Gaza, 4-19-24

For today, links to reports from Consortium News, the Associated Press, National Public Radio, and Reuters, and to commentary from Common Dreams; others are accessible by clicking on their initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date is HERE.) — MCM

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U.S. vetoes Palestine U.N. membership as Russia walks out, by Joe Lauria | Special to Consortium News  The United States on Thursday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations. Western media has incorrectly reported Thursday’s vote as one to determine Palestinian statehood. Palestinian statehood was recognized by the U.N. General Assembly in November 2012 when it was given non-member, Observer State status. The resolution, sponsored by . . . Click HERE to read and watch session.

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Ukraine, Israel aid back on track as House pushes toward weekend votes, by Stephen Groves, Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking | AP  WASHINGTON — With rare bipartisan momentum, the House pushed ahead today on a foreign aid package of $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian support as a coalition of . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 18  Gaza cease-fire resolutions roil U.S. local communities. Reported by Jim Zarroli | NPR  Across the country, well over 100 cities and towns have passed resolutions demanding a cease-fire. They include college towns that typically skew progressive, but also some big cities such as . . . Click HERE to read and, later, listen.

FROM APRIL 18  U.S. vetoes widely supported resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine, by Edith M. Lederer | AP  UNITED NATIONS — The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine, a goal the Palestinians have long sought and Israel has worked to prevent. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 18  U.S. stops UN from recognizing a Palestinian state through membership, by Michelle Nichols | Reuters  UNITED NATIONS — The United States on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognizing a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny Palestinians full membership of the world body. It . . . READ MORE . . .

A pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University is broken up by NYPD officers. Leila Fadel of NPR ttalks with reporter Gwynn Hogan of The City, a nonprofit covering New York City, on how police officers arrested dozens of protesters while helping clear an encampment at Columbia University. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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FROM APRIL 18  The U.S. & UK again fail Palestine, by Jeffrey D. Sachs and Sybil Fares | Common Dreams / Consortium News  This week, the U.S. and U.K. had the chance to correct decades of their blatant geopolitical errors in the Israel-Palestine conflict by welcoming Palestine as the 194th United Nations member state. More than any other countries, the U.S. and U.K. . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM APRIL 18   ‘The opposite of leadership’: U.S. vetoes Palestine’s UN membership, by Jessica Corbett | Common Dreams  U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration on Thursday used the country’s veto power at the United Nations Security Council to block Palestine’s bid to become a full member of the U.N. While 12 nations voted in favor . . . READ MORE . . .