remez
2.5K posts
remez
@remez
Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.


Israel’s stated goal in southern Lebanon is a buffer zone south of the Litani River. If it were to hold that territory, the reality is it wouldn’t be displacing meaningful Lebanese state control, Hezbollah has dominated that area for decades. Legally it was Lebanon, but in practice the state has had little sovereignty there. And that raises a question: if it is fully Lebanese territory, then does the Lebanese state bear responsibility for the decades of attacks launched from it? You can’t simultaneously insist it’s fully sovereign Lebanese territory and deny any Lebanese responsibility for what’s been launched from it. Israel should not leave the area. The danger is too great. Security demands it. History proves it. A strong, sovereign, peaceful Lebanon is a concept whose actualization has not arrived.




Francesca Albanese appeared today at the United Nations Human Rights Council to present her annual report. I was the first NGO to take the floor: “Ms. Albanese, in your report on torture, why is there not one single mention of Hamas’ horrific torture of Israeli hostages? You’ve said: ‘It’s not in my mandate.’ But on March 4th, you signed a UN statement condemning US and Israeli strikes in Iran. Are you mandated to speak on events a thousand miles away from your focus area, and not to say one word on the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th, and for two years after in their Gaza tunnels? And when you choose to speak on Iran, why is it only to defend the regime—after you refused to say a single word for the thousands of protesters they massacred? One year ago, the Council President announced that he spoke to you about your conduct, and that you acknowledged his considerations. However, on September 15, you said ‘380,000 children under five’ were killed in Gaza. Are you aware, this is more than the entire population of children under five in Gaza? On October 22, you reposted this statement: ‘Israel is the incarnation of evil.’ Yes or no, is this still your position? On January 6, you reposted this: ‘Israel is pure evil in a way the world has never seen before.’ Yes or no, is this still your position? Canada and Germany condemned you for antisemitism and Holocaust inversion. The French Prime Minister has called for your resignation. The UK has called for an investigation. Italy, Netherlands, Argentina and others condemned your conduct. When so many democracies speak with one voice, the problem is not them—it’s you.” Albanese did not respond.























