“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:
- The U.S.-proposed aid plan has been met with international criticism, as the U.N. would be barred from participating in it.
- This week, the following countries have called out Israel’s atrocities: the Vatican, Germany, Canada, Italy, Qatar, France, the Arab League, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Spain, and Norway.
- This Thursday was the 77th commemoration of Nakba Day; many view recent Israeli atrocities as worse than during the Nakba, with numbers similar.
- Suppression of anti-genocide speech remains active in America.
Takeaways:
- “More than 370 Palestinians have been killed by Israel this week, as the UN continues to warn of imminent mass starvation.” [Al Jazeera]
- As the U.S. arms Israel, it proposes a plan to take over aid distribution which works towards American takeover of Gaza.
- The world has recognized and spoke against the brutality in Gaza, with some even planning on rebuilding it.
- 77 years after the Nakba, the Palestinian experience remains as strenuous as always, with statistics recently being comparable that of the Nakba.
As your constituents we expect you to:
- Use your position to speak out against cruelty and subjugation.
- Carry our concerns against the U.S. aid plan to the higher-ups.
- Act with courage to support justice and free speech.
Nakba Repeated, Not Remembered
- As Nakba Day arrives, Israel’s ruthlessness doesn’t let up, as it continues using mass starvation as a weapon.
- 5/16 – >436,000 people forcibly displaced since March 18th; UNRWA flour and food parcels have run out; only 9 of 27 UNRWA health centers are operational. [UNRWA]
- Since May 11, Israeli strikes have killed hundreds in Gaza, including at least 13 Palestinians on 5/11. By 5/16, over 250 had been killed. [Al Jazeera] [Reuters]
- Major attacks include >16 killed around European Gaza Hospital on 5/13, >80 in northern Gaza on 5/14, >85 in southern Gaza on 5/15, and >115 in a wave of attacks on 5/15. [Al Jazeera] [Reuters]
- Well-known journalists Hassan Aslih (5/13) and Hassan Samour (5/15) were killed in the strikes. [Reuters]
- 5/12 – International Food Security Phase Classification: 100% of Gaza at a crisis level of hunger with more than 20% at catastrophic levels indicating famine across the entire strip. [IPC]
- Israel’s brutality continues to show in novel ways, even as the commemoration of the Nakba arrives.
- 5/12 – Edan Alexander was released from 19 months of captivity in Gaza, while Israel’s bombardment of Gaza continues. [Haaretz]
- 5/12 – AI-assisted weapons systems are playing a large role by Israel against Gaza. [Reuters]
- 5/14 – U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon: direct fire from the Israeli army had hit the perimeter of one of its peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon. [Reuters]
- 5/15 – NAKBA DAY: The Nakba is the ongoing ‘catastrophe’: the forced expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Palestinian land. During the Nakba, more than 800,000 Palestinians were expelled from their lands, with Jewish paramilitaries murdering of over 15,000 Palestinians, and razing over 400 cities and towns. [CUMAC]
- 5/15 – Many believe that Israel’s “brutality” recently is worse than during the Nakba. [Al Jazeera]
- 5/15 – Israel’s economic woes show as its annual inflation rate rose unexpectedly to 3.6%. [Reuters]
- 5/17 – While Israeli forces ramped up a bombing campaign, Israel and Hamas resumed ceasefire talks. [CBC]
Broken European Hospital following Israeli airstrikes, which killed journalist Hassan Aslih. [Reuters]
Global Condemnation, U.S. Isolation
- A myriad of countries speaks out against Israel’s atrocities in Gaza:
- 5/11 – Vatican: Pope Leo XIV, in his first Sunday message, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. [AP]
- 5/11 – Germany: spoke against using military as a solution. [Gazette]
- 5/14 – Canada: Israel is using food as a political tool. [CBC]
- 5/14 – Italy: humanitarian situation is “unjustifiable”. [Reuters]
- 5/14 – Qatar: U.S.-backed aid plan is unnecessary, U.N. should handle it. [Reuters]
- 5/16 – France: “…humanitarian situation in Gaza is intolerable.” [Reuters]
- 5/17 – Arab League: called for immediate ceasefire and funds to rebuild Gaza. [AP]
- 5/17 – Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, Spain, Norway: “will not be silent against the man-made humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.” [Al Jazeera]
- Israel tries dodging the ICC; Norway sets an example of divestment; the U.N. criticizes a terrible aid plan.
- 5/12 – Israel asked the International Criminal Court to drop Netanyahu arrest warrants and suspend its Palestine investigation. [Haaretz]
- 5/12 – Norway’s largest sovereign wealth fund sold all shares in Israeli company Paz Energy for operating in West Bank settlements. [Reuters]
- 5/14-16 – The U.N. rejected the U.S. Gaza aid plan, calling it a “cynical sideshow,” and pushed its own aid plan with 160,000 pallets ready. [Reuters] [Reuters]
The Arab League pressed for an immediate ceasefire and for funds to rebuild Gaza. [AP]
Voices Suppressed, Violence Backed
- While the international community speaks out, America remains staunchly complicit.
- 5/12 – After >6 weeks in an immigration detention center, Rumeysa Ozturk returned to Massachusetts. [CBS]
- 5/14 – Pulitzer winner Viet Thanh Nguyen, known for writing on the Vietnam War, said criticism of the Gaza conflict is often met with accusations of anti-Semitism. [Al Jazeera]
- 5/15 – Ben & Jerry’s co-founder and six others were arrested protesting U.S. Senate support for Israel. [NYT]
- 5/16 – Trump reiterated his desire to take over Gaza, arguing to a roundtable in Qatar that there was nothing left to save. [Reuters]
Ben & Jerry’s cofounder arrested at Senate for protesting America’s support of Israel. [NBC]