War in the Middle East
The fighting in Israel/Palestine is a direct result of the rightwing cabal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
On Oct. 12, which is celebrated as Indigenous Peoples Day, many Americans turned a blind eye to the mounting toll of dead indigenous people in Gaza.
There are rumors that Netanyahu was behind the creation of Hamas, now dominant in Gaza, in a successful effort to split the Palestine resistance. In the West Bank, the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), also called the Palestinian Authority, is in charge. It is a non-sectarian organization in contrast to Hamas, which adheres to the Muslim Brotherhood, a right-wing fundamentalist organization that is banned in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Today, Israel is also divided around the policies of Netanyahu, a 40-year close friend of Donald Trump, who wormed his way back into power in November 2022 elections when he won only 23 percent of the vote but became Prime Minister again as part of the ruling coalition. Netanyahu, throughout his career has seemed intent on destroying homes and ultimately eradicating all Palestinians from their homeland. The focus of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also seems to be to drive 3.5 million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and claim it for Israel.
The balance of power so far is much more equal than in past wars between Israel and Arab countries. Arrayed against it currently are Hezbollah, headquartered in Lebanon, and Syria, which seems intent on regaining the Golan Heights, which is recognized internationally as part of Syria, but is occupied by Israel.
Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and military organization, unlike Hamas, which is Sunni. Hezbollah was founded in 1992 on an Islamic theocracy model that Iran adopted after the overthrow of the Shah, in 1979.
Iran has not yet entered the fighting, but may well do so depending on the balance of the war. Iran is not an Arab country, but “lives in the neighborhood.”
Israel may ultimately face a more united front of Muslim countries than it has encountered in many years. With the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the growing power of BRICS+, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a number of countries arrayed against Israel. Force of arms may accomplish what diplomacy could not achieve, that is, it could end the neo-colonial and apartheid status endured by Palestinians. Saudi Arabia, in particular, as Defender of the Faith has a valid reason for intervening in what many see as the intentional genocide of Muslim Palestinians from their territory.
Good News for followers of The Left Coast
The book, Chaos and Disorder: The Wild and Scary 2020s is now available. It was written by Left Coast Editor, James R Smith, with a forward by renowned journalist and author, Conn “Ringo” Hallinan. Original artwork was provided by Artist Elizabeth Campos, and editing was done by Venice West Publishers President Erica Snowlake.
Get it today through your local bookstore or from Amazon.com. Only $14.50 for the 270-page book that is chock full of historical background and explanation for the bizarre events of the 2020s.
Addendum: Since many commentators are afraid to tell the truth about the current events in Israel/Palestine, we are including some of the most relevant posts by the Labor Movement:
National Writers Union (NWU) Leadership Statement on the
War in Gaza
Since Hamas’s unconscionable attack on Israeli civilians, the Israeli military has killed more than fourteen hundred people in Gaza and cut off food, water, and electricity to more than two million people. As of this writing, in a massive ethnic cleansing, Israel is forcibly displacing more than a million people as it prepares a ground invasion. All of this violates international law, which the Israeli government has done with impunity for decades and with the material and political support of the U.S.
Those killed in Gaza include at least nine Palestinian journalists. Some fifty media offices in Gaza have been destroyed. The National Writers Union—in solidarity with the Palestinian Journalist Syndicate and the International Federation of Journalists—condemns the actions of the Israeli military and its specific assault on the press, which has further undermined the already tenuous transmission of news from the Gaza Strip to the rest of the world.
NWU calls on Western media outlets, especially those based in North America, to cover this war in a factual, unbiased way, and with proper historical context. Too much of the mainstream press has leaned on unconfirmed information and the representations of Israeli military and government officials, to the exclusion of other sources. We know from past experience, including the mistakes of the post-9/11 period, the role that the media can play in manufacturing consent for unjust war.
NWU cautions all journalistic organizations not to repeat those mistakes. We condemn the silencing of and retaliation against Muslim and Arab media workers and those who express critical and dissenting views. No one should feel compelled to justify crimes of war.
Joint EI - ETUC Statement on Israel and Palestine
https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/28076:joint-ei-etuce-statement-on-israel-…
Education International and the European Trade Union Committee for Education condemn the severe attack Hamas launched against Israel. Education International stands in solidarity with the teachers, students, and communities in the region and calls on the international community to do their utmost to stop the bloodshed and avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
"The Hamas attack on Israel is unacceptable. Educators around the world stand with our colleagues, students, and communities in Israel and Palestine and denounce the violent aggression. The violence must end. Our hearts go out to the families of all who have lost their lives. The international community must stand united in condemning any form of violence and in supporting lasting peace negotiations,” stated David Edwards, Education International General Secretary.
Susan Flocken, Director of ETUCE, the European Trade Union Committee for Education, the European Region of Education International said: “Teachers, academics and their unions in Europe are shocked by the new outbreak of violence in Israel and Palestine. ETUCE condemns the military aggression and expresses its support and solidarity with colleagues, teachers, academics and students and all people in the region. This new outbreak of war and retaliation puts the lives of millions of people at stake. The war must end. We call on the international community to do their utmost to support a peace agreement.”
Education International reiterates the call of the 2019 EI World Congress urging both Hamas and Israel to: “Renounce violence and commit to engage in direct negotiations. We have engaged with member organisations in Israel and Palestine to promote the importance of dialogue and of preserving the values of education and peace. We affirm our unwavering commitment to our member organisations in the region - the Israel Teacher Union (ITU) and the Association of Secondary School Teachers in Israel (ASSTI) as well as the General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT), the General Union of Workers in Kindergartens and Private Schools (GUWKPS) and the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE).For too long the loss of human life has threatened the security of the entire region. The far-reaching consequences of war cannot be understated. The people in the region have a right to a future free of violence and war. The world must stand with them and redouble efforts to ensure peace. There is an urgent and imperative need for the international community to support, in every way possible, the realization of a peaceful and sustainable solution.
International Federation of Journalists
Palestine: At least five journalists killed in Gaza
https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/ar…
Five Palestinian journalists have been killed, several have been injured and others are missing during on-going military operations between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) condemn the killings and continued attacks on journalists. The IFJ calls for an immediate investigation into their deaths.
In such dangerous conditions, the IFJ reminds journalists on the ground to take precautions, wear professional safety equipment and not to travel without their media providing them with all the professional safety equipment needed to cover events. No story is worth the life of a journalist.
In the early hours of 7 October, Hamas launched an unprecedented attack in southern Israel. In response, Israel retaliated with airstrikes over the besieged Gaza Strip and formally declared war at Hamas.
On 10 October, the PJS said in a statement that three Palestinian journalists Said al-Taweel, director of Al-Khamisa news agency; photojournalist Mohammed Sobboh and Hisham Nawajhah, correspondent for a news agency in Gaza, were killed by an Israeli airstrike that hit a residential building near Gaza City's fishing port. The Hamas-run government said that the three reporters were covering the evacuation of a residential building nearby, when the missile struck, AFP reported.
The IFJ is verifying information about three other Palestinian journalists who might have been killed since the beginning of the hostilities on 7 October.
On 7 October, Palestinian photojournalist Mohammad Al-Salhi, working for news agency Fourth Authority was shot dead while covering the military operations at the border east of Palestinian refugee camp Al-Bureij, located in the central Gaza Strip, according to the state-run news agency WAFA.
On the same day, Ibrahim Lafi from Ain Media news agency was killed while reporting near Beit Hanoun checkpoint, close to the separation fence with Israel, in the northern Gaza Strip, the media reported.
Journalists missing and injured
PJS warned that on 7 October contact was lost with local journalist Nidal Al-Wahidi from Al-Najah TV station and photographer Haitham Abdel Wahed from Ain Media agency. Both professionals were covering the fights close to the separation fence with Israel, near Beit Hanoun checkpoint. The next day, Al-Wahidi’s family informed the media that the journalist had been arrested by the Israeli army.
On 7 October, in the southern Gaza Strip, correspondent for Al-Ghad TV channel, Ibrahim Qanan, was injured in the leg by a missile strike targeted at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis city. In a similar incident, PJS reported that journalist Salah Abu Salah was wounded by a missile's shrapnel at Abasan city.
In Gaza city, Israeli shelling injured journalist Saleh Al-Masry and his wife, and destroyed the houses of director of Zaman radio, Rami Al-Sharafi, and journalist Basil Khair Al-Din, working for TV station Al-Quds Today, reads PJS statement.
The moment an Israeli strike hit Palestine tower in Gaza on 7 October was caught on TV as Al Jazeera reporter Youmna Al-Sayed was conducting a live broadcast.
Throughout the weekend, Israeli retaliatory airstrikes completely or partially destroyed the headquarters of several media outlets, including the newsroom of Al-Ayyam newspaper, Gaza FM radio studio located in Palestine Tower, and headquarters of Shehab news agency, among others. The offices of Palestinian news agency Ma’an were severely damaged due to the flattening of Al-Watan Tower.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “Media workers in areas of armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and allowed to perform their work without interference. The IFJ calls on all combatants in this conflict to do their utmost to safeguard journalists and media professionals. There is intense and deeply concerned interest in this conflict all round the world, but people will only be able to understand what is really going on if journalists are allowed to do their work.”
International Transport Workers' Federation
ITF condemns escalstion of violence in Gaza and Israel, calls for immediate ceasfire and political resolution
https://www.itfglobal.org/en/news/itf-condemns-escalation-violence-in-g…
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) expresses deep alarm at the escalation of violence in Gaza and Israel and condemns the targeting of civilians on both sides by Hamas and Israeli forces.
We urgently call for respect for international law and a commitment from all parties to protect civilian lives, and join the international community in calling for all sides and key countries in the region to de-escalate to avoid further bloodshed.
Even in the face of the illegal occupation and a 16-year blockade of Gaza, there are obligations under international humanitarian law that must be upheld. We condemn the indiscriminate attacks on civilians and taking of civilian hostages by Hamas and other armed groups, which amount to war crimes under international law.
We also condemn the retaliatory attacks from Israeli forces, including the shelling of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure by the Israeli Defence Forces. Israel’s stated intention of imposing a complete siege on Gaza, which involves cutting off electricity and water supplies, amounts to collective punishment; a grave violation of international humanitarian law.
As of the latest reports, the situation is dire. Israel's retaliatory attack on Gaza has resulted in the tragic loss of hundreds of lives and injuries to thousands, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, the death toll from Hamas attacks is now also in the hundreds, and Israel's health ministry has reported thousands of people have been treated in hospitals following attacks by Palestinian armed groups.
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urgent maximum restraint and has called for “all diplomatic efforts … to avoid a wider conflagration”.
Alongside the ITUC, the ITF calls for all sides, and the international community, to act for peace. The ITF also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all civilian hostages, in accordance with international law.
“We extend our condolences and solidarity to victims' families as the civilian death toll continues to mount, whilst recognising the historical context and root causes that have contributed to the current crisis – including the 16-year blockade of Gaza and its devastating consequences,” said ITF President Paddy Crumlin. “This prolonged blockade, together with increasing violence and tensions in the occupied West Bank and continued oppression of the Palestinian people, remain the fundamental issue. The only viable path to lasting peace is an end to this illegal occupation and a two-state solution.”
ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said: “The ITF calls on the international community to take immediate action to de-escalate the situation and prevent further loss of innocent lives. We urge all parties involved to engage in meaningful dialogue and diplomacy to find a peaceful resolution to this long-standing conflict.”
International Trade Union Conferation
ITUC Calls for Peace
https://www.ituc-csi.org/israel-palestine
The ITUC is gravely concerned at the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas, following the attacks launched against Israel from Gaza, which have drawn strong condemnation from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
The ITUC utterly condemns attacks on civilians, with hundreds believed to have been killed already, many more injured and others kidnapped.
This latest outbreak of violence risks spiralling into all-out war, with devastating consequences for Israelis and Palestinians and for the region as well. Extremist rhetoric will only worsen the conflict, costing yet more lives and leaving a peaceful and just solution further out of reach.
The ITUC calls for all sides, and the international community, to act for peace. This decades-long conflict can only be brought to a just outcome through dialogue, respect for international law, in particular human rights law, and the full implementation of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions to bring about a two-state solution.
World Trade Union Federation
WFTU statement on the developments in Palestine
https://www.wftucentral.org/wftu-statement-on-the-developments-in-pales…
The whole world is watching with anxiety and concern the new bloodshed that is unfolding in Israel and Palestine and threatens to ignite the entire Middle East region.
For the WFTU there is no doubt that the root cause of this blood cycle is the ongoing occupation and illegal settlement of the occupied Palestinian territories by Israel and the continuous, daily crimes and the blockades of Gaza that have been committed against the Palestinian people for years. Crimes which are committed with the provocative tolerance and support that Israel receives from the big imperialist powers, that is, the USA, the European Union and the rest of their allies, and which in recent years have become even more brutal and unacceptable.
The attempt by those who over time turn a blind eye to the crimes and massacres against the Palestinian people and contribute to the maintenance of the occupation and colonization, to present Israel today as a victim of Palestinian aggression, is hypocritical and untruthful to say the least.
For the WFTU it is clear that the only way to secure and consolidate peace and security for the people in Palestine and Israel, but also in the wider Middle East, is to immediately end the Israeli occupation and settlement in the occupied Arab territories, as provided for in the UN resolutions, and to establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and guarantee the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
In this direction, the WFTU will continue to fight and express in all ways its solidarity with the suffering but struggling Palestinian people.
Wow this is quite an impressive update.