mintpressnews--2020-08-18--Israel Launches Week-Long Bombing Campaign in Gaza Amid Ongoing War Crimes Investigation

Last Monday night Israeli fighter jets executed airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip for the ninth night in a row in an act that may be another on Israel ’ s long list of possible war crimes .
Israeli leaders characterized the actions as retaliatory , naming Gazan “ incendiary balloons ” and “ riots ” as justification .
This is just the latest in what mainstream media generally depicts as a “ protracted conflict ” between “ the militant group Hamas and Israel , ” after “ months of calm ” ( 5 Gazans have been killed in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fishermen hundreds of times ; no Israelis have been killed ) .
The plight of Palestinians in Gaza , a population of almost two million crammed into a region the size of Detroit , has been hidden from the view of most , even as the US funds its occupier with over $ 10 million a day in military aid .
Not only does Israel limit the amount of food and medicine entering the Strip , but it has also attacked the population in three massive incursions and countless smaller forays , killing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself .
The current escalation is one example of the constant oppression and violence Gazans have experienced for thirteen years .
Hamas is the democratically elected political party in Gaza , with a wing that engages in resistance against Israel ’ s 53-year de facto occupation and 13-year blockade – both of which are illegal .
International law condones such resistance .
Most recent cases of incendiary balloons were not the work of Hamas , but of independent activist groups in the Strip , which have also been responsible for launching several rockets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires on Israeli farmland and forests , but have never killed or injured anyone ; in the 19 years that militants have fired rockets out of Gaza , about 30 Israelis have been killed – the most recent in May 2019 .
Actions that Israel describes as “ riots ” that are described in Associated Press as “ dozens ” of Palestinian protesters who have gathered nightly at the border fence with Israel .
Israeli reprisals have been harsh , as its leaders acknowledge .
The IDF “ responds with all its might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Jerusalem Post report .
Actions include nightly strikes by IDF fighter jets , attack helicopters , and tanks against what Israel calls “ Hamas targets.
” Arab news outlets describe hits to “ many homes ” ( injuring women and children ) and “ farmlands , ” as well as structures belonging to resistance groups .
IDF also targeted a cement factory .
Last Thursday morning , residents discovered an unexploded missile inside a UN school in a Gazan refugee camp .
Israel has also closed all crossings into and out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food and fuel to run Gaza ’ s only power plant .
The plant has shut down as of Tuesday .
In addition , Israel has completely shut down Gaza ’ s fishing zone “ until further notice , ” directly impacting nearly 5,000 Palestinians employed by the fishing sector .
While mainstream media rarely addresses the reasons for Gazan resistance – or relegates it to the last paragraphs of articles – the people ’ s appeals are accessible .
Hamas officials have charged that Israel is reneging on its promises to ease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gaza .
Elsewhere , activists have expressed anger at “ Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque ” and Netanyahu ’ s annexation plans , as well as policies that “ paralyze daily life and disrupt efforts of combating coronavirus.
” In the words of Israel ’ s own leaders , they are perpetrating collective punishment and disproportionate actions on Gaza ’ s Palestinians – war crimes under international law .
In addition to unjustifiably holding Hamas responsible for every militant action in Gaza , Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has vowed to continue punishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated his intentions to mount a disproportionate attack after incendiary balloons arrived in Israel : Israel is already under investigation for actions in 2014 and possibly 2018 .
Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) Fatou Bensouda stated , The ICC cited Israel ’ s “ disproportionate use of force ” in the 2014 military action that left 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis dead – as well as other possible war crimes , including collective punishment and transfer of population into occupied territory .
Israel insists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories .
Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention designates collective punishment as a war crime .
The International Committee of the Red Cross elaborates , [ S ] uch practices , by reason of their excessive severity and cruelty , [ keep ] alive and [ strengthen ] the spirit of resistance…They are opposed to all principles based on humanity and justice .
Feature photo | A Palestinian boy inspects the damage in his family home following Israeli airstrikes in Buriej refugee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 , 2020 .
Khalil Hamra | AP Kathryn Shihadah writes for MintPress News and If Americans Knew .
She speaks regularly about the injustice and demonization Palestinians face at the hands of Israel with complicity from the United States , especially to Christian audiences .
Kathryn has lived in the Middle East for ten years and has traveled extensively .
She blogs at PalestineHome.org .

Last Monday night Israeli fighter jets executed airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip for the ninth night in a row in an act that may be another on Israel’s long list of possible war crimes.
Israeli leaders characterized the actions as retaliatory, naming Gazan “incendiary balloons” and “riots” as justification.
This is just the latest in what mainstream media generally depicts as a “protracted conflict” between “the militant group Hamas and Israel,” after “months of calm” (5 Gazans have been killed in 2020; Israel has shot at farmers and fishermen hundreds of times; no Israelis have been killed).
The plight of Palestinians in Gaza, a population of almost two million crammed into a region the size of Detroit, has been hidden from the view of most, even as the US funds its occupier with over $10 million a day in military aid.
Not only does Israel limit the amount of food and medicine entering the Strip, but it has also attacked the population in three massive incursions and countless smaller forays, killing thousands while only suffering relatively minor casualties itself.
The current escalation is one example of the constant oppression and violence Gazans have experienced for thirteen years.
Palestinian resistance
Hamas is the democratically elected political party in Gaza, with a wing that engages in resistance against Israel’s 53-year de facto occupation and 13-year blockade – both of which are illegal. International law condones such resistance.
Most recent cases of incendiary balloons were not the work of Hamas, but of independent activist groups in the Strip, which have also been responsible for launching several rockets.
The incendiary balloons have caused some fires on Israeli farmland and forests, but have never killed or injured anyone; in the 19 years that militants have fired rockets out of Gaza, about 30 Israelis have been killed – the most recent in May 2019.
Actions that Israel describes as “riots” that are described in Associated Press as “dozens” of Palestinian protesters who have gathered nightly at the border fence with Israel.
Israel’s punishing response
Israeli reprisals have been harsh, as its leaders acknowledge. The IDF “responds with all its might against incendiary balloons,” according to a Jerusalem Post report.
Actions include nightly strikes by IDF fighter jets, attack helicopters, and tanks against what Israel calls “Hamas targets.” Arab news outlets describe hits to “many homes” (injuring women and children) and “farmlands,” as well as structures belonging to resistance groups. IDF also targeted a cement factory.
Last Thursday morning, residents discovered an unexploded missile inside a UN school in a Gazan refugee camp.
Israel has also closed all crossings into and out of Gaza, blocking the delivery of needed food and fuel to run Gaza’s only power plant. The plant has shut down as of Tuesday.
In addition, Israel has completely shut down Gaza’s fishing zone “until further notice,” directly impacting nearly 5,000 Palestinians employed by the fishing sector.
Gaza’s demands
While mainstream media rarely addresses the reasons for Gazan resistance – or relegates it to the last paragraphs of articles – the people’s appeals are accessible.
Hamas officials have charged that Israel is reneging on its promises to ease the 13-year-old blockade, causing starvation in Gaza.
Elsewhere, activists have expressed anger at “Israeli violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque” and Netanyahu’s annexation plans, as well as policies that “paralyze daily life and disrupt efforts of combating coronavirus.”
Israeli leaders’ confessions
In the words of Israel’s own leaders, they are perpetrating collective punishment and disproportionate actions on Gaza’s Palestinians – war crimes under international law.
In addition to unjustifiably holding Hamas responsible for every militant action in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has vowed to continue punishing all Gazans until the resistance ends:
By launching rockets and explosive balloons, the heads of Hamas are undermining the interests of the residents of Gaza and are impairing their ability to live in dignity and security…The IDF will respond forcefully to any violation of sovereignty…If [Israeli border town] Sderot isn’t quiet, Gaza won’t be either.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated his intentions to mount a disproportionate attack after incendiary balloons arrived in Israel:
There will be a very heavy price for the balloon terror. We will not suffer this, we will act and exact a heavy price.”
Ongoing war crime investigations
Israel is already under investigation for actions in 2014 and possibly 2018. Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda stated,
There is a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes have been or are being committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.”
The ICC cited Israel’s “disproportionate use of force” in the 2014 military action that left 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis dead – as well as other possible war crimes, including collective punishment and transfer of population into occupied territory.
Israel insists, not that it is innocent, but that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories.
Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention designates collective punishment as a war crime. The International Committee of the Red Cross elaborates,
[S]uch practices, by reason of their excessive severity and cruelty, [keep] alive and [strengthen] the spirit of resistance…They are opposed to all principles based on humanity and justice.
Feature photo | A Palestinian boy inspects the damage in his family home following Israeli airstrikes in Buriej refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Aug. 15, 2020. Khalil Hamra | AP
Kathryn Shihadah writes for MintPress News and If Americans Knew. She speaks regularly about the injustice and demonization Palestinians face at the hands of Israel with complicity from the United States, especially to Christian audiences. Kathryn has lived in the Middle East for ten years and has traveled extensively. She blogs at PalestineHome.org.


mintpressnews--2020-08-18--Hands off Lebanon: Macron’s Self-serving ‘New Pact’ Must Be Shunned

French President , Emmanuel Macron , is in no position to pontificate to Lebanon about the need for political and economic reforms .
Just as thousands of Lebanese took to the streets of Beirut demanding “ revenge ” against the ruling classes , the French people have relentlessly been doing the same ; both peoples have been met with police violence and arrests .
Following the August 4 blast which killed over 200 people and wounded thousands more , the irony was inescapable when Macron showed up in a bizarre display of “ solidarity ” on the streets of Beirut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the streets of Paris , not Beirut , to reassure his own people , burdened by growing inequality , rising unemployment and socio-economic hardship .
However , the French show went on , but in the Middle East .
It was a perfectly choreographed scene , engineered to be reminiscent of France ’ s bygone colonial grandeur .
On August 6 , Macron imperiously amidst the ruins of a massive Beirut explosion , promising aid , accountability and vowing to never abandon France ’ s former colony .
A young Lebanese woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Mr .
President , you ’ re on General Gouraud Street ; he freed us from the Ottomans .
Free us from the current authorities.
” It is unconvincing that all of this : the sudden visit , the pleas for help , the emotional crowd surrounding Macron , were all impromptu events to reflect Lebanon ’ s undying love and unconditional trust of France .
Macron could have easily assessed the damage caused by the devastating at the Beirut port .
If the thousands of images and endless video streams were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Hiroshima-like blast , satellite and aerial footage certainly would have .
But Macron did not come to Lebanon to offer sincere solidarity .
He came , like a ‘ good ’ French politician would – to exploit the shock , panic and fear of a dumbstruck nation , while it is feeling betrayed by its own government , bewildered and alone .
“ I will talk to all political forces to ask them for a new pact .
I am here today to propose a new political pact to them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in urgent need of a new pact , but not one that is engineered by France .
Indeed , France was never a source of stability in Lebanon .
Even the of formal French colonialism in 1946 did not truly liberate Lebanon from Paris ’ toxic influence and constant meddling .
Alas , devastated Lebanon is now receptive to another bout of ‘ disaster capitalism ’ : the notion that a country must be on its knees as a prerequisite to foreign economic takeover , political and , if necessary , military intervention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who beseeched Macron to ‘ liberate ’ Lebanon from its current leadership were not scripted by some clever French writer , they would represent one of the saddest displays of Lebanon ’ s modern politics – this woman , representing a nation , calling on its former colonizer to subjugate it once more , in order to save it from itself .
This is the crux of ‘ disaster capitalism ’ .
“ In moments of crisis , people are willing to hand over a great deal of power to anyone who claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis is a financial meltdown or … a terrorist attack , ” the acclaimed Canadian author , Naomi Klein , in her seminal book “ The Shock Doctrine : The Rise of Disaster Capitalism ” .
The political fallout of the explosion – whatever its causes – were triggered perfectly from the perspective of those who want to ensure Lebanon never achieves its coveted moment of stability and sectarian harmony .
Unprecedented in modern history , the country ’ s current economic crisis has dragged on interminably , while the ruling classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , largely , not keen on finding any .
On August 7 , a United Nations-backed tribunal to issue its final verdict regarding the of former Lebanese Prime Minister , Rafic Hariri .
Hariri ’ s killing , also by a massive blast in Beirut on February 14 , 2005 , has torn the country apart and , somewhat , placed Lebanon at the hands of foreign entities .
Whether the now verdict was going to further divide Lebanese society or help it achieve closure , is moot .
The port explosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the country .
On August 6 , four former Lebanese prime ministers for an ‘ international investigation ’ into the causes of the blast , hoping to win political leverage against their political opponents , setting the stage for another sectarian and political crisis .
Local forces are quickly scrambling to position themselves behind a winning political strategy .
“ We have no trust at all in this ruling gang , ” leading Lebanese Druze politician , Walid Jumblatt , .
He , too , is demanding an international investigation .
Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however temporary , among various communities , since mass tragedies often harm all sectors of society .
In Lebanon , however , unity remains elusive , as most political camps have allegiances that transcend the people and nation .
People often hold onto their clans and sects due to their lack of trust in the central government .
Politicians , instead , are beholden to regional and international powers – as in Macron ’ s France .
But France should not be the last lifeline for the Lebanese people , despite their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is currently in two of the ugliest and protracted conflicts in the Middle East and West Africa : Libya and Mali .
Predictably , in both cases , Paris had also promised to be a force for good .
While Libya has essentially been turned into a failed state , Mali persists under total French subjugation .
It is no exaggeration to argue that France is currently involved in an active military occupation of Mali , one of the poorest countries in the world .
Lebanon should be aware that its current tragedy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colonial masters to stage a comeback , which would hardly save Lebanon and her people from their persisting calamity .
Macron ’ s bizarre and dangerous political act in the streets of Beirut should worry all Lebanese , at least those who truly care about their country .
Feature photo | French President Emmanuel Macron , center , visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut , Lebanon , Aug.6 , 2020 .
Thibault Camus | AP Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ books .
His latest is “ These Chains Will Be Broken : Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons ” ( Clarity Press , Atlanta ) .
Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs ( CIGA ) , Istanbul Zaim University ( IZU ) .
His website is www.ramzybaroud.net

French President, Emmanuel Macron, is in no position to pontificate to Lebanon about the need for political and economic reforms. Just as thousands of Lebanese took to the streets of Beirut demanding “revenge” against the ruling classes, the French people have relentlessly been doing the same; both peoples have been met with police violence and arrests.
Following the August 4 blast which killed over 200 people and wounded thousands more, the irony was inescapable when Macron showed up in a bizarre display of “solidarity” on the streets of Beirut. Macron should have taken his roadshow to the streets of Paris, not Beirut, to reassure his own people, burdened by growing inequality, rising unemployment and socio-economic hardship.
However, the French show went on, but in the Middle East. It was a perfectly choreographed scene, engineered to be reminiscent of France’s bygone colonial grandeur. On August 6, Macron stood imperiously amidst the ruins of a massive Beirut explosion, promising aid, accountability and vowing to never abandon France’s former colony.
A young Lebanese woman approached the French President, tearfully imploring him “Mr. President, you’re on General Gouraud Street; he freed us from the Ottomans. Free us from the current authorities.”
It is unconvincing that all of this: the sudden visit, the pleas for help, the emotional crowd surrounding Macron, were all impromptu events to reflect Lebanon’s undying love and unconditional trust of France.
Macron could have easily assessed the damage caused by the devastating explosion at the Beirut port. If the thousands of images and endless video streams were insufficient to convey the unprecedented ruin created by the Hiroshima-like blast, satellite and aerial footage certainly would have.
But Macron did not come to Lebanon to offer sincere solidarity. He came, like a ‘good’ French politician would – to exploit the shock, panic and fear of a dumbstruck nation, while it is feeling betrayed by its own government, bewildered and alone.
“I will talk to all political forces to ask them for a new pact. I am here today to propose a new political pact to them,” Macron said .
Certainly, Lebanon is in urgent need of a new pact, but not one that is engineered by France. Indeed, France was never a source of stability in Lebanon. Even the end of formal French colonialism in 1946 did not truly liberate Lebanon from Paris’ toxic influence and constant meddling.
Alas, devastated Lebanon is now receptive to another bout of ‘disaster capitalism’: the notion that a country must be on its knees as a prerequisite to foreign economic takeover, political and, if necessary, military intervention.
If the words of the woman who beseeched Macron to ‘liberate’ Lebanon from its current leadership were not scripted by some clever French writer, they would represent one of the saddest displays of Lebanon’s modern politics – this woman, representing a nation, calling on its former colonizer to subjugate it once more, in order to save it from itself.
This is the crux of ‘disaster capitalism’.
“In moments of crisis, people are willing to hand over a great deal of power to anyone who claims to have a magic cure – whether the crisis is a financial meltdown or … a terrorist attack,” wrote the acclaimed Canadian author, Naomi Klein, in her seminal book “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism”.
The political fallout of the explosion – whatever its causes – were triggered perfectly from the perspective of those who want to ensure Lebanon never achieves its coveted moment of stability and sectarian harmony. Unprecedented in modern history, the country’s current economic crisis has dragged on interminably, while the ruling classes either seem to have no answers or are, largely, not keen on finding any.
On August 7, a United Nations-backed tribunal was scheduled to issue its final verdict regarding the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafic Hariri. Hariri’s killing, also by a massive blast in Beirut on February 14, 2005, has torn the country apart and, somewhat, placed Lebanon at the hands of foreign entities.
Whether the now postponed verdict was going to further divide Lebanese society or help it achieve closure, is moot. The port explosion will surely renew the French-led Western mandate over the country.
On August 6, four former Lebanese prime ministers called for an ‘international investigation’ into the causes of the blast, hoping to win political leverage against their political opponents, setting the stage for another sectarian and political crisis.
Local forces are quickly scrambling to position themselves behind a winning political strategy. “We have no trust at all in this ruling gang,” leading Lebanese Druze politician, Walid Jumblatt, said . He, too, is demanding an international investigation.
Times of national crisis often lead to unity, however temporary, among various communities, since mass tragedies often harm all sectors of society. In Lebanon, however, unity remains elusive, as most political camps have allegiances that transcend the people and nation. People often hold onto their clans and sects due to their lack of trust in the central government. Politicians, instead, are beholden to regional and international powers – as in Macron’s France.
But France should not be the last lifeline for the Lebanese people, despite their desperation, anger and betrayal. France is currently involved in two of the ugliest and protracted conflicts in the Middle East and West Africa: Libya and Mali. Predictably, in both cases, Paris had also promised to be a force for good. While Libya has essentially been turned into a failed state, Mali persists under total French subjugation. It is no exaggeration to argue that France is currently involved in an active military occupation of Mali, one of the poorest countries in the world.
Lebanon should be aware that its current tragedy is the perfect opportunity for its former colonial masters to stage a comeback, which would hardly save Lebanon and her people from their persisting calamity.
Macron’s bizarre and dangerous political act in the streets of Beirut should worry all Lebanese, at least those who truly care about their country.
Feature photo | French President Emmanuel Macron, center, visits the devastated site of the explosion at the port of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug.6, 2020. Thibault Camus | AP
Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is “These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons” (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net


mintpressnews--2020-08-18--DARPA Launches Project CHARIOT in Bid to Shield Big Tech Profits

The U.S. Military-Industrial complex is sprinting on a chariot to shore up the encryption space before the next era of computation upends the entire digital edifice built on semiconductors and transistors .
But , the core of the effort is protecting markets for Big Tech and all of its tentacles , which stand to lose years or even decades of profits should the new tech be rolled out too quickly .
DARPA ’ s newest program seeks to create an encryption technology standard across the breadth and scope of the Internet of Things ( IoT ) .
The Cryptography for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Things or Project CHARIOT “ will prototype low-cost , low-footprint , post-quantum cryptographic techniques with minimal energy use for devices in an IoT ” on the 5G network , according to the Pentagon ’ s boutique agency ’ s SBO .
Consumer-side IoT , like smart home devices , had seen considerable growth in 2019 and expectations were high for that trend to continue .
The disruption of their supply chains as a result of the outbreak in China hardly slowed down the $ 52.76 Billion market with a compound annual growth rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27 percent .
The biggest beneficiaries of the COVID-19 economic reset , however , would turn out to be the telemedicine and medical hardware industry in general , which alone will be worth $ 332 billion by 2025 .
The projected worth of the global IoT market in 2026 has been calculated at roughly $ 1.3 Trillion and is expected to flood the world with 3 trillion devices in the next ten years .
Hence the “ Hyper-scale ” in DARPA ’ s project moniker , which is taking the lead on behalf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to develop an encryption standard mandated by the NSA .
Microsoft , Cisco Systems and IBM are just a few of the names that top the list of IoT device and software providers .
All three of these companies have interlocking interests with the federal government that in some cases , go back decades .
Microsoft , in particular , is poised to finally become the U.S. government ’ s exclusive cloud services provider and has already taken over State Department communications systems along with Cisco .
Cloud computing , in fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet again by facilitating large scale IoT applications and “ lifecycle management.
” An encryption standard across IoT devices becomes pivotal for the full spectrum dominance of the Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) space sought by the U.S. , which is currently threatened by China ’ s rising technological star .
These considerations are left out of DARPA ’ s project brief , which instead presents a different kind of threat : Quantum computers .
The official impetus for Project CHARIOT was lifted right off a report published by The National Institute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 ; itself preceded by a 2015 announcement by the National Security Agency ( NSA ) to begin the “ transition ” into quantum-resistant encryption algorithms .
Every email you send and receive , every password you use and any transaction you make online relies on public key encryption and the inevitable advent of quantum computing will render all of that obsolete , according to the NIST .
NIST ’ s Post-Quantum Crypto ( PQC ) report studied the impact of quantum computing algorithms on existing encryption schemes and mirrors many of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project CHARIOT .
Among these is the 10-year deadline and the need for the development of “ revolutionary security technologies.
” Dustin Moody , NIST mathematician and PQC co-author , warned that the U.S. must be “ prepared to transition to new algorithms in 10 years ” in a presentation at the 2017 Asiacrypt cryptography conference in Hong Kong .
The NIST , a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce led by “ King of Bankruptcy ” Wilbur Ross , began the PQC study in 2012 and held its first NIST PQC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the NSA issued its directive .
At that workshop , Moody introduced a talk by Flemish cryptologist Bart Preneel , titled “ Public Key Cryptography : the next 4 decades.
” Preneel introduced the idea of the quantum computer threat to existing encryption methods and the eventual end of classical cryptography .
DARPA ’ s CHARIOT program is racing to meet the ever-closing deadline for developing and deploying a post-quantum cryptography suite that can serve as a stop gap for what seems to be the inevitable dawn of large-scale quantum computing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no longer a matter of debate .
Several experimental quantum computers already exist and the only question is what the best approach should be .
The vast empires of Tech would be slain right where they stand if quantum technology were introduced too suddenly and DARPA , which is nothing if not accommodating to the private sector , is taking the lead on a matter known in the field of cryptography as Post-Quantum cryptography .
DARPA has requested $ 1.1 Billion for 70 unclassified projects relating to cryptography or cybersecurity in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Evaluation ( RDT & E ) budget , according to Bloomberg Government and while the agency is perceived as creators of cutting edge technology for the military , it is more akin to a bank than the Q lab of Bond movie lore most people imagine it to be .
DARPA uses tax-payer money to fund private sector players in the Defense industry to develop defense-related technology and ultimately facilitate their application for commercial purposes .
Virtually all DARPA programs include explicit provisions for the commercial exploitation of discoveries .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ will be oriented towards transition and commercialization of the developed security technology… Specifically , in the commercial space , CHARIOT security technologies have applications to companies that develop digital entities ( e.g.
, networks , clouds , devices participating in the IoT , etc . )
.
” This is a classic manifestation of a state-run economy paying lip service to “ free markets ” while intervening at the structural level to shape and limit those markets .
China , the U.S. ’ new boogeyman , is accused daily by American politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communism .
But , in the United States the lines between the private and public sectors have all but disappeared and the level of integration between the federal government , the largest American corporations , and Academia is almost symbiotic at this point .
The next era of computers may already be upon us ; its specs stored in an NSA filing cabinet just waiting for the inventory of the old era to run out .
Many years ago my Dad brought a Chinese engineer to set up his pride and joy – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newest addition : the first Sony CD player .
It was 1984 and as the man did his work , he said something remarkable .
CDs , he proclaimed , were already obsolete .
“ They have already put music directly on a computer chip ” he asserted .

The U.S. Military-Industrial complex is sprinting on a chariot to shore up the encryption space before the next era of computation upends the entire digital edifice built on semiconductors and transistors. But, the core of the effort is protecting markets for Big Tech and all of its tentacles, which stand to lose years or even decades of profits should the new tech be rolled out too quickly.
DARPA’s newest program seeks to create an encryption technology standard across the breadth and scope of the Internet of Things (IoT). The Cryptography for Hyper-scale Architectures in aa Robust Internet Of Things or Project CHARIOT “will prototype low-cost, low-footprint, post-quantum cryptographic techniques with minimal energy use for devices in an IoT” on the 5G network, according to the Pentagon’s boutique agency’s SBO.
Consumer-side IoT, like smart home devices, had seen considerable growth in 2019 and expectations were high for that trend to continue. The disruption of their supply chains as a result of the outbreak in China hardly slowed down the $52.76 Billion market with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of between 23 and 27 percent. The biggest beneficiaries of the COVID-19 economic reset, however, would turn out to be the telemedicine and medical hardware industry in general, which alone will be worth $332 billion by 2025.
The projected worth of the global IoT market in 2026 has been calculated at roughly $1.3 Trillion and is expected to flood the world with 3 trillion devices in the next ten years. Hence the “Hyper-scale” in DARPA’s project moniker, which is taking the lead on behalf of the corporations who dominate this landscape to develop an encryption standard mandated by the NSA.
Microsoft, Cisco Systems and IBM are just a few of the names that top the list of IoT device and software providers. All three of these companies have interlocking interests with the federal government that in some cases, go back decades. Microsoft, in particular, is poised to finally become the U.S. government’s exclusive cloud services provider and has already taken over State Department communications systems along with Cisco. Cloud computing, in fact, will change the face of the industry yet again by facilitating large scale IoT applications and “lifecycle management.”
An encryption standard across IoT devices becomes pivotal for the full spectrum dominance of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space sought by the U.S., which is currently threatened by China’s rising technological star. These considerations are left out of DARPA’s project brief, which instead presents a different kind of threat: Quantum computers.
A quantum leap
The official impetus for Project CHARIOT was lifted right off a report published by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2016; itself preceded by a 2015 announcement by the National Security Agency (NSA) to begin the “transition” into quantum-resistant encryption algorithms. Every email you send and receive, every password you use and any transaction you make online relies on public key encryption and the inevitable advent of quantum computing will render all of that obsolete, according to the NIST.
NIST’s Post-Quantum Crypto (PQC) report studied the impact of quantum computing algorithms on existing encryption schemes and mirrors many of the goals and milestones specified by DARPA in Project CHARIOT. Among these is the 10-year deadline and the need for the development of “revolutionary security technologies.” Dustin Moody, NIST mathematician and PQC co-author, warned that the U.S. must be “prepared to transition to new algorithms in 10 years” in a presentation at the 2017 Asiacrypt cryptography conference in Hong Kong.
The NIST, a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce led by “King of Bankruptcy” Wilbur Ross, began the PQC study in 2012 and held its first NIST PQC workshop three years later and four months before the NSA issued its directive. At that workshop, Moody introduced a talk by Flemish cryptologist Bart Preneel, titled “Public Key Cryptography: the next 4 decades.” Preneel introduced the idea of the quantum computer threat to existing encryption methods and the eventual end of classical cryptography.
DARPA’s CHARIOT program is racing to meet the ever-closing deadline for developing and deploying a post-quantum cryptography suite that can serve as a stop gap for what seems to be the inevitable dawn of large-scale quantum computing. Whether a quantum computer can be built is no longer a matter of debate. Several experimental quantum computers already exist and the only question is what the best approach should be.
The vast empires of Tech would be slain right where they stand if quantum technology were introduced too suddenly and DARPA, which is nothing if not accommodating to the private sector, is taking the lead on a matter known in the field of cryptography as Post-Quantum cryptography.
State capitalism
DARPA has requested $1.1 Billion for 70 unclassified projects relating to cryptography or cybersecurity in its fiscal 2021 Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, according to Bloomberg Government and while the agency is perceived as creators of cutting edge technology for the military, it is more akin to a bank than the Q lab of Bond movie lore most people imagine it to be.
DARPA uses tax-payer money to fund private sector players in the Defense industry to develop defense-related technology and ultimately facilitate their application for commercial purposes. Virtually all DARPA programs include explicit provisions for the commercial exploitation of discoveries. In the case of Project CHARIOT, phase III “will be oriented towards transition and commercialization of the developed security technology… Specifically, in the commercial space, CHARIOT security technologies have applications to companies that develop digital entities (e.g., networks, clouds, devices participating in the IoT, etc.).”
This is a classic manifestation of a state-run economy paying lip service to “free markets” while intervening at the structural level to shape and limit those markets. China, the U.S.’ new boogeyman, is accused daily by American politicians of doing the same and call it communism. But, in the United States the lines between the private and public sectors have all but disappeared and the level of integration between the federal government, the largest American corporations, and Academia is almost symbiotic at this point.
The next era of computers may already be upon us; its specs stored in an NSA filing cabinet just waiting for the inventory of the old era to run out. Many years ago my Dad brought a Chinese engineer to set up his pride and joy – a Crown sound system – with the newest addition: the first Sony CD player. It was 1984 and as the man did his work, he said something remarkable. CDs, he proclaimed, were already obsolete. “They have already put music directly on a computer chip” he asserted.
Feature photo | Graphic by Antonio Cabrera
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker


mintpressnews--2020-08-18--The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the U.S. – There’s Worse to Worry About

Should Trump fail to carry the Electoral College , Noam Chomsky admonishes , “ he could send Blackshirts out in the streets… preparation for a plan to try to bring the military in to carry out something which would amount to a military coup.
” A New York Times columnist opines : “ Put nothing past Trump , not even the destruction of the American electoral process.
” Robert Weissman , president of Public Citizen , explains that Trump ’ s election delay threat is a coup in the making .
Economist Jack Rasmus speculates Trump will “ call for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to Washington to surround and protect the White House.
” The left World Socialist Web Site joins the liberal chorus : “ In an act unprecedented in American history , Donald Trump has repudiated the Constitution and is attempting to establish a presidential dictatorship , supported by the military , police and far-right fascistic militia acting under his command.
” Meanwhile , in the real world , more than 51 million Americans have filed for unemployment since March .
Some 27 million people have lost their health insurance on top of around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of the massive pandemic .
The Federal Reserve has pumped $ 7 trillion into corporate bonds , municipal securities , loans and grants to business , while millions are going hungry .
The pandemic death toll in the U.S. is 168,345 as it rages out of control .
California can not even accurately count the number of cases being reported .
The U.S. is experiencing the greatest combined health and economic crisis since the founding of the republic .
But instead of demanding solutions , the overriding liberal-left concern of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Trump coup , quickly forgetting the issues that Bernie Sanders ran on .
The idea that the “ visibly overweight and dementia-plagued ” “ orange pig , ” in the florid words of Paul Street , could by personal will change the form of governance in the U.S. from bourgeois democracy to fascism is based on a “ great man ” concept of the course of history , where a single individual determines all .
“ There ’ s no doubt that the Trump malignancy runs deep , ” Chomsky explains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fascist symptoms , ” describing Trump ’ s proclivity to fascism as a personality disorder .
Obscured by this concentration on Trump ’ s personality are the social , economic , and political conditions for a fascist transformation .
In Europe of the 1930s , sections of the ruling class in their respective countries accepted Hitler ’ s and Mussolini ’ s dictatorships for fear of working-class Communist and Socialist parties coming to political power .
There is no such political contention in the contemporary U.S. Rather , some half of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they do not see their interests represented by either wing of the two-party duopoly .
The other half trust that they live in a genuine democracy with real political choices .
The U.S. ruling class can impose their rule on the popular classes because the latter are either inactive or believe they are represented .
If rule by and for the elites is accepted , why should the bourgeoisie squander this gift and opt for a more costly fascist dictatorship ?
Even if Donald Trump personally would aspire to be the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sufficient backing from the ruling class , notably finance capital .
Many military generals detest him .
The foreign policy establishment does not trust him .
At least half of the active-duty service members are unhappy with him .
And the so-called deep state security agencies – FBI , CIA , NSA – are among his harshest critics Trump might be able to mobilize some skinheads with gun show souvenirs .
But these marginalized discontents would hardly be a match to the coercive apparatus of the world ’ s superpower .
Fellow party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Republicans against Trump ( RAT ) , can ’ t stomach Trump .
Romney has bailed , W isn ’ t far behind , and the polls indicate a landslide defeat in November .
Even if Trump were doing everything right , not the opposite , no incumbent president could survive a spectacularly tanking economy plus a pandemic .
Bottomline , Kamala Harris and what ’ s-his-face will be the new 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue neighbors .
However…while a one-man coup can be dismissed , an “ October surprise ” in the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s nothing like a dandy little war ( say a coup in Belarus ) to boost a sitting president ’ s approval ratings 15 percent and put him over the top in November .
With U.S. warships cruising for trouble in the South China Sea and the Democrats egging Trump for being soft on Beijing , even a dustup with nuclear-armed China can not be ruled out .
The obsession with the person of Trump is a testament to the political bankruptcy of the increasingly anemic successors of the New Deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , every four years , admonish us that never before have the stakes been so high : we have to vote for the lesser evil .
Given their view of the danger of a fascist coup , we should put aside a progressive agenda and vote for the former senator from Mastercard and learn to love endless imperial war and increasing austerity for working people in a repressive security state .
The liberal-left pundits reproach us to vote Democrat simply because the alternative is not Trump .
Recall similar warnings about Bush and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats in high places .
Vote , but not for any issue , because the so-called liberal agenda is today devoid of issues .
Liberalism is dead .
Indicative is its standard-bearer barely showing vital signs .
Biden is being told to stay in his basement and even sit out his nominating convention .
The Democratic National Committee ( DNC ) killed the one hope – a genuine one – that liberalism had .
Bernie Sanders knew that the DNC had rigged the 2016 contest against him and would do the same in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was to ignite a grassroots mass movement to overcome the Democratic Party from within .
After a poor showing in the South Carolina primary , Sanders dropped out .
Shortly thereafter , the winds of pandemic and BLM protests shook the nation and might have buoyed the Sanders campaign , with its signature issues of healthcare and equality for all .
Instead of making history , the Great Gray Hope ’ s grand plans have sadly been reduced by his fateful conviction to work within the confines of the Democratic Party to urging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a fascist coup by Trump , the liberal-left has legitimate concerns .
A rightward specter is haunting the U.S. and beyond with serious consequences .
White supremacy remains seminal in a nation founded on the expropriation of the Indigenous and the exploitation of African slaves .
The decline of living standards and an ever more precarious workforce are reaching crisis proportions with the pandemic .
The worst is yet to come , creating a political dynamic of discontent that can swing either left or right .
Rather than merely replacing the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table manners , more radical measures are called for .
What remains is a political theatre of two neoliberal parties vehemently contesting matters of style and colluding on matters of substance .
The two major parties concur : bail out Wall Street , renew the Patriot Act , increase the military budget , modernize the nuclear arsenal , prepare for war with China , pursue regime change in Venezuela , etc .
The trajectory of neoliberalism has entailed a concentration of economic and political power coupled with an increasingly authoritarian and imperialistically aggressive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A pervasive security state and the coercive apparatus of fascism are in fact already in place .
According to the DNC , “ Democrats have made modernizing our military a top priority ” along with supporting our “ national security personnel.
” Ditto for the Republicans .
Hitler physically liquidated the trade unions along with the left political parties .
He censored the press and engaged in a massive military build-up .
In the U.S. today , union density has declined to 10.3 percent of the workforce , no countervailing left political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media echo Washington and the military budget balloons .
Neither the historical example nor the current one is free of the defects of racism and xenophobia .
Perhaps the salient political question for the 2020 electoral season is not whether there will be a fascist coup , but how would we know ?
Feature photo | President Donald Trump speaks during an event Trump National Golf Club , Friday , Aug. 14 , 2020 , in Bedminster , N.J. , with members of the City of New York Police Department Benevolent Association .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on the state central committee of the Peace and Freedom Party , the only ballot qualified socialist party in California .

Should Trump fail to carry the Electoral College, Noam Chomsky admonishes, “he could send Blackshirts out in the streets… preparation for a plan to try to bring the military in to carry out something which would amount to a military coup.”
A New York Times columnist opines: “Put nothing past Trump, not even the destruction of the American electoral process.” Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, explains that Trump’s election delay threat is a coup in the making. Economist Jack Rasmus speculates Trump will “call for his radical right, gun-toting friends to come to Washington to surround and protect the White House.”
The left World Socialist Web Site joins the liberal chorus: “In an act unprecedented in American history, Donald Trump has repudiated the Constitution and is attempting to establish a presidential dictatorship, supported by the military, police and far-right fascistic militia acting under his command.”
Meanwhile, in the real world, more than 51 million Americans have filed for unemployment since March. Some 27 million people have lost their health insurance on top of around 30 million who were uninsured before, in the face of the massive pandemic. The Federal Reserve has pumped $7 trillion into corporate bonds, municipal securities, loans and grants to business, while millions are going hungry. The pandemic death toll in the U.S. is 168,345 as it rages out of control. California cannot even accurately count the number of cases being reported.
The U.S. is experiencing the greatest combined health and economic crisis since the founding of the republic. But instead of demanding solutions, the overriding liberal-left concern of this presidential campaign season is the specter of a Trump coup, quickly forgetting the issues that Bernie Sanders ran on.
Fascism as a personality disorder
The idea that the “visibly overweight and dementia-plagued” “orange pig,” in the florid words of Paul Street, could by personal will change the form of governance in the U.S. from bourgeois democracy to fascism is based on a “great man” concept of the course of history, where a single individual determines all.
“There’s no doubt that the Trump malignancy runs deep,” Chomsky explains, “and that he is drawn to fascist symptoms,” describing Trump’s proclivity to fascism as a personality disorder.
Obscured by this concentration on Trump’s personality are the social, economic, and political conditions for a fascist transformation.
In Europe of the 1930s, sections of the ruling class in their respective countries accepted Hitler’s and Mussolini’s dictatorships for fear of working-class Communist and Socialist parties coming to political power. There is no such political contention in the contemporary U.S. Rather, some half of the eligible electorate does not bother to vote because they do not see their interests represented by either wing of the two-party duopoly. The other half trust that they live in a genuine democracy with real political choices.
The U.S. ruling class can impose their rule on the popular classes because the latter are either inactive or believe they are represented. If rule by and for the elites is accepted, why should the bourgeoisie squander this gift and opt for a more costly fascist dictatorship?
Even if Donald Trump personally would aspire to be the first U.S. führer, he does not have sufficient backing from the ruling class, notably finance capital. Many military generals detest him. The foreign policy establishment does not trust him. At least half of the active-duty service members are unhappy with him. And the so-called deep state security agencies – FBI, CIA, NSA – are among his harshest critics
Trump might be able to mobilize some skinheads with gun show souvenirs. But these marginalized discontents would hardly be a match to the coercive apparatus of the world’s superpower.
Fellow party members, such as the Lincoln Project and Republicans against Trump (RAT), can’t stomach Trump. Romney has bailed, W isn’t far behind, and the polls indicate a landslide defeat in November. Even if Trump were doing everything right, not the opposite, no incumbent president could survive a spectacularly tanking economy plus a pandemic. Bottomline, Kamala Harris and what’s-his-face will be the new 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue neighbors.
However…while a one-man coup can be dismissed, an “October surprise” in the form of a military adventure cannot. There’s nothing like a dandy little war (say a coup in Belarus) to boost a sitting president’s approval ratings 15 percent and put him over the top in November. With U.S. warships cruising for trouble in the South China Sea and the Democrats egging Trump for being soft on Beijing, even a dustup with nuclear-armed China cannot be ruled out.
Liberalism is dead
The obsession with the person of Trump is a testament to the political bankruptcy of the increasingly anemic successors of the New Deal and their epigones on the left who, every four years, admonish us that never before have the stakes been so high: we have to vote for the lesser evil. Given their view of the danger of a fascist coup, we should put aside a progressive agenda and vote for the former senator from Mastercard and learn to love endless imperial war and increasing austerity for working people in a repressive security state.
The liberal-left pundits reproach us to vote Democrat simply because the alternative is not Trump. Recall similar warnings about Bush and Romney, who are now chums of Democrats in high places. Vote, but not for any issue, because the so-called liberal agenda is today devoid of issues. Liberalism is dead. Indicative is its standard-bearer barely showing vital signs. Biden is being told to stay in his basement and even sit out his nominating convention.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) killed the one hope – a genuine one – that liberalism had. Bernie Sanders knew that the DNC had rigged the 2016 contest against him and would do the same in 2020. But Sanders’s strategy was to ignite a grassroots mass movement to overcome the Democratic Party from within.
After a poor showing in the South Carolina primary, Sanders dropped out. Shortly thereafter, the winds of pandemic and BLM protests shook the nation and might have buoyed the Sanders campaign, with its signature issues of healthcare and equality for all. Instead of making history, the Great Gray Hope’s grand plans have sadly been reduced by his fateful conviction to work within the confines of the Democratic Party to urging the wearing of face masks.
Trajectory of neoliberalism
Short of a fascist coup by Trump, the liberal-left has legitimate concerns. A rightward specter is haunting the U.S. and beyond with serious consequences. White supremacy remains seminal in a nation founded on the expropriation of the Indigenous and the exploitation of African slaves. The decline of living standards and an ever more precarious workforce are reaching crisis proportions with the pandemic. The worst is yet to come, creating a political dynamic of discontent that can swing either left or right.
Rather than merely replacing the current White House occupant with one with better table manners, more radical measures are called for.
What remains is a political theatre of two neoliberal parties vehemently contesting matters of style and colluding on matters of substance. The two major parties concur: bail out Wall Street, renew the Patriot Act, increase the military budget, modernize the nuclear arsenal, prepare for war with China, pursue regime change in Venezuela, etc.
The trajectory of neoliberalism has entailed a concentration of economic and political power coupled with an increasingly authoritarian and imperialistically aggressive state. This trajectory converges with fascism. A pervasive security state and the coercive apparatus of fascism are in fact already in place. According to the DNC, “Democrats have made modernizing our military a top priority” along with supporting our “national security personnel.” Ditto for the Republicans.
Hitler physically liquidated the trade unions along with the left political parties. He censored the press and engaged in a massive military build-up. In the U.S. today, union density has declined to 10.3 percent of the workforce, no countervailing left political organizations of consequence exist, the mainstream media echo Washington and the military budget balloons. Neither the historical example nor the current one is free of the defects of racism and xenophobia. Perhaps the salient political question for the 2020 electoral season is not whether there will be a fascist coup, but how would we know?
Feature photo | President Donald Trump speaks during an event Trump National Golf Club, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in Bedminster, N.J., with members of the City of New York Police Department Benevolent Association. Susan Walsh | AP
Roger D. Harris is on the state central committee of the Peace and Freedom Party, the only ballot qualified socialist party in California.


mintpressnews--2020-08-19--Among this Week’s Victims of Israeli State Violence: A Disabled Elderly Palestinian Man

The week is not yet over but already Palestinians multiple Palestinian families are making funeral arrangements and planning hospital visits .
The following are three stories – one death and two injuries .
Each story raises many questions , more than there is space to fully answer , but there remains a benefit in asking .
On Monday , a sixty-year-old Palestinian man approached an Israeli checkpoint on foot , not in the pedestrian section , but in the area of the checkpoint designated for vehicles .
Israeli guards shouted at him to stop , but he kept walking “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the leg .
The guards would later discover that the elderly man was unarmed , deaf , and mute .
He was taken to a hospital and the guard that shot him questioned and released , his punishment , five days of house arrest .
Why was there a checkpoint in the first place ?
Why would guards use live ammunition against an elderly man for simply walking “ suspiciously ?
” Why was the shooter released ?
The stated purpose of Israeli checkpoints is to enhance security for Israelis and to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm .
There are currently around 140 permanent checkpoints administered by Israel on Palestinian territory and thousands of “ flying ” ( temporary ) checkpoints in use .
These checkpoints severely hinder the dignity and freedom of movement of Palestinians ; they are made to accommodate Israelis who live illegally in Jewish-only settlements on Palestinian land and effectively undermine Israeli security as Palestinians view settlements and the infrastructure that sustains them as an ongoing provocation .
As one Washington Post article put it , a checkpoint is : Shot in the chest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli soldiers entered a town near East Jerusalem with army jeeps , police vehicles , and three bulldozers , and demolished a six-story building that was under construction .
When a group of Palestinians gathered to protest the demolition ; dozens of them were targeted by Israeli soldiers with live ammunition , rubber-coated steel bullets , tear gas , and concussion grenades .
One of the protesters , a young man in his twenties , was shot in the chest with a live round .
Palestinian medics rushed him to the hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care .
He remains in critical condition .
Israeli soldiers surrounded the hospital , attempting to “ abduct ” the wounded man .
As of this writing , the situation is uncertain .
Why was a six-story building still under construction demolished in the first place – and why did protesters gather ?
Why were Israeli soldiers present and why did they shoot at the protesters – and why in the chest ?
Why would Israeli soldiers attempt to abduct a man in intensive care ?
Palestinian buildings are routinely demolished through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only violate the Fourth Geneva Convention but that many experts say meet the legal threshold for apartheid .
Palestinians , and activists from around the world , routinely protest against these demolitions in hopes of attracting international attention – attention Israel would rather avoid .
Another incident on Monday near the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem saw Israeli soldiers fire at least three live rounds into the chest of a Palestinian man who attempted to attack them with a knife .
Palestinian medics nearby heard the shots and offered to help the injured man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcibly removed them from the vicinity .
The injured man was left on the ground to bleed to death ; meanwhile , Israeli medics tended to the moderately wounded soldier , then transferred him to a nearby hospital .
Why were Israeli soldiers standing guard near the al-Aqsa Mosque ?
Why would a Palestinian man want to stab them ?
Why was he shot multiple times in the chest ?
Why was he left to bleed to death ?
At first glance , one might say the Israeli soldiers were on duty – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the peace in the Old City of Jerusalem ; in reality , however , they , like the invasive checkpoints scattered across Palestine , remind Palestinians of their own powerlessness under occupation .
Israeli newspaper Ha ’ aretz offers an answer to the bleeding-to-death query : “ Palestinian life is cheap.
” According to the Electronic Intifada , Israeli forces have killed 28 Palestinians so far in 2020 .
Troubling details and unanswered questions like the ones above plague each incident .
Last week , for example , a 23-year-old woman was fatally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invaded her neighborhood and shot tear gas canisters in the street .
As she was closing her window to protect her children from gas , she was shot in the chest .
The ambulance that arrived to take her to the hospital was also shot at with live ammunition .
The woman later died at the hospital .
In May , a Palestinian man with severe autism was shot and killed , even as his caregiver screamed , “ he ’ s disabled !
” In fact , eight disabled Palestinians were among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during in 2018 and 2019 while protesting in Gaza for the end of a thirteen-year Israeli blockade .
Among the dead were also women and children , medics and journalists , and men .
One Israeli has been killed in 2020 .
Feature photo | Israeli forces point weapons at Palestinians protesting against Israel ’ s plan to annex parts of the West Bank and U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s Mideast initiative and the United Arab Emirates ’ deal with Israel , in the West Bank village of Turmusaya near Ramallah , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ | AP Kathryn Shihadah writes for MintPress News and If Americans Knew .
She speaks regularly about the injustice and demonization Palestinians face at the hands of Israel with complicity from the United States , especially to Christian audiences .
Kathryn has lived in the Middle East for ten years and has traveled extensively .
She blogs at PalestineHome.org .

The week is not yet over but already Palestinians multiple Palestinian families are making funeral arrangements and planning hospital visits. The following are three stories – one death and two injuries. Each story raises many questions, more than there is space to fully answer, but there remains a benefit in asking.
A sixty-year-old disabled man is shot
On Monday, a sixty-year-old Palestinian man approached an Israeli checkpoint on foot, not in the pedestrian section, but in the area of the checkpoint designated for vehicles. Israeli guards shouted at him to stop, but he kept walking “suspiciously.” He was then shot in the leg.
The guards would later discover that the elderly man was unarmed, deaf, and mute. He was taken to a hospital and the guard that shot him questioned and released, his punishment, five days of house arrest.
Why was there a checkpoint in the first place? Why would guards use live ammunition against an elderly man for simply walking “suspiciously?” Why was the shooter released?
The stated purpose of Israeli checkpoints is to enhance security for Israelis and to protect them against Palestinians wishing to do them harm. There are currently around 140 permanent checkpoints administered by Israel on Palestinian territory and thousands of “flying” (temporary) checkpoints in use.
These checkpoints severely hinder the dignity and freedom of movement of Palestinians; they are made to accommodate Israelis who live illegally in Jewish-only settlements on Palestinian land and effectively undermine Israeli security as Palestinians view settlements and the infrastructure that sustains them as an ongoing provocation.
As one Washington Post article put it, a checkpoint is:
a stark symbol of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank and a constant source of humiliation for ordinary Palestinians. It also serves as a daily reminder of how deeply Israel controls their lives.”
Shot in the chest, stalked in the ICU
On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers entered a town near East Jerusalem with army jeeps, police vehicles, and three bulldozers, and demolished a six-story building that was under construction. When a group of Palestinians gathered to protest the demolition; dozens of them were targeted by Israeli soldiers with live ammunition, rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas, and concussion grenades.
One of the protesters, a young man in his twenties, was shot in the chest with a live round. Palestinian medics rushed him to the hospital, where he immediately went into surgery and intensive care. He remains in critical condition.
Israeli soldiers surrounded the hospital, attempting to “abduct” the wounded man. As of this writing, the situation is uncertain.
Why was a six-story building still under construction demolished in the first place – and why did protesters gather? Why were Israeli soldiers present and why did they shoot at the protesters – and why in the chest? Why would Israeli soldiers attempt to abduct a man in intensive care?
Palestinian buildings are routinely demolished through a series of Israeli laws that not only violate the Fourth Geneva Convention but that many experts say meet the legal threshold for apartheid.
Palestinians, and activists from around the world, routinely protest against these demolitions in hopes of attracting international attention – attention Israel would rather avoid.
Young man shot, denied medical assistance, dies
Another incident on Monday near the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem saw Israeli soldiers fire at least three live rounds into the chest of a Palestinian man who attempted to attack them with a knife. Palestinian medics nearby heard the shots and offered to help the injured man. The soldiers assaulted the medics and forcibly removed them from the vicinity.
The injured man was left on the ground to bleed to death; meanwhile, Israeli medics tended to the moderately wounded soldier, then transferred him to a nearby hospital.
Why were Israeli soldiers standing guard near the al-Aqsa Mosque? Why would a Palestinian man want to stab them? Why was he shot multiple times in the chest? Why was he left to bleed to death?
At first glance, one might say the Israeli soldiers were on duty – in full riot gear – to keep the peace in the Old City of Jerusalem; in reality, however, they, like the invasive checkpoints scattered across Palestine, remind Palestinians of their own powerlessness under occupation.
Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz offers an answer to the bleeding-to-death query: “Palestinian life is cheap.”
Daily questions unanswered
According to the Electronic Intifada, Israeli forces have killed 28 Palestinians so far in 2020.
Troubling details and unanswered questions like the ones above plague each incident. Last week, for example, a 23-year-old woman was fatally shot in her home when Israeli soldiers invaded her neighborhood and shot tear gas canisters in the street. As she was closing her window to protect her children from gas, she was shot in the chest. The ambulance that arrived to take her to the hospital was also shot at with live ammunition. The woman later died at the hospital.
In May, a Palestinian man with severe autism was shot and killed, even as his caregiver screamed, “he’s disabled!”
In fact, eight disabled Palestinians were among more than 200 killed by Israeli snipers during in 2018 and 2019 while protesting in Gaza for the end of a thirteen-year Israeli blockade. Among the dead were also women and children, medics and journalists, and men.
One Israeli has been killed in 2020.
Feature photo | Israeli forces point weapons at Palestinians protesting against Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank and U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast initiative and the United Arab Emirates’ deal with Israel, in the West Bank village of Turmusaya near Ramallah, Aug. 19, 2020. Majdi Mohammed | AP
Kathryn Shihadah writes for MintPress News and If Americans Knew. She speaks regularly about the injustice and demonization Palestinians face at the hands of Israel with complicity from the United States, especially to Christian audiences. Kathryn has lived in the Middle East for ten years and has traveled extensively. She blogs at PalestineHome.org.


mintpressnews--2020-08-19--“A Disturbing Milestone”: America’s Top 12 Plutocrats Now Own $1 Trillion in Wealth

For the first time in history , the 12 richest individuals in the United States collectively hold over $ 1 trillion in wealth .
New figures from the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies ( IPS ) show that , despite a pandemic that has stunted the economy for months , America ’ s billionaire class is becoming richer than ever , adding nearly $ 700 billion to their fortune since the nationwide lockdown in March , now holding $ 1.015 trillion .
Speaking with MintPress today , the IPS ’ Chuck Collins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milestone in the history of extreme inequality in the U.S. ” adding : Included on the list are figures like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , the world ’ s richest living individual , who has nearly doubled his fortune to an estimated $ 189 billion , and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk , who saw his personal net worth triple to $ 73 billion in the last six months .
The news of these billionaires ’ growing fortunes comes amid record stock market gains .
Yesterday , the S & P 500 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 500 largest corporations , reached an all time high , closing at 3,389.78 , breaking the previous record set in February .
Few Americans , however , are feeling any benefits .
The coronavirus pandemic has wrought a terrible economic and social cost on the country , with an estimated 26 million going hungry in the last week , 40 million facing eviction from their homes , and around 55 million filing for unemployment benefits since March .
Food banks across the country have seen great increases in demand and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet it .
President Trump has many times touted the surging stock market as a reflection of his administration ’ s competence , mirroring the 1950s slogan “ what ’ s good for General Motors is good for the country.
” However , few appear to accept Trump ’ s word on it .
Dean Baker , Senior Economist at the Center for Economic Policy Research in Washington , D.C. , told MintPress that , “ Stocks measure the expected value of future corporate profits .
With the labor market weak and likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wages are likely to lag productivity , which will be good for profits .
Also , continued low interest rates mean there are not good alternatives to stock ” — something that raises the question of for whom is the economy currently working .
“ It is a societal failure when so much wealth and power are in so few hands , ” said Collins .
The full list of 12 plutocrats and their quickly rising net worth are as follows : Of the twelve , five have taken a pledge to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during their lifetimes .
But only one of those on the list , business tycoon and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway , Warren Buffet , has actually seen his net worth decrease in the past six months .
Bezos , whom some are predicting will be the world ’ s first trillionaire , has not , and is asking the public for donations to help his 800,000 employees through the pandemic .
One-third of Amazon employees in Arizona are on food stamps , with other states not faring that much better .
While working-class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one $ 1,200 government check , the country ’ s billionaires have been most carefully looked after .
A report from the Joint Committee on Taxation , a nonpartisan congressional body , found that 82 percent of the tax breaks from the Trump administrations Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act went to those making over $ 1 million annually , with the super-wealthy feeling the most benefits .
And as the government has gone on vacation until September , it is unlikely that any relief will arrive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious changes are necessary , both over the short and long terms .
“ Without any significant reforms — which include an excess profits tax , a wealth tax and a progressive estate tax — wealth will continue to concentrate in the hands of a small minority and worsen inequality in the future , ” said Collins ’ colleague at the Program on Inequality and the Common Good , Omar Ocampo .
With Trump promising another large tax cut , the problem of wealth inequality is likely to get worse rather than better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public look on at a Seattle City Council before the council voted to approve a tax on large businesses such as Amazon and Starbucks to fight homelessness in Seattle .
Elaine Thompson | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary .

For the first time in history, the 12 richest individuals in the United States collectively hold over $1 trillion in wealth. New figures from the Program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) show that, despite a pandemic that has stunted the economy for months, America’s billionaire class is becoming richer than ever, adding nearly $700 billion to their fortune since the nationwide lockdown in March, now holding $1.015 trillion. Speaking with MintPress today, the IPS’ Chuck Collins described his findings as a “disturbing milestone in the history of extreme inequality in the U.S.” adding:
This despotic dozen has tremendous power and wealth related to their control of the technological platforms and digital commons that we all depend on.”
Included on the list are figures like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest living individual, who has nearly doubled his fortune to an estimated $189 billion, and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, who saw his personal net worth triple to $73 billion in the last six months.
The news of these billionaires’ growing fortunes comes amid record stock market gains. Yesterday, the S&P 500, an index measuring the performance of America’s 500 largest corporations, reached an all time high, closing at 3,389.78, breaking the previous record set in February.
Few Americans, however, are feeling any benefits. The coronavirus pandemic has wrought a terrible economic and social cost on the country, with an estimated 26 million going hungry in the last week, 40 million facing eviction from their homes, and around 55 million filing for unemployment benefits since March. Food banks across the country have seen great increases in demand and, in some cases, are struggling to meet it.
Wages fall as profits soar
President Trump has many times touted the surging stock market as a reflection of his administration’s competence, mirroring the 1950s slogan “what’s good for General Motors is good for the country.” However, few appear to accept Trump’s word on it. Dean Baker, Senior Economist at the Center for Economic Policy Research in Washington, D.C., told MintPress that, “Stocks measure the expected value of future corporate profits. With the labor market weak and likely to remain so for a while, wages are likely to lag productivity, which will be good for profits. Also, continued low interest rates mean there are not good alternatives to stock” — something that raises the question of for whom is the economy currently working. “It is a societal failure when so much wealth and power are in so few hands,” said Collins.
The full list of 12 plutocrats and their quickly rising net worth are as follows:
Jeff Bezos ($189.4 billion)
Bill Gates ($114 billion)
Mark Zuckerberg ($95 billion)
Warren Buffett ($80 billion)
Elon Musk ($73 billion)
Steve Ballmer ($71 billion)
Larrry Ellison ($71 billion)
Larry Page ($67 billion)
Sergey Brin ($66 billion)
Alice Walton ($62 billion)
Jim Walton ($62 billion)
Rob Walton ($62 billion)
Of the twelve, five have taken a pledge to give away at least half of their wealth during their lifetimes. But only one of those on the list, business tycoon and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet, has actually seen his net worth decrease in the past six months. Bezos, whom some are predicting will be the world’s first trillionaire, has not, and is asking the public for donations to help his 800,000 employees through the pandemic. One-third of Amazon employees in Arizona are on food stamps, with other states not faring that much better.
While working-class Americans have had to make do with one $1,200 government check, the country’s billionaires have been most carefully looked after. A report from the Joint Committee on Taxation, a nonpartisan congressional body, found that 82 percent of the tax breaks from the Trump administrations Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act went to those making over $1 million annually, with the super-wealthy feeling the most benefits. And as the government has gone on vacation until September, it is unlikely that any relief will arrive in the near future.
Nevertheless, serious changes are necessary, both over the short and long terms. “Without any significant reforms — which include an excess profits tax, a wealth tax and a progressive estate tax — wealth will continue to concentrate in the hands of a small minority and worsen inequality in the future,” said Collins’ colleague at the Program on Inequality and the Common Good, Omar Ocampo. With Trump promising another large tax cut, the problem of wealth inequality is likely to get worse rather than better.
Feature photo | Members of the public look on at a Seattle City Council before the council voted to approve a tax on large businesses such as Amazon and Starbucks to fight homelessness in Seattle. Elaine Thompson | AP
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.


mintpressnews--2020-08-19--Oxfam: Saudis Carry Out Equivalent of One Attack Every Ten Days on Yemen’s Medical and Water Facilit

Oxfam: Saudis Carry Out Equivalent of One Attack Every Ten Days on Yemen’s Medical and Water Facilities

Yemen is already living through what the United Nations calls “ the world ’ s worst humanitarian crisis.
” Yet despite twin epidemics of cholera and COVID-19 raging through the embattled nation , the Saudi-led coalition continues to target medical and water infrastructure , having done so over 200 times since the conflict began , a new report from Oxfam claims .
That is equivalent to one air raid every ten days during the conflict , as hospitals , health clinics , water drills , trucks and sewage systems have been attacked and destroyed .
There have been over 21,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 , according to the Yemen Data Project .
However , these are highly concentrated in western areas controlled by the Houthi rebels , with only ten recorded in the eastern half of the country .
The effect of the continuous onslaught has been devastating , sparking a crisis of epic proportions .
The United Nations estimates that 14 million people — over half the country ’ s population — are at risk of famine , and 20.5 million need help accessing drinkable water .
“ Vital infrastructure like hospitals , clinics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in the crosshairs throughout this conflict .
Their damage and destruction make Yemen even more vulnerable to diseases like COVID and cholera , ” said Muhsin Siddiquey , Oxfam ’ s Yemen Country Director .
“ Lives aren ’ t just lost when the bombs fall but also during the weeks , months or years it takes for hospitals and wells to be rebuilt.
” The country is experiencing acute and protracted health crises , even if official numbers do not show it .
Although statistics suggest that only 537 Yemenis have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down from last year , aid agencies have warned this is actually a bad sign .
“ Rather than show that Yemen has cholera and COVID under control , the low official numbers demonstrate the exact opposite .
A lack of working health facilities and people too scared to get treatment mean that the numbers suffering from these diseases are being vastly under recorded , ” Siddiquey said last month .
The ongoing monsoon season , which has brought floods with it , has made matters worse .
The World Food Program has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biblical proportions ” as a consequence .
The United States government has been a key supporter of Saudi actions in Yemen , arming , helping and training its military , while defending it from censure internationally .
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ’ s figures , Saudi Arabia is by far Washington ’ s best customer in terms of arms sales , spending over three times as much on American weaponry as any other country .
Other junior members of the Saudi coalition , such as Qatar and Kuwait , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top buyers .
Throughout the Saudi campaign , which has been condemned by the United Nations , arms sales have increased .
Last year President Trump personally vetoed a bill to end U.S. support for the war .
The United Kingdom is also a major partner of the Saudi military , it accounting for half of all British foreign arms sales .
Without mentioning them explicitly , Oxfam pointed the finger at the U.S. and U.K. , the countries that have sold by far the most weapons to the absolute monarchy .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale of billions of dollars-worth of munitions to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners throughout the course of more than five years of war in Yemen , despite knowing that some of these arms could be used in violation of international humanitarian law , ” it wrote , Siddiquey noting that Yemen ’ s suffering is “ being fuelled by arms sales.
” Despite the obvious human consequences of the sales , last week , a State Department report cleared Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of all wrongdoing in executing a multi-billion dollar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arabia .
“ We did everything by the book , ” Pompeo told reporters , also claiming that his weapons deal had somehow “ prevented the loss of lives.
” The reality of the situation is that close to a quarter of a million people have died during the “ civil war , ” which began in 2015 after Houthi militias rebelled against the rule of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi .
With a ruined medical and sanitation infrastructure , things are likely to get worse before they get better .
Feature photo | The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown after it was damaged by shelling in 2015 .
Photo | International Committee of the Red Cross Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary @

Yemen is already living through what the United Nations calls “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” Yet despite twin epidemics of cholera and COVID-19 raging through the embattled nation, the Saudi-led coalition continues to target medical and water infrastructure, having done so over 200 times since the conflict began, a new report from Oxfam claims. That is equivalent to one air raid every ten days during the conflict, as hospitals, health clinics, water drills, trucks and sewage systems have been attacked and destroyed. There have been over 21,000 coalition air raids on the country since 2015, according to the Yemen Data Project. However, these are highly concentrated in western areas controlled by the Houthi rebels, with only ten recorded in the eastern half of the country.
The effect of the continuous onslaught has been devastating, sparking a crisis of epic proportions. The United Nations estimates that 14 million people — over half the country’s population — are at risk of famine, and 20.5 million need help accessing drinkable water. “Vital infrastructure like hospitals, clinics, water tanks, and wells have consistently been in the crosshairs throughout this conflict. Their damage and destruction make Yemen even more vulnerable to diseases like COVID and cholera,” said Muhsin Siddiquey, Oxfam’s Yemen Country Director. “Lives aren’t just lost when the bombs fall but also during the weeks, months or years it takes for hospitals and wells to be rebuilt.”
The country is experiencing acute and protracted health crises, even if official numbers do not show it. Although statistics suggest that only 537 Yemenis have died from coronavirus and cholera cases are down from last year, aid agencies have warned this is actually a bad sign. “Rather than show that Yemen has cholera and COVID under control, the low official numbers demonstrate the exact opposite. A lack of working health facilities and people too scared to get treatment mean that the numbers suffering from these diseases are being vastly under recorded,” Siddiquey said last month. The ongoing monsoon season, which has brought floods with it, has made matters worse. The World Food Program has warned of a potential “famine of biblical proportions” as a consequence.
The United States government has been a key supporter of Saudi actions in Yemen, arming, helping and training its military, while defending it from censure internationally. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s figures, Saudi Arabia is by far Washington’s best customer in terms of arms sales, spending over three times as much on American weaponry as any other country. Other junior members of the Saudi coalition, such as Qatar and Kuwait, also feature prominently on the list of top buyers. Throughout the Saudi campaign, which has been condemned by the United Nations, arms sales have increased. Last year President Trump personally vetoed a bill to end U.S. support for the war. The United Kingdom is also a major partner of the Saudi military, it accounting for half of all British foreign arms sales.
Without mentioning them explicitly, Oxfam pointed the finger at the U.S. and U.K., the countries that have sold by far the most weapons to the absolute monarchy. “Arms exporting countries have profited from the sale of billions of dollars-worth of munitions to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners throughout the course of more than five years of war in Yemen, despite knowing that some of these arms could be used in violation of international humanitarian law,” it wrote, Siddiquey noting that Yemen’s suffering is “being fuelled by arms sales.”
Despite the obvious human consequences of the sales, last week, a State Department report cleared Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of all wrongdoing in executing a multi-billion dollar arms sale between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. “We did everything by the book,” Pompeo told reporters, also claiming that his weapons deal had somehow “prevented the loss of lives.”
The reality of the situation is that close to a quarter of a million people have died during the “civil war,” which began in 2015 after Houthi militias rebelled against the rule of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. With a ruined medical and sanitation infrastructure, things are likely to get worse before they get better.
Feature photo | The al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz, Yemen is shown after it was damaged by shelling in 2015. Photo | International Committee of the Red Cross
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.