JOHNSTONE

Former Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz has a new op-ed in The New York Times where he explicitly states that opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state is "the heart" of a national consensus among Israelis across the mainstream political spectrum, and that this isn't an obstacle that will go away once Netanyahu is out of power. Reading by Tim Foley.

The Israelis will literally launch drone strikes on activist boats for trying to bring formula to starving babies and then turn around and say the world hates them because of their religion. Reading by Tim Foley.

Westerner: I support a two-state solution. Israel: There will never be a Palestinian state. Westerner: Okay then I support a one-state solution where everyone has equal rights. Israel: You're calling for an end to the Jewish state you monster. Westerner: Alright then I support the Palestinian resistance. Israel: That's supporting terrorism. You are Hamas and we can legally murder you. Westerner: Well can I at least support a permanent ceasefire to end the genocide? Israel: [cocks pistol] What did I just tell you about supporting Hamas? Westerner: Okay then, I support Palestinians living as a permanent underclass until they can be slowly salami sliced out of existence as a people. Israel: Getting warmer. Westerner: I support removing all Palestinians from their historic homeland via ethnic cleansing or extermination before the end of Donald Trump's presidential term. Israel: [puts away gun] That's more like it. Reading by Tim Foley.

Imagine there was a violent cult that used scriptures from an ancient religion to convince its followers to do evil things. Imagine the cult was given its own state. Imagine the cult was given machine guns, tanks and war planes. Imagine the cult obtained nuclear weapons. Imagine the cult started committing genocide against the indigenous people who'd been living in the area where the cult's state was established. Reading by Tim Foley.

This is like repeatedly going out in public to yell “I did not have a sex dream about my cousin!” so that nobody thinks you had a sex dream about your cousin. Reading by Tim Foley.

Dude goes two years refusing to call a genocide a genocide, then issues a statement which begins by placing blame for the genocide on the victims of said genocide. Reading by Tim Foley.

It’s amazing how aggressively free speech in the United States is being torn apart in the wake of the Charlie Kirk killing. Jimmy Kimmel was fired after President Trump’s FCC threatened ABC when the late night comic suggested that Kirk’s killer was a Trumper. I personally dislike Kimmel, but this is about as naked a government assault on free expression as you could possibly imagine. Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been ordered deported to Syria or Algeria after the Trump administration targeted him for political speech critical of Israel. Trump has brokered a deal allowing TikTok to be purchased by a consortium that includes his billionaire buddies Larry Ellison and Marc Andreesen. US officials have acknowledged that Washington’s push to grab control of TikTok was because of the opposition to the Gaza holocaust that was circulating on the platform. Reading by Tim Foley.

The list of humanitarian institutions who accuse Israel of genocide now includes: 1. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory 2. The International Association of Genocide Scholars 3. B'Tselem (an Israeli organization) 4. Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (another Israeli organization) 5. Amnesty International 6. Doctors Without Borders 7. The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights 8. Human Rights Watch 9. The International Federation for Human Rights 10. The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention The list of humanitarian institutions who say Israel is NOT committing genocide in Gaza includes: 1. Nobody 2. No one 3. Zero 4. Nothing 5. Nada 6. Zilch 7. Sweet damn all 8. A complete absence 9. Diddly squat 10. Bupkis Reading by Tim Foley.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi just said on a podcast that "hate speech" directed at conservatives was responsible for Charlie Kirk's assassination, and that people responsible for such speech will be prosecuted by the Trump administration. Reading by Tim Foley.

"Hacks" costar Hannah Einbinder said "Free Palestine" during her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress at the Emmys on Sunday. Questioned by the press afterward, Einbinder said she has friends in Gaza, adding, "I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel, because our religion and our culture is such an important and longstanding institution that is really separate to this sort of ethnonationalist state." I've followed Einbinder on Instagram for a long time because she's been one of the few people in Hollywood consistently using their influential voice to oppose this genocide, and it is very good that she said these things. Hopefully we see much more of this. But right now I can't help thinking about how unforgivable it is that all the other Hollywood celebrities haven't been using their platforms at these events to call for an end to the Gaza holocaust this entire time. For two years this nightmare has been normalized in the eyes of the public with the assistance of the vast conspiracy of silence between all the people with the largest and most influential voices in our society. Reading by Tim Foley.