The Biden administration is pressing Israel to restore telecommunications access to Gaza amid a massive blackout that has stretched a record six days and left millions of Palestinians without power or internet.

Administration officials fear the blackout will make it difficult for anyone to know what is happening between Hamas and the Israeli military as the war in Gaza continues, potentially worsening an already dire humanitarian situation. The U.S. has “been in touch with the government of Israel over this blackout and have urged them to turn telecoms back on,” said a U.S. official at the White House, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

  • PugJesus@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    30
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    10 months ago

    Israel: “No.”

    Like, does anyone expect anything else?

    Israel is well-aware that they have the US government by the balls. Not because the provide anything of exceptional use to the US government, but because their propaganda efforts and political bribery can make or break a politician’s career.

    • ImFresh3x@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      10 months ago

      Sometimes I wonder: Could a president forcefully standup to Israel and live out a term? I seriously feel that between the insane volume of lobbying by AIPAC and the implication of having caused such a rift in the political paradigm that no politician would ever dare be as firm as I’d hope they would.

      And the GOP alternative will say to Netanyahu:

      Stop being a bitch and finish them already.

      I’m not being an apologist. I just have become really sad about all this. Feeling pretty hopeless since this all started. Not that the feeling is new, just really turned up.

    • The Snark Urge@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      10 months ago

      I wish that this nightmare would allow the US a chance to change that. Establishing Israel like this in the first place was a really bad move, and a lot of Jewish people were even saying as much at the time, I’ve heard.

      • PugJesus@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        0
        ·
        10 months ago

        Of course, I must also emphasize that millions of Israelis have no further sin than being born in Israel, and that though the establishment of Israel was a mistake, Israel also has a right to exist in the modern day under the same terms as any other country.

        • FuzzyWeevil@lemmynsfw.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          0
          ·
          10 months ago

          No Israel state doesn’t mean they all die. It just means a new state that combines Israel and Palestine into one large state where everyone has equal rights and combines resources. Like the Jewish people do fine in every other modern country in the world. That’s the one state solution and it’s the best one.

          • PugJesus@kbin.social
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            0
            ·
            10 months ago

            Functionally, no Israeli state means mass ethnic cleansing. Furthermore, people have a right to self-determination.

            If Palestinians and Israelis got together and decided to make a single, non-discriminatory state, that would be wonderful. But neither side is interested in that kind of one-state solution.

  • Machinist3359@kbin.social
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    26
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    10 months ago

    Israel has no incentive to stop. Even cutting funding won’t. They’ve made so much headway in their genocide they want to finish and set up their new canal through Gaza to rival Suez. (Surprise surprise another colonial asset to defend next time they want to do a massacre).

    There needs to be a massive surge of BDS and frankly nations sending peacekeeping troops willing to check IDF aggression while rebuilding.

  • rbesfe@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    10 months ago

    It’s like asking a maniac to stop punching someone but also offering them free boxing gloves

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    11
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Administration officials fear the blackout will make it difficult for anyone to know what is happening between Hamas and the Israeli military as the war in Gaza continues, potentially worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.

    That’s literally why they’re doing it: to stop their victims from showing the world what’s actually happening rather than having it all filtered through Times of Israel and other pro-apartheid propaganda outlets.

  • Mrkawfee@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    edit-2
    10 months ago

    Boycott Israeli goods. Boycott US companies that invest in Israel. Until Israel is a pariah state it will have no incentive to change.

    Download the “NoThanks” app on Android to see which brands to avoid.

    Or just boycott the brands suggested by BDS which makes it more impactful

    • ImFresh3x@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      10 months ago

      I find that many of those brands are impossible to avoid. But I’ve always done my casual best. But holy shit it’s crazy how hard it is to avoid certain things google and Amazon completely. They’re services are imbedded into everything. Probably this websites services are paying google or Amazon in some fashion.

      • Mrkawfee@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        10 months ago

        I just pick a few tbh. Mainly fast food and snacks which are bad for you anyway

        Picking a few especially those recommended by BDS makes it more impactful