Politics:
But never again is a feeble phrase. The world forgets, just like it has forgotten Bosnia. The nevers have been worn out and abandoned; the again keeps coming back in bigger numbers and darker stories.
The Guardian: I grew up in Bosnia, amid fear and hatred of Muslims. Now I see Germany’s mistakes over Gaza, October 23, 2023
The Guardian summarises what happened on October 7 that led to Israel's ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The densely populated area has been hit by thousands of tonnes of bombs since the outbreak of the campaign and the civilian death toll is enormous - bombs have hit universities, hospitals, refugee camps, and several UNRWA installations (as of today, the UNRWA reports that 79 of its employees have been killed). The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that 36 journalists have been killed. Millions of Gazans have been internally displaced with no way out of the totally blockaded Gaza strip, since the border crossing to Egypt remains closed to all except a few foreign passport holders and a dozen injured Palestinians. The director of the NY Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights resigned and published this letter, while the UN itself tweeted in regards to the attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp that "disproportionate attacks [..] could amount to war crimes". The United Nations World Food Programme is warning that "crucial supplies were running dangerously low in the Gaza Strip after Israel imposed a total blockade on the territory following deadly Hamas attacks", including food, water, fuel, and medicine. In the West Bank, Reuters reports that Palestinians are being attacked in increasing numbers by settlers. US President Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have hesitated to call for a ceasefire, a cause that thousands of protesters around the world have supported, with Biden instead calling for a "pause".
The Guardian: Have war crimes been committed in Israel and Gaza and what international laws apply?, October 31, 2023.n+1: No Human Being Can Exist, October 25, 2023International Law and New Wars: Self-Defence as a Justification for War: The Geo-Political and War on Terror Models, May 19, 2017.
