Sunday, January 28: This Stains All of Us
This article features the reflections of five Palestinian writers living in the United States on the state of Palestinian life today. The violence is taking place thousands of miles away, but there remains a remarkable and terrifying intimacy to it. As the ethnic cleansing continues with no end in sight, it’s crucial we take time to read, listen and learn from the people who have experienced and lived this for generations.
Meanwhile, the prime minister of the genocidal apartheid state openly criticized the families of Israeli hostages today, claiming bizarrely that their protests somehow strengthen Hamas. The brainless genocidaire sat in a room full of hostage families and blamed them for their suffering, which is certainly an audacious approach. It’s become the knee-jerk reaction for any defenders of the genocide, that somehow the UN or South Africa or the families of Israeli citizens are somehow in cahoots with Hamas.
This recent statement from the commissioner general of UNRWA illustrates his shock at the suspension of funding for the humanitarian organization by several western nations. Keep in mind 2 million+ people depend on UNRWA and organizations like it as a lifeline in Gaza. To suspend the funding at all is a clear indication that Palestinian life isn’t worth protecting in the eyes of western governments.
Even if you choose to believe the absurd allegations Israel claims about a few Palestinian UN workers, to also believe that aid to all Palestinians should be defunded is a complete failure of humanity (not to mention basic propaganda literacy). Choosing to defund organizations like UNRWA in the middle of the endless carnage we’re currently witnessing most definitely constitutes western "complicity" in this genocide. The decision to defund UNRWA can really only be interpreted as political leverage against the Palestinian national body, yet another form of collective punishment.
Side Items
Stolen Ukrainian Millions: According to the Ukrainian security service, workers for a large arms firm conspired with national defense ministry officials and embezzled nearly $40 million that was meant to buy 100,000 mortar shells in their ongoing war with Russia. Five people have been charged so far, with one caught while trying to cross the Ukrainian border. If they’re found guilty, they face up to 12 years in prison
Sweet Feet: A statue of baseball and civil rights legend Jackie Robinson was stolen from a park in Wichita, KS, with the thieves leaving just the feet of the statue behind. Surveillance video footage was released of two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark on Thursday night. What exactly does one do with a full-size statue of Jackie Robinson? If you have to ask my friends, you probably can’t afford to steal one