US senator filibusters live coverage of powerful Palestinian testimonies 5 Aug 2014 On Friday, fifteen-year-old Tariq Abukhdeir spoke at a hearing on Capitol Hill about the brutal beating he endured at the hands of Israeli police in early July….The purpose of the hearing was to address Israeli impunity and US complicity in crimes against Palestinians. Tariq was one of six panelists to address the room, which was overflowing with congressional staffers…But just as Tariq started to detail the Israeli beating that left him unconscious and unrecognizable, C-SPAN2, which was broadcasting the hearing live, cut to the Senate floor.
Must see video: Irish senator condemns Gaza massacre, “Nazi talk” by Israelis 6 Aug 2014 Irish senator and former presidential candidate David Norris made a powerful speech on 31 July condemning Israel’s massacre in Gaza and the complicity of American, Irish and other European governments. Norris called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador. The eight-minute speech can be seen in the video here.
UK protest group ‘shuts down’ factory for supplying Israel arms 5 Aug 2014 A group of pro-Palestine activists have allegedly shut down operations in a Staffordshire factory that they say supplies arms to Israel…Around 10 activists from the London Palestine Action Group have taken to the roof of Elbit systems, an Israeli company with a subsidiary based in Shenstone, near Birmingham…According to the LPAG, Elbit systems is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of unmanned aerial drones, which many suspect the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have used in their ongoing offensive in Gaza.
‘ Help Israel avoid war crimes charges,’ Netanyahu urges US lawmakers 7 Aug 2014 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appealed to American legislators to help Israel stave off what is likely to be a concerted global push to haul the country’s military and political leaders to international courts for alleged [actual] war crimes committed in Gaza, The New York Post is reporting on Thursday.
Lest we forget (historical): UN: Palestinian children tortured, used as human shields by Israel 20 June 2013 New UN human rights agency report claims Israeli forces arbitrarily arrest Palestinian children in Gaza and West Bank, subject them to degrading treatment, exploit them to scope out potentially dangerous buildings and use them as shields to deter stone throwers.
Google Play’s ‘Bomb Gaza’ Game Lets You Kill Palestinian Women and Children 4 Aug 2014 As the death toll continues to rise in Gaza on the heels of an expired cease-fire, Android’s official app store, Google Play is currently offering a game called “Bomb Gaza,” where users are encouraged to drop missiles on the region to destroy “terrorists.” Bomb Gaza is just another one of numerous insensitive games available on Android’s official app store, including “Gaza Assault” and “Whack the Hamas”. Since when has celebrating one of the most tragic conflicts become the perfect theme for a video game? [Update: Responding to public outrage, the ‘app’ was removed. Too bad the *actual* bombing of Gaza isn’t ‘removed.’ –LRP]
Official: Israel to allow Gaza rebuilding in exchange for disarmament 5 Aug 2014 Israel is willing to agree to the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip in exchange for the disarmament of militant groups there, an official said Tuesday…Ofer Gendelman told Ma’an that the Israeli government linked the rebuilding of Gaza with disarming factions in the coastal enclave.