For today, links to seven reports from Middle East Eye, National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Reuters, and Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli strike on UN school kills at least 40 in central Gaza, by Mohammed al-Hajjar and Nader Durgham | Middle East Eye  An Israeli strike on a UN-run school killed dozens of people in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza, today. The school was reportedly housing thousands of displaced people, most of them women and children. At least 40 people were killed and 74 others wounded, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel launches new Gaza offensive as nationalists march in Jerusalem. Reported by Kat Lonsdorf and Michel Martin | NPR  Israel’s military says its air force is striking Hamas and its ground troops are operating in a limited manner. Some on the ground say the area has been pummeled with airstrikes and artillery. Click HERE to listen and, later, to read.

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Israeli strike kills at least 33 people at a Gaza school the military claims was being used by Hamas, by Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy | AP  DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike early today on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in central Gaza killed more than 30 people, including 23 women and children, according to local health officials. The Israeli military said that Hamas militants were operating from within the school. It was . . . READ MORE . . .

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Diminished Hamas switches to full insurgent mode in Gaza,  by Samia Nakhoul, Humeyra Pamuk and Jonathan Landay | Reuters WASHINGTON — Hamas has seen about half its forces wiped out in eight months of war and is relying on hit-and-run insurgent tactics to frustrate Israel’s attempts to take control of Gaza, U.S. and Israeli officials told Reuters. The enclave’s . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 5  Gaza’s sick and malnourished children die as hospitals collapse from Israel’s war. Reported by Aya Batrawy | NPR  A lethal combination of displacement, disease and malnutrition are killing Gaza’s children as they wither away without healthcare. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JUNE 5  USAID says it will send $90 million in aid to Gaza. Reported by Megan Lim , Tinbete Ermyas and Mary Louise Kelly | NPR  The U.S Agency for International Development says it will be sending $90 million to aid Palestinians in Gaza. The announcement comes amid growing concerns of famine. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM JUNE 5  Israel edging to war with Hezbollah, army chief says. From Middle East Monitor.  As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies alongside the ongoing military onslaught on Gaza, Israeli officials are increasingly signalling their readiness for a full-scale offensive along the northern border with Lebanon. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to eight reports from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters, Tass, the Kyiv Independent, the Kyiv Post, and the Anadolu Agency; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine hits Russian oil facilities as President Zelenskyy joins leaders at D-Day events in France. From AP. Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery and a fuel depot in Russian border regions, officials in the targeted areas said today, in Kyiv’s ongoing effort to disrupt the Kremlin’s war machine and as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought further Western support in Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine drone strike halts operations at Russian oil refinery. From AFP. A Ukrainian drone attack started a fire at an oil refinery in southern Russia, forcing it to halt operations, regional authorities said early today. Russia’s Defense Ministry said . . . READ MORE . . .

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Kremlin says Kyiv’s backers will face consequences after Putin says he may arm West’s enemies, by Dmitry Antonov and Andrew Osborn | Reuters  MOSCOW — The Kremlin said today that Western nations which supply Ukraine with weapons to directly strike Russian territory will definitely face consequences after President Vladimir Putin said he was considering arming the West’s enemies in retaliation. READ MORE . . .

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Putin warns that Russia could provide long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets, by James Jordan and Harriet Morris | AP  ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday that Russia could provide long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use their arms to attack Russian territory. He also . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s strikes wipe out Ukrainian naval drone depot, UAV launch site — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian naval drone storage facility and an UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) launch site over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. not authorizing strikes on Moscow, by Elsa Court and news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Washington is not authorizing Kyiv to carry out long-range strikes with U.S.-supplied weapons on locations far from the border with Ukraine, such as Moscow, U.S. President Joe Biden said today. READ MORE . . .

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Drones destroy critical Russian tugboat near Crimea coast, by Julia Struck | Kyiv Post  The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense reported via Telegram the destruction of a Russian Project 498 Saturn class tugboat critical to the transport of heavy military equipment and supplies from mainland Russia to the occupied Crimea peninsula. READ MORE . . .

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No talks until Ukraine stance changed: Putin tells Japan, by Riyaz ul Khaliq | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Russian President Vladimir Putin has ruled out resuming peace talks with Japan until Tokyo changes its stance on Ukraine. “Everything that . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to nine reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and National Public Radio, and to an article from the Kucinich Report; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israel steps up military offensive in Gaza amid renewed truce efforts, by Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  CAIRO — Israel announced a new military campaign against Hamas in central Gaza today where Palestinian medics said dozens of people had been killed in airstrikes, complicating expected talks between mediators to try to finalise a ceasefire deal. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AP.

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Netanyahu says Israel prepared for ‘very intense operation’ on Lebanon border. From AFP.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that Israel was “prepared for a very intense operation” along the border with Lebanon, where Israeli troops have exchanged near-daily fire with Hezbollah fighters. Almost eight months of exchanges . . . READ MORE . . .

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In a West Bank refugee camp, Israel’s raids fuel the militancy it tries to stamp out, by Jeffrey and Jalal Bwaitel | AP  NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — An Israeli army raid in April set off a near three-day gun battle with Palestinian militants. By the time it was over, homes had been blasted to rubble and many residents had fled. The raid was more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away from Gaza in the . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  Gaza’s doctors were building a health system. Then came war. Reported by Maggie Fick, Ahmed Aboulenein and Saleh Salem | Reuters  Specialist doctors were part of a strategic effort by Hamas to build a self-sufficient health system for Gaza, from burn care to cancer diagnosis and kidney treatment, Gaza’s first health minister told Reuters. In the current war, 55 of them . . . READ MORE . . .

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Hamas signals post-war ambition in talks with Palestinian rival Fatah, by Ali Sawafta and Nidal Al-Mughrabi | Reuters  RAMALLAH, West Bank — Deep divisions will limit progress at reconciliation talks between Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah this month, conversations with five sources in the groups indicate. The talks between Hamas and the Fatah party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will be held in China in mid-June, according to . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  Families from north Gaza return home to scenes of devastation. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza. The three-week offensive forced tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee. Now families are returning . . . Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 4  Slovenia becomes latest European country to recognize a Palestinian state after a parliamentary vote, by Ali Zerdin | AP  LJUBLJANA — Slovenia recognized a Palestinian state on Tuesday after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move, following in the recent steps of three other European countries. The nation’s government . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  After publishing an article critical of Israel, Columbia Law Review’s website is shut down by board, by Jake Offenhartz | AP  NEW YORK — Student editors at the Columbia Law Review say they were pressured by the journal’s board of directors to halt publication of an academic article written by a Palestinian human rights lawyer that accuses Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and upholding an apartheid regime. When . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  U.S. targets journalists who criticize administration’s foreign policy, by Dennis Kucinich | The Kucinich Report  Scott Ritter was pulled off a N.Y.-to-Istanbul flight yesterday by U.S. officials and his passport confiscated in a startling new development in the government’s open drive to censor and silence . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for related article from Kucinich.

For today, links to eight reports from Reuters, the Kyiv Post, the Kyiv Independent, Tass, and the Associated Press, and to an article from the Kucinich Report; others are accessible by clicking on its name below. (GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Russian hackers claim cyberattack on website of Spain firm preparing tanks for Ukraine. From Reuters. MADRID — A unit of General Dynamics’ Spain-based Santa Barbara Systems, which is refurbishing Leopard tanks for delivery to Ukraine, suffered a cyber attack that took its website down, a pro-Russian hackers group said. READ MORE . . .

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Russia destroys over half of Ukraine’s power generation – FT. From Kyiv Post. Russian air strikes have severely impacted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leading to the destruction or seizure of over half of Ukraine’s power generation capacity along with widespread blackouts and concerns about future energy supplies, Financial Times reported today. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  Peace in Ukraine doesn’t mean NATO membership, Biden says, by Kateryna Denisova and news desk | The Kyiv Independent  Peace in Ukraine means a guarantee that Russia will never occupy the country again, but Kyiv’s membership in NATO is not necessary for this, U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview with Time. READ MORE . . .

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Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian armament, military hardware depots over past day. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops destroyed armament and military hardware depots of Ukraine’s Khortitsa combat group over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today in a broader statement. READ MORE . . .

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Industrial facility suffers damage in Ukraine’s Poltava Region.  From Tass. MOSCOW — An industrial facility has suffered damage following explosions in the Poltava Region in northeastern Ukraine, regional administration head Filipp Pronin said without providing further details. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 2  Nearly 1,000 people honor a young Ukrainian journalist and volunteer combat medic killed in action, by Hanna Arhirova | AP  KYIV — Nearly 1,000 people attended a ceremony Sunday honoring the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic a few days before her 26th birthday. Tsybukh had left a note describing how . . . READ MORE . . .

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On China visit, Ukraine official urges Beijing to join peace summit. From AFP.  A Ukrainian foreign ministry official in Beijing today urged Chinese officials to participate in a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland this month, the foreign ministry in Kyiv said. Beijing said it would be “difficult” for China to attend if its ally Russia, which was not invited, did not also . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  White House insists solution for frozen Russian assets must be done with other countries. From Reuters.  WASHINGTON — The White House on Tuesday said a solution for monetizing some $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine must be hammered out together with allies and other countries. Spokesperson John Kirby . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 4  U.S. targets journalists who criticize administration’s foreign policy, by Dennis Kucinich | The Kucinich Report  Scott Ritter was pulled off a N.Y.-to-Istanbul flight yesterday by U.S. officials and his passport confiscated in a startling new development in the government’s open drive to censor and silence . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for related article from Kucinich.

For now, links to articles from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, USA Today, and Reuters; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA and UKRAINE entries for this date are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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The power of people near protected bikelanes. From ITDP.  For years, cities and governments have focused on length or number of kilometers as a measure of how comprehensive or impactful their cycling infrastructure is. A new “Atlas” indicates that this approach is outdated. The data shows it’s not just how many kilometers of lanes that makes the most impact—it’s also . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JAN. 10  ITDP and World Bank report highlights economic and environmental benefits of financing active mobility infrastructure in cities, by David Stubblefield | USA Today  The ITDP and World Bank report, “The Path Less Travelled,” reveals that cycling and pedestrian infrastructure are more cost-effective and quicker to complete than polluting counterparts like highways. Consequently, this . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY. 8  People over parking: The U.S. cities that are reclaiming their streets, by Amy Nguyen | Reuters  In a small but growing number of cities across the United States, parking reform is gaining momentum. How a city approaches parking is deeply rooted in . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For today, links to eight reports from Reuters, Middle East Eye, Middle East Monitor, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and a BIKES, ETC. entry are HERE.) and HERE.) — MCM

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Senior Hamas official criticizes U.S., West’s calls on group to accept Biden’s Gaza proposal. From Reuters.  CAIRO — Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri criticised Washington and the West’s calls for it to accept a ceasefire proposal advanced by U.S. President Joe Biden, saying today it was “as if it is Hamas who is hampering the deal”. READ MORE . . .

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Biden says ‘every reason’ to believe Netanyahu prolonging war for self-preservation. From Middle East Eye. U.S. President Joe Biden has told Time magazine that people have “every reason” to believe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for his reasons of self-preservation. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 3  Zelenskyy: Ukraine is ready to help Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. Ukraine’s President has insisted that Kyiv recognises both Israel and Palestine, calling to an end to the Israeli offensive on Gaza and urging for a two-state solution. In Singapore on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was asked . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli strikes kill 11 overnight in Gaza, including a family of 3 at a refugee camp. From AP. Palestinian health officials in the Gaza Strip said Israeli strikes killed at least 11 people overnight into today, including a family of three in the built-up Bureij refugee camp and eight police officers. . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel declares 4 more hostages are dead in Gaza, including 3 older men from Hamas video, by Julia Frankel | AP  JERUSALEM — Four more hostages kidnapped on Oct. 7 were declared dead by the Israeli military — includinG three older men seen in a Hamas video begging to be released. Monday’s announcement . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 3  The state of Hamas as it reasserts itself in the north in a weakened form. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  Hamas has not been hit badly enough for a defeat in Gaza, according to US and Israeli officials. What are the group’s capabilities and strategy nearly eight months into the war? Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Famine and the rising death toll in Gaza, by Wafa Aludaini | Middle East Monitor  Two Palestinian children died last week of starvation, dehydration and lack of medicine amid desperate conditions in the southern areas of the besieged Gaza Strip. The Ministry of Health . . . READ MORE . . .

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WHO official says at least 7,000 Palestinians need immediate medical evacuation. From Middle East Eye. The World Health Organisation has warned that 7,000 to more than 11,000 Palestinian patients need immediate medical evacuations from the Gaza Strip. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to seven reports from Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Tass, and Middle East Monitor, and to commentary from Indian Punchline; others are accessible by clicking on its their names or initials below. (GAZA entry for this date and a BIKES, ETC. entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM

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Kremlin says Swiss summit on Ukraine is waste of time without Russia. From Reuters. The Kremlin said today it was understandable that some countries were declining to take part in a Swiss-hosted peace summit on Ukraine this month because the gathering lacked clear goals and it was absurd to hold it without Russia. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 3  Russia intercepts 20 Ukrainian drones in Kursk, governor says. From Reuters. Russian air defence units intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones on Monday in southern Russia’s Kursk region bordering Ukraine, regional Governor Alexei Smironov said. He said Ukrainian forces had attacked four villages in his region using attack drones and helicopters, but . . . READ MORE . . .

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Western army trainers in Ukraine not immune from strikes, Kremlin says. From AFP. Western army instructors training Ukrainian soldiers in the country would have no “immunity” from Russian strikes, the Kremlin said today. Ukraine’s army chief Oleksandr Syrsky had said that French military instructors would soon arrive in the country, but Kyiv’s Defense Ministry later . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelensky personally calls CIS leaders, asks them to come to Switzerland, all refused — MFA. From Tass. MOSCOW — Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his Western “friends” personally called all the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States and asked them to come to the so-called peace summit in Switzerland, but they all refused, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 3  Zelenskyy: Ukraine is ready to help Gaza. From Middle East Monitor. Ukraine’s President has insisted that Kyiv recognises both Israel and Palestine, calling to an end to the Israeli offensive on Gaza and urging for a two-state solution. In Singapore on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was asked . . . READ MORE . . .

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Sanctioned VTB Bank to open branches in occupied Ukraine. From the Moscow Times. Russia’s second-largest lender VTB Bank announced today it plans to open new offices in occupied Ukraine this year — two in Luhansk in July and, by the end of the year . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine says Italy will supply another air defense battery. From AFP. Kyiv said today Italy would supply Ukraine with another air defense system, weapons that senior Ukrainian officials have been urging their allies to send to fend off Russian aerial . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 31  Russia won’t escalate, U.S. will, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  The United States’ proxy war with Russia is at another inflection point. The battleground is shifting dramatically to Russian territory. How this pans out will be a momentous event in 21st century politics. There are three defining issues here. One, the. . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to eight reports from the Associated Press, Reuters, the Middle East Eye, and National Public Radio, and to commentary from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Israeli strikes in central Gaza kill at least 11 as the U.S. pushes a cease-fire plan. From AP. Palestinian health officials said Israeli strikes killed 11 people overnight into today, including a woman and three children, in central Gaza. A strike on a home in the built-up Bureij refugee camp . . . READ MORE . . .

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UN experts urge all countries to recognise Palestinian statehood. From Reuters. GENEVA — A group of United Nations experts called today for all countries to recognise a Palestinian state to ensure peace in the Middle East. READ MORE . . .

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Over a million flee Rafah as Israel weighs truce proposal. From Middle East Eye. The ongoing Israeli invasion of southern Gaza’s Rafah has forcibly displaced over one million Palestinians into damaged and destroyed facilities in nearby Khan Younis, the UN said today. Conditions for families there. . . READ MORE . . .

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Netanyahu says Gaza plan can begin before terms fully agreed — media. From Reuters. JERUSALEM — Israeli media quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying today that the first phase of a U.S.-promoted plan to wind down the Gaza war, entailing a limited hostage release by Hamas, could be undertaken without necessary agreement on what follows. The leaked quotes . . . READ MORE . . .

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Rafah border crossing can’t reopen unless Israeli forces quit Gaza side, Egypt says. From Reuters. DUBAI — The Rafah border crossing critical to aid deliveries into Gaza from Egypt cannot operate again unless Israel relinquishes control and hands it back to Palestinians on the Gaza side, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said today. READ MORE . . .

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U.S. pressures Hamas and Israel to permanently end the war in Gaza. Reported by Daniel Estrin and A Martínez | NPR  President Biden surprised Israeli leaders on Friday when he went public with a ceasefire proposal that Israel had offered behind closed doors. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 2  Israel seeks a ‘governing alternative’ to Hamas in Gaza. It’s been tried and failed before, by Melanie Lidman | AP  JERUSALEM — Israel is looking into an alternative local governing body for Gaza, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday, proposing a future beyond Hamas but . . . READ MORE . . .

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Biden’s road map basically signals the Zionist entity’s defeat, by Amira Abo el-Fetouh | Middle East Monitor  What prompted U.S. President Joe Biden to deliver his urgent speech, in which he tried to fool the Arabs and pacify them with a “new” . . . READ MORE . . .

For today, links to eight reports from National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Tass, the Kyiv Post, Reuters, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below.(GAZA entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Ukraine tries to rally support in the Asia Pacific for a peace conference. Reported by Emily Feng and A Martínez | NPR  Ukraine’s president alleges China is helping Russia to undermine a global peace summit as he turns to Asian nations for help in ending a war. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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U.S. VP Harris to attend Ukraine summit in Switzerland. From AFP. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will attend a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, the White House said today. She will be joined by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for the June 15 meeting in Lucerne, and will . . . READ MORE . . .

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Zelenskyy in Manila to promote peace summit, which he says China and Russia are trying to undermine, by Jim Gomez | AP  MANILA — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. today in a rare Asian trip to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-organized global peace summit on the war in Ukraine. He arrived unannounced and under heavy security in Manila late Sunday . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia’s strikes pound Ukrainian army, equipment in 118 areas over day — top brass. From Tass. MOSCOW — Russian troops inflicted damage on Ukrainian army units and military hardware in 118 areas over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said today. READ MORE . . .

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U.S.-made M270 and HIMARS hammer targets inside Russia, first cross-border strikes since Biden green light, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post  Ukrainian forces waited less than 24 hours after getting the green light from Washington, London, Paris and Berlin to hammer targets inside Russia with precision-guided munitions fired by top-end made-in-the-USA artillery, according to reports, firing dozens READ MORE . . .

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Russia warns U.S. against ‘fatal’ miscalculation in Ukraine.  From Reuters. MOSCOW — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said today the United States could face “fatal consequences” if it ignored Moscow’s warnings not to let Ukraine use weapons provided by Washington to strike targets inside Russia. READ MORE . . .

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Chechen special forces deployed in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, commander says. From the Moscow Times. Fighters from Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s Akhmat military unit have been deployed to northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region amid Russia’s recent offensive, the unit’s commander Apti Alaudinov said today. READ MORE . . .

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Ukrainian special sorces and Syrian rebels decimate Russian mercenaries in Syria, by Kateryna Zakharchenko | Kyiv Post  Exclusive videos obtained by Kyiv Post from sources in Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate show Ukrainian special forces and Syrian rebels destroying Russian mercenaries in Syria. The video is dated March 2024. READ MORE . . .

For today, links to five reports from National Public Radio, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and the Associated Press, and to commentary from Capitol Hill Citizen; others are accessible by clicking on their names and initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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Aid workers in Gaza say nowhere is safe after Israeli attacks on ‘humanitarian zones.’ Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  Aid workers in Rafah describe horrific scenes of devastation as airstrikes kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza, as the U.N. warns of a looming famine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Biden’s Gaza plan ‘not a good deal’ but Israel accepts it, Netanyahu aide says, by Dan Williams | Reuters  JERUSALEM — An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed today that Israel had accepted a framework deal for winding down the Gaza war now being advanced by U.S. President Joe Biden, though he described it as flawed and in need of much more work. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 1  Gaza mediators urge Israel and Hamas to accept truce plan. From AFP. Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. mediators called on Israel and Hamas Saturday to “finalise” the truce deal outlined by U.S. President Joe Biden, as Israeli forces pounded Rafah in southern Gaza. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for a report from Reuters.

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FROM JUNE 1  Israeli leader Netanyahu faces growing pressure at home after Biden’s Gaza proposal, by Sam Mednick and Wafaa Shurafa | AP  TEL AVIV — Israel’s prime minister faced growing pressure Saturday after U.S. President Joe Biden announced a proposed agreement to end the fighting in Gaza, with many Israelis urging Benjamin Netanyahu to embrace the deal but . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 1  Israel’s Netanyahu says ‘thrilled’ to address U.S. Congress. From AFP. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday he was “thrilled” to accept an invitation to address the U.S. Congress, where he plans to “present the truth” about the Gaza war. Democratic and Republican leaders . . . READ MORE . . .

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It’s not about Jews and Arabs, by Russell Mokhiber | CHC  The other day, when talking about the slaughter in Gaza, a friend of mine in West Virginia said to me matter of factly that the Palestine issue will never be resolved because “Jews and Arabs have been killing each other over there for hundreds of years.” In response, I . . . READ MORE . . .