Türkiye: Erdogan denounces Congress' reception of 'Hitler of our time'

Türkiye: Erdogan denounces Congress' reception of 'Hitler of our time'

    Friday, July 26, 2024   No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced the US Congress' hosting of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Erdogan said on Friday during an introductory meeting on the high-tech promotion program at the Ataturk Cultural Center in Istanbul, "Imagine that Congress applauds a murderer who has killed nearly 40,000 children, women and elderly people," in full view of the entire world.

He described Netanyahu as "a murderer and perpetrator of genocide against the Palestinian people," in the war that the occupation has been waging for nearly 10 months on the Gaza Strip.

Erdogan added that those who "have always taught the world lessons in democracy and human rights" "did not feel an ounce of shame while celebrating the Hitler of our time."

On Wednesday, Netanyahu delivered a speech before Congress amidst mass demonstrations against his visit to Washington and denouncing the Israeli war of extermination against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu focused on attacking the demonstrations against him and the war, claiming that "Iran is funding the demonstrators outside Congress now" and that they also want to destroy the United States" during a large part of his speech.

 

Palestinian factions sign 'Beijing Declaration'; agree to form an "interim national reconciliation government"

Palestinian factions sign 'Beijing Declaration'; agree to form an "interim national reconciliation government"

    Tuesday, July 23, 2024   No comments

The Palestinian factions announced at the conclusion of meetings held in China their agreement to reach a "comprehensive national unity" that includes all forces within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and to form an interim national consensus government.

The factions participating in the meeting: Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Palestinian People's Party, the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, and the Palestinian National Initiative Movement.

The meeting was also attended by the Popular Front - General Command, the Palestinian Democratic Union (FIDA), the Palestine Liberation Front, the Arab Liberation Front, the Arab Palestinian Front, and the Vanguard of the Popular Liberation War (Sa'iqa Forces).

The factions said in a statement: "The national factions agreed during their meetings in China to reach a comprehensive Palestinian national unity that includes all Palestinian forces and factions within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and to commit to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with United Nations resolutions, and to guarantee the right of return in accordance with Resolution 194."

She added: "Based on the National Accord Agreement signed in Cairo on May 4, 2011, and the Algiers Declaration signed on October 12, 2022, the factions decided to continue following up on the implementation of the agreements to end the division with the help of Egypt, Algeria, China and Russia."

The factions specified in the statement four items related to following up on the implementation of the agreements to end the division, the first of which is the commitment to "the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions, especially resolutions 181 and 2334, and ensuring the right of return in accordance with resolution 194."

As for the second, according to the statement, it stipulates "the right of the Palestinian people to resist and end the occupation in accordance with international laws and the United Nations Charter and the right of peoples to self-determination and their struggle to achieve this in all available forms."

The third is based on "forming a temporary national accord government with the agreement of the Palestinian factions and by a decision of the president based on the Palestinian Basic Law in force, and for the formed government to exercise its powers and authorities over all Palestinian territories in a manner that confirms the unity of the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip."

The statement said that the expected government "will begin by unifying all institutions in the territories of the Palestinian state and begin rebuilding the sector, and preparing for holding general elections under the supervision of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission as soon as possible in accordance with the approved elections law."

In the fourth item, the factions said in the statement: "In order to deepen the political partnership in bearing national responsibility and in order to develop the institutions of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the agreement was confirmed to activate and regulate the temporary unified leadership framework for partnership in political decision-making, in accordance with what was agreed upon in the Palestinian National Accord Document signed on May 4, 2011, until the practical steps to form the new National Council are implemented in accordance with the approved elections law."

In this context, the factions agreed in Beijing to "resist and thwart attempts to displace Palestinians from their land, and to emphasize the illegitimacy of settlements and settlement expansion in accordance with the resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations and the opinion of the International Court of Justice."

The factions also agreed to "work to lift the brutal siege on Gaza and the West Bank, and the importance of delivering humanitarian and medical aid without restrictions or conditions," in addition to "supporting the families of martyrs and the wounded and all those who lost their homes and property."

The statement indicated that the factions agreed on "a collective mechanism to implement the provisions of the declaration in all its aspects," without announcing this mechanism.

The factions also considered "the meeting of the secretaries-general a starting point for the work of the joint national teams and decided to set a timetable for implementing this declaration; without mentioning it," according to the statement.

For his part, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed on Tuesday that 14 Palestinian factions have reached an agreement to form an "interim national reconciliation government" to manage the Gaza Strip after the war.

Wang explained, during the signing of the "Beijing Declaration" in the Chinese capital, that the most important point in the agreement is the formation of this government. He also pointed out that "reconciliation is an internal matter for the Palestinian factions, but at the same time it cannot be achieved without the support of the international community."

The Chinese minister expressed China's keenness to play a constructive role in "maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East."

The secretaries-general of the factions held two meetings during the past few years, the first in the Lebanese capital Beirut on September 3, 2020, and the second in the Egyptian city of El Alamein on July 30, 2023.

The Chinese government spokesperson, according to Chinese media, supported and guided the work to the meeting. Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated in his speech, the most important consensus of this dialogue is achieving grand reconciliation and unity among all 14 factions. The core outcome is the clear recognition that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. 

The most notable highlight is the consensus reached on post-war governance in Gaza and the formation of a temporary national reconciliation government. The strongest call is for the genuine establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on relevant UN resolutions, the spokesperson said.

Wang also proposed a "three-step" initiative in response to the current Gaza conflict. 

The first step is to achieve a comprehensive, lasting, and sustainable cease-fire in Gaza as soon as possible, ensuring smooth access to humanitarian aid and relief. 

The second step is to jointly promote post-war governance in Gaza, adhering to the principle of "Palestinians governing Palestinians." 

The third step is to push for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations and begin implementing the "two-state solution." These three steps are interlinked and indispensable.

Media Review: Washington Post | The Israeli army is "exhausted to the core" and the invasion of Lebanon is a trap for an endless war

Media Review: Washington Post | The Israeli army is "exhausted to the core" and the invasion of Lebanon is a trap for an endless war

    Monday, July 15, 2024   No comments

 The American newspaper "Washington Post" reported on Monday that the Israeli "army", exhausted by the war in the Gaza Strip, is now looking with caution at the war on the northern front with Hezbollah.

The newspaper said that Israeli leaders say that they "do not want a war in Lebanon, but they are prepared for any scenario," but now that their resources have been depleted in the war against the Gaza Strip, the soldiers are "exhausted and unprepared for a new front in the north."

The newspaper pointed out that the Israeli war against Hamas "did not lead to its defeat, and Netanyahu is politically besieged and has not yet determined his exit strategy from the war."

The Washington Post also noted that Hezbollah is professional and that "Israel" will face from Lebanon "an enemy that is larger, better armed and more professional than Hamas in the Gaza Strip." The northern settlements remain deserted as pressure from displaced Israelis increases on the government to move to return them.

Israeli military leaders have been developing plans to attack Lebanon for months. Earlier, outgoing War Cabinet member Benny Gantz and others had asked Netanyahu to allow an Israeli incursion into Lebanon in March, but Netanyahu was hesitant.

Full destruction in the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood in the eastern Gaza Strip

Full destruction in the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood in the eastern Gaza Strip

    Monday, July 08, 2024   No comments

 

Aerial footage reveals the extent of the destruction in the Shuja'iyya neighbourhood in the eastern Gaza Strip after the latest Israeli ground attack.

Media review: Gaza War, Famine, Israeli troops documenting themselves committing war crimes, and the terrifying war between Hezbollah and Israel

Media review: Gaza War, Famine, Israeli troops documenting themselves committing war crimes, and the terrifying war between Hezbollah and Israel

    Friday, July 05, 2024   No comments

Despite the consequential events happening around the world, Gaza remains the central issue driving the news for the ninth month. Even in national elections in France, UK, and Iran (and the US Nov. elections), candidates were forced to answer questions related to the war in Gaza, and in the UK, many candidates campaigned and won on a platform that put ending the suffering in Gaza on top of the list. Here are some news stories from this week.

12 US officials who resigned denounce Biden's policy towards Gaza

12 US officials who resigned denounce Biden's policy towards Gaza

    Tuesday, July 02, 2024   No comments

Twelve US government officials who resigned over the Biden administration’s stance on the war in Gaza have issued a joint statement denouncing Biden’s Gaza policy, which they said has failed and poses a threat to US national security.

The statement added that the current crisis illustrates the damage that the current US policy in Gaza is causing to the Palestinians, Israel, and US national security.

The statement considered that the US diplomatic cover for Israel and the ongoing flow of weapons are undeniable complicity in the killing and starvation of the besieged Palestinian population in Gaza.

The statement also said that this stubborn policy threatens the United States and the lives of its soldiers and diplomats, as was evident in the killing of 3 US service members in Jordan last January.

The statement stressed that this policy severely undermines the credibility of the United States around the world.

The officials who signed the statement are:

Maryam Hassanein, who was a special assistant at the Department of Interior, quit her job on Tuesday. She slammed Biden's foreign policy, describing it as "genocide-enabling" and dehumanizing toward Arabs and Muslims. Israel denies genocide allegations.

Mohammed Abu Hashem, a Palestinian American, said last month he ended a 22-year career in the U.S. Air Force. He said he lost relatives in Gaza in the ongoing war, including an aunt killed in an Israeli air strike in October.

Riley Livermore, who was a U.S. Air Force engineer, said in mid-June that he was leaving his role. "I don't want to be working on something that can turn around and be used to slaughter innocent people," he told the Intercept news website.

Stacy Gilbert, who served in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, left in late May. She said she resigned over an administration report to Congress that she said falsely stated Israel was not blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Alexander Smith, a contractor for USAID, quit in late May, opens new tab, alleging censorship after the U.S. foreign aid agency canceled publication of his presentation on maternal and child mortality among Palestinians. The agency said it had not gone through proper review and approval.

Lily Greenberg Call, a Jewish political appointee, resigned in May, having served as a special assistant to the chief of staff in the Interior Department. "As a Jew, I cannot endorse the Gaza catastrophe," she wrote in the Guardian, opens new tab.

Anna Del Castillo, a deputy director at the White House's Office of Management and Budget, departed in April and became the first known White House official to leave the administration over policy toward Gaza.

Hala Rharrit, an Arabic language spokesperson for the State Department, departed her post in April in opposition to the United States' Gaza policy, she wrote on her LinkedIn page.

Annelle Sheline resigned from the State Department's human rights bureau in late March, writing in a CNN article, opens new tab that she was unable to serve a government that "enables such atrocities."

Tariq Habash, a Palestinian American, quit as special assistant in the Education Department's office of planning in January. He said the Biden administration was turning a "blind eye" to atrocities in Gaza.

Harrison Mann, a U.S. Army major and Defense Intelligence Agency official, resigned in November over Gaza policy and went public with his reasons in May.

Josh Paul, director of the State Department's bureau of political military affairs, left in October in the first publicly known resignation, citing what he described as Washington's "blind support" for Israel.

Background: Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed settlements on the other side of the security fence built by Israel to blockade the Strip on 7 October. The attack resulted in the killing of about 1,200 people and detaining of 250 soldiers and civilians.

However, over time, it has been revealed by Haaretz that helicopters and tanks of the Israeli army had, in fact, killed many of the 1,139 soldiers and civilians claimed by Israel to have been killed by the Palestinian Resistance factions.

Meanwhile, the US officials finally acknowledged that Israel has been using Palestinians as human shield; yet, they refuse to call for independent investigation.

US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel tells reporters that they have seen disturbing reports about the Israeli military using civilians as human shields.

He said the US calls Israel again to quickly investigate and ensure accountability for any violations.

He added that the Israeli army had said that it is investigating the video and that it does not reflect its values because it is a violation of its orders and procedures.

Media Review: The key to calm with Lebanon is in Gaza, and Israeli plans to divide the Strip

Media Review: The key to calm with Lebanon is in Gaza, and Israeli plans to divide the Strip

    Tuesday, July 02, 2024   No comments

International newspapers and news websites have highlighted Israeli plans to divide the Gaza Strip into separate security zones, the repercussions of an open war between Israel and Lebanon if it breaks out, and the way to calm down on that front.

The American newspaper "Wall Street Journal" spoke about Israeli plans to divide the Gaza Strip into islands and separate security zones in which unsuspecting Palestinians live, allowing the Israeli army to move freely.

The newspaper indicated that retired Israeli officers, academics, and politicians participated in formulating these ideas, and pointed out that these plans reveal harsh facts, including that the Palestinians may remain besieged indefinitely in narrow areas of the Strip.

In turn, the French newspaper "Le Monde" discussed Britain's efforts to prevent the International Criminal Court from issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

The newspaper wondered about London's intentions in doing so and whether it was a maneuver to buy time, noting that Attorney General Karim Khan's request to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Galant was not welcomed in Western capitals, especially Washington.

While the National Interest website believes that all the scenarios proposed between the Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel indicate that war has become inevitable, the website quoted writer Alexandre Langlois warning that if war breaks out, it will drag the United States into it and destroy the entire Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Swiss newspaper Le Temps editorial said that the key to calm in Lebanon lies in Gaza, explaining that the war between Israel and Hezbollah seems imminent, but the solution to avoid it is also clear, which is to put an end to the war in Gaza.

The newspaper added that the Americans know this and are trying to bypass Netanyahu in favor of his political rival Yoav Galant, and the Europeans are also aware of this but are content with warning their citizens of the dangers, according to the newspaper.

A report by the Washington Post also addressed the conditions of the Palestinians in Gaza who were able to flee to Egypt, and said that they survived the war but are unable to build a future for themselves, adding that most of them live in a state of confusion without a clear legal status and without hope of reaching another destination.

Regarding the situation in the West Bank, an investigation published by the New York Times revealed the great panic and terror that Palestinians are subjected to at the hands of settlers, noting that this violence, unlike what is prevalent in many parts of the world, is supported by the state and carried out with American weapons.

Media review: NYT's Friedman, "Biden must push Israel to accept Hamas' demands"

Media review: NYT's Friedman, "Biden must push Israel to accept Hamas' demands"

    Tuesday, June 18, 2024   No comments

American journalist Thomas Friedman confirmed that the Israeli occupation entity is currently living in "existential danger", at a time when the axis of resistance has managed to "tighten its grip on Israel", while "the latter has no military or diplomatic response".

In an opinion piece he wrote in the American newspaper "The New York Times", Friedman warned of the danger of war with Hezbollah on "Israel", noting that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon is armed with precision missiles capable of destroying large areas of the Israeli infrastructure.

Friedman explained that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "leads Israel, while he must remain in power, in order to avoid the possibility of being sent to prison on corruption charges", at a time when the occupation faces the possibility of war breaking out on several fronts.

According to him, Netanyahu, in order to remain in power and avoid prison, "sold his soul in order to form a government with right-wing extremists, who insist that Israel must fight in Gaza until Hamas is eliminated, in order to achieve complete victory", as they claim.

Now, the Israeli "war cabinet" has collapsed, due to "Netanyahu's lack of a plan to end the war and safely withdraw from the Gaza Strip," while "extremists in his government coalition are looking forward to their next steps to reach power," according to Friedman.

While the American journalist pointed out that these extremist ministers "caused a lot of damage," he warned that "no friend (of Israel) should participate in this circus," as he described it.

In this context, Friedman stressed the need to form a new government in "Israel" and remove Netanyahu from the position of Prime Minister, through new elections.

The American journalist also expressed his support for what former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak confirmed in the American newspaper Haaretz last Thursday, which is that "Israel is facing the most serious crisis in its history."

In light of this, Friedman warned that "every American should be concerned about this matter," explaining that it represents "a recipe for dragging the United States into a war in the Middle East to help Israel."

In this context, Friedman believed that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken "should not make another trip to the Middle East without the agreement of both Israel and Hamas on a clear plan to end the war."

While acknowledging the need for US President Joe Biden to push the occupation to submit to Hamas's conditions to stop the war, Friedman stressed that "Biden must tell Israel that it must accept Hamas's main demand: to end the war completely now, and withdraw from the Gaza Strip, in exchange for the return of all Israeli prisoners."

Friedman believed that ending the war in the Gaza Strip would "lead to reaching an agreement mediated by the US with Hezbollah, in order to calm the war on the northern border."

He added that Netanyahu's idea that some Palestinians, who do not belong to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, will run the place for "Israel" is "a fantasy." In light of all this, the American journalist stressed that "Israel must leave Gaza," while the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, continues to run the Strip.

Friedman argued his point of view without even mentioning the human cost of this reckless war that civilians in Gaza have endured for more than 250 days and that may last for months more.

Blinken: Hamas must respond to Biden’s proposal with a single word: yes; Hamas: did Netanyahu respond with a single word: yes?

Blinken: Hamas must respond to Biden’s proposal with a single word: yes; Hamas: did Netanyahu respond with a single word: yes?

    Wednesday, June 12, 2024   No comments

In another visit to the Middle East, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken keeps making general statements about the ceasefire while refusing to provide any specific details; leaving the ceasefire deal in the gray area. In an interview with Aljazeera, a channel watched primarily by more than 50 million Arab speakers in the Middle East, he wanted to blame Hamas for the stalled talks about the ceasefire proposal put forth by Biden. It should be noted that while the Biden administration claims that the proposal came from Israel, Israeli PM Netanyahu and his right-wing ministers have rejected it, which brings the question, how could Israeli leaders reject their own proposal?

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained - in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera - that US President Joe Biden presented the outlines of his proposal 12 days ago, and it received support from the United Nations, the Arab League, and all countries in the region, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) delayed submitting its response, "which came last night through mediators, and was not as approved as the rest of the parties."

The US Secretary of State stressed that the support of Washington, Qatar and Egypt for the proposal represents the best guarantees to reassure both parties, in addition to the support of the entire international community for this agreement in a rare precedent that reflects the world's determination to end the war. He described the fall of civilian casualties during the operation to recover the four Israeli prisoners from Gaza as "horrific", considering the ceasefire the best way to end the war and return all prisoners, stressing that Washington helped Tel Aviv to determine the places of their detention.

Blinken said Israel has already accepted the deal, and that while "Hamas could have answered with a single word: yes," it has not.

Hamas sharply criticizes Blinken and confirms its positive position

The Islamic Resistance Movement (HamasHamas) said that it showed the positivity required to reach a comprehensive and satisfactory agreement based on the just demands of the Palestinian people, directing sharp criticism at the US administration and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Hamas confirmed in a statement that while the US Secretary of State continues to talk about Israel's approval of President Joe Biden's proposal, no Israeli official has been heard talking about this approval.

It pointed out that the world has not heard any welcome or approval from Israel for the Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.

Hamas pointed out that Blinken's positions, which "attempt to exonerate the occupation, are a continuation of the US policy complicit in the brutal war of extermination" and called on the US Secretary and the Biden administration to pressure the occupation government "which is determined to complete the mission of killing and extermination."

It also said that it dealt positively and responsibly with the latest proposal and all proposals for a ceasefire and the release of detainees.

Hamas pointed out that it agreed to the proposal it received from the mediators on May 5, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by attacking Rafah.

Media review: Haaretz reporting on Israeli forces killing Israeli hostages and "Secret Israeli campaign targeted US lawmakers"

Media review: Haaretz reporting on Israeli forces killing Israeli hostages and "Secret Israeli campaign targeted US lawmakers"

    Thursday, June 06, 2024   No comments

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz published a lengthy report on a secret Israeli influence campaign targeting US lawmakers in an attempt to influence global public opinion on the war in Gaza. The report said that fake accounts and websites published pro-Israel content and incited hatred of Islam. The operation was organized by the "Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs" and run by a political campaign company.

The Israeli government is behind the wide-ranging campaign, which primarily targets young black and progressive lawmakers in the United States and Canada, she explained. The operation, which Haaretz first learned of in March, began after the start of the war on Gaza and was intended to influence certain sectors of public opinion regarding Israel’s behavior.

The influence campaign used disinformation about anti-Semitism on American campuses, and was launched by a private Israeli online political campaign firm called Stoic, which was contracted for the project.

According to sources and information obtained by Haaretz, the operation was carried out by a different party than the Diaspora Ministry, fearing that its exposure would embroil Israel in a crisis.

The campaign began by creating three fake “news sites” that copied reports from official media sources. These sites used X, Facebook and Instagram, which amassed tens of thousands of followers.

At the same time, the people running the operation used hundreds of avatars to aggressively promote alleged articles that served the Israeli narrative, including alleged reports of sexual assault by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and of ties between the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and Hamas.

The follow-up report now shows the full extent of the Israeli influence operation, which has evolved into a “widespread and well-coordinated effort to attack and discredit groups that are traditionally pro-Palestinian. These groups include citizens of Western countries, mainly the United States and Canada, of Muslim origin, using anti-Islam and anti-immigrant content.

It should be noted that many US government offcials have resigned in protest of the US support for the war that has been conducted in violation of International humanitarian law.

Even Israeli current leaders are reported to secretly wanting to end the war in Gaza, according to an Israeil newspaper. 

Earlier, the paper reported that it was Israeli forces who killed Israelis on Oct. 7.

  

Media Review: Haaretz asks, "Did the right-wing celebration of the Rafah massacre reveal the “ugly face” of Israel?"

Media Review: Haaretz asks, "Did the right-wing celebration of the Rafah massacre reveal the “ugly face” of Israel?"

    Tuesday, May 28, 2024   No comments

Some say that the Israeli right's celebration of the massacre of civilians in Rafah is the true ugly face of Israel, making those who believe or actually know that there is a "different Israel" face an impossible challenge in their quest to prove the opposite.

This is what is summarized by an article in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which confirmed at the beginning that the massacre that took place in the Palestinian city of Rafah last Sunday was inevitable, as regardless of how accurate the Israeli military strikes were, and in light of the presence of more than a million Palestinian refugees in the region’s camps, it was inevitable, Sooner or later, this will cause mass human casualties.

 She explained that this Israeli raid caused widespread destruction, killing at least 45 people, and the footage showed civilians floundering in tents surrounded by hell.

 As usual, the article's author, Alison Kaplan Sommer, says Israel's leaders, citizens, and supporters abroad were ready to defend Israel's "moral" army.

 The writer pointed out that they expressed their rejection and denunciation of any accusation that the aggression could have been avoided, or any suggestion that what happened was intentional, including the use of words such as “genocide” or “massacre.”

 Such accusations are “an inaccurate distortion of the truth at best and vile anti-Semitism at worst,” they claim.

 “But before they could do it this time, it became painfully clear from the beginning that their efforts would be in vain,” Sommer said.

 Far-right media voices in Israel soon began celebrating the fires, and thus the deaths of those engulfed in the flames, by jokingly comparing the images to the memorial bonfires lit on Lag Baomer - the Jewish holiday that fell on the same day as the massacre.

 She added that these extremists expressed their happiness that this fire was “the central bonfire in Rafah,” wishing those affected a “Happy Eid,” in tweets that were later deleted, but they will not be forgotten, and will be referred to as evidence that the fire was intentional, and was even celebrated, As she said.

 Sommer explained that the most prominent journalist who fanned the flames of hatred is Yinon Magal, who is constantly proven to be Itamar Ben Gvir by the Israeli media, and it seems that, like the extremist minister, he rejoices and is proud of the insolent manifestations that indicate disdain for the lives of the Palestinians and denial of their humanity.

 She concluded that Ben Gvir and Magal's behavior provides sufficient evidence of malicious intentions to obstruct any attempt by Israel to defend the behavior of its army, which makes erasing the image of "the ugly face of Israel" difficult for those who believe that it has another side.

Spanish Defense Minister: What is happening in Gaza is a real genocide... something that cannot be ignored

Spanish Defense Minister: What is happening in Gaza is a real genocide... something that cannot be ignored

    Saturday, May 25, 2024   No comments

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles confirmed today, Saturday, that the war on the Gaza Strip is a “true genocide,” in light of the deterioration of relations between “Israel” and Spain, after Madrid’s decision to recognize the Palestinian state.

“We cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza, which is a true genocide,” Robles said during an interview with the official TVE television, pointing out that Madrid’s recognition of a Palestinian state aims to help “end the violence in Gaza.”

Robles' statements came after similar statements from Yolanda Diaz, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister yesterday, who also confirmed that the war on Gaza is genocide.

Diaz pledged to continue pressing, from her position in the government, to defend human rights and put an end to the genocide committed against the Palestinian people.

Diaz's pledge came in a video clip circulated by activists on social media, in which she expressed her welcome of Spain's recognition of the State of Palestine, and stressed that her country's move towards recognizing the Palestinian state, on May 28, is "just the beginning, and we cannot stop at this point."

“We are living in a moment where doing the bare minimum is heroic, but it is not enough at the same time,” added Díaz, who also serves as Minister of Labor and Economy.

She said, "Palestine will be liberated from the river to the sea," referring to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, between which Palestine lies.

In a related context, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albarez, said in a post on the “X” platform that “the precautionary measures taken by the International Court of Justice, which included the decision to stop the Israeli attack in Rafah, are mandatory,” calling for their implementation. The ICC, too, has moved to issue arrest warrants against Israeli leaders accusing them of crimes against humanity and other war crimes.

Yesterday, the International Court of Justice ordered the Israeli occupation to stop the military attack on Rafah, stressing that any additional military action will lead to partial or total destruction in the region, in accordance with the Genocide Convention, without urging a comprehensive ceasefire in the Strip.

It is noteworthy that Spain, Norway, and Ireland announced, two days ago, officially recognizing the State of Palestine as of May 28, amid Arab welcome and Israeli anger.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday, "If more countries recognize the Palestinian state, this will increase international pressure for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

Before this development, European Union member countries had previously recognized the State of Palestine, including Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Sweden.

Another US governmental official and a Biden Appointee, who is also Jewish, resign protesting Biden's handling of the war in Gaza calling it a Genocide

Another US governmental official and a Biden Appointee, who is also Jewish, resign protesting Biden's handling of the war in Gaza calling it a Genocide

    Friday, May 17, 2024   No comments

In a move that some observers described as a resounding rejection of Biden's handling of the war in Gaza, a high-ranking Jewish employee in the administration of US President Joe Biden announced her resignation from her position on Wednesday, due to what she described as his disastrous and ongoing support for the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

In an article published by the Washington Post, Lily Greenberg Call, Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Interior Ministry, cited her Jewish upbringing and relationship with Israel and recounted how her family fled from Europe to America to escape anti-Semitic persecution there.

In her resignation letter (see below), Greenberg Call - who made the first public resignation by a Jew over Biden's support for Israel - wrote, "I can no longer in good conscience continue to represent this administration amid President Biden's disastrous and continuing support for the genocide in Gaza."

In an interview she conducted with writer Yasmine Abu Talib Yasmine Abu Talib, Greenberg Call said that resigning was a difficult decision because of the society in which she grew up, but the Jewish values ​​in which she was raised led her to make this decision.

“Judaism is the most important part of my identity, and all the values ​​I was raised with and all my Jewish education are what led me to this decision,” Greenberg Call said. She added, "What Israel is doing in Gaza and to the Palestinians throughout the land does not represent the Jews and is a shame to our ancestors."

Commenting on her position in the Biden administration, she said, “Everyone here is thinking about achieving the American dream and rising to the top, but I asked myself several times during the past eight months: What is the benefit of power if it is not used to stop crimes against humanity?”

Earlier this week, a US Army major working for the Defense Intelligence Agency resignedUS Army major working for the Defense Intelligence Agency resigned, writing in an open letter that he felt “incredibly ashamed and guilty” when he realized that his work contributed to the suffering and killing of Palestinians.

A political official also resigned from the Ministry of Education last January, and an employee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who worked on transporting weapons to foreign countries last October.

In february of this year, U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell U.S. airman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., after he described his action while walking to the location as an extreme act of protest against the war in Gaza—a desperate plea to “free Palestine,” as he screamed while flames engulfed his body.

As early as October of last year, some US officials, including State Department officials, have resigned rejecting Biden's blind support of a genocidal war in Gaza.

Whi is Lily Greenberg Call

 An American Jewish politician and human rights activist at the local and international levels. She served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the US Department of the Interior, and participated in the election campaigns of US President Joe Biden and his Vice President, Kamala Harris.

She worked for many years within Zionist groups supporting Israel, then took an anti-occupation stance, opposed violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, and called for peaceful coexistence between Palestinians and Jews.

Lily Greenberg Cole was born and raised in San Diego, California. Her origins go back to a Jewish family that immigrated to the United States of America to escape the persecution practiced against Jews in Europe.

Her family lived on Ellis Island, New York, and spent decades suffering under the weight of racial discrimination, which affected Lily's upbringing and her vision of issues of justice and discrimination.

Greenberg grew up in a Jewish community in which unconditional support for Israel prevails, to the point where it is considered part of the Jewish identity, so she was a prominent youth in pro-Israel activism in her high school years, and has been involved in the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) since her freshman year of high school. She was elected president of the Israel Defense Club at her school.

When she was 16 years old, she went on a trip to the occupied territories and stayed there for a full year, as part of a program for the “Jewish Youth” movement, which included making trips in the occupying state and joining educational courses. Among the activities were meetings with Palestinian teenagers, the goal of which was Developing the spirit of coexistence between the two parties.

When she joined the University of California, she joined pro-Israel groups, and became the leader of a student movement supporting Israel and known within the university.

In 2017, she led a trip to Israel, organized by the Hillel Berkeley Jewish Student Center. Students from a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds joined the trip, visited Palestinian cities such as Bethlehem and Ramallah, and met Palestinians and settlers.

Greenberg worked for many years as an activist to defend Israel, but experiences began to change her convictions. During a relief mission in Greece, she forged friendly relations with refugees of Palestinian origins, developed deep relationships with Palestinians through academic programs, and established close relationships with Palestinian Americans during periods of study and campaigns. Electoral relations, and those relations had a significant impact on changing the ideas on which they grew up.

In her article about severing its relationship with AIPAC, Lilly stated that she realized that the organization, through its unconditional support for the Israeli government, was supporting violence, which was contrary to its values, and so she joined to work with other groups.

Greenberg also worked with non-Zionist organizations, such as the "If Not Now" organization, which opposes the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

  

US elections: Gaza War is for Biden what Covid-19 was for Trump

US elections: Gaza War is for Biden what Covid-19 was for Trump

    Monday, May 13, 2024   No comments

If Trump lost the 2020 elections because of Covid-19, Biden may lose it because of his support for actions that are producing a genocide in Gaza.

In late May 2020, Trump was sliding down in the polls. His advisors told him it was covid-19 and his handling of it. Reportedly, Trump reacted with anger, how could something that he had nothing to do with, derail his chances of winning a second term.

Biden is in a similar situation, he is behind in key states, and he is behind because he is losing young American voters who are protesting what they see as a genocidal war in Gaza. Unlike the pandemic, which Trump claimed he had nothing to do with it, Biden chose to deal with the war they way he did, and he will face the consequences of that choice this November. Biden's handlers seem to recognize the need for him to change direction, however, Biden is personally unmoved by the plight of Gazan civilians being exterminated by bombs and famine, and soon as the weather heats up, disease.

According to the New York Times’s data, if November was last week, Biden would lose the election.

Media Review: New York Times answers the question, why do American students choose Aljazeera?

Media Review: New York Times answers the question, why do American students choose Aljazeera?

    Monday, May 13, 2024   No comments

The New York Times, which has been accused of biased reporting on the war in Gaza even by its own contributors, and and whose editors instruct its journalists about which words to use, is now providing some answers as to why young Americans, especially students, are using other media outlets, like  Aljazeera to learn about what is happening in Palestine. 

Although Aljazeera is a major alternative media outlet, its connection to the State of Qatar, make its influence limited, opening the door to new media sources, like Quds News Network (an English channel) and Palestine Online (an Arabic channel),  that rely on social media platforms, like Telegram, to broadcast globally.

The paper argues that in light of the student movement in American universities to stop the Israeli war on Gaza, the reluctance of new generations in the United States to follow major Western media outlets has emerged, and their skepticism about their faithfulness in conveying the truth of what is happening.

The New York Times followed this trend among student protesters who recently held sit-ins at dozens of American universities, to shed light on their objections to the Western media, and at the same time their interest in the Aljazeera network, which has become their main source of information regarding the war on Gaza.

“Aljazeera is my go-to place for reliable storytelling,” says Nick Wilson, a student at Cornell University.

The newspaper explains that the protesting students expressed their dissatisfaction with the traditional American media’s coverage of the war, including the New York Times itself, CNN, the Atlantic, and others.

NYT explains that despite the widespread coverage of the war by these networks, students believe that they do not hold Israel responsible - to a sufficient extent - for the killing of Palestinians and do not verify the validity of what Israeli officials say, and that their coverage of student protests focused too much on anti-Semitism in universities instead From Islamophobia.

Related to Aljazeera being in the news, confirming the connection between governments and media outlets, the Israeli government banned a number of media outlets including Aljazeera.

The NYT noted that Israel's recent closure of Aljazeera's offices has strengthened the network's standing in the hearts of the protesting American students.

Benjamin Netanyahu's government closed Aljazeera's offices on May 5, a decision that was widely condemned by international press unions and human rights organizations as an attack on press freedom and an attempt to silence Aljazeera because of its coverage of the war.

Reactions continued denouncing the Israeli government's decision to close Aljazeera's offices in Israel, amid confirmation that the decision aims to silence Al Jazeera because of its coverage of the war on Gaza.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed its regret at the Israeli Cabinet’s decision to close the Aljazeera office.

While the Commission stressed that freedom of expression is a basic human right, it urged Israel to rescind its decision, stressing that free and independent media are necessary to ensure transparency and accountability.

For his part, the UN rapporteur on the right to housing said that Israel's decision to close Aljazeera once again denies its claims that it is a democratic state, describing the decision as "the reaction of a terrified regime that fears freedom."

Reporters Without Borders also strongly condemned the Israeli government's unanimous vote to stop the work of Aljazeera in Israel.

The organization said in her account on the “X” platform that what she described as the blatantly repressive legislation to stop the work of Aljazeera aims to silence it because of its coverage of the war on Gaza.

It pointed out that the move indicates unacceptable censorship against the last media outlets that can report events in Gaza.

The international organization also called for the repeal of the law passed by the Israeli Parliament banning foreign media broadcasts in Israel, primarily targeting Aljazeera.

   

Media Review: Biden declaration that “Full” Rafah invasion means no US arms to Israel from this point forward, essentially confirming US complicity in attacks on other urban areas in Gaza

Media Review: Biden declaration that “Full” Rafah invasion means no US arms to Israel from this point forward, essentially confirming US complicity in attacks on other urban areas in Gaza

    Thursday, May 09, 2024   No comments

US President Joe Biden claimed on 8 May that his government will not support or provide weapons for an expanded Israeli assault on Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah. He appears to confirm reports that Washington had recently paused the delivery of 2,000 to 500-lb bombs to Israel last week over concerns about a wide-scale Israeli operation in Rafah.  

The announcement comes just a day after the Israeli military seized the city’s border crossing with Egypt.  “I’ve made it clear to Bibi (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support if they go [into] these population centers,” Biden told CNN. 

When asked if US weapons have been used to kill civilians, Biden said: “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which [Israel] goes after population centers… I made it clear that if they go into Rafah… I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem.” 

Biden said that Israel has “not yet” crossed the “red line” regarding conduct in Gaza but that it was close to doing so. The Biden administration has already approved over 100 US arms sales to Israel since the start of the war and has been continuously supplying ammunition to the Israeli state.

Reacting to Biden’s statements, some Palestinians rejected his “fictitious red-line”.  The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine said that Biden is “a war criminal and his criminal administration must be tried before international courts, just like the Zionist war criminals.” The Palestinian group said that “Biden’s recent statements confirm that his administration is directly involved in the war on Gaza and in managing field operations with the entity, and that it can stop the war with the blink of an eye… The recent American criticism of the Zionist regime, and its decision to suspend sending a bomb shipment, are mere formalities that will not stop the aggression or the ongoing war of extermination against our people… Such statements are also merely anesthetizing messages to American public opinion that is angry at the American administration’s policy and its unlimited support for the entity.”

Media Review; François Burga: Zionism is a racist ideology, two models for apossible solution--Algerian or South African model

Media Review; François Burga: Zionism is a racist ideology, two models for apossible solution--Algerian or South African model

    Tuesday, May 07, 2024   No comments

This weeks media review focus on a conversation with the French intellectual and Middle East Studies expert, François Borga. In this summary of the interview with Aljazeera, we highlight some of his insight about the ongoing war on Gaza and the future of the conflict in general.

French academic and researcher François Borga said that October 7 helped a large number of southern countries, including South Africa, Ireland and Spain to some extent, demonstrate an awareness that all measures indicate is irreversible.

The professor of political science and researcher at the French National Authority for Scientific Research in the city of Aix-en-Provence, southeastern France, added, “The Zionist ideology, as adopted by the current ruling elite, and also by the majority of Netanyahu’s opponents, is a racist sectarian ideology very similar to the ideology of Netanyahu.” ISIS, which does not allow any form of coexistence.”

He considered - in his interview with Al Jazeera Net - that Israel has never sought peace, but only for land, by all means, even illegal ones, and Israeli leaders have received blind support in this matter from their Western partners.

He explained that last October 7 “launched a process that means that Israel may not be able to continue with impunity to follow such shortcuts with regard to international law, or basic humanitarian principles.”

How to understand the West’s financing of the Israeli war on Gaza in exchange for protests from Western people and youth against this war?

On the international scene, the position of Western governments is certainly irrational in light of their well-understood economic and political interests in the medium and long term, but unfortunately it is still almost consistent with their “following” the direction of their voters.

"It is necessary to understand that the weakness of popular support for the Palestinian cause results from changing positions within the two main political families in France: the right and the left... The right rejects various expressions of decolonization, and as for the left, its stated reluctance to support the Palestinian resistance is based on the fact that since 2006, when Hamas came to power, the resistance leadership has come to be considered “Islamist.”"

Can the two-state solution, which America opposed at the United Nations, lead to empowering the Palestinian people with their right to self-determination and resolving the Palestinian issue?

There are currently two ways out of the crisis that resulted from the establishment of Israel in 1948 and its current expansion, either to exit “according to the example of South Africa," [alsoo mentioned by the American thinker and Jewish historian, Norman Finkelstein] which implies that, whatever the institutional form, two states or one state, there will be a reconciliation between the political imagination, ambitions, and agendas of the Israeli and Palestinian parties. 

However, everything indicates that the Israeli side, more clearly, is doing its utmost to prevent the emergence of such a perspective, because Zionism, as an ideology and as adopted by the current ruling elite, and also by the majority of Netanyahu’s opponents, is a racist sectarian ideology, very similar to the ideology of ISIS, which does not It allows any form of coexistence.

Then there remains the other exit door, and it may be of the “Rhodesian” or “Algerian” type, meaning that it will force the departure of one of the two communities or strict control over it. This is the option that Israel has exercised with impunity since its establishment, as it has never sought peace, but only To the ground by all means, even illegal ones, and the Israeli leaders were blindly supported in this matter by their Western partners.

However, last October 7 launched a process that means that Israel may not be able to continue with impunity to take such shortcuts with regard to international law or basic humanitarian principles.

  

The foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt discuss developments in the region and efforts to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip

The foreign ministers of Iran and Egypt discuss developments in the region and efforts to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip

    Saturday, May 04, 2024   No comments

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian affirmed their countries' complete rejection of the Israeli occupation's ground military operations in Rafah.

During their meeting in Gambia, on the sidelines of the Islamic Summit Conference, the two sides discussed the latest developments in the region, especially the situation in Palestine and the Gaza Strip, and the current efforts to stop the crimes of the occupying entity against the Palestinian people, in addition to discussing the latest developments in their efforts to improve bilateral relations.

 In this context, Amir Abdullahian thanked Egypt for its efforts to stop the genocide in the Gaza Strip, reiterated his country’s readiness to send humanitarian aid, and called on Cairo to facilitate matters in this area.

 The Iranian minister also appreciated Egypt's condemnation of the Israeli aggression against the Iranian consulate in Syria. The exchange of delegations between religious institutions in Iran and Egypt was considered beneficial for bilateral relations, based on the agreement of the presidents of the two countries.

 In turn, Shoukry hoped that the ongoing political efforts within the framework of the negotiations would lead to stopping the war and realizing the rights of the Palestinian people, reiterating his condemnation of Israel’s targeting of the Iranian consulate in Syria.

 Shoukry also welcomed the implementation of an agreement between the presidents of Iran and Egypt to exchange delegations between religious institutions, stressing Al-Azhar’s determination to engage in dialogue between sects and strengthen popular and tourism relations.

 He pointed out that his country "attaches great importance to dialogue and continuing contacts with Iran, considering the two countries are great civilizations."

 In conclusion, the two ministers expressed their hope that holding the Islamic Cooperation Summit in Gambia will strengthen the solidarity and unity of the Islamic world in supporting the Palestinian people and resolving the region’s issues and problems.

The meeting was conformed by Egyptian Foriegn Ministry spokesperson who released a statement saying,

Sameh Shoukry meets with his Iranian counterpart, Amir Abdollahian, on the sidelines of the activities of the 15th session of the Islamic Summit Conference...The two sides touched upon the most important topics on the summit’s agenda, most notably the ongoing war in Gaza and ways to end the war and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

Media Review: “What is worse: Israel’s lies about Gaza or amplifying these lies by supporters?”

Media Review: “What is worse: Israel’s lies about Gaza or amplifying these lies by supporters?”

    Friday, May 03, 2024   No comments

To close this week, our media review highlights an article in UK media that focused on a theme our readers should be quite familiar--the fake stories that were amplified by political leaders and Western media about the war on Gaza are many. The problem has been the lack of retractions by the media, a mere tweet often appears to be enough, in the view of their editors and publishers, to absolve them of any responsibility for the injuries and harm (including deaths in a couple of cases), they have caused.

We begin today's media tour with an article published by Mehdi Hassan in the British newspaper The Guardian, entitled "What is worse, Israel's lies about Gaza or its Western backers who are repeating them?"

Hassan begins his article by quoting an Italian proverb that says, “If a man deceives me once, it is not my fault, but it is my fault if he deceives me twice.”

Mehdi Hassan says, “Since the horrific attack that occurred on October 7, the far-right Israeli government and its army have deceived Western politicians and journalists, not once, not twice, but several times.”

He adds that there are many lies and distortions that must be traced, including “the story of the forty children who were beheaded by Hamas,” which “did not happen.”

Hassan recalls that, in his opinion, there was no hideout under Al-Shifa Hospital, and the list hanging on the wall of Al-Rantisi Hospital did not display the names of those detained by Hamas, but rather just the days of the week in Arabic.

Hassan asks about those atrocities that the Israeli forces denied committing - out loud - and then revealed that they were responsible, according to the writer, who considered that there are “examples of this, such as the flour massacre in February, the bombing of the refugee convoy last October, and the attack White phosphorus in southern Lebanon in October as well.

But Hassan believes, according to him, that “there is no Israeli lie more harmful, destructive and deadly than the one that claimed that UNRWA and its employees had colluded with Hamas and participated in the attack on October 7.”

He comments on the question, “Why was this the most harmful lie?” Then he answers: “You have helped deepen a devastating and ongoing man-made famine inside the Gaza Strip.”

As a result, Mahdi says, 16 donor countries, including the United States, the main funder of UNRWA, suspended about $450 million in aid provided to the agency.

He added that "Israel starved the people of Gaza," criticizing "the fools who helped it justify this."

Hassan explains that the parties funding the Israeli file against UNRWA were warned that it contained only “false and unproven allegations,” but - according to Hassan - they trusted Israel.

The author continues by saying that many countries have resumed their funding to UNRWA, including the German government, which is the agency’s second largest source of funding, after an independent review of UNRWA’s work concluded that the agency’s work “remains pivotal in providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and basic social services.”

Hassan confirms that the independent review stated that Israel has not yet provided evidence to support these allegations, so it was, once again, “a lie from Israel.”

The writer says that, worst of all, is the statement made by Anthony Blinken, the Democratic Secretary of State, on January 29, when he admitted that “the United States did not have the ability to investigate the allegations itself.” Despite this, Washington went ahead Describing the unverified Israeli allegations as “highly credible.”

He added, "Blinken has not yet apologized for his false claim or even retracted it."

Media Review: A college professor who protested the Vietnam War in 1968 compares her experiences with the anti-genocide protests currently happening at Columbia University

Media Review: A college professor who protested the Vietnam War in 1968 compares her experiences with the anti-genocide protests currently happening at Columbia University

    Sunday, April 28, 2024   No comments

MICHEL MARTIN, NPR HOST:

Demonstrations are still going on at more than a dozen universities across the country where students are calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war, and they say they want their schools to divest in companies that do business with Israel. The epicenter of these demonstrations is Columbia University, where images of police arresting students brought back powerful memories of another protest there.

MARTIN: In 1968, Eleanor Raskin was a student at Columbia and took part in demonstrations against the Vietnam War there. Raskin, now Eleanor Stein, now teaches law and human rights at the State University of New York, and she's with us now to talk about whether she sees parallels between then and now. Good morning. Thanks so much for joining us.

ELEANOR STEIN: It's a pleasure.

MARTIN: If you would just remind us, for people who weren't there or don't remember, about the demonstrations in 1968 - what started it, and what happened?

STEIN: It's hard to conjure up what that moment was for our country. It was a moment of real crisis. But the issues at Colombia, there were two, really, that were critical, basically a war research body. The Institute for Defense Analysis had a contract with Colombia, which could have meant participation in military research for the war. The second issue was that Colombia was in the process of building a new gym. And they were building it in Morningside Park, one of the few green spaces in Harlem. And we felt that it couldn't be business as usual, that the university itself was engaging in an indefensible takeover of Harlem land and an indefensible participation and complicity with the Vietnam War effort. And students felt so strongly about this. We felt that whatever the risks, whatever the outcomes, we should demand that the university take action.

MARTIN: So what did you do?

STEIN: Well, first, I went to the rally. And then, at the rally, people decided to go into a classroom building, Hamilton Hall, and kind of have a sit-in. And then we decided to stay and to kind of barricade the doors. I ended up going into another classroom building, Fayerweather Hall, where I lived for five days, and I was arrested there. So actually, we were much more disruptive in terms of the functioning of the university. We were blocking access to classroom buildings. Whereas today, there's - none of that has been going on.

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