Law, Power, and Justice

Afternoon News Notes

Podcast: The World

Israel

• Netanyahu says there will be a ground invasion of Rafah – cease fire or not. 
• Gavir, Minister of National Security in Israel, one of the far right members of Netanyahu’s coalition, said he told Netanyahu that ending the war in Gaza was unacceptable because it would mean that Israel would lose the war.
• Another far-right member of the coalition, Smotrich, threatened to quit if Netanyahu made an agreement to release the hostages through a deal.  He said that it would be like “waving the white flag.”
• But, Israel appears to have softened some of its demands for a cease fire.  Also, there is new language about “sustainable calm.”  This is a nod to one of Hamas’s demands.
• The reports of the new proposal for a deal would include releasing thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remaining hostages.
• There are many Palestinians imprisoned as “security prisoners” mostly from the West Bank.  Often when Israel does this, they then rearrest these prisoners when they are released.
• There is talk about Hamas leaving Gaza, but this is unlikely.  What they want is to declare some kind of victory.  “They’d like to claim they have won.”
• There are massive protests in Israel about getting the hostages out.

Haiti

• A new Prime Minister has assumed power.  He was chosen by a transition council. 
• The former Prime Minister only recently resigned.

Myanmar

• The military staged a coup and ousted the democratically elected government.
• Rebel groups are fighting for power. 
• There was a huge protest movement that was active after the coup.  The military started to attack them.
• There is now an armed resistance. 

Protests at Universities

• Montreal, Sydney, Paris, London, Rome – see student protests.
• In Sydney, there are protests to demand that the university divesting from Israel. 

India

• Modi is hoping to win a third term in the current elections.  He has been accused of stoking anti-Muslim sentiments to win election.
• Modi said: When the opposition takes power they will take your money and give it to Muslims who have more children. 
• Women voters are becoming more and more important.  Modi’s party has been successful in courting women.  But the ads depict women as caregivers.  Women’s participation in the work force is low.
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