There is a lot to cover. It feels like a greater war is imminent, everything is escalating and it is only a matter of time before someone pushes a boundary.
Gaza:
The Guardian: Netanyahu tells US he opposes creation of Palestinian state after Gaza war
Netanyahu said he opposes a Palestinian state. He also said that he will have complete security control of Gaza, which means that he will have complete control of Gaza. He has laid out these same points many times before and communicated his intent. No one should be shocked with these statements, this has been the intent since October 7 and both Israel and the US have stated that Israel will have security control of Gaza previously. What is shocking is that world leaders are doing nothing to end the genocide of Palestinians and the complete absorption of Palestine by Israel. Still, Malaysia is the only country to embargo Israel. Where are the countries to stand up for the sovereignty of Palestine and protect the innocent Palestinians being killed? Months have passed and Israel has said these appalling plans over those months and only one country has taken a meaningful step to hold Israel accountable.
Times of Israel: French FM: Accusing Israel of genocide ‘crosses moral threshold,’ is exploitative
US, UK, France, Canada, and Germany all have stated that they will refute the ruling of the ICJ if it rules against Israel. Germany is actually going to go before the ICJ in defense of Israel. The line-up of the supporters of Israel’s genocide case is damning alone, these countries being the most notorious imperialists and also guilty of genocide themselves. These countries would support Israel because they see no issue in killing, destroying, taking land, and then depleting that land of resources and forever oppressing the people of that land. For them to call out Israel would be betraying themselves because they are all guilty of exactly what Israel is doing right now in Gaza. They will never admit what Israel is doing is wrong because then they would have to condemn their own actions. The massive issue that is at hand is that the ruling of the ICJ will go ignored. This is why it is critical that world leaders hold Israel accountable through sanctions and embargoes. The US, UK, France, Canada, and Germany will defend Israel’s refusal to acknowledge and uphold the ruling and the genocide of innocent Palestinians has no end unless world leaders stand up to these imperialists/colonizers and sanction and embargo the whole group of them. They are impeding an end to a genocide, they all support the killings of innocent Palestinians. If any leaders have an actual conscience, they would sanction and embargo every last country that supports Israel.
Sudan
ABC: EU, AU, US say Sudan war and Somalia’s tensions with Ethiopia threaten Horn of Africa’s stability
The AU, EU, and US discussed the war in Sudan and issues between Somalia and Ethiopia. All the US offered was a limp reminder to the SAF and RSF to support the ceasefire they agreed to in an IGAD mediation between the two groups. What the US should have done was to sanction all of the RSF, not just a handful of leaders, condemn the UAE for arming the RSF, sanction the UAE, and label the RSF a terrorist group. The US won’t take these actions because they are currently working out deals with the UAE in regards to Yemen and supporting US attacks on Yemen, so this abysmal display of foreign relations makes sense with the deals between the US and the UAE. If the US wants to have some moral authority, this massive lack of support for the innocent Sudanese they could take greater steps to protect and get aid to the suffering Sudanese. Instead it is apparent how the US government feels toward those suffering and dying in a prolonged war- they don’t care unless they can profit from it. If the US wants to make a difference why meet with officials who are not directly involved in the war in Sudan? What good will come of these meetings unless they are with the SAF and RSF? It is just performative.
Yemen
Reuters: US strikes Houthi anti-ship missiles, shipping disruptions grow
It appears that the US attacks on the Houthis is unsuccessful all around because not only are the Houthis continuing with their blockade, but the battles in the Red Sea have scared off companies from using the route. Biden has said the attacks on the Houthis has not deterred the rebel group, but the US will persist in its failed attacks because they are defending commerce. That is what a capitalist would say of course. Commerce is the reason a country should go to war, that is a legitimate reason for any capitalist completely devoid of any ethics or respect for international law. The US continues to bomb Yemen. What is interesting is that the US says that ships are being attacked and they are just defending these ships, but what the US does not acknowledge is that these ships can simply scoot around another route. If a shipping company wants to chance an encounter with the Houthis, that is on them and not the responsibility of the US navy. Does the US bomb other countries if a pirate group (the Houthis are not pirates to be clear) attacks a ship in other waters? The reason Biden will not stop these attacks on the Houthis is because he wants a larger war, and since the Houthis are not backing down, he thinks that is justification enough to continue this endless cycle of violence with the hopes that someone else will engage and war will erupt.
DRC:
Al Jazeera: DR Congo’s shambolic election should be a wake-up call for the SADC
Who is the president? How can the DRC fight M23 fighters if they don’t have a legitimate president and government? This leaves the DRC open to exploitation and destruction. People are still suffering as militia groups battle over resources they seek to profit from. SADC soldiers are arriving in the DRC to combat M23 and protect civilians. What the DRC needs is a leader that can unite the people and protect both Congolese and the land, but it has been a difficult process because many past elections have been riddled with tampering. How can the Congolese even access a leader who will help them if they do not have a true election?
Other news:
Hezbollah open to diplomacy, just not the US plans.
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hezbollah-rejected-us-overtures-still-open-diplomacy-avoid-wider-war-2024-01-18/
Pakistan hits Iran.
https://www.aljazeera.com/program/newsfeed/2024/1/18/pakistan-attacks-terrorist-hideouts-in-iran
Jordan hits Syria.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/18/at-least-10-civilians-dead-in-suspected-jordanian-air-raids-in-syria
What I want to emphasize here is the impending war that is going to explode. These are actions of a world that is on the brink of immense violence. How we can all combat this is to continue to fight for humanity and human rights? Vote out these leaders who prove they only want war, land, and resources. They do not care for anything beyond profits. Let’s work together to restructure world power and give it back to the people all over the world regardless of your country.
For peace, humanity, and to protect our planet, the power should be in the hands of the people.
World leaders are not going to sanction or embargo Israel or any of Israel’s supporters. Don’t stop calling for economic impacts, but the reason that this needs to be understood is so that all of these leaders be voted out because they stand for genocide and oppression. World leaders and other elected officials could take actions to combat Israel economically and their supporters, the RSF and their supporters, and M23 and their supporters, but do not because in actuality they also only care for profits. So many countries have called for a ceasefire or spoken impassioned speeches on human rights of Palestinians, Sudanese, and the Congolese, but they stop short of taking any meaningful action. This is our cue, the people’s cue, to realize and understand that these leaders should not be in power. This is applicable to ALL countries around the world. It is time for elected officials to take a seat and for the people to stand up and defend each other. They do not care for us, only what they can profit from us. They will allow Gaza to be destroyed and everyone killed if we do not unite and stand up to them. Elected officials only have power if they are voted for, but as a collective, they are forgetting who does have the power- we have the power. It is time for us to demonstrate our power as a whole and destroy the oppressive system that is killing innocent people and decimating our planet.
From the river to the sea, may Palestine be free. May the whole world be free.
Protest
BE UNGOVERNABLE
Vote them all out
Boycott
Vote third party
Demand sanctions and embargoes for: Israel, US, UAE, Rwanda, Uganda, UK, Canada, Germany, and France
Share the stories, news, and history of all places under violent oppression.
Please extend the same energy to other people facing genocide and atrocities- the Rohingyas, West Papuans, Armenians, and the Uyghurs.