In an act of cruel spin-doctoring, Ron Halber, the executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, has blamed the starvation of Palestinians in Gaza on the laziness of the United Nations, posting a link on social media to this Dec. 21, 2023, Times of Israel article: “Herzog: Three times more aid could be entering Gaza if not for UN’s ‘utter failure.'” This is in spite of UN postings that their aid workers are being targeted by Israeli soldiers.
Thankfully, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland traveled to the Gaza-Egyptian border to learn firsthand how best to address the 24/7 humanitarian crisis for the people of Gaza. Among the barriers highlighted was Israel’s blocking of relief trucks. It is important to note that even before October, food access had been curtailed into Gaza by Israel as a long-standing tactic to keep Gaza on the brink of collapse.
Denying the suffering of the Palestinian people of Gaza and whitewashing Israel’s active efforts to starve the civilian population is more than just downright cruel. It is meant to provide cover — albeit thinly veiled cover — to perpetuate Israel’s economic warfare underneath the more overt bombings that have now killed more than 22,000 Palestinians.
— Susan Kerin, Rockville
The writer is chair of Peace Action Montgomery.
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![In a fight between local residents and unlicensed cannabis stores, the locals are winning. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have shut down more than 1,000 illegal cannabis shops. City and state officials have seized over $63 million worth of illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia. This is a side effect of legalized cannabis. In New York City, more than 779 illegal stores have been padlocked, according to Hochul’s office. The New York State Illicit Cannabis Enforcement Task Force has closed an additional 230 across the state. The video above shows a little of what New […]](https://www.baltimoresun.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Immigration_Mayors_49907-1.jpg?w=525 "In a fight between local residents and unlicensed cannabis stores, the locals are winning. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have shut down more than 1,000 illegal cannabis shops. City and state officials have seized over $63 million worth of illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia. This is a side effect of legalized cannabis. In New York City, more than 779 illegal stores have been padlocked, according to Hochul’s office. The New York State Illicit Cannabis Enforcement Task Force has closed an additional 230 across the state. The video above shows a little of what New […]")
