Law, Power, and Justice

AFTERNOON NEWS NOTES

• Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the Justice Department.
• Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that the military must start drafting many ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who religious students.  (Note: This possibility was a large part of Netanyahu’s battle against the Supreme Court before the war.  We have Jewish friends who didn’t know that the ultra-Orthodox were not subject to national service.  Some in the ultra-Orthodox community have argued that were it not for the religious students praying all the time, the war would have gone worse for Israel.)  Anger over the exemptions for many of the ultra-Orthodox has increased during the war.  Netanuahu’s coalition government depends on two ultra-Orthodox parties.  Ultra-Orthodox Jews have been exempt from military service since 1948 when the country’s leadership promised them autonomy in exchange for their supporting a secular state.   The decision also includes the ruling that the state can no longer transfer subsidies to religious schools.  (New York Times.)
• Note: Podcast of diplomatic reporter arguing that Israel would scale down the war in Gaza and instead focus on Hezbollah.  This reporter argued that the Israelis were now considering going on the offensive against Iran’s proxies.
• A cease-fire is not at hand, according to Netanyahu.  Instead, troops will be moved to the north.  (Note: There are thousands of families who have not been able to return home in the north of Israel because of Hezbollah attacks.)  Netanyahu’s coalition is likely to collapse if fighting stope in Gaza without eliminating Hamas.  Israeli officials have been warning that they may invade Lebanon.  Israel is expected to retain control of the border with Egypt (to prevent smuggling), and a strip that separates north and southern Gaza.  (New York Times, 6/25/24)
• An international police force has landed in Haiti.  400 of the officers are Kenyan.  Soldiers are expected from eight countries.  The US military has been flying supplies and equipment into Haiti in preparation for the international force. 

WEDNESDAY 26 JUNE 2024

AFTERNOON NEWS NOTES

There is a purple finch at the bird feeder. 

Israel

• When soldiers join the IDF and don’t have family contacts, the military assigns them a family (Times of Israel, 6/26/24).
• (Note: How about ultra-Orthodox women and the draft?)
• Around 100 Israelis have sued UNWRA for paying Palestinians in dollars rathe than the local currency and therefore benefit money changers associated with HAMAS (NYT).
• Netanyahu is to speak before Congress in late July.  He has been invited by leaders of the Congress.  The invitation is a mistake and rewards Netanyahu’s scandalous behavior.  It also rewards Netanyahu’s contemptuous behavior towards the Biden administration.  Under Netanyahu, Israel’s police force is under the command of a far right security minister, Ben-Gvir which has cracked down on protesters.  The appointment of judges remains stalled and Netanyahu continues to pursue an authoritarian path in Israel.  Netanyahu is attempting to enshrine a law exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service despite a Supreme Court ruling.  Netanyahu’s speech fits in with his political goals of keeping the war going and avoiding accountability for his various crimes.  (Guest opinion column, NYT).