Elon Musk HUMILIATED, Accidentally Exposes How Weak He Is, US ICE Protests Spread, Hundreds Arrested
PDS Published 06/11/2025
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America’s daddies have stopped fighting, but it’s unclear if they’re ready to kiss and make up.
Right, at 3 a.m. this morning, daddy Musk admitted that he was maybe a little too mean to daddy Trump in front of the kids, writing on X:
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”[]
That’s nice, but there are some things you just can’t take back — like “you should be impeached” and “you’re in the Epstein files.”
But, all joking aside, while Musk’s late-night post represents a rare walk-back from a man who is known for quadrupling down on even the worst takes, it’s also not exactly a surprise.
Right, since their massive blow-up, the two have been slowly thawing.
For example, you had Musk deleting some of his more inflammatory posts.
Including tweets linking Trump to the Epstein files, calling for his impeachment, and claiming his tariffs will cause a recession.
And over the weekend, you had Trump sort-of-kind-of-maybe walking back his threats to investigate Musk’s immigration status or cancel federal contracts with his companies.
Saying that he hadn’t really given the threats any more thought.
And while speaking to reporters on Monday, we saw Trump say this of Musk:
“Look, I wish him well, you understand. We had a good relationship, and I just wish him well — very well, actually.” 00:57 - 1:04
With Musk then responding to a post of that clip on X with a heart emoji.[]
And that same day, Trump sat down for an interview for the debut episode of The New York Post’s new podcast, Pod Force 1.
And in that episode — which actually aired this morning — Trump said that he was open to reconciling with Musk.
Which is a notable reversal from just two days before, when Trump told NBC he had no desire to repair his relationship with Musk and that he assumed the relationship was over.
HOST: “And now, what happened with Elon? Is there anything that you can do to forgive him? Could you see that happening?”
TRUMP: “Well I — look, I have no hard feelings, you know, I was really surprised that that happened. He went after a bill that's that's phenomenal, it's the best thing we've ever signed in this country.” 12:26 - 12:46
TRUMP: “No, I think a bill is great. And he just — I think he feels very badly that he said that, actually.” 13:42 - 13:47
TRUMP: “I was disappointed in him. But, you know, it is what it is. That happens. Things like that happen. I don't blame him for anything, but I was a little disappointed.”
HOST: “Could you reconcile?”
TRUMP: “Say it?”
HOST: “Could you reconcile with him? Do you think — could you forgive him?”
TRUMP: “I guess I could, but, you know, we have to straighten out the country. And my sole function now is getting this country back to a level higher than it's ever been.” 14:14 - 14:47
So the saga continues, and for now, we’ll just have to wait and see where it goes from here.
But, of course, we’re talking about two of the most unstable molecules in the known universe, so anything could fucking happen.
And if my luck and the news cycle for the last few months are any indication, one of them is going to say something bonkers, or something insane is going to happen that changes everything I just covered the second I upload the show today.
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ICE is getting ready to send Special Response Teams to at least five Democrat-run cities following raids and protests in Los Angeles.
That is what NBC News is now reporting, with sources specifically telling the outlet the teams have been ordered to Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, northern Virginia, and New York. []
Right now, we don’t know when raids in those areas will begin, but you also had NBC explaining that special response teams:
“use BearCat tracked vehicles, long guns and tactical vests in operations considered high risk” and were even used in the raid on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ house.
And this comes as, just like we talked about yesterday, cities all over the country have been protesting in solidarity with Los Angeles against the ICE raids and use of the national guard in the city.
There were arrests at several events, and late last night, we got the news that Texas Governor Greg Abott is deploying the National Guard “across the state to ensure peace & order” at demonstrations.[]
And things in Los Angeles are not slowing down there anytime soon, either.
Downtown LA is under a curfew and dozens of people have been arrested for violating it.
With LA Mayor Karen Bass tweeting:
“I issued a curfew starting tonight at 8pm for Downtown Los Angeles to stop bad actors who are taking advantage of the President's chaotic escalation. If you do not live or work in Downtown L.A., avoid the area. Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew, and you will be prosecuted.”[]
The curfew lasts from 8 pm to 6 am, and applies to everyone except emergency personnel, media, and residents or workers in the area.[]
Because it really only encompasses a small section of the city, right, just around a square mile, with this map Bass shared showing just how tiny of an area it is compared to the city as a whole.
Reports say this curfew will last for several days.[]
And the LAPD tweeted that while the curfew was in effect last night, multiple groups were congregating between Spring and Alameda street and “Those groups are being addressed and mass arrests are being initiated.”[]
And this morning, the LAPD gave a clearer figure here, saying that 203 people were arrested for failure to failure to disperse, 17 for curfew violations, three for possession of a firearm, one for assault with a deadly weapon, and one for discharging a laser at an LAPD airship, with two officers getting injured and receiving treatment. []
Also last night as the curfew was starting to make headlines, California Governor Gavin Newsom giving a speech addressing the protests, specifically slamming Trump and accusing him of escalating these events by deploying the National Guard to LA’s streets:
“This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder. And the president, he did it on purpose.” (2:07-2:28)
“Again, thanks to our law enforcement officers and the majority of Angelenos who protested peacefully, this situation was winding down and was concentrated in just a few square blocks downtown. But that, that’s not what Donald Trump wanted. He again chose escalation, he chose more force. He chose theatrics over public safety. He federalized another 2,000 Guard members. He deployed more than 700 active U.S. Marines.” (3:11-3:43)
And he also condemned the raids that have been conducted in Los Angeles, arguing they go against the traditional immigration enforcement usually seen in California and traditionally agreed upon by both parties.
“What’s happening right now is very different than anything we’ve seen before. On Saturday morning, when federal agents jumped out of an unmarked van near a Home Depot parking lot, they began grabbing people. A deliberate targeting of a heavily Latino suburb. A similar scene also played out when a clothing company was raided downtown. In other actions, a U.S. citizen, nine months pregnant, was arrested; a 4-year-old girl, taken; families separated; friends, quite literally, disappearing.” (0:35-1:07)
“We’re seeing unmarked cars, unmarked cars in school parking lots. Kids afraid of attending their own graduation.” (4:00-4:08)
And while Newsom did take time out of the speech to speak out against any bad actors using this moment to spread violence, he spent the last half of it largely slamming Trump and his rhetoric and actions in general.
As well as any political leaders who have assisted him:
“Democracy is under assault right before our eyes, this moment we have feared has arrived. He’s taking a wrecking ball, a wrecking ball to our founding fathers’ historic project: three coequal branches of independent government. There are no longer any checks and balances. Congress is nowhere to be found. Speaker Johnson has completely abdicated that responsibility.” (7:17-7:40)
“And by the way, Trump, he’s not opposed to lawlessness and violence as long as it serves him. What more evidence do we need than January 6th.” (5:28-5:37)
“What Donald Trump wants most is your fealty, your silence, to be complicit in this moment. Do not give into him.” (8:30-8:38)
And on the right, many reactions to this speech were concentrated on mocking some tech and sound issues that Newsom dealt with at the start of the address. [][]
But you also had people like Senior Trump Advisor Steven Miller writing:
“If our troops didn’t go into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now, just like so much of their housing burned to the ground. The great people of Los Angeles are very lucky that I made the decision to go in and help!!!”
But there are plenty of Angelenos who do not feel “lucky” about this administration’s actions, and with that you had LA Mayor Bass echoing a lot of Newsom’s points and writing:[]
“The Trump administration told us they were going after violent criminals, gang members, and drug dealers. But they went after a home depot. They’re going after families and children. That does not make Los Angeles more safe.”
“Angelenos are trying to live their lives—going to work, caring for their families—while facing the constant threat of sudden immigration crackdowns. This fear paralyzes communities…Let’s not pretend this is about public safety. It’s political retribution—plain and simple.”[]
Also as far as Newsom, tomorrow, a judge will hear the case California brought against the U.S. government for deploying federal troops.
Right, Newsom filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to block the National Guard from being ordered to LA, but that was denied.
Because the Trump administration opposed the request and asked for more time to respond, and so the judge granted that time and set the hearing for tomorrow, so we will have to see what comes of that.
But that is not where questions surrounding the use of the federal troops ends.
Because right now, marines are reportedly preparing for operations in Los Angeles.
With NBC reporting that at least four military vehicles were seen south of LA early today but troops are not yet on the streets as they are undergoing basic training about rules of force.
But they could be on the ground as soon as today.
You also have California Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla writing a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asking him to explain why hundreds of marines were deployed in the first place, saying:[]
“A decision to deploy active-duty military personnel within the United States should only be undertaken during the most extreme circumstances, and these are not them.”
“In this instance, this extraordinary action was also irresponsibly rushed and lacked clear communication to government officials or the U.S. public.”
And they are not the only ones putting Pete Hegseth in the hot seat over the use of federal troops.
Because Senators are currently grilling him right now, with Hegseth defending his actions while speaking to Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed.
“The mission in Los Angeles, as you know well sir, is not about lethality, it is about maintaining law and order on behalf of law enforcement agents who deserve to do their jobs without being attacked by mobs of people. The national guard and marines are on the streets defending ICE agents and they will continue…law and order is a civil function under the constitution, civil enforcement, law enforcement authorities, not the U.S. military.” (0:08-0:37)
But the interaction that has gone the most viral so far is one with Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, who argued there was a double standard in the way Hegseth viewed the national guard being used on January 6 to how they are being used today.
“The national guard was deployed here on jan 6 and that was a decision made by the DOD, do you support that decision, do you think that was the right decision made by the national guard to defend the capitol on jan 6?...all I know is its the right decision to deploy the national guard in LA to defend ICE agents.” (0:06-0:27)
And when Murphy kept pushing, Hegseth said this:
“Senator, I was in the Washington DC Nat Guard and was initially ordered to guard the inauguration of Biden, but because of the politicization of the Biden admin, my orders were revoked.” (0:48-1:03)
But Murphy still continued:
“But do you support the decision on Jan 6 to send the Nat Guard here?...I support the decision Trump made in sending the Nat Guard [crosstalk]...so you do not support the decision to send the nat guard here to the capitol? I think that speaks to the worry many Americans have that there is a double standard that you are not willing to defend against attacks made on our democracy by supporters of the president but you are willing to deploy the national guard to protect against protestors criticizing the president.” (1:09-1:42)
But that is where we are on this one today, obviously we will be keeping an eye open for any and all updates, especially as protests grow, but I would love to know anything that you are thinking.
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Despite months of trying really, really hard, the Trump administration still can’t deport as many people as it wants to.
Because it’s not like the government has a magical list of all the illegal immigrants it can just immediately arrest and deport; right, they’re called “undocumented” for a reason.
Agents have to identify people, track them down, surveill them, arrest them, prove they’re who ICE says they are — that all takes a lot of time, and it’s not very efficient. [B roll, 01:52 - 02:08]
So reportedly the White House, and not least Stephen Miller, have been putting intense pressure on its agencies to get those deportation numbers up as much as they can. [Same B roll]
Which is why, instead of going into homes, which net only a few migrants at a time, if the address is even correct, agents are hitting workplaces like restaurants, factories and construction sites. [B roll, 00:45]
Hence, the raid on the Los Angeles garment district that kicked off the nationwide protests and political showdown between California and Washington that we’re witnessing right now. [B roll, 00:29]
But ICE agents, often in plain clothes, have also been seen prowling the halls of immigration courthouses and ambushing people there for scheduled hearings.
As well as arresting people who show up at the offices of Citizenship and Immigration Services, often to apply for things like visas, green cards and citizenship.
And to keep up with the demands from higher up, the agency is reportedly staggering shifts so agents are available seven days a week. [Quote, find “seven days”]
With one Homeland Security official telling The New York Times that some undercover special agents responsible for online sex trafficking investigations have begun setting up in-person meetings with suspected sex workers to potentially arrest them on immigration charges. [Quote same link, find “prostitution”]
And of course thanks to DOGE, ICE reportedly has a new app informally called “alien tracker” that locates people with actionable deportation orders on a map. [Quote same link, find “new mapping app”]
With it reportedly centralizing data on more than 700,000 people from agencies across the federal government. [Quote same link, find “700,000”]
Those currently including the FBI, the ATF and Social Security, but eventually to include HHS, HUD, the IRS, and the Labor Department. [Quote same link, find “internal revenue”]
But the White House isn’t just going after illegal immigrants; it’s also rushing to strip legal ones of their status and deport them too.
With NBC obtaining a memo dated May 30 that exposes how the administration’s co-opting judges in that effort.
Right, because unlike most other judges, immigration judges work under the executive branch, not the judiciary.
So the White House could distribute this memo instructing them to effectively shovel migrants out the door as quickly as possible.
Doing this first by allowing Homeland Security lawyers to file motions to dismiss immigrants’ cases orally, instead of having to file a written motion detailing their rationale, [Quote, find “been typical”]
And second, by telling the judges to grant those motions that same day, without any additional documentation or briefings, rather than give immigrants the standard 10-day chance to respond. [Same quote]
Then, once the case is dismissed, the immigrant can be immediately deported through expedited removal, all before they even get to plead their case in front of a judge.
Now of course on the right, all of this is necessary to get rid of the millions of people who supposedly exploited the asylum system during Biden’s presidency.
But on the other side, there are some much different reactions to the memo.
With one source close to the immigration judges’ union telling NBC the move is legal but still upsetting, saying:
“They think it makes a mockery of the whole process and that it flies in the face of what Trump ran on. Immigration enforcement means it’s done in a fair manner ... and this isn’t fair.” [Quote]
But then you also have others arguing that the move actually is illegal.
Pointing out that the memo misquotes the section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that it cites to justify itself.
So while according to the memo, the law states that judges may grant motions to dismiss when “circumstances have changed to such an extent that continuation is no longer in the best interest of the government,” [Quote]
The law actually states that judges can dismiss when “circumstances of the case have changed to such an extent that continuation is no longer in the best interest of the government.” [Same quote]
And those three words “of the case” are important, because as one expert explains, they require DHS to justify the dismissal in terms of the particular circumstances related to each individual case. [Quote same link, find “Greg” and “ommission”]
So without those words, arguably the government would be able to dismiss cases based on more general circumstances, regardless of the concrete details of the case.
But whether it’s fair or legal, further critics argue that the memo won’t even work because the government lacks the capacity to detain everyone it wants to arrest.
Right, according to ICE’s own data, more than 51,000 immigrants were in its custody as of May 23, but it’s only funded to hold 41,500. [Quote, find “41,000”]
With the former chief of staff at ICE under Biden telling NBC the policy “targets vetted migrants who were working and had legal status.” [Quote same link]
Adding, “Flooding the system with thousands of noncriminals wastes time and resources when federal law enforcement should be focused on national security threats.” [Same quote]
As well as ICE’s director during Obama’s presidency telling The New York Times:
“You’re going to have people who are being pushed to the limit, who in a rush may not get things right, including information on a person’s status. All of that takes time and effort, and this push on numbers — exclusive of whether or not the job is being done right — is very concerning.” [Quote]
Which is arguably what we saw with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, for example.
Right, the man who was mistakenly deported to an infamous megaprison in El Salvador despite a court order not to deport him, then left there despite another court order to facilitate his return.
Well now, as of last Friday, he has been returned to the United States, but that doesn’t mean he’s free. [Headline]
Because the White House brought him back here to face charges of human trafficking.
[Clip, 00:32 - 00:43, 00:49 - 00:54, 01:04 - 01:13] Caption: “The grand jury found that over the past nine years Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring. … He was a smuggler of humans and children and women. … MS13 members, violent gang terrorist organization members throughout our country.”
With the DoJ also accusing him of trafficking guns and drugs, abusing women, soliciting nudes from a minor, and taking part in the murder of a rival gang member’s mother. [Continue B roll]
Though to be clear, they haven’t charged him for any of that stuff; right now it’s just the alleged human trafficking.
And according to sources who spoke to ABC, the investigation that led to those charges began in April, after he was deported to El Salvador. [Quote, find “launched”]
So this arguably doesn’t change the alleged injustice of that deportation, and his attorneys made that point in a court filing, writing that the White House:
“arranged for Abrego Garcia's return, not to Maryland in compliance with the Supreme Court's directive to 'ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,' but rather to Tennessee so that he could be charged with a crime in a case that the Government only developed while it was under threat of sanctions.” [Quote same link]
Adding, “The Government's convenient ability to return Abrego Garcia in time for a press conference unveiling his indictment puts the lie to its previously feigned powerlessness to comply with this Court's injunction.” [Quote same link]
With his family’s attorney, Chris Newman, further telling CBS News: [Lead B roll into clip]
[Clip, 05:29 - 05:44] Caption: “I view this as a core Constitutional order case, a core due process case, and it just so happens that a Salvadoran immigrant is defending bedrock Constitutional protections for all of us.”
But the Trump administration only appears to be ramping things up, not down.
With Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller telling Fox News late last month that ICE would set a goal of a “minimum” of 3,000 arrests a day. [Quote, find “3,000”]
Which are completely unprecedented numbers; right, I mean they’re ten times the daily arrests during the Biden administration. [Same quote]
Yet over the weekend, Homeland Security said ICE hit 2,000 arrests a day” last week. [Quote, find “2,000”]
But according to The New York Times, that number slumped to some 1,400 on Thursday, 1,200 Friday, and just 700 on Saturday. [Quote same link, find “1,400”]
So since taking office, Trump has taken credit for just 100,000 arrests, according to the Times.
And of the 1.4 million people who reportedly faced deportation orders by the end of last year, the Trump administration has deported over 200,000. [Quote same link, find “200,000”]
But as we’ve seen with these ongoing protests, the more ICE ramps up its efforts, and the more Trump’s mass deportation scheme penetrates into the fabric of local communities, families and relationships, the more people push back.
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Did President Trump just make a bad trade deal?
That’s what people are asking after reports started coming out that Chinese officials were confirming to the media that a trade deal with the US had been worked out after both sides spent the last two days in London together for talks.
And that was confirmed this morning when Trump posted (in all caps so you know it’s serious):
“OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME.
FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA.
LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!).
WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!” []
Frankly speaking, Trump’s post doesn’t really give us the meat and potatoes of what was actually negotiated… and as of right now we just don’t know.
What is being reported is that in return for China easing restrictions on the export of rare-earth minerals and magnets to America, the US would ease its own restrictions on technology sold to China.
That being said, there was some confusion because of this “WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS” line.
Not quite.
The 55% includes not only that 30% rate but also a 25% that was imposed on some Chinese goods during Trump’s first term.
Whereas people talking about the 30% actually never mentioned all the other stacking tariffs that were happening at the same time -- which put the actual tariff rate closer to 40-70% depending on the item.[]
So in the end this means that prices on goods from China could be lower or more expensive… just depends on what it is.
Well, compared to what it was last month at least -- either way it’ll be more expensive than before this trade war.
That being said, some still feel this was a costly agreement for the US because we finally budged on giving access to key technologies.
Right, former US Trade Negotiator Wendy Cutler told the New York Times that:
“These matters have been deliberately kept off the negotiating table for years given U.S. insistence that national security-related measures are not appropriate for a give-and-take.”
“By apparently now reversing this long-held position, the U.S. has opened the door for China that will be difficult to close.”[]
The biggest thing this deal seems to do is end the tit-for-tat tariffs both sides have been engaging in and open the door to further negotiating.
Right, because this is actually just part of the negotiating process that was started last month in Geneva.
At the time both the US and China signed an agreement that promised to work on a deal -- except the language of the deal was vague enough that both sides came away claiming they got a W.[]
So now experts are saying that this week’s deal is more like a trade truce and gives both sides time to go back to the table at Geneva and put together a real, comprehensive trade deal.
For the global economy that would probably be a big deal, because the fact that the trade situation is constantly changing is a massive problem for manufacturers.
And in general the unease about the direction the global economy is going has caused tensions within the markets.
Just look at the SNP500, which has crashed and then rebounded over the last six months to where it was about a year ago.[]
Meaning a year of no real growth.
Outlooks like that have meant that groups like the World Bank have cut the global economic growth forecast by 0.4% to 2.3% -- which is a pretty drastic cut.
Either way there’s still a lot of work to be done if a trade deal is going to be reached.
That’s assuming this one is even final -- because there’s the caveat that it’s still pending final approval from both Xi and Trump.[]
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Several US allies are now sanctioning two of the highest-ranking officials in the Israeli government – against the wishes of the White House.
Right, specifically, you have the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway targeting Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (Its-uh-mar Ben-gveer - LISTEN) and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Bets-uh-lel Smote-rich - LISTEN).
Right, Ben-gveer? He’s a guy who, for years, reportedly had his living room decorated with a portrait of a mass murderer who gunned down 29 Palestinians in a mosque in 1994. []
And Smote-rich? He has reportedly described himself as a “fascist homophobe” and has backed the idea of segregated maternity wards separating Jewish and Arab mothers.
They’re also the guys who, in 2022, helped Bibi Netanyahu form what’s been described as the most extreme, most right-wing government in Israeli history.
And since then, they've cheered on the destruction in Gaza and pushed for what they call the voluntary emigration of its people so that Jewish settlers can move in.
But notably, these sanctions? They’re just based on accusations of “inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.” []
With a joint statement from the five countries saying that:
“Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous.”[]
And with that, you have one Israeli human rights lawyer describing the move as “historic” – adding:
“It means the wall of immunity that Israeli politicians had has been broken.” []
On the flip side, the Israeli government has of course condemned the news – as well as even a rival to Netanyahu who has been described as a “centrist.”
With him claiming that while he "vehemently” disagreed with the far-right ministers –
The move was a “profound moral mistake and sends a dangerous message to terrorists around the world.” []
On top of that, the US has also condemned the sanctions, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying:
“We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace.”
“We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is.” []
Though, notably, with that, the sanctioning countries have been careful to say that:
“The measures announced [this week] do not deviate from our unwavering support for Israel’s security and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas.” []
And with that, you have the Canadian foreign minister, for example, adding:
“These measures are directed at individuals who directly contribute to extremist settler violence.”
“The measures are not directed against the state of Israel itself.” []
And with that, you actually have some people saying that’s the problem, arguing it doesn’t do anything to change the situation.
With one former Israeli peace negotiator, for example, telling the New York Times:
“It is performative.”
“It doesn’t harm them and it doesn’t cause the Israeli public in general to question the wisdom of the path Israel is on because it doesn’t affect the broader public at all.” []
But still, it’s worth noting that this is part of a bigger shift we’ve started to see from many of Israel’s western allies.
Right, last month, for example, Britain, France and Canada came out with a statement saying that Israel was at risk of breaking international law.
So we’ll have to see if this trend continues.
Although, of course, on the US side, it’s heading in the opposite direction.
Right, I mean, also this week, US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has said that the US is no longer pursuing the goal of an independent Palestinian state –
With him further suggesting that any future Palestinian entity could be carved out of “a Muslim country” rather than requiring Israel to cede territory it controls.
And while this may not be particularly surprising, the fact is, a two-state solution has long been a pillar of the country’s Middle East policy – at least outwardly, although critics have argued that’s been more of a pretense at times.
But now, Huckabee’s just coming out and saying it straight up – this even as the situation in Gaza just gets worse and worse.
Right, adding to the list, you have UN experts now saying that Israel committed the crime against humanity of "extermination" by killing civilians sheltering in schools and religious sites in Gaza –
Calling it part of a "concerted campaign to obliterate Palestinian life." []
Plus, yesterday, Palestinians trying to access aid in Gaza reportedly came under fire again – with Israeli troops killing 36 people and wounding 207 according to the Palestinian Health Ministry –
Bringing the total to 163 dead and nearly 1,500 hurt in multiple shootings run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. []
And notably, on the subject of aid, a convoy of buses and cars is planning to travel across Tunisia, Libya and Egypt to get to Gaza and make a symbolic humanitarian delivery.
Right, it’s basically the same idea as the Freedom Flotilla, which launched a boat with Greta Thunberg doing the same thing, before being intercepted in international waters.
And actually now, a French doctor who was also on board is claiming Israeli authorities were ‘abusive’ to the detainees –
Telling reporters that while there were no acts of physical violence, he witnessed Israeli border agents mock and deliberately deprive passengers of sleep, especially Thunberg. []
But with all that, with all this international criticism the Israeli government is facing, where I’ll end this is that there is now actually something threatening to bring down Netanyahu–
And that’s opposition parties announcing they’ll be bringing a motion to dissolve Parliament and thereby force new elections.
Though, notably, this isn’t because of the war in Gaza – or at least not the plight of Palestinians there.
Right, basically, the opposition is looking to capitalize on a divide within Netanyahu's governing coalition over a decades-old policy that exempts ultra-Orthodox men studying religion from compulsory military service.
That, and some other preferential treatment given to ultra-orthodox students, are unpopular with those who don’t benefit from it.
But Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners have of course opposed getting rid of the policy.
And if both vote with the opposition, which one has already threatened to do, it could provide the majority needed to dissolve Parliament. []
Though, notably, I will say, that could take months – so Netanyahu still likely has some time to either keep his coalition together or otherwise prepare for another election. []
And even if this is ultimately the thing that finally takes him down, who’s to say what the next government would be like.
So we’ll just have to wait and see.
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