Oct 20/2023 - -History, Hospital, and Petulant Pierre
October 20, 2023
I posted the following on my SubStack yesterday, in a new section called Odds and Ends. I'll try posting there every day or so, to summarize things that catch my fancy in the day. Not a newsletter every day on this, maybe a weekly letter. And maybe less FaceBook too, as they block news links. Hopefully I get some feedback there.
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I’ll probably do a long collection of bits later on, starting with the Oct 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. As opposed to an attack by Palestine, I guess.
A history lesson - For many it seems the history of the conflict is something vague in the past, and not that relevant. I’d advise checking out this DW documentary, Israel - Story of a Contested Country, which traces its roots back decades before that.
From the description - The attack on Israel by the militant Islamist group Hamas that started on 7 October 2023 adds a new dimension to the Middle East conflict: From the Gaza strip, fighters of the Palestinian terrorist organisation were able to cross into Israeli territory, take Israeli hostages, and kill hundreds of soldiers and civilians. Israel responded by declaring a state of war and retaliating with full force. In the Gaza strip, hundreds of Palestinian Hamas fighters and civilians were killed. The documentary tells the complex story of how the state of Israel was founded – a story that lies at the heart of the violence and conflict in the region to this day.
Gaza hospital disaster - There was a massive explosion at a hospital in Gaza on October 18th. Looks like it mainly hit the outside parking lot, packed with many hundreds, seeking refuge in what they thought was a safe location. Israel was initially blamed, as they have been dropping bombs and rockets on residential and medical targets for days, Israel maintained it was an errant Hamas rocket. This is a BBC fact-checking article that is evolving as they get more data.
From the article - A deadly blast at the crowded Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City is feared to have killed hundreds of people. The Hamas-controlled Palestinian authorities in Gaza immediately blamed Israel, claiming it was a deliberate air strike. Israel has denied involvement.
Amid the claim and counterclaim, getting to the truth is harder than ever.
BBC Verify is trying to unravel what is and isn't known - looking at video footage, still imagery and other evidence, including eyewitness accounts. In addition, a BBC journalist has been to the blast site, where there is limited access.
New information is emerging all the time, so we will continue to update this article as we learn more and talk to experts about the evidence.
It is also important to note that as well as the physical fighting, this conflict is playing out as an information war. This is not the first time authorities in Israel and Gaza have given completely different accounts of an explosion. We are also looking at their various claims and statements.
Petulance is the point for Pierre Poilievre - I love the alliteration in this article from the National Observer. It refers to what seems an inevitable Liberal stumble to defeat then says -
Ironically, there might only be one person who can save the Liberals from this fate: Pierre Poilievre.
I’m sure this sounds delusional to most conservatives, given how high Poilievre is riding in the polls right now. But a recent video of him chatting with fruit growers and a local journalist in British Columbia — released by Poilievre’s own team, no less — serves as a reminder of his weaknesses and why they could make the next election more competitive than it looks right now. The very fact they released it, meanwhile, shows that his team can’t see the danger staring them right in the face.
I think he’s a bit of a one-trick pony. He’s great at clever quips in Parliament, with a smarmy smile of self-congratulation, or clever put-downs on the campaign trail, but I don’t see a lot of depth, a lot of real alternatives that longer than a bumper sticker.
Sarah Millican - I found this gal on The YouTube today. Pretty funny. NSFW though.
Deadwood - I’ve just started Season 2 of my rewatch of Deadwood. Just as great as last time through decades ago. Makes me want to go out and buy some whiskey though - really bad whisky.
Joe Biden - The news is showing a lot of Biden overseas lately. He's moving pretty slowly and looks pretty tired. And he still seems to be the best the Democrats can come up with to fight an election in 2024 and lead the country until 2028. Mind you, at the rate the Republicans are imploding there might not be much of a contest. Unless Trump somehow finds time to run, between all his court cases.
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