A week of many meetings and a lot of heat - the wildflowers around the pond have suddenly been augmented by Oxeye Daisies. Dragonflies galore.
Saturday 23 May
The Irish activist Dr. Margaret Connolly, sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, said activists detained by Israel while aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla ‘got a feeling of what the Jews felt like during the Second World War’ while being detained aboard Israeli vessels, adding that Israel is ‘now acting like a Nazi state’. Reuters reported that France has banned far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering the country, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced, citing ‘unacceptable actions toward French and European citizens aboard the Global Sumud flotilla’, and calling on the EU to impose sanctions against the minister. That’s not good enough: severe economic, sporting and cultural sanctions need to be imposed in Israel.
Monday 25 May
Tropical weather: will it show the people in our country that global heating really isn’t going to be like a fun Mediterranean climate with the bonus of award-winning locally made champagnes? The young visitors we had that day preferred staying in our rather dark but thick-walled drawing room to venturing outside to sit under large umbrellas. Much, much too hot for comfort.
The wonderful Steve Bell: illustration for The Guardian, 2003.
Wednesday 27 May
Tony Blair was interviewed by Nick Robinson on the Today programme. The presenter did not remind Bliar about his disastrous decision to join the US in the illegal invasion of Iraq. How many were killed? - from roughly 150,000 to over 300,000? Some broader public health estimates, such as those published in The Lancet, place the combined direct and indirect toll much higher, estimating up to hundreds of thousands of excess deaths from violence and the collapse of infrastructure. Millions more died indirectly from the war's destruction of healthcare systems, clean water supplies, and severe economic devastation. The conflict created one of the world's largest displacement crises, uprooting over 4 million Iraqis at its peak. Bliar’s actions contributed hugely to Labour’s loss of elections since his resignation as PM. Why listen to this disgraced, despised and delusional man? Typically, he advised the government to abandon net zero targets as the terrifying consequences of global hearing became even more obvious this week. Recent research has revealed that the effectiveness of antibiotics will be weakened as a consequence of global heating.
I found Zack Polanski’s latest vlog, a conversation with Spain’s Culture Minister - a fellow Green - a most welcome antidote to Bliar. The link is here:
https://youtu.be/-wXfpFZm1zg?si=Y145D2_Rkc7r1a-S
Well done to the editors of The World at One for bringing two important voices onto the programme on Wednesday: Hani Abu Akar, a community leader in Gaza, explained - devastatingly - how there has been no ceasefire since October. Daniel Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project, catalogued Israeli lawlessness unanswerably. I hope that the BBC’s presenter, editors and listeners don’t immediately forget what they heard. I spoke about the broadcasts at the Wednesday afternoon Vigil. Photo below by Dave Clinch.
Thursday 28 May
The Today programme included quotes by the BBC’s International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, from the UK’s acting ambassador to the UN, James Kariuki CMG, who has a remarkable story: born in Morocco to a Kenyan father and English mother, raised in Surrey by his single mum.
This is from his speech to the UN General Council, urging that steps must be taken by Israel to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza:
Children are living amid sewage, parasites, and disease.
We are horrified by the images of newborn babies with rat bites on their faces.
And the UN reports widespread infestations are now affecting almost 1.5 million people.
The Israeli government’s indefensible restrictions on the entry of essential humanitarian equipment and supplies are making it impossible to provide minimum sanitation and water standards.
Resolution 2803 is absolutely clear. There must be full resumption of humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of civilian infrastructure. This must take place now and must never be used as a political lever.
The United Nations, including UNRWA, as well as International NGOs must be able to operate with unrestricted humanitarian access in all of Gaza, in line with Israel’s obligations under international law.
As usual, the BBC did not ask a UK government minister to comment. What would serious sanctions on Israel cost us, apart from the threat of higher tariffs from Twerp? I must ask AI sometime.
Wildlife - this fine grass snake had an eye open but did not move when I poured urine (estate-bottled) on the compost heap. It was Monday Bank Holiday and the snake was probably as zonked as the humans. Our Mahonia bush is full of berries. Blackbirds are busy harvesting them, presumably for their young. Foxgloves have suddenly arrived. Finally, below, an event organised by our excellent library in Barnstaple. Thank you for reading.
