What to do about Psalm 124?

Yesterday (29th September 2024) I was on the rota for reading at Church, and found myself reading Psalm 124, one of the lectionary readings for the day:

1 If the Lord had not been on our side –
  let Israel say –
2 if the Lord had not been on our side
  when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
  when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
  the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
  would have swept us away.
6 Praise be to the Lord,
  who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
  from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
  and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
  the Maker of heaven and earth.

I don't need to spell out the problems with this, in the light of the activities of the state of Israel over the past year, do I? 

In the past I wouldn't have worried. or not much anyway. The psalms are notorious for 'difficult' content ("happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks", psalm 137 v. 9) and need lots of interpretation. For example, I heard someone suggest that the infants being dashed against the rocks should be thought of as evil thoughts starting to grow in your mind: smash they before they become too big. For myself, I see the bible as a human creation and, like any book, open to criticism. We can contexualise all we like, we can interpret it in the light of modern understanding, but at some point we just have to say: no, I think that is wrong.

At the end of the reading, as is the custom, I said 'this is the word of the Lord', and the congregation responded 'thanks be to God'. I toyed with instead saying something like 'this is what it says in the bible' or something like that, but in the end I didn't have the courage to break with what we are 'supposed' to say.

But if this psalm is being read in churches across the world, at the very least we have talk about it surely? To put it crudely, is it saying that God is on the side of modern-day Israel. That the slaughter of 40,000 people in Gaza, and the bombing of Lebanon and the Yemen will succeed (is succeeding) because the Lord is with them?  

And, before you shout 'anti-semitism', I'm talking about the state of Israel, and about Christian churches. And, let's be clear, the most ardent Zionists, the most dangerous Zionists, are right-wing Christians in the USA. I don't know what goes on in Synagogues, but I do know that large numbers of Jews would have no sympathy whatsoever with Zionism, certainly not Zionism which leads to the slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians.

In my church, the minister's sermon was based on the New Testament reading* and made no mention of the psalm. I suggest that's not really good enough: we can't just have a reading which some people might read as giving religious cover to genocide, without at least saying something about it.

*Mark 9: 38–41. "Whoever is not against us is for us", and he spoke of the need for diversity and a range of perspectives in the church. This was fine, but could have been preached at any time. And, TBH, I've heard it plenty of times before.

Why create God? Thoughts at a funeral

I recently attended a funeral at the local crematorium with about 17 mourners. I didn't really know the deceased, though he was someone known to my wife, and I had developed an indirect liking for the man.

Two months ago a friend only had a couple of people at his cremation, but invited friends to think about him on the day, which my wife and I did.

Earlier this year I attended a funeral at my church of a member of the congregation. The church was packed with family and friends.

When Queen Elizabeth died two years ago, millions of people across the world mourned her death and watch the funeral on television.

Meanwhile, people all across the world die with no-one to mourn them. 

Are some of these people of more 'value' than others? Is the life of one more meaningful than that of another? Humanly, it is difficult not to draw that conclusion. We may say 'all human life is worth the same', but it is difficult, really, to believe it. 

So, we invent a God for whom it is true.

The Sea of Fath Network: Religion as a human creation

From 2025 I shall be editing Sofia magazine: the magazine of the Sea of Faith Network. 

Or, more precisely, I shall be editing the magazine of the Sea of Faith Network which is currently called Sofia, because it is not a forgone conclusion that it will retain the name Sofia. Personally I think Sofia is a great name: 'Wisdom' and a clever play on 'SOF'. But some network members have suggested that with the change of editor it might be appropriate return to just calling it "Sea of Faith" as it was before the present editor, Dinah Livingstone, took over in 2006.

Knowing that I am taking this on has spurred me into thinking about my faith, and especially exploring just how well I fit to the Sea of Faith Network. At the moment I would say: surprisingly well! 

My plan is to use this blog chart the exploration.

A sentence on the front page of the Nework website declares:

SOF is about exploring and promoting religious faith as a valuable human creation for this life

I've been working on the consequences of religion as a human creation, and that's what I hope to discuss in the next few blog posts. 

Here's a start.

One of the ministers at the church I attend likes to engage with the congregation as follows:

Minister: God is good
Congregation: all the time!
Minister: And all the time
Congregation: God is good!

I, along with some of the other old reactionaries in the membership have been reluctant to join in. I think that if I am honest it is because I feel manipulated that I don't like it, but someone else said they just couldn't go along with the simplistic notion: God doesn't always appear to be good!

Well now here's what I'm now thinking from a "religion as a human creation perspective". This mantra that God is good all the time is not descriptive: it is normative. We are creating/defining God, and we require that (s)he is good all the time. This makes a whole lot of sense to me. A God that is not good all the time is no use to us, so we define God as such.

 That's enough for today.

The rifle brought about the birth of these United States

 From Geoff Mann "Give your mom a gun" (LRB Vol. 46 No. 5 · 7 March 2024)

Guns are central to America’s mythology. In the patriotic version of its history, from an imaginary ‘revolution’ to westward conquest to cops keeping the streets safe, guns are the tools of America’s self-creation. ‘This country was born with a rifle in its hand,’ Philip Sharpe wrote in The Rifle in America (1938). ‘As a matter of fact, the rifle brought about the birth of these United States. The United States and the rifle are inseparable.’ 

"This country was born with a rifle in its hand" which is how the white colonialists established the Racial Contract in America.

Counting the killings

When interviewees are condemning the killing of Palestinians by Israel on, for example, the BBC, the interviewer invariably demands that the interviewee also condemns the killing of innocent Israelis by Hamas on 7^th October.

Suppose that were me, suppose I were the interviewee (there are questions as to what business is it of mine - as some random Englishman far away from the conflict - to be having any sort of opinion, but let’s go along with it).

I would, absolutely condemn the killing of innocent Israelis by Hamas. But we need to think about the numbers.

It is particularly stark when we look at the killing of children, so I’ll go through the exercise of condemning the killing of Israeli and Palestinian children.

• I condemn the barbaric killing of the 36 Israeli children by Hamas on 7^th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric killing of the 12,408 Palestinian children by the forces of Israel since 7^th October 2023

(I’ve got the figure of 36 Israeli children killed on 7^th October 2023 from Tom Stevenson, “Rubble from Bone”, London Review of Books Vol. 46 No. 3, 8 February 2024. I am not aware of the deaths of any Israeli children in addition to those, since 7^th October. Please let me know if you know of any more. The figure of 12,408 Palestinian children is from Al Jazeera for February 27 at 2pm in Gaza, 12,300 in Gaza and 108 in the West Bank https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker)

But each Israeli child is of equal worth to each Palestinian child, whereas those two statements spend as much time on 36 Israeli children as 12,408 Palestinian children. How can to adjust for that? How about we remember the Palestinian children in batches of 36 to set alongside the 36 Israeli children? There are 12408/36 = 344 batches of 36 Palestinian children, and then another 24, to remember, so here we go:

• I condemn the barbaric murder of 36 Israeli children, killed by Hamas on 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

The temptation now is to say “OK, I get the idea, I understand what you are saying, no need to carry on”. But that’s the point, the eleventh batch of 36 children killed are every bit as valuable, as mourned, as every other batch of 36 children, so we must absolutely carry on.

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the forty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fiftieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the fifty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the sixty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the seventy-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eightieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the eighty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninetieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the ninety-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundredth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and forty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fiftieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and fifty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and sixty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and seventy-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eightieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and eighty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninetieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the one hundred and ninety-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundredth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and forty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fiftieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and fifty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and sixty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and seventy-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eightieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and eighty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninetieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the two hundred and ninety-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundredth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and eight 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and tenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and eleventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twelfth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fourteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fifteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and sixteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and seventeenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and eighteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and nineteenth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twentieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and twenty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirtieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-fifth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-sixth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-seventh 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-eighth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and thirty-ninth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and fortieth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-first 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-second 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-third 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of the three hundred and forty-fourth 36 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

• I condemn the barbaric murder of another 24 Palestinian children killed by the forces of Israel since 7th October 2023

Understanding events in Palestine through the narrative of the Racial Contract of Charles W. Mills

According to the “Racial Contract” of Charles W. Mills [1] there is a binary divide: white and nonwhite. The whites are fully human, have the power, money and, crucially, human rights. Nonwhites have less power and money, do not have full human rights and, indeed, are slightly less than human.

The Racial Contract allows whites to exploit nonwhites in the same way that people exploit animals. There are countless examples in the history of European and American imperialism and colonisation: the slave trade, the genocide of the indigenous peoples of North and South America and Australia, British atrocities in India, apartheid in South Africa and so on.

Who is defined as white and who as nonwhite is not fixed [2]. In the UK, Irish people were once classified as nonwhite. Infamously, rooms to let in London would stipulate: No Irish, no blacks, no dogs [3]. Few people would now think like that about Irish people. For most people, the Irish are now unequivocably white.

There was a time (and still is, for modern-day antisemites) that Jews were classified as nonwhite. That, in harness with the Racial Contract, was one of the weapons of anti-semitism, and it reached its terrible climax in the Holocaust when Jews were murdered alongside other not-quite-human people such as Roma and Sinta people, homosexuals and people with disabilities.

One of the unique features of the Holocaust was that it took place on European soil, and after the war Western powers recoiled in horror as they were presented with details what had gone on, and declared ‘never again’. It turned out, though, that the mechanism for 'never again' was not the ending of the Racial Contract. No, the Racial Contract remains in force to this day. "Never again" meant redefining Jews as white so that they should no longer be oppressed. They could join the ranks of the oppressors. Israel was set up as white colony, not even acknowledging the existence of the Palestinians. It could be said that it was “a land without a people for a people without a land” because the Palestinians were, in the terms of the Racial Contract, not really people.

And today the terms of the Racial Contract allows the slaughter of Palestinians by the state of Israel backed by white Western powers, especially the USA and the UK. The nonwhite victims are the Palestinians. The Racial Contract requires the nonwhites to be perceived as barbaric, so every opportunity is taken to talk-up the killing of Israeli civilians on the 7^th October. By contrast, the whites are by definition civilised and not barbaric, so no matter how many civilians, including children, are slaughtered by the IDF, no matter how indiscriminate the Israeli air bombardment of Gaza, never mind the individual tales of cruelty by the Israeli forces, the Western narrative will always be of Western civilization, represented by Israel, up against the barbarian terrorists of Hamas.

Read, for example, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s remarks on the situation in Israel and Gaza to the General Synod of the Church of England on 13^th November 2023 [4]. Justin Welby calls for an end to the killing of both Israelis and Palestinians, but the killing of Israelis he describes as “barbaric slaughter of innocent Israelis by Hamas” whereas while he calls the killing of innocent Palestinians “a great wrong” and says it “cannot be morally justified”, he doesn’t call it barbaric. Indeed, he says “there is no equivalence between the atrocities of Hamas against Israeli civilians, and the right and duty of Israel to defend itself”. Even today, after the bombing of hospitals, targetting Red Crescent ambulances, killing people who are waving a white flag, the murder of more than 12,000 children, you will search in vain for any suggestion by Justin Welby that anything done by Israel is barbaric. [5]

Notes:

1 Mills, Charles W. (1997). The Racial Contract. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press

2 It is information.

3 https://www.rebelnews.ie/2023/01/18/no-blacks-no-dogs-no-irish-a-short-history-of-discrimination-against-irish-migrants/

4 https://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/speaking-writing/speeches/general-synod-archbishop-canterburys-presidential-address

5 Search Twitter (X) for from:@JustinWelby barbaric

Information, gravity and black holes

"Black holes are critical to understanding how information is represented in our universe and that the way our universe appears to be may be just a projection of a deeper reality that is pure information."

"The universe at these scales has no information except on the surfaces of black holes. And if that is true, then perhaps we are looking at spacetime and gravity backwards, and it is an effect of this information rather than a cause"

"It is meaningless to talk about gravity as a force because it is simply a holographic representation of information"

 Tim Andersen. Empty black holes may be the information storage units of the universe Medium 12 April 2023