We reached 88,000 Palestinian civilian casualties (29,700 killed and 57,800
injured) in Gaza: that is 3.5% of the population of 2.3 million. That is
equivalent to killing 12.5 million US citizens. And 70% of residential
buildings destroyed!!! If that is not genocide/holocaust, we do not know
what is genocide. On Eastern Orthodox Christmas eve (Saturday 6 January),
we still held our weekly briefing on Gaza (69 attended). Since it is three
months since the carpet bombing of Gaza started, I decided to focus less on
analysis and focus on the people of Gaza. 88,000 casualties and 1.9 million
homeless are not numbers; they are/were great people with dreams, and life.
So I selected few pictures and stories (not seen in Western Media) enough
for a half hour presentation and the latter part of it is also inspiring
stories of Gaza. But it was very emotional and twice I could barely speak.

When Trump’s Fascist-leaning, Anti-democratic Collage of Corporatist Multibillionaires, White Supremacists, World Economic Forum Tycoons, Washington DC Insiders, Christian Dominionists, War-Mongering Militarists, Holocaust Deniers and Climate Change Deniers Try to Impose Their Will on the Voters Who Did Not Technically Vote for Fascism

“We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” — H. L. Mencken (Baltimore Sun 26 July 1920)

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” – Voltaire

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished – unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.” — Voltaire

On November 18th, 2023 in Oxford, Ohio, 20-year-old Devin Johnson, a student at Miami University, was arrested and charged with assault, resisting arrest, underage drinking and criminal trespassing. After the arrest the Oxford Police Department claimed it was investigating the use of force, while immediately affirming the use of force was certainly justified. This false narrative immediately planted by the Oxford police department could not be further from the truth.

In recently released videos from the patio, you see the true version of events. Not only is there a stark contrast from the aggressor the department has painted Devin Johnson as, but you also see there was no need for the use of force he received. While being held on the ground by multiple people, Oxford officer Matthew Blauvelt almost immediately began punching Devin as he was held down by other officers. 

This article was written shortly before Israel assassinated the Deputy Head of Hamas Political Bureau Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut on January 2. The assassination is a further illustration of the Israeli government's desire to escape the consequences of its disastrous war in Gaza, by igniting a regional conflict. 

The clashes between Hezbollah and Israel are the closest to an actual war that the Lebanon-Israel border has seen since the war of 2006, which resulted in a rushed Israeli retreat, if not outright defeat. 

 We often refer to the ongoing conflict between Lebanon and Israel as ‘controlled’ clashes, simply because both sides are keen not to instigate or engage in an all-out war. 

Obviously, Hezbollah wants to preserve Lebanese lives and civilian infrastructure, which would surely be seriously damaged, if not destroyed, should Israel decide to launch a war.