War Day #215. Musing on this and that

Wednesday, May 8

May 08, 2024

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Thanks, all.

Today’s pop quiz:

Twice in the last two days, Hamas has launched missiles at the Kerem Shalom checkpoint, killing Israeli soldiers whose job there is to protect the peaceful transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza. That is, Hamas is actively preventing the transfer of aid.

In response to this hostile attack on humanitarian aid, the UN responded by:

a) Warning Hamas there would be UN repercussions if it continued to endanger the aid checkpoints

b) Offering to send in UN international forces to help protect this vital aid.

c) Screaming that the UN expects Israel to continue to transfer the aid regardless of Hamas bombing, and saying nothing to Hamas.

Those who guessed a or b, go back to the 1950’s, you’re clearly out of touch with today’s world. Those paranoid people who chose c are of course correct: The UN screaming at Israel regardless of the circumstances is one of the few things we can count on in an uncertain world.

Now for the latest musings:

* President Biden gave a great speech yesterday denouncing Hamas and antisemitism. Then he promptly cut off long-delayed arms shipments to Israel. This was apparently meant to send a message to Israel.

Message received.

Now I think Israel should go buy some arms from China.

* I don’t know why I continue to expect Hamas to operate in good faith, obviously that is demented, but for them to spend so many hours negotiating and then announce, ps, we’ll be returning dead bodies - infuriating. And that the Americans supposedly knew this - if that is really true — unconscionable. (For those who missed it, yesterday’s ‘wrinkle’ in the ceasefire negotiations was Hamas mentioned that the 33 hostages to be returned wouldn’t necessarily be alive.) Sure, what’s the difference, really?

* Yesterday, Jews were attacked in Amsterdam. Today, a lynch mob hunted Israeli tourists in Greece; they had to call out the riot police with tear gas. Also a Jewish man was beaten in NY. LA Jewish business owners are receiving threats. Jewish students are being told to go “back to Poland.” How’s your day been?

* 30 more rockets last night fired from Hamas in Gaza. Lebanon also heating up past the point of no return.

* In the US, “Fatties for a Free Palestine” (I am not making this up) are hunger-striking in support of Gaza. Not sure if their rules have evolved, but the original announcement said that they would be fasting just one hour at a time (in rotation) and drinking liquids throughout. In other words, not fasting except between meals. (See photo below. No fat shaming, but fewer calories won’t do them much harm.)

* Campus protesters across the US are converting to Islam. (Bring your own hijab.)

* Breaking:. The IDF just announced that Israeli hostage Noa Marciano was murdered by a doctor at Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital. “The hospital, a place that is supposed to sanctify the value of life, was used by Hamas for murder.”

Heartsick.