womanofthehills
womanofthehills's JournalDemocrats' Sympathies in Middle East Shift to Palestinians
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- After a decade in which Democrats have shown increasing affinity toward the Palestinians, their sympathies in the Middle East now lie more with the Palestinians than the Israelis, 49% versus 38%.
Today’s attitudes reflect an 11-percentage-point increase over the past year in Democrats’ sympathy with the Palestinians. At the same time, the percentages sympathizing more with the Israelis (38%) and those not favoring a side (13%) have dipped to new lows.
Sympathy toward the Palestinians is also at a new high among political independents, up six points to 32%. However, more independents still lean toward the Israelis (49%).
https://news.gallup.com/poll/472070/democrats-sympathies-middle-east-shift-palestinians.aspx
US halts exports of most civilian firearms for 90 days
ASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. has stopped issuing export licenses for most civilian firearms and ammunition for 90 days for all non-governmental users, the Commerce Department said on Friday, citing national security and foreign policy interests.
The Commerce Department did not provide further details for the pause, which also includes shotguns and optical sights, but said an urgent review will assess the "risk of firearms being diverted to entities or activities that promote regional instability, violate human rights, or fuel criminal activities."
Export licences for Ukraine and Israel, as well as some other close allies, will be exempted from the temporary halt in exports.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-halts-exports-of-most-civilian-firearms-for-90-days/ar-AA1iYMha
Jewish Protesters for Peace being arrested by NYC police
https://youtube.com/shorts/DAbifvSaSRc?si=NnRS6iDSsPunhoGrAnd a second video - make sure to watch the video above too
?si=PVEmsO2x_L2rp4q6
Thousands of Jews for Peace protesting at Grand Central Station
https://x.com/chrislhayes/status/1718036255689060439?s=46&t=YZgyyp4w_z7vW3neKxa6cQ⚠️ HAPPENING NOW AT NYC'S GRAND CENTRAL STATION: THOUSANDS OF JEWS AND ALLIES HOLD AN EMERGENCY SIT-IN, DEMANDING A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA. WE'RE TAKING OVER THE GRAND CONCOURSE. WE'RE REFUSING TO ALLOW A GENOCIDE BE CARRIED OUT IN OUR NAMES. CEASEFIRE NOW! NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE! ⚠️
Photos at link
All Communication & internet completely cut off in Gaza
No one can call ambulances, contact anyone.
“Tedros of WHO cannot contact his staff. “
“We have lost touch with our staff in Gaza, with health facilities, health workers and the rest of our humanitarian partners on the ground.
This siege makes me gravely concerned for their safety and the immediate health risks of vulnerable patients.
We urge immediate protection of all civilians and full humanitarian access.”
https://x.com/drtedros/status/1717989993577173013?s=46&t=YZgyyp4w_z7vW3neKxa6cQ
Behind the Curtain: Rattled U.S. government fears wars could spread
This is a new column by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and co-founder Mike Allen, based on regular conversations with White House and congressional leaders, CEOs, and top technologists.
Never before have we talked to so many top government officials who, in private, are so worried about so many overseas conflicts at once.
Why it matters: We don't like to sound dire. But to sound a siren of clinical, clear-eyed realism: U.S. officials say this confluence of crises poses epic concern and historic danger.
Behind the scenes: Officials tell us that inside the White House, this was the heaviest, most chilling week since President Biden took office just over 1,000 days ago.
https://www.axios.com/2023/10/20/biden-government-war-fears-israel-hamas
Israel hits Gaza with one of deadliest bombings so far in war against Hamas
Source: The Guardian
The blockaded Gaza Strip has been hit by one of the deadliest nights of Israeli bombing so far in the current war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as reports suggested that talks to secure the release of another 50 hostages were under way.
At least 400 Palestinians were killed in Gaza in the last 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and 70 were killed overnight on Sunday in bombardments of the densely populated Jabalia refugee camp and streets close to two hospitals in Gaza City.
Entire residential blocks across the strip have now been levelled, including in areas where Palestinians had been told by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to seek refuge. Approximately half the strip’s housing stock, and much of the coastal exclave, is now covered in grey rubble dust.
On Monday, Israeli outlets reported that the US and Qatar were trying to broker a deal in which 50 people held by Hamas and other groups in Gaza of foreign or dual nationality would be released. On Sunday it emerged the US had pressed Israel to delay its expected ground assault on Gaza to allow time for the release of more hostages believed to be held in the exclave, and the delivery of more aid to the besieged territory.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/23/gaza-second-aid-convoy-rafah-crossing-israel-bombardment
Hamas Releases 2 American Hostages
A 59-year-old woman and her teenage daughter, dual citizens from Illinois, were being reunited with family members on an Israeli military base, Israeli officials said. The two were kidnapped on Oct. 7, along with roughly 200 other people.
The two freed were Judith Raanan, 59, and her daughter Natalie Raanan, 17. Israeli and U.S. officials promised to continue to work to free the roughly 200 other hostages — from some 40 countries — who were also abducted. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken of the United States said that 10 Americans were still unaccounted for, adding that all “hostages should be released immediately and unconditionally.”N
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/20/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
C.I.A. Reports Contained General Warnings of Potential Gaza Flare-up
A pair of classified C.I.A. intelligence reports issued in the days ahead of a major Hamas attack on Israel warned about a potential escalation in violence but did not predict the complex, multipronged attack that Hamas gunmen launched against Israel, according to U.S. officials.
The first of the intelligence reports, dated Sept. 28, described the possibility that Hamas would launch rockets into Israel over a period of several days.
The second report, dated Oct. 5, built on the first but was more analytical.
The Oct. 5 report appeared in a daily C.I.A. summary of intelligence that is distributed widely to policymakers and lawmakers, the officials said. But intelligence officials did not brief either of the reports to President Biden or senior White House officials. Nor did the C.I.A. highlight the reports to White House policymakers as being of particular significance, officials said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/politics/cia-reports-gaza-hamas-israel.html
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHometown: New Mexico
Current location: New Mexico
Member since: Tue Apr 12, 2005, 11:15 PM
Number of posts: 8,795