Gaza’s Political Footprint, Labor Fights, and More

All eyes remain fixed on Gaza following the killing of seven aid workers by Israeli forces. The workers had been driving clearly marked vehicles along a designated route when their convoy was hit by Israeli strikes. The incident was just the latest horror in a conflict rife with them. It further strained relations between a politically imperiled Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite the fact that the U.S. has continued providing Israel with its means of destruction.

Against that backdrop, last week, OptOut's Walker Bragman interviewed a former State Department official who resigned over the administration's continued military support for Israel as it decimates Gaza.

Dr. Annelle Sheline had been a foreign affairs officer in the department's Office of Near Eastern Affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor for just a year when she announced her exit in a CNN editorial.

In the 30-minute interview for Important Context, OptOut's official reporting outfit, Dr. Sheline discussed the divide within the State Department over Israel's human rights abuses and expressed her concern over the risk that the violence in Gaza will escalate into a regional conflict. Sheline noted that so long as the U.S. provides weapons to Israel, it is sacrificing critical leverage.

Check it out:

Fmr. State Department Official: White House Not “Sufficiently Grappling With the Reality” In Gaza Conflict

Dr. Annelle Sheline resigned from her role in the Biden administration over its unconditional support for Israel. Now she’s speaking out.

Important ContextWalker Bragman

Officials within the administration are not the only ones discontented with Biden's handling of the violence in Gaza. STATES NEWSROOM reported that the president is hemorrhaging support among young voters, who oppose what Israel is doing and are critical to his reelection.

Israel-Hamas war sets progressive and young voters on collision course with White House • Tennessee Lookout

Some progressives, young voters and Muslim American voters are showing serious reservations about the President Joe Biden’s reelection.

Tennessee LookoutJacob Fischler

Efforts have already begun in New Mexico to put more pressure on Biden to stop arming Israel. SOURCE NM reports that groups are organizing an uncommitted vote campaign in the primary–a warning shot about what could happen in November should the president continue aiding the slaughter in Gaza.

Organizers launch ‘Uncommitted’ primary campaign to criticize Biden’s support for Israel • Source New Mexico

Vote Uncommitted New Mexico is encouraging people to register as Democrats and vote “uncommitted” on their primary ballots.

Source New MexicoAustin Fisher

Meanwhile, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) during a recent live event stated that the International Court of Justice would likely find that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza if they were to "do it as a matter of law." She noted that the court would had "ample evidence" pointing in that direction. THE NEW REPUBLIC had the story.

“Genocide”: Elizabeth Warren Sounds Alarm About the War in Gaza

The Massachusetts senator warned the International Court of Justice will likely find Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

The New RepublicHafiz Rashid

Labor News

Field archeologists, who do the physcially taxing work for traditionally low pay, are starting to unionize. JACOBIN had the story.

Archaeologists Are Organizing to Dig Out of Poverty Wages

Field archaeologists work physically demanding jobs exposed to the elements, often for low pay and meager benefits from private employers. We spoke to one self-identified “dirty shovel bum” about why he and his coworkers are organizing.

Freeman Stevenson

Minnesota nurses are targeting several Democratic lawmakers with ads in order to get them to support protections for nurses who raise concerns with their employers about staffing levels. Story from MINNESOTA REFORMER.

Nurses union targets Minnesota Democrats in ad buy — and other labor news • Minnesota Reformer

Take a seat in the Break Room, our weekly round up of labor news in Minnesota and beyond. This week: Nurses’ big ad buy; Uber and Lyft update; Mayo Clinic employee proposes class action lawsuit; Science Museum workers rally for first contract; Indeed Brewing goes union; and UAW calls for union elect…

Minnesota ReformerMax Nesterak

Public Health

Americans have largely returned to normal life despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19. One group that continues to be hit particularly hard by the virus is the elderly. NEVADA CURRENT published a commentary that originally ran in Kaiser Health News, that asks the important question: Why don't many care?

Do we simply not care about old people? • Nevada Current

The death toll was shocking, as were reports of chaos in nursing homes and seniors suffering from isolation, depression, untreated illness, and neglect. Around 900,000 older adults have died of COVID-19 to date, accounting for three of every four Americans who have perished in the pandemic. But deci…

Nevada CurrentJudith Graham

Republican lawmakers in Louisiana are trying to make ivermectin available over the counter. Advocates tout the antiparasitic drug as a treatment for COVID-19 even though mountainous research does not support such a use.

Louisiana moves to make ivermectin available over the counter • Louisiana Illuminator

Ivermectin would be available for sale over the counter in Louisiana without a doctor’s prescription if a proposal in the Legislature becomes law.

Louisiana IlluminatorGreg LaRose

Indigenous News

The South Dakota Attorney General's Office is trying to address the problem of missing Indigenous people, having appointed a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons coordinator. Indigenous people make up about 60 percent of the missing persons cases in the state. SOUTH DAKOTA SEARCHLIGHT had the story.

Missing Indigenous people cases remain high as state office tries to make a difference • South Dakota Searchlight

Indigenous people account for roughly 60% of missing persons cases in South Dakota, which is still an undercount according to the Oglala Sioux Tribe and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate’s tribal victims services departments.

South Dakota SearchlightAmelia Schafer, Rapid City Journal/ICT

Congress has finally passed a law restoring acceess to FEMA air for Pacific Indigenous Pacific migrants from Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau after decades of being legally barred. The relief is critical in the wake of the Lāhainā wildfire, which spurred on action to address the inequity.

Indigenous Pacific wildfire survivors on Maui can finally get FEMA help

After the worst wildfire in U.S. history, a community of legal migrants found they were not eligible for FEMA aid.

GristAnita Hofschneider

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