This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Israel and Hamas accuse each other of war crimes
- US Embassy in Tel Aviv closes due to rocket fire from Gaza
- Measles spreading rapidly in China
Israel and Hamas accuse each other of war crimes
The United Nations is expected to hold crisis talks on theIsrael-Hamas war on Thursday, as the war escalates.
On Wednesday, Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations,Riyad Mansour, said the following:
The intensification of Israel’s aggression againstthe 1.7 million Palestinians imprisoned in the Gaza Strip byIsrael’s immoral blockade threatens to further destabilize thedangerous situation on the ground and fully ignite yet anotherround of deadly violence…
[T]he occupying Power has intensified its onslaught against thebesieged Gaza Strip in grave breach of international law,including international humanitarian law and the relevantprovisions regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflictand in grave breach of the prohibition of reprisals and collectivepunishment against the civilian population under occupation…
War crimes are clearly being perpetrated by Israel against thePalestinian people and this must be unequivocally condemned andstopped. A strong message must be sent to Israel, the occupyingPower, to cease immediately its military campaign and abide by thelaw, in order to deescalate this dangerous situation, to promotecalm, and, most importantly, to save innocent civilianlives.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor responded, makingthe following points which I’m summarizing from memory:
- No country in the world would tolerate rockets from an adjoining country targeting civilians in its own country.
- Israel is targeting military installations and taking exceptional care to avoid civilians, even messaging Gazans with locations prior to strikes.
- However, Hamas is committing war crimes by crowding civilians around military installations to act as human shields.
Prosor’s charge is confirmed by a Hamas spokesman in an interview,translated by Memri, when asked about people “reverting to the humanshield method” of opposing Israel:
This attests to the character of our noble,Jihad-fighting people, who defend their rights and their homeswith their bare chests and their blood. The policy of peopleconfronting the Israeli warplanes with their bare chests in orderto protect their homes has proven effective against theoccupation. Also, this policy reflects the character of our brave,courageous people. We in Hamas call upon our people to adopt thispolicy, in order to protect the Palestinian homes.
According to Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
Hamas is committing a double war crime byintentionally trying to hit Israeli citizens, and using the localGaza population as human shields.
The rhetoric appears to be heating up to the extent that neither sideis giving itself a way to back down. Tensions are rising and eventsare moving quickly in the Mideast. It’s still possible that thingswill settle down and return to the usual status quo, but it’s alsopossible that we’ll be seeing a major war within a week or two.WAFA (Palestine) and Memri andJerusalem Post
US Embassy in Tel Aviv closes due to rocket fire from Gaza
The US Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, has been closed and is providingonly “minimal services,” mostly by e-mail. Some rockets and missilesthat have been launched from Gaza in the last few days have reached asfar as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. According to a leaked United Nationsreport, it’s believed that Iran has been supplying Hamas withlong-range M-302 missiles. US Embassy in Israel andJerusalem Post and CS Monitor
Measles spreading rapidly in China
The number of cases of measles is growing rapidly in China this year.The rise in the number of cases is being blamed on the number ofmigrant workers — 245 million migrant workers, or 18% of thepopulation — and the fact that migrant workers haven’t been gettingvaccinations. China Digital Times
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Gaza, Israel, Riyad Masour, Ron Prosor,Benjamin Netanyahu, China, measles
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