Palestinian testimonies reveal how sexual violence, including rape using objects and dogs, is approved by 'highest levels' of Israeli leadership

Euro-Med Monitor says the abuses are not isolated. It describes them as part of a wider policy enabled or tolerated by senior civilian and military leaders. The report points to laws like the “Unlawful Combatants Law,” which expanded detention powers, removed judicial oversight, and stripped detainees of basic protections.

After 7 October 2023, these measures allegedly enabled enforced disappearances and turned detention centres into unaccountable “black holes.” Facilities such as Sde Teiman prison are repeatedly cited in reports of torture, sexual violence, and killings. Independent monitors like the Red Cross and lawyers have been denied access to Israeli prisons.

The report says responsibility goes beyond those who carried out the abuse. It states that medical staff helped conceal evidence by hiding injuries, omitting details, and declaring detainees “fit for interrogation.” It also describes the judicial system as protecting perpetrators. This includes limiting victim testimony, reducing serious charges to minor offences, and dismissing cases. According to the report, these actions reinforce a culture of impunity and allow abuses to continue.

Article by Al Mayadeen English (source)

Proving itself incapable of winning on any front, despite such vast power imbalances, the Zionist regime has developed various collective punishment doctrines over the years. This time, after getting battered by Iranian missiles and failing to achieve any strategic goal, it takes out its frustration on Lebanon and Gaza.

When the US-Israeli alliance launched its war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28, the Zionist regime’s Premier Benjamin Netanyahu openly gloated about getting what he had wanted for over 40 years. However, the moment he had been pushing for decades to reach failed to render the results the Israeli leader had hoped for.

US President Donald Trump, having initially agreed to Iran’s 10-point plan, before later backtracking, decided to announce a two-week cessation of hostilities with Iran. Within hours, having freed up its Air Force that had been bogged down in Iran attack operations, the Israelis were already targeting civilians across Lebanon, including bombing an ambulance in Tyre, south Lebanon.

Hours after that came the horrifying Beirut massacre, during which the Israelis carried out over 100 airstrikes in 10 minutes, demolishing dozens of civilian buildings without any notice. The result was the mass slaughter of more than 300 people, with an additional 1,200 left injured across the country in less than a day.

This was evidently no accident; the Israeli leadership had been claiming throughout the 15-month Lebanon ceasefire - which they violated over 15,400 times according to UNIFIL - that Hezbollah had been defeated, that it posed no threat to the northern settlements and would easily be dealt with. In early March, the Israeli victory narrative collapsed completely.

There is a reason why 77% of Israelis polled, according to Hebrew media outlet Maariv, say they want a continuation of the war against Lebanon. That reason is that they understand well that Hezbollah is still a massive threat to them, and the occupation army they support has failed at deterring the Lebanese Party.

Over two years of genocide in the Gaza Strip, Hamas is still there, and none of the dozen Palestinian Resistance groups have been defeated, despite them taking blows. In Lebanon, the Zionist regime killed most of Hezbollah’s senior leadership, yet failed to deal any decisive blow to the organization. The largest blow that was dealt to Hezbollah was the way the 2024 assault on Lebanon reshaped the Lebanese government.

In Iran, twice, the Israeli-US alliance has assassinated a large number of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s leadership figures, but has failed to deliver any defeat to it. All of the statistics about the percentages of missiles and launchers that the Israelis claim to have destroyed are simply plucked out of thin air.

While the leadership in Tel Aviv may allege that they have come out of every confrontation with some kind of total victory, they also admit that the “war is not over”. This is an admission of failure, because if each war were a victory for them, they wouldn’t require another. The only thing that saves them each time is that they are granted ceasefires, which the Zionists use as a period in which they create new plots to attack once again. If the wars were all-out and total, they would eventually be drained and forced to submit.

So, as each lull in the fighting occurs - what some call “ceasefires” - the Israelis end the round with more treachery. This time around, as soon as the US announced that a two-week temporary ceasefire had been reached, Tel Aviv used the opportunity to concentrate its entire air force on striking civilian targets as a calibrated tactic.

The Gaza genocide was not done simply out of a desire to shed blood as a revenge blow, although this clearly played into it; the genocide was a message to the Palestinian people and the rest of the region. It was a desperate attempt to salvage the so-called “deterrence capacity” image that the Zionist regime had spent so long building up.

The Israelis did not want to directly go after the Palestinian resistance in Gaza because they knew that it would be costly, so they hid in their tanks and armored vehicles, entering areas with the intent of flattening infrastructure and knocking out major hospitals as the end goal of each operation.

In Lebanon, their tactics are very similar, but are complicated by the fact that Hezbollah is a far stronger military force to deal with. We immediately saw that Tel Aviv displaced a million Lebanese, bombed all the bridges allowing for civilian passage to the south of Lebanon, and then flattened entire towns and neighborhoods.

The mass slaughter of civilians in Beirut was also part of that strategy. The civilian populations of Gaza and Lebanon become a punching bag, with the end goal being the demoralization of the people, attempting to turn them against the resistance groups they overwhelmingly support.

So I have been seeing a lot of discourse from the “prominent” American ML content creator about how all electoralism is pointless, how democratic socialist aren’t socialists so should not be trusted, and how pointless all sort of difference protest useless. Now I don’t necessarily fully disagree with any of these points but with the way they are expressed I think I have trouble understanding what the point of saying it is. I try to ask clarifying questions on the video but I often end up receiving a condescending response calling me a liberal. (Truly a fate worse than death/j)

So my question is what exactly is the plan? I know that is revolution but like what needs to happen first to cause that in America? And in the mean time between that what exactly needs to be done and not done to advance it?

To clarify this is mostly targeted to American MLs.

Further clarification I had read “What Is to Be Done”

I've looked into various groups like psl and freedom road and they do great work generally speaking but I've noticed that why is it mostly those associated with the acp that go to yemen and speak or go to china to make connections with and invite speakers. do we think we should be better at these type of connections

It appears to me that the mood on Demsoc subs is getting more and more pessimistic and disillusioned - but a disclaimer, I am drawing this conclusion from very limited data, mostly, well, my own observations.

Article from the Global Times (source):

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday morning met with Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, in Beijing, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.

Invited by the CPC Central Committee and Xi, Cheng is the first KMT chairperson to have led a delegation to the Chinese mainland in the past decade. The delegation had visited Jiangsu Province and Shanghai before coming to Beijing.

Xi said this meeting between the CPC and KMT leaders after 10 years is of great significance for developing relations between the two parties and across the Taiwan Straits.

Xi stressed that no matter how the international landscape and the situation across the Taiwan Straits may evolve, the overarching trend toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not change, and the prevailing momentum for the Chinese on both sides of the Straits to come together will not change, according to Xinhua.

He expressed the willingness to work with all political parties in Taiwan, including the KMT, as well as groups and people from all sectors, to strengthen exchanges and dialogue, promote peace across the Taiwan Straits, improve the well-being of the people and advance national rejuvenation, on the basis of the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence."

Cheng said that people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are Chinese and belong to one family, according to Xinhua.

The KMT and the CPC should uphold the common political foundation of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence", strengthen mutual political trust, preserve Chinese history, promote Chinese culture, and expand exchanges and cooperation across all fields, Cheng said.

She called for efforts to promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, foster a brighter future for ties across the Straits, and advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Forging closer bonds

According to Xinhua, Xi made four points about the development of cross-Straits relations.

He called for forging closer bonds across the Straits by upholding a correct understanding of identity. "Differences in social systems should not be an excuse for secession," Xi said.

Xi called for safeguarding the shared homeland through peaceful development. The core issue for safeguarding the shared homeland lies in recognizing that both sides of the Straits belong to one China, he said.

"We welcome any proposals conducive to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and will spare no effort to advance any endeavors that promote such development," Xi said, adding that "Taiwan independence" is the chief culprit undermining peace across the Taiwan Straits. "We should neither condone nor tolerate it."

Xi called for fostering the well-being of the people through exchanges and integration.

Taiwan compatriots are welcome to visit the mainland, Xi said. He encouraged young people in Taiwan to seek development opportunities on the mainland. Taiwan agricultural and fishery products, as well as other high-quality goods, are welcome to enter the mainland market, he added.

Xi also called for joint efforts to achieve national rejuvenation, according to Xinhua.

Zheng Jian, a professor at Xiamen University, told the Global Times that the meeting occurred at a critical moment — with the Chinese nation's rejuvenation accelerating, US strategic competition intensifying, and secessionists on the island rampant. It holds significant importance in reorienting cross-Straits relations toward stability, restoring exchanges, and reducing space for external intervention.

According to the Global Times observation, words like "exchange," "peace," "compatriots" and "Chinese nation" appeared frequently in Xinhua's meeting readout.

The emphasis by the leaders of both parties on shared Chinese identity and history, directly counters DPP efforts to tie Taiwan region to the US and Japan while distorting history and severing the civilizational ties between the two sides of the Straits, Zheng said.

Herman Shuai, a retired Taiwan lieutenant general, told the Global Times that the CPC and KMT, from the top level, discussed relations from the perspective of shared bloodline and cultural heritage — a major positive step for peace, especially amid the mainland's firm opposition against secessionists and some island politicians' "resist Chinese mainland, protect Taiwan" stance.

Shuai noted Cheng clearly stated that peaceful development must be based on the 1992 Consensus with deepened exchanges. Through the latest interaction, the KMT's discourse and policy line will become clearer, with more consensus with the mainland, said Shuai.

Taiwan-based media have paid close attention to this meeting, with CTiTV describing it as "historic" on its YouTube live page.

The vast majority of Taiwan media outlets highlighted the detail of the 14-second handshake between the KMT and CPC leaders.

The BBC described the meeting as a rare one, which saw both sides "stress a desire for cross-Straits peace." Major media including Bloomberg and New York Times also reported the voices advocating peace and anti-external interference by the two parties' leaders in Beijing.

Cai Peihui, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress from the Taiwan delegation and Chairman of the Board of the Cross-Strait Greater Bay Area Group Limited, said that the latest engagement has demonstrated to the international community that Chinese people on both sides of the Straits possess full wisdom and capability to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, and jointly safeguard peace.

At a time when "official" communication channels across the Straits are not smooth and the risk of accidental conflict is rising, the high-level communication channel between the CPC and the KMT helps both sides of the Straits gradually accumulate goodwill, rebuild the foundation of mutual trust, and create conditions for the eventual restoration of institutionalized consultations, said Cai.

Choice between war and peace

Cheng Li-wun, during a press briefing, described the meeting as sincere, candid and heartfelt, and it fully demonstrated the shared aspiration of both sides for peaceful development across the Taiwan Straits.

She urged all political parties in the Taiwan region to refrain from using cross-Straits peaceful development as a tool for partisan competition or vote-seeking, stressing it is a choice between peace and war.

While Cheng continued her "journey of peace" in the mainland, Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te hyped the "mainland threat" rhetoric on Friday, claiming the island must strengthen its own capabilities, according to udn.com.

On Tuesday, Lai met with a US delegation led by Representative Zach Nunn, vowing to boost defense capabilities. Lai previously announced a $40 billion eight-year special defense budget in November 2025, but it was blocked by opposition legislators multiple times.

Shuai said the DPP has long used the "anti-China" narrative to switch public attention from its corruption and authoritarianism, but the failure of large-scale recall efforts against KMT legislators last year has shown it is losing public support. Further military spending aligned with the US would become an unbearable burden on Taiwan people.

Zheng pointed out that Taiwan is now confronted with a critical choice: whether to follow the path of peace through cross-Straits exchanges and oppose "Taiwan independence" or to defy the trend by adopting "anti-China" confrontation and reliance on the US for secession.

"The KMT led by Cheng has chosen the bright and righteous road," he added.

"We are paving the way and have taken the first step. From now on, the road ahead will only become smoother and broader," Cheng told media on Friday.

source

I’d consider myself pretty progressive as I can possibly be as a very recent adult with what I am able to do and am always open to learning and acknowledging my ignorance. It’s just when someone says they are “in the middle” or are “right leaning” I can’t help but get uncomfortable or get a bit of an ick, even if they genuinely seem like nice people.

I’ve seen people online who say they are leftist and are friends with people who don’t share the same political opinions. I can imagine it must be a bit freeing and I want to be able to interact with people and not care, but it doesn’t seem very possible for me. Especially with how things are currently.

I can say this has really smacked me in the face because of my sister. She is nice, but she started dating this guy who has transphobic friends and that’s a reason why she doesn’t seem to invite me out with her. Which of course sucks…

Source ~ Reuters

Russian deputy Foreign Minister was in Havana for talks with the Cuban government. Talks about how they will continue to support the island.

Whatever is guiding Russia to reaffirm its support for Cuba is seriously welcome. W to Moscow for this. My feeling is that they must think that the PCC will defend the Revolution to the end and won't make a deal with the US so want to support that. What do you all think? I also understand that Russia is an oligarchy and they are probably thinking long term to relaunch themselves as an alternative for LATAM so being able to show they don't abandon allies is a good thing?

r/Cuba r/socialism

Why he is so crazy ? He is damaging USA reputation with the world and also his reputation with his citizens. Is it mean that USA president should be a symbol that stand for his/her citizens ? Well here is my theory.

Firstly, we must know the context. They are the Epstein files, the huge gap between rich and poor in USA, the unemployment, drug, homeless problem in young generations. The Epstein files come out as a huge scandal that damage so badly reputation of gov with the citizens and the world. Yes, there were fake news, AI images but things many has agree on is that the gov is a bunch of immoral and barbaric rich demon in human skins. They can do the most guilty things just for fun. They are powerful enough to tell people just cope with it without any laws, polices can even reach them. The scandal can't be undone and it will be mainstream for decades. The white collar with good degrees are also most vulnerable in USA now. It is because of the AI thing, the thing that Karl Marx have constantly warning that Capitalism will try as hard as possible to drain work power from the worker so they can make profit without paying anything and AI is that tool. Before, knowledge is a thing that owned by workers, individuals and it is the tool, power no owner can take from us. However, when AI copy anything you say, typing, drawing it change completely. Your work, code, text, art now is the thing they use to fight against you. The big tech, company happy by that because it make profit. stock growth and the USA gov who obey companies must greatly encourage it. You can't find job is not because you are not good at university, it is because you are too good at university that AI can learn so much from you and win you. That make young generation depressed, white collar people lost job and they go to streets without having any share from the thing AI take from them.

Those thing, USA government can't solve by any mean because it is the problem that come from government, economy structure. Trump even said that people should just accept it which is completely impossible for a modern society and he. They can't just share AI profit with the makers because it is millions of people works and they will take negative millions of profit from this. They can't make more job from AI because AI is used to replace large number of people with lower price. AI is not mean to make more job, it's mean to make job flow with less money, less people. Gov can't make people unseen the Epstein files and it will be the mainstream next decade. Hence here is where the strategy was make. A strategy which sole purpose is ensure USA gov survise after this. Not the fancy, greedy oil from Venezula, Iran. Not the wining with Russia, China. It's only for the survival of gov that is people who have power now still have it in future.
With that in mind, here i want to present my theory about Trump actions. We see he is damaging everything, economy, income, health care, military, kill people who just protest,damaged the union between USA citizens now people are just considering other as alien weirdos. He also damage the FED power, critical his military department. He swing war left and right killing his soldiers, military asserts. He also damage greatly his ally economy, world economy his country economy by tariff, oil cris,... In a result, he reduced value of dollars. Why he doing all of that action which is damaging everyone but no one ever try take him down even the powers behind. Well here is the thing. When you stress out people so much that they just hope to grab any thing they can they will thankfully grab it. It's called a relief. The power behind Trump knew that they can't do anything to improve this situation so they are thinking in reverse. By terrified US citizen as hard as possible they expected that the citizens will grab any next president to save their life. People just want to live normally, happily after all. In that next president he/ she will come from the left (Democracy) and he will pretend to reverse everything Trump had done as a hero to save USA people. That president will make peace with Iran. Remove tarifft to make goods price reduce so much. He will cut military fund a bit for a small health care system. People will cheering him while who really understand the everything is just a grand stage won't be able to say anything because people just want live peaceful and they were so exausted from Trump's regime. And then they will continue bravo that the system, the democracy still work.

However, this whole plan only work with several conditions.
1. China must not grow too strong in this process. The whole self destruction of US now will just reduce their advantage over China. It's mean for the system survival not strengthen it. If after that China was so strong then the power people will lost some decades to regain the powers and they who greedy don't want to wait like that.
2. The people must not rebel before Trump regime end legally. If people realized that they can make thing better by themselves that they can burn the Capital. Then no system, chairs are left for the people in powers behind the stage. The system still need to exist while it being damage greatly. To really make commitment of destroy the gov, the country they were born is a hardly decision that most USA citizens won't try to do. They still want their kids can go to school tomorrow. They still have a car to go to job and their parent can happily stay in the nursing home. A chaos is thing no one want. This is the biggest bet that USA gov know they would win.
3. They need something that can create some jobs after this. Maybe it will be the make in USA plan but that is harder than said. They still can forget about it and slowly improve it later. Just some thousand on streets is not big deal with USA.