The Lead
Israel Killed Another Doctor, Shot Up a Food Convoy: Mobilize To Stop Genocide
by Marcia Merry Baker (EIRNS) — Jan. 06, 2025
Genocide is advancing. In the Israeli bombing of Gaza overnight, Dr. Thabat Saleem was killed in her home at the Nuseirat refugee camp in Wadi Gaza. A neo-natal specialist, the 30-year-old physician had volunteered for the last year at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Yesterday, the Israeli forces fired on a food aid convoy, pre-approved by COGAT, Israel’s Gaza aid monitoring agency. Today World Food Program Director Cindy McCain sent out an X message showing a bullet hole through a WFP vehicle’s door. “Absolutely unacceptable,” wrote McCain. “A WFP convoy, clearly marked & carrying 8 team members, was shot at by Israeli forces near Wadi Gaza despite prior clearances. Humanitarians are not a target. We must have safe, secure access to continue delivering life-saving aid.”
Summary cumulative figures released by the Health Ministry of Gaza today report that a total of 45,854 Palestinians have been killed, and 109,139 people injured in Israel’s genocide since Oct. 7, 2023.
In the mobilization to stop this genocide, there are more initiatives by the hour, but much more is needed. In particular, there are the demands to keep safe and to release Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, taken captive, imprisoned and reportedly tortured, since the Israeli Dec. 27 destruction of Kamal Adwan Hospital, where Dr. Abu Safiya was Director. On Jan. 4, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization called for the immediate release of Dr. Abu Safiya. “We continue to urge Israel to release him. We repeat: attacks on hospitals and health professionals must end. People in Gaza need access to health care.” Spokesmen for the German Foreign Ministry reported this morning that Germany calls on Israel to allow the International Red Cross to have access to Dr. Abu Safiya.
Yesterday’s international web briefing hosted by Doctors Against Genocide is getting attention and furthering collaboration internationally. For example, Pressenza news posted its own petition for release of Dr. Abu Safiya, titled, “Save Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya Before He Dies under Torture in Israeli prisons.”
The Schiller Institute is circulating its Jan. 5 statement, “It Is Past Time for the Genocide To Stop!”
Added to the Schiller Institute’s “statement in support of the demand by Doctors Against Genocide (DAG) that the ongoing genocide being perpetrated in Gaza must stop immediately,” is the continued circulation of the Schiller Institute’s emergency report issued November 2024, “Development Drive Means Billions of New Jobs, No Refugees, No War.” The 28-page document provides the mobilization with content for dialogue and action on priorities for physical economic growth for every nation, and for designing the new financial and security architecture to serve this advancement.
In the study’s section titled, “‘Oasis Plan’ for Southwest Asia: A World Priority,” the map and material start from the straightforward premise. “There are two classes of infrastructure urgently required for Southwest Asia: First, emergency relief interventions of all kinds, to save lives—fuel, water, food, shelter, medical care. Secondly, action is required on a comprehensive set of projects for long-term provision of water, power, housing, health care, education, and cultural centers, to build the economic platform for agro-industry, and all related activities for prosperity. Moreover, Southwest Asia, at the crossroads for Africa, Asia, and Europe, requires modern high-speed transportation…. The task is to upgrade the resource base and productive platform in all respects.”
Committing to this perspective to build up the economic foundations of all national economies is one and the same with the process of intervening to stop the genocide.
Look at the productive capacity being shut down in the West, or otherwise going to waste, that should instead be literally “working overtime” to supply the inputs for both emergency needs, and longer-term development projects in priority areas internationally, and at home. Farmers in France today took their tractors to the highways to protest the government and EU policies ruining their ability to operate. Their productivity and food output are desperately needed in the present emergency of over 310 million people worldwide without food. Weeks ago, steelworkers in the United States demonstrated to protest the expected further shutdown of the steel mills. Yet their output is needed not only for supplying steel for hard infrastructure and industry in projects abroad, but also for rebuilding the decrepit North American infrastructure base.
The perspective of mutual benefit from cooperative economic measures was spoken about today in Africa, where Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with leaders of Namibia, the first of four nations he will visit (Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Nigeria), on the 35th such yearly visit by a top Chinese official in January. Wang met with President Nangolo Mbumba, and with President-elect Netumbno Nandi-Ndaitwah today. Global Times quoted him as saying: “China is willing to offer as much support as possible for Namibia’s economic development, help Namibia transform its resource advantages into development advantages and benefits for its people, and work together to advance their respective modernization processes.”
In the Schiller Institute emergency statement, “It Is Past Time for the Genocide To Stop!” the point is made that, “we must actively do the Good.” Helga Zepp-LaRouche, leader and founder of the Schiller Institute, said at the Jan. 3 meeting of the International Peace Coalition, that on stopping the genocide, “we have to absolutely move on this, but not stop there. Because, think about Sudan, think about Yemen, think about Haiti. There is genocide, and it’s part of this system, which is why we need to have a new security and development architecture, which puts a completely new system on the table. I think 2025 is the year when we either will manage to do that, or we will see that the world may be blown up. So, this is a very strong motivation to move with everything we can.”
The next meeting of the International Peace Coalition is on Friday, January 10, 2025.
Contents
Strategic War Danger
- Russian Forces Liberate Kurakhovo, Turn Back Ukrainian Offensive in Kursk (↓)
- Zakarova on Blinken’s Boast of Supplying Arms to Ukraine Before Russian Military Operation: No Surprise (↓)
- FT Orders Trump, Don't Push Ukraine into 'Bad Truce' with Russia (↓)
- Transnistria Strangled by Kiev's Gas Cutoff (↓)
Collapsing Imperial System
- Israelis Killed Dr. Thabat Saleem in Gaza Jan. 6 (↓)
- World Outcry Growing over Detained Palestinian Doctor Abu Safiya (↓)
- German Economy in Worst Shape In 75 Years (↓)
- All-party Attempt Fails To Form an Austrian Government against the Freedom Party (↓)
U.S. and Canada
- On Giorgia Meloni's ‘Surprise’ Visit to Trump (↓)
- Trudeau Resigned Today as Leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, Suspended the Canadian Parliament until March 24 (↓)
Harley Schlanger Update
Watch The Daily Update with Harley Schlanger, a short video update available every weekday morning from The LaRouche Organization.
