poor peopole eat poorly: starch and sugar is cheaper than fresh, whole healthy foods.
the old image of the fat rich white guy and the starving proletarian/peasant has been tipped on its head by our reliance on industrially processed foodstuffs

Posted by: Noam A. Larkey | Jan 16 2025 15:09 utc | 3

Sean – lol. You made me laugh good job.
I’m officially predicting that the deal collapses over the weekend. I think Blinky-boy prematurely ejaculated, and the stillborn baby will need to be scraped off the sheets with a spoon.
Quite the mess for Trump to clean up on Monday!

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 16 2025 15:11 utc | 5

One wonders if there’s some kind of logical thinking or even endgame in the echelons of US governance. Dispel any of those with this end of regime interview with arguably one of the dumbest/evil people ever to inhabit their office.
https://consortiumnews.com/2025/01/15/patrick-lawrence-the-nihilism-of-antony-blinken/
In a send-off interview with The New York Times, Biden’s secretary of state renders a sober-sounding account of the world as the retiring regime now leaves it that is so shockingly far from reality as to be frightening.
transcript:
https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-with-lulu-garcia-navarro-of-nyts-the-interview-podcast/

Posted by: motorslug | Jan 16 2025 15:22 utc | 7

@Posted by: librul | Jan 16 2025 14:52 utc | 1
Scarfs can have meaning. Does anyone know about the scarf the little girl in the photo is wearing?
Hurry! Reuters changes their front page pictures often.
Photo may be preserved here for much longer:
https://theprint.in/world/death-toll-in-israeli-strikes-on-gaza-rises-to-77-since-ceasefire-deal-residents-say/2448799/

Posted by: librul | Jan 16 2025 15:33 utc | 9

guest from franconia | Jan 16 2025 15:17 utc | 6
Yeah, here’s your “lord of peace” – the guy who reneges on every damn deal he ever made. He’s already saying through his spokespeople that he doesn’t really mean a cease-fire. Dumb-ass.:
————
Donald Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor has said the US would support Israel if the army decides to re-enter Gaza after withdrawing.
Speaking to Fox News, Mike Walz said that the incoming president would stand behind the Israeli army.
“Trump knows how to make big deals. Israel needs to know that if the [Israeli army] is required to enter Gaza again, we are with them,” he said.
“Hamas will not continue to serve as a terrorist organisation and will not rule Gaza. That is our message to the citizens of Israel.”
https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/incoming-national-security-advisor-says-us-will-support-israel-if-it-re?nid=416873&topic=Israel%2527s%2520war%2520on%2520Gaza&fid=541577
—————-
At least 81 Palestinian have been killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry announced on Thursday.
– middleeasteye liveblog
—————–

Posted by: teri | Jan 16 2025 15:46 utc | 11

Posted by: teri | Jan 16 2025 15:46 utc | 11
##########
The ultimate irony of colonialism is that white Christians are helping genocide people who are likely distant blood relatives of Jesus (AS) 2,000+ years removed.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 16 2025 15:57 utc | 13

Biden included some blah-hlah about the ceasefire leading to an independent country for the Palestinians. I’mve not holding my breath.

Posted by: lester | Jan 16 2025 16:03 utc | 15

@love
The only real descendants of jesus (assuming the fairy tale to be true) in Palestine (aside from the Palestinians) are the few jews who have been opposing the genocide, Haredim and some small orthodox sects. We all know the majority of zionists are xians, khazars and askanazi converts.

Posted by: motorslug | Jan 16 2025 16:05 utc | 17

Statement of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps:
We praise the Almighty God that after 16 months since the historic, honorable, and immortal Al-Aqsa Flood operation, and despite the atrocities of the satanic Zionist entity—marked by brutality, medieval tactics, and genocide—the sacred will of Hamas and the Islamic Resistance has triumphed over the Zionist entity and the murderers of innocent and defenseless Palestinian men, women, and children.
Those who, with full support from the United States, its European and regional allies, and the hegemonic media empire, sought to achieve their declared objectives—freeing the captives without paying any price through military operations, completely destroying Hamas, and returning the settlers to the north—find themselves today, after 463 days of heinous crimes that claimed the lives of over 50,000 innocent and defenseless people, injured hundreds of thousands in Gaza, and destroyed more than 80% of Gaza’s vital infrastructure and residential areas, now forced to submit to the patience and resilience of Gaza’s heroic people and the unwavering will of the Resistance.
Today, the end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire on the Zionist entity is a clear victory and a great triumph for Palestine—and an even greater defeat for the brutal Zionist regime. This victory sends the steadfast people of Gaza back to their homes with joy, strength, and determination, while leaving the butcher, the head of the illegitimate government—his hands stained with blood—facing a raging storm of criticism, objections, and internal divisions within Zionist society.
The heroic Hamas movement, with its faith in divine victory, the support of the Resistance, and the steadfastness of the oppressed yet powerful people of Gaza, along with the widespread wave of global solidarity, has emerged from the negotiations with its head held high. Through its victory, it has conveyed to the world a clear message: The Resistance of the Palestinian people is a shining model of truth prevailing over falsehood, and of blood triumphing over the sword. Today, it is the Zionist entity and Tel Aviv that have been forced into submission by the unconquerable will of the Palestinian people—while this regime now faces military and social collapse, reverse migration, economic bankruptcy, and political isolation.
Without a doubt, this clear conquest and great victory, just like Al-Aqsa Flood—which inflicted a multi-dimensional and irreparable defeat upon the Zionists—has now etched into history an undeniable truth: Months of crimes have brought the Zionist entity no achievements. Instead, the Resistance remains alive, thriving, and steadfast, continuing with confidence, dignity, and deeper faith in God’s truthful promises on the path to liberating Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
All honor to the names, memories, and sacrifices of the martyrs of the Resistance and the struggle for the liberation of Al-Quds, particularly the martyrs Haniyeh, Nasrallah, Sinwar, and Arouri. We congratulate the Palestinian Resistance, the Palestinian people—especially the heroic people of Gaza—on this momentous and historic event. We declare our solidarity with their boundless joy and enthusiasm and express our appreciation for the honorable support extended by other fronts of the Islamic Resistance across the region—from Gaza to the sacrifices of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ansar Allah in Yemen, and the Resistance in Iraq.
At the same time, we warn of any potential breach of this agreement by the Zionist entity and reaffirm our full readiness on the ground to confront any new war or crime. And we pray that in the near future, the world’s headlines will announce the news of Muslims performing the “Victory Prayer” in Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Posted by: JB | Jan 16 2025 16:12 utc | 19

Mohammed Abdulsalam, Head of Yemen’s Negotiating Delegation:
We salute Gaza’s legendary and historic resistance in facing the most brutal and fierce Israeli aggression against the oppressed Palestinian people.
We and the free people of the world honor the immense sacrifices of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, including the martyrdom of leaders such as Haniyeh and Sinwar.
The great sacrifices of the resistance did not weaken it but rather strengthened it against the enemy until it forced them to agree to a ceasefire.
We also salute the Islamic resistance in Iraq for its prominent and impactful role in supporting the battle.
The Lebanese resistance crowned its sacrifices under the leadership of the martyr of Islam and humanity, the great leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
The Lebanese resistance offered its greatest sacrifices for Gaza, Palestine, and Al-Quds.
The Israeli occupation continues to pose a threat to the security and stability of the region.
With the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, the Palestinian cause remains the primary issue.
Israel’s invasion of Gaza left no choice for our people, but to stand and support the oppressed people of Palestine.
Despite the ongoing siege on our country and the wounds our people bear from previous war (with Saudi-coalition) and economic hardships, we were not deterred from doing our responsibility in supporting Gaza.
The Israeli entity is an imposed entity supported by Western and American powers at the expense of the Palestinian people and the country.
There will be no peace in the region until the Israeli entity is eradicated.

Posted by: JB | Jan 16 2025 16:19 utc | 21

Akram al-Kaabi, Secretary-General of Hezbollah al-Nujaba in Iraq:
“We announce that we will suspend our military operations against the entity… but let it be known that our fingers remain on the trigger, and our missiles and drones are fully prepared.”

Posted by: JB | Jan 16 2025 16:22 utc | 23

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jan 16 2025 16:10 utc | 20
He didn’t specify “all” white Christians. The fact is that many white (& some poc) American Christians are more Zionist than the ZioJews, send money & support to Israel & believe they will force God’s hand to bring the 2nd coming of the Christ.
I listen to contemporary Christian radio (uplifting, simple music energizes me to get through tedious chores). I cringe to listen, though, to the short little “sermons” interspersed. Rare to hear the words of Jesus. Easily 95% Old Testament. They really don’t even follow the one they call their leader!

Posted by: Mary | Jan 16 2025 16:34 utc | 25

craig murray from today – substack
A Ceasefire is not an End

Posted by: james | Jan 16 2025 16:54 utc | 27

Alistair Crooke remarked the other day, paraphrasing, Just as light has a speed — the speed of light, so does darkness have its own speed.
Posted by: suzan | Jan 16 2025 15:57 utc | 15
I would disagree with Crooke, because it supposes an equality of being which darkness does not possess. It’s an interesting conundrum but I would rather say that darkness is a, temporarily overpowering, absence of light.
Hamas is to be highly praised for its eagerness to overcome the darkness. If that is not presently happening, if Trump does not seize the power to overcome the darkness, let us still keep striving towards the light.

Posted by: juliania | Jan 16 2025 17:06 utc | 29

Canuck,
In your short history , you omit that by 5th cent. AD the Levant was majority Christian. Today, Ethnic Palestinians worldwide are 40% Christian. The Levantine populations today are roughly 30% Christian.

Posted by: exile | Jan 16 2025 17:46 utc | 31

Pro Publics was one of very few to practice actual journalism and reporting, such as last spring when it publicized the deliberate failures of the State Department to abide by the letter of the law as per direct assistance to human rights violators.
A follow up has now appeared, examining the last five months of 2024 – from the US directive to the UN it had no role to play in the Occupied Territories, to the assertion that pressure from the Biden administration would alleviate the humanitarian crisis, through the internal admission that in fact no effort to alleviation would actually be made.
It is a chronicle of “aiding and abetting” serious international crimes. It is also a record of assumed impunity, of the adoption of “what are you going to do about it?” as an option of statecraft – exemplified still in the targeted arsons of refugees living in tents as an expression of the sheerest malevolence on the eve of a cessation of hostilities. It is difficult to fathom the moral depravity of these people.
https://www.propublica.org/article/biden-blinken-state-department-israel-gaza-human-rights-horrors

Posted by: jayc | Jan 16 2025 17:54 utc | 33

Canuck,
“In your short history , you omit that by 5th cent. AD the Levant was majority Christian. Today, Ethnic Palestinians worldwide are 40% Christian. The Levantine populations today are roughly 30% Christian.”
Posted by: exile | Jan 16 2025 17:46 utc | 33
You are correct; but ‘my story’ was not about Palestinian Christians, although they are getting slaughtered, starved as well in Gaza; ‘my story’ is about the irony-the irony that The ‘Chosen People’ are now being bombed and slaughtered by imposter Kharzarians.

Posted by: canuck | Jan 16 2025 18:06 utc | 35

Max Blumenthal tells it like it is to Blinken the butcher
https://x.com/warmonitors/status/1879949850411954321/mediaviewer
Posted by: Mary | Jan 16 2025 18:16 utc |

Posted by: Mary | Jan 16 2025 18:23 utc | 37

Cease fire pluses and minuses
1. Gazan population gets a break from being bombed. Do they get more food and medical aid??
2. Some hostages released
3. A larger number of Palestinian prisoners, some held in captivity by Israel for many years, get released
4. Lies of Biden administration about cease fire negotiations are fully revealed, though not yet by MSM
5. Houties pause their blockade and missile attacks.
6. Some other axis of resistance actors (Iraqi) announce pause
7. Israeli actions in Lebanon may be affected
8. Incoming Trump administration gains diplomatic leverage in Middle East, possibly including strengthening of U.S./Saudi ties up to possibly reanimating the Abraham accords, a Trump project from his first term. A US/Saudi joint military alliance is rumored.
9. Israeli move to annex West Bank probably strengthened.
10. If cease fire holds many economic pressures on Israel will be reduced. Northern settlers can leave their hotels and return. Eilat port can resume functioning.
11. Israel has resources freed to deepen its hold on newly acquired Syrian territory 20 miles from Damascus.
Please, add your own observations…
11.

Posted by: mjh | Jan 16 2025 18:33 utc | 39

Resistance Is Persistence
By indi.ca • 16 Jan 2025 View in browser
Peace be upon you for your patience and steadfastness and firmness in the face of tyranny. Peace upon the souls of our martyrs, our innocent children, and our oppressed people. Peace be upon your souls that will one day soar in the skies of our liberated Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa, purified from the defilement of your killers. — Abu Obeida, 17 November 2023
Shortly after the Tet offensive, the honest war criminal Henry Kissinger said, “the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. The conventional army loses if it does not win.”
https://indi.ca/resistance-is-persistence/

Posted by: hole in head | Jan 16 2025 18:44 utc | 41

Saw this on the (hated) Meta/facebook:
Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.” Well — one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.
An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. “Help,” said the flight agent. “Talk to her. What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this.”
I stooped to put my arm around the woman and spoke haltingly.
“Shu-dow-a, Shu-bid-uck Habibti? Stani schway, Min fadlick, Shu-bit-se-wee?” The minute she heard any words she knew, however poorly used, she stopped crying. She thought the flight had been cancelled entirely. She needed to be in El Paso for major medical treatment the next day. I said, “No, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just later, who is picking you up? Let’s call him.”
We called her son, I spoke with him in English. I told him I would stay with his mother till we got on the plane and ride next to her. She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it. Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends. Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian poets I know and let them chat with her? This all took up two hours.
She was laughing a lot by then. Telling of her life, patting my knee, answering questions. She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies — little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts — from her bag — and was offering them to all the women at the gate. To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the mom from California, the lovely woman from Laredo — we were all covered with the same powdered sugar. And smiling. There is no better cookie.
And then the airline broke out free apple juice from huge coolers and two little girls from our flight ran around serving it and they were covered with powdered sugar, too. And I noticed my new best friend — by now we were holding hands — had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing, with green furry leaves. Such an old country tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.
And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and I thought, This is the world I want to live in. The shared world. Not a single person in that gate — once the crying of confusion stopped— seemed apprehensive about any other person. They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women, too.
This can still happen anywhere. Not everything is lost.
~ Naomi Shihab Nye

Posted by: mjh | Jan 16 2025 18:54 utc | 43

What is the Reuters’ intended message?
Posted by: librul | Jan 16 2025 14:52 utc | 1
==========
Good question.
Absent some reasonable explanation provided in a caption—such as “A father walks with his children to church amid a background of bombed-out buildings”—there is something wrong with this image.
Incongruous.
The clothes look new.
The father and his children look well fed.
Who are they and what ARE they doing there?
Exactly where is “there” here?

Posted by: Jane | Jan 16 2025 19:04 utc | 45

Posted by: Mary | Jan 16 2025 18:30 utc | 38
Sounds like Ben-Gvir caved, maybe for a wink-wink side-deal from Bibi that as soon as phase 1 expires, an excuse will be cooked up to declare Hamas in violation and then the bombing/ethnic cleansing of Gaza can resume.
Trump’s spokes-flacks have already said they’ll back the IDF 100% if they go back into Gaza.
It’s just not possible to be too cynical about this whole thing.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 16 2025 19:09 utc | 47

Since there never were any hostage it is a very minor script re-write to give Trump a little fist bump for his inauguration. Within a week not will be genocide as normal.

Posted by: oldhippie | Jan 16 2025 19:14 utc | 49

It’s just not possible to be too cynical about this whole thing.
Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 16 2025 19:09 utc | 47
I’m very cynical, but I’ve read in a # of places that Israel had refused to sign the agreement. So that post is aimed at those posters, that they were correct this morning, but no longer.
I also read about the “wink, wink” on skwawker early this morning, but discounted it until I saw it on mideasteye a short while ago.
That makes it our job, as with
Ukr, to keep a close watch, uncover “false flags” & spread the word.
ps Apparently META just fired all their “fact checkers”, people are freely posting anti-zionism on fb, so word-spreading may be easier than before.

Posted by: Mary | Jan 16 2025 19:24 utc | 51

Posted by: Ornot | Jan 16 2025 19:22 utc | 50
Thank you for those links!

Posted by: Mary | Jan 16 2025 19:30 utc | 53

You’re welcome Mary (@53)
Some say the “Israeli” government will fall without the extremist elements, who are now saying they will resign.
“Ben Gvir:
If the deal goes through, we will withdraw from the government and submit our resignation.
If the war is renewed, we will return to the government.. This is what I told Netanyahu.”
https://t-me.translate.goog/s/youseffares19?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en

Posted by: Ornot | Jan 16 2025 19:38 utc | 55

MAGA 🇵🇸 and Palestine?
There is a fake Ivanka Trump account on Twitter/X with 680,000 followers. The account seems to be mainstream MAGA in content and followers. Her pinned tweet consist of a photo of the Palestinian flag 🇵🇸 and the following text.

Ivanka Trump 🇺🇲 🦅 News on X, January 15, 2025
🚨Simple YES or NO poll.
Do you stand with Palestine?
A. Yes
B. No

The responses consist of pro-Palestinian celebrations and “Fuck Israel” / “Fuck Netanyahu” tweets.
Question: Does the tweet and the responses genuinely reflect the feelings of American Trump supporters?

Posted by: Petri Krohn | Jan 16 2025 19:49 utc | 57

israel is one mutherfucking sick society
https://x.com/Kahlissee/status/1879715189530226747
Khalissee @Kahlissee
Since the declaration of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has massacred at least 82 civilians
https://x.com/HotSpotHotSpot/status/1879930389638373730
HOT SPOT @HotSpotHotSpot
BREAKING: Reporter Sam Husseini @samhusseini is arrested and dragged out of a press briefing by Blinken for asking “Why aren’t you in The Hague?”

Posted by: michaelj72 | Jan 16 2025 20:00 utc | 59

re: Sam Husseini
it is the present-day equivalent of the shoe thrower during GWB presser. no shoes, but plenty of truth bombs.
also, new ironic catchphrase: “respect the process”

Posted by: jayc | Jan 16 2025 20:16 utc | 61

@60 Mary
Unfortunately the US is talking ahead of a ceasefire event, as if it was running the outcome (which still remains very uncertain and is not in the hands of the US alone).
We can look on this as dramatisation for media consumption, or as an attempt to show who has the say, or as an attempt to build/force momentum, or as an attempt to outline the introduction of a different approach of the new legislation, or as a US political domestic point scoring.
The play-out of implementation/non-implementation only raises the attention, anxiety (especially of Palestinians), and stakes.
We might see a full ceasefire as projected, or a prisoner exchange and resumption of conflict, or a failure of achieving ceasefire.
As US is prime guarantor, if “Israel” shuns the initiative that the new legislature has piled on, maybe even by delaying, then US is no longer seen as guarantor and that will affect the credibility of any agreement possible.
This also leaves the US exposed to on the ground realities. Trump has said he will not abandon “Israel”, in a failed ceasefire scenario he will be made to look weak and would be obliged to ‘manage’ “Israel” to steer the conflict, so making its actions his own responsibility, so miring him and bringing him down, or into first complicity from in office.
At ‘full cynic’ anyone would have to consider that he might be party to that play-out in advance.
So, there is a lot at stake, and firstly for those who would be killed in Gaza after a halt in military action was supposed to originally take place as agreed in the draft.
It’s heavy.

Posted by: Ornot | Jan 16 2025 20:55 utc | 63

I remember when the Catholic church my parents took us to back when I was a kid started going all hippie in the 70’s. Guitar music at mass, the “kiss of peace” after communion, and the Hebrew word for peace (“shalom”) on banners in the vestibule. Yeah. Shalom. Either the Israelis have dropped the use of the word, or it never really translated as ‘peace’ to start with.
Of course, the Catholics weren’t (aren’t) all that into peace themselves; I became a lapsed Catholic once I moved away from home.
————–
Israeli tanks are ceaselessly shelling central Gaza along with nonstop gunfire by quadcopters and Apache helicopters.
Reportedly, Israeli snipers are located along the northwestern line to snipe people moving outside during these critical times.
It’s a very horrific night.
https://x.com/AbubakerAbedW/status/1879976165114540223?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
—————-

Posted by: teri | Jan 16 2025 21:22 utc | 65

GazaNewsNow2021
“Sheila Fried:
Timeline – Tomorrow: The negotiating delegation will arrive from Doha and meet with the cabinet, and there is expected to be a lengthy discussion until Saturday.
After the discussion: Saturday rest until Saturday evening.
At the end of Saturday: A comprehensive government meeting to vote and approve the deal.
Holding a government meeting during Saturday – not currently on the table.”
Correction-I previously said 48hr window for appeal, it is in fact 24hr.
The order is that the cabinet votes (the hold up, basically discussion and negotiation or even purposeful delay).
The knesset must vote (said near certain to approve).
A 24 hr delay for appeal is granted.
As government meeting is not scheduled for Saturday according to the above, if so that would be at least Sunday govt. vote and so Monday implementation at earliest.
Pls. correct if any mistake as am piecing it together from various sources.

Posted by: Ornot | Jan 16 2025 23:05 utc | 67

ZH has a posting up with the title
Israel Launches First Attack Direct Attack On Jolani’s HTS In Syria
quote

Concerns about Israel’s newfound hostility toward Syria’s new Islamist government, run by al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) grew substantially on Wednesday after an Israeli drone attacked a military convoy belonging to the new government in the southern Quneitra Governorate. Three people were killed, two fighters and a civilian.
Despite hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on remnants of the Assad government across Syria in the past month, this is significant because it is the first time Israel has attacked active personnel with the new, post-Assad government.

Ceasefire where?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 16 2025 23:56 utc | 69

mjh that was beautiful
thank you for sharing

Posted by: furies | Jan 17 2025 0:10 utc | 71

Trump says Gaza”will never again be a terrorist haven”. That means the security state will be implemented. Israel; is not giving up the Philadelphia corridor. Hostages get traded. Some food enters. Trump takes a victory lap. Then we see what the real deaL is. I dont see any intent to let Palestine be autonomous. Smells like a setup. Nutty tosses trump a bone. Theme “we tried”. Getting the hostages back means yhat opposition to nutty emds. The unspoken part of the deal is that Hamas disbands and disarms.
It feels like a big con game to me. Trump needs to demonstrate faux control. Nutty Smo and Giev are playing along. Somthing will happen. We gave them their chance. See what happened? Then its back to business.
Trump cut this deal for his interest. We dont know what the real deal is. Nutty pretends to be mad.When the event happens its Trump thats betrayed. Now he steps in with all hell to pay but not as Israels bitch but because he ruler of the known universe was betrayed. After all he did for them. Trump gets to play like he is calling the shots. The heat on Israel where they are getting called out on genocide gets transferred to USA. Poor Israel! USA didnt believe them! See what happened! Shame USA! Not for participation in a genocide. Thats fine, Because you didnt trust Israel!
Theme “we tried”.
MAGA fundamentally has no problem with collective punishment. “they should have got rid of hamas”. Image is what the makeover is addressing. Image. Trump doesnt do crocadile tears. That would imply the Palestinians have rights as humans. Only the exceptional have rights.
Its not that collective punishment is occurring. Genocide. Its not that there are human rights. its not that the ICJ has authority. The issue is the image is nutty is calling the shots. Getting the USA into wars. Thats what Sachs truth social video addressed. Nutty is too big for his britches, Thats the sin. OCT 7 was Israels LIHOP. Cant be fighting wars for a Israeli LIHOP. A USA LIHOP is needed. That image is unacceptable to Trump so its being reworked. Double plus is Israel can project guilt that the degree of collective punishment was questioned after the new “event”. Our loyal ally. We didnt trust them. See what happened.
Trump said it. Israel doesnt sell themselves well. This is the new image being created. The new WWF match. The quintessential corporate makeover. Essence de Trump.

Posted by: YogitheYankeeBear | Jan 17 2025 2:13 utc | 73

Posted by: Ering46z | Jan 17 2025 4:25 utc | 79
“begs the question” uh… no.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 17 2025 5:41 utc | 75

Prof John Mearsheimer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG1os_PXbCs
“Does Netanyahu keep his word?”
Col Lawrence Wilkerson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9nvRRX9AsY
“What ceasefire?”
The PA’s Race to Prove Itself to Trump
https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/palestinian-authority-race-trump-rivals-line-up
“As rivals line up.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jan 17 2025 5:55 utc | 77

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jan 17 2025 5:55 utc | 82
Thanks for the Mearsheimer link.
Well-informed logic has a melodious rhythm to it. He never misses a beat or confuses carts with horses.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 17 2025 6:59 utc | 79

HOW THE ISRAEL LOBBY TRIES TO SILENCE CRITICISM OF ISRAEL
There’s a long history of the Zionist lobby pressuring, bullying and cajoling critics of Israel and they’re now upping their tactics in a time of mass slaughter in Gaza
by Kellie Tranter | 17 Jan, 2025
Declassified Australia
The mainstream media is often called “the Fourth Estate” – supposedly the fourth power after the church, nobility and commoners – as its role is traditionally seen as a critical check on the actions of those wielding power in society.
Essential to its role is serving as a watchdog to hold to account their statements and actions (or inactions) of elected and other governmental officials and public figures.
The progressively increasing failure of the mainstream media to fulfill those obligations led to the recognition in the 1980s of the Fifth Estate, a loose expression for truly independent journalism.
The Fifth Estate has since exploded in size and importance in tandem with the expansion of the internet, social media and blogging sites and independent journalism published in online news and opinion sites.
Major stories break on platforms like X and are documented live. Many of the very best analysts and experts are published on X, Substack and independent reporting sites. This is where independent journalists and news sites share their work to bring it to an ever-growing readership – important work that does not show up in a Google search unless you already know about it and how to access it.
We are at the frontier of this new freedom of information and the disquiet from both powerful interests and mainstream media is largely because their authority and credibility have been undermined by their own doings.
This has happened in Australia, particularly in the last 10 years or so, as the failings of the mainstream media and its substantial capture by powerful interests have become apparent to much of the general population; in the case of what’s happening in Gaza, and Israel’s destruction of the territory and its people, they are oblivious to how distressed many Australians are at both the genocide and it being disregarded by both government and the media.
People also see principled journalists rebelling against the compromise of their ethical principles, whether fighting punishment by their employers for objective factual reporting or simply abandoning the strictures of working for media institutions with an agenda dictated by money and power instead of truth and accuracy.
Today this Fifth Estate is our only saviour from a world of institutionalised informational propaganda. True, there are some irresponsible ‘influencers’ in the space, and legitimate journalists operating there are continually having to watch their backs for threats of legal action and deplatforming, but the Fifth Estate has become and remains the best source of first-hand reporting of events and facts, usually by actual footage of a situation or event, but also of diverse intelligent and analytical commentary by academics and analysts who have escaped from or not been deterred by the official blanket of fear.
This is the broader background of the pro-Israel lobby Zionist Federation of Australia’s (ZFA) attack on journalist Mary Kostakidis with the allegation that two of her tweets on X/Twitter were antisemitic.
In this case, it’s vital to understand what key words mean. Zionism is a nationalist movement of Jews and non-Jews – in the US, often Christian fundamentalists – with the goal initially of creating, and now of maintaining, a Jewish national state in Palestine. Being pro-Israel usually means strongly supporting the existence of Israel and, in the case of the Zionist lobby, uncritical support of and obedience to the Israeli government of the day.
MORE…
http://declassifiedaus.org/2025/01/17/how-the-israel-lobby-tries-to-silence-criticism-of-israel/

Posted by: Menz | Jan 17 2025 9:21 utc | 81

A brief overview of Syria’s history and the constant plots against it.
Carries an important lesson for the Palestinians who were and will be “subverted, manipulated, intrigued against by just about everyone”.
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/why-syria-failed-to-develop-into-a-democracy-and-became-a-mukhabarat-state/

Posted by: JB | Jan 17 2025 11:16 utc | 83

Iran and Russia will sign before the Israel cabinet
https://tass.com/politics/1900655

Posted by: Newbie | Jan 17 2025 12:26 utc | 85

Thanks Ornot.
Doesn’t the full Knesset still need to vote?
The earliest that could take place would be Saturday evening now that the Sabbath is about to begin.
Our stooge captured media aren’t reporting this correctly- they’re acting like the cabinet vote alone is sufficient.
I don’t know for sure that the 120 member Knesset has to approve the deal but i would think they would have to.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 17 2025 14:40 utc | 87

This journalist – was physically dragged out the room for asking probing questions on the Zionists genocide.
https://nitter.poast.org/Documark/status/1880201643205226545#m

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 17 2025 15:17 utc | 89

The crux of the matter is that Gaza and West Bank Palestinian population growth is the real threat to Israel. Hamas Oct 7-lie events, vs a significantly more pacifist PLO, breaks the deadlock & justifies an Israeli two-pronged solution: namely, Palestinian population decimation & renewed expansionism, vis a vis Lebanon & Syria, towards the solution/goal of Greater Israel.

Posted by: Ludovic | Jan 17 2025 15:23 utc | 91

For those that missed it – here is Max Blumenthal giving it to that vile Zionist backing shit Anthony Blinken.
https://nitter.poast.org/MaxBlumenthal/status/1879926469633487204#m

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 17 2025 15:43 utc | 93

Throwing journalists out of a press conference by dragging them forcibly away because they ask legitimate questions does not happen in China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela…it happens in the beacon of democracy, the indispensable nation, the beacon of hope for the world, the city on the hill etc.
One wonders if that occurs to any, or how many, Trumpericans and Europeans.

Posted by: JB | Jan 17 2025 17:16 utc | 95

Provocations, which will we see first?
How about another defilement of the al Aqsa Mosque,
as first up on Netanyahu’s agenda ?
Netanyahu would reset history for a repeat. And if necessary, another repeat until he gets it right.
October 1st, 2023 Zio settlers invade the al Aqsa Mosque and attempt rituals as a major provocation.
October 4th, 2023 IDF division headquarters thought it would be a good idea to locate the
infamous Nova Rave Party between the Gaza Wall (just 3 miles away!) and a priority target
for Hamas, the Re’im military base.
October 7th, 2023 is the chosen date for the Rave Party. It is the Sabbath and a Jewish holiday.
Half the IDF will be on leave.
ALSO, it was a big secret at that time, Israel had captured Hamas’ detailed jail break plan.
The plan said the Re’im military base was a main target and the plan said the best time to jail break would be on the Sabbath or a Jewish holiday.
ps. The officers in charge of the sector where the Nova Rave Party was held said, “Noooooooo!”
to holding the party near the Gaza Wall. In an unusual move, IDF division headquarters inserted themselves into the decision making process and ordered that the party be held there.

Posted by: librul | Jan 17 2025 17:56 utc | 97

Posted by: Ornot | Jan 17 2025 18:27 utc | 99
Thanks so much. I appreciate the response.
Just shaking my head at how rotten our media are. They can’t even be bothered to report accurately. If the Knesset still has to ratify, that won’t happen until tomorrow evening after sunset to observe the Sabbath. Then adding 24 hours for the legal stuff, it’s Sunday evening before any actual hostages could be released.
I can easily see some further delays as darkness makes it trickier to do hostage/prisoner exchanges. Ambushes are more likely under cover of the night. This whole rotten deal could stil fall apart very quickly just in time for Drumpf to take the reins.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 17 2025 18:42 utc | 99