The News Not Noise Letter: The Far Right Wins Big in Europe
What do Europe’s voters want? Plus: the case against Hunter Biden goes to the jury. And unpacking coverage of the Israeli operation that brought home four living hostages.
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Here are your headlines:
Hunter Waits: The jury in the Hunter Biden gun trial began deliberations Monday after the defense rested without calling Biden to testify. In closing arguments the prosecution argued that Biden was “a crack addict” and lied about it when he filled out paperwork to buy a gun; the prosecution argued that the evidence “is so lacking” and that Biden is entitled to due process regardless of his famous last name. Biden could face up to ten years if convicted but with no prior convictions that’s unlikely. He faces a separate trial on tax charges later this year.
SCOTUS HORRIBILIS: Several Supreme Court justices are in the news again, and not for their rulings. Rolling Stone published a recording of Justice Samuel Alito saying of the divide between liberals and conservatives, “One side or other is going to win” and agreeing that the US should return to “a place of godliness.” Also the justices recently declared the gifts they’ve received while on the bench. Justice Clarence Thomas’ bounty proves to be the richest; he racked up $2.4 million in gifts between 2004 and 2023.
Hostage Rescue called “Massacre:” By now you’ve heard the news that Israeli commandos rescued 4 hostages who were held in residential apartments in Gaza. You might be wondering why some outlets are calling it a massacre. Here’s the reporting on how the operation unfolded: In a high-risk operation Israeli commandos, acting on intelligence, entered two apartments where hostages were being held in a densely populated part of central Gaza. In one apartment, they found 26 year old Noa Armagani and took her to safety without significant incident. In another apartment building, the other team extracting 3 male hostages was spotted by gunmen. The gunmen opened fire and when the commandos fired back a gun battle erupted. When the commandoes attempted to flee with the hostages several escape vehicles came under attack and were disabled. The Israeli military responded with troops, gunfire and aerial attacks on Hamas command posts, using a ton of firepower to create a path for the rescuers and hostages to flee to safety. They did. An untold number of Palestinians were killed in the fighting. The Israelis say fewer than 100 but haven't provided evidence of this. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says almost triple that number, but the entity has proven to inflate its casualty figures, and does not differentiate between civilian deaths and combatants. Some media are covering the hostage rescue as a massacre.
Context: There are some basic framing points to make here. First, Hamas chose to hold the hostages captive in a densely packed residential area. In this way they put Palestinians living in the area at extreme risk in the event of a rescue. Second, it’s impossible to know whether individual Palestinians who got died in the crossfire were killed by Israeli or Hamas firepower; which goes to the first point, Hamas put civilians in danger. Third, the facts suggest that much of this death and suffering would have been avoided if the Israeli commandos and hostages had been allowed to leave without a fight. Noa Armagani’s rescuers got her home with far less collateral damage. All of this is horrifying. And also, context matters. You can read more about the rescue operation here.
Conditions: Israeli doctors examining the hostages said they were beaten almost every day, ate no protein, sometimes had no food at all, and were subjected to other forms of abuse they wouldn’t name.
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Ceasefire, now? The UN National Security Council today approved a US-drafted proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. The three phase proposal includes an end to fighting and return of all hostages and hostage bodies; removal of Israeli troops; release of prisoners; and a post-war plan. The vote was 14 in favor with Russia abstaining. The UN has no power to implement this proposal and has negligible influence to bring about a negotiated agreement. That’s partly because the UN has eroded its already limited credibility with Israelis and supporters of Israel, by its inconsistent application of international law claims; its frequent use of unsubstantiated death toll numbers; and its elevation of undemocratic voices. To wit, the UN recently held a moment of silence and “Tribute Event” when the Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, the so-called “Butcher of Tehran,” died. (The US boycotted that event. )
The EU Swings Right: Right wing parties gained power in the latest European Union elections. The shift could have ripple effects across the globe.
Voting: Each of the 27 nations that make up the EU is allotted seats in the EU parliament based on population. Voters decide which party will fill their country’s seats. The far-right did not win a majority but gained enough seats to make it challenging for centrists to govern.