To be fair, they changed their approach, now it's 1 Hamas operative and 200 human shields. Still worth taking a shot./s
You'd think a victim of a hate campaign would have more empathy, but nope, she tries to join hasbara.
An unimportant former game developer.
Sorry about that. I was just browsing Marc Lamont Hill's page and her interview infuriated the hell out of me.
www.france24.com
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin, (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), as well as Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) announced that they are working on an amendment to require that the weapons received by any country under the proposed national security supplemental are used in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict...
"When it comes to U.S. military aid to Israel, American support cannot be a blank check to a right-wing Netanyahu government that has demonstrated a gross disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians. U.S. military aid always includes conditions, and there is no exception, even for our allies," said Senator Warren.
"Our country stands for freedom and democracy, and both are grounded in our firm belief that innocent civilians should never be the target of war. It's imperative that this commitment extends to ensuring our weapons are used only in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflict. I stand by Israel and I also join my colleagues in insisting on the clarity that Israel's enemy in Gaza is Hamas - not the children, not Palestinian civilians," said Senator Heinrich.
Supporting Senators:
- Tom Carper (D-Del.)
- Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)
- Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
- Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
- Tim Kaine (D-Va.)
- Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.)
- Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
- Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
- Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
- Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
- Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
- Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
- Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
Van Hollen, Durbin, Kaine, Schatz & Colleagues Announce Amendment Requiring that Use of U.S. Supplemental Aid Comply with U.S., International Law | U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Marylandwww.vanhollen.senate.gov
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin, (D-Ill.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) along with 15 of their colleagues are filing their amendment to require that the weapons received by any country under the proposed national security supplemental are used in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict.
The amendment is supported by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)...
"U.S. military aid always includes conditions, and there is no exception, even for our allies," said Senator Warren. "This amendment is necessary to ensure that we as a nation are putting our values first and complying with international law."
"As we continue to stand by Israel's right to defend itself, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting innocent civilians. That means ensuring our weapons are used only in accordance with U.S. law, international humanitarian law, and the law of armed conflict. I'm introducing this amendment to the National Security Supplemental to hold our allies accountable for using the weapons and resources we provide them, and give the American people needed transparency on how Israel is deploying U.S. aid in Gaza," said Senator Heinrich.
Senators:
- Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.)
- Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.)
- Tom Carper (D-Del.)
- Dick Durbin (D-Ill.)
- Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
- Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
- Tim Kaine (D-Va.)
- Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.)
- Ed Markey (D-Mass.)
- Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)
- Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)
- Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.)
- Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii)
- Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
- Tina Smith (D-Minn.)
- Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
- Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.)
- Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)
- Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
Van Hollen, Durbin, Kaine, Schatz & Colleagues File Amendment Requiring the Use of U.S. Supplemental Aid Comply with U.S., International Law | U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Marylandwww.vanhollen.senate.gov
On Thursday evening, the White House published a document entitled, "National Security Memorandum on Safeguards and Accountability With Respect to Transferred Defense Articles and Defense Services" (NSM-20). The White House policy directive was prompted by (and supplanted) a measure Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) had proposed in Congress. The latter would have come as an amendment to the supplemental military assistance for Israel. Given the broad executive branch discretion on the implementation of this directive and the unwillingness thus far of the State Department and White House to enforce existing legal and policy standards, there are reasons to be skeptical whether NSM-20 will substantively alter U.S. practice on arms transfers...
Nonetheless, in late December, the Biden administration engaged with Senator Van Hollen in an effort to incorporate elements of the legislation into executive branch policy. The result, NSM-20 imposes four primary requirements:
...President Biden has so far refused to condition U.S. military assistance to Israel notwithstanding information that raises serious concerns regarding law of war compliance by the Israeli military, including with respect to target selection, proportionality, and the treatment of detainees... Indeed, even prior to the propagation of NSM-20, U.S. law and policy already imposed requirements related to law of war compliance on U.S arms transfers. Yet, the Biden administration appears to have failed to enforce these provisions of existing law and policy, including by not undertaking necessary analysis of Israel's law of armed conflict track record in the Gaza conflict. Indeed, senior administration officials have disclaimed responsibility for making such judgments...
- The Secretary of State will obtain "credible and reliable" written assurances from recipients of U.S. defense articles funded with congressional appropriations that such arms will be used in accordance with international law, particularly the law of war.
- The Secretary of State will obtain "credible and reliable" written assurances from recipients of U.S. defense articles that they "will facilitate and not arbitrarily deny, restrict, or otherwise impede" the delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance, in furtherance of supporting section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act.
- If the Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense assess that the assurances have been called into question and should be revisited, they will report such assessment to the President along with recommended measures for remediation, including suspending further arms transfers.
- The Secretaries of State and Defense will issue annual reports to Congress on inter alia assurances, reports or allegations of potential law of war violations with covered U.S. defense articles and services, the civilian casualty mitigation practices of covered recipients, and the recipients' cooperation with humanitarian assistance efforts.
Given the failure of the State Department to undertake such assessments under pre-existing law and policy, it is hard to see how the adoption of a further, substantively duplicative policy will alter U.S. practice regarding arms transfers. NSM-20 may have solved the perceived political problem of a potentially divisive and embarrassing amendment raising the salience of Israel's law of war track record in Congress. The new directive, however, seems likely to do little to either promote law of war compliance, or more importantly prompt the White House to use U.S. leverage to bring about a prompt end to the ruinous and destabilizing war in Gaza.
Not Reassuring: NSM-20 and the Limits of Law-of-War Assurances in the Transfer of U.S. Arms
Analysis of how Biden's National Security Memorandum (NSM-20) may operate in regulating the transfer of U.S. arms amid concerns of international humanitarian law violations.www.justsecurity.org
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) led a dozen of his Senate colleagues in a letter to the Administration requesting a briefing on the implementation of National Security Memorandum 20, the recently released policy memorandum based on the Senators' amendment to the National Security Act. NSM-20 for the first time requires recipients of U.S. assistance to provide written assurances that they will use assistance in compliance with international law and facilitate and not restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid, and it establishes new reporting requirements to Congress on these provisions. In their letter, the Senators lay out several specific questions around the requirements included in NSM-20, including how the Administration intends to collect information and make assessments under the NSM...
The Senator [Van Hollen] was joined in sending the letter by Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.).
From the letter:
"Which offices and other entities in your respective agencies are involved in the implementation of NSM-20, especially the job of actively seeking out and collecting 'credible reports or allegations' needed to make the assessments, analyses, and determinations required in the congressional report?"
"What form will the assurances required by Section 1 of NSM-20 take and what processes have been created to ensure that the written assurances we receive from recipient countries are adhered to? How frequently will assessments be made on a country's adherence to these assurances?"
"What processes already exist and what new mechanisms are being created to ensure that NGOs, international agencies, and humanitarian organizations can share relevant credible information about potential violations of international law, including international humanitarian law, information that recipient countries are not adhering to best practices for preventing civilian harm and/or information that recipient countries have restricted the delivery of U.S.-supported humanitarian assistance?"
Van Hollen Leads a Dozen Colleagues in Request for Briefing on Implementation of National Security Memorandum 20 | U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Marylandwww.vanhollen.senate.gov
Before delivering food aid in Gaza on April 1, staff members at the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) did what many aid organizations do in conflict settings: they notified Israeli forces of their activities. Following notification, they also agreed with the Israeli military on a pre-planned travel route for their food aid convoy. However, despite notifying Israel and following the travel route, after leaving a food storage facility, three trucks in the WCK convoy were deliberately struck by Israel, killing seven aid workers.
Despite coordinating movements with the IDF, the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route.
"This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the most dire of situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable," said World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore.
The seven killed are from Australia, Poland, United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and Palestine.
"I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives today because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished," said Erin.
Humanitarian Notification in Gaza is Broken: How to Document and Respond When Things Go Wrong
Humanitarian notification has failed in Gaza. Better documentation and response systems can protect humanitarian actors and improve accountability.
World Central Kitchen | 7 WCK team members killed in Gaza
World Central Kitchen is devastated to confirm seven members of our team have been killed in an IDF strike in Gaza.wck.org
J Street welcomes an important new letter to President Biden, led by US military veterans Rep. Jason Crow and Rep. Chris Deluzio, and joined by 86 fellow Members of the House of Representatives, calling on President Biden to enforce existing US law and the administration's own policies that require countries receiving US security assistance to not block or restrict US-backed humanitarian aid.
This letter highlights that Israeli restrictions on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza have contributed to catastrophic levels of hunger, and even credible reports of famine, in direct contravention of US law. Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act and the Biden Administration's own National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20) require that countries that obtain US arms – excluding missile defense systems such as Iron Dome, which are provided under different legal authorities – cannot restrict US-backed humanitarian aid.
From the letter:
"In light of the recent passage of H.R. 8034 to provide security assistance to Israel and humanitarian aid for global crises, and in anticipation of the May 8th congressional reporting deadline required by National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20), we write to express our alarm at the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. We urge you to enforce NSM-20, including the underlying law, Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act."
"Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act prohibits the United States from providing security assistance or arms sales to any country when the President is made aware that the government 'prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance.' As required by your Administration's National Security Memorandum 20, the Israeli government has provided written assurances specifically certifying that it will comply with Section 620I."
"We believe that despite recent advancements, there is sufficient evidence that Israel's restrictions on the delivery of US-backed humanitarian aid violate Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act, and therefore call into question the assurances Israel provided pursuant to National Security Memorandum 20. It is incumbent upon the Secretary of State or Secretary of Defense to begin the assessment and remediation process outlined in the memorandum and consider the variety of tools available to the administration to address these continued violations, from refreshing the assurances to withholding specific arms transfers."
"We also urge you to make clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that so long as Israel restricts, directly or indirectly, the facilitation of humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza, the Israeli government is risking its eligibility for further offensive security assistance from the U.S. The security assistance included in the recently passed security supplemental should not be interpreted as a blank check or as implicit approval of the Netanyahu government's actions. Your administration retains the ability per U.S. law and NSM-20 to suspend certain transfers should it find the Netanyahu government is violating U.S. laws and policies."
House Members signing the letter:
- Alma S. Adams, Ph.D.
- Becca Balint
- Nanette Diaz Barragán
- Ami Bera, M.D.
- Donald S. Beyer Jr.
- Earl Blumenauer
- Suzanne Bonamici
- Julia Brownley
- Yadira Caraveo, M.D.
- Salud Carbajal
- André Carson
- Troy Carter
- Greg Casar
- Sean Casten
- Joaquin Castro
- Judy Chu
- Steve Cohen
- Gerald E. Connolly
- Joe Courtney
- Jason Crow
- Danny K. Davis
- Madeleine Dean
- Diana DeGette
- Rosa L. DeLauro
- Chris Deluzio
- Mark DeSaulnier
- Debbie Dingell
- Lloyd Doggett
- Veronica Escobar
- Anna G. Eshoo
- Dwight Evans
- Bill Foster
- Jesús G. "Chuy" García
- John Garamendi
- Robert Garcia
- Sylvia R. Garcia
- Jimmy Gomez
- Al Green
- Jahana Hayes
- Jim Himes
- Chrissy Houlahan
- Val Hoyle
- Jared Huffman
- Jonathan L. Jackson
- Sara Jacobs
- Pramila Jayapal
- Sydney Kamlager-Dove
- Marcy Kaptur
- Robin L. Kelly
- Ro Khanna
- Daniel T. Kildee
- Andy Kim
- Ann McLane Kuster
- John B. Larson
- Barbara Lee
- Zoe Lofgren
- Doris Matsui
- Jennifer L. McClellan
- Betty McCollum
- Morgan McGarvey
- James P. McGovern
- Gwen S. Moore
- Kevin Mullin
- Jerrold Nadler
- Joe Neguse
- Eleanor Holmes Norton
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- Brittany Pettersen
- Chellie Pingree
- Mark Pocan
- Katie Porter
- Ayanna Pressley
- Jamie Raskin
- Andrea Salinas
- Mary Gay Scanlon
- Jan Schakowsky
- Robert C. "Bobby" Scott
- Melanie Stansbury
- Mark Takano
- Mike Thompson
- Jill Tokuda
- Paul D. Tonko
- Lori Trahan
- Gabe Vasquez
- Nydia M. Velázquez
- Bonnie Watson Coleman
- Susan Wild
- Nikema Williams
J Street Praises Crucial Letter from 88 House Members Urging Biden to Enforce US Law and Address Israeli Restrictions on Humanitarian Aid to Gaza - J Street
This letter highlights that Israeli restrictions on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza have contributed to catastrophic levels of hunger, and even credible reports of famine, in direct contravention of US law.jstreet.org
Reps. Crow, Deluzio Lead 86 Members in Letter Urging Biden to Enforce U.S. Law & Policy Regarding US Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06), Army combat veteran and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability, and Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Navy and Iraq War veteran and member of the House Armed Services Committee, led a...crow.house.gov
On Friday, May 10, the Biden administration released its overdue first report required by National Security Memorandum 20 (NSM-20) assessing the conduct of Israel and other foreign governments that receive weapons from the United States. Journalists and lawmakers have especially anticipated the administration's findings on Israel, but the report also includes assessments of conduct by the governments of Colombia, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, and Ukraine...
The NSM-20 report finds "it is reasonable to assess" that Israeli security forces have used U.S. weapons to violate international humanitarian law or best practices for reducing harm to civilians. However, as noted by former State Department officials, the report conspicuously avoids making specific legal determinations and concludes that Israel's assurances regarding humanitarian aid and international law compliance are "credible and reliable," meaning that the United States can continue to supply its partner with weapons covered under NSM-20...
Key Takeaways from Biden Administration Report on Israeli Use of US Weapons
On May 10, the Biden administration released its report assessing the conduct of Israel and other governments that receive US weapons.
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.): "The Administration created a tool [NSM-20] to promote accountability but has come up very short in its implementation. When it comes to applying international law and human rights, you can't cherry-pick the facts and the law. Today's report also indicates a continuation of a disturbing pattern where the expertise and analyses of those working most closely on these issues at the State Department and at USAID have been swept aside to facilitate a predetermined policy outcome based on political convenience."
Van Hollen Statement on Administration’s NSM-20 Report | U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
The Official U.S. Senate website of Senator Chris Van Hollen of Marylandwww.vanhollen.senate.gov
"The Biden administration's analysis of Israel's war in Gaza has not proceeded as a good faith effort to uphold US law. Instead, excuses about the impossibility of monitoring the deployment of American assistance serve to deflect responsibility. The horrific reality we witness on the ground in Gaza is that Israeli military operations continue to maim and kill civilians and block the provision of lifesaving humanitarian aid. This can't be chalked up to unintended consequences of war; the massive death, destruction, collective punishment, and forced displacement are the result of military and political choices that blatantly disregard civilian lives..."
Doctors Without Borders responds to Biden report on Israel's war in Gaza
The Biden administration’s analysis of Israel’s war in Gaza has not proceeded as a good faith effort to uphold US lawwww.doctorswithoutborders.org
"I cannot do my job in an environment in which specific people cannot be acknowledged as fully human, or where gender and human rights principles apply to some, but not to others, depending on their race," wrote Alexander Smith, a contractor for the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Smith, a senior adviser on gender, maternal health, child health and nutrition, chose to resign on Monday after four years at USAid. In his resignation letter to the head of the agency, Samantha Power, he complained about the inconsistencies in USAid's approach to different countries and humanitarian crises, and the general treatment of Palestinians.
In another resignation on Tuesday, a state department official from the bureau of population, refugees and migration, Stacy Gilbert, sent an email to colleagues explaining that she was leaving because of [the Biden Administration's NSM-20 Report from May 10].
Smith and Gilbert bring the total number of Biden administration officials to have publicly resigned over US policy on Gaza to nine, though Josh Paul, the first official to resign, said that at least two dozen more had left quietly, without a public declaration.
"I'm aware that there are other resignations pending in the near future from officials with similar concerns in their own areas of work," said Paul, now a senior adviser at Dawn, a group advocating democracy and human rights in the Middle East and north Africa.
---
Two more US officials resign over Biden administration’s position on Gaza war
The officials accuse the administration of not telling the truth about Israel’s obstruction of aid to Palestinians in Gazawww.theguardian.com
Stacy Gilbert: "What typically happens is, the subject matter experts draft the report and it goes through a clearance process. That's very common. In this case, subject matter experts were removed from the report and it was drafted at a higher level."
Stacy Gilbert: "It was a high-stakes judgment because under a clause in the Foreign Assistance Act [Leahy Law], the US would be obliged to cut arms sales and security assistance to any country found to have blocked delivery of US aid."
Stacy Gilbert: "There is consensus among the humanitarian community on that. It is absolutely the opinion of the humanitarian subject matter experts in the state department, and not just in my bureau – people who look at this from the intelligence community and from other bureaus. I would be very hard-pressed to think of anyone who has said [Israeli obstruction] is not an issue."
US state department falsified report absolving Israel on Gaza aid – ex-official
Stacy Gilbert, who quit post as senior adviser on Tuesday, says report went against consensus of experts
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“Shocked”: State Dept. Official Quits After Report Denies Israel Blocking Gaza Aid
After working at the U.S. State Department for over 20 years, Stacy Gilbert quit the Biden administration this week after a report she contributed to concluded Israel was not obstructing humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Gilbert served as a senior civil military adviser in the State Department’s...www.democracynow.org
Israel strikes Gaza after Lebanon flare-up
Israel strikes Gaza after Lebanon flare-up
Israel's military struck the Gaza Strip on Monday a day after truce talks in Cairo coincided with a major but brief cross-border escalation involving Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
www.theguardian.com
Israel has launched its biggest operation in West Bank since second Intifada
Dozens killed as Israeli tanks, warplanes strike southern, central Gaza
Gaza’s Civil Defence says Palestinians remain buried under rubble of destroyed buildings after a day of Israeli strikes.www.aljazeera.com
So this pier likely made the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza even worse, and it seems that the IDF had a lot control over it.
To the surprise of no one. Still, brain rot is real and there's tons of people who actually believe that Saint Joe tried to feed Arabs from his hands (some of the WaPo comments did just that).
That and a launchpad for intelligence gathering and special ops, however the admin may deny it.
www.france24.com
I appreciate you compiling all this (and your post earlier). My rep is Andre Carson, whose always been pretty good here.
