All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Netanyahu’s lethal bombs will turn Lebanon into another Gaza. He must be brought down now | Simon Tisdall | The Guardian

Benjamin Netanyahu must be stopped. The horror unfolding in Lebanon is another crime, to add to all the others. Are Britain, the US, the UN and everyone else who supposedly cares about civilian lives, human rights and international law really going to look away while Israel’s out-of-control prime minister does it again? That shocking prospect beggars belief.

“Again” in this context means Netanyahu turning southern Lebanon, maybe the whole country, into a sort of second Gaza. More than 41,000 Gazan Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died since the 7 October Hamas atrocities. Nearly 500 people were killed by Israeli forces in Lebanon on Monday, including many children. Tens of thousands fled their homes. How many more innocents is this man going to kill before he’s out of office?

Netanyahu says this latest massacre is necessary to “restore the security balance”. But it’s Netanyahu himself who is unbalanced. With his peremptory order to south Lebanon residents – citizens of a sovereign country – to evacuate immediately, he signalled that Israel’s unprecedented air attacks will intensify further. A military ground incursion may follow.

That didn’t work in 2006 and it won’t now. Netanyahu’s “strategy”, as always, is self-defeating. Despite 1,300 Israeli strikes on Monday, Hezbollah is firing more rockets than before into Israel, and extending their range. Displaced Israeli residents cannot safely return – ostensibly his primary aim. Violence begets violence. It does not bring security, just more hatred and vengeance.

As usual, Netanyahu is sending mixed messages. What to believe? He claims the operation has a limited overall purpose: to degrade Hezbollah and push it away from the border, north of the Litani river. He claims to care about Lebanese civilians, just as he claims to care about Israeli hostages held by Hamas since 7 October – many of whom have since perished miserably.

But in truth, having failed dismally in his delusional objective of destroying Hamas, Netanyahu is deliberately creating a second front by escalating the confrontation with Hezbollah – exactly what US diplomats have spent months trying to prevent. Last week’s pager and walkie-talkie attacks and assassinations of key commanders were the prelude. Bottom line: only “forever war” keeps him in office and in power.

Najib Mikati, Lebanon’s prime minister, is in no doubt: Netanyahu must be stopped. “Continuing Israeli aggression on Lebanon is a war of extermination in every sense of the word,” he said. He appealed to the UN security council, general assembly and “influential countries” to act to prevent widening carnage.

Source: Netanyahu’s lethal bombs will turn Lebanon into another Gaza. He must be brought down now | Simon Tisdall | The Guardian

Setting the record straight on Winnifred Beach – Petchary’s Blog

The Free Winnifred Beach Benevolent Society (FWBBS) would like to address the inaccuracies in the recent article by Everard Owen, published in the Jamaica Observer on September 17, 2024.
Link to the article: Health official concerned about sanitation at Winnifred Beach – Jamaica Observer

Contrary to the article’s claims, the local community of Fairy Hill has not rejected proposals for improving Winnifred Beach. In fact, during a public meeting held in March 2022 with over 100 attendees, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) publicly asked for our input. We submitted a comprehensive list of ideas, including rainwater collection systems, solar energy, and a parking area, which had already been shared over four years ago, alongside professional architectural plans for beach improvements. No actual plans have been presented to FWBBS by either TEF or the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) for discussion.

Unfortunately, despite several follow-up attempts, no official communication has been received from TEF since that meeting.  Dr. Wallace, representing TEF, informed us that the Winnifred project is not currently a priority, leaving us still awaiting further discussions. Our community is eager to collaborate, and video evidence of the meeting is available on our website to clarify the situation.

The portrayal of the Free Winnifred Benevolent Society as an obstacle to development is both false and misleading.  We have consistently maintained an open line of communication and expressed our willingness to engage in dialogue for the benefit of the beach and the community.
Additionally, we personally contacted Mr. Hume and Dr. Wallace, neither of whom stated that the community had rejected any improvement projects.

We also wish to clarify that the UDC does not operate Winnifred Beach.  For the past 15 years, the FWBBS has independently covered all operational expenses, including beach cleaning, garbage collection, and bathroom maintenance.  UDC may hold the title to the land, but it is the community, through the Benevolent Society, that manages its upkeep.

In response to concerns raised by Mr. Hume about sanitation standards, we are committed to ensuring compliance. While many vendors have already improved their facilities, we encourage those who have not yet done so to make necessary adjustments or face closure. The bathroom facilities, in particular, are regularly maintained, with water available and recent roof repairs completed. We have repeatedly requested to relocate the bathrooms, and a private foundation even offered funding for new facilities.  However, this was blocked by UDC in favor of their own project, which remains pending after four years.

Despite these challenges, we continue to operate Winnifred Beach as a beautiful and peaceful haven, beloved by both locals and tourists. We remain hopeful that TEF and UDC will fulfill their commitments and engage with the community to ensure the beach’s sustainable development.

Sincerely,

Nino Sciuto
Chairman
Free Winnifred Beach Benevolent Society
www.free-winnifred.com
info@free-winnifred.com

Source: Setting the record straight on Winnifred Beach – Petchary’s Blog

US Supreme Court justices, other judges can stay at corporate-owned homes without disclosure | Reuters

“They might as well call it the Clarence Thomas exemption,” said Donald Sherman, chief counsel at the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), of the amended policy.

Source: US Supreme Court justices, other judges can stay at corporate-owned homes without disclosure | Reuters

Haitian group in Springfield, Ohio, files charges against Trump, Vance | AP News

The leader of a nonprofit representing the Haitian community invoked a private-citizen right to file charges against former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, over the chaos and threats experienced by Springfield, Ohio, since Trump first spread false claims about legal immigrants
— Read on apnews.com/article/haitian-immigrants-springfield-charges-trump-vance-012af00a8677da5caed55d03e8779774