Frank

It's a good reminder that Israel is not a monolith, and there are Israelis who know how fucked up this is.

These are just kids, so there's some interesting insights when they talk about how they experience the occupation and what kind of information is available to them as young Israelis.

This is propaganda. There is no way to ascertain from this footage if this is representative of Hamas' soldiers behavior, or what the total situation is.

That said, the most powerful propaganda is the truth, and showing kindness to even your worst enemies is a powerful weapon against them. Islam has strict rules about the treatment of captives and hostages and the behavior of the Hamas troops in this video is in accordance with my understanding of Islamic laws of war. Their behavior also seems to be in accordance with reports from Israel settlers who have stated that Hamas fighters took pains to re-assure them that they would not be harmed, and with the release of some Israeli women and children.

I am curious where the parents are. I would hope that they are detained safely, as it is concerning that the children are not with their parents.

Shi'a Hezbollah seems to be on speaking terms with Sunni Hamas. The two great protectors of the Muslims (sorta), Sunni Saudi and Shi'a Iran, seem to be working towards a peaceful rapprochement. Everyone fucking hated ISIS and as far as I know there was a great deal of coordination among different sects to destroy the alleged Caliphate.

Are we seeing some kind of historical healing of Shi'a and Sunni relations?

I just can't. If you make an arrangement to release hostages, and you don't pay the fucking ransom, the other party will not ransom hostages to you in the future. This is a THIRTEEN THOUSAND YEAR OLD PRINCIPLE OF DIPLOMACY THAT PREDATES ALL WRITTEN SYSTEMS OF LAW

What are other countries saying about the dollar? Like clearly people have to be saying that holding any money in dollars is a liability since the US engages in so much piracy now, right?

Years ago I owned a house for a little while. It started out in the 50s as a small two bedroom and then over the years someone finished the attic as a legally conforming bedroom, then finished the basement and put the teeniest bedroom in it. Smallest house with four legal bedrooms I have ever seen.

I rented out the spare bedrooms. I was a landlord. No excuses.

But if I ever found myself in that situation again; How can I ethically share the costs of a house if it has an owner? I couldn't figure it out then. I don't think the situation will ever come up again. But I desperately want some kind of absolution in knowing if I could have done better, and how to implement that if it happens again.

The problem I couldn't figure out was how to give the renters some kind of equity. I didn't have trusted friends I could set up some kind of coop with. Setting up a coop with strangers was very high-risk; I have a severe mental illness and i'm disabled most of the time, so if things went badly I would be in an extremely vulnerable position with few options.

Give me some input. A rich uncle you didn't know you had leaves you a small house with four bedrooms in their will. You can't afford the mortgage without some help. What do you do? How do you work around mortgages and ownership?

Small victory, but still.

Our thoughts on the last few days...

As we go about our daily lives, it's crucial to pause and consider the escalating crisis in Gaza and the broader region.

The Israeli government's threatening rhetoric, including comments from Prime Minister Netanyahu about turning Gaza "into a deserted island," raises significant concerns. These are not merely words but a chilling portent for the people who live there.

In this environment, it's heartbreaking to think that the Israeli military, one of the most technologically advanced in the world, directs its might not solely at armed militants but also at vulnerable civilians.

These aren't just statistics or casualties of war; they are fathers who may never again hear their daughters' laughter, mothers who may never see their sons take their first bike ride, and young people with dreams of changing the world. Each one deserves more than a life of mere survival; they deserve a life filled with dignity, love, and opportunity.

It's essential to highlight that at the core of this ongoing conflict is a system of apartheid that perpetuates inequality, violence, and the violation of human rights.

We at Hirbawi stand firmly in the belief that every individual—regardless of religion or ethnicity—deserves equal treatment. This foundational principle of equality has the power to dismantle the walls of racism and apartheid that have been erected over decades in Palestine.

For a just and lasting peace, this fundamental truth must be acknowledged and acted upon by all parties involved, including Israelis, Palestinians, and the international community. Until we reach this critical understanding, the people of Palestine continue to need your emotional and material support.

Keep the Palestinian plight at the forefront of your thoughts, your discussions, and your actions. Let's hold onto hope—the hope that one day humanity will awaken to the truth, ending all forms of apartheid and finally granting equal rights to everyone in historical Palestine.

Only then can we make meaningful strides toward peace, freedom, and justice for all.

The Hirbawi Team

They also sent a link to a short video they put together on Insta

Here's the link cw: destruction of Gaza's urban environment, bombs detonating in the distance, immediate aftermath of a bombing

I can't get over how humane and measured the statements coming from Palestinians and Hamas officials are, compared with the unrelenting viciousness and brutality of IDF commanders and Israeli politicians. People who just want to be left alone oppressed by people whose ideology a built on killing and pillaging to make themselves feel strong.

I have no idea how to work this thing someone halp!

I want to be clear; It doesn't matter either way. She's one person caught up in a war far bigger than any one person. But since she's been held up as a martyr by the enemy, it's at least worth looking in to. The article is in some barbaric form of bog-german I can't read, so I'm stuck with Google Translate

It is a glimmer of hope for her relatives: 22-year-old Shani Louk, who was abducted to the Gaza Strip, is lying in a hospital in Gaza with serious head injuries, according to her mother Ricarda Louk. “We now have more information that Shani is alive,” the mother said in a video message, according to German television station NTV. The mother received the information from Palestinian sources.

However, the Germans are not doing well. She was seriously injured - had a head injury. The mother desperately appeals to the federal government: “We ask, no we demand, that the German government act quickly.” She hopes that she can get her Shani back healthy. “Every minute counts,” says the desperate mother. Family never gave up hope

Louk is one of the many victims kidnapped in the attack on the Nova music festival in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. She has been missing since the attack by Hamas terrorists in the Negev desert in the south of the country. On a video, the 22-year-old can be seen half-naked in a pickup truck between jeering Hamas men, lying on her stomach, her legs twisted, unconscious. A young Palestinian spits on her motionless body as he passes by. The footage spread like wildfire on social media.

Because of her long dreadlocks and tattoos, Ricarda Louk was sure from the start that the woman in the pictures was her daughter. Another clue about the missing woman had emerged from Gaza City: According to “Bild” information, her credit card was used in a shop in front of the “Indonesian Hospital”. No money was withdrawn, but Louk's mother received a warning from the bank via email. (ene)

There's been a lot of bloodthirsty posting the last few days, so I want to lay this out; This person is a severely injured civilian non-combatant and, possibly, a hostage (I don't know if Hamas or any other authority has claimed they have been taken hostage as of writing this. It's possible she was rescued from the scene for humanitarian reasons.)

• As a non-combatant civilian she is entitled to protections under almost all codes and traditions of warfare

• If she is considered a combatant then she is also entitled to protection under the laws of war, doubly so because she is severely injured and incapable of fighting

• As a prisoner of war and hostage, she has specific legal protections and rights under all schools of Islamic jurisprudence, aka under Sharia. I'm not any kind of Islamic scholar, but my understanding is that at the very least prisoners of war are required to be provided food, clothing, and to be protected and not ill treated. The execution of prisoners of war is strongly discouraged and entirely forbidden in the case of women. The fact that she is apparently being treated in hospital should be taken as some kind of evidence that Hamas is doing what would be expected of them; Following Sharia in their conduct towards captives.

• From a purely cold-blooded, pragmatic perspective a healthy, well kept prisoner is more valuable than a mistreated prisoner; Enemies who know they will be kept safe and treated well are more likely to surrender, and families who know their loved ones are alive and safe will pressure their government to rescue or ransom them rather than fueling vengeance. Plus you get better ransom payments. ___

I feel absolutely insane about this. I often feel like I'm the only person in the world who knows about it, like I got Mandala effected in from some other reality where people actually give a shit about genocides committed by western powers. I'm bringing it up because the shameless hypocrisy of DC and the EU during the current war is just such utter, shameless bullshit. Yemen is who they really are.

Absolute fucking weirdos. China can't appoint the next Dalai Lama that's the CIA's job!