Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 18, 2023 16:18:21 GMT -5
Rashida Tlaib Faces Growing MAGA Calls to Be Expelled: 'Enemy Within'
BY KHALEDA RAHMAN ON 10/18/23 AT 9:50 AM EDT
Representative Rashida Tlaib is facing calls to be expelled from Congress after she criticized President Joe Biden and blamed Israel for a blast at a hospital in the besieged Gaza Strip that killed hundreds of Palestinians.
Tlaib, the only Palestinian-American member of Congress, has long been a vocal critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
The Michigan Democrat faced calls to be primaried after she called on the U.S. to stop funding the Israeli "apartheid" government after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7 that prompted Israel to completely seal off and launch airstrikes on the long-blockaded Gaza Strip, a small territory of about 2.3 million Palestinians.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli air strikes had killed at least 2,278 Palestinians in Gaza, before the explosion at the al-Ahli hospital killed at least another 500, the Associated Press reported. More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed, most of them civilians in Hamas' October 7 attack, while some 200 others were taken captive into Gaza, AP reported.
On Tuesday, Tlaib again took to social media to criticize Biden for backing Israel in its war against Hamas after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in an explosion at the Gaza City hospital.
"Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians [doctors, children, patients] just like that," Tlaib wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Addressing the president, she wrote that "this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate. Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslim Americans like me. We will remember where you stood."
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 19, 2023 10:55:51 GMT -5
A child is rescued from the rubble in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. Photograph: Fatima Shbair/AP
06.40 EDT
Lack of water in Gaza ‘a health crisis on the brink of explosion’, says charity
Lack of access to water is one of the biggest challenges in Gaza, according to the international charity Action Against Hunger, which is warning of “a health crisis on the brink of explosion”.
Staff at the charity say overcrowded displacement shelters are close to breaking point. They add that one shelter in Gaza is currently supporting more than 24,000 people and that 60% of the children there are affected by diarrhoea. Some people are are also resorting to open defecation.
The UN estimates that there are fewer than 3 litres of water per person each day for the 2.3 million people living in Gaza, half of whom are children who are most at risk from water shortages and diarrhoeal infections – the leading cause of child mortality globally. And that amount is likely to decrease by the day as supplies and fuel used to make water drinkable in the desalination plants are reduced.
Chiara Saccardi, officer for the Middle East at Action Against Hunger, said:
Faced with this impossible situation, many Gazan families are resorting to non-drinking water sources, such as agricultural wells. This puts them at imminent risk of dehydration and even an outbreak of infectious diseases such as cholera. Such an epidemic, if it happens, would make this serious crisis an even bigger problem.
Palestinians fetch water in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 19, 2023 10:59:25 GMT -5
6m ago 11.48 EDT Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, is on her way to the Middle East for a second time since the deadly Hamas attack to express Berlin’s unwavering solidarity” to Israel and help ensure Palestinian access to aid.
The trip is due to last until Saturday and will also take Baerbock to Jordan and Lebanon. The German visited Israel and Egypt last week.
Baerbock, before departing to Tel Aviv, insisted on Israel’s “right to defend itself against Hamas terror – within the parameters laid down by international law for such exceptional situations”.
She accused the militant group of using the civilian population of the Gaza Strip as “human shields”, adding that she would “use the trip to speak with all those who have channels to Hamas” to discuss how to secure the release of hostages.
Describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic”, she said:
It is important to me to make clear to Palestinians that we also recognise their suffering.
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 19, 2023 10:59:44 GMT -5
27m ago 11.30 EDT Summary of the day so far It’s 6.30pm in Gaza City and Tel Aviv. Here’s where things stand:
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid will enter Gaza from Egypt’s Sinai peninsula in the coming days, according to the White House, after Joe Biden’s whirlwind visit to Israel on Wednesday. Biden said Israel had agreed to allow the opening of the Egypt-Gaza Rafah crossing to deliveries of desperately needed food, water and medical supplies on condition that the humanitarian assistance was not diverted by Hamas for its own use. Lack of access to water is one of the biggest challenges in Gaza, according to the international charity Action Against Hunger, which is warning of “a health crisis on the brink of explosion”. The UN estimates that there are fewer than 3 litres of water per person each day for the 2.3 million people living in Gaza, half of whom are children who are most at risk from water shortages and diarrhoeal infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) said its trucks were “loaded and ready to go” as soon as the Rafah crossing was opened – “hopefully tomorrow”. The WHO director, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the agency was “gravely concerned about the health and wellbeing of civilians in Gaza, who are suffering from bombardment and siege” and about the attacks on health care in both Gaza and Israel. Egypt’s president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II have condemned the “collective punishment” of Palestinians in Gaza as they met in Cairo for talks on the Israel-Hamas war. Sisi and King Abdullah also warned of the dangers of a regional spillover. The US and British embassies in Beirut have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon while flights “remain available” as border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah intensify over the Israel-Hamas war. Both countries had already warned citizens against travel to Lebanon. The US president, Joe Biden, will address the nation later today to discuss the US’s response to the Israeli-Gaza conflict and the war in Ukraine, less than 24 hours after returning from Tel Aviv to offer Israelis support and aid for Palestinians in a trip upended by a hospital blast in Gaza. Israel is counting on the UK’s “continuous support” in what will be a “long war” with Hamas, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has told Rishi Sunak, as the two leaders met in Tel Aviv. Sunak is due to fly to Saudi Arabia later on Thursday in efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and prevent a wider regional conflict. At least nine British nationals are confirmed to have died and a further seven are missing after the devastating attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October, a Downing Street spokesperson has said. The Philippines embassy in Tel Aviv has confirmed the death of another Filipino national, bringing the country’s death toll to four. The victim has not been named. A second plane of humanitarian aid from the EU was due to land in Egypt on Thursday afternoon to help people in Gaza, a spokesperson for the European Commission said. Together with a flight yesterday, it will amount to 54 tonnes of humanitarian aid including hygiene and sanitation products, food, water and shelter. More than 60 international charities - including Action Aid UK, Bond, Cafod, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Médecins Sans Frontières UK, Oxfam GB and Save the Children UK – have signed a statement calling on the UK government to step up its efforts to secure an urgent ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. The Israeli government has accused the BBC of perpetuating a “modern blood libel” in its reporting of the catastrophic explosion at al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. Hello. It’s Léonie Chao-Fong in Washington taking over the live blog. You can contact me at leonie.chao-fong@theguardian.com.
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 19, 2023 11:02:35 GMT -5
1h ago
10.52 EDT
World Jewish Congress seeks pope’s help in securing hostages’ release
The head of the World Jewish Congress met Pope Francis on Thursday, asking the leader of the Roman Catholic church to help secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
Pope Francis receives Ronald Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress, at the Vatican.
Pope Francis receives Ronald Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress, at the Vatican. Photograph: Vatican Media/CPP/IPA/ipa-agency.net/Shutterstock
The audience between the WJC president, Ronald Lauder, and Francis, 86, came as Israel revised up to 203 the number of Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas, amid the escalating war in Gaza.
“We ask Your Holiness to use your power, to use your strength, to get these hostages released,” the WJC quoted Lauder as telling the 86-year-old pontiff, in a statement.
“You may be the only person who has the moral authority to do this.”
The pope has called for the release of the hostages, while also expressing concern for the civilians of Gaza.
The WJC, which dates from 1936, represents Jewish communities in more than 100 countries, to governments and international organisations.
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 19, 2023 11:07:05 GMT -5
US and UK advise citizens to leave Lebanon
A Lebanese protester flashes the V for victory sign on 18 October as a fire rages behind the security gate of the US embassy after clashes with security forces. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
The US and British embassies in Beirut have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon while flights “remain available” as border tensions between Israel and Hezbollah intensify over the Israel-Hamas war.
Both countries had already warned citizens against travel to Lebanon.
“We recommend that US citizens in Lebanon make appropriate arrangements to leave the country; commercial options currently remain available,” a US embassy statement said.
A similar warning was issued by the British embassy which said: “If you are currently in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave now while commercial options remain available.”
“British nationals should exercise caution and avoid areas where demonstrations may be held,” it added.
Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions have been trading daily cross-border fire with Israel after Hamas launched its massive assault on southern Israel, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians.
Relentless Israeli strikes on Gaza have since killed at least 3,500 people, mostly civilians, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.
On Tuesday, the US state department raised its travel advisory for Lebanon from level t3 to 4 – the highest level available.
It authorised non-essential embassy personnel and their families to leave their embassy, citing the unpredictable security situation due to the Israel-Hamas war.
Many Arab and western countries have already encouraged their nationals to avoid travel to Lebanon or leave, with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday urging its citizens to leave Lebanon “immediately” and Kuwait also warning against travelling there.
France, Germany, Canada and Australia have also warned against travel to Lebanon, while Spain has advised against non-essential travel.
Cross-border tensions have killed at least 21 people in Lebanon, according to an AFP tally, mostly combatants but also three civilians including a Reuters journalist.
At least three people have been killed on the Israeli side.
Since Tuesday, as in many Arab capitals, demonstrators have taken to the streets of Beirut and its suburbs, including near the American and French embassies, to protest against a deadly strike on a Gaza hospital. (Via AFP)
I agree that it was a good thing to vote to keep the government running for 2 weeks. To vote the next day to remove the speaker so the 2 weeks would be spent with this clown show was the height of irresponsibility. They didn't vote for a compromise budget bill, they voted for a two week stay of execution for the country. There are a few grown ups in the House but the majorities of both parties barely qualify as clowns.
I agree there's dysfunction on both sides. But the worst thing that could happen is to vote for Gym Shorts Jordan as Speaker. The guy is nothing but a traitor who was in on Trump's plot to overthrow the election & thereby the Federal Govt. He's lucky he's not under indictment like Trump & a slew of his mob are. The GOP clown show just keeps rolling on.
The Kraken Lady pleaded guilty today in Georgia & will be forced to testify against Trump & his gang. Bout time.
Post by clarencebunsen on Oct 20, 2023 7:12:02 GMT -5
I agree that Jordan is not a good choice. I also don't think Jeffries would be good. If a couple dozen D's would suck it up and vote for Scalise we could get back to business for a bit. Coalition governments usually only last for a year or so in Europe but at least they do the stuff the everyone (almost) thinks should be done.
Crossbows don't kill people. Quarrels kill people.
The internet doesn't make you stupid, it just makes your stupidity more accessible to others.
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 20, 2023 10:27:11 GMT -5
Maybe they should just make some independent member speaker of that house. Seems silly the way it is going . I was watching the third round of voting and thought that Jeffries got it but nope not enough votes for any of them. So we have a round four of voting but no one knows when.....
Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Oct 20, 2023 11:25:37 GMT -5
Now this is NOT right. Why are we paying for everyone's war.
POLITICS
Biden seeks $105 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, border security
President Joe Biden is seeking a $105 billion security aid package for Ukraine, Israel, the U.S. southern border and more.
The request comes with Congress’ business at a standstill as House Republicans battle each other over who should be the speaker.
Biden seeking $105 billion in new funding for Ukraine, Israel and other security priorities
The Biden administration on Friday requested more than $105 billion from Congress to support the security needs of Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the U.S. southern border.
President Joe Biden’s biggest request in the package is more than $61 billion for Ukraine. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. has unleashed an arsenal worth $44 billion in security assistance, according to figures provided by the State Department.
He’s also calling for an additional $14.3 billion for Israel, another $2 billion for Taiwan and Indo-Pacific security, and a little over $9 billion for humanitarian assistance.
Israel is at war with Hamas after the militant group launched a shocking and brutal terrorist attack Oct. 7. Meanwhile, there are rising tensions around Taiwan, which China claims as its own.
The White House said the supplemental funding request invests approximately $50 billion in the U.S. defense industry.
“The funding will expand production lines, strengthen the American economy, keep us safe, and create new American jobs,” Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said Friday on a call with reporters.
I agree that Jordan is not a good choice. I also don't think Jeffries would be good. If a couple dozen D's would suck it up and vote for Scalise we could get back to business for a bit. Coalition governments usually only last for a year or so in Europe but at least they do the stuff the everyone (almost) thinks should be done.
I'm not sure if Scalise even wanted it. He's undergoing treatment for cancer.
