#US National Security Council

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Israel used a US weapon in a March airstrike which killed seven healthcare workers in southern Lebanon, according to a Guardian analysis of shrapnel found at the site of the attack, which was described by Human Rights Watch as a violation of international law.

Seven volunteer paramedics, aged between 18 and 25, were killed in the 27 March attack on an ambulance center belonging to the Lebanese Succor Association in the town of al-Habariyeh in south Lebanon on 27 March.

The Guardian examined the remnants of a 500lb Israeli MPR bomb and a US-manufactured Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) recovered by first responders from the scene of the attack. Pictures of the shrapnel sent by The Guardian were further verified by Human Rights Watch and an independent arms expert.

JDAMs are guidance kits produced by US aerospace company Boeing which attach to 500-2,000lb “dumb bombs” and convert them into GPS-guided precision missiles. They have been key to Israel’s war effort in Gaza and Lebanon, and have been one of the most requested munitions from the US.

Shrapnel recovered from the al-Habariyeh attack included a fragment with writing identifying it as a “bomb MPR 500”, as well as the parts of a JDAM which clip the bomb to the guidance system and remnants of its motor.

Human Rights Watch said that its own investigation concluded that the strike on the healthcare center was unlawful and should have implications for US military assistance to Israel.

“Israel’s assurances that it is using US weapons lawfully are not credible. As Israel’s conduct in Gaza and Lebanon continues to violate international law, the Biden administration should immediately suspend arms sales to Israel,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher for Human Rights Watch.

Five days after the attack on healthcare workers in Lebanon, Israel killed another seven aid workers employed by the World Central Kitchen in Gaza. This attack led to global outrage and was called a “serious mistake” by Israel.

The revelation of Israel’s use of US weaponry in an unlawful attack comes as the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, is set to deliver a report to Congress on 8 May on whether he finds credible Israel’s assurances that its use of US weapons do not violate US or international Law.

The Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said that the attack on al-Habariyeh should be reflected in Blinken’s report to Congress.

“These reports are deeply concerning and must be fully investigated by the Biden administration, and their findings should certainly be included in the NSM-20 report that is due to be submitted to the Congress on May 8,” Van Hollen said in an email.

Public pressure is mounting to limit or stop US weapons transfers to Israel as more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military operation in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack which killed 1,200 Israelis.

In Lebanon, the attack on al-Habariyah shook the country, with hundreds showing up to pay homage at the funeral of the young medical workers: twin brothers Hussein and Ahmad al-Shaar, 18; Abdulrahman al-Shaar, 19; Mohammad Hamoud, 21; Mohammad al-Farouk Aatwi, 23; Abdullah Aatwi, 24; and Baraa Abu Kaiss, 24.

The ambulance center had been set up in the small village in south Lebanon at the end of October, as cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel began to intensify.

The airstrike came without warning between 12:30 and 1am as the volunteers were on call for the night shift. No fighting had been reported in the area that day.

The 500lb bomb leveled the two-story building, with the force of the blast hurling four of the volunteers from the center and trapping three others under the rubble.

An Israeli military spokesperson said that the airstrike in al-Habariyeh killed a “prominent terrorist belonging to Jamaa Islamiya”. Jamaa Islamiya is a Lebanese Islamist political group which also has an armed wing that has fought alongside Hezbollah against Israel since 7 October.

A representative of Jamaa Islamiya said that while some of the paramedics belonged to the group, none of them were members of its armed wing.

The Guardian asked the Israel Defense Forces which of the paramedics they killed were militants and what steps the IDF took to minimise civilian harms in the strike, but received no reply.

Three first responders, as well as witnesses present during the rescue operation, said that only seven bodies were recovered from the rubble: those of the medical volunteers.

“We examined every centimeter looking for parts of bodies and their possessions. We saw nothing military-related. We knew [the victims] personally, so we could identify their remains,” Samer Hardan, the head of the local Lebanese civil defense center who participated in the rescue operation, said.

The volunteers, most of them young university students, joined the ambulance corps after the war started – out of what their parents said was a sense of duty to their community.

“I told them that it was dangerous to do this type of work, but they said that they accepted the risk. I don’t know what Israel was thinking – these were young people excited to help others,” said Kassem al-Shaar, whose twin sons Ahmad and Hussein were killed in the airstrike.

Under the 1997 Leahy law, the US defense and state departments are prohibited from providing assistance to foreign security forces when there is “credible information” that they have committed gross violations of human rights.

The Guardian reported in January that internal state department policies have spared Israel from application of that law.

A spokesperson for the US National Security Council said it was aware of reports of the attack on al-Habariyeh and that it was in touch with its Israeli counterparts to get more information.

“The US is constantly working to ensure defense articles provided by the US are being used consistent with applicable domestic and international law. If findings show violations, we take action,” the spokesperson said.

According to Josh Paul, a non-resident fellow with Democracy for the Arab World Now, a democracy and human rights non-profit, and former state department official involved in the weapons transfer process, arms transfers containing munitions like JDAMs are approved with little scrutiny.

“The state department has approved several of these transfers on a 48-hour turnaround. There is no policy concern on any munitions to Israel other than white phosphorus and cluster bombs,” Paul said.

Israel has relied heavily on US transfers of large dumb bombs, particularly the 500-2,000lb MK series, and accompanying JDAMs to fight Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to Paul, JDAMs have been some of the “key items” Israel has requested from the US in the past six months.

Human rights groups have raised concerns about Israel’s use of these dumb bombs – and the potential complicity of the US in any misuse of the weapons by retrofitting them with guidance kits.

In December, Amnesty International called on the US to stop arms transfer to Israel after it found remnants of JDAMs in two attacks in Gaza which killed more than 43 people.

Since 7 October, Israel has killed 16 medical workers in Lebanon, including 10 in a single day at the end of March. Medical personnel are protected under international law and targeting them is considered a war crime.

In the same period, 380 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 72 civilians. On the Israeli side, 11 soldiers and eight civilians have been killed.

“My sons wanted to do humanitarian work, and look what happened to them. Israel wouldn’t dare to do what they did if it wasn’t for the US standing behind them,” al-Shaar said.

[aanews69]

Nous livrons des histoires. Nous vous donnons également des guides, des conseils et des astuces pour créer le vôtre.Cette chaîne est dédiée aux choses aléato...

[mel-rhodes-place]

THE CAMPUS CRUCIBLE OF ISLAMIC HOLY WAR -- The student mobs threaten not just the Jews but America and civilization itself

Columbia University “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” Events at Columbia University and on other American campuses have left many people open-mouthed in shock and horror. Overnight last night, a mob stormed Columbia’s Hamilton Hall. Masked men dressed in black used hammers and other tools to break in through the windows, barricading entry to the building with tables, chairs and a human chain. They…

[workersolidarity]

🇺🇸⚔️🇵🇸 🚨

UNITED STATES VETOS PALESTINIAN MEMBERSHIP TO THE UNITED NATIONS

In a vote today in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on a resolution to grant membership into the UN for Palestine was vetoed by the United States.

The vote for Palestinian membership was supported by the vast majority of UNSC members, with 12 votes in favor, one against, and two abstentions.

US representative to the UN for Special Political Affairs, Robert Wood, argued that Palestine could not be admitted as long as Hamas controlled the Gaza Strip, echoing Zionist arguments over Palestine's membership, at one point arguing, “there are unresolved questions as to whether [Palestine] meets the criteria to be considered a state," without ever mentioning the Israeli occupation that makes such criteria unlikely to ever be satisfied.

Palestine is currently a "Permanent Observer State" without voting rights at the United Nations.

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[booasaur]

This is the Gaza Strip:

You might remember how earlier on, Israel ordered everyone to evacuate to the south of Gaza, and however painfully and sometimes fatally, many did, to Khan Younis and Rafah.

There've been attacks in "safe" zones throughout these last months, but tonight all eyes turn to Khan Younis.

Please keep raising awareness about Palestine. However much possible, participate in Bisan's strike this week, follow the BDS list, talk to friends and family and colleagues. Applying pressure is the only way anything will change.

[historyforfuture]

⭕️ Let the 3rd of August be a national and international day in support of Gaza and the prisoners, and a continuous activism until the genocidal war against our prisoners and the Palestinian people stops.

We call for effective and mass participation in this national and international day in defense of our prisoners and people in the Gaza Strip, to expose the occupation's brutal crimes against them, and to support their rights and just cause.

Brother Ismail Haniyeh, Head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)

Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas

July 28,2024 Official website -Hamas movement

[gobcorend]

"(...) it must be shown to American Jews that the choice between Israel’s survival and Palestinian rights is a false one; that it is in fact Israel’s denial of Palestinian rights and reflexive resort to criminal force that are pushing it toward destruction; that it is possible to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict so that everyone, Israeli Jew and Palestinian Arab, can preserve their full human dignity; and that such a settlement has been within reach for decades, but that Israel—with critical U.S. backing, largely because of the Israel lobby—has blocked it."

--- Norman G. Finkelstein in the book 'Knowing Too Much'

[just-your-average-cryptid]

I know the historical reason but why does the US and a handful of other countries get a full stop veto on the UN Security Council?

Like. Again. I know why.

But from a logical standpoint, what real benefit is there in giving these countries the ability to block any measure for whatever reason they want? Iirc, there was a point where Russia was under fire for something and only faced consequences bc they weren’t there for the vote and thus couldn’t veto the measure. Why is that even a thing that can happen? If Russia, or the US, or any country is the one in the wrong, why should they have the power to dismiss any corrective measure against them? It makes no sense!

You can’t go into court and tell the judge, “Well, your honor, I am also a judge and so I pardon myself for this crime.” That’s not how that works! So why is this rule still in place, when we know full well that it only gives them an excuse to save their own asses or their allies’?

[news4dzhozhar]

How is the US going to claim that their only issue is with Hamas and not the Palestinian people? There are over 100 members of the UN so if the US isn't as hateful as Israel towards Palestine, why is the US expected to veto Palestine becoming a full member of the United Nations? 🤬

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

In the aftermath of the right-wing U.S. Supreme Court's potentially deadly rampage against federal regulators, its ruling in support of the criminalization of homelessness, and its decision to grant former President Donald Trump sweeping immunity from criminal prosecution, Sen. Bernie Sanders said late Monday that nation's highest judicial body is "out of control" and must be reined in before it can inflict even more damage.

"Over the years, among other disastrous rulings, this right-wing court has given us Citizens United, which created a corrupt, billionaire-dominated political system," Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement. "It overturned Roe v. Wade, removing women's constitutional right to control their own bodies. Last week, the court chose to criminalize poverty by banning homeless encampments in public spaces—forcing more poor people into the cycle of debt and poverty."

"With the Chevron case," the senator continued, "they have made it far more difficult for the government to address the enormous crises we face in terms of climate change, public health, workers' rights, and many other areas. And, today, the court ruled in favor of broad presidential immunity, making it easier for Trump and other politicians to break the law without accountability."

Such far-reaching and devastating decisions, Sanders argued, highlight the extent to which unelected Supreme Court justices—with the backing of right-wing billionaires and corporations bent on sweeping away all regulatory constraints—have arrogated policymaking authority to themselves with disastrous consequences for U.S. society and the world.

"If these conservative justices want to make public policy, they should simply quit the Supreme Court and run for political office," said Sanders. "At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, billionaire control of our political system, and major threats to the foundations of American democracy, it is clear to me that we need real Supreme Court reform. A strong, enforceable code of ethics is a start, but just a start. We'll need much more than that."

Sanders did not make specific reform recommendations beyond an ethics code in his statement Monday, but he has previously suggested rotating judges off the Supreme Court—which would effectively end lifetime appointments.

The Vermont senator's progressive colleagues floated a range of possible actions following the high court's presidential immunity ruling on Monday, including adding seats to the Supreme Court and impeaching individual justices.

"Today's decision, along with the court's decision to overturn Chevron, is an assault on the separation of powers under the Constitution," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said in response to the court's ruling in Corner Post Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

"An extremist Supreme Court stacked by Donald Trump has snatched power away from an elected Congress and handed lawmaking power over to a few far-right unelected judges," Warren added. "This Supreme Court is undermining the foundations of our democracy; Congress must restore balance by adding more justices to the court."

The Supreme Court's recent flurry of rulings has already thrown existing cases into chaos and opened the floodgates to new corporate-backed lawsuits against longstanding federal regulations.

The Washington Post reported Sunday that "mere hours after the Supreme Court sharply curbed the power of federal agencies" by scrapping the Chevron doctrine, "conservatives and corporate lobbyists began plotting how to harness the favorable ruling in a redoubled quest to whittle down climate, finance, health, labor, and technology regulations in Washington."

"The National Association of Manufacturers, a lobbying group whose board of directors includes top executives from Dow, Caterpillar, ExxonMobil, and Johnson & Johnson, specifically called attention to what it described as regulatory overreach at the [Securities and Exchange Commission] and the Environmental Protection Agency," the Post noted.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest corporate lobbying organization, and the American Petroleum Institute were also among the big business groups applauding the fall of Chevron, fueling calls for Congress to codify the doctrine into federal law.

The American Prospect's Hassan Ali Kanu wrote Tuesday that the high court's latest term has "demonstrated how lacking our system is in terms of safeguards that can prevent or correct the Supreme Court when it oversteps its authority or engages in unjustified exercises of power."

"President Joe Biden's commission to explore Supreme Court reform produced a number of viable and sensible options," Kanu continued. "Congress could curtail or end judicial review, the power the court aggregated to itself to exclusively interpret the Constitution."

"Even more modest proposals could further democratize the Court and judiciary, like prohibiting them from declining to apply laws passed by Congress unless they have at least a supermajority vote; or implementing sortition, random assignment, and rotation into the process of appointing or assigning judges to the Supreme Court," he added. "At this point, when a six-member majority is literally declaring a former president who appointed three of them to be functionally above the law, against all prevailing opinion, scholarship, analysis, and experience, the case for court reform couldn't be clearer."

[william-r-melich]

Tik Tok on the Chopping Block - 04/25/2024

Yesterday, Joe Biden signed the Tik Tok Divest-or-Ban bill into law. I covered this bill extensively in my post, "Tik Tok Bill/HR 7521" back on March 16th of this year. This bill forces ByteDance to sell Tik Tok within one year. It's clear to me that this Chinese owned company is controlled by the CCP and is using it to gather information on US citizens and influence children toward committing self-harm and suicide.

Tik Tok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew released the following video statement yesterday. "Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on you and your voice. We are confident, and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again." He was referring to how they circumvented Trump's executive order to ban the app in the U.S. back in 2020. Tik Tok's position is that through China's Counterespionage Law, its customer data is stored in Virginia and backed up in Singapore. They claim that they have never or ever will share U.S. data with the CCP. Yet the owner of ByteDance previously issued a letter of apology to the CCP about failing to follow the CCP's directives. It's obvious to me that they are more of an arm of the CCP than a private company and we should not trust them. At the same time, I'm also conflicted about trusting our own government. Regardless it's now signed into law, like it or not.

Tik Tok and ByteDance together spent over $7 million since the beginning of this year on TV and digital ads in an effort to stop legislation from passing the bill. A Tik Tok spokesperson said this, "This expenditure reflects work we do to educate policy makers about how legislation could affect our community of 170 million American users." Tik Tok officials lobbied Congress and Biden's executive office last quarter. Biden's executive office contains the National Security Council, the Office Management and Budget, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and other divisions.

As I mentioned in my previous post on this bill last March, Donald Trump and Elon Musk both came out against it. Trump is concerned that it could expand government powers on other platforms, and Musk is concerned about censorship. The bill is intended to remove any foreign influence and investment in social media platforms and websites here in the U.S. The government would have to prove that a foreign entity is directly involved and then initially force divestment, and then later if necessary deplatform the app and shut down their operating websites.

I'm all for private companies operating platforms that allow freedom of expression, but not if they're being operated by a foreign adversary like China's CCP. Yet I'm always very skeptical of our government and their tendencies to over-reach in order to go after their political opposition. Especially with this current bunch in charge. All we can do is to stay informed and hopefully for the sake of our freedom and security vote in Republican majorities in both the house and senate, and get Donald Trump back into office, in my opinion.

[alwaysbewoke]

[workersolidarity]

🇨🇳🇺🇸 🚨

CHINESE ENVOY TO THE UNITED NATIONS ACCUSES UNITED STATED OF ESCALATING TENSIONS IN RED SEA

The Chinese envoy to the United Nations accused the United States of escalating tensions in the Red Sea Saturday, adding that U.S. strikes do nothing to contribute to freedom of navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb straight where Yemeni forces have interfered with trade to and from Israel in solidarity with Palestinians under siege in Gaza.

The United States and the United Kingdom launched a series of drone and missile strikes Thursday night targeting installations belonging to the Armed Forces of Yemen, attempting to degrade their ability to respond to ships heading to or from ports in the occupied territories.

China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, expressed grave concern over the U.S. strikes, saying in a statement "It is regrettable to see that the blatant military actions taken by the relevant countries against Yemen have not only caused infrastructure destruction and civilian casualties, but have also resulted in heightened security risks in the Red Sea."

"This does not contribute to the protection of the safety and security of the commercial vessels and freedom of navigation," Zhang said, adding that "The relevant military operations could also undermine the political process in Yemen."

The Chinese envoy referred to the United Nations Security Council, pointing out that the body never authorized any state to use military force against Yemen, and added that the military actions taken by the U.S.-led coation are in direct contravention of recently adopted Security Council resolution 2722.

"The current tense situation in the Red Sea is one of the manifestations of the spillover effects of the conflict in Gaza," Zhang, the Chinese envoy to the UN said.

"Allowing the conflict in Gaza to drag on while expecting it will not spread is wishful thinking and an illusion. What's more, calling for the prevention of the spillover of the conflict on the one hand, while adding fuel to the fire on the other hand by provoking military confrontation is self-contradictory and irresponsible," Zhang added.

"The Middle East region is already on the brink of extreme danger. The last thing we need at this stage is reckless military adventurism. The first thing we need is calm and restraint to prevent a further expansion of the conflict."

#source

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[starlightshadowsworld]

The UN Security Council held a vote today (18.10.2023) for a resolution.

All the information here comes from this UN Security website page, this site for more info.

And the Israel/Gaza-Humanitarian aid and situation briefing video on the United Nations YouTube page.

Slightly unrelated, they live streamed this... Which is just insane to think about.

Anyway.

Prior to this vote they had been 2 amendedments of a draft resolution proposed by Russia.

It called for an end to indiscriminate attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

And a condemnation of the blockades and calling for a ceasefire.

Neither were passed by the UN Security Council.

Because despite it saying it would condemn "all violence and hostilities directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism."

Say it with me now, it didn't condemn Hamas.

Hell it didn't even mention Hamas.

... Do you guys know how to read? Like, genuinely?

But yeah it didn't pass, Russia was pissed and said:

"The council once again has found itself a hostage to the selfish intentions of the Western bloc of countries."

And has failed as a collective.

Which, yeah.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Russia.

Huh...

The current draft resolution they voted on today was lead by Brazil.

This draft condemned "all acts of terrorism, violence and hostilities."

And emphasised that it "rejects and condemns the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas."

... We get it okay.

It also called for a "humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza.

Glad we're on the same page for that.

Their are 15 members that make up the UN Security Council.

Currently they are: Albania, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Gahbon, Russia, Ghana, Japan, the UK, Malta, Switzerland, the US, France, Mozambique and the UAE.

12 voted in favour for this resolution.

2 abstained from voting.

These being the UK and Russia.

The UK, because "the text needed to be clearer on Israel's inherit right to self defence."

... One moment.

Screams into my pillow

... Fucking hate this country...

I'm just glad you guys decided not to vote, keep your mouth shut.

Russia... For obvious reasons, see above.

And 1 voted no.

And you'd think that means the draft would pass.

I mean it's 12 to 1.

... But it won't because the one who said no was the US.

The UN has 5 permanent members on its council, China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

And if one of these members votes no than no action is taken.

It's called Veto.

And because the US said no.

The resolution can't be passed.

Why did they say no?

Because it didn't mention Israel's right to self defence.

... People are being bombed and shot, being killed by the thousands.

By weapons you supplied them with mind you.

And you're priority isn't giving them humanitarian aid, isn't calling for a ceasefire.

Its whether or not the people oppressing them, who've oppressed them for 75 years.

Who have dropped 6000 bombs on them in one week.

You're bothered about whether or not they have the right to self defence.

Their blood is on your hands.

... Get your fucking priorities in order.

[historyforfuture]

Respect and regards to Free people of Norway who have clear minds and fair hearts

[bloghrexach]

🧐... All my life (70+ years), I was ‘taught’ about the goodness, the excellence, the righteousness, the exceptionalism, the example and guiding light of the USA.

I was taught (and I truly believed) that the US stood for justice, peace, equality. It alwasy was the moral standard to follow.

Well, I’ve slowly and painfully have come to realize that it’s been all lies, it’s been a front, a facade.

My personal process started by learning about my country, Puerto Rico’s history. (It wouldn't have taken this long recognized these facts, had I been taught the true history of my country). Then I learned here and there about so many other nations. So many other injustices … I remember Vietnam (vaguely), Hawaii, Alaska, Iraq, Afghanistan, Central America and more.

I have looked into histories and educated myself — I still am.

**The current Palestinian ‘situation’ is the drop that filled the cup!!**

"Washington has made it exceedingly clear that it sees the Palestinina peopleas expendable and irrelevant human scum and that's not going to change!"

~~MOUIN RABBANI, Middle East Analyst~~ ================================

There’s no moral standing which the USA can use to justify what it’s supporting, financing and continually vetoing!!!

USA: you have lost your moral compass, you have lost your 'high place' as a defender of democracy; you have lost more than you can ever imagine!! — history won’t be kind to your actions.

History will reveal what you REALLY are!!

ME? — I personally am ‘bowing out’! — I sadly recognize that I was brainwashed and willfully followed what I learned. — I can’t anymore: when you know, you know!!

I have to follow my mind and my soul or I’d be as lost as YOU are!!

©HortyRex … 🧐 … @hrexach