Tag: palestine genocide

  • Twitter outraged after TIME magazine sidelines Gaza journalists, names Taylor Swift ‘person of the year’

    Twitter outraged after TIME magazine sidelines Gaza journalists, names Taylor Swift ‘person of the year’

    Time magazine announced yesterday that the coveted title of ‘Person Of The Year’ 2023, went to singer Taylor Swift. The decision was met with severe backlash from the internet, who called it out as another example of how the Western media has silenced journalists in Gaza, who were risking their lives to reveal the realities of the genocide.

    A Twitter user is going viral for drawing a comparison between Ukraine-Russia war and Israel’s aggression.

    Twitter users were outraged at Gazan journalists like Motaz Azaiza, Plestia, Bisan and Saleh being ignored, stressing that censorship lays bare that Gazan lives are considered disposable by the western media.

    Many Twitter users are also criticising Taylor Swift to be a white feminist, after a quote from her article with Time went viral where she spoke about the intersection of capitalism and patriarchy.

    “What has existed since the dawn of time? A patriarchal society. What fuels a patriarchal society? Money, flow of revenue, the economy. So actually, if we’re going to look at this in the most cynical way possible, feminine ideas becoming lucrative means that more female art will get made. It’s extremely heartening.”

  • ‘No justification for attacking innocent people’: Malala calls for ceasefire in interview with Shahzeb Khanzada

    ‘No justification for attacking innocent people’: Malala calls for ceasefire in interview with Shahzeb Khanzada

    Nobel Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai was a guest on GEO’s ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’ where she spoke at length about why she stressed on the need to address the gender apartheid in Afghanistan, adding that a ceasefire in Gaza should be demanded by everyone.

    Speaking to host Shahzeb Khanzada, Malala said she has consistently called for a ceasefire since the last month because targeting innocent people cannot be justified.

    “There is no explanation for attacking innocent people. So many children have been killed and families have become homeless because of the attack,” stressed the girls education activist. “I’m worried that there isn’t a lot of pressure right now to stop the war.”

    Malala urged audiences to pressurise their leaders to call for the UN to insert global pressure on Israel to stop the genocide.

    On Tuesday, Malala was the target of outrage when during a 15 minute speech at the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, she did not call out Israel for being an apartheid state because of the ongoing Gaza genocide which has now claimed more than 20,000 lives.

    READ MORE: ‘Massive dissapointment’: Malala’s failure to mention genocide in Gaza during lecture has Twitter angry

    Malala also spoke on the show about the Nelson Mandela event where she was the key note speaker, discussing the gender apartheid in Afghanistan, where women and girls face oppression from the Taliban.

    “When I got the opportunity to speak at the Nelson Mandela event, it was important for me to speak about the gender apartheid we’re witnessing today in Afghanistan against women and girls. We can call this situation an apartheid because women and girls are being oppressed and are being deprived of their basic human rights. The state, which is responsible for protecting these women, is the one who is oppressing them.”

    Malala said her lecture addressed the world and the United Nations to urgently address this matter, and to reform the definition of apartheid to include gender in it, so the conversation keeps going forward. She said she will continue to push world leaders to reflect on how women in Afghanistan cannot study, go outside their homes or even visit a doctor without permission from a man.

    Malala also addressed the ongoing Afghan refugee crisis in Pakistan, calling it a “cruel decision” to send young Afghan girls back to a country where they would never be allowed to study again.

    “This is a difficult time for many Afghan families who are being forcefully sent back to Afghanistan. Several of them escaped in 2021 because of the threat of the Taliban’s rise, and among them are several feminist activists whose lives are under threat if they went back. Some of these families had stayed in Afghanistan for 20 to 30 years, and have girls who were studying in schools…I am extremely worried for these girls because she will never be able to see a school if she is sent back to Afghanistan.”

    Malala slammed the government decision as against our “human rights, culture and religion’. She pointed out that in Islam, Muslims are urged to take care of others. The activist urged Pakistani authorities to revoke the decision and give support to Afghan refugees, to prevent little girls from going back to a country which would rob them of their rights.

  • ‘Massive dissapointment’: Malala’s failure to mention genocide in Gaza during lecture has Twitter angry

    ‘Massive dissapointment’: Malala’s failure to mention genocide in Gaza during lecture has Twitter angry

    Girls education activist Malala Yousafzai was selected to give the 21st Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in Johannesburg. In her speech, the Noble Prize Winner spoke at length about the gender apartheid in Afghanistan against women and girls, with no mention of the genocide of Gaza where the death toll has now crossed 15,000 civilians.

    In an interview with The Associated Press, Malala urged for a ceasefire in Gaza, pointing to attention to the countless schools and homes that have been bombarded in the war, and for war criminals to be held accountable.

    Nelson Mandela was a staunch pro-Palestine supporter, who famously said during his visit to Gaza in 1999 that he “felt at home among compatriots”.

    “There is an apartheid state committing a genocide at the moment which you’ve been disappointingly silent on. If you take away anything from this trip, it should be the courage to speak up about what is happening in the here and now,” wrote a user.

    “Ironic that she mentioned apartheid, reason for Mandela’s struggle, yet not a word about Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians, brutal human rights violation and the ongoing genocide. Nothing but just a mouthpiece can’t be my inspiration anymore,” wrote another user.

    “She’s visiting South Africa, a country with apartheid history and she chooses to stay silent on an ongoing genocide. Mandela would have hated her bigotry if he was alive, his resistance was against the same mindset,” said a tweet.

    Previously Malala released a statement on October 10 grieving for the Palestinian and Israeli children who were caught in the war. Many were quick to slam the feminist activist for failing to recognise that this was a genocide where more Palestinian lives were being lost everyday.

    Many have drawn comparisons between Malala’s silence and climate change activist Greta Thunberg’s outspoken resistance against the genocide of Gaza. Greta published an op-ed for The Guardian where she criticised Israel as the death toll grows in Gaza, with more children passing away from Israeli airstrikes.

  • While bombs rain down on Gaza, viral videos show Israelis dancing to Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance tour’ film

    While bombs rain down on Gaza, viral videos show Israelis dancing to Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance tour’ film

    Social media has been outraged after several videos went viral on the internet where Israelis can be seen dancing to Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance Film’, playing in theatres this week. At the same time, Gaza is being bombarded with severe airstrikes.

    In the videos, Israelis can be seen dancing to ‘Break My Soul’, claiming it was the IDF’s new fight song against the Hamas. Twitter users expressed outrage at Beyonce’s silence on the on-going genocide, after several X (formerly Twitter) users have pleaded with her to pull the film from Israel.

    “THIS is why Beyonce not allowing her film to screen in Israel mattered . This is why- even if the location of screenings was out of her control (debatable) she should have at LEAST made a Pro-Palestine statement. Now a song about Black liberation is tied to a GENOCIDE.”

    Many expressed outrage on how Beyonce had the power to refuse this, but chose to let this happen.

  • ‘Dangerous and irresponsible’: Ushna Shah calls out Maria B for misusing Palestine activism

    ‘Dangerous and irresponsible’: Ushna Shah calls out Maria B for misusing Palestine activism

    Actress Ushna Shah took to her X (formerly Twitter) account to call out controversial fashion designer Maria B for misusing her tweets and photos from the Palestine march in Karachi to malign the transgender movement.

    “Maria B’s collaboration with questionable low grade bloggers and use of my tweets and photos from the Palestine March — where I was incidentally standing with a transgender rights activist — for her agenda is dangerous and irresponsible. She’s misusing edited content to stir controversy, exploiting trending topics like Palestine in a way that’s beneath even her.”

    “I am not aligned with her extreme right-wing or any extreme left-wing views,” continued the ‘Habs’ actress. “I have a diverse social circle, like most actresses working in showbiz, and I don’t subscribe to any political agenda. I value all life, from minorities to even animals. I urge Maria to realize the harm and potential risks to my safety her actions cause. In layman’s terms: please keep my name out of your mouth & don’t drag me in a war that has nothing to do with me.”

    “I am not pushing any agenda except the liberation of Palestine, do not use me to push yours.” Ushna wrote. “I’m sorry I rejected coming to your march, but this was a sick retaliation which has endangered me. Me not wanting to associate with Maria and her march doesn’t make me an LGBTQ activist. It has nothing to do with that. She has made me uncomfortable since her stunt with the covid patient working in her home, I see her as an irresponsible person who weaponises religion to push her brand & her recent stunt proves just that. Using the photo from a *Palestine* march in which an activist Shahzadi came next to me for a while & posing it as an LGBTQ March is again highly irresponsible of her, not to mention spreading lies online to endanger someone is illegal.”

    In the next tweet Ushna wrote: “To the fundamentalists threatening me: I’ve written this in Urdu. Simple words “meri dosti SAB ACTRESSES ki tarah SAB sey hei, meinay Palestine ke ilawa koi agenda push nahi kiya, Jo sawal mujhse karney hein woh sab actresses sey karein. LogoN ko mazhab Matt istemal karney dein sales banaaney ke liye. Mere Falasteen make stance ke baad haath sey endorsements jaa rahi hein, matlab high paying multinational waqfay, Jo ke aap sab ko patah hei mujhe bohot miliey thee alhamdulilah, Aur yeh logue Falasteen ko Aur mujhe istemaal kar rahey hein ratings ke liye”. I am at Umrah, let me get back to it without fearing propaganda. Jo masla mera hei hee nahi uss mein mujhe mutt ghaseetein. Aur meri avaaz falasteen ke haq mein Jo uthee hei ussey chup Matt karwayein.”

    Ushna Shah ended the thread by writing: “Maria, I am not new to cheap made up controversies by bloggers but a woman in your position should know better than to use me and to use this genocide. You are old enough to be my mother. Since you decided to address me online and open me up to threats, even though you have my number, I’ve decided to do the same. What you have done is dangerous, irresponsible & illegal, and if I had time to visit FIR offices, I would.”

    Maria B has yet to comment on Ushna Shah’s statement.

  • The Weeknd donates $2.5 million to Gaza for aid

    The Weeknd donates $2.5 million to Gaza for aid

    Singer The Weeknd has made international headlines after his XO Humanitarian Fund is sending $2.5 million to Gaza to provide four million meals for civilians. Israel is again bombing the vulnerable population where already more than 15,000 civilians have died. Currently, the death toll after the ending of truce is 160 Palestinians.

    The artist, whose real name is Abel Tesfaya, stepped into the role of the Goodwill Ambassador in 2021 in October 2021, and set up the XO Humanitarian Fund with the United Nations World Food Program.

    “WFP is working round the clock to provide aid in Gaza but a major scale up is needed to address the desperate level of hunger we are seeing,” said UN WFP’s director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern European Region,  Corinne Fleischer. “Our teams need safe and sustained humanitarian access, and continued support from donors to reach as many people as we can. We thank Abel for this valuable contribution towards the people of Palestine. We hope others will follow Abel’s example and support our efforts.”

    On November 23, Tunasian Egyptian actress Hend Sabri announced on her Instagram account that she was resigning from her role as Goodwill Ambassador from the UN World Food Program because of the organisation’s inability to condemn the ongoing genocide of Gaza.

    “Over the past weeks, I have witnessed and shared the experiences of my dedicated WFP colleagues. Their frustration at being unable to do what they do best towards children, mothers, fathers and grandparents in Gaza. They could only do so much in the face of a grinding war machine that would not stop and would not spare civilians the agony and anguish as war encircles them.”

    “I had faith,” the actress wrote to her 3.3 million followers, “that WFP – which was named Nobel Peace Prize Laureate only three years ago after championing UN resolution 2417, against using hunger and starvation as a weapon of war – would use its voice forcefully as it had done in multiple emergencies and human crises. However, hunger and starvation have been used as weapons of war for over the past 46 days against more than 2 million civilians in Gaza.”

  • Oscar winner Olivia Colman among 1,000 artists signing petition slamming institutions for censoring Palestine

    Oscar winner Olivia Colman among 1,000 artists signing petition slamming institutions for censoring Palestine

    British acting giant Olivia Colman and ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Derry Girls’ star Nicola Coughlan are among the 1000 artists who have signed a petition slamming Western institutions for aiding and abetting the “repressing, silencing and stigmatising of Palestinian voices and perspectives.” The letter includes signatures from ‘Sex Education’ star Aimee Lou Wood and multiple Emmy-award winner Harriet Walter.

    “This includes targeting and threatening the livelihoods of artists and arts workers who express solidarity with Palestinians, as well as cancelling performances, screenings, talks, exhibitions and book launches.”

    The letter shed light on the ongoing genocide of Gaza, where the death toll has crossed 15,000 civilian lives, with members of the Israeli government now openly calling for ethnic cleansing, and using starvation as a war weapon.

    “The wholesale destruction of civilian infrastructure, the bombing of hospitals, schools, churches and mosques, the killing of 14,500 people in a matter of weeks, amount to a policy of collective punishment against the Palestinian people. The United Nations and hundreds of legal scholars have called on the international community to prevent genocide.”

    The letter then proceeded to criticise the ongoing censorship and repression of voices, including Susan Sarandon, who was dropped by her agency, and actor Melissa Barrera, who was fired from the ‘Scream’ series for her vocal pro-Palestine posts.

    “As artists and cultural workers,” the petition points out, “we stand in solidarity with those facing threats and intimidation in the workplace. The arts sector must urgently align its actions with its stated values of justice and inclusivity, and to refuse the dehumanisation of Palestinian people.”

    The petition states that for artists to stay silent in the face of mass injustice and humanitarian crisis “would be an abrogation of moral duty”. It also pointed out that more artists are refusing to work with those institutions that are complicit in this heinous act.

    The petition also shared four demands from the signatories which were:

    – Publicly demand a permanent ceasefire.
    – Promote and amplify the voices of Palestinian artists, writers, and thinkers.
    – Stand up for artists and workers who voice their support for Palestinian rights.
    – Refuse collaborations with institutions or bodies that are complicit in severe human rights violations.

  • Twitter users outraged after Gigi Hadid apologises for Ahmad Mansara story, calls it ‘wrong example’

    Twitter users outraged after Gigi Hadid apologises for Ahmad Mansara story, calls it ‘wrong example’

    On November 25, Gigi Hadid shared a post using the example of Palestinian child Ahmed Mansara to point out how Israel beats and rape’s children and uses them as captives of war. She criticised Israel as the only country that does this, however now has walked back on her claims. In a new post, the model apologised for using Ahmad as an example, writing that was misinformation.

    “This weekend I shared something that I did not fact check or deeply think about prior to reposting…Unfortunately I used the wrong example to make that point and I regret that.”

    Ahmad Mansara was kidnapped by IDF forces at the age of 12, with videos showing that he has developed severe mental health issues during captivity. Amnesty International reports that he was 12 when his cousin Hassan was shot dead in front of dead, and Ahmad received severe head injuries after being hit by a car. He was sobbing on the ground and footage shows Israeli soldiers shouting at him. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for attempted murder.

    Khulood Badawi, Amnesty International’s Campaigner on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, reported that Ahmad was tortured and abused by Israeli authorities to the point where he has developed severe schizophrenia and depression, and his life remains at risk while being in prison.

    “Israeli authorities have treated Ahmad Manasra with inhuman cruelty, intent on pushing him past breaking point. He is now so gravely unwell that he could not attend his own hearing. Yet when Ahmad is discharged from the clinic, prison authorities will return him to solitary confinement and reschedule the court hearing. Ahmad’s nightmare goes on and on.

    “Ahmad Manasra has been diagnosed with serious mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and severe depression, for which he has been hospitalized before. Israeli authorities continue to ignore the warnings of independent psychiatrists, who have said that Ahmad Manasra’s life is at risk if he remains in prison. Worse still, they have condemned Ahmad to spend years in isolation despite his conditions, demonstrating once again their contempt for Palestinians’ rights, wellbeing, and lives.”

    Twitter users were horrified at how Gigi slandered the struggle to free Ahmad Mansara, and called it a betrayal of the Palestinian movement.

    “Gigi Hadid is apologising for using Ahmad Manasra as an example??? Does she even know his story or the torture he’s had to endure since he was a child? I’m so sick of her, idc if she’s Palestinian. This is a disgustingly huge betrayal of her people that won’t be forgiven.”

    “Gigi Hadid just slandered Ahmad Manasra & expressed regret over sharing his story. I will never forgive you, Gigi, especially with all your influence & affluence, for how you harmed those most noble & oppressed in our community,” wrote a user.

  • #BoycottStrangerThings trends as news emerges of Netflix not firing Noah Schnapp

    #BoycottStrangerThings trends as news emerges of Netflix not firing Noah Schnapp

    Noah Schnapp was under fire after he promoted several racist messages undermining the genocide of Gaza and later a video went viral from his Instagram stories where he was distributing stickers labelled ‘Zionism is sexy’. Now news reports have revealed that Netflix is not considering the option of firing the actor from ‘Stranger Things’ season 5, and fans are rallying for the show to be boycotted.

    BoycottStrangerThings is now going viral on X (formerly Twitter) as fans are outraged with the way Zionist actors like Noah who shared racist and inhumane messages applauding the genocide can keep their jobs, while actors like Susan Sarandon and Melissa Barrera are fired for calling for a ceasefire.

    “So spyglass fired an actress for being anti-genocide and a crew member from stranger things was fired for denouncing the violence committed by Israel but when Schnapp says that zionism is sexy (which is the new form of nazism) he gets nothing? Fuxk off,” a user wrote.

    Many users are calling for a boycott on Netflix until Noah is fired from the series.

  • Cynthia Nixon launches hunger strike outside White House to demand ceasefire in Gaza

    Cynthia Nixon launches hunger strike outside White House to demand ceasefire in Gaza

    Former ‘Sex And The City’ star and politician Cynthia Nixon has joined progressive lawmakers to announce a hunger strike in order to end the genocide of Gaza and enable a permanent ceasefire.

    The hunger strike comes after official reports reveal that more than 15,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 children, were killed by Israeli airstrikes since October 7. A temporary ceasefire was declared on November 24 to facilitate the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian hostages.

    Speaking outside the White House, Nixon, along with Democrat state congressional lawmakers Abraham Aiyash, Zohran Mamdai, Sam Rasoul, Mauree Turner and Madinah Wilson-Anton, urged US officials to act fast and prevent more bloodshed.

    “The deaths that we have seen are largely due to the bombs, but so many Palestinians now are on the verge of starvation. Only 7 per cent of the nutrition they need is being let in on a daily basis,” Nixon spoke. “So we are here hunger-striking, just to sort of mirror to Biden the kind of deprivation that is happening in Gaza, and how he has it within his power to make a cease-fire happen and to allow humanitarian aid in.”

    The hunger strike will go on for five days, with Nixon taking part on Monday and Thursday due to work commitments.

    “Israel has killed more civilians on a tiny strip of land than were killed in 20 years of war in the entire country of Afghanistan, and this is not normal,” Cynthia said addressing the crowd. She, along with other DSA members and interfaith activists read aloud the names and ages of the Gazan children killed by Israeli airstrikes.

    Cynthia spoke to The Cut about how her Jewish son inspired her to take such a strong stance in order to shed light on the atrocities of Palestine.

    “Two of my three children are Jewish. My oldest son in particular is extremely involved in the movement for justice for Palestinians and has been very active in Chicago, where he lives and was arrested for his protest about a week and a half ago,” Cynthia opened up.

    Speaking on how her son was the descendants of two Holocaust survivors, Cynthia revealed he urged her to remember ‘Never Again’ means never again for everyone.

    “When this was starting, we spent a lot of time on the phone with him. He was doing everything he could in terms of protests, speeches, speaking in articles. He said to my wife and me point-blank, “You have a much bigger megaphone than I do. And I just implore you at this moment to do everything you can to bring attention to this.” His Jewish identity is very central to him. He’s the grandson of two Holocaust survivors. He said, for him, “never again” means never again for everyone. As a Jew, he feels he has a particular obligation to make sure this doesn’t happen again to another group of people. For everyone in our family, antisemitism is not a joke. It’s a serious and terrifying thing. In a recent article, my son said, for him, having antisemitism thrown about like a political football for warmongers is particularly upsetting. I couldn’t agree more.”