The US secretary of state Antony Blinken (aka Señor Blink Blinks) arrived in a ~turbulent~ Jerusalem today, as Biden and his bros try to get a handle on things and figure out how they’re gonna continue to ignore Palestinians completely and navigate relations with Israel’s new fascist apartheid regime. Much like Hungary and Italy and Egypt and elsewhere, America is once again negotiating dealbreakers with authoritarians and dictators.
Upon landing in Israel, Señor Jar Jar Blink Blinks gave a statement saying he’d arrived “at a pivotal” moment. He of course went on to condemn and offer sympathy for the victims of shootings last week in Jerusalem, saying an attack outside a synagogue was “especially shocking” for having occurred by a place of worship. Predictably, he avoided mentioning that the synagogue was located on illegally occupied land or certainly any mention of the dozens of Palestinian lives lost in the past weeks.
Speaking at a conference in December, Blink Blinks professed his love and undying support for the apartheid state, saying America’s “ironclad commitment to Israel’s security has never been stronger than it is today.” His visit also comes as an Iranian military facility was targeted by a drone attack that intelligence officials said was the work of Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.
Side Items
Give an Inch: Just when you think we’ve provided Ukraine with ample weaponry and support, now they’re asking for fighter jets and for western allies to speed up weapons deliveries. For some people, it truly is never enough
Tragedies in Pakistan: A bus in southwestern Pakistan fell into a ravine and caught on fire, killing at least 40 people aboard, according to government officials. The bus was traveling overnight from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, to the port city of Karachi when it crashed into a pillar of a bridge and fell into the ravine, possibly as a result of the driver falling asleep. Elsewhere, a suicide attack at a mosque in the city of Peshawar resulted in at least 34 deaths and more than 150 injuries, as the Taliban claimed responsibility
Another Liverpool Letdown: In a season filled with disappointing performances, Liverpool kept the ball rolling yesterday, losing to Brighton (once again) 2-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Liverpool were last year’s winners, but whether due to squad injuries, lack of spending, or poor game planning, the Reds find themselves ninth in the league and on the cusp of going trophyless this season. Sad times