem, domestic Israeli law has been applied since the beginning of the occupation in 1967. By its Government and Law Procedures Ordinance (No. 11), 5727-1967, of 28 June 1967, Israel declared that its domestic law, jurisdiction and administration were applicable to East Jerusalem, the geographical boundaries of which were expanded. . . . [F]rom the perspective of domestic law, Israel treats East Jerusalem as its own national territory, where Israeli law is applied in full and to the exclusion of any other domestic legal system.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 141: "For these reasons, the Court considers that Israel has exercised its regulatory authority as an occupying Power in a manner that is inconsistent with the rule reflected in Article 43 of the Hague Regulations and Article 64 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 143: "The Court observes that the large-scale confiscation of land and the deprivation of access to natural resources divest the local population of their basic means of subsistence, thus inducing their departure. Furthermore, a series of measures taken by Israeli military forces has exacerbated the pressure on the Palestinian population to leave parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory against their will (see paragraphs 180-229 below). Reports by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the UnitedNations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UnitedNations bodies document that Israel evicts or displaces hundreds of Palestinians from the Occupied Palestinian Territory every year, commonly as a result of the demolition of their property or as a result of zoning and planning policies and the relocation plans associated with them. . . . [T]he=C2=A0Secretary-General of the United Nations reported that more than a thousand Palestinians were displaced between June 2022 and May 2023 after Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated or sealed their properties=C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0Also, demolitions caused the displacement of over 700 Palestinians between April 2021 and March 2022=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 144: "The Court recalls that, under the first paragraph of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, =E2=80=9C[i]ndividual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory to the territory of the Occupying Power or to that of any other country, occupied or not, are prohibited, regardless of their motive=E2=80=9D.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 145: "The purpose of the prohibition also indicates, in the Court=E2=80=99s view, that the provision protects an occupied population against any transfer that is involuntary in character. . . .=C2=A0Therefore, the absence of physical force does not exclude the possibility that the transfer in question is forcible.=E2=80=9D
=C2=B6 147: "The Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices, which it discusses in greater detail below (see paragraphs 180-229), including its forcible evictions, extensive house demolitions and restrictions on residence and movement, often leave little choice to members of the Palestinian population living in Area C but to leave their area of residence. The nature of Israel=E2=80=99s acts, including the fact that Israel frequently confiscates land following the demolition of Palestinian property for reallocation to Israeli settlements, indicates that its measures are not temporary in character and therefore cannot be considered as permissible evacuations.=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 148: "The Court notes that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy has given rise to violence by settlers and security forces against Palestinians.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 149:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[T]he right to life of protected persons in the occupied territory is guaranteed under the rule reflected in Article 46 of the Hague Regulations. This rule is complemented by the first paragraph of Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which provides that protected persons shall be humanely treated and protected against all threats or acts of violence.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 150: "According to various United Nations reports, settlers often subject Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to extensive violence, which Israeli authorities fail to prevent or to punish . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 151: "The Secretary-General of the United Nations has regularly documented an increase in the frequency and severity of attacks by settlers against Palestinians . . ..=C2=A0Other United Nations reports document incidents of armed settlers carrying out attacks inside Palestinian communities, sometimes in the proximity of the Israeli security forces who fail to intervene or, indeed, even support settlers in their attacks=C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0According to the Human Rights Committee, the lack of access for victims to justice and effective remedies fosters a =E2=80=9Cgeneral climate of impunity=E2=80=9D in the case of settler violence against Palestinians=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 152: "Evidence before the Court indicates that Israeli security forces intervene with unnecessary or disproportionate force against Palestinians in the aftermath of settler attacks or in the context of Palestinian demonstrations against settlement expansion. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry has reported several incidents in which Israeli security forces have used live ammunition to suppress demonstrations by Palestinians resulting in hundreds of fatalities and injuries=C2=A0. . .. [M]ore Palestinians were killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in 2022 than in any other year since 2005 . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 153: "Further, it is reported that Palestinian women and girls are subjected to gender-based violence in the form of excessive use of force and abuse, including physical, psychological and verbal abuse and sexual harassment, by Israeli security forces and settlers=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 154: "In the present case, on the basis of the evidence before it, the Court is of the view that Israel=E2=80=99s systematic failure to prevent or to punish attacks by settlers against the life or bodily integrity of Palestinians, as well as Israel=E2=80=99s excessive use of force against Palestinians, is inconsistent with the obligations identified in paragraph 149 above.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 155: "In light of the above, the Court reaffirms that the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the re=CC=81gime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 156: "The Court notes with grave concern reports that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy has been expanding . . ..=C2=A0In particular, in December 2022 Israel=E2=80=99s parliament approved the establishment of an additional minister within the Ministry of Defence vested with governing powers in the West Bank, including land designations, planning and co-ordination of demolitions, which would expedite the approval process for new settlements. Also, the size of existing Israeli settlements expanded from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023 at a significant rate, with approximately 24,300 housing units within existing Israeli settlements in the West Bank being advanced or approved, including approximately 9,670 in East Jerusalem (=E2=80=9CIsraeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 158: "By the term =E2=80=9Cannexation=E2=80=9D, in the present context, the Court understands the forcible acquisition by the occupying Power of the territory that it occupies, namely its integration into the territory of the occupying Power. Annexation, then, presupposes the intent of the occupying Power to exercise permanent control over the occupied territory.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 159:=C2=A0Regardless of the circumstances in which the occupation was brought about, the fact of the occupation alone cannot confer sovereign title to the occupying Power. Consequently, conduct by the occupying Power that displays an intent to exercise permanent control over the occupied territory may indicate an act of annexation.=E2=80=9D<= /font>

=C2=B6 163: "Israel has asserted that East Jerusalem is part of its territory, as evidenced by the notification of the Israeli Government to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, according to which =E2=80=9CJerusalem is not, in any part, =E2=80=98occupied territory=E2=80=99; it is the sovereign capital of the State of Israel=E2=80=9D=C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0The Independent International Commission of Inquiry reports that =E2=80=9C[o]ver one third of East Jerusalem has been expropriated for the construction of Israeli settlements, and only 13 per cent of the annexed area is currently zoned for Palestinian construction=E2=80=9D . . ..=C2=A0It adds that approximately 230,000 persons live in 14 settlements established in East Jerusalem . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 165: "Because Israel treats East Jerusalem as its own territory, it regards Palestinians residing there as foreigners, and it requires that they hold a valid residence permit . . ..=C2=A0

=C2=B6 166: "Turning to Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy in the West Bank, the Court observes that, pursuant to the Basic Law of 2018 (see paragraph 163 above), the State of Israel =E2=80=9Cviews the development of Jewish settlement as a national value, and shall act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation=E2=80=9D. As noted above, considerable areas of land have already been declared as State land and allocated for the benefit of Israeli settlements (see paragraph 120). Palestinian construction is entirely prohibited in 70 per cent of Area C and severely restricted in the remaining 30 per cent of the area; less than 1 per cent of Area C is available to Palestinians for building housing and infrastructure (=E2=80=9CReport of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel=E2=80=9D, UN doc. A/77/328 (14 September 2022), paras. 39 and 42). The rate of expansion of Israeli settlements has been consistently increasing (see paragraph 156 above). The growth rate of the settler population in the West Bank appears to be=C2=A0significantly higher than that of the population in Israel and of the Palestinian population in the West Bank . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 167: "The Court observes that the continued expansion of settlements in Area C increases Israel=E2=80=99s civilian and military presence in the territory and pushes the Palestinian population to other areas of the West Bank. This, together with the infrastructure re=CC=81gime associated with the settlements, advances the integration of large areas of the West Bank into the territory of Israel. . . . [T]he sa= me is true for Israel=E2=80=99s policy of integrating the infrastructure in the West Bank, including the road network, with that of Israel, which results in the interlacement of the settlements in the West Bank with Israel in a contiguous area, fragmenting the remaining areas in the West Bank (see paragraph 200). These measures are designed to be of indefinite duration, as evidenced by the fact that they are not easily reversible.=E2= =80=9D

=C2=B6 168: "In this connection, the Court takes note of the report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which observed in 2022 that=C2=A0=E2=80=9CIsrael treats the occupation as a permanent fixture and has =E2=80=94 for all intents and purposes =E2=80=94 annexed parts of the West Bank, while seeking to hide behind a fiction of temporariness. Actions by Israel constituting de facto annexation include expropriating land and natural resources, establishing settlements and outposts, maintaining a restrictive and discriminatory planning and building regime for Palestinians and extending Israeli law extraterritorially to Israeli settlers in the West Bank.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 173: "In light of the above, the Court is of the view that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices, including the maintenance and expansion of settlements, the construction of associated infrastructure, including the wall, the exploitation of natural resources, the proclamation of Jerusalem as Israel=E2=80=99s capital, the comprehensive application of Israeli domestic law in East Jerusalem and its extensive application in the West Bank, entrench Israel=E2=80=99s control of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably of East Jerusalem and of Area C of the West Bank. These policies and practices are designed to remain in place indefinitely and to create irreversible effects on the ground. Consequently, the Court considers that these policies and practices amount to annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 175: "The annexation of occupied territory by an occupying Power is unlawful. Under the principle enshrined in Article 2, paragraph 4, of the Charter of the United Nations,=E2=80=9C[a]ll Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations=E2=80=9D. . . .=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[n]o territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal=E2=80=9D (General Assembly resolution 2625 (XXV), Annex, first principle).=E2=80=9D<= /p>
=C2=B6 176: "The Security Council affirmed this principle by resolution 252 (1968) of 21 May 1968, where it also declared that =E2=80=9Call legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, including expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem are invalid and cannot change that status=E2=80=9D.=C2=A0 . . .=C2=A0More recently, the Security Council, in its resolution 2334 (2016) of 23 December 2016, stated that=C2=A0=E2=80=9Cthe establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace=E2=80=9D.

=C2=B6 179: "The Court has found that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices amount to annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It is the view of the Court that to seek to acquire sovereignty over an occupied territory, as shown by the policies and practices adopted by Israel in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, is contrary to the prohibition of the use of force in international relations and its corollary principle of the non-acquisition of territory by force.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 185: "The Court observes that the prohibition of discrimination in the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms forms part of the purposes of the United Nations. Under Article 1, paragraph 3, of the United Nations Charter, one of the purposes of the United Nations is =E2=80=9C[t]o achieve international co-operation . . . in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion=E2=80=9D. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights also provides that=C2=A0=E2= =80=9C[e]veryone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.=E2=80=9D (Article 2.)=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 194: "The Court considers that, at least in so far as it is applied in East Jerusalem, Israel=E2=80=99s residence permit policy results in the differential treatment of Palestinians in relation to their right to reside in East Jerusalem . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 200:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C. . . [T]here were 565 movement obstacles in the West Bank in early 2023, including 49 constantly staffed checkpoints and more than 300 roadblocks (OCHA, =E2=80=9CFact sheet: Movement and access in the West Bank=E2=80=9D (August 2023)). Where Palestinians are allowed access to the restricted road network, this access is dependent on obtaining an individual travel permit, which is not required for settlers.

=C2=B6 203: "Moreover, Israel=E2=80=99s restrictions on movement impede access of Palestinians in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip to places of worship in East Jerusalem. Evidence before the Court=C2=A0= indicates that restrictions such as checkpoints and area closures during holy days have prevented Palestinians from attending religious rituals=C2=A0. . ..= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 204: "United Nations reports indicate that Israel=E2=80=99s security forces engage in the destruction of the roads and other infrastructure used by Palestinians in the West Bank . . ..=C2=A0= Such activities further exacerbate the differentiation in the treatment of Palestinians with reference to their freedom of movement.=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 205: "On the basis of the evidence before it, the Court considers that, through its practice of restricting movement, Israel differentiates in its treatment of Palestinians with reference to their freedom of movement. . . .=C2=A0Moreover, the Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s measures imposing restrictions on all Palestinians solely on account of their Palestinian identity are disproportionate to any legitimate public aim and cannot be justified with reference to security.=E2=80= =9D

=C2=B6 207: "According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which has been compiling data on the practice of property demolition in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 2009, almost 11,000 Palestinian structures have been demolished since then. Properties demolished included more than 4,500 residential and livelihood structures, over 3,000 agricultural structures and almost 1,000 water, sanitation and hygiene structures (OCHA, =E2=80=9CData on demolition and displacement in the West Bank=E2=80=9D). Israel=E2=80=99s practice of house demolitions takes two main forms: demolition of property as a punitive sanction for a criminal offence; and demolition of property for lack of a building permit.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 208:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[T]he military commander of the Israeli Defense Forces has the power to order the demolition of properties that are linked with individuals having committed any of a cluster of offences deemed to be terrorist in nature: these properties are primarily homes in which the individuals in question live, or have lived, or where their families live. Israel is reported to have demolished more than 2,000 Palestinian properties since the beginning of the occupation as punishment for criminal offences . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 210:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[A]lthough several thousand Palestinian homes have been demolished . . ., the measure of punitive demolition appears never to have been used against properties connected to Israeli civilians having committed similar offences . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 212:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[W]hile linked in some way to the individual having committed specific offences, the properties under demolition are commonly used or owned by a wide circle of people, including the individual=E2=80=99s family or relatives. In this regard, the Court observes that the first paragraph of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention provides: =E2=80=9CNo protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited.=E2=80=9D This provision follows from the general principle of individual criminal responsibility, which prohibits attributing responsibility to an individual for acts of another. In the Court=E2=80=99s view, punitive demolition of property amounts to punishment of other persons living in or using this property for acts that they have not committed, and it is therefore contrary to Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 215:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C. . .=C2=A0Palestinians have been excluded from the planning committees entrusted with issuing and enforcing building permits; in the 20 years prior to the report, 94 per cent of Palestinian permit applications had been denied.=C2=A0=E2=80=A6=C2=A0It is reported that the approval rate of Palestinian permit applications has further declined since then=C2=A0. . .=C2=A0In July 2023, the head of infrastructure at the Israeli Civil Administration confirmed that more than 90 per cent of Palestinian requests for permits were rejected, while approximately 60-70 per cent of Israeli requests were discussed and approved=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 217: "The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has reported the demolition of more than 7,000 Palestinian-owned structures between 2012 and 2022, mostly in Area C and East Jerusalem. Among these structures, more than 1,600 were structures providing humanitarian aid, more than 600 were water, sanitation and hygiene buildings, and more than 20 were schools educating approximately 1,300 children=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 218: "According to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, five times more demolition orders were issued for Palestinian structures than Israeli ones in the period 2019-2020. In light of the extensive unlicensed construction in settlements and outposts, the Secretary-General considered this to indicate discrimination against Palestinians=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D<= /font>

=C2=B6 220: "On the basis of the evidence before it, the Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s planning policy in relation to the issuance of building permits, and its practice of property demolition for lack of a building permit, constitutes differential treatment of Palestinians in the enjoyment of their right to be protected from arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy, family and home, as guaranteed under Article 17, paragraph 1, of the ICCPR. [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 19 December 1966]=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 223:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[T]he Court concludes that a broad array of legislation adopted and measures taken by Israel in its capacity as an occupying Power treat Palestinians differently on grounds specified by international law.=C2=A0. . . Accordingly, the Court is of the view that the re=CC=81gime of comprehensive restrictions imposed by Israel on Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory constitutes systemic discrimination based on,=C2=A0inter alia, race, religion or ethnic origin . . ..=E2= =80=9D

=C2=B6 225: "Article 3 of CERD [International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 21 December 1965]=C2=A0pro= vides as follows: =E2=80=9CStates Parties particularly condemn racial segregation and=C2=A0apartheid=C2=A0and undertake to prevent, prohibit and eradicate all practices of this nature in territories under their jurisdiction.=E2=80=9D This provision refers to two particularly severe forms of racial discrimination: racial segregation and apartheid.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 226: "The Court observes that Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices in the West Bank and East Jerusalem implement a separation between the Palestinian population and the settlers transferred by Israel to the territory.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 227: "This separation is first and foremost physical: Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy furthers the fragmentation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the encirclement of Palestinian communities into enclaves. As a result of discriminatory policies and practices such as the imposition of a residence permit system and the use of distinct road networks, which the Court has discussed above, Palestinian communities remain physically isolated from each other and separated from the communities of settlers=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 228: "As a result of the partial extension of Israeli law to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, settlers and Palestinians are subject to distinct legal systems in the Occupied Palestinian Territory=C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0In addition, Israel=E2=80=99s legislation and measures that have been applicable for decades treat Palestinians differently from settlers in a wide range of fields of individual and social activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem (see paragraphs 192-222 above).=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 229: "The Court observes that Israel=E2=80=99s legislation and measures impose and serve to maintain a near-complete separation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem between the settler and Palestinian communities. For this reason, the Court considers that Israel=E2=80=99s legislation and measures constitute a breach of Article 3 of CERD.=E2=80=9D<= /font>

=C2=B6 230: "The Court has found that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy, its acts of annexation, and its related discriminatory legislation and measures are in breach of international law. The Court now turns to the aspect of question=C2=A0(a)=C2=A0th= at enquires as to the effects of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices on the exercise of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to self-determination.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 231: "The right of all peoples to self-determination has been recognized by the General Assembly as one of the =E2=80=9Cbasic principles of international law=E2=80=9D (Annex to resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970).=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 232: "The Court has affirmed that the right of all peoples to self-determination is =E2=80=9Cone of the essential principles of contemporary international law=E2=80=9D . . ..=C2=A0Indeed, it has recognized that the obligation to respect the right to self-determination is owed=C2=A0erga omnes [universally applicable] and that a= ll States have a legal interest in protecting that right . . ..=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 233: "The Human Rights Committee has explained that the importance of the right to self-determination stems from the fact that =E2=80=9Cits realization is an essential condition for the effective guarantee and observance of individual human rights and for the promotion and strengthening of those rights=E2=80=9D . . .. [T]he General Assembly has repeatedly emphasized the significance of the right to self-determination as an =E2=80=9Cinalienable right=E2=80=9D . . .=C2=A0=E2=80=9C

=C2=B6 237:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[T]he right to territorial integrity is recognized under customary international law as =E2=80=9Ca corollary of the right to self-determination=E2=80=9D=C2=A0. . ..=C2=A0In the context of Palestine, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council have called for =E2=80=9Cthe respect for and preservation of the territorial unity, contiguity and integrity of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem=E2=80=9D . . ..=C2=A0The Court considers that Israel, as the occupying Power, has the obligation not to impede the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination, including its right to an independent and sovereign State, over the entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.=E2=80=9D
=C2=B6 238: "The Court has already found that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy has fragmented the West Bank and severed East Jerusalem from it (see paragraph 164 above). The sprawl of settlements in the West Bank, coupled with the expansion of a road network to which Palestinians have limited or no access, has had the effect of encircling Palestinian communities in enclaves in the West Bank (see paragraphs 200 and 227 above). Moreover, Israel=E2=80=99s annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory violates the integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as an essential element of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to self-determination.=E2=80= =9D

=C2=B6 239: "Second, by virtue of the right to self-determination, a people is protected against acts aimed at dispersing the population and undermining its integrity as a people. . . .=C2=A0The= Court has also found above that Israel=E2=80=99s settlement policy as a whole, its annexation of territory and its related legislation and measures that discriminate against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory contribute to the departure of Palestinians from certain areas of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably from Area C and East Jerusalem. Moreover, Israel=E2=80=99s strict restrictions on movement between the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem divide the Palestinian populations living in different parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (see paragraphs 202 and 206 above). In the Court=E2=80=99s view, these policies and practices undermine the integrity of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, significantly impeding the exercise of its right to self-determination.=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 240: "A third element of the right to self-determination is the right to exercise permanent sovereignty over natural resources, which is a principle of customary international law . . ..=C2=A0The Court has already found above that Israel has been exploiting the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for its own benefit and for the benefit of settlements, in breach of its obligation to respect the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s permanent sovereignty over natural resources (see paragraph 133). In depriving the Palestinian people of its enjoyment of the natural resources in the Occupied Palestinian Territory for decades, Israel has impeded the exercise of its right to self-determination.=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 241: "Fourth, a key element of the right to self-determination is the right of a people freely to determine its political status and to pursue its economic, social and cultural development. . . .=C2=A0The Court has already discussed the impact of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices on some aspects of the economic, social and cultural life of Palestinians, in particular by virtue of the impairment of their human rights. The dependence of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and especially of the Gaza Strip, on Israel for the provision of basic goods and services impairs the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, in particular the right to self-determination . . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 242:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[T]he Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia observed in 2023 that=C2=A0=E2=80=9CIsraeli-imposed restrictions, expansion of the illegal settlements and other practices not only prevent development but have also exacerbated the fragmentation of the=C2=A0Palestinian territory. These policies and practices have had a severe humanitarian, economic, social and political impact on Palestinians and their ability to exercise their fundamental human rights. Their repercussions have had a cumulative, multilayered and intergenerational impact on the Palestinian society, economy and environment and have caused the deterioration of the living conditions of the Palestinians, their forced displacement, =E2=80=98de-development=E2=80=99 of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, entrenchment of the Palestinian economy=E2=80=99s asymmetric dependence on Israel, and exacerbation of Palestinian institutional dependence on foreign aid.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 243: "The prolonged character of Israel=E2=80=99s unlawful policies and practices aggravates their violation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 247: "The Security Council, in its resolution 252 (1968), after reaffirming that acquisition of territory by military conquest is inadmissible, declared that it=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[c]onsiders=C2=A0that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, including expropriation of land and properties thereon, which tend to change the legal status of Jerusalem are invalid and cannot change that status=E2=80=9D.=C2=A0The Council also, by its resolution 446 (1979), called upon Israel=C2=A0=E2=80=9Ct= o rescind its previous measures and to desist from taking any action which would result in changing the legal status and geographical nature and materially affecting the demographic composition of the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and, in particular, not to transfer parts of its own civilian population into the occupied Arab territories=E2=80=9D.=C2=A0Moreover, by resolution 465 (1980), the Council determined that=E2=80=9Call measures taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof have no legal validity and that Israel=E2=80=99s policy and practices of settling parts of its population and new immigrants in those territories constitute a flagrant violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and also constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East=E2=80=9D.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 248:=C2=A0=E2=80=9C[I]n 2015, [the General Assembly]=C2=A0called upon=C2=A0=E2=80=9CIsr= ael, the occupying Power, to comply strictly with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to cease all of its measures that are contrary to international law and all unilateral actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, that are aimed at altering the character, status and demographic composition of the Territory, including the confiscation and de facto annexation of land, and thus at prejudging the final outcome of peace negotiations, with a view to achieving without delay an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967=E2=80=9D (resolution 70/15 (2015)).=E2=80=9D=

=C2=B6 253: "The Court observes that an occupation involves, by its very nature, a continued use of force in foreign territory. Such use of force is, however, subject to the rules of international law governing the legality of the use of force or=C2=A0jus ad bellum. As indicated . . . =C2=A0above, these rules prohibit the use of force to acquire territory.=C2=A0

=C2=B6 254: "Israel=E2=80=99s assertion of sovereignty over and its annexation of certain parts of the territory constitute, as shown above, a violation of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force. This violation has a direct impact on the legality of Israel=E2=80=99s continued presence, as an occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Court considers that Israel is not entitled to sovereignty over or to exercise sovereign powers in any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory on account of its occupation. Nor can Israel=E2=80=99s security concerns override the principle of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 256: "The Court observes that the effects of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices as discussed above, and its exercise of sovereignty over certain parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly the West Bank and East Jerusalem, constitute an obstruction to the exercise by the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination (see paragraphs 234-243 above). The effects of these policies and practices include Israel=E2=80=99s annexation of parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the fragmentation of this territory, undermining its integrity, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of the enjoyment of the natural resources of the territory and its impairment of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to pursue its economic, social and cultural development (see paragraphs 230-243 above).=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 257: "The above-described effects of Israel=E2=80=99s policies and practices, resulting,=C2=A0inter alia, in the prolonged deprivation of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination, constitute a breach of this fundamental right.=C2=A0=E2= =80=9C

=C2=B6 261: "The Court considers that the violations by Israel of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force and of the Palestinian people=E2=80=99s right to self-determination have a direct impact on the legality of the continued presence of Israel, as an occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying Power, through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel=E2=80=99s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful.=E2=80=9D
=C2=B6 262: "This illegality relates to the entirety of the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel in 1967. This is the territorial unit across which Israel has imposed policies and practices to fragment and frustrate the ability of the Palestinian people to exercise its right to self-determination, and over large swathes of which it has extended Israeli sovereignty in violation of international law. The entirety of the Occupied Palestinian Territory is also the territory in relation to which the Palestinian people should be able to exercise its right to self-determination, the integrity of which must be respected.=E2=80=9D<= /font>

=C2=B6 267: "With regard to the Court=E2=80=99s finding that Israel=E2=80=99s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal, the Court considers that such presence constitutes a wrongful act entailing its international responsibility. It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israel=E2=80=99s violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Consequently, Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 268: "Israel must immediately cease all new settlement activity. Israel also has an obligation to repeal all legislation and measures creating or maintaining the unlawful situation, including those which discriminate against the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as all measures aimed at modifying the demographic composition of any parts of the territory.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 269: "Israel is also under an obligation to provide full reparation for the damage caused by its internationally wrongful acts to all natural or legal persons concerned . . .. =C2=A0The Court recalls that the essential principle is that =E2=80=9Creparation must, as far as possible, wipe out all the consequences of the illegal act and reestablish the situation which would, in all probability, have existed if that act had not been committed=E2=80=9D . . ... Reparation includes restitution, compensation and/or satisfaction.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 270: "Restitution includes Israel=E2=80=99s obligation to return the land and other immovable property, as well as all assets seized from any natural or legal person since its occupation started in 1967, and all cultural property and assets taken from Palestinians and Palestinian institutions, including archives and documents. It also requires the evacuation of all settlers from existing settlements and the dismantling of the parts of the wall constructed by Israel that are situated in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as well as allowing all Palestinians displaced during the occupation to return to their original place of residence.=E2=80= =9D

=C2=B6 272: "The Court emphasizes that the obligations flowing from Israel=E2=80=99s internationally wrongful acts do not release it from its continuing duty to perform the international obligations which its conduct is in breach of. Specifically, Israel remains bound to comply with its obligation to respect the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law=C2=A0. . ..=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 274: "The Court observes that the obligations violated by Israel include certain obligations=C2=A0erga omnes. As the Court indicated in the=C2=A0Barcelona Traction=C2=A0case, su= ch obligations are by their very nature =E2=80=9Cthe concern of all States=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9C[i]n view of the importance of the rights involved, all States can be held to have a legal interest in their protection=E2=80=9D . . .. Among the obligations=C2=A0erga omnes=C2=A0violated by Israel are the obligation to respect the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the obligation arising from the prohibition of the use of force to acquire territory as well as certain of its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 276: "As regards the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force, the Court notes that the Security Council has declared on several occasions, in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force and has determined that=C2=A0= =E2=80=9Call measures taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof have no legal validity=E2=80=9D (Security Council resolution 465 (1980)).=C2=A0Moreover, the Security Council in resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that =E2=80=9Cit will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations=E2=80=9D, and called upon =E2=80=9Call States, bearing in mind paragraph 1 of this resolution, to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967=E2=80=9D.

=C2=B6277: "Similarly, the General Assembly has called upon all States

(a)=C2=A0Not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations, including by ensuring that agreements with Israel do not imply recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel in 1967;

(b) =C2=A0To distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967;

(c) =C2=A0Not t= o render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities, including not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the occupied territories, in line with Security Council resolution 465 (1980) of 1 March 1980;

(d) =C2=A0To respect and ensure respect for international law, in all circumstances, including through measures of accountability, consistent with international law=E2=80=9D (resolution 74/11 (2019)).

In its resolution 77/126, the General Assembly also called upon =E2=80=9Ca= ll States, consistent with their obligations under international law and the relevant resolutions, not to recognize, and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining, the situation created by measures that are illegal under international law, including those aimed at advancing annexation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967;

while in resolution 32/161 (1977), the General Assembly called upon=C2=A0=E2=80=9Call States, international organizations, specialized agencies, investment corporations and all other institutions not to recognize, or cooperate with or assist in any manner in,=C2=A0any measures undertaken by Israel to exploit the resources of the occupied territories or to effect any changes in the demographic composition or geographic character or institutional structure of those territories=E2=80=9D.

=C2=B6 279: "Moreover, the Court considers that, in view of the character and importance of the rights and obligations involved, all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. They are also under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel=E2=80=99s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It is for all States, while respecting the Charter of the United Nations and international law, to ensure that any impediment resulting from the illegal presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to the exercise of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination is brought to an end. In addition, all the States parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention have the obligation, while respecting the Charter of the United Nations and international law, to ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law as embodied in that Convention.=E2=80=9D<= /p>
=C2=B6 280: "The duty of non-recognition specified above also applies to international organizations, including the United Nations, in view of the serious breaches of obligations=C2=A0erga omnes=C2=A0under international law. . . . =C2=A0In view of the character and importance of the obligations=C2=A0erga omnes=C2=A0involved in the illegal presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the obligation to distinguish in their dealings with Israel between the territory of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory apply also to the United Nations.= =E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 282: "The Court considers it important to stress as it did in its=C2=A0Wall=C2=A0Advisory Opinion,=C2=A0=E2=80= =9Cthe urgent necessity for the United Nations as a whole to redouble its efforts to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to pose a threat to international peace and security, to a speedy conclusion, thereby establishing a just and lasting peace in the region=E2=80=9D.=E2=80=9D

=C2=B6 285: "For these reasons, THE COURT

(1)=C2=A0= Finds= =C2=A0that it has juri= sdiction to give the advisory opinion requested;

(2)=C2=A0= Decide= s=C2=A0to comply with = the request for an advisory opinion;

(3)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that the = State of Israel=E2=80=99s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful;

(4)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that the = State of Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible;

(5)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that the = State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory;

(6)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that the = State of Israel has the obligation to make reparation for the damage caused to all the natural or legal persons concerned in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;

(7)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that all = States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;

(8)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that inte= rnational organizations, including the United Nations, are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and

(9)=C2=A0= Is of = the opinion=C2=A0that the = United Nations, and especially the General Assembly, which requested this opinion, and the Security Council, should consider the precise modalities and further action required to bring to an end as rapidly as possible the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory."

--000000000000280b50061db4acb5-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:42:53 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6AB61B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:42:53 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 6AB61B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="U+EI+YDa" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 6240EBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:42:53 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f48.google.com (mail-lf1-f48.google.com [209.85.167.48]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 55AE5BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:42:53 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f48.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52f00ad303aso134230e87.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:42:53 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721511771; x=1722116571; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=93CwJSfua6uKxx8ZMmvK2ACBewZecAinL17Kc1sLKZc=; b=U+EI+YDaaCTAyZ+V0JuKFu0Vr6jtQTJqnr6A47drw/S25VrLRLQNNsNjQhMhfiw32j MjtFEo/JxiXBvAGQwdMk50VFmjIxw7VtoV3q9Z28lZIPuJ+Eq+4PL66V6UdqHldDuNAH SB84GH5Kx4YOqqRglLqW9yQC24MF7JlCy3+lA6zi1lqn6hiX1xKf2tzYKXNSw4bur0QF eITTtQk73z5Z+B2bhg8P24SMluRsHwV+RH6pYSeTCP9YI1MxOcC6ctw6SZ7DUDp2EgVW APGeJNXUwHvUW96+km52Yw9ryqacMTMzymWxVCY6aCZtaK0hchb1lpqjwG5oYDGsOiqx JE3w== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721511771; x=1722116571; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=93CwJSfua6uKxx8ZMmvK2ACBewZecAinL17Kc1sLKZc=; b=uerPPkkzQt8NdPl7fl+TTQJfnyCj0YWQofoqUxLOsw9u385RHdZx6aNVrpmE7g37BO nNK7nvX2Z6fN7oTKfRkv2oDIXbo5XV4xS9jdLsItLF/Ssbla3i7WjOk2mhrJjfnqz54X WXmvqTPWlIJk74r3Y5qKIlncTLCq0Z7bK9iNpnnUfmiJSih8p8WGgL4CHRS4uzNSLvGu GSX9qlu1DLyiQSSgeGHQvZRrOKeCf8Z1GLeFMPm6ZvxO+NBeddFOspzrQGCPTo9KvOjo tDUvNPlUwFY1PzW6tqWkCZ8T/VGxKoHvfwOYAYB7CoaO2TtdhS4WohLxvaZk+i9ExCj/ YrKQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YyxhYv7fG3/UVoXf1zFzOPiBTo2bCAkjp8+0twOPu0aB+BP7Gu/ s0Hzvo7w/ehftug2VUaz/4ljTlVqlVD97VQFTpI0wWxAJjFjyygzEyCps2B/JHuiYiIIYkY9wGH J/yPgSCJzIRdmuvOu+BNxtbjL+y0GdA== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHw/stietsgHPc+IbceH8az7x9yuJ1jfnBFqEjsK2v7jcPkLDbMn8DMC0JTxQabm2lyab3VpujAmpCL2f0W2TQ= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:1114:b0:52e:f950:31f3 with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb7d11fbmr1606855e87.35.1721511771244; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:42:51 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:42:43 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000009a1523061db4b127" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?Biden_delays_presidential_race_withdrawal_unti?= =?utf-8?q?l_after_Netanyahu=E2=80=99s_speech_in_congress?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:42:53 -0000 --0000000000009a1523061db4b127 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://thecradle.co/articles/biden-delays-presidential-race-withdrawal-un= til-after-netanyahu's-speech-in-congress-report * *Biden delays presidential race withdrawal until after Netanyahu=E2=80=99s = speech in congress: *ReportBiden does not want to give Netanyahu the 'satisfaction' of withdrawing yet due to the strained relations between them, his advisers say *News Desk* *US President Joe Biden will not withdraw from the 2024 US presidential race before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses Congress at the invitation of Republicans on Wednesday, the New York Times reported on 20 July.* *Biden is under pressure from influential members of his Democratic Party, including former president Barack Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, to withdraw from the race against former president Donald Trump due to questions over his age and mental cognition.* *=E2=80=9CWhile Mr. Biden and his team publicly insist that he is staying i= n the race, privately, people close to him have said that he is increasingly accepting that he may not be able to, and some have begun discussing dates and venues for a possible announcement that he is stepping aside,=E2=80=9D = the New York Times added.* *However, advisers to President Biden say he would not want to withdraw before Netanyahu visits Washington on Wednesday to address Congress at the invitation of its Republican members. The Times writes that Biden is =E2=80=9Cunwilling to give the premier the satisfaction given their straine= d relations lately over the Gaza war.=E2=80=9D* *Biden has been a staunch supporter of Israel=E2=80=99s genocide of Palesti= nians in Gaza, sending billions of dollars and hundreds of additional shipments of weapons, including devastating 500-pound and 2,000-pound bombs, to Israel since 7 October.* *US aid has helped Israel kill over 38,000 Palestinians =E2=80=93 mostly wo= men and children =E2=80=93 while turning much of Gaza into a =E2=80=9Cmoonscape.=E2= =80=9D* *But Netanyahu has nevertheless criticized Biden and his Secretary of State Antony Blinken as not assisting Israel enough, causing a majority of Israelis to prefer a Trump win in November.* *In May, Israeli-born Miriam Adelson, the wife of the late billionaire Sheldon Adelson, reportedly pledged to spend more than $100 million to support Trump in the upcoming general election after staying neutral in the Republican presidential primaries this year.* *In a profile in New York Magazine, Adelson suggested that she would push Trump to allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank if he wins a second term. The magazine described West Bank annexation as =E2=80=9Cunfinished Israel business from = Trump=E2=80=99s presidency.=E2=80=9D* *Annexing the occupied West Bank, expanding Jewish settlement there, and ethnically cleansing it of Palestinians is a key goal of Netanyahu=E2=80=99= s ruling coalition.* *Sheldon Adelson, who passed away in 2021, leveraged his support for Trump in the 2016 election to get the US embassy moved to occupied Jerusalem when Trump won.* --0000000000009a1523061db4b127 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://thecradle.co= /articles/biden-delays-presidential-race-withdrawal-until-after-netanyahu&#= 39;s-speech-in-congress-report

Biden delays presidential race withd= rawal until after Netanyahu=E2=80=99s speech in congress:=C2=A0<= font size=3D"2" color=3D"#000000">Report
Biden does not want to give Netanyahu the 'satisfact= ion' of withdrawing yet due to the strained relations between them, his= advisers say
News Desk
US President Joe Biden will not withdraw from the 2024 US p= residential race before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses= Congress at the invitation of Republicans on Wednesday, the=C2=A0New York Times=C2=A0reported=C2=A0on 20 July.
Biden = is under pressure from influential members of his Democratic Party, includi= ng former president Barack Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, to = withdraw from the race against former president Donald Trump due to questio= ns over his age and mental cognition.
=E2=80=9CWhi= le Mr. Biden and his team publicly insist that he is staying in the race, p= rivately, people close to him have said that he is increasingly accepting t= hat he may not be able to, and some have begun discussing dates and venues = for a possible announcement that he is stepping aside,=E2=80=9D the=C2=A0New York Times=C2=A0added.
However, advisers to President Biden say h= e would not want to withdraw before Netanyahu visits Washington on Wednesda= y to address Congress at the invitation of its Republican members. The=C2=A0Times=C2=A0write= s that Biden is =E2=80=9Cunwilling to give the premier the satisfaction giv= en their strained relations lately over the Gaza war.=E2=80=9D
Biden has been a staunch supporter of Israel=E2=80=99s genocid= e of Palestinians in Gaza, sending billions of dollars and hundreds of addi= tional shipments of weapons, including devastating 500-pound and 2,000-poun= d bombs, to Israel since 7 October.
US aid has hel= ped Israel kill over 38,000 Palestinians =E2=80=93 mostly women and childre= n =E2=80=93 while turning much of Gaza into a =E2=80=9Cmoonscape.=E2=80=9D<= /b>
But Netanyahu has nevertheless criticized Biden an= d his Secretary of State Antony Blinken as not assisting Israel enough, cau= sing a majority of Israelis to prefer a Trump win in November.
In May, Israeli-born Miriam Adelson, the wife of the late bill= ionaire Sheldon Adelson, reportedly=C2=A0pledged=C2=A0to spend more than $100 million to support Trump in the upcom= ing general election after staying neutral in the Republican presidential p= rimaries this year.
In a=C2=A0profile=C2=A0in=C2=A0New York=C2=A0= Magazine, Adelson suggested that she would push Trump to allow Israel t= o annex the occupied West Bank if he wins a second term. The magazine descr= ibed West Bank annexation as =E2=80=9Cunfinished Israel business from Trump= =E2=80=99s presidency.=E2=80=9D
Annexing the occup= ied West Bank, expanding Jewish settlement there, and ethnically cleansing = it of Palestinians is a key goal of Netanyahu=E2=80=99s ruling coalition.
Sheldon Adelson, who passed away in 2021, leveraged= his support for Trump in the 2016 election to get the US embassy moved to = occupied Jerusalem when Trump won.

--0000000000009a1523061db4b127-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:55:39 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id A86D7B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:55:39 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net A86D7B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="ZLeaKCVE" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 984E7BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:55:39 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f42.google.com (mail-ej1-f42.google.com [209.85.218.42]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 70F43BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:55:39 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f42.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77c4309fc8so302338566b.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:55:39 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721512538; x=1722117338; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=n8jxP5LqgeTa92D5BVn4Jj3krSyUrUBNwyo+G66OQic=; b=ZLeaKCVEx9E30PUMCPad42KtLp6ujdm17i2dIcA1yz5BPs5zoTaASJWn/lBbrGt/6Q KrW1rg805O4rVDcqXCsrTQhelPhK6xvdRYMqBGcD+rIAHSPcuW8Vbm/chKQdaS1FNvOL Ck4WuewdwEdQeAUT66GKR0fderkUKthusBLmBXaHXGxg5vrxEZTzzAJMC5TEpdGK0gxF n4YbqKMpZ/uO5w1F8VlhXzh96afm6s5v1qtRDECvUz/WQwSKrrRzBFisdvJdA2lkiKnm mDEuBaPM3fNX4VE1mGDyWs17mV7GqRU36z1YIw0lKBOVHssqQHdWa3V8iF6tP5iaQRp/ z3/A== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721512538; x=1722117338; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=n8jxP5LqgeTa92D5BVn4Jj3krSyUrUBNwyo+G66OQic=; b=Fn6BIpnyNMxAwjKtQR2+X8+L1l1jK1eI/8xuSjj0eUBv7KYmPnsxBL4EP0rS9aa+Nv rmGb8OQSBSDCFMu1JJLh2mjpjUVUIpwYQWsVnht1I3jL5QR+bKaeNoYIDO+OZ2C8/GAK gdpjVbybqltZo9bzbM8eXsCI8GRffvv/gUjr7fJ5Ow3o2V1Y1NiLkkeR5BDnBOE6rLw3 p3VP6WytRdLxS9+vj0PJpUbmMElfYmx6iNLI5XysTARUvepvXuzCh+AshnD+RHPOVQj3 qecWRyi2VfT4f5G3XtVTutagQg0LZZJ3MOvV7+JSPLk/aomgJBAVTo5qUT/KDRt9Zctg lQDA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yw2IR56qWd6BjwBysDJsy/0t9U5XX8ldhWwyEg2BskwrfLP1kcL b8G/efznNPpivnE2v6qBF2/FwwYmuO8RvOQ876Wq/wpgD+ewF/T0ly35Ied3OGVA90UEWPBiQCc ynZt0Ps0zEZIzSClCLXwAJyREL1gDrASD X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IEKFDsQ2ZHmvfncmVeeSjojfe7NLRy/V0dYC9JYX39Di97ZuBE8AgGNH74XZlkT6GE9ToWaWGwhZ1Ha5093Nvc= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:3f21:b0:a77:c4f6:9f9a with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4c01baf9mr150570166b.27.1721512537153; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:55:37 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:55:29 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="00000000000040eac3061db4df8e" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?Israel_rejects_a_Palestinian_state=E2=80=94-_v?= =?utf-8?q?iolating_Jewish_moral_and_ethical_values?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:55:39 -0000 --00000000000040eac3061db4df8e Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >From Allan Brownfeld The Israeli Knesset has voted against establishing a Palestinian state. The story is among those published here in today=E2=80=99s Jewish Telegraph= ic Agency report. U.S. policy has always called for the creation of a Palestinian state. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Israeli human rights group B=E2=80=99Tselem all characterize the current sy= stem as =E2=80=9Capartheid.=E2=80=9D If Israel openly rejects U.S. policy, why are= American taxpayers providing it with more than $3 billion annually? The U.S. warning against the continuing assault on civilians in Gaza=E2=80=94-and th= e destruction of hospitals, schools and residential areas=E2=80=94-has also b= een ignored and U.S.weapons have been used in this assault. It is not only Palestinian lives which are being lost but the Jewish moral and ethical tradition which is under daily attack. Slowly, more and more Jewish Americans are coming to the conclusion that Israel=E2=80=99s treatment of t= he Palestinians has become one of the terrible and most unjust enterprises of modern history. The Holocaust was one of the horrors of world history. But the Palestinians had nothing to do with it. Yet their country, not Bavaria or another part of Germany,was given to its victims=E2=80=94-ignoring the indigenous population of Palestine. The Jew= ish voices who spoke out against this injustice=E2=80=94=E2=80=94Albert Einstei= n, Hannah Arendt, Martin Buber,Noam Chomsky and a host of others=E2=80=94-were ignore= d. See the website of the American Council for Judaism, whose publications I edit: www.acjna.org The Knesset just voted against Palestinian statehood. Here=E2=80=99s all th= e ways that=E2=80=99s bad for Israel. David A. Halperin July 19, 2024 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, attends a debate at the plenum hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on July 17, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) In advance of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu=E2=80=99s visit to Washingt= on next week, the Knesset=E2=80=99s passage of legislation opposing the establishme= nt of a Palestinian state was an unnecessary political exercise that will harm Israel=E2=80=99s globa= l standing and add fuel to rising U.S.-Israel tensions. The legislation calling the creation of a Palestinian state an =E2=80=9Cexi= stential danger=E2=80=9D passed with a majority of 68 votes in the 120-seat Knesset,= with only nine opposing votes. Rather than making a Knesset speech reiterating that now is not the time for two states but that avoiding a one-state outcome is critical to Israel=E2=80=99s future, Yair Lapid=E2=80=99s Yesh A= mid faction =E2=80=94 which publicly supports two states =E2=80=94 skipped the vote, and Benny Ga= ntz, who has advocated for separation and a Palestinian =E2=80=9Centity=E2=80=9D rat= her than state, voted in favor. It is understandable that Israelis are hardened against the idea of a two-state solution in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks. Israelis have been scarred by demonstrations of support for the attacks among Palestinians and have lost hope that enough Palestinians want to live alongside the State of Israel rather than eliminate it. The Palestinian Authority is corrupt, unpopular and incapable of serving as the basis for a successful state today. The war in Gaza continues, hostages remain held captive, clashes with Hezbollah are escalating along Israel=E2=80=99s north= ern border and attacks in the West Bank are on the rise. Meanwhile, settlements in the West Bank have exponentially grown with newly empowered far-right ministers openly advocating for a collapse of the P.A., annexation of the West Bank, and even resettlement of Gaza. Even prior to the Hamas attacks, the prospects for achieving a two-state solution were diminishing. After the attacks, moreso. That is why no one is trying to =E2=80=9Cimpose=E2=80=9D a two-state soluti= on on Israel today, though Gideon Saar, chairman of the party that put forward this resolution, made that claim. Moreover, if a future Israeli government were to successfully negotiate the establishment of a two-state solution, it would inevitably be subject to Knesset approval. The standard line about Israel extending its hand for peace and the Palestinian side being the ones never willing to compromise is Israel=E2=80= =99s most potent diplomatic weapon, and the Knesset vote throws that away unilaterally at the worst possible time. The vote was not needed but it ultimately serves Netanyahu=E2=80=99s politi= cal interests. With his political future in doubt =E2=80=94 a recent poll indicated that 7= 2 percent of Israelis think Netanyahu should resign because of the failures to protect Israel=E2=80=99s security on Oct. 7 =E2=80=94 Netanyahu is returning to his playbook of stoking fears of an imp= osed two-state solution that only he can prevent by standing up to the United States and the international community. The vote taking place right before his Washington visit provides red meat and reassurance to his base at a time when he is facing heightened pressure from his far-right coalition partners to oppose a hostage deal with Hamas that would bring the war to a close. But while the vote may score political points for Netanyahu, it harms Israel=E2=80=99s diplomacy in the region and relations with the U.S. Any path to a resolution of the conflict today would require rebuilding Gaza, working to establish trust between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, revitalizing Palestinian governance, reforming education systems, reimagining security arrangements, effectively countering terrorism and extremism, and building a regional architecture to support and sustain the path to ending the conflict. In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, Israel had been in a position to gain support from the United States and its partners in the international community for all of the critical steps above and more, so long as these efforts were geared toward an eventual political horizon based on two states. But the Knesset vote sends a message that Israel is opposed to a Palestinian state under any terms or circumstances whatsoever. The absence of any realistic or viable alternative to two states places Israel on course for perpetual conflict and unending control over millions of Palestinians as stateless subjects in the West Bank and Gaza, threatening Israel=E2=80=99s security and existence as a Jewish and democra= tic state. That is why so many former Israeli political and security officials have long warned that it is the absence of any hope to resolve the conflict, not Palestinian statehood, that breeds support for terrorism and represents an existential danger. Even as two states are impossible to achieve and implement today, the goal remains too important to give up on. Since Oct. 7, administration officials from President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken on down have emphasized the goal of an eventual two-state outcome, as they have worked on the parameters of a deal to attain a ceasefire in the war in Gaza that would free the hostages held by Hamas. Such a deal, which the president has been pushing for months, is also a critical step toward reaching an Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement, a long-standing Israeli interest that would bring many benefits to Israel and could even form the basis for a regional anti-Iran coalition of Arab states that could also play an important role in a post-war Gaza. But the Saudis have repeatedly declared that meaningful steps toward Palestinian statehood are a prerequisite for normalization. Coming just days before Netanyahu=E2=80=99s visit to Washington, Democrats = will rightly interpret the timing of the Knesset vote as a jab at the Biden Administration=E2=80=99s ongoing diplomatic efforts in the region, adding f= uel to an already growing partisan divide in Washington when it comes to Israel. Some Democrats are likely to respond to the vote with a shrug as more of the same from an increasingly frustrating ally and some will be more inclined to support conditioning aid and withholding U.S. backing for Israel in international fora. Ironically, efforts to impose terms on Israel are more likely to grow as a result. Israel=E2=80=99s prime minister should be utilizing his visit and speech to Congress to reinforce the bipartisan strength of US-Israel relations at a time when U.S.-Israel cooperation and U.S. support for Israel=E2=80=99s sec= urity are so clearly essential to Israel=E2=80=99s interests. In a video call wit= h American Jewish leaders earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew expressed his hope that Netanyahu=E2=80=99s visit would reinforce the importance of bipartisanship and provide a unifying message. The vote in the Knesset does not bode well for either. It pointlessly adds more uncertainty to the trajectory of the U.S.-Israel relationship, of Palestinian national aspirations, and of Israel=E2=80=99s future as a secur= e, Jewish, and democratic state. David A. Halperin is Chief Executive Officer of Israel Policy Forum. --00000000000040eac3061db4df8e Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
From Allan Brownfeld

The Israeli Knesset has voted against establishing a=20 Palestinian state.=C2=A0 The story is among those published here in today= =E2=80=99s=20 Jewish Telegraphic Agency report.=C2=A0 U.S. policy has always called for t= he creation of a Palestinian state.=C2=A0 Amnesty International, Human Rights= =20 Watch and the Israeli human rights group B=E2=80=99Tselem all characterize = the=20 current system as =E2=80=9Capartheid.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0If Israel openly rejec= ts U.S. policy,=20 why are American taxpayers providing it with more than $3 billion=20 annually?=C2=A0 The U.S. warning against the continuing assault on civilian= s=20 in Gaza=E2=80=94-and the destruction of hospitals, schools and residential= =20 areas=E2=80=94-has also been ignored and U.S.weapons have been used in this= =20 assault.=C2=A0 It is not only Palestinian lives which are being lost but th= e=20 Jewish moral and ethical tradition which is under daily attack. Slowly,=20 more and more Jewish Americans are coming to the conclusion that=20 Israel=E2=80=99s treatment of the =C2=A0Palestinians has become one of the = terrible=20 and most unjust enterprises =C2=A0of modern history.=C2=A0 The Holocaust wa= s one=20 of the horrors of world history.=C2=A0 But the Palestinians had nothing to = do with it.=C2=A0 Yet their country, not Bavaria or another part of Germany,w= as given to its =C2=A0victims=E2=80=94-ignoring the indigenous population of= =20 Palestine.=C2=A0 The Jewish voices who spoke out against this=20 injustice=E2=80=94=E2=80=94Albert Einstein, Hannah Arendt, Martin Buber,Noa= m Chomsky and a host of others=E2=80=94-were ignored.
=C2=A0 =C2= =A0 =C2=A0 See the website of the American Council for Judaism, whose publi= cations I edit: =C2=A0ww= w.acjna.org =C2=A0

The Knesset just voted against Palesti= nian statehood. Here=E2=80=99s all the ways that=E2=80=99s bad for Israel.<= /h1> =09

=09 =09 =09 =09 =09
=09 David A. Halperin
=09 =09 =09 =09 =09 July 19, 2024 =09 =09 =09
=09
=09 =09 =09

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, attends a=20 debate at the plenum hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in=20 Jerusalem, on July 17, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)=E2=80=82=E2=80=82=E2= =80=82=E2=80=82

=20 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09 =09

=09 =20
In advance of Prime Minister Benjamin Neta= nyahu=E2=80=99s visit to Washington next week, the Knesset=E2=80=99s passage of legislation opposin= g the establishment of a Palestinian state was an unnecessary political= exercise that will harm Israel=E2=80=99s global standing and add fuel to r= ising U.S.-Israel tensions.

The legislation calling the creation of a=20 Palestinian state an =E2=80=9Cexistential danger=E2=80=9D passed with a maj= ority of 68=20 votes in the 120-seat Knesset, with only nine opposing votes. Rather=20 than making a Knesset speech reiterating that now is not the time for=20 two states but that avoiding a one-state outcome is critical to Israel=E2= =80=99s future, Yair Lapid=E2=80=99s Yesh Amid faction =E2=80=94 which publicly su= pports two=20 states =E2=80=94 skipped the vote, and Benny Gantz, who has advocated for= =20 separation and a Palestinian =E2=80=9Centity=E2=80=9D rather than state, vo= ted in favor.

It is understandable that Israelis are=20 hardened against the idea of a two-state solution in the aftermath of=20 the Oct. 7 attacks. Israelis have been scarred by demonstrations of=20 support for the attacks among Palestinians and have lost hope that=20 enough Palestinians want to live alongside the State of Israel rather=20 than eliminate it. The Palestinian Authority is corrupt, unpopular and=20 incapable of serving as the basis for a successful state today. The war=20 in Gaza continues, hostages remain held captive, clashes with Hezbollah=20 are escalating along Israel=E2=80=99s northern border and attacks in the We= st=20 Bank are on the rise.

Meanwhile, settlements in the West Bank=20 have exponentially grown with newly empowered far-right ministers openly advocating for a collapse of the P.A., annexation of the West Bank, and even resettlement of Gaza.

Even prior to the Hamas attacks, the prospects= for achieving a two-state solution were diminishing. After the attacks, mo= reso.

That is why no one is trying to =E2=80=9Cimpos= e=E2=80=9D a=20 two-state solution on Israel today, though Gideon Saar, chairman of the=20 party that put forward this resolution, made that claim. Moreover, if a=20 future Israeli government were to successfully negotiate the=20 establishment of a two-state solution, it would inevitably be subject to Knesset approval.

The standard line about Israel extending its hand for peace and the Palestinian side being the ones never willing to=20 compromise is Israel=E2=80=99s most potent diplomatic weapon, and the Kness= et=20 vote throws that away unilaterally at the worst possible time.

The vote was not needed but it ultimately serv= es Netanyahu=E2=80=99s political interests.

With his political future in doubt =E2=80=94 a= recent poll indicated that 72 percent of Israelis think Netanyahu should resign because of the fai= lures to protect Israel=E2=80=99s security on Oct. 7 =E2=80=94 Netanyahu is returning to his playbook of stoking fears of an im= posed two-state solution that only he can prevent by standing up to the=20 United States and the international community. The vote taking place=20 right before his Washington visit provides red meat and reassurance to=20 his base at a time when he is facing heightened pressure from his=20 far-right coalition partners to oppose a hostage deal with Hamas that=20 would bring the war to a close.

But while the vote may score political=20 points for Netanyahu, it harms Israel=E2=80=99s diplomacy in the region and= =20 relations with the U.S.

Any path to a resolution of the conflict=20 today would require rebuilding Gaza, working to establish trust between=20 the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, revitalizing Palestinian=20 governance, reforming education systems, reimagining security=20 arrangements, effectively countering terrorism and extremism, and=20 building a regional architecture to support and sustain the path to=20 ending the conflict. In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks, Israel had=20 been in a position to gain support from the United States and its=20 partners in the international community for all of the critical steps=20 above and more, so long as these efforts were geared toward an eventual=20 political horizon based on two states. But the Knesset vote sends a=20 message that Israel is opposed to a Palestinian state under any terms or circumstances whatsoever.

The absence of any realistic or viable=20 alternative to two states places Israel on course for perpetual conflict and unending control over millions of Palestinians as stateless=20 subjects in the West Bank and Gaza, threatening Israel=E2=80=99s security a= nd=20 existence as a Jewish and democratic state. That is why so many former=20 Israeli political and security officials have long warned that it is the absence of any hope to resolve the conflict, not Palestinian statehood, that breeds support for terrorism and represents an existential danger. Even as two states are impossible to achieve and implement today, the=20 goal remains too important to give up on.

Since Oct. 7, administration officials from President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken on down have emphasized=20 the goal of an eventual two-state outcome, as they have worked on the=20 parameters of a deal to attain a ceasefire in the war in Gaza that would free the hostages held by Hamas. Such a deal, which the president has=20 been pushing for months, is also a critical step toward reaching an=20 Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement, a long-standing Israeli interest=20 that would bring many benefits to Israel and could even form the basis=20 for a regional anti-Iran coalition of Arab states that could also play=20 an important role in a post-war Gaza. But the Saudis have repeatedly=20 declared that meaningful steps toward Palestinian statehood are a=20 prerequisite for normalization.

Coming just days before Netanyahu=E2=80=99s vi= sit=20 to Washington, Democrats will rightly interpret the timing of the=20 Knesset vote as a jab at the Biden Administration=E2=80=99s ongoing diploma= tic=20 efforts in the region, adding fuel to an already growing partisan divide in Washington when it comes to Israel.

Some Democrats are likely to respond to the vote with a shrug as more of the same from an increasingly frustrating=20 ally and some will be more inclined to support conditioning aid and=20 withholding U.S. backing for Israel in international fora. Ironically,=20 efforts to impose terms on Israel are more likely to grow as a result.

Israel=E2=80=99s prime minister should be util= izing his visit and speech to Congress to reinforce the bipartisan strength=20 of US-Israel relations at a time when U.S.-Israel cooperation and U.S.=20 support for Israel=E2=80=99s security are so clearly essential to Israel=E2= =80=99s=20 interests. In a video call with American Jewish leaders earlier this=20 week, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew expressed his hope that=20 Netanyahu=E2=80=99s visit would reinforce the importance of bipartisanship = and=20 provide a unifying message. The vote in the Knesset does not bode well=20 for either. It pointlessly adds more uncertainty to the trajectory of=20 the U.S.-Israel relationship, of Palestinian national aspirations, and=20 of Israel=E2=80=99s future as a secure, Jewish, and democratic state.

=09 =09 =09

David A. Halperin
is Chief Executive Officer of Israel Policy Forum.

--00000000000040eac3061db4df8e-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:57:22 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8F91FB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:57:22 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 8F91FB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="RVRG2P7W" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 7EC75BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:57:22 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f44.google.com (mail-ej1-f44.google.com [209.85.218.44]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 7CCBCBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:57:22 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f44.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77e7a6cfa7so313629566b.1 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:57:22 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721512641; x=1722117441; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=8iiy8SMZY1tjAhF50DZfHAbErLGXmF7nVGgO80dZIIc=; b=RVRG2P7W1yoyOfI01G+b9IakDVS7KYlKulkjahhiVnoEVMk8OlSGVZo7DkoKAeRhry lbX/G60Ek80geEHDsUyrzZPu96EZ/+ZJ1+sQXJag6AMXYOSIzHjQHleLytWkbpK/iG0F 2YfFvvw/pletbtFo93QWCXxS45XuJofxF8ZDcz+sfkOmNYt4rdTnRnzxS0ZAz4oiz40O JsxRdRJCB/XP8EhWEfJ4Adho7peOCJBifQIteM7pRf3dN8N9FF2CML5BwsxphPDdt0gD QRo64Ly1hHMQ8rbAnKooitQnpxeHxEWxyJ/jRBv7Oiv4NmGc3NYxv1Z6Izxs5uOknlY4 tj4A== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721512641; x=1722117441; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=8iiy8SMZY1tjAhF50DZfHAbErLGXmF7nVGgO80dZIIc=; b=PsSHdcEp7oXYtauYIwtxfLr6uuHMpuUKcqaMsx+Ha3Kf9ofNddRNmHVDF4qNfKUyc4 XQpXgJvgL2Fd8SJZ+qJcJRwdrzTXBKRDFWgRMdub3t/VoPsPaSCvFm3FR2ORT7buZsZ1 2rbFocm6HsDKNOEjuNdq0pNXPLCb9i9bxrapAbXaAvr8Ld+wpbUgEMpDDwA1ZvNHhJuT sAhtyRtJOVBPLGBJwn6Qqd8yHhvm3RmXvR4CCTNmmfn0zZzu1JqAL/uXgKyN1DwCLFIF TdWHe2uzx9j8S2prNu2K87qt1MkKdNVtjbaJNXwkoNL1/vylupqU/OOQh0bfNsQddiHI fRKA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yx0sNKDC/XLzzd9A385CR66grb4zmNbdn+nS4TMwDMWRUzf2rg3 Vz54LCtenf82jUa8a4z/AvfzaXzEzY5aNW7ISR19/ql5iuOlXqQOAF41TbQlh2KdNM1FPEZC/eB QWgXq9V7WCkYtxB7ngJjsTwzIqQ44ug== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFjlTqLnx3IqixXZGtqhljRSXWsgxzMxW5glCcyoswDwbRprS39gYsbTjkWRWlzZqBxaKOccyBKoG//cVmdRuo= X-Received: by 2002:a17:906:fa85:b0:a77:e48d:bc9 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a01144a3emr733401266b.16.1721512640693; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:57:20 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <927996508.3078779.1721510428832.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <927996508.3078779.1721510428832@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <927996508.3078779.1721510428832@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:57:12 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000006cd074061db4e521" Subject: [Salon] EU and Disinfo X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:57:22 -0000 --0000000000006cd074061db4e521 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1814706822525432047 Also absolutely amazing irony that the EU sanctioned Georgia after their own foreign interference law just 2 months ago because it was "incompatible with membership and EU values", when the only thing Georgia did was ask foreign-owned NGOs to register themselves... 2 months later the EU launches a ministry of truth against "foreign information manipulation and interference". The hypocrisy just takes your breath away. --0000000000006cd074061db4e521 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/181470682252543204= 7

Also absolutely amazing irony that the EU sanctioned Georgia after= their own foreign interference law just 2 months ago because it was "= incompatible with membership and EU values", when the only thing Georg= ia did was ask foreign-owned NGOs to register themselves... 2 months later the EU launches a ministry of truth against "foreign in= formation manipulation and interference". The hypocrisy just takes your breath away.
<= /div>
--0000000000006cd074061db4e521-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 14:59:45 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4C591B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:59:45 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 4C591B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="TlhzTZ4I" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 3579DBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:59:45 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f51.google.com (mail-ej1-f51.google.com [209.85.218.51]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id F281BBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:59:44 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f51.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a77ec5d3b0dso295177166b.0 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:59:44 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721512783; x=1722117583; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=LPRHkRXbSZ1DdvqOV1Gvan9sm00bXZmaH82iysZZx/I=; b=TlhzTZ4IMJTMGKyEWW2E+TOD2twRDxfXkhm1aVeu7Cxcj1r225ysmtla9SpiVGn3zg 44t2DM6Vt/lA5IgFwBPnMVveg39nOeUpSU02VknLbldgH/IYE+bv4Qh6sACErASs/+wR xQChVTmU/sdMw+fqOQCkylZn+VCJ2HGUkIps/qhG71ADhB/YRwnrmfH3OGvU+FBaWPZF s5LxkWq9Ovmtm4JO8aOrYKFVNhRZVm4LPISYnQncx7UoGKqW8faIBQsXIqz8qpkHrKjd 0uam2nQgxFTCX5JYfbDC3BMCaj7aNK+4v75F+pJxrPU/6CvA6uGE+BGmX6fb4kFItaHi 9Gig== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721512783; x=1722117583; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=LPRHkRXbSZ1DdvqOV1Gvan9sm00bXZmaH82iysZZx/I=; b=DxGkdhVK+t0/v+Po5bhGrrcWXZ50lQJumFzAwXTpn3OlHLJh1p+RgZESh0KR0baHsC tIIU06hRcFHB9HaWTk6UMVmVwhd6jhC1NHY0LRkLGmKwMlGlbc9oNlHwfKk9Z0IREoUy fApmaXmKl2SYzI4Frxzwpja6w1aH73Fmz1bLn5rIC3SKy58dBunbz7oni//LdNiNjzkB qFQalhO4EupphAISa3VIetD4pBdr2u+Rgox87vPQHCEhgt0ZcQKIHDdP9uMcgqUMaWer +rU0a3aVwjyO12wRDf4SIPrfmKRjhaNHNv4nlimxPBALWplpajBWyWWNuF69SgQM841L ojBw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YxtqUVEXLl+Oyp4rgQlirbuNDDvTMoCkogB/TOsOu1P7tr7iHJZ aLXyi9fz4U2M9vSahKpvngHVAboRAioZt/11U+DK4Kcsk4q4VvfEe5wUwKH7yKsQhCmgZvVk4CQ 8PtvO48f1y9XQIZx127z/UsagomTi1A== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IH2EQvi140uMu0IsrNfQMwAhZ14ArxCwotY1L05qhd+Iw6AtlHgcKaxVoEznIXxEM17+wU7ztAlMC4Wp2QlpnA= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:7e81:b0:a79:7e8b:34c0 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4bf9a04amr147888766b.1.1721512782853; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 14:59:42 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:59:34 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000e5fd34061db4ed2f" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?France=3A_=E2=80=98Apologism_for_terrorism?= =?utf-8?b?4oCZIG9mZmVuY2UgdXNlZCB0byDigJhjcmltaW5hbGlzZeKAmSBQYWxl?= =?utf-8?q?stine_solidarity?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 21:59:45 -0000 --000000000000e5fd34061db4ed2f Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/france-apologism-terrorism-offence-used= -criminalise-palestine-solidarity-and-restrict-freedoms * *France: =E2=80=98Apologism for terrorism=E2=80=99 offence used to =E2=80= =98criminalise=E2=80=99 Palestine solidarity* *On 9 July, Fran=C3=A7ois Burgat, an eminent French specialist of political Islam and pro-Palestine activist, spent eight hours in custody at the police station of Aix-en-Provence, in the south of France .* *Burgat, whose expertise is widely sought out, was awaiting to be heard in connection with a complaint for =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D, = an offence consisting of defending or presenting in a positive way a terrorist act.* *The complaint was filed by the European Jewish Organization (OJE), a French NGO made up of around 60 volunteer lawyers that fights against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism.* *Burgat is accused of having reposted on X, last January, a statement by the Palestinian group Hamas refuting allegations of sexual violence against Israelis during the 7 October attacks that were made in a New York Times article.* *Following an outcry caused by the retweet, the former research director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) wrote in another post that he had =E2=80=9Cinfinitely more respect and consideration for the= leaders of Hamas than for those of the State of Israel=E2=80=9D.* *A few days after his summon by the police, Burgat, now retired, told Middle East Eye that =E2=80=9Cthe reading [he] make[s] of the phenomenon of terrorism is the same as the one made in his day by General de Gaulle=E2=80= =9D.* *In November 1967, Charles de Gaulle, then president of France, declared : =E2=80=9CIsrael is setting up in= the territories it has captured an occupation that will inevitably involve oppression, repression and expulsions, and a resistance to this occupation is forming, which Israel in turn classes as terrorism.=E2=80=9D* *Burgat told MEE he had known for a long time that he was =E2=80=9Cin the crosshairs of various French-Israeli Zionist associations=E2=80=9D.* *=E2=80=9CStill, I was surprised to see this kind of nightmare, contemplate= d in a joking manner, become reality,=E2=80=9D the academic confided.* *According to his lawyer, Rafik Chekkat, the prosecution must now analyse the facts that justified the hearing and decide to uphold or drop the accusation.* *=E2=80=9CThis is the first time that a university professor is investigate= d for having given his political opinion about a foreign conflict,=E2=80=9D the lawyer said in an interview, denouncing =E2=80=9Can attack on the freedom of research.=E2= =80=9D* 'Bad wind blowing in France' *In a column published on 12 July, a group of academics expressed their dismay at Burgat=E2=80=99s= police custody.* *=E2=80=9CUntil recently, Fran=C3=A7ois Burgat=E2=80=99s expertise on quest= ions relating to =E2=80=98terrorism=E2=80=99 was sought by institutions such as the National= Assembly, the Senate, the NATO military command and even the anti-terrorism court in Paris," the authors wrote.* *=E2=80=9CThis transition from expert to suspect testifies to the bad wind = blowing in France against rights and freedoms. In particular against the freedoms of research and expression.=E2=80=9D* *Among them, social scientist Hicham Benaissa expressed his concerns to MEE.* *=E2=80=9CWe must be extremely vigilant because academic freedom says a lot= about the democratic state of a society, its capacity to accept contradiction and disagreements, even the most radical ones,=E2=80=9D he said.* *=E2=80=9CHistory has taught us that when a society moves to a more authori= tarian regime, it quickly attacks academia, and particularly social sciences, which are not sciences like others since their mission is to produce critical discourses on society.=E2=80=9D* A threat to freedoms *According to the sociologist, the threats to academic freedom manifested well before the 7 October attacks, with =E2=80=9Cthe instrumentalisation in= recent years of baseless theories such as wokeism and Islamo-leftism=E2=80=9D.* *The Woke movement, which denounces discrimination against minorities, has been accused of being sectarian and intolerant by the right and the far right, while the designation of =E2=80=9CIslamo-leftism=E2=80=9D has been u= sed to allege an alliance between left-wing ideologies and Islamist circles.* *In 2021, then Higher Education minister Frederique Vidal stated that =E2=80=9CIslamo-leftism [was] corrupting the whole society=E2=80=9D and ask= ed for a national inquiry on the phenomenon within French academia.* *For Benaissa, the =E2=80=9Ccontamination of public debates by far-right rh= etoric=E2=80=9D represents a danger for freedom of expression in general.* *=E2=80=9CIt is not just about Fran=C3=A7ois Burgat or researchers in gener= al, it is about the democratic state of a society, and therefore the possibility or not for each citizen to enjoy free speech,=E2=80=9D Benaissa said.* *In the open letter supporting the academic, Burgat=E2=80=99s colleagues po= inted out that the proceedings against him =E2=80=9Cfollow dozens of others again= st activists, students, union leaders and politicians.=E2=80=9D* *Nearly 400 investigations for complaints linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were launched between October and December 2023, according to investigative website Mediapart. The majority of the cases are still being processed.* *As with Burgat, some complaints came from the OJE. One of them was filed in November against humourist Guillaume Meurice over a joke about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that led to his dismissal from public radio France Inter in June, even though the court had abandoned the charges.* *Mathilde Panot , the leader of France Unbowed MPs, and Rima Hassan , recently elected for the same left-wing party in the European Parliament, were also summoned in April by the judicial police, as part of investigations into =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D.* *Both had been accused by OJE of legitimising the actions of Hamas in their statements.* *The pro-Israel NGO was also behind the conviction , around ten days later, of the secretary general of a departmental trade union, Jean-Paul Delescaut, who received a one-year suspended prison sentence for distributing a leaflet stating that =E2=80=9Cthe horrors of th= e illegal occupation ha[d] accumulated [and were] receiving the responses they provoked=E2=80=9D.* *In this case too, several organisations reacted to condemn the =E2=80=9Ccriminalisation=E2=80=9D of solidarity with Palestinians, judging = =E2=80=9Cintolerable that a conflation is made between solidarity with Palestine and support for terrorism or anti-Semitism, in order to discredit anti-racist unions, associations and political parties.=E2=80=9D* *Great anger was also expressed in April, following the hearing by the anti-terrorism services for a group of students from the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences who had organised demonstrations to support the people of Gaza.* *=E2=80=9CToday, whistle-blowing exposes you to considerable risks. We hard= ly dare to recall that there was a time when showing support for Palestine was, especially on the left, a kind of banality that no one noticed,=E2=80=9D Be= naissa told MEE.* *Right after the attacks in October and the start of the Israeli war on Gaza , French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin banned pro-Palestine gatherings =E2=80=93= a ruling rejected five days later by the Supreme Court.* *Contemporaneously, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti addressed = a circular to the public prosecutors stipulating that =E2=80=9Cpublic remarks praising the attacks=E2=80=9D of the Palestinian group, =E2=80=9Cby present= ing them as legitimate resistance to Israel=E2=80=9D, should be prosecuted.* *Dupond-Moretti also called on prosecutors to provide =E2=80=9Ca firm and r= apid criminal response=E2=80=9D in the face of anti-Semitism and the =E2=80=9Cap= ologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D.* *Similarly, the Higher Education Minister Sylvie Retailleau sent a letter to the presidents of universities asking them to punish =E2=80=9Cactions an= d remarks=E2=80=9D falling within the offences of =E2=80=9Capologism for terr= orism, incitement to hatred or to violence=E2=80=9D.* Punishable by up to seven years in prison *While the =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D offence has existed in= France since the press law of 1881, its enforcement was restricted and subject to various safeguards until a new legislation in November 2014 transferred it to the Penal Code.* *Since then, Penal Code Article 421-2-5 specifies that this crime is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 75,000 euros. Offences committed online can lead to seven years in prison and a 100,000 euros fine.* *Although the new article was designed to fight acts directly linked to terrorism, such as enlisting recruits online, the practice has been quite different, Chekkat explained to MEE, while rights organisations have condemned the increase in proceedings unrelated to terrorism since then.* *=E2=80=9CThis approach can create an environment in which people are afrai= d to question or challenge prevailing opinions, express unpopular views, or even make controversial jokes,=E2=80=9D Human Rights Watch stated in 2018.* *=E2=80=9CThe irony that the fervour for these prosecutions is in part a re= action to the January 2015 attack on Charlie Hebdo, a publication that became a symbol of freedom of expression because it insisted on its right to be irreverent and insensitive, seems to have been missed by France=E2=80=99s Constitutional Court.=E2=80=9D* *Chekkat concurred, saying: =E2=80=9CThe fact that these comments are punis= hable in France for =E2=80=98apologism for terrorism=E2=80=99 reveals the worrying r= epressive slope in which the country is engaged.=E2=80=9D* *As the trend has exploded since last October, especially targetting pro-Palestine individuals and organisations, the lawyer lamented that their =E2=80=9Cfate depends on the understanding that prosecutors and judges have= of the term =E2=80=98terrorism=E2=80=99, for which there is no stable legal defini= tion=E2=80=9D.* *=E2=80=9CThe term terrorism serves to draw a political line between violen= ce deemed legitimate and violence not deemed so, while making invisible the eminently political and subjective origin of this demarcation,=E2=80=9D Che= kkat said.* *For Nathalie Tehio, lawyer and president of the Human Rights League, a major French NGO, the =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D offence ser= ves as a tool for the government to gag freedom of expression and repress support for the Palestinians in France.* *=E2=80=9CThere are constantly new laws on terrorism that extend the scope = of prohibitions,=E2=80=9D she told MEE.* *=E2=80=9CThese texts with vague outlines give free rein to political interpretation in order to repress and point out opponents, researchers, activists, trade unionists and so on as delinquents.=E2=80=9D* *The prosecutors, who control police custody, also depend hierarchically on the justice ministry and could receive instructions from it to prosecute, Tehio added.* --000000000000e5fd34061db4ed2f Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www= .middleeasteye.net/news/france-apologism-terrorism-offence-used-criminalise= -palestine-solidarity-and-restrict-freedoms

France: =E2=80=98Apolog= ism for terrorism=E2=80=99 offence used to =E2=80=98criminalise=E2=80=99 Pa= lestine solidarity
On 9 July, Fran=C3=A7ois Burgat, an eminen= t French specialist of political Islam and pro-Palestine activist, spent ei= ght hours in custody at the police station of Aix-en-Provence, in the south= of=C2=A0France.
Burgat, whose expertise is widely sought out, = was awaiting to be heard in connection with a complaint for =E2=80=9Capolog= ism for terrorism=E2=80=9D, an offence consisting of defending or presentin= g in a positive way a terrorist act.
The complaint= was filed by the European Jewish Organization (OJE), a French NGO made up = of around 60 volunteer lawyers that fights against anti-Semitism and anti-Z= ionism.
Burgat is accused of having reposted on X,= last January, a=C2=A0statement=C2=A0by the=C2=A0Palestinian=C2=A0g= roup Hamas refuting allegations of sexual violence against=C2=A0Israelis=C2=A0<= /span>during the=C2=A07 October attacks=C2=A0that were made in a N= ew York Times article.
Following an outcry caused = by the retweet, the former research director at the French National Centre = for Scientific Research (CNRS) wrote in another post that he had =E2=80=9Ci= nfinitely more respect and consideration for the leaders of Hamas than for = those of the State of Israel=E2=80=9D.
A few days = after his summon by the police, Burgat, now retired, told Middle East Eye t= hat =E2=80=9Cthe reading [he] make[s] of the phenomenon of terrorism is the= same as the one made in his day by General de Gaulle=E2=80=9D.<= /p>
In November 1967, Charles de Gaulle, then president of France= ,=C2=A0declared: = =E2=80=9CIsrael is setting up in the territories it has captured an occupat= ion that will inevitably involve oppression, repression and expulsions, and= a resistance to this occupation is forming, which Israel in turn classes a= s terrorism.=E2=80=9D
Burgat told MEE he had known= for a long time that he was =E2=80=9Cin the crosshairs of various French-I= sraeli Zionist associations=E2=80=9D.
=E2=80=9CSti= ll, I was surprised to see this kind of nightmare, contemplated in a joking= manner, become reality,=E2=80=9D the academic confided.
According to his lawyer, Rafik Chekkat, the prosecution must now ana= lyse the facts that justified the hearing and decide to uphold or drop the = accusation.
=E2=80=9CThis is the first time that a= university professor is investigated for having given his political opinio= n about a foreign conflict,=E2=80=9D the lawyer=C2=A0said=C2=A0in an interview,= denouncing =E2=80=9Can attack on the freedom of research.=E2=80=9D<= /b>
'Bad wind blowing in France'
=
In a=C2=A0column=C2=A0published on 12 July, a group of academics= expressed their dismay at Burgat=E2=80=99s police custody.
<= p style=3D"max-width:100%;font-family:-apple-system-font">=E2=80=9CUntil recently, Fran=C3=A7ois Burgat=E2=80=99s expertise= on questions relating to =E2=80=98terrorism=E2=80=99 was sought by institu= tions such as the National Assembly, the Senate, the NATO military command = and even the anti-terrorism court in Paris," the authors wrote.=
=E2=80=9CThis transition from expert to suspect testifie= s to the bad wind blowing in France against rights and freedoms. In particu= lar against the freedoms of research and expression.=E2=80=9D
Among them, social scientist Hicham Benaissa expressed his con= cerns to MEE.
=E2=80=9CWe must be extremely vigila= nt because academic freedom says a lot about the democratic state of a soci= ety, its capacity to accept contradiction and disagreements, even the most = radical ones,=E2=80=9D he said.
=E2=80=9CHistory h= as taught us that when a society moves to a more authoritarian regime, it q= uickly attacks academia, and particularly social sciences, which are not sc= iences like others since their mission is to produce critical discourses on= society.=E2=80=9D
A threat to freedoms
According to the sociologist, the threats to academic = freedom manifested well before the 7 October attacks, with =E2=80=9Cthe ins= trumentalisation in recent years of baseless theories such as wokeism and I= slamo-leftism=E2=80=9D.
The Woke movement, which d= enounces discrimination against minorities, has been accused of being secta= rian and intolerant by the right and the far right, while the designation o= f =E2=80=9CIslamo-leftism=E2=80=9D has been=C2=A0used=C2=A0to allege an=C2=A0alliance=C2=A0between left-wing ideologies and Islamis= t circles.
In 2021, then Higher Education minister= Frederique Vidal=C2=A0stated=C2=A0that = =E2=80=9CIslamo-leftism [was] corrupting the whole society=E2=80=9D and ask= ed for a national inquiry on the phenomenon within French academia.<= /b>
For Benaissa, the =E2=80=9Ccontamination of public debate= s by far-right rhetoric=E2=80=9D represents a danger for freedom of express= ion in general.
=E2=80=9CIt is not just about Fran= =C3=A7ois Burgat or researchers in general, it is about the democratic stat= e of a society, and therefore the possibility or not for each citizen to en= joy free speech,=E2=80=9D Benaissa said.
In the op= en letter supporting the academic, Burgat=E2=80=99s colleagues pointed out = that the proceedings against him =E2=80=9Cfollow dozens of others against a= ctivists, students, union leaders and politicians.=E2=80=9D
<= p style=3D"max-width:100%;font-family:-apple-system-font">Nearly 400 investigations for complaints linked to the=C2= =A0Israeli-Palestin= ian conflict=C2=A0were launched between October and Decemb= er 2023,=C2=A0according=C2=A0to investigative website Mediapart. The ma= jority of the cases are still being processed.
As = with Burgat, some complaints came from the OJE. One of them was filed in No= vember against humourist Guillaume Meurice over a=C2=A0joke=C2=A0about Israeli P= rime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that led to his dismissal from public radi= o France Inter in June, even though the court had abandoned the charges.
<= font color=3D"#000000">Mathilde Panot, the leader of France Unbowed MPs, and=C2=A0 Rim= a Hassan, recently elected for the same left-wing party in the European= Parliament, were also summoned in April by the judicial police, as part of= investigations into =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D.<= /p>
Both had been accused by OJE of legitimising the actions of H= amas in their statements.
The pro-Israel NGO was a= lso behind the=C2=A0conviction, around ten days later, of the secretary general of a depa= rtmental trade union, Jean-Paul Delescaut, who received a one-year suspende= d prison sentence for distributing a leaflet stating that =E2=80=9Cthe horr= ors of the illegal occupation ha[d] accumulated [and were] receiving the re= sponses they provoked=E2=80=9D.
In this case too, = several organisations reacted to=C2=A0condemn=C2=A0the =E2=80=9Ccriminalisation=E2=80=9D of = solidarity with Palestinians, judging =E2=80=9Cintolerable that a conflatio= n is made between solidarity with Palestine and support for terrorism or an= ti-Semitism, in order to discredit anti-racist unions, associations and pol= itical parties.=E2=80=9D
Great anger was also=C2=A0expressed=C2=A0in April, following the hearing= by the anti-terrorism services for a group of students from the School of = Advanced Studies in Social Sciences who had organised demonstrations to sup= port the people of Gaza.
=E2=80=9CToday, whistle-b= lowing exposes you to considerable risks. We hardly dare to recall that the= re was a time when showing support for Palestine was, especially on the lef= t, a kind of banality that no one noticed,=E2=80=9D Benaissa told MEE.
Right after the attacks in October and the start of th= e=C2=A0I= sraeli war on Gaza, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin banned pro= -Palestine gatherings =E2=80=93 a ruling=C2=A0rejectedfive days later by the Supreme Court.
Contemporaneously, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti=C2=A0addressed=C2=A0a circular to the public pro= secutors stipulating that =E2=80=9Cpublic remarks praising the attacks=E2= =80=9D of the Palestinian group, =E2=80=9Cby presenting them as legitimate = resistance to Israel=E2=80=9D, should be prosecuted.
Dupond-Moretti also called on prosecutors to provide =E2=80=9Ca firm and= rapid criminal response=E2=80=9D in the face of anti-Semitism and the =E2= =80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D.
Similarly,= the Higher Education Minister Sylvie Retailleau sent a letter to the presi= dents of universities asking them to punish =E2=80=9Cactions and remarks=E2= =80=9D falling within the offences of =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism, inc= itement to hatred or to violence=E2=80=9D.
Punishable by up to seven years in prison
While the= =E2=80=9Capologism for terrorism=E2=80=9D offence has existed in France si= nce the press law of 1881, its enforcement was restricted and subject to va= rious safeguards until a new=C2=A0legislation=C2=A0in Novem= ber 2014 transferred it to the Penal Code.
Since t= hen, Penal Code=C2=A0Article 421-2-5=C2=A0specifies that this crime is punishable by up to five years in prison = and a fine of up to 75,000 euros. Offences committed online can lead to sev= en years in prison and a 100,000 euros fine.
Altho= ugh the new article was designed to fight acts directly linked to terrorism= , such as enlisting recruits online, the practice has been quite different,= Chekkat=C2=A0explained=C2=A0to MEE, while rights organisations have condemned the increase in p= roceedings unrelated to terrorism since then.
=E2= =80=9CThis approach can create an environment in which people are afraid to= question or challenge prevailing opinions, express unpopular views, or eve= n make controversial jokes,=E2=80=9D Human Rights Watch=C2=A0<= a href=3D"https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/30/frances-creeping-terrorism-la= ws-restricting-free-speech" style=3D"text-decoration:none;max-width:100%" t= arget=3D"_blank">stated=C2=A0in 2018.
=E2=80=9CThe irony that the fervour for these prosecutions is in part = a reaction to the January=C2=A02015 attack=C2=A0on Charlie Hebdo, a = publication that became a symbol of freedom of expression because it insist= ed on its right to be irreverent and insensitive, seems to have been missed= by France=E2=80=99s Constitutional Court.=E2=80=9D
Chekkat concurred, saying: =E2=80=9CThe fact that these comments are pun= ishable in France for =E2=80=98apologism for terrorism=E2=80=99 reveals the= worrying repressive slope in which the country is engaged.=E2=80=9D=
As the trend has exploded since last October, especially= targetting pro-Palestine individuals and organisations, the lawyer lamente= d that their =E2=80=9Cfate depends on the understanding that prosecutors an= d judges have of the term =E2=80=98terrorism=E2=80=99, for which there is n= o stable legal definition=E2=80=9D.
=E2=80=9CThe t= erm terrorism serves to draw a political line between violence deemed legit= imate and violence not deemed so, while making invisible the eminently poli= tical and subjective origin of this demarcation,=E2=80=9D=C2=A0Chekkat said= .
= For Nathalie Tehio, lawyer and president of the = Human Rights League, a major French NGO, the =E2=80=9Capologism for terrori= sm=E2=80=9D offence serves as a tool for the government to gag freedom of e= xpression and repress support for the Palestinians in France.
=E2=80=9CThere are constantly new laws on terrorism that exten= d the scope of prohibitions,=E2=80=9D she told MEE.
=E2=80=9CThese texts with vague outlines give free rein to political int= erpretation in order to repress and point out opponents, researchers, activ= ists, trade unionists and so on as delinquents.=E2=80=9D
The prosecutors, who control police custody, also depend hierarchica= lly on the justice ministry and could receive instructions from it to prose= cute, Tehio added.

--000000000000e5fd34061db4ed2f-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 15:01:23 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3946DB0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:01:23 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 3946DB0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="cxk5v9yG" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 2D2C4BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:01:23 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f52.google.com (mail-ej1-f52.google.com [209.85.218.52]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id ECB21BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:01:22 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f52.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a79f9a72a99so738153266b.0 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:01:22 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721512881; x=1722117681; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=3TCtH6YC8rYtr8d+fmS7p6ww0zwvKXMpxNNJ1YDpxM0=; b=cxk5v9yGm/3lWeoRIJ5VJ6tT71NAJXL3TZ/Wq5zu2W/0w9OexjtFE5z28NhLpuCFIZ xDnDkaLNPwxm81WEJEeyOm10JuFEoUQ4jITLukKwKOjry/TgrOZFb+pWCgBfgJmtqz8S bVHpItFU+I4GBa6xG0y09HaF99Uk9NDN6dvACv/ObJsSJoxpiHt3GjbTdfP45TPzIBRM BwWWYdkad2yg+eEyIVZbb+3u4j4fjNcM016X2Rx+JScEPYOICCIp6NZR8wB0jWvM3xPd UECo04T7H4FQQZoUIEAA17OodhL6xw4HS9aP66H154EvguRSkeo/VKu5EItRBCAplmkR 4tAw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721512881; x=1722117681; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=3TCtH6YC8rYtr8d+fmS7p6ww0zwvKXMpxNNJ1YDpxM0=; b=qQ/WEh0MA18AHvQTsURC4Gef/1xD2/bZK4gibNhZ/XPJ9A7NHyR16S4SIGDkdf+55D 9o3mV7DkO4RicKsSluGB00KlHKKm9FJDHtMrfdIYRntD0I2e92Fx0q9SX/3MzYzJWDQj wEyJPqYWaWnH382qxPpFkR5xePLlcivH03KaTVLz9FjumI0jzfWfMinEOCiSogwke4qg 94KNL7bkDnXmt4DJsbltWOsh6Y7J10tQzQ8RWwBCUQjlQSzAqCVD1am/54VvYVxkz1yX 9i8UkPVeOlOlk1r4aDtH4po4oy/CAFcPikQyTVLakXz319VFnNG8zOV81kMxm81rpJ5P QPsA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YzprVPDoAgv+guch5671OBDIg9cOKL+5QkPYPg/t2qahYxqoJgh TvMenAF1yaN5quyWnlNJoPEnOjcV9bADzbkZK37SIoxjiDCZob2Lm2NaAdW2fpjUJDwJgVtKJ6H 1lMCvRiCg5NZrUQaFTJMvZgOfB+k1Hw== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IE8glsmiu5sBIXVrLOJkPtn/1ypL/Rhk3M/O5aT4DirbCx84BzYqnGzWrZtjCrwLvNLOGWSNIknbfrl+monwEg= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:1b26:b0:a77:a1f1:cfa0 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a41d08905mr291252366b.36.1721512880816; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:01:20 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 18:01:12 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000bcca7f061db4f399" Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?Israel_lobbyist_in_House_of_Lords_claims_thous?= =?utf-8?q?ands_of_pounds_in_public_money_Lord_Polak_has_said_he_wa?= =?utf-8?q?s_urged_to_=E2=80=98stand_up_for_Israel=E2=80=99_in_parl?= =?utf-8?q?iament_by_David_Cameron?= X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:01:23 -0000 --000000000000bcca7f061db4f399 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable *https://www.declassifieduk.org/israel-lobbyist-lord-polak-claims-thousands= -of-pounds-in-public-money/ * *Israel lobbyist in House of Lords claims thousands of pounds in public money* *Lord Polak has said he was urged to =E2=80=98stand up for Israel=E2=80=99 = in parliament by David Cameron.* *[image: Stuart Polak is a Conservative peer. (Photo: Rwandan government / Flickr)]* *Stuart Polak is a Conservative peer. (Photo: Rwandan government / Flickr)* *A leading lobbyist who described being made a member of House of Lords as a =E2=80=9Conce in a lifetime opportunity=E2=80=9D to advocate for Israel i= s claiming thousands of pounds in public funds for his parliamentary work.* *Stuart Polak, who led the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) for 25 years, has claimed almost a quarter of a million pounds since he was made a peer by then-prime minister David Cameron in 2015, according to analysis of his expenses by Middle East Eye and Declassified UK.* *Polak=E2=80=99s expenses as a member of the House of Lords are entirely legitimate. Members do not receive a salary but can claim a non-taxable daily attendance allowance of =C2=A3361 (=C2=A3342 prior to April 2024), al= though they can also choose to claim a reduced allowance or no allowance at all.* *But Polak=E2=80=99s place in parliament, and his entitlement to draw on pu= blic money while continuing to advocate for Israel, has been called into question at a time when Israeli leaders face accusations of genocide and war crimes over the conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza, during which more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed.* *Concerns about CFI=E2=80=99s relationship with the Conservative Party were= also raised this week by Alan Duncan, a former foreign office minister who on Tuesday said he had been cleared of antisemitism by a party disciplinary panel and suggested there had been a =E2=80=9Cwitch hunt=E2=80=9D against h= im.* *The case against Duncan came after an interview he gave to LBC radio in April, when he said that CFI was =E2=80=9Cdoing the bi= dding=E2=80=9D of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.* *He also accused Polak of =E2=80=9Cexercising the interests of another coun= try, not that of the parliament in which he sits,=E2=80=9D and called for him to be = removed from the House of Lords.* *In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, Duncan claimed that an improper relationship existed between the CFI and the top of the Conservative Party, and called on the party to =E2=80=9Cdecouple itself=E2=80=9D from the lobby= group.* *A Conservative Party spokesperson said Duncan=E2=80=99s claims about links= between the party and CFI were =E2=80=9Cfalse and entirely unfounded=E2=80=9D.* *MEE and Declassified UK approached Lord Polak and CFI for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.* *Standing up for Israel* *Polak stepped down as the head of CFI to take his place in the UK parliament=E2=80=99s unelected upper house as a Conservative peer in 2015.* *But he remains the lobby group=E2=80=99s honorary president and a register= ed director, and is still considered to be one of the most important pro-Israel voices in Westminster.* *Of the 40 questions he has asked since he became a Lord, only seven have not related to Palestine, Israel or the Middle East.* *Polak has already made three trips to Israel in the first quarter of this year.* *The first trip, in January, was described by CFI as a =E2=80=9Cspecial sol= idarity visit=E2=80=9D by Conservative parliamentarians which included a meeting wi= th Israeli President Isaac Herzog.* *The trip was funded by the European Leadership Network (Elnet), which was created to =E2=80=9Ccounter the widespread criticism of Israel=E2=80=9D. Elnet has des= cribed South Africa=E2=80=99s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of= Justice as =E2=80=9Cpolitically motivated and legally tenuous=E2=80=9D.* *In February, Polak joined a CFI delegation of Conservative parliamentary candidates visiting the country, and in March he was part of a House of Lords delegation which met =E2=80=9CIsraeli politicians, religious leaders, Palestinian civil society and the British Ambassador to Israel=E2=80=9D, ac= cording to the House of Lords register of interests.* *Polak has made no secret of his determination to use his place in the Lords to continue speaking up for Israel.* *At the time of his appointment, he said: =E2=80=9CThe Prime Minister has g= iven me a once in a lifetime opportunity to enter the House of Lords which will enable me to continue to advocate for Israel.=E2=80=9D* *In an interview in 2022, he described how Cameron had urg= ed him to continue =E2=80=9Cto stand up for Israel=E2=80=9D.* *=E2=80=9CWhen David Cameron invited me to go to the Lords=E2=80=A6 he said= I hope you will continue to stand up for Israel, these were his words. To stand up for Israel in the House of Lords,=E2=80=9D Polak said.* *Jonathan Purcell, senior public affairs officer at the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), said: =E2=80=9CTime and time aga= in, Lord Polak has said it=E2=80=99s a =E2=80=98great honour=E2=80=99 to speak up fo= r Israel in the House of Lords. But the duties of politicians are simple. MPs should serve their constituents, and peers should serve the country more generally. This should be the focus of any and all politicians.=E2=80=9D* *Private meetings* *Polak briefly came to public attention in 2017, when he was criticised for organising private meetings between then development secretary Priti Patel and senior Israeli officials.* *The incident forced Patel=E2=80=99s resignation from cabinet yet Polak esc= aped the scandal with almost no scrutiny and has continued to enjoy access to senior Conservative politicians.* *In January, Polak sat next to then-prime minister Rishi Sunak at the CFI= =E2=80=99s annual business lunch , which was attended by =E2=80=9C200 Conservative Parliamentarians, 20 Cabine= t members and four former UK Prime Ministers=E2=80=9D.* *On Wednesday it was widely reported that Patel planned to stand to replace Sunak as Conservative leader following the party=E2=80=99s general election defeat by Labour earlier this month wh= ich saw it reduced to just 121 MPs.* *Several other likely leadership contenders have links to CFI. The group has paid for Robert Jenrick and James Cleverly to visit Israel= , while Kemi Badenoch said sh= e was =E2=80=9Creally, really proud to be a supporter of CFI=E2=80=9D when sh= e addressed its =E2=80=9Clegendary=E2=80=9D parliamentary reception last year.* *Polak also has connections to the Israeli government. Last year he hosted then-Israeli intelligence minister Gila Gamliel at an event at the House of Lords in which Gamliel called on the UK government to proscribe Iran=E2=80=99s Islam= ic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IGRC) as a terrorist group.* *Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu), said that while Polak was fully entitled to claim the daily House of Lords allowance there were questions to be asked about why he had been made a member in the first place.* *He also called for greater scrutiny of Polak=E2=80=99s interventions in th= e Lords, citing hiscriticism in March 2023 of the previous UK government=E2=80=99s policy of non-engagement= with Israel=E2=80=99s far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.* *=E2=80=9CHe is going in there with a very blinkered view that is polarisin= g and unhelpful,=E2=80=9D said Doyle.* *=E2=80=9CWhile he is entitled to put his views, the record will show he is prepared to uphold and promote views which I would like to think our politicians should be staying well away from.=E2=80=9D* *As a member of a parliamentary group supportive of the Abraham Accords, Polak has used his position to promote closer ties between the UK and Arab states that have normalised relations with Israel including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.* *Last year, Polak was among a group of peers who visited the city of Laayoune in Western Sahara during a trip to Morocco and the disputed territory as guests of Morocco=E2=80=99s government.* *The UK government does not recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and regards its status as =E2=80=9Cundetermined=E2=80=9D. But Polak = was reported as saying that Israel=E2=80=99s decision to recognise Morocco=E2=80=99s claim = to the territory was =E2=80=9Cthe right thing to do=E2=80=9D and pledging to encourage the U= K government to do the same.* *Polak has fostered close ties with Bahrain, meeting its crown prince at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May alongside former prime minister Theresa May.* *He visited Bahrain three times between 2022 and 2023 as a guest of the Gulf state, according to the House of Lords register of interests, and again in February 2024, according to Bahrain=E2=80=99s foreign ministry.* RELATED *The House of Lords expenses system effectively means UK taxpayers are subsidising Polak=E2=80=99s lobbying activities. Analysis of official recor= ds, which have only been published up to December 2023, show he has claimed =C2=A3235,000 ($304,000) in daily allowances since becoming a peer.* *When data from this year is released the total will likely be closer to a quarter of a million pounds, based on claims Polak has made in previous years for his parliamentary time.* *The financial records appears to indicate that Polak is more active in Parliament during CFI campaign periods. These included the group=E2=80=99s = flagship policies to ban Hamas in its entirety, and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.= * *While Hamas=E2=80=99s military wing has been proscribed in the UK since 20= 01, both Labour and Conservative governments had avoided outlawing the group=E2=80= =99s political wing, recognising that its important political role running Gaza=E2=80=99s civil administration could be complicated by a ban.* *But in November 2021, Patel, who had returned to government as home secretary under Boris Johnson, announced th= e government=E2=80=99s intention to ban Hamas in its entirety. Five days late= r, the ban was passed without even a parliamentary vote.* *The Hamas ban coincided with one of Polak=E2=80=99s busiest months in West= minster, which saw him attend parliament on 14 days and claim an allowance of =C2=A3= 4,522 in public funds.* *Polak voted on four days that month, and spoke in the Lords on three occasions, including a six-minute speech , in which he called for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics because of China=E2=80=99s persecution of the Uyghurs, the day after Hamas was banned.= * *He put in a similar expenses claim in February 2019 when Hezbollah was banned by then-home secretary Sajid Javid, another senior Conservative politician who has met Polak while on holiday in Israel.* *The Hezbollah ban was debated in the Lords that month, with Polak describing the move as =E2=80=9Cthe right = one and long overdue=E2=80=9D. The group=E2=80=99s proscription passed without a vo= te. Polak claimed an allowance of =C2=A34,575 for 15 days in parliament that month.* ABOUT THE AUTHOR *Phil Miller is the editor of Declassified UK. He is the author of Keenie Meenie: The British Mercenaries Who Got Away With War Crimes. Follow him on Twitter at @pmillerinfo* *VIEW MORE ARTICLES * --000000000000bcca7f061db4f399 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www.declassifieduk.org/israel-l= obbyist-lord-polak-claims-thousands-of-pounds-in-public-money/
<= /font>

Isra= el lobbyist in House of Lords claims thousands of pounds in public money
<= p style=3D"max-width:100%">Lord Po= lak has said he was urged to =E2=80=98stand up for Israel=E2=80=99 in parli= ament by David Cameron.
Stuart Polak is a Conservative peer. (Photo: Rwandan gove= rnment / Flickr)
A leading lobbyist who described being made a member of House of L= ords as a =E2=80=9Conce in a lifetime opportunity=E2=80=9D to advocate for = Israel is claiming thousands of pounds in public funds for his parliamentar= y work.
<= b>Stuart Polak, who led the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) for 25 yea= rs, has claimed almost a quarter of a million pounds since he was made a pe= er by then-prime minister David Cameron in 2015, according to analysis of h= is expenses by Middle East Eye and Declassified UK.
Polak=E2=80=99s expenses as = a member of the House of Lords are entirely legitimate. Members do not rece= ive a salary but can claim a non-taxable daily attendance allowance of =C2= =A3361 (=C2=A3342 prior to April 2024), although they can also choose to cl= aim a reduced allowance or no allowance at all.
But Polak=E2=80=99s place in parl= iament, and his entitlement to draw on public money while continuing to adv= ocate for Israel, has been called into question at a time when Israeli lead= ers face accusations of genocide and war crimes over the conduct of the war= against Hamas in Gaza, during which more than 38,000 Palestinians have bee= n killed.
Concerns about CFI=E2=80=99s relationship with the Conservative Party w= ere also raised this week by Alan Duncan, a former foreign office minister = who on Tuesday said he had been cleared of antisemitism by a party discipli= nary panel and suggested there had been a =E2=80=9Cwitch hunt=E2=80=9D agai= nst him.
= The case against Duncan came after an=C2=A0interview=C2=A0he gave to LBC radi= o in April, when he said that CFI was =E2=80=9Cdoing the bidding=E2=80=9D o= f Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He also accused Polak of =E2=80=9Cex= ercising the interests of another country, not that of the parliament in wh= ich he sits,=E2=80=9D and called for him to be removed from the House of Lo= rds.
I= n a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, Duncan claimed that an improper r= elationship existed between the CFI and the top of the Conservative Party, = and called on the party to =E2=80=9Cdecouple itself=E2=80=9D from the lobby= group.
<= b>A Conservative Party spokesperson said Duncan=E2=80=99s claims about link= s between the party and CFI were =E2=80=9Cfalse and entirely unfounded=E2= =80=9D.
<= b>MEE and Declassified UK approached Lord Polak and CFI for comment but had= not received a response by the time of publication.
Standing up for Israel<= /h2>
Polak stepped do= wn as the head of CFI to take his place in the UK parliament=E2=80=99s unel= ected upper house as a Conservative peer in 2015.
But he remains the lobby group= =E2=80=99s honorary president and a registered director, and is still consi= dered to be one of the most important pro-Israel voices in Westminster.=
Of the=C2=A040 questions=C2=A0he has asked since he became a Lord, on= ly seven have not related to Palestine, Israel or the Middle East.
Polak has alre= ady made three trips to Israel in the first quarter of this year.
The first trip,= in January, was described by CFI as a =E2=80=9Cspecial solidarity visit=E2= =80=9D by Conservative parliamentarians which included a meeting with Israe= li President Isaac Herzog.
The trip was funded by the European Leadership Network= (Elnet), which was=C2=A0createdto =E2=80= =9Ccounter the widespread criticism of Israel=E2=80=9D. Elnet has described= South Africa=E2=80=99s genocide case against Israel at the International C= ourt of Justice as =E2=80=9Cpolitically motivated and legally tenuous=E2=80= =9D.
I= n February, Polak joined a CFI delegation of Conservative parliamentary can= didates visiting the country, and in March he was part of a House of Lords = delegation which met =E2=80=9CIsraeli politicians, religious leaders, Pales= tinian civil society and the British Ambassador to Israel=E2=80=9D, accordi= ng to the House of Lords register of interests.
Polak has made no secret of his d= etermination to use his place in the Lords to continue speaking up for Isra= el.
At= the time of his appointment, he said: =E2=80=9CThe Prime Minister has give= n me a once in a lifetime opportunity to enter the House of Lords which wil= l enable me to continue to advocate for Israel.=E2=80=9D
In an interview in 2022,= he=C2=A0<= /span>described=C2=A0how Cameron had urged him to continue= =E2=80=9Cto stand up for Israel=E2=80=9D.
=E2=80=9CWhen David Cameron invited me= to go to the Lords=E2=80=A6 he said I hope you will continue to stand up f= or Israel, these were his words. To stand up for Israel in the House of Lor= ds,=E2=80=9D Polak said.
Jonathan Purcell, senior public affairs officer at the I= nternational Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), said: =E2=80=9CTime= and time again, Lord Polak has said it=E2=80=99s a =E2=80=98great honour= =E2=80=99 to speak up for Israel in the House of Lords. But the duties of p= oliticians are simple. MPs should serve their constituents, and peers shoul= d serve the country more generally. This should be the focus of any and all= politicians.=E2=80=9D
Private meetings
Polak br= iefly came to public attention in 2017, when he was criticised for organisi= ng private meetings between then development secretary Priti Patel and seni= or Israeli officials.
The incident forced Patel=E2=80=99s resignation from cabine= t yet Polak escaped the scandal with almost no scrutiny and has continued t= o enjoy access to senior Conservative politicians.
In January, Polak sat next t= o then-prime minister Rishi Sunak at the CFI=E2=80=99s annual business=C2=A0lunch, which was attended b= y =E2=80=9C200 Conservative Parliamentarians, 20 Cabinet members and four f= ormer UK Prime Ministers=E2=80=9D.
On Wednesday it was widely=C2=A0<= a href=3D"https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/16/priti-pa= tel-to-enter-conservative-leadership-race-sources-say" style=3D"text-decora= tion:none;max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">reported=C2=A0= that Patel planned to stand to replace Sunak as Conservative leader followi= ng the party=E2=80=99s general election defeat by Labour earlier this month= which saw it reduced to just 121 MPs.
Several other likely leadership contenders= have links to CFI. The group has paid for=C2=A0Robert Jenrick= =C2=A0and=C2=A0James Cleverly=C2=A0to visit Israel, while Kem= i Badenoch=C2=A0said=C2=A0she was =E2=80=9Creally, really proud to be a s= upporter of CFI=E2=80=9D when she addressed its =E2=80=9Clegendary=E2=80=9D= parliamentary reception last year.
Polak also has connections to the Israeli gov= ernment. Last year he=C2=A0hosted<= span>=C2=A0then-Israeli intelligence minister Gila Gamliel at an eve= nt at the House of Lords in which Gamliel called on the UK government to pr= oscribe Iran=E2=80=99s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IGRC) as a terrori= st group.
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Ca= abu), said that while Polak was fully entitled to claim the daily House of = Lords allowance there were questions to be asked about why he had been made= a member in the first place.
He also called for greater scrutiny of Polak=E2=80= =99s interventions in the Lords, citing hiscriticism=C2=A0in March 2023 of the previous UK government=E2=80=99s polic= y of non-engagement with Israel=E2=80=99s far-right security minister Itama= r Ben-Gvir.
=E2=80=9CHe is going in there with a very blinkered view that is pola= rising and unhelpful,=E2=80=9D said Doyle.
=E2=80=9CWhile he is entitled to put h= is views, the record will show he is prepared to uphold and promote views w= hich I would like to think our politicians should be staying well away from= .=E2=80=9D
As a member of a parliamentary group supportive of the Abraham Accords= , Polak has used his position to promote closer ties between the UK and Ara= b states that have normalised relations with Israel including the United Ar= ab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
Last year, Polak was among a group of peers who= visited the city of Laayoune in Western Sahara during a trip to Morocco an= d the disputed territory as guests of Morocco=E2=80=99s government.
The UK govern= ment does not recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and regard= s its status as =E2=80=9Cundetermined=E2=80=9D. But Polak was=C2=A0reported= =C2=A0as saying that Israel=E2=80=99s decision to recognise Morocco= =E2=80=99s claim to the territory was =E2=80=9Cthe right thing to do=E2=80= =9D and pledging to encourage the UK government to do the same.<= /p>
Polak has fostere= d close ties with Bahrain, meeting its crown prince at the Royal Windsor Ho= rse Show in May alongside former prime minister Theresa May.
=
He visited Bahrain t= hree times between 2022 and 2023 as a guest of the Gulf state, according to= the House of Lords register of interests, and again in February 2024, acco= rding to Bahrain=E2=80=99s foreign ministry.
RELATED
The House of Lords expenses system effec= tively means UK taxpayers are subsidising Polak=E2=80=99s lobbying activiti= es. Analysis of official records, which have only been=C2=A0published=C2=A0up to December 2023, show = he has claimed =C2=A3235,000 ($304,000) in daily allowances since becoming = a peer.
<= b>When data from this year is released the total will likely be closer to a= quarter of a million pounds, based on claims Polak has made in previous ye= ars for his parliamentary time.
<= font color=3D"#000000">The financial records appears to indicate that Po= lak is more active in Parliament during CFI campaign periods. These include= d the group=E2=80=99s flagship policies to ban Hamas in its entirety, and t= he Lebanese Hezbollah movement.
<= font color=3D"#000000">While Hamas=E2=80=99s military wing has been pros= cribed in the UK since 2001, both Labour and Conservative governments had a= voided outlawing the group=E2=80=99s political wing, recognising that its i= mportant political role running Gaza=E2=80=99s civil administration could b= e complicated by a ban.
But in November 2021, Patel, who had returned to governme= nt as home secretary under Boris Johnson,=C2=A0announced=C2=A0the government=E2=80=99s intention to ban Hamas in its entire= ty. Five days later, the=C2=A0ban=C2=A0was passed without even a parliamentary vote.
The Hamas ban coincided with= one of Polak=E2=80=99s busiest months in Westminster, which saw him attend= parliament on 14 days and claim an allowance of =C2=A34,522 in public fund= s.
Pol= ak voted on four days that month, and spoke in the Lords on three occasions= , including a six-minute=C2=A0speech, in which he called = for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics because of China=E2=80=99s per= secution of the Uyghurs, the day after Hamas was banned.
He put in a similar expe= nses claim in February 2019 when Hezbollah was banned by then-home secretar= y Sajid Javid, another senior Conservative politician who has met Polak whi= le on=C2=A0holiday=C2=A0in Israel.=
The Hezbo= llah ban was=C2=A0debated= =C2=A0in the Lords that month, with Polak describing the move as =E2= =80=9Cthe right one and long overdue=E2=80=9D. The group=E2=80=99s proscrip= tion passed without a vote. Polak claimed an allowance of =C2=A34,575 for 1= 5 days in parliament that month.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phil Miller is= the editor of Declassified UK. He is the author of Keenie Meenie: The Brit= ish Mercenaries Who Got Away With War Crimes. Follow him on Twitter at @pmi= llerinfo
= VIEW MORE ARTICLES=C2=A0=
=

--000000000000bcca7f061db4f399-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 15:59:37 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9F139B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:59:37 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 9F139B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="G5AlDdg+" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 85A71BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:59:37 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f44.google.com (mail-ej1-f44.google.com [209.85.218.44]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 82C2CBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:59:37 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f44.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a79f9a72a99so741575266b.0 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:59:37 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721516376; x=1722121176; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=tmV3SVdZ4Qi6NHZ3zJ5UUQHNROyfJXFQfDtX0x/DuzU=; b=G5AlDdg+4T+2DaJSNKHywuGDNxpKiVXNDHYO6nNTGz1DyJhPc12YYn3vNvBNRCQQ88 EJuP492KQJIWBacm34s0PjZockt9robWaqLzzWVxQyyfhXwB3DZ8xC09fezRkQtFUaop HeC6GwU/hHYHuc5qlC7k6+RclyH/tsiuMMzJFPQne4hU6GM6Db8gYHF4sE209m+mvqM6 fi5gWSps+mmV1uvkci06AIWBqBwDcYmnDi05uSTgLBiHj4vfaHh5hUA3p/KDQmgFWTmG YRAiqeLoxWI+16GR7A4xjGdBIClqEVESNf7OrHI9h8uhmcsjm++M+enZQ+dqgc3Gp0b+ a11w== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721516376; x=1722121176; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=tmV3SVdZ4Qi6NHZ3zJ5UUQHNROyfJXFQfDtX0x/DuzU=; b=jvWhB9LDvNDXL/ak7I1Pd6GIfcfODvATwIp98884KPlNY9VHZuCh4E/ov/pN71Zmo8 uInqFWsnWf02Bvlg/hokn3DYPD1PELMidpVNuWvTOUYWQewv6fuXdLyfjgqtq9iQlQzI /GuCmf8sWyT1k0iFouWVUJ7utHSF9VznYliJqa67lEyXLmtFOB8XrH4K9vea8LRak05f Zv3y0e678E7YsUA2wBbQ6557UF4OJrJ2gVW/cTfSCZCgorT6veMZoLXfLxbP4LIGEIFO 09cg8sf8FhXh+Lg8pCi9axW9rqphvRPw4h59ZQWym4+MFOKRRsSec1so25d7ZBB49HfL TcRg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yydyq+2+KolpXVRhCo16Xt6Gb7j7lptkUhOMuZgxNiuXQgI0dj/ bfbeC0fulnAw74sebRgr5kXdOCu42y7pP/XIR0WSzhoiqlBWvEhn23MGTX5OpKIM7ETxl+jX9t4 RawIkaIyIuL1C8tw+otZLi6OY3sN5ow== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFBMaE/vclE2Wx9DohgkkC4ns+pnZSt6I4um3lTsWu+QJuqx2KIxqLPOOP63IEYjMnWJCusqxgl7TmSnFW5p4Y= X-Received: by 2002:a17:906:2a91:b0:a77:b349:ffd8 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a0f79b834mr1011923866b.32.1721516375330; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 15:59:35 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <70341625.2285859.1721474194218.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <70341625.2285859.1721474194218@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <70341625.2285859.1721474194218@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 18:59:26 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="00000000000006d768061db5c437" Subject: [Salon] NATO is becoming the single tool the West uses to deal with just about every issue X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 22:59:37 -0000 --00000000000006d768061db5c437 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1814546021185114388 This is a good read on how NATO is becoming the single tool the West uses to deal with just about every issue. Which is, insanely, how it now defines its purpose: to defend against =E2=80=9Call threats and challenges, in all = domains, and in multiple strategic directions.=E2=80=9D It really illustrates the gr= owing militarization of the West as well as its lack of sophistication and statesmanship. NATO is the embodiment of "when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail", or in this case "when you have a military alliance everything looks like it can be solved by military means". Including things as unexpected as climate change: the 2024 Washington Summit underscored NATO=E2=80=99s commitment to becoming =E2=80=9Cthe leadi= ng international organization for understanding and adapting to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on security.=E2=80=9D What are they going to do,= nuke climate change away? [image: =F0=9F=A4=A6=E2=80=8D=E2=99=82=EF=B8=8F] https://nationalinterest.org/feature/%E2%80%9Cdiluted%E2%80%9D-nato-mistake= -211875 A =E2=80=9CDiluted=E2=80=9D NATO Is a Mistake NATO once dealt solely with the defense of Europe=E2=80=94until it didn=E2= =80=99t. Instead, the alliance is regurgitating ambitions from a quarter of a century ago. This is not progress, just performance. --00000000000006d768061db5c437 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/181454602118511438= 8
This is a good read on how NATO is becoming the= single tool the West uses to deal with just about every issue. Which is, i= nsanely, how it now defines its purpose: to defend against =E2=80=9Call thr= eats and challenges, in all domains, and in multiple strategic directions.= =E2=80=9D It really illustrates the growing militarization of the West as well as its= lack of sophistication and statesmanship. NATO is the embodiment of "= when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail", or in this case= "when you have a military alliance everything looks like it can be so= lved by military means".=20 Including things as unexpected as climate change: the 2024 Washington Summi= t underscored NATO=E2=80=99s commitment to becoming =E2=80=9Cthe leading in= ternational organization for understanding and adapting to the impacts of c= limate change and extreme weather on security.=E2=80=9D What are they going= to do, nuke climate change away?

https://nationalinterest.org/fe= ature/%E2%80%9Cdiluted%E2%80%9D-nato-mistake-211875
A =E2=80=9CDiluted=E2=80=9D NATO Is a Mistake
NATO once dealt= solely with the defense of Europe=E2=80=94until it didn=E2=80=99t. Instead= , the alliance is regurgitating ambitions from a quarter of a century ago. = This is not progress, just performance.

<= /div>
--00000000000006d768061db5c437-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 16:06:35 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id BEB64B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:06:35 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net BEB64B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="C9S3JZxU" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 9B0D2BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:06:35 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-wm1-f41.google.com (mail-wm1-f41.google.com [209.85.128.41]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 5FB76BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:06:35 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-wm1-f41.google.com with SMTP id 5b1f17b1804b1-426636ef8c9so20544105e9.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:06:35 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721516793; x=1722121593; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=eTKWHJSHdICWDUDfgsUIXzJWzur6hRTP+3dHZTR85Iw=; b=C9S3JZxUP6oRjEeWa8ZJfRQ32fXCHeU5JCcbX5HUcJKPX92DA0hU1YIGMyHuGIWJ+h pKddJGOkpIDf9jTXZuqlVvHib8YhvYs6iIv93iT2QtgW/m/B31v5DmafXAV7VBvjd7cS KvBUIHY8kzPi7hoOnffGom5vPpfNvUF+NYb1V6/DgR9gSSmtHehseC6GyK9zZwIM2sT9 4Su0+UtnhXBSGeidc5SiD5od+w/c16z14unhLVRKr0xOZOgmOnY3ygLa47DuhVLzeGbU cflXHPw0zx/UGIb4ObHOJJK2SIxwNfADJGoCso3Dig+P/8rwXBzwxgIKPIalJNLTtiDl YCeg== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721516793; x=1722121593; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=eTKWHJSHdICWDUDfgsUIXzJWzur6hRTP+3dHZTR85Iw=; b=S92r8Lx17kxV+LEI61nan2xjjBcl2dW0LaZCqYjWJwMKTjv9vCRXegDGH2neRMFeYf w+Hd2YdHQogo/KjYNVHW9T2HGuGR9v0JqyuODhYtMc0bD+rFf6dZycaFMdRYxcTTN7Ff t74r1t/s/+kMipfS3mY3/+BKO3eUano+fiVanfDVuGVMcnYEBhxEB2FI2F55INpRttNe uD8JJEijE/F3wEuAOzV1hDp1/lxRCUKxGz1uvBFZPA0eVPklYEU7M0NxUsHwwZDXphEh OiBzIWelLwQ5gzb2nlkUceTN2v3LBayE0iwcz4l3xCFhkflGze9cYNLG2W4pZhJpc6/Y 4Syw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yxa+7KOSGfaqNhY9lkYLQGHC5aKX1x6Q9k5SFpB8LzUX12QO7R9 kAGqVKG9V6xOaeQfnNYyhKV6NbwvmxNh9CjYY0PmnajEg6AML96+56UBzZdy6BB7aMsiyZu/BYu mQ3Lssp26Q79TmGTBMT7vsnF5qcea5A== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGeuJ2eJzg5sn67p6tl9TzQP58AQHBIVSCZwVqv5Nb/1loYrQ2BIBJEB54ZExvj1bRKkHL2rEvviFc2uYVGl+k= X-Received: by 2002:a5d:6a43:0:b0:368:3038:8290 with SMTP id ffacd0b85a97d-369bae4975fmr1299582f8f.39.1721516792991; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:06:32 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <2128939449.455992.1721515048190.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <2128939449.455992.1721515048190@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <2128939449.455992.1721515048190@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:06:24 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000ebdeae061db5dc9c" Subject: [Salon] China Ignorance on the Hill X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:06:35 -0000 --000000000000ebdeae061db5dc9c Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://consortiumnews.com/2024/07/17/china-ignorance-on-the-hill/ China Ignorance on the Hill July 17, 2024 *As the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing drew on, the claims about China grew more and more unhinged, writes Megan Russell.* The U.S. Capitol at night. (Diane Krauthamer, Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) *By Megan Russell* *Common Dreams * *O*n June 26, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability sat down for a congressional hearing titled, =E2=80=9CDefending America from the Chinese C= ommunist Party=E2=80=99s Political Warfare.=E2=80=9D This was one of many recent con= gressional hearings aimed at tackling the =E2=80=9CChina threat.=E2=80=9D *A*s a general premise, I didn=E2=80=99t have a lot of hope for the hearing= . Language is crucial, and the title says it all: any action by the U.S. is merely =E2=80=9Cdefense=E2=80=9D against acts of political warfare committe= d by China. And still, I was disappointed. Not only was it filled with racist, paranoid rhetoric, but it was supremely unjust, lacking any level of self-awareness, and almost certainly operated solely as an agenda-pushing cover for whatever act of warfare the U.S. government sought to commit next. Three witnesses took to the stands. The first was Erik Bethel, a finance professional selected to represent the U.S. at the World Bank. He was followed by Mary Kissel, former senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Third was James E. Fanell, the former director of intelligence and information operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet and current government fellow. Big people with big titles. That is the usual order of things: a few =E2=80=9Cexperts=E2=80=9D are selected to =E2=80=9Cteach=E2=80=9D members o= f Congress about complex subjects they may lack background in. The Committee of Oversight and Accountability lacks China expertise. Representative Lisa McClain spent 10 years working for American Express before she was elected to represent the state of Michigan. Chairman James Comer was a Kentucky farmer. Representative Paul Gosar was a dentist in Arizona. Marjorie Taylor Green was a part-time CrossFit gym coach. Many of them have never traveled to China, let alone held a productive conversation with a member of China=E2=80=99s government. Comer at an event in 2019 in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Public domain) Their lack of expertise didn=E2=80=99t stop them from sounding their opinio= ns. I listened carefully, hoping to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was a fruitless endeavor. Representative McClain spoke about her district: =E2=80=9CIn Michigan, we have the Gotion plant =E2=80=A6 We have a Chinese-= owned company and the only spot they can figure out that is feasible for them to build is next to a university and next to a military base. Anybody think that=E2=80= =99s a coincidence?=E2=80=9D In the audience, the new summer Hillterns listened with rapt attention. =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m not much for coincidences,=E2=80=9D McClain continued.= =E2=80=9CWe talk about, well it=E2=80=99s gonna create jobs. Jobs for *who*? I=E2=80=99m very concerned,= and I=E2=80=99m not much for coincidences.=E2=80=9D U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain. (Wikimedia Commons, She was talking about the plans to build a new plant in Michigan for electric vehicle components under the company Gotion, which has headquarters in Shanghai. The plan is speculated to bring thousands of jobs to the area, with wages about 150 percent of the current average. McClain, having no substance on which to defend her opposition to the plant, instead decided to speculate on its geographic location, implying the company is purposefully building near a university and military installation. *Clearly*, the plant is a spy base for the Chinese government, as surely as any 18-to-26-year-old Chinese immigrant is an undercover Chinese soldier sent to wreak havoc upon our country =E2=80=94 all baseless, unfounded clai= ms that promote Asian American hate and shift public perception to support anti-China policies. The military base she=E2=80=99s talking about is Camp Grayling, which is ac= tually over 100 miles away from Big Rapids, where the EV plant will be built. Tower at Grayling Air Gunnery Range in Michigan. (U.S. Air Force, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain) As for the proximity to Ferris State University, the relevance of that statement is questionable. There are around 77 colleges and universities in the entire state =E2=80=94 198 if you include community colleges and trade = schools. It would be difficult *not *to build near one. This is merely one example of the outlandish and absurd claims made in the hearing, backed by anecdotal and unreliable =E2=80=9Cevidence=E2=80=9D base= d on feelings and a strange paranoia that anything with links to China has malicious intentions. In response to McClain=E2=80=99s statements, Mary Kissel said, =E2=80=9CLet=E2=80=99s not give them too much credit as long-term thinkers.= Let=E2=80=99s remember they almost destroyed their country several times over.=E2=80=9D The words were spoken derisively, reaffirming my suspicion that Ms. Kissel boasts severe negative prejudices towards China and Chinese people. She continued to cite the Cultural Revolution, the debt crisis, and =E2=80=9Cet= cetera.=E2=80=9D In truth, the U.S. is a mere baby in comparison to China=E2=80=99s 5,000 ye= ars of history. As for Kissel=E2=80=99s claims, to say Chinese people nearly destr= oyed their country is misleading and tinged with a disturbing colonialistic superiority that the West does everything better. Kissel also stated her opinion of how China operates: *=E2=80=9CChina is a party state. The function of China is not to better th= e interests of the Chinese people=E2=80=93 it is to promote, strengthen, and = expand the power and influence, and reach of the Chinese Communist Party*.=E2=80= =9D I challenge this claim, not just for its wrongful absolutism, but because China has repeatedly shown immense interest in improving the everyday lives of its citizens. China is unparalleled in its developmental growth aimed at providing infrastructure and opportunities to the people. Housing, public transportation, health care, and education are all convenient and affordable. The average retirement age is 54 years old. Pudong New Area, an economic development zone in Shanghai, in 2008. (Wolfga= ng Staudt, Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0) Over the past few decades, the government has been working ceaselessly to eradicate extreme poverty with tremendous success. Over *800 million people *have been taken out of poverty and afforded a better quality of life. Not only that, China continues to emphasize the importance of green energy in building a sustainable future. Shenzhen, one of the country=E2=80=99s bi= ggest high-tech cities, has switched all public transportation over to electric vehicles. This isn=E2=80=99t pro-China propaganda, it=E2=80=99s simply fact= . Along with forged criticism of China=E2=80=99s internal dynamics and histor= y, the hearing also challenged China=E2=80=99s position when it comes to the U.S.. The overall goal of China, Kissel proclaimed, is to =E2=80=9Cupend our way = of life and to dominate and change our way of life.=E2=80=9D They are =E2=80=9Ccomm= itted to destroy(ing) us.=E2=80=9D At first glance, it sounds absurd that an individual so ostensibly high up on the policy advisory hierarchy would make such a condemnatory and extreme claim. But considering that Kissel served under Mike Pompeo during Donald Trump=E2=80=99s presidential term, it is not so surprising. It was not an administration known for its truth-telling. Kissel in 2017, speaking at an event in Tempe, Arizona. (Gage Skidmore, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0) First and foremost, China has no plans to destroy the United States. We can easily cipher this through both statement and action. To claim otherwise is false and promotes a dangerous narrative that guides our policy-makers down a one-way path to war. Erik Bethel=E2=80=99s claim that =E2=80=9CChina is encircling us=E2=80=9D i= s also highly deceptive. Adversely, it is the U.S. that has encircled China with over 300 military bases and countless troops. China has no military bases in the entire Western hemisphere. There is no =E2=80=9Cencircling=E2=80=9D occurring. Former U.S. Representative Tom Malinowski criticized China for trying to make the U.S. =E2=80=9Clook bad to the rest of the world.=E2=80=9D This is,= at best, overwhelmingly hypocritical. Just recently it was uncovered that the U.S. launched a secret anti-vax operation in the Philippines during the deadliest months of the Covid-19 pandemic to undermine China=E2=80=99s influence in the region. According to a senior U.= S. military official, =E2=80=9CWe weren=E2=80=99t looking at this from a public health perspectiv= e. We were looking at how we could drag China through the mud.=E2=80=9D As the hearing drew on, the claims grew more and more unhinged. =E2=80=9CThey=E2=80=99re teaming up with the Mexican drug cartels and they= =E2=80=99re killing Americans,=E2=80=9D Congressman Fallon told everyone, backing his claim tha= t China is killing nearly as many Americans per day as died during World War II. =E2=80=9CThey know how many paperclips you all are using in the Longworth building,=E2=80=9D Representative Tim Burchett said, reminiscing about a Mi= ke Pompeo quote. =E2=80=9CWhat if they were to develop some kind of biological entity that c= an, say, wipe out females of child-bearing ages or something?=E2=80=9D Burchett quer= ied. =E2=80=9CIf you=E2=80=99re using this app (Tiktok), they can listen to you,= =E2=80=9D Another added. =E2=80=9CWe should do the opposite of what China wants us to do,=E2=80=9D M= alinowski put forth as a general solution. =E2=80=9CWe need to construct not just a defensive strategy, but an *offens= ive *strategy,=E2=80=9D Kissel said decisively. Twice it was mentioned that her last name rhymes with missile. It was as if the hearing took lines straight out of an SNL skit. It=E2=80= =99s unfathomable that *these* are the people sitting in our congressional hearing rooms, talking about war. *These *are the people voting on legislation that could propel the U.S. into a conflict with China that would bring death and destruction to millions, and most likely end in nuclear catastrophe or total destruction of the planet. U.S. politicians, although ignorant and lacking expertise, are willing cogs in the war machine. They bring the most anti-China and pro-military witnesses to the stands to reaffirm their own paranoid delusions about an all-knowing, all-hateful =E2=80=9Cother=E2=80=9D across the sea that seeks = to destroy everything bright and beautiful about the world. This is happening on a *we= ekly basis*. The truth is that it is not China gearing up for war, but our very own government. Our politicians are pumping billions of dollars into hyper-militarizing the Asia Pacific and writing it off as =E2=80=9Cdeterren= ce.=E2=80=9D They=E2=80=99re spouting lies and fear-inducing narratives at congressional hearings in a bid to garner support for anti-China legislation. These stories are trickling down through the media and infecting the minds of the general public, priming the U.S. military for its next conquest. Why? Because the U.S. wants maintain global hegemony, even at the expense of all others. China is not a threat because it=E2=80=99s threatening our s= ecurity =E2=80=94 China is a threat because it=E2=80=99s successful. Tucked securely in their offices, U.S. politicians will sign bill after bill funding proxy conflicts around the world, but they will never know the many hideous faces of war. They=E2=80=99ll point fingers and make accusations, but they will never tur= n the mirror around to acknowledge their own hypocrisies. They=E2=80=99ll stand t= here saluting when bodies come home in boxes and claim it was for the greater good, but they will never face the consequences of their actions =E2=80=94 = they will never be forced to die for another=E2=80=99s deceptions. *Megan Russell is CODEPINK=E2=80=99s China is Not Our Enemy Campaign Coordi= nator. She graduated from the London School of Economics with a Master=E2=80=99s D= egree in Conflict Studies. Her research focuses on the intersection between U.S.-China affairs, peacebuilding, and international development.* *This article is from Common Dreams. * *Views expressed in this article and may or may not reflect those of* *Consortium News.* --000000000000ebdeae061db5dc9c Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://consortiumnews.com/2024/07/17/chi= na-ignorance-on-the-hill/

China Ignorance on the Hill

July 17, 2024

<= /a>

As the House Committee on Oversigh= t and Accountability hearing drew on, the claims about China grew more and more unhinged,= writes Megan Russell.

The U.S. Capitol at night. (Diane Krauthamer, Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

By Megan Russell
Common Dreams

On June 26, the Committee on Oversight and Accountability sat down for a=20 congressional hearing titled, =E2=80=9CDefending America from the Chinese= =20 Communist Party=E2=80=99s Political Warfare.=E2=80=9D This was one of many = recent=20 congressional hearings aimed at tackling the =E2=80=9CChina threat.=E2=80= =9D

As a general premise, I didn=E2=80=99t have a lot of hope for the hearing.=20 Language is crucial, and the title says it all: any action by the U.S.=20 is merely =E2=80=9Cdefense=E2=80=9D against acts of political warfare commi= tted by=20 China. And still, I was disappointed. Not only was it filled with=20 racist, paranoid rhetoric, but it was supremely unjust, lacking any=20 level of self-awareness, and almost certainly operated solely as an=20 agenda-pushing cover for whatever act of warfare the U.S. government=20 sought to commit next.=C2=A0

Three witnesses took to the stands. The first was Erik Bethel, a finance=20 professional selected to represent the U.S. at the World Bank. He was=20 followed by Mary Kissel, former senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of=20 State Mike Pompeo. Third was James E. Fanell, the former director of=20 intelligence and information operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet and=20 current government fellow.

Big people with big titles. That is the usual order of things: a few=20 =E2=80=9Cexperts=E2=80=9D are selected to =E2=80=9Cteach=E2=80=9D members o= f Congress about complex=20 subjects they may lack background in.

The Committee of Oversight and Accountability lacks China expertise.=20 Representative Lisa McClain spent 10 years working for American Express=20 before she was elected to represent the state of Michigan. Chairman=20 James Comer was a Kentucky farmer. Representative Paul Gosar was a=20 dentist in Arizona. Marjorie Taylor Green was a part-time CrossFit gym=20 coach. Many of them have never traveled to China, let alone held a=20 productive conversation with a member of China=E2=80=99s government.=C2=A0<= /span>

Comer at an event in 2019 in Grand Rivers, K= entucky. (Defense Visual Information Distrib= ution Service, Public domain)

Their lack of expertise didn=E2=80=99t stop them from sounding their opinions. I= =20 listened carefully, hoping to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was a fruitless endeavor.

Representative McCl= ain spoke about her district:

=E2=80=9CIn Michigan, we have the Gotion plant =E2=80=A6 We have a Chinese-owned compa= ny=20 and the only spot they can figure out that is feasible for them to build is next to a university and next to a military base. Anybody think=20 that=E2=80=99s a coincidence?=E2=80=9D

In the audience, th= e new summer Hillterns listened with rapt attention.=C2=A0

=E2= =80=9CI=E2=80=99m not much for coincidences,=E2=80=9D McClain continued. = =E2=80=9CWe talk about, well it=E2=80=99s gonna create jobs. Jobs for who? I=E2=80=99m very concerned, and I=E2=80=99m not much for coincide= nces.=E2=80=9D

U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain. = (Wikimedia Commons,

She was talking about the plans to build a new plant in Michigan for=20 electric vehicle components under the company Gotion, which has=20 headquarters in Shanghai. The plan is speculated to bring thousands of=20 jobs to the area, with wages about 150 percent of the current average.

McC= lain, having no substance on which to defend her opposition to the plant,=20 instead decided to speculate on its geographic location, implying the=20 company is purposefully building near a university and military=20 installation.

= Clearly, the plant is a spy base for the Chinese government, as surely as any=20 18-to-26-year-old Chinese immigrant is an undercover Chinese soldier=20 sent to wreak havoc upon our country =E2=80=94 all baseless, unfounded clai= ms=20 that promote Asian American hate and shift public perception to support=20 anti-China policies.=C2=A0

The military base she=E2=80=99s talking about is Camp Grayling, which is actua= lly=20 over 100 miles away from Big Rapids, where the EV plant will be built.

Tower at Grayling Air Gunnery Ran= ge in Michigan. (U.S. Air Force, Wikimedia C= ommons, Public domain)

As for the proximity to Ferris State University, the relevance of that=20 statement is questionable. There are around 77 colleges and universities in the entire state =E2=80=94 198 if you include community colleges and tr= ade=20 schools. It would be = difficult not to build near one.

Thi= s is merely one example of the outlandish and absurd claims made in the=20 hearing, backed by anecdotal and unreliable =E2=80=9Cevidence=E2=80=9D base= d on feelings and a strange paranoia that anything with links to China has malicious=20 intentions.=C2=A0

In response to McCl= ain=E2=80=99s statements, Mary Kissel said,

=E2=80=9CLet=E2=80= =99s not give them too much credit as long-term thinkers. Let=E2=80=99s remembe= r=20 they almost destroyed their country several times over.=E2=80=9D

The words were spoken derisively, reaffirming my suspicion that Ms. Kissel=20 boasts severe negative prejudices towards China and Chinese people. She=20 continued to cite the Cultural Revolution, the debt crisis, and=20 =E2=80=9Cetcetera.=E2=80=9D

In truth, the U.S. is a mere baby in comparison to China=E2=80=99s 5,000 year= s of=20 history. As for Kissel=E2=80=99s claims, to say Chinese people nearly destr= oyed=20 their country is misleading and tinged with a disturbing colonialistic=20 superiority that the West does everything better.=C2=A0

Kissel also stated = her opinion of how China operates:

=E2=80=9CChina is a party state. The function of China is not to better the interests=20 of the Chinese people=E2=80=93 it is to promote, strengthen, and expand the= =20 power and influence, and reach of the Chinese Communist Party.=E2=80=9D=

I challenge this claim, not just for its wrongful absolutism, but because China has repeatedly shown immense interest in improving the everyday=20 lives of its citizens. China is unparalleled in its developmental growth aimed at providing infrastructure and opportunities to the people.=20 Housing, public transportation, health care, and education are all=20 convenient and affordable. The average retirement age is 54 years old.

Pudong New Area, an economic development zone in Shanghai, in 2008. (Wolfgang Staudt, Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0)

Ove= r the past few decades, the government has been working ceaselessly to eradicat= e extreme poverty with tremendou= s success. Over 800 million peopl= e have been taken out of poverty= and afforded a better quality of life.

Not only that, China continues to emphasize the importance of green energy=20 in building a sustainable future. Shenzhen, one of the country=E2=80=99s bi= ggest high-tech cities, has switched all public transportation over to=20 electric vehicles. This isn=E2=80=99t pro-China propaganda, it=E2=80=99s si= mply fact.=C2=A0

Along with forged criticism of China=E2=80=99s internal dynamics and history, th= e=20 hearing also challenged China=E2=80=99s position when it comes to the U.S..= =C2=A0

The overall goal of China, Kissel proclaimed, is to =E2=80=9Cupend our way of = life=20 and to dominate and change our way of life.=E2=80=9D They are =E2=80=9Ccomm= itted to=20 destroy(ing) us.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0

At first glance, it sounds absurd that an individual so ostensibly high up on the policy advisory hierarchy would make such a condemnatory and=20 extreme claim. But considering that Kissel served under Mike Pompeo=20 during Donald Trump=E2=80=99s presidential term, it is not so surprising. I= t was not an administration known for its truth-telling.=C2=A0

Kissel in 2017, speaking at an event in Tempe, A= rizona. (Gage Skidmore, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0= )

First and foremost, China has no plans to destroy the United States. We can=20 easily cipher this through both statement and action. To claim otherwise is false and promotes a dangerous narrative that guides our=20 policy-makers down a one-way path to war.=C2=A0

Erik Bethel=E2=80=99s claim that =E2=80=9CChina is encircling us=E2=80=9D is al= so highly deceptive.=20 Adversely, it is the U.S. that has encircled China with over 300=20 military bases and countless troops. China has no military bases in the=20 entire Western hemisphere. There is no =E2=80=9Cencircling=E2=80=9D occurri= ng.=C2=A0

For= mer U.S. Representative Tom Malinowski criticized China for trying to make=20 the U.S. =E2=80=9Clook bad to the rest of the world.=E2=80=9D This is, at b= est,=20 overwhelmingly hypocritical. Just recently it was uncovered that the=20 U.S. launched a secret anti-vax operation in the Philippines during the deadliest months of the Covid-19 pandemic to undermine China=E2=80=99s influence in the region. According to a senio= r=20 U.S. military official,

=E2= =80=9CWe weren=E2=80=99t looking at this from a public health perspective. = We were looking at how we could drag China through the mud.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0<= /span>

As the hearing drew= on, the claims grew more and more unhinged.=C2=A0

=E2=80=9CThey=E2=80= =99re teaming up with the Mexican drug cartels and they=E2=80=99re killing=20 Americans,=E2=80=9D Congressman Fallon told everyone, backing his claim tha= t=20 China is killing nearly as many Americans per day as died during World=20 War II. =C2=A0

=E2=80=9CThey know how many paperclips you all are using in the Longworth building,=E2= =80=9D=20 Representative Tim Burchett said, reminiscing about a Mike Pompeo=20 quote.=C2=A0

=E2=80=9CWhat if they were to develop some kind of biological entity that can, say,=20 wipe out females of child-bearing ages or something?=E2=80=9D Burchett quer= ied.=C2=A0

=E2=80=9CIf you=E2= =80=99re using this app (Tiktok), they can listen to you,=E2=80=9D Another = added.=C2=A0

=E2=80=9CWe should = do the opposite of what China wants us to do,=E2=80=9D Malinowski put forth= as a general solution.=C2=A0

=E2= =80=9CWe need to construct not just a defensive strategy, but an = offensive strategy,=E2=80=9D Kissel said decisively. Twice it was mentioned= that her last name rhymes with missile.=C2=A0

It = was as if the hearing took lines straight out of an SNL skit. It=E2=80=99s = unfathomable that these are the people sitting in our congression= al hearing rooms, talking about war. These are the people voting on legislation that could propel the U.S. into a=20 conflict with China that would bring death and destruction to millions,=20 and most likely end in nuclear catastrophe or total destruction of the=20 planet.=C2=A0

U.S= . politicians, although ignorant and lacking expertise, are willing cogs=20 in the war machine. They bring the most anti-China and pro-military=20 witnesses to the stands to reaffirm their own paranoid delusions about=20 an all-knowing, all-hateful =E2=80=9Cother=E2=80=9D across the sea that see= ks to destroy everything bright and beautiful about the world. This is happening on a weekly basis.=C2=A0

The truth is that it is not China gearing up for war, but our very own=20 government. Our politicians are pumping billions of dollars into=20 hyper-militarizing the Asia Pacific and writing it off as =E2=80=9Cdeterren= ce.=E2=80=9D

They=E2=80=99re spouting lies and fear-inducing narratives at congressional hearings in a bid to garner support for anti-China legislation. These stories are=20 trickling down through the media and infecting the minds of the general=20 public, priming the U.S. military for its next conquest.

Why? Because the U.S. wants maintain global hegemony, even at the expense of all others. China is not a threat because it=E2=80=99s threatening our sec= urity =E2=80=94 China is a threat because it=E2=80=99s successful.=C2=A0<= /p>
Tucked securely in their offices, U.S. politicians will sign bill after bill=20 funding proxy conflicts around the world, but they will never know the=20 many hideous faces of war.

They=E2=80=99ll point fingers and make accusations, but they will never turn the mirror around to acknowledge their own hypocrisies. They=E2=80=99ll stand there= =20 saluting when bodies come home in boxes and claim it was for the greater good, but they will never face the consequences of their actions =E2=80=94= they will never be forced to die for another=E2=80=99s deceptions.

Megan Russell is CODEPINK=E2=80=99s China is Not Our Enemy Campaign Coordinator.= She=20 graduated from the London School of Economics with a Master=E2=80=99s Degre= e in=20 Conflict Studies. Her research focuses on the intersection between=20 U.S.-China affairs, peacebuilding, and international development.

This article is from=C2=A0 Common Drea= ms.

= Views expressed in this article and may or may not reflect those of<= /span>=C2=A0Consortium News.

--000000000000ebdeae061db5dc9c-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 16:12:01 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id C25F1B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:01 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net C25F1B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="Q5rRH/jW" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id B911DBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:01 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-ej1-f44.google.com (mail-ej1-f44.google.com [209.85.218.44]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 917A6BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:01 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-ej1-f44.google.com with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a47e2179dso79336366b.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:01 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721517120; x=1722121920; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=x+2fufcM7imPBlYbLmckdz27pGDC1EZqUrJ68JKG3u8=; b=Q5rRH/jWnU4Sk/egfpXV3UwmaUKy/FWrcxeEOkxQx4P2t6IIIbbkWgenxhy6OQimr6 J+oVfr6a4Y6PRyP8Mvz0eAMT5hF/Zpry0DSUOPiWjQL5Jn2S7E35Ivg54Ba+HfCwIB+1 0yZ9BzUusj+H2aT+01Xq4Sf5nOg0a9A2dNUbFZfsaUQkx84xoHreYmg0O4i0rUmUPlhQ llpJc+TB6+CPMTTaABTSLAwaFYVUza+Syeq2Pzx7KnpnMrlH/slykcZtLEwaIMhHGqEV EKHecrDn589A4YPMqtOVchAJ3a3NGLDWPJX1rL2ibHU3beY3wiQqLxuj+W57qROFgBrX JXiw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721517120; x=1722121920; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=x+2fufcM7imPBlYbLmckdz27pGDC1EZqUrJ68JKG3u8=; b=pTgoB1Tpc2PL/iPvxNIChY0WNntBEIbuSM4F/gEAcOhXZTKOMNjEsKD7gwSgHFRwjD MzRwAC/gOwcpXlXtUQAkxocfyU7LFxSOGazn9EkhtRuCQuyTlE7LljRgDFS+g16z+wo6 eRiPVhYujk5Zhot39a/Z5QwkHn+iLkApgdQ+BytaHDyyOtX4UsziUUwD9ugq2sM39P0J 1HwCYEei6rZkaPqSq+/+w5N8yPLmG3XkfdFxDz/s1eY9rsQ7CAgD6PQCCCcuQsTf4ymy wZpWMsFg4scSlpypIFb/RtY/8AYCZb+9fQWWTUY6pZ6CQxXTUSJ15A8FPv3uxm5DlAZ6 A2pQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yze62GBYyslqF6GklUqvgouQKFICwo61p8FlPO5mXtfnczvC+6J pSIWY6xoYdyayKBAsY29u+LkGrnOSrPV/lwgzY6gyWOiZgFXjPH/V72EqmnpAoSitzaBIYOPjFm 8CDdSWCKqvrwM0t6HIp+OXw+8Qp4b4Pgd X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFjIoGxXIrdBr/YYxVcG3D315bVvCvxS58Wif4V6xN4Bd5CRr0NEU+zfCNlA8sDoXKDVElk7CE+Vj5qmTarXvg= X-Received: by 2002:a17:907:3e21:b0:a6f:49b1:dec5 with SMTP id a640c23a62f3a-a7a4c445037mr158893366b.46.1721517119663; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:11:59 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:11:51 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000647301061db5f011" Subject: [Salon] The epic bust-up between China and India could be ending X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:12:02 -0000 --000000000000647301061db5f011 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/07/18/the-epic-bust-up-between-china-an= d-india-could-be-ending Indo-Chinese relations The epic bust-up between China and India could be endingWitness calm in the Himalayas, diplomatic charm offensives and thickening trade links [image: Photomontage of Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping. Modi is at the top and Xi is at the bottom flipped upside down. Across the middle is a pair of hands in a handshake.]Illustration: Anthony Gerace Jul 18th 2024|Delhi Listen to this story. Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android . Ask an Indian diplomat about relations with China and they will repeat a well-rehearsed mantra: there can be no return to normality until peace is restored on their disputed Himalayan border. That has been the official line for most of the time since 2020, when a deadly clash occurred there between Indian and Chinese troops. On the face of it, India=E2=80=99s stanc= e is a rejection of China=E2=80=99s suggestion that the two countries should set a= side the dispute, which has pushed India closer to America, and focus on areas of mutual interest. Relations are indeed still far from their pre-2020 normality. And they are unlikely to return to it soon. Even so, there has been a quiet yet notable shift in recent months towards a new phase of relations defined by border stability and closer commercial ties. The shift reflects India=E2=80=99s ur= gent need for Chinese technology, investment and expertise to meet its immediate industrial needs. It is also based on China=E2=80=99s mounting concern abou= t its own economy and escalating trade barriers worldwide. The first sign of the shift came in November last year, when Indian restrictions on visas for Chinese professionals in some industries were relaxed. That was followed by a softening of rhetoric on China from Narendra Modi, the prime minister. In an interview with *Newsweek* magazine published on April 10th, weeks before the Indian election, Mr Modi described relations with China as =E2=80=9Cimportant and significant=E2=80= =9D and expressed hope that border stability could be restored. His defence minister, Rajnath Singh, said in late April that border talks were =E2=80=9Cprogressive and satisfactory=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cno fresh tension has come up=E2=80=9D. T= hen in May a new Chinese ambassador, Xu Feihong, arrived in Delhi after a hiatus of 18 months in which China=E2=80=99s embassy there operated without one. Mr Xu has since b= een on a charm offensive, meeting several members of the political elite. China has also been unusually restrained in its public statements on India. Xi Jinping, China=E2=80=99s leader, did not congratulate Mr Modi on = his re-election in June. However, China gave a relatively low-key response when Mr Modi thanked Taiwan=E2=80=99s new president, Lai Ching-te, for doing so = (China claims Taiwan as its territory). And Chinese officials avoided criticising India after an American congressional delegation met the Dalai Lama, who it views as a separatist, there. One reason for the recalibration is the apparent success of a new mechanism for managing border tensions. It relies on =E2=80=9Cbuffer zones=E2=80=9D w= here both sides withdraw troops and cease all patrols. Through 21 rounds of talks between military commanders, the two sides have already established such zones at five of seven flashpoints and are discussing others, although their strategic importance makes them more contentious. The other impetus for change is a recent surge of demand for Chinese technology in India, despite official efforts to reduce its economic dependence on its neighbour. After the clash in 2020, India=E2=80=99s gover= nment banned 320 Chinese apps, launched tax raids on Chinese companies and introduced new rules requiring government approval for any Chinese investment. Bilateral trade dropped, and Indian officials joined Western counterparts in trying to =E2=80=9Cde-risk=E2=80=9D supply chains. Chart: The Economist And yet India=E2=80=99s dependence on Chinese imports has only grown (see c= hart). In the 2023-24 financial year China edged past America to reclaim its position as India=E2=80=99s top trading partner. India=E2=80=99s imports fr= om China increased to $102bn (about 56% more than in 2020) out of a total $118bn in bilateral trade. India=E2=80=99s trade deficit with China has risen by arou= nd 75% since 2020. More strikingly, China was India=E2=80=99s biggest source of major industri= al products in 2023, accounting for around 30% in categories such as electronics, machinery, cars, chemicals and textiles, according to a recent study by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think-tank. The study found that India=E2=80=99s reliance on China was high= est in imports of electronics, telecoms and electrical products, at 39%. Machinery was second, at 38%. A year ago, =E2=80=9Cthe narrative in India was that our imports from China= are a worry=E2=80=9D, says Ajay Srivastava, an Indian former trade official who r= uns the GTRI. That narrative has changed over the past two or three months, he adds; now the dominant theme is that not only does India need Chinese products, but it needs Chinese companies to make stuff in India. Under pressure from some Indian firms, the government is planning to relax visa restrictions to allow in more Chinese technicians. Indian public views of China remain generally hawkish. Diplomatic relations are still touchy too: Mr Modi skipped a summit attended by Mr Xi and Russia=E2=80=99s president, Vladimir Putin, in Kazakhstan in July. And a bi= lateral Xi-Modi meeting does not seem imminent. But commercial ties look set to expand further in the coming years, as Indian and Chinese companies form joint manufacturing ventures in India, which will probably import machinery and components from China. Many of these ventures involve big and influential Indian companies. They are also in industries such as electrical vehicles and mobile-phone assembly that the government is subsidising to boost manufacturing. In one high-profile example, SAIC Motor, a state-run Chinese company that owns the MG Motors brand, announced a joint venture in November with India=E2=80=99s JSW Group to produce electric vehicles in Mr Modi=E2=80=99s= home state of Gujarat. The venture has since committed to sell a million vehicles annually and capture a third of India=E2=80=99s electric-vehicle market by = 2030. JSW also plans to make electrical-vehicle batteries in eastern India, through a technology transfer deal with a Chinese manufacturer. The trend suggests that some Western firms=E2=80=99 efforts to shift manufa= cturing to India from China may not result in a clean break. Apple already produces about 14% of its iPhones in India. But the latest public list of Apple suppliers shows that several of its Chinese component-makers have started manufacturing in India. Several more may soon follow suit. Chinese technology is also integral to India=E2=80=99s infrastructure plans= . A single state-run Chinese company, ZPMC, has already provided at least 250 of the cranes at Indian ports. Yet despite security concerns over these hi-tech cranes in India and America, private Indian port operators continue to install them. The Adani Group, one of India=E2=80=99s biggest conglomera= tes and port operators, took delivery in May of the final six out of 24 such cranes for a new port it is building in Kerala. On the military front, India continues to hedge against China by enhancing ties with America and its allies. It is also bolstering relations with Russia to try to offset China=E2=80=99s growing influence there, as seen by= Mr Modi=E2=80=99s recent bear hug with Mr Putin. And India and China still com= pete for influence elsewhere in the world. Still, like its Western counterparts, India=E2=80=99s government has to bal= ance the interests of military chiefs with those of business leaders, who argue that most alternatives to Chinese tech are too costly. Mr Modi will also be mindful that the recent loss of his party=E2=80=99s majority in parliament = was partly because of frustration over a shortage of high-quality manufacturing jobs. India=E2=80=99s leader has good reason to fear China. For now, though= , he needs it too. =E2=96=A0 --000000000000647301061db5f011 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www.econo= mist.com/asia/2024/07/18/the-epic-bust-up-between-china-and-india-could-be-= ending

Indo-Chinese relations
The epic bust-up bet= ween China and India could be ending
Witness calm in the Himalayas,= diplomatic charm offensives and thickening trade links
Illust= ration: Anthony Gerace
Jul 18th = 2024|Delhi
Listen t= o this story. Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android.=
Ask an Indian diplomat about relations with China and they will repeat a=20 well-rehearsed mantra: there can be no return to normality until peace=20 is restored on their disputed Himalayan border. That has been the=20 official line for most of the time since 2020, when a deadly clash=20 occurred there between Indian and Chinese troops. On the face of it,=20 India=E2=80=99s stance is a rejection of China=E2=80=99s suggestion that th= e two=20 countries should set aside the dispute, which has pushed India closer to America, and focus on areas of mutual interest.
Relations are indeed still far from their pre-2020 normality. And they are=20 unlikely to return to it soon. Even so, there has been a quiet yet=20 notable shift in recent months towards a new phase of relations defined=20 by border stability and closer commercial ties. The shift reflects=20 India=E2=80=99s urgent need for Chinese technology, investment and expertis= e to=20 meet its immediate industrial needs. It is also based on China=E2=80=99s=20 mounting concern about its own economy and escalating trade barriers=20 worldwide.
The first sign of the shift came in November last year, when Indian=20 restrictions on visas for Chinese professionals in some industries were=20 relaxed. That was followed by a softening of rhetoric on China from=20 Narendra Modi, the prime minister. In an interview with Newsweek=20 magazine published on April 10th, weeks before the Indian election, Mr=20 Modi described relations with China as =E2=80=9Cimportant and significant= =E2=80=9D and=20 expressed hope that border stability could be restored. His defence=20 minister, Rajnath Singh, said in late April that border talks were=20 =E2=80=9Cprogressive and satisfactory=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9Cno fresh tensio= n has come up=E2=80=9D. Then=20 in May a new Chinese ambassador, Xu Feihong, arrived in Delhi after a=20 hiatus of 18 months in which China=E2=80=99s embassy there operated without= one. Mr Xu has since been on a charm offensive, meeting several members of=20 the political elite.
China has also been unusually restrained in its public statements on=20 India.=C2=A0Xi Jinping, China=E2=80=99s leader, did not congratulate Mr Mod= i on his=20 re-election in June. However, China gave a relatively low-key response=20 when Mr Modi thanked Taiwan=E2=80=99s new president, Lai Ching-te, for doin= g so=20 (China claims Taiwan as its territory). And Chinese officials avoided=20 criticising India after an American congressional delegation met the=20 Dalai Lama, who it views as a separatist, there.
One reason for the recalibration is the apparent success of a new mechanism for managing border tensions. It relies on =E2=80=9Cbuffer zones=E2=80=9D = where both=20 sides withdraw troops and cease all patrols. Through 21 rounds of talks=20 between military commanders, the two sides have already established such zones at five of seven flashpoints and are discussing others, although=20 their strategic importance makes them more contentious.
The other impetus for change is a recent surge of demand for Chinese=20 technology in India, despite official efforts to reduce its economic=20 dependence on its neighbour. After the clash in 2020, India=E2=80=99s gover= nment banned 320 Chinese apps, launched tax raids on Chinese companies and=20 introduced new rules requiring government approval for any Chinese=20 investment. Bilateral trade dropped, and Indian officials joined Western counterparts in trying to =E2=80=9Cde-risk=E2=80=9D supply chains.
Chart: The Economist
And yet India=E2=80=99s dependence on Chinese imports has only grown (see char= t).=20 In the 2023-24 financial year China edged past America to reclaim its=20 position as India=E2=80=99s top trading partner. India=E2=80=99s imports fr= om China=20 increased to $102bn (about 56% more than in 2020) out of a total $118bn=20 in bilateral trade. India=E2=80=99s trade deficit with China has risen by a= round 75% since 2020.
More strikingly, China was India=E2=80=99s biggest source of major industrial= =20 products in 2023, accounting for around 30% in categories such as=20 electronics, machinery, cars, chemicals and textiles, according to a=20 recent study by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a Delhi-based think-tank. The study found that India=E2=80=99s reliance on= =20 China was highest in imports of electronics, telecoms and electrical=20 products, at 39%. Machinery was second, at 38%.
A year ago, =E2=80=9Cthe narrative in India was that our imports from China = are a worry=E2=80=9D, says Ajay Srivastava, an Indian former trade official who = runs=20 the GTRI. That narrative has changed over the past two or three months, he adds; now the dominant theme is that not only does=20 India need Chinese products, but it needs Chinese companies to make=20 stuff in India. Under pressure from some Indian firms, the government=20 is planning to relax visa restrictions to allow in more Chinese=20 technicians.
Indian public views of China remain generally hawkish. Diplomatic relations=20 are still touchy too: Mr Modi skipped a summit attended by Mr Xi and=20 Russia=E2=80=99s president, Vladimir Putin, in Kazakhstan in July. And a=20 bilateral Xi-Modi meeting does not seem imminent. But commercial ties=20 look set to expand further in the coming years, as Indian and Chinese=20 companies form joint manufacturing ventures in India, which will=20 probably import machinery and components from China. Many of these=20 ventures involve big and influential Indian companies. They are also in=20 industries such as electrical vehicles and mobile-phone assembly that=20 the government is subsidising to boost manufacturing.
In one high-pro= file example, SAIC Motor, a state-run Chinese company that o= wns the MG Motors brand, announced a joint venture in Novemb= er with India=E2=80=99s JSW Group to produce electric vehicles in Mr Modi=E2=80=99s home state of Guja= rat.=20 The venture has since committed to sell a million vehicles annually and=20 capture a third of India=E2=80=99s electric-vehicle market by 2030. = JSW also plans to make electrical-vehicle batteries in eastern India,=20 through a technology transfer deal with a Chinese manufacturer.
The trend suggests that some Western firms=E2=80=99 efforts to shift manufactu= ring=20 to India from China may not result in a clean break. Apple already=20 produces about 14% of its iPhones in India. But the latest public list=20 of Apple suppliers shows that several of its Chinese component-makers=20 have started manufacturing in India. Several more may soon follow suit.
=
Chinese technology is also integral to India=E2=80=99s infrastructure pl= ans. A single state-run Chinese company, ZPMC, has already provided at least 250 of the cranes at Indian ports. Yet=20 despite security concerns over these hi-tech cranes in India and=20 America, private Indian port operators continue to install them. The=20 Adani Group, one of India=E2=80=99s biggest conglomerates and port operator= s,=20 took delivery in May of the final six out of 24 such cranes for a new=20 port it is building in Kerala.
On the military front, India continues to hedge against China by enhancing ties with America and its allies. It is also bolstering relations with=20 Russia to try to offset China=E2=80=99s growing influence there, as seen by= Mr=20 Modi=E2=80=99s recent bear hug with Mr Putin. And India and China still com= pete=20 for influence elsewhere in the world.
Still, like its Western counterparts, India=E2=80=99s government has to balance t= he=20 interests of military chiefs with those of business leaders, who argue=20 that most alternatives to Chinese tech are too costly. Mr Modi will also be mindful that the recent loss of his party=E2=80=99s majority in parliam= ent=20 was partly because of frustration over a shortage of high-quality=20 manufacturing jobs. India=E2=80=99s leader has good reason to fear China. F= or=20 now, though, he needs it too. =E2=96=A0

--000000000000647301061db5f011-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 16:12:27 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8E025B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:27 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 8E025B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="H8knZI6h" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 83B2ABD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:27 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-wr1-f47.google.com (mail-wr1-f47.google.com [209.85.221.47]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 81DEFBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:27 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-wr1-f47.google.com with SMTP id ffacd0b85a97d-367963ea053so1840335f8f.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:27 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721517146; x=1722121946; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=LbardhIhXEf9W1vQaBdr1liUkcYX5OpoGTl2JASrsGE=; b=H8knZI6h3vUMP8942A09AxXCkPhPj0Xd7B+nE5o8L0iEfkboyXXaopLaS1DCMOGxgv rW2LAIedfPdRygHeKJ+6DDijUk9N6D/JSzSBJ4A2ZsPK5YWmFNsLdw8YAkusL5IZ1+X3 JlyBvMrPlytqTQNmqf6B7kPDD8O29GphVe9Rp0klwvHt+AID1TImpconaqu/B94a1g8k LR2FCo5ENB9fo6LXkWLs1qQv8Q2V8/2vBGyO9bdWczsMzI2frdfhRQUIUIlUdXxowOqn AOqaC9kWq25V2dzHquYZ4z+CwnAQa5iqzyBNaONwKytNU8du9NXX2JW+6iln9gYlZ4cx L3SA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721517146; x=1722121946; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=LbardhIhXEf9W1vQaBdr1liUkcYX5OpoGTl2JASrsGE=; b=jOrWVCxGJNrKpWTiCVnxVA01HFTTPOMzjll5GrHBNV+RXHQhbxrlj/EsNdZVqHBs5O k3PC4WZfPdOVJ8w2nS3R+I2/eR56fDymwrHxskNloUll7znJ95EIrcxuwwTlr2cl7cwq HdpCnrgSlhUcJl8pTucG5Xd8mufF7ZU+FtSWiSXtfOgjSwmpeNx/cr85TcPJofTkBboT 2GBUhZ2tGp1uexvAgeO6u400Cpzh67NAP/5oKwrs7HGn2Q6+iW2VBBCgqnbCZrAEG1y3 Jf3tv/+lRfVbek+bbgoJ7GbmJgjRT5C8SmYu/sjb7Caa3LF3VpicUQW8xjmJUgV6f9/O OB8g== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YzpHrY8sJjhN/1xN/jMdXDCzAmsjUCkiSlj8H2Ch81HYizso5EO LFEJYGbJ7sAas0fQNKpPlFO9Uj2lpcQlmOJdzF+BY0bzDHhKbcZRd7X/v4nkPMOj1CP/+gf8AU7 18zdUi/Y0/DBDOUadQSW7Gtft8sNfuA== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHCFIfzt1OWyya5tntrvfQSYStt03PWz01MUzFzbV6/p32V9bRnOkFA+530X6pagUHWfcgOLyq9RYWtHMVZwVw= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6000:ad1:b0:367:90cc:fe8b with SMTP id ffacd0b85a97d-369bae4cfcemr2236641f8f.27.1721517145710; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:12:25 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:12:17 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000f1e952061db5f150" Subject: [Salon] Interview with Islamic Jihad leader on October 7, the future X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:12:27 -0000 --000000000000f1e952061db5f150 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/oslo-is-over Worth a very close read. Palestinian Islamic Jihad is an important faction in Palestinian nationalism and almost never heard from directly in the West. Here, Mahammed Al-Hindi is interviewed by Jeremy Scahill. --000000000000f1e952061db5f150 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/oslo-is-over
<= div>
Worth a very close read.=C2=A0 Palestinian Islamic Jihad= is an important faction in Palestinian nationalism and almost never heard = from directly in the West.=C2=A0 Here, Mahammed Al-Hindi is interviewed by = Jeremy Scahill.
--000000000000f1e952061db5f150-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 16:13:28 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id B0CA9B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:13:28 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net B0CA9B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="Jc1W/p1b" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id A4E33BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:13:28 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lj1-f172.google.com (mail-lj1-f172.google.com [209.85.208.172]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id A2A58BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:13:28 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lj1-f172.google.com with SMTP id 38308e7fff4ca-2eeb1ba0481so46769881fa.2 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:13:28 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721517206; x=1722122006; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=HmKy96yvr8dz4G2Fbpp0tcGJKMtd/ZuTZ/z9Ug3KDzo=; b=Jc1W/p1bSAh276ikBJ3fdj6+rgDcXn6B5z8L8zzxcji+DKPheMUWKQIkKW1QzYYWzc F1NL8soEH/qQWsZS0dGCz5uIqGjsUGYrbI0HSCAnaMNLgtkOq8kQbJMl4qYkzvMuSdB0 nJxg/oaPWcEgE8c7PGWAsZg7n+huL4JcpdKa2Eu7Kf1sNfeVPBSWDiiuwISwXAie8y2O dfryiU72+ZhklO/sC32JlVj5rdBU8Fk3s8dlvw2sUEyL4qPY1FOAPDgSm/x6qDHdp1l4 mJcpdEftAVO9FbZWvhAANR+cNIo+qTbdRTrabxh5s4q2UgpCHBwBIULNCPO3Wt1Ua+Y7 rUKQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721517206; x=1722122006; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=HmKy96yvr8dz4G2Fbpp0tcGJKMtd/ZuTZ/z9Ug3KDzo=; b=pJ21zSOh3s4jaZenr2EsZoAr1i/qAxzNPRYN9DRupxQSgszTsMgV/bWWD+OIoCfm8s ewZCAIgRDIBYZ3omhciD3eHhwsO1s40Yeq542k8q/RJMqFQwwdUdT06A31dAMr1CymIZ fD5VRyAySU9FjuKtx+7+eTbSXH5IlDRhdUv697npBop5KdlvWVQqZy/HYLbAdvPUGwfO Oq4CWTLydK0ksDDSW1ISQF0wePg8yWddRY2hNBKrpIIil81sIKEEJxitMc6DHL1mfQbJ KTn1m5PizDMzhwQhxnCqLbQM82jJ1Jd1d+/9qfjgC/12EE0+SXCmmSm9ojavQQ9rIZOX sNcg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YyGgCoyAl96/d5ccLgYCjuVU8N1Sm9cuYhH6U8SVRvdpXBBGKG8 WqOyt3gSJ9Mz5qFFBRf4ZX/JShNuk7Z9fPBwmBXiDsjs1ux4pCOEtfXOEbvka3Wa2+JHC0hKXVx TFAYwsbOc9DRXx25OQkFljnmcb3hjAQ== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IFPPeLlSLldQ95Cz1NXzl7zWmo1sxBC2N8SxAECBPWgCh4hhl8iYyJh9YMxfclAUixm7oD6y+rxAO7YgFDubYA= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:3b2a:b0:52c:d626:77aa with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb8a2f97mr1261884e87.58.1721517206072; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:13:26 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <1006903506.3095181.1721511196699.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1006903506.3095181.1721511196699@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <1006903506.3095181.1721511196699@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:13:17 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000008af7f2061db5f501" Subject: [Salon] Massive joint Israeli-UK-US aerial bombardment against Yemen's Hodeidah Port and Airport X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:13:28 -0000 --0000000000008af7f2061db5f501 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1814685937013596252 --0000000000008af7f2061db5f501 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/Megatron_ron/status/1814685937013596252<= /a>

--0000000000008af7f2061db5f501-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 16:30:01 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6A208B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:30:01 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 6A208B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="Ou3fu88u" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 60708BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:30:01 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f42.google.com (mail-lf1-f42.google.com [209.85.167.42]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 5D3CFBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:30:01 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f42.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efd8807aaso616059e87.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:30:01 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721518199; x=1722122999; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=L+UmKJe2vIDl+pnrwyVwLe+zaYl8CHL1BN2juMM9x2o=; b=Ou3fu88uOX2H/Wg54cRvD6Lhn6bXQPBzGDbMM8b8Ra9Jr/11tySTVxXbX3B7ET0RHj EO4CD9WUXjundesdSCmCgW+BQOLW0/ql2JUGBRg50X9RHQZPFpgEwj8u6ajAGEdjEK5M vgXW//rGVUyXup9fHnjtBpdKa6GLOOdnjamm0Q/m70ohEznYE9xbTy1IEkL5zRNAi/xZ zHXcDZCveYLJb6LMnaiHBo8mlWmLBCi2ruw2IR0hhdGrnbXMSpQHGyeA07g6wAutmfM8 LDjgsVgbhWa+T0eOREGijJXSF58HYe74qWyhGpQdLDxfHudDv0qlX6orNtVP8bmZbzk9 QM2g== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721518199; x=1722122999; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references:mime-version :x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=L+UmKJe2vIDl+pnrwyVwLe+zaYl8CHL1BN2juMM9x2o=; b=BEr3IR3UJ/w2ShO3NtLPzLNgup25PEjlBVjw0iqn7ETnyr82mdc5XYwS0vaqj3m2GD 6432dbGP1lu+UpuoVrMR1m3nrYTWmbBmf8DQht0KXC4CTm2I7KCTAq0FFzyY2s7VmoKx jhxHXX/eekBAzsHOTh5rK1it+u9B5Di8L/JCmbHzSTLTXtMKjZct5rfDSpy9n480Bpvw GTp9yXGqMFFtA2clyHMpW2nRHZURKOd88wxwuz6z5bc5GIRzhEy6+O6DHDHnpEXyWzvq 9/x8cWpnCjiRHjbClbrY1Ugx8kwFthlX3LU9zd4rj1Ubdr5f8JWk8lvbayaNqNkUF8Jd +ZYA== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yxbni4ezhGKlEHJmiAnwd14s5NDQLF6CtRxiyDKu0/1mD7TLwZw 2ylNIXS9+LYnaSbgcrZamacqCIQsESyoCZxzElOs4RmOTXq7QlkfPEffs9iLlJi6mKnQRHw2hoj WxheQF+ywBHzOx0Viy+QJ4kNme+r1FQ== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IHUvbGJ1y1WGUcQ9XcDNccBqc0Q7JZZBUi+piAk51M2NSXr3O9Vr7L04xMnjjZgNkHFMH9YhTe55q6lU8q+VOc= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:ac8:b0:52c:d943:300f with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52ef8dafd3emr2289458e87.38.1721518199232; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 16:29:59 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <1582038513.2973204.1721474312352.ref@mail.yahoo.com> <1582038513.2973204.1721474312352@mail.yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <1582038513.2973204.1721474312352@mail.yahoo.com> From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 19:29:50 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000bd64ed061db630f0" Subject: [Salon] A Man with a Hammer: How NATO Lost Its Way X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 23:30:01 -0000 --000000000000bd64ed061db630f0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" https://x.com/christianvanck/status/1811032251179622891 A Man with a Hammer: How NATO Lost Its Way --000000000000bd64ed061db630f0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
https://x.com/christianvanck/status/1811032251179622= 891
A Ma= n with a Hammer: How NATO Lost Its Way
<= /div>
--000000000000bd64ed061db630f0-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 17:02:53 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 03373B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:02:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 03373B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="H3e2WRJn" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id E87DCBD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:02:52 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lj1-f171.google.com (mail-lj1-f171.google.com [209.85.208.171]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id E62D7BD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:02:52 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lj1-f171.google.com with SMTP id 38308e7fff4ca-2eee298bd2eso38646371fa.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:02:52 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721520171; x=1722124971; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=Gzs0OUibU9kDnA7jIP0wCln6NvedrZEw+xA89KxdmY4=; b=H3e2WRJnJ7wVTdsOfpsicaemr7rzr/fYc/NN8PkNHc3RzgG9oVlhH79KV0mi38G+dp h3T0wpFpQt5r1rwEaPM1hO+pq2ovlUnbmSc5x8J0FKfUjwinDLhdAPSzseLvV3PuOlwm WeVZ0oW39cToTOhWLHLGcVmKrj69R22WeQutfCmRAdD0L9RedBmqrL4Ynoz68UChWxlf TfEEpcbwiElo70ZqWJyWoTFlna1j5wXw7UUOA54MrQfH5fI3wAOGAQY7YOwObYkOikO4 kU9SVnEtQJ1b52oXvWXSpTmXMXZBUBwt7YJ6aH4xkCoiARmd6ytiT7vKfwEeJPzt/6L3 lUHA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721520171; x=1722124971; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=Gzs0OUibU9kDnA7jIP0wCln6NvedrZEw+xA89KxdmY4=; b=vbwwekcNAHmU+uI0b6cAil/VQCuv11zFMbIu3Jm/hzLmuv0myTDZpK/lU2OMki6HAu QwVNTVAadxkDRcY/QrKHsT1dMMWK1TMoPJKSskAGrVaOL6GdzMTsEFXiYLKKV2XjEb4r D+8DdiwrYQXUBas2Bh0qD8KQfLzLUu5tdEFrQQSbbF80ccd+H/zb5WidItHgzVxaJ7h8 2WuLNQEIordzPvpaVcojhfzm0h8p51zvoRBWttSmrSL5bJylIBPm9kyK8Eu8k8ySKQ+M PwsVHphYdCi6eKOGf1ok0I0lU7fIkGd91tYoBr008ixv98xDrqRGjiPrRQpt/L2xDdMm hQsw== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YwOjs2hNXND8SQvkE7K7O/1IQtbSAA/np7rtqWjfrr9PsWoNo1O DW3Hd1KK6BH+gqtMqCYPr1/zS7iJIVn1czCn7Ywo2yHvZdWZadon3Hi1f4jmX41Hg/3sjZSY/5S FBSQrzBPfQGsJjAlMrt4K/MGwW1AaZNGS X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IEipieGmcEhq5c7Yy/4EEe+9hpd204W2WycU6EgXSSksk3+nfrVQFUvdGv795TRxYSWYUk4j/TY+/+F8FudH4Y= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:2341:b0:52e:8b15:7c55 with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52ef8d9cc74mr1791675e87.27.1721520170846; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:02:50 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:02:42 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="00000000000041d588061db6a68f" Subject: [Salon] Adidas removes Bella Hadid from ad campaign after criticism from Israel X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:02:53 -0000 --00000000000041d588061db6a68f Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" *[Will the market punish Adidas for this? Maybe.]]* https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/article/2024/jul/19/adidas-removes-bella-hadid-from-ad-campaign-after-criticism-from-israel --00000000000041d588061db6a68f Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
[Will the market punish Adidas for this?=C2=A0 May= be.]]

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/article= /2024/jul/19/adidas-removes-bella-hadid-from-ad-campaign-after-criticism-fr= om-israel
--00000000000041d588061db6a68f-- From cwfresidence@gmail.com Sat Jul 20 17:24:48 2024 Return-Path: X-Original-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Delivered-To: salon@mlm2.listserve.net Received: from mlm0.listserve.net (mlm0.listserve.net [161.35.233.68]) by mlm2.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0FDE5B0851 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:24:48 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Filter: OpenDKIM Filter v2.11.0 mlm2.listserve.net 0FDE5B0851 Authentication-Results: mlm2.listserve.net; dkim=pass (2048-bit key) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="VeCBzY5q" Received: by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) id 004B5BD02F; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:24:48 -0700 (PDT) Delivered-To: salon@listserve.com Received: from mail-lf1-f53.google.com (mail-lf1-f53.google.com [209.85.167.53]) by mlm0.listserve.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id E748CBD011 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:24:47 -0700 (PDT) Received: by mail-lf1-f53.google.com with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52ea5dc3c66so4793935e87.3 for ; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:24:47 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1721521486; x=1722126286; darn=listserve.com; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:from:to:cc:subject :date:message-id:reply-to; bh=NqzwtXXjPNQ5gMVSclnPDPMGFUCaAfAfMaZX9PL/ptA=; b=VeCBzY5qMZIJwe8fvtxYvjxDh8sJ2u0JxwSsuoQFLzWGNwP9eOiC92B0gI3JBNCX7e jm8XQQ+u+LvzBYnVOgT/THkFEqZBJjyMtLv0WLMkVt4K/rYkiyxSJPChlD6tHUV60mk9 IinwNEAWM6XXAa+T17hPiVaKqnLpGXuwajJY8mWsvliqtyi/BjrUiRuiaJhVrErCNU2M Blhg4kUGoY5xltDeaxq3GWTrm/ubwLayl6y7awy9O+YCdXRwAoq4xIcSs2rJC+4hvDMQ llcMW7H3y5HufmWBRnlBbkXbHvCoi4SRx1aj0Ya8F9fx7LHknXTrqWq9zp5kU7XrflFT 8HjQ== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1721521486; x=1722126286; h=to:subject:message-id:date:from:mime-version:x-gm-message-state :from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=NqzwtXXjPNQ5gMVSclnPDPMGFUCaAfAfMaZX9PL/ptA=; b=okdejRjiw27w3adI/KYPBrG1P7lLt/nrlprVS0fc9SYsndjO/ttNo13li/+2234IBa WWhoWn8RD4eDtRcHe+lHYafuMuq/f/6Wq08tp5qpU7Ux2+2Jcop9ebZI4mR0+TiPJTOk Rxo9N2zwGYG7ESKbdu4vWiDoLbY8JBtbXq21IJNkuC71k+M+M8+BDhHcFtt0LZc8V8bq qS7g6EFyRmG6INEZzkIPlQY7qab91vA9yCegLINChAnEQh/1uR+R01pQqxnJ6VMdf8Kz 5dYm3XuKpqQZ2POgm6GxxIjq3xfLzZrZVXDndNK3M/p8dvxkB6SXO3FdKRc5l75hF2Om 1L7A== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0Yx6rXsRTgNSPJhuIvrJvbMAfx/KjhNDYwhxqIypO+NoNo8W2eQW IzxJ3oG16eMsZVpWm/DkQPu7HkWETwL6IyYdXJy7DDCBK71zV5AbTrDI21t5N/TCSf+ypjrYuis 2w+B4RDJM+1SW3APsKZDyVN5x6Ky5ZX1b X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IEknwdR4tvfVbor6gKHtX1+wdr7R+MgnCNKIw0DG6dyhVrEPpNGt83gP3sfVvXP/w1L6PcWEv/hLVrYIrin3Hg= X-Received: by 2002:a05:6512:31c9:b0:52c:76ac:329b with SMTP id 2adb3069b0e04-52efb76dc14mr2136267e87.35.1721521485632; Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:24:45 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 From: Chas Freeman Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2024 20:24:37 -0400 Message-ID: To: salon@listserve.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0000000000009fdf05061db6f47a" Subject: [Salon] New Zealand foreign minister calls for 'more compromise' on New Caledonia X-BeenThere: salon@listserve.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.33 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion List for the Committee For The Republic List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:24:48 -0000 --0000000000009fdf05061db6f47a Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" *https://asia.nikkei.com/Location/Oceania/Pacific-Islands/New-Zealand-foreign-minister-calls-for-more-compromise-on-New-Caledonia * *New Zealand foreign minister calls for 'more compromise' on New Caledonia*Comments on territory in Japan speech spark response from French envoy *TOKYO -- New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Friday that "more compromise" is needed to address the ongoing situation in New Caledonia during a speech, parts of which sparked a protest from a French diplomat in attendance.* *During the address in Tokyo, Peters, who also serves as deputy prime minister, addressed tensions in the French territory, which erupted in riots in May and have simmered on with sporadic violence.* *Many in the indigenous Kanak population have long pushed for independence, which is opposed by loyalists to France.* *The most recent of three referendums on separating from France was held in 2021. While 96% of those who participated chose to remain, the vote was boycotted by the pro-independence movement.* *Earlier this year, divisions turned to violence when the French parliament passed a law that would grant voting rights to people who have lived in New Caledonia for more than 10 years.* *Peters, in the Japanese capital to participate in the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum that concluded on Thursday, weighed in on the referendum, saying it followed the "letter" of agreements on a pathway to self determination, but not the "spirit."* *"To any outsider, the obvious democratic injury of a vastly reduced, and therefore different, sample of voters engaging in the third referendum raises questions about its legitimacy," he said.* *He also acknowledged that long-term residents understandably felt they had also suffered a "democratic injury" due to ongoing disenfranchisement.* *"The situation has reached an impasse, and one not easily navigated given the violence that broke out, and democratic injuries that have reopened old wounds, and created new ones," he said, calling for "more diplomacy, more engagement, more compromise".* *But some of his remarks concerning the lead-up to the current unrest led to a tense exchange with France's Ambassador to the Pacific Veronique Roger-Lacan who was in the audience.* *Roger-Lacan, during a question and answer session for attendees after the speech concluded, said France "appreciated the offer" of assistance, but took issue with Peters' description of the situation.* *"Indeed the democratic injury stems from the violence that has occurred starting from the 13th of May contesting democratic results of democratic elections being organized in a democratic way by the French state," she said.* *"And if there is anything to be discussed so far, it's not between France and New Caledonia because New Caledonia, until further notice, is France and France is ready to assist the Caledonian people to their self determination."* *Roger-Lacan also said that as France's Pacific ambassador she would have "appreciated to be informed of the way you portrayed New Caledonia" in advance of the speech.* *Speaking to Nikkei Asia afterwards, Peters said PALM members had discussed sending a delegation to New Caledonia.* *"There was a discussion about that, but of course for anything that has to happen it had to be agreed on in Paris, which is the point some of us were making," Peters said in an interview.* *Peters said that New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had raised the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron at the recent NATO summit in the U.S, but also pointed to the current state of flux in French politics following elections in June.* *"There are models where we can take this peacefully forward to the satisfaction of all the aggrieved parties," he said.* --0000000000009fdf05061db6f47a Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

https://asia.nikkei.com/Location/Oceania/Pacific-Islands/New-Zealand-fore= ign-minister-calls-for-more-compromise-on-New-Caledonia

<= /div>
New Zealand foreign minister calls for 'more compromise' on New Ca= ledonia
Co= mments on territory in Japan speech spark response from French envoy=
TOKYO -- New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Friday that=20 "more compromise" is needed to address the ongoing situation in N= ew=20 Caledonia during a speech, parts of which sparked a protest from a=20 French diplomat in attendance.
During the address in Tokyo, P= eters, who also serves as deputy prime minister, addressed=C2=A0tensions in the French territory,=C2=A0which erupted in = riots in May and have simmered on with sporadic violence.
M= any in the indigenous Kanak population have long pushed for independence, w= hich is opposed by loyalists to France.
The most recent of three referendums on separating from France was held in=20 2021. While 96% of those who participated chose to remain, the vote was=20 boycotted by the pro-independence movement.
Earlier this year, divisions turned to violence when the French parliament=20 passed a law that would grant voting rights to people who have lived in=20 New Caledonia for more than 10 years.
Peters, in the Japanese capital to participate in the Pacific Islands Leaders=20 Forum that concluded on Thursday, weighed in on the referendum, saying=20 it followed the "letter" of agreements on a pathway to self=20 determination, but not the "spirit."
"To any outsider, the obvious democratic injury of a vastly reduced, and=20 therefore different, sample of voters engaging in the third referendum=20 raises questions about its legitimacy," he said.
He also acknowledged that long-term residents understandably felt they had also suffered a "democratic injury" due to ongoing disenfranchis= ement.
"The situation has reached an impasse, and one not easily navigated given=20 the violence that broke out, and democratic injuries that have reopened=20 old wounds, and created new ones," he said, calling for "more dip= lomacy, more engagement, more compromise".
But some of his remarks concerning the lead-up to the current unrest led to a tense exchange with France's Ambassador to the Pacific Veronique=20 Roger-Lacan who was in the audience.
Roger-Lacan, during a question and answer session for attendees after the speech=20 concluded, said France "appreciated the offer" of assistance, but= took=20 issue with Peters' description of the situation.
"In= deed the democratic injury stems from the violence that has occurred=20 starting from the 13th of May contesting democratic results of=20 democratic elections being organized in a democratic way by the French=20 state," she said.
"And if there is anything to be discussed so far, it's not between France= =20 and New Caledonia because New Caledonia, until further notice, is France and France is ready to assist the Caledonian people to their self=20 determination."
Roger-Lacan also said that as France's Pacific ambassador she would have=20 "appreciated to be informed of the way you portrayed New Caledonia&quo= t; in=20 advance of the speech.
Speaking to Nikkei Asia afterwards, Pe= ters said PALM members had discussed sending a delegation to New Caledonia.=
"There was a discussion about that, but of course for anything that has to=20 happen it had to be agreed on in Paris, which is the point some of us=20 were making," Peters said in an interview.
Peters said that New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had raised the=20 issue with French President Emmanuel Macron at the recent NATO summit in the U.S, but also pointed to the current state of flux in French=20 politics following elections in June.
"There are models = where we can take this peacefully forward to the satisfaction of all the ag= grieved parties," he said.

--0000000000009fdf05061db6f47a--

Israel strikes Yemen after Houthis claimed drone attac= k in Tel Aviv

Russian pilots: "The West will be shocked by the downing of F-16s - Our=20 fighters are superior and we are ready" - Watch the video

"We know the strengths and weaknesses of the F-16"<= /font>

A PRESIDENCY=E2=80=99S BITT= ER END

Biden k= nows he has to go, but that doesn=E2=80=99t mean he=E2=80=99s happy about i= t

New in SpyWeek: = Seoul Sister? The Sue Mi Terry Fallout and More

Also: The Secret = Service under fire, the DCIA's Gaza peace missions, more Russia disinfo = ops, Cannon fire at DoJ, Windows' epic crash and empty chairs in = Aspen

By Oona A. Hathaway

IMF and China=E2=80=99s 2024 e= conomic growth forecast to 5%

C= hina=E2=80=99s top diplomat Wang Yi urges Canada to =E2=80=98seriously refl= ect=E2=80=99 on strained ties

Biden delays presidential race withd= rawal until after Netanyahu=E2=80=99s speech in congress:=C2=A0<= font size=3D"2" color=3D"#000000">Report

Biden does not want to give Netanyahu the 'satisfact= ion' of withdrawing yet due to the strained relations between them, his= advisers say

France: =E2=80=98Apolog= ism for terrorism=E2=80=99 offence used to =E2=80=98criminalise=E2=80=99 Pa= lestine solidarity

'Bad wind blowing in France'

A threat to freedoms

Punishable by up to seven years in prison

Isra= el lobbyist in House of Lords claims thousands of pounds in public money

Private meetings

RELATED

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A =E2=80=9CDiluted=E2=80=9D NATO Is a Mistake

China Ignorance on the Hill

The epic bust-up bet= ween China and India could be ending

Witness calm in the Himalayas,= diplomatic charm offensives and thickening trade links

New Zealand foreign minister calls for 'more compromise' on New Ca= ledonia

Co= mments on territory in Japan speech spark response from French envoy=

In this city, p= eople say Russia must defeat Ukraine and the West at any cost

For the Rest of the World, the U.S. President = Has Always Been Above the Law

Americans Will Now Know What a Lack o= f Accountability Means

DEADLY FO= RCE

= THE SHORT ARM OF THE LAW

HOW TO BE AN ACCOUNTABLE SUPERP= OWER

Israel Is Stuck in the Year 2000

The country=E2=80=99s relationship with Leb= anon hasn=E2=80=99t moved beyond decades-old dilemmas.

Report: US Allows Tax Incentives for Donations to Israeli= Groups Blocking Aid

Please= share this story and help us grow our network!

Sharon Zhang

An American military adviser wi= ll join the Armenian military

EIR Daily News =E2=80=A2 Saturday, July 20, 2024

World Court Finds Israel Responsible for Apartheid