Employees are petitioning the tech company to stop matching contributions to groups with an active role in the occupation, including one that provides support to the Israeli military.
Zionism/Israel has been an immoral, illegal, racist white supremacy and since 1947, murderous/genocidal enterprise, the current genocidal magnitude of which requires its end.
I partially disagree, Mr Slavick. In my opinion, the Jews needed a safe home, particularly after WWII. A number of places were considered, and part of Palestine was chosen (by the world community, under heavy lobbying by Theodor Hertzl). This was complicated, because Palestine was not barren, and there were many Palestinians, possibly most of them nomads, there. One million of them were displaced to carve out Israel for the Jews. If Zionism means a safe home country for a group that had been victimized over the course of millennia, I have no complaint about Zionism. The Palestinians were given the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. That, too, would have been workable. The problem was that the Israelis, under all of their governments, wanted the land the Palestinians had, created illegal settlements, and attacked Palestinians. So I don't agree with you that Zionism itself is immoral and illegal, but I do agree with you that Israel, and all of its governments, in refusing to confront and stop the illegal settlements and attacks, is immoral and illegal. And I agree with you that Israel has been murderous and genocidal, more so now under the murderous, genocidal, and criminal Netanyahu, who is trying to distract the Israeli people and government, who would otherwise have put his ass in the slammer for his other illegal behaviors.
This does, as you say, require an end, and Joy in HK specifies part of that end: an IMMEDIATE ceasefire. She says Pope Francis thinks one is necessary, and Biden, who is Catholic, doesn't appear to agree with his Pope. I'm not Catholic, and I wasn't aware that Catholics were permitted to disagree with their Pope, who they think is somehow, by some coincidence, divinely selected. But, as I said, what do I know?
You cannot mention the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1947-48 and after uncritically. They massacred, murdered, threatened, stole AS IF PALESTINIANS HAD NO CLAIM TO HUMAN DIGNITY, EVEN TO LIFE, INCLUDING IN THE WEST BANK, EAST JERUSALEM, AND GAZA STRIP. BILL SLAVICK
Completely understood, and agreed. The Jews could have been given Israel, and stayed out of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and not massacred anyone. They got what they needed. But the problem was the Israeli governments that were supposed to restrain their own citizens, and didn't.
Although I don't deny the trauma that the Jewish people have been through, I push back on the notion for the need of a "safe home", more specifically, their own ethnostate. Jews have fled from European antisemitism for centuries and found safe homes (without separatist agendas). China, Africa, Latin America, and let us not forget, Palestine. And I am not talking about early to middle 20th century. The Ottoman empire, that ruled over Palestine during the Spanish inquisition, helped around 400,000 Jews escape inquisition and brought them to Palestine.
There's an unfortunate incongruity in the language we use. I think when William uses the term "zionism" he means the establishment and furtherance of the military colony that hides behind the Star of David. Much like you said, there is no defending the actions and policies of that colony. If we use the term to mean a pursuance of safety for the Jewish people, I think we all agree that is a good thing--although again, I don't think a stand-alone state should be necessary.
Yes, to ceasefire. But that outcome is in Biden and Netanyahu's hands.
SAM, my apologies. I was unaware of the times and areas of protection you list. Regarding the Ottoman Empire, it's quite true that the Muslims were good to the Jews until they felt invaded, and the Jews weren't good to them.
I meant Zionism in the latter sense you cite.
Ceasefire is up to Biden. Or it was, until Israel stockpiled enough weapons. All Biden had to do was cut them off.
I think states and nationalism are more often problematic than helpful. especially when they are based on identity. and i think that's where a lot of people misunderstand the one state solution. the one state solution isn't to massacre the people of israel. but it is certainly to remove the government structure that has served to divide the Palestinians and the Jews. not to mention all the neighbors. an actually democractic country that treats Jews well and also treats Palestinians well. Unfortunately, at this point some reparations are due to the Palestinian side but even then, I'm getting far ahead of myself. :) And we could get into a discussion about that goal should apply to our own country (presuming you are from the US?).
By the way, SAM, I completely agree with you about states. At this exact moment, we're having the Olympics, which are structured as if they're pitting states against other states. Except in some sports, competitors who come from one state function, train, and live in another state, and it's very unclear what the nationalism is really about. What if they achieve citizenship in the other state. They get to choose which state they claim to represent?
Israeli Jews and Palestinians only had to be divided because the Israeli Jews were unrestrained in their wish for the whole thing, and their unsupported rage at Palestinians. Palestinians needed protection, and that protection would/should have come from their own state(s). Israeli Jews needed protection, too, but they got that from having Israel. Even Hamas leaders will tell you they have nothing against Jews or Israelis. Their complaint is against people who mistreat them and take their land.
Reparations are certainly, in theory due, but what kind and to whom? There's nothing Israelis or Biden can do to bring back to life the 40K (estimated as high as 186K) Palestinians the Israelis have annihilated, plus the aid workers, and the journalists, and the Palestinians who are being starved and deprived of health care, and will die. Certainly, all of their destroyed buildings and infrastructure should be rebuilt for them, settlements removed NOW, and they should be left alone and treated better. The Israelis clearly aren't motivated to do anything for the Palestinians, so who's going to make them?
Yes, I'm a citizen of the US. If you're talking about reparations here, to African Americans, I don't favor them. First, there's not enough money in the world we could give them to compensate them for what they and especially their forebears were put through. Second, if you're familiar with people like lottery winners and professional athletes, then you know that people who do not have a system for handling sudden large amounts of money generally lose it and wind up bankrupt, through lack of perspective, careless generosity to the wrong people, and "investments" in businesses they can't manage or which are scams. The best thing to do is make sure we're well educated about the problem, and stop mistreating them, which we haven't done.
I meant to both African Americans as well as Indigenous Americans. And yes monetary reparations never function as a perfect solution to what was lost, be it land, time, lives, etc whether its here or in Palestine. But its the only means by which our political systems can provide. I think a holistic approach can achieve good results (money along with social systems that can create a path to enduring growth and reestablishment of communities).
Finally, I want to push back one more time on the Jewish people of Palestine "wanting the whole thing". Political zionism is very different from what the Jewish refugees to Palestine, in part or as a whole, want. If you look at the history, plenty of European Jews that emigrated to Palestine were living along side the Palestinians in peace. Political Zionism brought the money and armaments along with the propaganda that motivated the worst among them to begin forcefully displacing and stealing land. This history is the evidence upon which we can support a one-state solution. People are not inherently bad. That is something I truly believe and have seen over and over again. People are often times motivated by the most powerful among us to act badly, to act based on falsehoods and needless fear. This is why most Israeli citizens support the war. I don' think they're mostly bad. I think that when your leaders constantly tell you that everyone is out to get you, that they want to kill you and level your country, you eventually start to believe the lies. People are manipulated by the powerful. In Israel, America, and most everywhere else.
There must be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Pope Francis has said what is needed, now he must do what is needed by going to Gaza and standing for peace, justice and freedom.
Although Gaza is the most urgent issue, there is ample increasing level of settler violence and land confiscation. Here’s a group we can support that is working in the West Bank to support the Palestinians there.
Work on the Ground: Transforming Lives in Israel-Palestine — American Friends of Combatants for Peace
Time to give some thought to boycotting Microsoft. I've played with Linux in the past. I'm going to investigate the present state of Linux and perhaps move all my work off of Microsoft products.
The No Azure for Apartheid Instagram @noazureforapartheid includes more information on Microsoft's support for Israeli genocide. If you're not on IG, you can view it here:
Great work here, Mr. Hussain! Please keep your reportage coming our way. I, for one, would like to see someone do an in-depth investigation of the paper trail and the money trail of the auctions that have been taking place in the USA and Canada (and maybe elsewhere), selling off the very desirable beach-front property of Gaza, out from under its owners. Is it legal in the US to hold public real estate auctions, and restrict the bidding based on religion? I presume it is illegal to attempt to sell what you do not own.
Interesting, didn't know platforms like Benevity existed.
I think it's worth noting that yesterday the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services said that 9 UNRWA staff members "may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023." Reuters noted that there are 13,000 such members in Gaza. So the rate of staff who "may have been involved" was 0.069%. Not sure if that changes Microsoft's decision, but should the terrible actions of 7 one-hundredths of one percent of a workforce drive a delisting!? Sure seems like another utterly disproportionate response led by Israel.
I read that UNRWA was one of largest employers in Gaza. So if you work for the UNRWA, you can’t join in the fight to resist Israel. You called this a terrible action.
Because it was. You might want to read up on the UNRWA's vision and mission. Spoiler alert - participation in armed attacks is not one of its guiding principles.
Armed struggle against a colonial occupier is, according to the U.N., a legally enshrined right of a colonized people. You might want to read up on what actually happened on October 7.
Your article doesn't even mention the United Nations. It only tries to downplay the war crimes committed by Hamas on October 7. Try to stay focused on the contents of the article.
What the article does is explain quite clearly how all the armed factions, not just Hamas, have been engaged in a struggle against a colonial occupier for decades, of which October 7 is just the latest escalation. I think it does more to emphasize Israel’s atrocious existence, the necessary context for that struggle, than bother at all with what international laws Palestinian combatants did or didn't break. (Why look at that in isolation from those broken by Israeli combatants anyway?)
With that context, you can connect the dots yourself—why does UNRWA even exist as a distinct entity from other refugee organizations in the first place? Why would the UN make any resolutions regarding armed struggles?
Zionism/Israel has been an immoral, illegal, racist white supremacy and since 1947, murderous/genocidal enterprise, the current genocidal magnitude of which requires its end.
William H. Slavick, Portland, ME
I partially disagree, Mr Slavick. In my opinion, the Jews needed a safe home, particularly after WWII. A number of places were considered, and part of Palestine was chosen (by the world community, under heavy lobbying by Theodor Hertzl). This was complicated, because Palestine was not barren, and there were many Palestinians, possibly most of them nomads, there. One million of them were displaced to carve out Israel for the Jews. If Zionism means a safe home country for a group that had been victimized over the course of millennia, I have no complaint about Zionism. The Palestinians were given the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. That, too, would have been workable. The problem was that the Israelis, under all of their governments, wanted the land the Palestinians had, created illegal settlements, and attacked Palestinians. So I don't agree with you that Zionism itself is immoral and illegal, but I do agree with you that Israel, and all of its governments, in refusing to confront and stop the illegal settlements and attacks, is immoral and illegal. And I agree with you that Israel has been murderous and genocidal, more so now under the murderous, genocidal, and criminal Netanyahu, who is trying to distract the Israeli people and government, who would otherwise have put his ass in the slammer for his other illegal behaviors.
This does, as you say, require an end, and Joy in HK specifies part of that end: an IMMEDIATE ceasefire. She says Pope Francis thinks one is necessary, and Biden, who is Catholic, doesn't appear to agree with his Pope. I'm not Catholic, and I wasn't aware that Catholics were permitted to disagree with their Pope, who they think is somehow, by some coincidence, divinely selected. But, as I said, what do I know?
You cannot mention the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1947-48 and after uncritically. They massacred, murdered, threatened, stole AS IF PALESTINIANS HAD NO CLAIM TO HUMAN DIGNITY, EVEN TO LIFE, INCLUDING IN THE WEST BANK, EAST JERUSALEM, AND GAZA STRIP. BILL SLAVICK
Completely understood, and agreed. The Jews could have been given Israel, and stayed out of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and not massacred anyone. They got what they needed. But the problem was the Israeli governments that were supposed to restrain their own citizens, and didn't.
Why must the Arabs pay for others’ evil?
Although I don't deny the trauma that the Jewish people have been through, I push back on the notion for the need of a "safe home", more specifically, their own ethnostate. Jews have fled from European antisemitism for centuries and found safe homes (without separatist agendas). China, Africa, Latin America, and let us not forget, Palestine. And I am not talking about early to middle 20th century. The Ottoman empire, that ruled over Palestine during the Spanish inquisition, helped around 400,000 Jews escape inquisition and brought them to Palestine.
There's an unfortunate incongruity in the language we use. I think when William uses the term "zionism" he means the establishment and furtherance of the military colony that hides behind the Star of David. Much like you said, there is no defending the actions and policies of that colony. If we use the term to mean a pursuance of safety for the Jewish people, I think we all agree that is a good thing--although again, I don't think a stand-alone state should be necessary.
Yes, to ceasefire. But that outcome is in Biden and Netanyahu's hands.
SAM, my apologies. I was unaware of the times and areas of protection you list. Regarding the Ottoman Empire, it's quite true that the Muslims were good to the Jews until they felt invaded, and the Jews weren't good to them.
I meant Zionism in the latter sense you cite.
Ceasefire is up to Biden. Or it was, until Israel stockpiled enough weapons. All Biden had to do was cut them off.
I absolutely agree with that.
I think states and nationalism are more often problematic than helpful. especially when they are based on identity. and i think that's where a lot of people misunderstand the one state solution. the one state solution isn't to massacre the people of israel. but it is certainly to remove the government structure that has served to divide the Palestinians and the Jews. not to mention all the neighbors. an actually democractic country that treats Jews well and also treats Palestinians well. Unfortunately, at this point some reparations are due to the Palestinian side but even then, I'm getting far ahead of myself. :) And we could get into a discussion about that goal should apply to our own country (presuming you are from the US?).
By the way, SAM, I completely agree with you about states. At this exact moment, we're having the Olympics, which are structured as if they're pitting states against other states. Except in some sports, competitors who come from one state function, train, and live in another state, and it's very unclear what the nationalism is really about. What if they achieve citizenship in the other state. They get to choose which state they claim to represent?
Israeli Jews and Palestinians only had to be divided because the Israeli Jews were unrestrained in their wish for the whole thing, and their unsupported rage at Palestinians. Palestinians needed protection, and that protection would/should have come from their own state(s). Israeli Jews needed protection, too, but they got that from having Israel. Even Hamas leaders will tell you they have nothing against Jews or Israelis. Their complaint is against people who mistreat them and take their land.
Reparations are certainly, in theory due, but what kind and to whom? There's nothing Israelis or Biden can do to bring back to life the 40K (estimated as high as 186K) Palestinians the Israelis have annihilated, plus the aid workers, and the journalists, and the Palestinians who are being starved and deprived of health care, and will die. Certainly, all of their destroyed buildings and infrastructure should be rebuilt for them, settlements removed NOW, and they should be left alone and treated better. The Israelis clearly aren't motivated to do anything for the Palestinians, so who's going to make them?
Yes, I'm a citizen of the US. If you're talking about reparations here, to African Americans, I don't favor them. First, there's not enough money in the world we could give them to compensate them for what they and especially their forebears were put through. Second, if you're familiar with people like lottery winners and professional athletes, then you know that people who do not have a system for handling sudden large amounts of money generally lose it and wind up bankrupt, through lack of perspective, careless generosity to the wrong people, and "investments" in businesses they can't manage or which are scams. The best thing to do is make sure we're well educated about the problem, and stop mistreating them, which we haven't done.
I meant to both African Americans as well as Indigenous Americans. And yes monetary reparations never function as a perfect solution to what was lost, be it land, time, lives, etc whether its here or in Palestine. But its the only means by which our political systems can provide. I think a holistic approach can achieve good results (money along with social systems that can create a path to enduring growth and reestablishment of communities).
Finally, I want to push back one more time on the Jewish people of Palestine "wanting the whole thing". Political zionism is very different from what the Jewish refugees to Palestine, in part or as a whole, want. If you look at the history, plenty of European Jews that emigrated to Palestine were living along side the Palestinians in peace. Political Zionism brought the money and armaments along with the propaganda that motivated the worst among them to begin forcefully displacing and stealing land. This history is the evidence upon which we can support a one-state solution. People are not inherently bad. That is something I truly believe and have seen over and over again. People are often times motivated by the most powerful among us to act badly, to act based on falsehoods and needless fear. This is why most Israeli citizens support the war. I don' think they're mostly bad. I think that when your leaders constantly tell you that everyone is out to get you, that they want to kill you and level your country, you eventually start to believe the lies. People are manipulated by the powerful. In Israel, America, and most everywhere else.
Important info !
There must be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Pope Francis has said what is needed, now he must do what is needed by going to Gaza and standing for peace, justice and freedom.
Please sign the petition and share widely.
https://chng.it/CRQ7qw4Gzn
Let us also support UNRWA. If our governments won’t act in accordance with humanity, then we will. https://www.unrwausa.org/donate
Also we can all support the brave doctors who have gone to Gaza: https://palestinian-ama.networkforgood.com/projects/206145-gaza-medical-supplies-oct-2023
Or
Surgeons to Gaza
https://fajr.org/donate/
Let us make our donations to honor Aaron Bushnell, or in memory of Hind Rajab.
Here’s a petition to excommunicate Joe Biden: https://www.change.org/p/excommunicate-president-joe-biden-bf979783-ac08-4576-a53f-c786ea23dc9c
These are a few small things we can do. If we can do more, let us do more.
Although Gaza is the most urgent issue, there is ample increasing level of settler violence and land confiscation. Here’s a group we can support that is working in the West Bank to support the Palestinians there.
Work on the Ground: Transforming Lives in Israel-Palestine — American Friends of Combatants for Peace
https://www.afcfp.org
Time to give some thought to boycotting Microsoft. I've played with Linux in the past. I'm going to investigate the present state of Linux and perhaps move all my work off of Microsoft products.
Doesn’t do anything unless you follow up with a letter and post on all the media you can.
I like it. Thanks.
The No Azure for Apartheid Instagram @noazureforapartheid includes more information on Microsoft's support for Israeli genocide. If you're not on IG, you can view it here:
https://imginn.com/noazureforapartheid/
Microsoft also has billions of dollars in contracts with the u.s. military & deportation regime.
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2022/12/08/microsoft-continues-commitment-to-us-department-of-defense-with-jwcc-selection/
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/demonstrators-arrested-protesting-amazon-microsoft-ice-associations
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/13/23871859/us-army-microsoft-ivas-ar-goggles-success-new-contract-hololens
Great work here, Mr. Hussain! Please keep your reportage coming our way. I, for one, would like to see someone do an in-depth investigation of the paper trail and the money trail of the auctions that have been taking place in the USA and Canada (and maybe elsewhere), selling off the very desirable beach-front property of Gaza, out from under its owners. Is it legal in the US to hold public real estate auctions, and restrict the bidding based on religion? I presume it is illegal to attempt to sell what you do not own.
Interesting, didn't know platforms like Benevity existed.
I think it's worth noting that yesterday the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services said that 9 UNRWA staff members "may have been involved in the armed attacks of 7 October 2023." Reuters noted that there are 13,000 such members in Gaza. So the rate of staff who "may have been involved" was 0.069%. Not sure if that changes Microsoft's decision, but should the terrible actions of 7 one-hundredths of one percent of a workforce drive a delisting!? Sure seems like another utterly disproportionate response led by Israel.
I read that UNRWA was one of largest employers in Gaza. So if you work for the UNRWA, you can’t join in the fight to resist Israel. You called this a terrible action.
Yes, I did call that a terrible action.
Because it was. You might want to read up on the UNRWA's vision and mission. Spoiler alert - participation in armed attacks is not one of its guiding principles.
Armed struggle against a colonial occupier is, according to the U.N., a legally enshrined right of a colonized people. You might want to read up on what actually happened on October 7.
https://brooklynrail.org/2024/05/field-notes/The-Gaza-Ghetto-Uprising
Your article doesn't even mention the United Nations. It only tries to downplay the war crimes committed by Hamas on October 7. Try to stay focused on the contents of the article.
What the article does is explain quite clearly how all the armed factions, not just Hamas, have been engaged in a struggle against a colonial occupier for decades, of which October 7 is just the latest escalation. I think it does more to emphasize Israel’s atrocious existence, the necessary context for that struggle, than bother at all with what international laws Palestinian combatants did or didn't break. (Why look at that in isolation from those broken by Israeli combatants anyway?)
With that context, you can connect the dots yourself—why does UNRWA even exist as a distinct entity from other refugee organizations in the first place? Why would the UN make any resolutions regarding armed struggles?
I have always felt that Bill Gates has had a warped sense of giving to humanity... He gives to things that gives to him.