Zionist Fascism 55

JULY 16, 2014

Dear , The world seems on the brink of a number of wars. The civil war in Ukraine threatens to escalate into a cross-border conflict with Russia. The civil war in Syria and the sectarian violence in Iraq have the potential to radically redraw the borders of the Middle East. And then there are the renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The latest ceasefire deal has collapsed, and the Israeli government has announced its intention to intensify its military campaign against Hamas. "Netanyahu still believes that he can bomb Gazans into changing their underlying interests," I write in this week's World Beat column on Mowing the Lawn in Gaza. "The real question is: how long will the Obama administration persist in supporting this delusion?"  This week we also feature a poem by Najwan Darwish: Sleeping in Gaza. And in our Focal Points blog, Russ Wellen discusses the reasons Hamas launches rockets from civilian areas. Elsewhere in Foreign Policy In Focus, columnist Walden Bello does a post-mortem on the World Cup with a focus on corruption. Glenn Smith looks at the relationship between youth movements in Taiwan and Hong Kong. And Richard Schiffman examines the growth of clean-energy technologiesin the Caribbean. John Feffer Co-director, Foreign Policy In Focus

World Beat “Mowing the Lawn” in Gaza John Feffer Israel’s latest bombing campaign in Gaza has already left nearly 200 Palestinians dead. Roughly 70 percent are civilians; more than 30 of the victims are children. Israeli bombs have fallen on houses, apartment buildings, a disability center, a café. Foreigners have even volunteered to be human shields at a hospital that has already been struck twice. The Israeli Defense Forces maintain that they warn residents of a building beforehand of a strike, but this practice is inconsistent. The casualty rates are grotesquely asymmetrical. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system has reduced the number of casualties on the Israeli side to a single death so far. Gazans have fled by the thousands to the southern part of the territory while Israelis have set up plastic chairs on a mountain overlook to watch the bombs explode in Gaza as if they were fireworks. Read more…

FPIF Features On China’s Doorstep, Youth Movements Are Flourishing Glenn Smith Young activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan are increasingly combining their efforts to protect local autonomy and democracy. America: Where the “Good Guys” Torture Rebecca Gordon In a twisted new world, the all-American heroes wield the pliers and waterboards. Poem: Sleeping in Gaza Najwan Darwish A poem for Gaza. The Caribbean: A Clean Energy Revolution on the Front Lines of Climate Change Richard Schiffman Clean energy technologies are making headway throughout the Caribbean—and the U.S. should take note. What the World Cup Can Teach Progressives About Corruption Walden Bello Fighting corruption is a proven means to reduce inequality. But the issue has often been co-opted by elites looking to do just the opposite.

Focal Points Blog Why Exactly Does Hamas Launch Rockets From Civilian Areas? Russ Wellen Its deterrent effect is lost on the Israel Defense Force. Remembering Srebrenica Sufyan bin Uzayr Nearly 8,000 Muslims were massacred in Srebrenica between July 11 and 13, 1995. What Did the Flesh-and-Blood Christ Really Believe? Russ Wellen The New Testament is like the PG-13 version of the life and teachings of the historical Jesus. Rescuing Polish Liberalism John Feffer A new generation of Polish progressives seeks to rescue liberalism from popular misconceptions. Sarkozy Plying a Judge for Info May Be Least of His Crimes Russ Wellen Did Sarkozy accept campaign funds from Muammar Gaddafi—and worse?

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