“Bismillaahir-rahmaanir raheem”
(In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful)
Watermelon Wednesday is a weekly brief shared with our elected officials to ensure they are aware of Israel’s aggression, the Palestinian experience, and our country’s complicity in this genocide and international war crimes.
TL;DR:
- While discussing a ceasefire with Iran, Israel kills >250 Gazans, many near aid sites, and 4 in the West Bank. Israeli soldiers were “ordered” to deliberately shoot aid seekers.
- The US government played a key role in the Israel-Iran conflict, easily requesting Israel to continue or stop aggression.
- The economic impact of the Israel-Iran war ripple into the US, affecting oil and stock prices.
- The Trump administration faces pushback over military decisions, with contradictory intelligence reports. Islamaphobic tensions rise in the US.
Takeaways:
- America is funding Israel’s genocide, which isn’t letting up, even regarding aid.
- Our government can directly influence events and peace overseas, which directly impacts our economy at home.
- There is pushback at the federal level against Trump’s impulsive militarism.
As your constituents we expect your work to:
- Publicly condemn Israeli war crimes.
- Support bills that combat Trump’s unchecked militarism.
- Divest from Israel and Israel-supporting businesses.
Death Despite Diplomacy
- Even as Israel’s government works with foreign actors, it exacerbates its crimes closer to itself.
- Israel’s atrocities continue in Gaza, with many killed near aid sites.
- 6/23 – >43 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/24 – >86 Gazans killed, as Israel agreed to a ceasefire with Iran. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/25 – >78 Gazans killed, even as Trump said “great progress” was made to bring an end to the war. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/26 – >62 Gazans killed. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/23 – “Deliberate denial of energy access undermines fundamental human needs” in Gaza, says Norwegian Refugee Council. [NRC]
- 6/24 – UN: “Weaponisation” of food for civilians in Gaza constitutes a war crime. [OHCHR]
- 6/26 – Israel stopped aid from entering northern Gaza. [NBC]
- 6/26 – UN: preventable diseases in Gaza are rising and killing civilians due to lack of medicine and clean water. [UN]
- 6/27 – >684,000 displaced since March 18th, 1.9M since 10/7/23; >56,156 Gazans killed, 132,239 injured, since 10/7/23. [UNRWA]
- Israel’s atrocities continue in Gaza, with many killed near aid sites.
- Israeli soldiers are “ordered” to deliberately shoot aid seekers in Gaza, as they aid a raid in the West Bank.
- 6/25 – Israeli military’s deadliest day since March, with 7 soldiers killed. Israel continues to kill hundreds of Palestinans every week. [Reuters]
- 6/25 – Videos show racism from Israelis against people of color and non-Jewish residents over access to bomb shelters. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/25 – >4 Palestinians killed, 7 wounded, in attack by Israeli settlers and military on Kafr Malik, Palestinian West Bank. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/27 – Israeli soldiers have been “ordered” to deliberately shoot unarmed aid seekers in Gaza. [Haaretz]
- 6/27 – 949 Palestinians killed in West Bank since 10/7. [UNRWA]
Israeli soldiers were “ordered” to deliberately shoot aid-seekers. [Reuters]
Influence, Intervention, Instability
- America’s influence on the Middle East shows as tensions cool.
- 6/22 – The US struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites. [Reuters]
- 6/24 – Israel agreed to a ceasefire proposal, after it achieved its goal of removing Iran’s nuclear threat. [Reuters]
- 6/24 – Trump sharply rebuked Israel for its military response following a ceasefire deal. [Reuters]
- 6/24 – Israel said it refrained from further attacks at Trump’s request, revealing the US’s influence on aggression overseas. [Reuters]
- 6/27 – Israeli airstrikes battered southern Lebanon. [Washington Post]
- The world cries out for peace, and the shockwaves of the war affect the economy in the US.
- 6/22 – Oil prices rise by about $4/barrel. [Reuters]
- 6/23 – UN: some of Israel’s strikes on Iran may have broken international humanitarian law. [Reuters]
- The following countries have called for peace with Iran, some outright condemning Trump.
- 6/24 – Oil prices fell 5% after the Israel-Iran ceasefire, showing how a ceasefire overseas is good for our economy in America. [BBC]
- 6/25 – US stocks grow ~1% amidst Israel-Iran ceasefire, showing how a ceasefire overseas is good for our economy in America. [AP]
- 6/25 – Between 10/7/23 and 6/13/25, Israel launched nearly 35,000 attacks across Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran — with continued U.S. support. [Al Jazeera]
- Divestment from Israel, as voices call for peace in Gaza.
- 6/23 – Maersk divested from companies linked to Israeli settlements. [Al Jazeera]
- 6/26 – EU called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. [Reuters]
- 6/27 – UN Secretary-General: US-backed aid in Gaza is “inherently unsafe” and is “killing people”. [Reuters]
Israel said it refrained from further attacks at Trump’s request, revealing the US’s influence on aggression overseas. [Reuters]
Trump, Tension, Turmoil
- Trump’s administration shows inadequacy, Senate resorts to Congressional powers, and tensions simmer in civilian life.
- 6/22 – US Dept. of Homeland Security: “heightened threat environment in the United States”, after US strikes on Iran. [Reuters]
- 6/22 – Some Dem. and Rep. lawmakers called on Congress to rein in Trump’s use of military force in Iran. [Reuters]
- 6/24 – Marco Rubio: US strike set Iran back in nuclear development. [Reuters]
- 6/25 – US Intelligence: US airstrikes did NOT destroy Iran’s nuclear capability, contradicting Marco Rubio’s statement. [Reuters]
- 6/26 – Trump called for Israel to pardon Netanyahu’s corruption trial. He was charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. [AP]
- 6/27 – CAIR: Islamaphobic sentiment targeting Zohran Mamdani has surged, including death threats and comparing his candidacy to 9/11. [Reuters]
- 6/27 – Trump: would consider bombing Iran again if Iran is enriching uranium. [ABC]
- 6/27 – Senate blocked a Dem.-led bid to block Trump from using further military force in Iran. [ABC]
Senate blocked a Dem.-led bid to block Trump from using further military force in Iran. [Reuters]