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Minggu, 19 Mei 2024

Benny Gantz vows to quit Israel war cabinet over lack of post-war plan - BBC

Christy Cooney

BBC News

18 May 2024

Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has threatened to resign unless Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sets out a post-war plan for the Gaza Strip.

Mr Gantz set an 8 June deadline for a plan to achieve six "strategic goals", including the end of Hamas rule in Gaza and the establishment of a multinational civilian administration for the territory.

"If you put the national over personal, you will find in us partners in the struggle," he said. "But if you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss, we will be forced to quit the government."

Mr Netanyahu dismissed the comments as "washed-up words" that would mean "defeat for Israel".

The growing rift comes as fighting rages at both ends of the Gaza Strip, with Israeli forces operating in the southern city of Rafah and the northern town of Jabalia, one of Gaza’s historic refugee camps and an area the Israeli military previously said it had cleared of Hamas fighters.

Mr Gantz was speaking just days after another war cabinet member, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, urged Mr Netanyahu to state publicly that Israel had no plans to take over civilian and military rule in Gaza.

Mr Gallant said he had raised the issue repeatedly for months but had received no response.

He and Mr Gantz say that maintaining military control in Gaza would increase Israel's security risks, while others, including far-right members of Mr Netanyahu's ruling coalition in the government, believe continued control is necessary in order to defeat Hamas.

In a televised address on Saturday, Mr Gantz told Mr Netanyahu that the "people of Israel are watching you".

"You must choose between Zionism and cynicism, between unity and factions, between responsibility and lawlessness, between victory and disaster," he said.

Also among the six strategic goals he set out were the return of all Israeli and foreign hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza by 1 September.

He also said Israel should continue to seek the normalisation of relations with Saudi Arabia as part of a "comprehensive process to create an alliance with the free world and the West against Iran and its allies".

Responding to the speech, Mr Netanyahu said that to meet Mr Gantz's demands would lead to "the end of the war and a defeat for Israel, the abandoning of most of the hostages, leaving Hamas intact and the establishment of a Palestinian state".

Israel's war cabinet was established after Hamas attacked Israeli communities near Gaza on 7 October, killing around 1,200 people and taking hostages.

Israel's military campaign against Hamas in Gaza has killed 35,386 people, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

The chief of staff of the country’s army, Herzi Halevi, has also privately pressed on Mr Netanyahu the need for a “day after” strategy, according to reports in Israeli media.

The return of the Israeli military to parts of northern Gaza, like Jabalia, that were previously declared clear of Hamas has raised doubts about the government’s strategy for eliminating the group.

Mr Halevi is said to have argued that, in the absence of a diplomatic process to establish a governing body other than Hamas, the military will be forced to launch repeated campaigns to keep the group at bay.

Mr Gantz proposed an American, European, Arab, and Palestinian administration that could manage civilian affairs in Gaza while the foundations are laid for a future alternative government.

He added that Israel could maintain a degree of "security control" in the meantime.

In Jabalia the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said they fought battles with Palestinian armed groups. Palestinian medics said one of the Israeli strikes had killed 15 people.

Hamas said Israel's "brutal raids" on Jabalia had killed dozens of civilians and wounded hundreds more.

Late on Saturday Israel also issued new evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza, saying armed groups had fired rockets towards its territory.

Last week, Israel began operations in the southern city of Rafah - to which civilians from elsewhere in Gaza had previously been told to evacuate - saying it needed to enter the city in order to target Hamas's last remaining strongholds.

On Saturday, it launched air strikes and raids on targets in the east of the city.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said some 800,000 Palestinians had now left Rafah, seeking shelter in the shattered city of Khan Younis or along the coast.

"Since the war in Gaza began, Palestinians have been forced to flee multiple times in search of safety that they have never found," he said.

"When people move they are exposed, without safe passage or protection. Every time, they are forced to leave behind the few belongings they have:  Mattresses, tents, cooking utensils and basic supplies that they cannot carry or pay to transport.

"The claim that people in Gaza can move to 'safe' or 'humanitarian' zones is false. Each time, it puts the lives of civilians at serious risk."

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan is due in Israel on Sunday for talks with Mr Netanyahu and is expected to repeat the Biden administration's opposition to any full-scale Israeli assault on Rafah in the absence of plan to protect civilians.

Mr Sullivan has been holding talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi state media said they discussed ways to boost aid supplies to Gaza and how to achieve Palestinian statehood.

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2024-05-18 22:01:32Z
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Ukrainian soldiers reveal how they were secretly moved ahead of new Russian invasion - Sky News

Members of a Ukrainian brigade have described how they were secretly relocated to help defend a section of the country's border with Russia a few days before a new invasion began.

The commander of an artillery unit from 57 Brigade said his guns were even firing at Russian troops the day before the ground incursion into the northeastern region of Kharkiv, which started on 10 May. He said the forces had been "brazenly" amassing on the Russian side of the border.

"We were hitting tanks on the border… it was already a real war," said Sasha, 26, who uses the callsign "black".

The commander of a second artillery unit similarly confirmed the brigade had been moved early to bolster defences in this direction.

The troops had previously been defending the city of Kupiansk, also in Kharkiv.

The comments offer a sense of how Ukraine attempted - ahead of time - to scramble forces to counter a Russian build-up along its long, northeastern border.

But the move was nowhere near enough to prevent the largest assault into Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion almost two and a half years ago.

A Ukrainian source, describing the first few days of the Kharkiv offensive just over a week ago, said there had been moments when he feared "we had lost the frontline".

The source said the situation had since stabilised but warned: "We don't know how long it could be like this".

Sky News on Saturday tried to visit an artillery position, manned by soldiers from 57 Brigade, just outside the town of Vovchansk - a key target of the Russian offensive.

As we approached at speed by road, a soldier travelling with us said we had to pull over because he needed to communicate via radio with troops on the gunline.

Suddenly a voice over the radio could be heard saying: "Don't come here. Don't come at all."

We were told it was too dangerous to travel further and we had to leave. It was not immediately clear what was happening on the ground.

At a makeshift base, safely back from the frontline, the artillery unit commander Sasha uses electronic maps on a tablet and laptop to confirm targets for his guns to attack.

He said he and his team relocated from the Kupiansk front on the 4 to 5 May.

"We were indeed moved here earlier," Sasha said. But he signalled he would have liked longer to prepare.

"I don't know all the situation and why it happened like this. But I know for sure that to better repel [an attack], we might need either more time or better-prepared positions," he said.

"Ahead of the assault, we were already hitting targets on Russian territory because we knew they were gathering there. They were brazenly assembling."

Sasha described the moment the Russians started to advance.

He said it began with three hours of artillery fire against Ukrainian targets before ground troops crossed the border.

"I would love that they [the Russians] had been stopped at the border," he said.

Instead, a fierce battle erupted, as Russian infantry, backed by airstrikes, drone attacks and artillery fire, pushed forward.

"For the first few days, they [the Russians] were storming our positions - columns of 30 to 50 soldiers. We were hitting them."

In the chaos, Sasha said he worked to gather information to ensure his troops were able to operate.

"I am proud that my guys managed to do their best," he said. "All credit to those who stayed on their artillery positions."

He described the frontline as initially being "fragile" but said reinforcements were now in place. The commander said Russia had lost the opportunity to make a significant breakthrough.

"Until now they had a chance. Even in my area, I knew where we had gaps where they could have slipped through. Now we don't have such gaps," he said.

"I am satisfied that we have managed to stabilise the situation."

At a second artillery position, on a different section of a frontline that has expanded by some 40 miles in the wake of the new attack, a Soviet-era gun, hidden under netting and tree branches, points in the direction of Russia.

Soldiers here said they would be able to inflict a lot more damage on the invaders if they had more ammunition and better weapons.

Nicknamed "grandma", their D-20 Howitzer artillery piece, which fires 152mm shells, was built in the 1970s.

"We're saving our artillery shells right now. We fire one, they fire back five," said one of the servicemen, who - at 50 years old - has the callsign "Grandpa".

A second soldier said Russia has more weapons than his side.

Asked what difference additional munitions would make, he said with a laugh: "It would increase the number of dead Russians - 100%".

Additional reporting by Azad Safarov, Ukraine producer

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2024-05-19 06:56:15Z
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Tánaiste to discuss Pt Rooney case during Lebanon visit - RTE.ie

The Government is determined that those responsible for the death of a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon are brought to justice, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.

Mr Martin is visiting Beirut to meet Irish troops serving with the United Nations Interim Force Lebanon (UNIFIL).

He will travel to Camp Shamrock to greet the members of the 124th Infantry Battalion, Ireland's largest overseas deployment.

In 2022, Irish peacekeeper Private Seán Rooney, 24, from Co Donegal, was killed while serving in Lebanon when his convoy was attacked.

Mr Martin said: "A central focus of my visit will be meeting with Lebanese ministers to communicate the absolute determination of the Irish Government to ensure those responsible for Private Rooney's death are brought to justice."

Private Seán Rooney was killed in south Lebanon in 2022

The Tánaiste recently approved the deployment of an additional platoon of 33 troops to serve with the Irish Battalion in UNIFIL.

He said: "I am very much looking forward to meeting our peacekeepers who serve with such distinction in Unifil, and in a very challenging environment amid escalating tensions due to the war in Gaza.

"We recently reaffirmed our continuing support to UNIFIL and the important role it plays in de-escalation in the south of Lebanon, through an increased force protection element to the battalion.

"The dedication of Defence Force personnel and their families is a vital part of Ireland's commitment to global peace and security.

"Nowhere is this engagement more evident, than in South Lebanon."

Upon arrival at Camp Shamrock, Mr Martin will receive an Honour Guard from Defence Forces personnel, meet UN and Irish military leaders and address the troops.

His itinerary also includes meetings with the Lebanese minister for defence Maurice Sleem and minister of foreign affairs Abdallah Bou Habib.

It is his second visit to Beirut after the death of Pt Rooney.

Mr Martin is being accompanied by the Secretary General of the Department of Defence, Jacqui McCrum, and Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy.

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2024-05-19 06:00:00Z
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Sabtu, 18 Mei 2024

Fearing disaster for Israel, Gantz issues an ultimatum, but he doesn’t have the votes - The Times of Israel

The State of Israel is “heading for the rocks,” war cabinet minister Benny Gantz told the nation on Saturday.

A small minority of “zealots” has taken the helm, Gantz warned.

And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, once “a leader and an Israeli patriot,” has enabled them to do so, putting his personal and political interests ahead of the existential needs of the state, Gantz charged.

The National Unity party leader, a former IDF chief of staff who failed repeatedly in recent years to unseat Netanyahu at the ballot box, joined forces with him in an emergency war coalition days after Hamas’s devastating invasion and slaughter in southern Israel on October 7. But the benefits of that partnership — including a genuine spirit of unity and the initial avoidance of mistakes in the subsequent, ongoing war against Hamas — have long since dissipated, said Gantz. And now Netanyahu is failing to carry out the “acts of leadership needed to guarantee victory.”

Gantz’s televised address came just three days after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, a member of the prime minister’s own Likud party, issued a similar denunciation of Netanyahu’s governance, or lack thereof. Thus both of Netanyahu’s ministerial colleagues in the key, three-strong war cabinet have now told the public that the prime minister is leading Israel to disaster.

Gallant demanded that Netanyahu publicly rule out long-term Israeli civil or military governance of Gaza, as sought by far-right elements in the coalition, saying he simply “will not agree” to it. Gantz, for his part, required Netanyahu to commit to six specific strategic goals for the nation, and warned that his party would bolt the government if the prime minister did not do so by June 8.

On the face of it, Gantz has more political leverage than Gallant (who was fired by Netanyahu 14 months ago, when he correctly warned that the coalition’s ultra-divisive judicial overhaul plans were undermining Israel’s security, and reinstated two weeks later). Without the eight seats in the 120-member Knesset that Gantz’s broadly centrist National Unity Party gives the coalition, Netanyahu would be returned to the 64-member right, far-right and ultra-Orthodox bloc with which he won the November 2022 election, and thus more nakedly vulnerable to the pressures and demands of his extremist partners. Such a government is likely to leak international support even faster than the current one has managed, and face far sharper pressure from key global partners, including in Washington.

But the fact is that Netanyahu has deferred to the far-right and the ultra-Orthodox even since his coalition took office. And although every political poll since the October catastrophe has indicated that Gantz would win elections if they were held today, he does not currently have the Knesset numbers to bring that coalition down.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a video statement, May 5, 2024 (Screen grab via Government Press Office)

Gantz’s six strategic demands would be near-impossible for Netanyahu to approve even if he wanted to. And the prime minister has long made plain that he does not want to.

Gantz requires him, for instance, to commit to potential normalization with Saudi Arabia. But this is conditioned by the Saudis on at least some headway toward Palestinian statehood, and were Netanyahu to go along with it, he would lose the two far-right parties led by Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Likewise, Gantz required him to adopt “a framework for [military/national] service under which all Israelis will serve the state.” But this laudable and necessary goal is opposed by the two ultra-Orthodox parties, whose young male voters are almost all currently exempted from any form of national service. Those parties, too, would likely bolt the coalition if Netanyahu insisted on drafting their constituents.

Gantz knows all this. He knows that Netanyahu can simply ignore his ultimatum, and continue to favor the far-right and the ultra-Orthodox parties.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant delivers a statement to the press at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, May 15, 2024. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

And thus for all the earnest sincerity and urgency with which he delivered his ultimatum, and his genuine fears for the destiny of the nation — an Israel that is deeply embroiled in Gaza with its hostages still in Hamas hands, that is facing escalation with Hezbollah across the northern border, and that is hemorrhaging global empathy and partial support in almost every sphere — he gave Netanyahu three full weeks to try to sort things out. Otherwise, “we will be forced to leave the government,” he said, with as much conviction as he could muster.

Maybe he’ll go through with the threat. Maybe he won’t. Netanyahu, who will depict him as undermining the war effort rather than seeking to save the country, can move on regardless.

And thus it could well be that Gantz’s ostensibly dramatic ultimatum that Netanyahu fix things by June 8 is, if anything, a less potent threat than Gallant’s declaration that he personally won’t accept the prime minister’s insistent indecision and kowtowing to the coalition extremists.

Netanyahu will continue to hold Israel’s destiny in his grasp until the Knesset arithmetic changes. And that won’t happen unless, somewhere in that core 64-strong coalition bloc, a handful of MKs heed the dire warnings issued first by Gallant, one of their own, and recognize that, under Netanyahu, the ship of state is indeed heading for the rocks.

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2024-05-18 21:05:00Z
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Israel’s Gantz demands Gaza post-war plan, threatens to quit gov’t - Al Jazeera English

Israel’s war cabinet member Benny Gantz has threatened to quit the government of Benjamin Netanyahu should the prime minister fail to present a post-war plan for Gaza by June 8.

Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, Gantz called on the cabinet to agree to a six-point plan laying out a vision for the besieged strip’s governance once the conflict is over.

The Israeli politician, a former defence minister, said that if his demands were not met, he would withdraw his centrist party from the emergency unity government formed last year to oversee the war on Gaza.

Gantz is seen as Netanyahu’s main political rival in Israel. He was a leading figure in the opposition before joining the war cabinet.

His ultimatum deepened the cracks within the Israeli government and added to the mounting pressure against Netanyahu amid increasing domestic and international criticism of his policies in Gaza.

Gantz’s plan calls for releasing Israeli captives in Gaza, demilitarising the territory and forming an international coalition with “American, European, Arab and Palestinian elements” to oversee its civil affairs.

Echoing Netanyahu’s position, Gantz said neither Hamas nor Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas can rule Gaza after the war.

Demilitarising Gaza would require completely dismantling Hamas’s military wing, which the Israeli military has failed to achieve after 225 days of fighting. The position also matches Netanyahu’s frequent calls for “total victory”.

Still, Gantz took a thinly veiled swipe at the prime minister and his far-right allies. “If you choose the path of fanatics and lead the entire nation to the abyss – we will be forced to quit the government,” he said.

The Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed more than 35,000 people and destroyed much of the besieged enclave. More than 100 Israeli captives remain in the territory.

Talks to reach a captives and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas appear to have stalled, with the Netanyahu government rejecting the Palestinian demand to end the war on Gaza.

In a previous agreement – brokered by the United States and Qatar – about 134 captives were released in November; Israel also released dozens of Palestinian prisoners, including children.

Gantz’s request is one of the strongest manifestations of the mounting tension within the war cabinet. In another rare public dispute, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant had also said on Thursday Israel should not be involved in governing Gaza once the fighting ends.

“What we’re seeing more and more of in the past few days is that there is a huge amount of disagreement amongst war cabinet members about the plan going forward for Gaza,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Mohamed Jamjoom.

“And this echoes also the concerns by US government that has said repeatedly that Netanyahu needs to try to figure out a plan for a post-war Gaza scenario,” he added.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken chided Israel for the lack of a plan in some of his strongest public criticism.

“One, you have to have a clear, credible plan to protect civilians, which we haven’t seen. Second, we also need to see a plan for what happens after this conflict in Gaza is over, and we still haven’t seen that,” he said.

In addition to opposition within his own government, Netanyahu is also facing growing demonstrations in cities across Israel.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to demand the resignation of the prime minister citing his failure to bring the captives back and his handling of the war.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also attended the protests on Saturday, pledging to work towards the fall of Netanyahu’s government and the return of Israeli captives. In a social media post, Lapid – a former prime minister himself – later called the current cabinet “the worst government in the country’s history”.

Family members of the captives gathered outside the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv and called on Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief of staff and a current member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet, to replace the prime minister.

“How much more blood will be shed because you lack the courage to do the right thing? It is your duty to expose the truth, it is your moral obligation to swiftly remove Netanyahu from power, because he is abandoning the hostages to their deaths” Hareetz newspaper reported, citing the families at the news conference.

“The only way to rescue all of the hostages is by stopping this war, as part of a signed comprehensive agreement for a hostage release deal,” the group added.

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2024-05-18 20:21:21Z
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As Russia's forces edge ever closer, Kharkiv's mayor has a defiant message for Putin - The Independent

The three Russian glide bombs pound into the residential tower block, ripping apart several floors. At least 10 are injured in a strike that is part of what has become a near-daily aerial assault on Ukraine’s second-largest city.

In his office a few streets away is Kharkiv’s mayor Igor Terekhov, who is quickly rushed into a meeting as our interview is put on hold. Images then start to flood social media showing the destruction wrought upon the civilian-populated area near the Peremoha metro station in the city centre.

When the interview resumes, Terekhov is forced to take three calls while emergency services rushed to the scene nearby to help the wounded. Aides intermittently grab the mayor to update him on the developing situation.

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2024-05-18 16:49:14Z
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Suspect in court as Putin’s friends capitalise on shooting of Slovakian PM Robert Fico - The Guardian

The suspect in the shooting of Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico appeared in a closed court hearing on Saturday outside Bratislava amid growing fears about the future of the deeply divided nation.

The media was barred from the hearing, and reporters were kept behind a gate by armed police officers wearing balaclavas.

Fico, shot several times at point-blank range during a rally in the mining town of Handlová, had more surgery on Friday as the country reeled from the most serious attack on a European leader in decades.

The government has released only sparse details about the assailant or the health of the prime minister , who remains in a stable but serious condition.

Slovak media identified the attacker as Juraj Cintula, 71, who the authorities described as a “lone wolf” who had recently been radicalised.

A poet and former security guard, Cintula was known in his home town of Levice in provincial Slovakia as an eccentric but likable man.

His political views appear to have developed erratically. He is seen railing against violence in one YouTube clip, but later praising a violent pro-Russian paramilitary group on Facebook for their “ability to act without approval from the state”. He later adopted staunchly pro-Ukrainian views, which grew increasingly strong after Russia’s invasion.

In his published writing and personal conversations, Cintula expressed xenophobic views about the Romany community in Slovakia, a popular topic among the country’s far-right parties.

Neighbour and friend Mile L’udovit said the pair would occasionally discuss politics and that Cintula had been angry about the growing attacks on free speech under Fico’s leadership, a major topic of concern for the Slovakian leftwing opposition.

“No one knows why he did it, but I think it was a ticking timebomb before something like this would happen,” said Pavol Šimko, a 45-year-old history teacher, speaking in central Bratislava on Friday.

Wednesday’s assassination attempt in Handlová, 112 miles from the capital, has shone a light on what officials and many Slovaks say should be seen as a wider symptom of the country’s polarised political environment.

“We are now truly becoming the black hole of Europe,” added Šimko, referring to comments made by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who coined the phrase to describe Slovakia in 1997 after the abduction of the son of then president Michal Kováč and the murder of a key witness in the case, police officer Róbert Remiáš.

Acts of political violence have become a grim fixture in recent Slovak history, but this latest is by far and away the most serious.

Other European leaders close to Fico, a divisive and populist official who has been criticised by the opposition for lashing out at independent media outlets and scrapping a special prosecutor’s office, have appeared to be eager to capitalise on his shooting.

Speaking on state radio on Friday morning, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, drew a link between Fico’s views on the war in Ukraine and the attempted assassination.

Since Fico’s return to power, “Slovakia started on the path of peace, and this was a big help for Hungary,” Orbán said. “We have now lost this support. We know that the perpetrator was a pro-war person,” he added, without providing any evidence.

The Hungarian prime minister, who often employs conspiratorial narratives, has spent more than a decade nurturing a relationship with the Kremlin and has repeatedly argued the west should stop providing support to Ukraine.

In his radio interview, he suggested – again without evidence – that the shooting in Slovakia was part of a geopolitical struggle. “The combinations that connect the assassination attempt with the war are not unjustified,” he said.

“The pro-war parties are negotiating with each other, which is why the head of the [George] Soros empire and the US secretary of state also went to Kyiv,” Orbán said.

In Moscow, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev praised the Kremlin-friendly Fico, also implying that he was targeted for his views on the Ukraine war. “Of course, he became the target. There are only a few like him in Europe. And they need to take care of their own safety,” he said.

Ľudovít Ódor, opposition party Progressive Slovakia’s lead candidate for the European parliamentary elections, said that foreign politicians “should not misinform foreigners and should not make political capital out of this for themselves”.

In an interview with independent Hungarian news outlet Partizán, Ódor, who briefly served as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister last year and comes from Slovakia’s Hungarian-speaking minority, warned that “we have seen how this just comes back like a boomerang to us”, noting that many people in southern Slovakia watched Hungarian media.

The attack has also raised questions about a possible failure by the Slovak security services and sparked fears in other European capitals that similar incidents could occur there.

Slovak authorities have opened an investigation into the response of security forces at the scene. A source said that the security services were caught off guard and that Cintula was not known to them.

“Other European security services will be looking at their measures, realising that the danger can come out of nowhere,” the source said.

Polish PM Donald Tusk said on Thursday he received threats after the assassination attempt on his Slovakian counterpart, with a media outlet reporting his security protection would be strengthened.

In Belgium, prime minister Alexander De Croo filed a police complaint against a radio presenter who urged listeners to “take him out”.

“You see that it is possible to shoot down a prime minister. So I would say: Go ahead,” the radio presenter told his listeners on a station that airs from the Belgian province of West Flanders.

Some in Slovakia said they were anxious the attack would embolden the authorities to launch assaults on the media, civil society and the opposition parties.

“I worry that the ruling coalition will now use the shooting as a pretext for a big crackdown. They already started blaming the opposition and the media for it,” said Lenka Szabóová, a student in Bratislava. “This should be a time of coming together. But it seems like it will only tear us apart.”

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2024-05-18 18:54:00Z
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