A short one today, but I just really needed to make this point because I haven’t seen it being made explicitly clear in the media.

Last Friday, Israel’s military killed seven humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK), who were delivering food to Gaza. They did this despite WCK providing the military with their plans and coordinates ahead of time, and travelling in a van with a huge logo on the roof and sides. These are indisputable facts. It may well qualify as a war crime.

Australia – and by that I mean Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister/Deputy PM Richard Marles* – has asked Israel to explain how this happened. To give the tiniest amount of credit (literally so, so smol) they are asking for a specific explanation of how it happened, not content with Israel accepting accountability alone. Wong has used the strongest language I’ve heard from her so far, saying that she does not believe it was a mistake and that the information Israel has provided so far is “not good enough”. On top of this, the federal government does not think Israel is taking this seriously, because we’ve also decided to appoint our own special advisor to oversee the investigation.

That’s all… fine. But when Israel falsely accused UNRWA staff of participating in the October 7 attack, the Australian government immediately withdrew lifesaving funding from the organisation. It’s a direct parallel – only this time we already have evidence that Israel has potentially committed a war crime. By rights, Australia’s response should be the same.

At the time we were told that it was not acceptable for Australian taxpayer dollars to go to an an organisation where staff participated in war crimes. Totally understand that. So what should we do, now that we know the IDF used a drone manufactured by Elbit Systems to kill seven humanitarian aid workers? And that Elbit Systems is directly funded by Australia – in February, Elbit Systems received a $917 million contract from the Defence Department**. Actually, let me rephrase: Elbit Systems received a contract for $917 million of taxpayer money. When can we expect the announcement that this contract will be paused until Israel can prove it did not commit a war crime? When will we hear the admission that our government helped pay for the weapon that killed Zomi Frankcom, someone who had dedicated her life to helping others at home and abroad?

Today is the six month mark of Israel’s relentless, indiscriminate assault on Gaza. An anniversary worth reminding your representatives of, if it’s been a while since you’ve been in touch.

*Side note: I don’t think Marles has been copping anywhere enough criticism – he should facing just as much pressure as Wong. 
**As the Minister for Defence, this contract sits under Marles. He could and should being scrapping it. See what I mean about Marles somehow not getting as much pushback on this whole mess?

– Crystal
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Good stuff on Zee Feed rn:

I was really shocked to learn that there are no formal support services to help children when one of their parents goes to prison. None! Very grateful for Maia bring educating us about this painful issue and how she hopes to solve it. CLICK HERE TO READ.

Smart stuff on the Internet 💭

All the stuff I found on the web that made me think, smile, or have an ‘aha!’ moment. Spend your Sunday reading them – you'll be better off for it:

What It’s Like To Make Art In A Cost Of Living Crisis on Elle Australia
"Artists Ginger Taylor says one Dolly Parton T-shirt she designed in 2017 reliably sold between 50 and 100 units every month — until last year, that is, when the flow of orders dwindled to a trickle and then dried up completely. Taylor has been forced to reassess her business model and recently made the heart-wrenching decision to close her online store.”

'Visibility' Isn’t Protecting Us From Transphobia on Vice Australia
“When I look around at the huge increase in queer and trans media in the past five years, it isn’t lost on me how special it is for us to be given more of a voice in the arts, media and wider society. But, I am disheartened when I look at the lives of people in my community and I still see trans people who are struggling under the weight of a world that positions them to be vulnerable, with trans women and queer people of colour bearing much of the brunt of this. .”

The Ballad of Ray Suzuki: The Secret Life of Early Pitchfork and the Most Notorious Review Ever “Written” on The Ringer
I don’t even know how to explain this you guys it’s so funny if you’re into early Internet lore & online culture stuff. “In 2006, Pitchfork panned Jet’s sophomore album not with words, but with a video of a chimp peeing in its own mouth. But who was the “author” behind the review? And what does finding that answer reveal about the early days of the publication?”

Can sports journalism survive in the era of the athlete? on Columbia Journalism Review
Intersting! “‘We’re in a time of information abundance,’ says Brian Moritz, a sports media researcher at St. Bonaventure University. ‘But actual journalists—the people who hold systems and power structures accountable—they’re being totally phased out.’

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