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Fern Musing:
If Hamas has 50-70 confirmed tunnels connecting Gaza to Egypt - which they used to smuggle in long -range missiles — why is humanitarian aid not being brought in through these tunnels?
More on this, and the ‘humanitarian aid crisis’ in Gaza, tomorrow.
Get all the musings and daily war updates at FernMusing.Substack.com
War Day #226 Sunday News Round-Up
Quotes of the Week:
“A nation’s cry has been heard nonstop since October 7.” — President Isaac Herzog, on Yom Hazikaron at the Kotel
“There is no genocide in Gaza.” — US National Security advisor Jake Sullivan
“As the commander of the Israel Defense Forces during the war, I bear responsibility for the fact that the IDF failed in its mission to protect the citizens of the State of Israel on the seventh of October…I am the commander who sent your sons and daughters to the battle from which they did not return and to the positions from which they were kidnapped. I carry with me every day the memory of the fallen, and I am responsible for answering the piercing questions that keep you awake.” — Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi
Top News:
Breaking: Iranian President?
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801726
Four more dead hostages found in Rafah.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c97z867r2ypo.amp
The United Nations nuclear weapons watchdog warned that Iran has enough uranium to make "several" nuclear bombs, after which an Iranian lawmaker declared that Iran already has nuclear weapons.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/iranian-lawmaker-declares-tehran-obtained-nuclear-bombs
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/iran-eastern-states/artc-iranian-lawmaker-claims-iran-possesses-nuclear-weapons
* Hamas headquarters found (again) in UNRWA school in Nuseirat. IDF strike carried out using precise munitions to minimize harm to uninvolved civilians. Hamas also using UN vehicles.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801171
* More on Hamas spying on its Gazan citizens.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/13/world/europe/secret-hamas-files-palestinians.html
And on lack of aid crisis.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801666
* The IDF issued evacuation warnings for civilians in Gaza, telling them which neighborhoods would be unsafe and to where to move.
Terrorism
Attempted stabbing of Border Policeman in East Jerusalem. Attempted stabbing in Old City Jerusalem early Thursday. Car ramming of three pedestrians in Haifa Thursday. Stabbing near Shechem/Huwara. Ramming at Tapuach Junction Friday. Attempted stabbing at Kidar Crossing Sunday morning.
Overseas
Two Hamas terrorists arrested in England for a plan to execute Jews. A Florida Islamic cleric, Imam Dr. Fadi Kablawi, called for the annihilation of Jews. The 15-year-old granddaughter of Michael Adler, the US Jewish ambassador to Belgium, was killed in a hit-and-run water skiing accident in Miami, in what was said to be an antisemitic incident. A Paris Holocaust memorial was vandalized with painted-bloody handprints. An Israeli teen in Canada was assaulted by a Muslim student. An antisemitic attack on children in NY. Muslim woman in London threatens Jews. French synagogue set on fire; arsonist then stabbed a policeman.
And the rest of the news, in roughly chronological order:
* Jewish authors worldwide being targeted.
https://m.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-800690
* Egypt joins The Hague case against Israel; Turkey also announces it will join.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-800947
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/389927
* Hotel contracts for the displaced northerners were supposedly extended til January, indicating no one expects a quick end to the Lebanon situation.
* U.S.’ Tlaib asks The Hague to arrest PM Netanyahu.
https://m.jpost.com/international/article-801028
* Hamas terrorists recuperating in Turkish hospitals.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801037
* In the same way that Google AI was reported last week to not know about the Holocaust, just Nakba; The Meta AI image generation algorithm seems unable to generate images of Hamas attacking Israel - only of Israeli retaliation.
* Reports that the PLO was asked to help administer Gaza
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801082
And UAE, Morocco and Egypt also tapped.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/egypt-uae-morocco-said-weighing-us-plan-to-create-post-war-gaza-peacekeeping-force/
* Egypt warning invasion of Rafah may affect peace
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801034
* Germany outlaws “From the river to the sea.”
https://m.maariv.co.il/news/world/Article-1098825
UN ‘clarified’ Gazan casualty numbers, but WHO says “nothing wrong” with numbers.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801118
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801433
* “No genocide in Gaza” says US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801045
* On Israeli Independence Day (Tuesday), Lebanon made a direct missile hit deep into Israel’s Galilee.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/389927
* In the wake of Ben and Jerry’s applause for campus protests, there is now a pro-Jewish boycott of the ice cream.
* UN employee killed in active combat zone in Rafah; vehicle's route was unknown to the military.
* UK MP Sam Tarry called for a Palestinian family visa scheme to bring Gazans to the UK.
* UN again implicated in Hamas
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801171
* I try to avoid publicizing the total whack jobs even when they make the news, but this was too good to miss. Erdogan accused Israel of having designs on Turkey.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/erdogan-claims-israel-will-seek-to-occupy-parts-of-turkey-if-it-defeats-hamas/
* Israeli security forces caught 61 illegal residents from Tulkarem in Jaffa.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801366
* 119 missile sirens in Israel from Lebanon on Thursday.
* Israel to impose tariffs on Turkish goods in reply to Erdogan
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-801472
* UN on hostages
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-un-security-council-holds-meeting-solely-focused-on-hostages-held-by-hamas/
* Israel may be barred from FIFA. 100+ countries are expected to vote to remove Israel.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/05/17/fifa-urgent-meeting-decide-israel-banned-palestine-hamas/
* Israeli economy rebounded, growing 14.1% in Q1 of 2024.
https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20240516232/israel-economy-grows-14-in-first-quarter-after-heavy-gaza-war-setback-in-2023
* The Tel Aviv stock exchange adds Friday to its trading week, hoping the realignment with other countries’ trading schedule will win inclusion in global indices.
https://english.news.cn/20240516/e2180969867e4eb090b8152932f4b118/c.html#:~:text=JERUSALEM%2C%20May%2016%20(Xinhua),on%20the%20Friday%2DSaturday%20weekend.
* Polled on anti-Israel campus protests, later poll shows Republicans oppose 81% to 8%, with Democrats tied at 38% pro and 38% against.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/democratic-divide-gaza-war-campus-protests-hurting-biden-reutersipsos-poll-finds-2024-05-16/
* Most college students don’t care.
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/07/poll-students-israel-hamas-protests
* Thai national hostages Sonthaya Oakkharasr and Sudthisak Rinthalak were killed by Hamas during the October 7 onslaught and their bodies are being held by Hamas in Gaza. The two had worked in agriculture in the border community of Be'eri.
https://www.barrons.com/amp/news/israel-army-says-two-thai-hostages-held-in-gaza-are-dead-3a7e28be
* The US House passed bill that will prohibit the president from delaying arms shipments to Israel. The proposal passed 224-187, including 16 Democrats. (President Biden has said he will veto.)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna152681
* Friday, representatives for Israel in The Hague trial revealed that they have found 70 tunnels in Rafah so far, 50 of which cross from Gaza into Egyptian territory where the Israeli hostages are being held.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390130
* Minister Benny Gantz threatens to quit the government.
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-war-cabinet-member-sets-ultimatum-and-threatens-to-quit-government-9b1c182d?mod=mhp
* 38% UK college students think October 7 was justified.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-801624?dicbo=v2-wuljcgd
Catch up on last week’s most-read pieces:
We’re grouchy
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-222-were-grouchy
What gets lost - poem for Yom Hazikaron
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-220-yom-hazikaron-what-gets
Funny Friday: Resilient Chickens
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-224-funny-friday-resilient
Last Week’s Sunday Round-Up
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-219-sunday-news-round-up
—
If you enjoyed this post please hit the heart ❤️and share, so others can find it.
Also excellent questions about Hamas, tunnels and aid. Bet that goes unanswered. Oh, and I loved the chicken piece. Very funny. Keep your spirits up. Decent people who think for themselves and have honor stand with you and your countrymen and always will.
I may not be Jewish but I meant it when I said Never Again.
I’ve followed the death of the ambassador’s granddaughter and seen nothing to suggest it was the result of antisemitism. The man who is believed to have hit her is a 78-year-old Cuban-American who says he did not know he had hit anyone. She was bobbing around in the water waiting for a friend to pick her up and the man, who was alone and was not drinking, has cooperated extensively with police. Sadly, it is appearing to be a terrible accident. She was a lovely young woman and this is such a tragic loss.