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zvaigzdelasas · 4 months

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The US and the UK will reject the international court of justice order directing Israel to end its offensive on Rafah after slowly blurring their red lines that once stated that they could not support a military offensive in Rafah.

The line was first adapted by saying they could not support a major ground offensive without a credible plan to protect civilians, but since then the definition of what constitutes a major offensive has become more flexible.

The deputy foreign secretary, Andrew Mitchell, told MPs on Monday “the UK could only support a constructive plan for Rafah that complies with international humanitarian law on all counts”.

On Tuesday he told the UK business select committee that “the significant operation in Rafah, it appears, has not yet started”, even though 800,000 people had fled the area, including 400,000 who had been warned to do so by the Israel Defense Forces. [...]

The select committee chair, Liam Byrne, cited the movement of 800,000 people: “If that is not significant, then what is?”

Mitchell replied that the UK was doing what it could do to help with aid, adding the fact “800,000 had chosen to go of itself would not lead us to make a change in the assessment” of whether a serious breach of IHL had occurred.

The Labour MP Andy McDonald, previewing the line taken by the ICJ, asked the minister: “What choice did they have to move? Was this just: ‘I think I want to go and live somewhere else’? Is that not a preposterous suggestion to make – that this is a matter of free will?”

Mitchell replied: “They have moved as a result of the circumstances.”

Byrne asked the minister directly: “Do you believe, Mr Mitchell, as the minister, that Israel currently has the intent to comply with international humanitarian law in Rafah?”

Mitchell replied: “It does not matter, chair, what I believe. What is important is the legal process that informs that decision.

He later admitted that the last released assessment of Israel’s compliance rested on evidence that ended in January.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, took a different line in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, indicating that he had been briefed by Israeli officials and by Israeli professionals on refinements to the Rafah plan that would achieve its military objectives while taking account of civilian harm.

He said there was no mathematical formula to decide if a plan was acceptable. “What we’re going to be looking at is whether there is a lot of death and destruction from this operation or if it is more precise and proportional,” he said.

He made no reference to the conditions in which Palestinians forced to flee were living.

It seems, according to interpretation, that the US either feels it has persuaded Israel to adjust its plans to make them acceptable or, faced with an Israeli fait accompli that the invasion would proceed regardless of Washington’s objections, the US has effectively backed down.

24 May 24

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ingravinoveritas · 11 months

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Have you seen his latest tweet? He’s having one of his moments and is blocking people left and right. I got myself blocked for commenting on a comment… TF is this poop? 😒

@phantomstars24 Okay, so...I have seen what's been going on on Twitter with Michael and there is...obviously a lot going on. Let me first put up the screenshots of his other tweets, which followed the initial one in @ourtubahero-blog's screenshot (the first one is most recent):

I think there are a few things (well, a lot of things) that are getting missed in all this, specifically the context for why Michael wrote the original tweet in the first place. It appears that it was meant to be a reaction to this incident, which just occurred today in the UK:

The wording of Michael's tweet was not clear, and I also don't think anyone outside of the UK would readily know what he was reacting to, so straightaway this seemed to lead to a lot of misunderstanding. A large portion of the criticism of that tweet stemmed from people thinking Michael was taking a neutral stance on the situation in Gaza/Israel, which is what then led to him making a clarifying tweet in that regard. For my part, I did not interpret Michael's original tweet as neutral, but rather that he is and does stand with innocent people of every stripe, and wishes for there to be no more bloodshed or further loss of life.

Michael's subsequent tweets only seem to have compounded the problem, as they appear to have been made out of an emotional response on his part, which is not a good thing when it comes across as defensive. Emotions are running incredibly high right now, and sadly that is the time when misunderstandings are most likely to occur. In the interest of clarity, in his second tweet, Michael did not say that he had no time to do research, but rather that he "has no time for people telling him to do research." What I took this to mean is that he already has done research and thought very carefully about this entire situation, and therefore felt slighted at people implying that he had not.

The problem inherent in all of this, however, is that this is an extremely difficult subject to have nuanced conversation about, particularly on social media and especially on Twitter. This then leads us to the issue of blocking. I think what Michael was attempting to say (again, badly worded) in his tweet about blocking people was that he was blocking people due to what he perceived as personal attacks. This would explain people being blocked for saying apparently innocuous things, as Michael was on the defensive and does not really have that button in his brain telling him to stop or back off once he gets going.

It goes without saying that Michael seemingly blocking people indiscriminately is definitely not a good look (though it is not without precedent, as I remember well him doing the exact same thing four years ago, albeit under different circumstances). But what is also not acceptable is people sending him death threats, or tweets such as this falsely accusing him of horrific things. In this instance, it is more than understandable that he would have a strong reaction to being dogpiled and block someone, because no one should have to accept threats to their person on their own social media page.

I think what is also happening is that a lot of fans (not either of you who sent in these asks, for the record) are correlating online activism to activism in real life. Michael has always been about walking the walk and not just talking the talk, to where we know he donated almost all of his money to the Homeless World Cup in 2019. He is also a UNICEF UK ambassador and has visited Lebanon, Chad, and Guatemala to meet and help refugee children. All this to say that we have no idea what he has done outside of social media to assist refugees and victims, or if/how much he has donated to Palestinian charities or other relief funds for victims and their families. And for my part, I would rather Michael be clumsy with his wording on social media (again, not defending the indiscriminate blocking) and taking tangible action in real life than engaging in performative Internet activism that ultimately goes nowhere.

(Also, I cannot help but facepalm at people asking Anna to weigh in, under the assumption that a) She would even care about this; and b) She has any influence whatsoever on Michael's behavior, which it is abundantly clear she does not or else he would have stopped flirting with David years ago. I just really hope people do not tag her or expect her to have the ability to somehow "rein him in," because they will be very disappointed...)

So yes, I think what made Michael make a statement tonight after all this time was the above-mentioned MP. I think his intentions were likely good and that his heart was in the right place--as are all of ours, in wanting to protect innocent civilians and stop the horrific violence that is happening. But I also think that if Michael wasn't prepared to handle certain types of criticism, then it probably would have been better for him to say nothing at all, or at least certainly to not escalate things by continuously tweeting. I am also sorry for the fans who were hurt by his actions, because I know fans who have been there before, and it really sucks.

I am hopeful, however, that we can all step back and breathe once emotions are no longer so heightened and try to find a way to listen to each other and engage meaningfully. Because it is truly disheartening to see how things escalated so quickly tonight, and I want to believe that we as a fandom and as human beings can do so much better. I suppose only time will tell...

#ourtubahero-blog #phantomstars24 #michael sheen #welsh seduction machine #twitter #Michael is a PR nightmare #because any PR person would have advised against this #and yet #i honestly get whiplash reading Michael’s Twitter sometimes #ignoring sometimes really is the best thing you can do #i have learned this from experience #i hope Michael learns it too #for his own mental health and well being #fandom woes #thoughts #discourse

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joannaliceevans-fanficblog · 5 months

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Evermore: Part. 2: Chapter. Three

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with everyone and that everyone is having a good week so far. Work is work, and I love it!

2 Months Later

Andy pulled up to the base, flashed his ID to the guard, drove right through, and was still driving his best friend's truck. As he drove, he looked down and smiled.

When he came home from his morning run, he saw a note on the table indicating that you had made him coffee and packed lunch so he wouldn't have to grab food. Since living alone, he has been used to not cooking for himself and just eating out. He only knows how to cook instant noodles, Rice, and Eggs. Now that he’s back home, just having something like this made him happy, especially since it came from you.

Once Andy parked at his designated spot, he got out, grabbed his things, and headed into the law offices. Saluting some people on his way, he walked into the building and was greeted by his secretary. She stood up quickly, and before she could say anything, Andy opened the door and was greeted by a man sitting on the opposite side of his desk.

The man turned around, and Andy immediately recognized him. He turned back to his secretary and signaled that it was okay, and she closed the door.

“Major Navon, what brings you here?” Andy asked, taking a seat at his desk.

“Well, General Barber. I’m not quite sure.” Sam said, placing the thick concealed file in front of Andy. He frowned and glanced back at Sam.

“What’s this?” Andy asked. Sam sighed and wiped his face.

“Look, I know it’s been five years since your friend's death, but something came up, and I didn’t have a choice but to dig up his files.”

“What do you mean? Ari died in a Humvee accident.” Andy asked, knowing for sure that’s what happened.

“Just recently, more like a month ago, there’s been talk about that incident. So I asked one of the lawyers and the MPs.” Sam paused and leaned forward.

“Someone has been messing with the reports. Ari Levinson and part of the platoon in the car were murdered.” Sam said.

Andy stared at Sam for a moment, almost wanting to laugh. But Sam was serious, and he quickly dismissed that thought.

“Sam, I don’t. This can’t be true, Sam.” Andy said, trying to process the information.

“Okay, but we both know the explosion that happened, right?” Andy added.

“Yes, that is correct. The Humvee exploded, and the driver lost control. That’s what his files say.” Sam said as Andy opened the confidential documents.

Andy read through the files, and seeing Ari for the first time tore his heart away. Seeing the gruesome way he passed hurt him. Andy closed the file and looked over to Sam.

“I have to look this over with my team. I assume you want me to take this case?” Andy asked.

Sam sighed and crossed his legs over, “Yes, nobody wants to take it. They all assume it’s a complete accident, and there is concrete evidence. And knowing you and your reputation? You can get this done.”

Andy thought for a moment and leaned back into his chair. “Only on one condition.”

“Anything,” Sam responded.

Andy sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “Y/N cannot l know about this until I get enough evidence.”

Sam sat up, and the same with Andy. Sam then held out his hand, and Andy took it.

“A deal. If you have any questions-“

“I got it, Sam. I'll have my team come as soon as possible,” Andy said.

And with that, Sam left. The moment the door closed, Andy sat down and leaned back into his chair. He sat there for a moment and then reached for his office phone.

Yes sir?

Hi Margie, I need you to gather the team and get them to Bedford as soon as possible.

Was there a reason, sir?

I have a high-profile case that is a high priority.

Okay, and was there anything else, sir?

Yes, give any case that I have to the Jr’s. I need my full attention on this one.

And with that, Andy hung up and went to work.

After a long day, Andy found himself driving home. You had called him earlier to say there was dinner at the house, and Jake was home, too. That put a sour taste in his mouth. He shouldn’t be jealous or upset. You deserve to be happy, but there is something about the man that he doesn’t like. By the time Andy had arrived, Jake’s car was in the driveway. Andy parked Ari’s truck next to Jake’s.

As he entered, he could hear conversation and soft responses from Chloe, and Andy sighed.

“Hey, Bug!” Andy called out, putting his bag down. The sound of the chair moving and little feet were heard.

“Uncle DeeDee!” Chloe yelled as she ran towards him, and he picked her up.

“Hi, Chloe. Did you have a good day?” Andy asked.

Chloe wiped her hair away from her face and smiled.

“We played in the park, and I did many pictures!” Chloe said with excitement.

“She indeed had a good day.” Andy heard that beautiful voice. He looked to the kitchen entranceway, only to see you and that bastard. Andy smiled and headed over to you.

Jake was about to shake his hand when he noticed the pin on his jacket. Jake raised his hand and gave him a salute.

“General,” Jake said. Andy gave a half smile and saluted him back. You rolled your eyes, and Chloe laughed.

“Anyway, Andy, you must be hungry. Have a seat, and I’ll make you a plate. It’s linguine and fettuccine Sauce, with a salad and bread.” You said, turning around and towards the kitchen. Andy placed Chloe down, and she ran to her seat, taking him with her. Once he was down at his seat, Jake sat before Andy. It was quiet for a moment.

“I hear that you and Y/N have been friends since she was five,” Jake said. Andy nodded. That is true, along with my best friend.”

Before Jake could respond, Chloe was by Andy’s side, tapping him on his arm. He looked to his side and saw she had a cold brown bottle.

“Uncle DeeDee, here’s your drink!” Chloe said.

Andy smiled and took the cold beverage from her. “Thank you!”

After dinner, Chloe was sitting on the couch watching TV, and your phone rang while you were cleaning the kitchen. Andy was in the bathroom, washing his hands. You looked all over the kitchen for it until you realized that it was in your bag.

“Jake, can you get my phone? It’s in my bag in the living room.” You said.

Jake nodded and headed to the living room. As he got to the table, Jake opened the bag, and a thick folder came out. Jake frowned and opened the file.

Ari Steven Levinson

Deceased

US ARMY CAPTAIN, 501st AIRBORNE DIVISION

Jake’s whole body drained of blood, and his body started shaking.

KILLED IN ACTION. A CAR EXPLODED IN FRONT OF HIS JEEP, CAUSING HIS DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND SLAM INTO A BUILDING.

“That’s my bag.”

Jake heard and turned around to see Andy standing behind him. Andy showed no expression as he snatched the file from him and placed it back into his bag. Then Andy grabbed Y/N’s bag and shoved it against Jake’s chest. He looked at Andy and quickly went back to the kitchen. Andy placed the file into his bag and closed the clasp on it. Before he headed back into the kitchen, Jake walked past him, and you followed behind.

“Is there something wrong?” Andy heard Y/N, and Jake sighed.

“I got a random important call from my major. I don’t know what it is, but it seems urgent,” Jake said, and Andy turned slightly. He knew listening was rude, but he couldn’t help it. The way Jake acted, and his body language told him he was lying.

For as long as he’s been a lawyer and the fact he’s damn good at it, he knows when someone is lying. And Jake is one of them.

The front door opened and closed. Andy then turned around to see you stumped.

“What happened?” Andy asked, placing his hands into his pockets. You sighed and shrugged your shoulders.

“I don’t know. He went to get my bag, and when he returned, Jake looked like he had seen a ghost,” you said.

Andy looked at you for a moment. “Are you worried? You look concerned.”

You sighed again and shook your head. Before Andy responded, Chloe came in and hugged her mom’s leg. The two of you knew that it was her bedtime. You then picked her up and placed her on your hip.

“Sleepy bug?” You asked.

Holding onto her Pua, she nodded and laid her head on your shoulder.

“Okay, say good night to Uncle DeeDee.” You said. Chloe lifted her head and held out her arms towards him. Andy then scooped her up and placed her onto his hip.

“Good night, Bug! Sleep tight and-“ Andy started.

“And no, let the scarwy monsters eat me!” Chloe said, giggling. Andy kissed her cheek and placed her down. Chloe ran to her mom and brought her upstairs.

“I’ll finish cleaning up here,” Andy said as he returned to the kitchen.

“I’ll meet you downstairs in a bit.” You said.

30 Minutes Later

Andy sat in the family room with two glasses of Sweet Pinot Grigio. He looked behind him to see you taking a seat next to him. You smiled while picking up the glass.

“Before we start the movie, tomorrow is Saturday, Andy. Do you have any plans?” You asked.

Andy knew why Saturdays were important. Even when he was deployed in Germany, you would video call him and spend a few moments with his best friend.

“I’m free. What time do you want to leave? I’ll drive. I was also thinking of spending the day there, too.” Andy said.

You smiled once more. “Oh, that’s a good idea. Let’s have a picnic at the beach, and Chloe wants me to teach her how to skate.”

Andy laughed as a memory came to him. “You remember when Ari tried to teach you?”

Your face started to blush, which made Andy laugh even more.

“Yeah, and that ended up being our first kiss.” You said.

#andy barber #andy barber x reader #andy barber fanfiction #andy barber x female reader #ari levinson x reader #andy barber x you #ari levinson angst

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