Law, Power, and Justice

Saturday 10 February 2024

News Notes

Israel

Podcast: Times of Israel (2/10/24)

• Israel’s credit rating has been downgraded. (Note:
• Biden has made a statement about Israel’s response in Gaza has been “over the top.”  The question is why Biden decided to say this at this time. 
• Ground operations are looming in Rafah.
• Two-state solution.  (Note:
• Rep. Chris Van Holland commented on a memorandum that was issued about US aid being used to kill civilians or in human rights abuses.  This is not really a new condition.  What is new is that the countries have to give assurances.  This could be a symbolic bone being thrown to Progressives to pacify them.
• This may become an issue not so much in Gaza, but in operations in the West Bank.
• Saudi and Egypt warned Israel about pushing Palestinians south in a ground operation near Rafah. 
• Israel has asked Palestinians to move south.  They have done so.  Rafah in right on the Egyptian border.  Where are they to go?
• If people move north, it’s not clear what they will be going back to, and also Israel fears that Hamas will be moving back north with them to retake areas that Israel has already cleared. 
• Egypt does not want the Palestinians to come over the border.  They have warned Israel about the peace treaty that involves that border.
• If there is a ground incursion, avoiding civilian deaths will not be possible.  Deaths of Israeli military will also be high.
• There are still Hamas battalions in the Rafah area that need to be dismantled.
• UNRWA
• The US state department is looking at funding another agency because funds no longer can be given to UNWRA. 
• UNWRA has 13,000 workers on the ground.  No other agency comes close to UNWRA’s capacity.  Salaries at UNWRA are cheaper than at other agencies.  To switch would be more expensive.  Who is going to staff this agency?  People are not lining up to take jobs in Gaza.
• There is nobody else to do UNWRA’s work.  This is not a viable option.
• Netanyahu and his government do want to get rid of UNWRA. 
• UNWRA operates anywhere there are Palestinian refugees – Lebanon, Syria, Jordan.  It is specifically for “card-carrying refugees.” 
• The West Bank economy is “in a shambles.”  Israel has stopped transferring tax money to pay PA salaries of government workers.  Workers have been banned from going back into Israel from the West Bank for security concerns.  New check points have limited movement and economic activity. 
• There is concern that the West Bank is a “powder keg.”  (Note: I have heard this said for weeks.)
• There seems to be some flexibility on the transfer of payments for salaries, but even after decisions, this takes a long time to be implemented.