Tuesday, May 9: Operation Shield & Arrow
Apartheid warplanes are dropping bombs on densely populated neighborhoods again
Israel has carried out a series of military airstrikes on Gaza, killing at least 13 people, including three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, with Palestinian authorities saying women and at least four children were among the dead. The Palestinian Ministry of Health declared that at least 20 others were injured in the pre-dawn strikes in which more than 40 Israeli warplanes carried out attacks for nearly two hours starting at 2am.
Explosions targeting residential apartments were heard in different parts of Gaza, which, as a reminder, is still an open-air prison with no space to escape. Most of the civilian victims were family members of the PIJ leaders, and civilians around the apartments were also targeted. The three leaders were killed along with their wives and several children, the group said in a statement which did not give details on the number of women and children killed or their ages.
In anticipation of rocket fire being returned from Gaza, the Israeli military advised residents of Israeli communities within 25 miles of Gaza to stay close to designated bomb shelters. Israel’s Home Front command also ordered the closure of schools, beaches and highways in cities and towns in southern Israel, and limited public gatherings. Must be nice, being able to prepare and retreat to a safe shelter when bombs are falling from the sky. Meanwhile, Palestinians see these warplanes and feel these bombs while understanding that there will be no safe refuge from the weapons of apartheid.
Side Items
Canadian Wildfires: More than 100 wildland fires have burned nearly a million acres in a week across Western Canada, forcing tens of thousands of people in Alberta and British Columbia to evacuate. The fires have destroyed homes and produced chimneys of smoke that reached into the upper troposphere. Not great news
Another Messi Divorce: The greatest soccer player of the modern era is stuck between a rock and a French place as he weighs his future options. Lionel Messi, currently a member of PSG’s star-studded squad, will be a free agent this summer, and it looks like Saudi Arabia is preparing to drop a bloodstained bag for his services. Messi stepped away from his teammates in France last week for a somewhat spontaneous trip to Saudi Arabia, which has led to a controversial suspension by PSG for his unauthorized absence. It has also re-ignited talks that he might play in the Middle Eastern country if he leaves Paris as expected. One French media report claimed Messi has agreed to a massive deal with an unnamed Saudi club worth at least 500 million euros ($548 million). Turns out loyalty is worthless
Mattress Firm Sale: The money-laundering/mattress displaying front Mattress Firm has been acquired by another bedding provider, Tempur Sealy, in a cash-and stock-transaction valued at about $4 billion. Mattress Firm operates more than 2,300 brick-and-mortar retail locations as well as an e-commerce platform. In all my years, I’ve never seen a single person buy anything from Mattress Firm, contributing to my staunchly-held belief that they’re selling the bodies of children, not mattresses. Honestly, where is Q-Anon when you need him?