It’s usually difficult for me to think of something to say that others haven’t said already and, with so much fresh information to absorb, I’m frequently late with my contribution. I feel it’s important for me to say my piece anyway as to remain silent is to be complicit. In this case I’m continually updating my blog as I acquire fresh information and it’s turning out much longer than anticipated

Two balls have been knocked into the long grass recently, the first was the call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The UN resolution was limited to a two week period over Ramadan, that two weeks will be up by the time you read this and Israel has simply ignored it! Nothing was achieved other than a public relations effort by the Biden administration in making themselves appear to be doing something while attracting Netanyahu’s ire for their failure to to veto the resolution! With no effort to enforce the resolution the genocide goes on. This article by Jewish Voice for Peace is a clear statement of the weaknesses of the resolution.

Finally, the U.N. passes a ceasefire resolution. https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2024/03/27/finally-the-un-passes-a-ceasefire-resolution/

Western politicians express more outrage over the killing of 7 aid workers (three British nationals, an Australian, a Polish national, an American-Canadian dual citizen and a Palestinian) than over the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians. David Cameron has called on Israel to investigate why they were killed which, as Craig Murray puts it, is like asking Jack the Ripper to investigate the Whitechapel Murders.

World Central Kitchen has suspended its operations following the murders and, as a result, all the ships carrying aid into Gaza (240 Tons) are being turned around. No doubt this what Israel intended. The Norwegian Refugee Council is still continuing to provide aid although it’s had to restrict its operation in the north as being too dangerous. There Secretary-General Jans Egeland says that western leaders who refuse to ban arms sales to Israel “have their fingerprints all over a crime scene.”

They’re not the first aid workers to be killed, but the UK and US continue providing Israel with the arms that killed them as well as withholding funding from UNWRA. Building a pier to facilitate aid will be as ineffective as air drops, while there are hundreds of trucks queuing up on the other side of the Rafah Crossing. It only needs a phone call from Biden to force Israel to open the border. The latest news is that Israel have allowed some aid in, so they can continue continue receiving arms from the USA, which is like granting a condemned man his last meal 😠

According to Tory MP Alicia Kearns the government has received legal advice that Israel is in breach of international law. It follows that they should immediately suspend all arms sales to Israel, as they’re clearly aware that continued sales put them in breach of domestic law, but David Cameron seems to be suffering from selective amnesia – he “can’t recall” what advice he received – whereas Sunak argues that “Israel has both the intention and the ability to comply with international humanitarian law.” Israel has the ability to comply, but they evidently don’t have the intention of doing so!

Netenyahu has admitted that the IDF killed the aid workers but denies that it was intentional. The Biden administration is apparently willing to his accept his assurance without question while dismissing UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s judgement that Israel is committing genocide – which goes further than the ICJ judgement that the allegation was “plausible”. There are good reasons for disbelieving Netanyahu (apart from the fact that he’s a proven liar):

• The group’s movements had been co-ordinated with the IDF in advance.
• The cars were clearly marked.
• The cars were travelling at a some distance apart so it required three missiles to destroy them.

One strike can be attributed to a mistake, a second to carelessness, the third to malicious intent.

I’ve found a lot more to say than I anticipated when I started writing, so I’ll be fairly brief about the other ball in the long grass. This concerns Julian Assange’s appeal against extradition to the US. This podcast by Caitlin Johnstone states eloquently the relationship between the two cases.

Assange, Gaza, And The Ugly Reality Of War Crimes https://youtu.be/q0YgNLAikdY?si=k0Ec90UvweCQRMAN

I’ve no doubt that the two cases are related, the US government has made it clear that it doesn’t want its own war crimes made public any more than Israel does, and it will go to any lengths to stop him – not excluding kidnapping and assassination! Julian is not permitted to use this as an argument in his appeal on the ludicrous grounds that the USA won’t need to kidnap him if he’s extradited 🙄

Julian has been granted leave to appeal on limited grounds but that’s merely prolonging his agony as he’s still incarcerated in Belmarsh in conditions that a UN rapporteur has judged to qualify as torture. I’ve frequently stated my opinion that it would suit the US government if Julian were to die in Belmarsh and they can wash their hands like Pontus Pilate. Craig Murray’s analysis of this latest appeal is exemplary as usual.

The Assange Hearing Permission Appeal Judgment: Mad and Bad https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2024/03/the-assange-hearing-permission-appeal-judgment-mad-and-bad/

The main point is that the court is seeking certain assurances from the US government that aren’t worth the paper they’re written on!

• That, as an Australian citizen, he will not be denied the protection of the 1st Amendment.
• He will not be subjected to the death penalty

Craig points out that the US government does not have the authority to offer such assurances, it’s up to the US courts once he’s been extradited. How can we trust that he’ll get a fair hearing in the US courts when he hasn’t had one here?

If these assurances aren’t received by the deadline, it will mean going to a full appeal – which will only be heard on these two points! If they are offered, Julian could be on a plane to the USA before he has time to appeal to the ECHR.

The final word should go to Stella Assange as she calls for Julian’s freedom outside the Royal Courts of Justice https://youtu.be/zG9DsvvwdR4?si=YfLqkE5v6Nk5-XHI