Can of Worms—Israel and Palestinians

The world is a can of worms, and it is always open to those who want to engage in problems in pursuit of solutions. Doing so is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for lazy people seeking silver bullets or for people who lack the intellect to do so competently.

 

I am not a genius and am about as average as anyone else. However, I make sense

of our planet's needs, beginning at home and then thrusting into the enormous

issues that jeopardize everyone's security. 

 

I discovered the can opener: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

 

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris

on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected

, and it has been translated into over 500 languages."

 

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

 

The General Assembly Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a

the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that

every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration

constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect

for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and

International, to secure their universal and effective recognition and

observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the

peoples of territories under their jurisdiction. "

 

What belongs to us. http://whatbelongstous.ca/preamble

 

I will not repeat the document, though I encourage you to read it all

yourself. I am going to select a few significant points to ponder as we consider the

Israel and Palestinian questions and conflict. The conflict is narrower.

Moreover, it is the clash between people with different beliefs:

 

· Religions

· Government Models

· Economic Models

· Rules

 

By subscribing to the Universal Declaration as signatories, as is the United States, We the People, are sworn allegiance under the rule of law. The grave deficiency is that most Americans have failed to grasp the significance of their education. Throughout my life, I have witnessed grievous violations of the UDHR, and one problem is there is no objective universal arbitrator. The United Nations could be. However, many voting members are principal violators.

 

Humanity is stuck with an institution that undermines credibility by permitting members equal powers even when they don’t deserve it or have otherwise forfeited them due to violations.

 

For instance, any nation that embraces authoritarianism for leadership should be disqualified:

 

“Characteristics. Authoritarianism is characterized by highly concentrated and centralized government power maintained by political repression and the exclusion of potential or supposed challengers by armed force. It uses political parties and mass organizations to mobilize people around the goals of the regime.”

 

Authoritarianism – Wikipedia

Countries That Have Authoritarian Governments:

· Afghanistan

· Azerbaijan

· Burundi

· Central African Republic

· Chad

· DR Congo

· Equatorial Guinea

· Eritrea

· Guinea-Bissau

· Iran

· Libya

· Laos

· North Korea

· Russia

· Saudi Arabia

· Sudan

· Syria

· Tajikistan

· Turkmenistan

· United Arab Emirates

· Uzbekistan 

 

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/what-countries-have-authoritarian-government

 

Russia: “This is a sign of a society that is no longer authoritarian, but partly totalitarian, and accepts the state position as its own. Once spoken about hybrid authoritarianism, Russia later turned out to be a fully mature authoritarian regime.”

 

(Originally published in Russian in the New Times.)

What governments are ruled by religion?

Theocracy is defined as the "government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided" or "a state governed by a theocracy" (Merriam-Webster). Theocracy countries include: 

 

· Vatican City, 

· Yemen, 

· Saudi Arabia, 

· Sudan, 

· Iran, 

· Afghanistan

 

https://southern.libguides.com/governmentforms/theocracy#:~:text=Theocracy%20is%20defined%20as%20%22government,Sudan%2C%20Iran%2C%20and%20Afghanistan

 

Israel has no official religion. However, the definition of the state as Jewish creates a strong connection and a conflict between state law and religious law. Political interaction of different parties keeps the balance between state and religion largely as it existed during the British Mandate.

 

Consider the first ten “human rights:”

 

Article 1

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 6

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7

All are equal before the law and are entitled, without any discrimination, to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention, or exile.

Article 10

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in determining his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

 

Skip ahead to 13 and 14:

 

Article 13

Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14

Everyone has the right to seek and enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

 

For instance, Palestinians can move within and beyond their border. People fleeing harm in South America or Mexicans seeking to improve their lives can move to the USA under the rule of law.

 

Ponder these considerations.

Battles for the Civilized World

Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu said this:

"This is a long war, and we'll need your continuous support," he told Sunak, adding that this is the darkest hour of both Israel and the international community. "This is not merely our battle [with Hamas]; it's the battle of the entire civilized world."

He is correct; the "darkest hour(s)" before us now is with the international community and inside the USA.

What are the causes?

The principal cause of the world's plight and wars is the failure of people, their governments, and their belief systems (religions) to embrace the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That declaration supersedes all forms of governance over humanity as it is independent of political and economic models. The UDHR must be the starting point.

Authoritarianism is the first evil to be addressed. It is out of the bounds of the UDHR and disqualifies any system that coerces humanity.

Examples include:

Russia

China

Iran

Republic of North Korea

Israel

Saudi Arabia

Noted, Israel is among them, as is Saudi Arabia. The USA might be added if the Republican-led insurrection continues.

The arbitrator for intervention in these matters could be the United Nations, except authoritarians would have to recuse from participating in decision-making.

What standards should be for fighting for humanity if not the UDHR?

Intransigence

The intransigence of the majority of Republicans in Congress to continue to embrace Donald Trump and his co-conspirators in the acts of insurrection and undermining the rule of law disqualifies them from positions in government. Not only should they be voted out, they must be prosecuted.

Suppose you are a Republican who continues to align with lies and conspiracies to commit fraud and undermine the US Constitution. In that case, you should worry about the consequences in the future. It is your reputation that is at stake.

Contrition

The only way for Republicans to redeem their integrity is through acts of contrition. The first act is to reject lying as a standard and to embrace the rule of law.

Second, due to the severe danger and harm imposed on our nation, I want every Republican to apologize for their actions and to ask for forgiveness. 

I don't see that happening. We'll have to wait for the bad batch to die out and dry up.

Can you trust a Republican?

The answer is no. Why? Because their foundation is lying and deceit.

It will be wrongful for most people, no matter what they say or try to do.

They are so fraudulent as an institution, political party, and organization that I advocate revoking their license to existence. They should become a do-over.

"Trump averaged about six claims a day in his first year as president, 16 claims per day in his second year, 22 claims a day in this third year — and 39 claims a day in his final year. Put another way, it took him 27 months to reach 10,000 claims and an additional 14 months to reach 20,000. He then exceeded the 30,000 mark less than five months later."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/01/24/trumps-false-or-misleading-claims-total-30573-over-four-years/

The Washingon Post

Bring Back Earmarks

I am not talking about ear piercings; it is about legislation and the power of the purse of Congressional committee chairpersons.

The supplemental reward for Congressional committee chairpersons was the ability to add earmarks to bills that would direct funding to specific programs executed in their districts and other favorable representatives' districts. The legislated work was legitimate, serving particular needs while rewarding the Chairperson's district with a share of the work and financial benefit. 

Having taken earmarks, aka supplementals and plus-ups, away from the Chair, there is no way for the Chair to bring home the bacon. 

"A committee chair serves as the committee leader, with responsibility for setting the course and direction of the panel for committee members and the House and for managing an extensive professional and paraprofessional staff. The senior committee staff should ensure the Chair's goals are carried out effectively.

Once a committee chair is selected during the postelection transition period, they, often in consultation with others, make a series of decisions and take a series of actions. Some actions complete a committee's duties in Congress just ending. Other actions are taken in anticipation of the new Congress and then in the new Congress. Decisions may be related to the committee's policy calendar; the committee's administrative functions; the Chair's responsibilities during committee sessions; the role of committee members; the relationship with the committee's ranking minority member, other chairs, and party leaders; subcommittee leaders; and other subjects. Many decisions are made with a deadline imposed by House rules.

Precisely, a committee chair controls the selection of committee staff, authorizes expenditures from the committee budget, establishes operational and ethics policies, determines committee travel allocations, decides the content of the committee website, and is responsible for the administration of the committee's rooms, paperwork, and other operations. Most committees entrust the drafting of the budget to the committee chair, although a committee's minority party members seek to ensure that they receive an appropriate allocation of resources. Before the Chair introduces a funding resolution, the committee approves the Chair's draft budget."

https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL34679.html

Image: Investopedia 

Loyalty to Trump, the Criminal

Incredible is how apparent the insipid ignorance, bigotry, misogyny, and brutality of the Republican portion of the American public. The affront to the rule of law, the insurrection, and the unAmerican behavior are wholly unacceptable.

Standing by Trump is a declaration of war against our nation, and I won't accept it. Resist--push back--treat Republicans as the traitors they are. 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/31/media/fox-news-viewers-poll-reliable-sources/index.html?utm_term=1690888268015aae063473f20&utm_source=cnn_Five+Things+for+Tuesday%2C+August+1%2C+2023&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=3i%2B3WDdWOyAgj%2BOI0Ms%2FQmPHsuHUw1RCa7V5lxZkjT9GxOko9hpWU%2BLnvL%2BNGUV4&bt_ts=1690888268018