Beware of the Greedy Prince of Darkness.

Mary

 "He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good." Confucius. "A nation doesn't have to be brutal in order to be strong."   "To announce there must be no critism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."    A nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people."   Franklin D. Roosevelt.    "People love me. And you know what, I have been very successful. Everybody loves me."   "The point is that you can't be too greedy."   Donald Trump.   "The metaphor for Palestine is stronger than Palestinian itself."   "The Palestinians are the only nation in the world that feels with certainty that today is better than what will hold tomorrow.  Tomorrow always heralds a worse situation."   "I am not a lover of Israel, of course I have no reason to be. But I don't hate Jews."  Mahmoud Darwish.  "The most pitiful among men is he who turns his dreams in silver and gold." Khalid Gibran.                                                                                                      My amazing guarding cat, Mary, disappeared three years ago. She used to sit on top of my small, temporary shelter, next to my front door. (Didn't want to come inside.) No sign of my little treasure, I feared her dead. Great surprise, one morning sweet Mary returned, punctual for breakfast and she's there, every day now. She looks well and neat, but put on a bit of weight and doesn't like when other cats want to cuddle with me. It depresses me to see quite a few cats, often young kittens, with pus in their eyes (2 lately). If untreated it makes them blind and frequently causes their death. I usually could help, if they let me and understand that I won't harm them. Their natural instinct, though, makes them see me as their enemy and they use their claws and teeth to defend themselves, then go hiding. Very sad. Bananas remain rare as well as expensive, as we haven't got a safe, I won't buy. Not essential. While fireworks are allowed in most European countries only to celebrate the end of the year, discussions are taking place to even end these in order to protect the environment, we have got a new fashion in Tunisia, fireworks almost daily, to celebrate all sorts of events. (25 - 100 Dinar each). In addition drivers love to run idle their vehicle engines, in view of the already pretty high temperatures a bit crazy, isn't it? Pray that it won't worsen our heat wave /changing climate . - For a short spell of time it looked as if those brutal, senseless wars in Gaza, Westbank, Lebanon, Iran, etc, might stop, slim chance. Threats, blackmail, seeming to be the new diplomacy. For the US administration loyalty has become more valuable than professional diplomacy, making negotiations rather complicated. Mr. Trump outsourced diplomacy to Pakistan and some Arabic countries. Anyhow, the American president appeared to be possibly willing to stop his wars, not so Netanyahu.  He would like to see a civil war in Lebanon, causing a failed state, easy to occupy. US vice-president, Vance, adviced that Israel compaigned to sway public's opinion against Iran's diplomacy and that they continue to violate the cease-fire agreement. Netanyahu has been getting away with every violation of international laws, he has been repeatedly accused of gonocide by several human rights organizations of high standing, like Amnesty International, Unicef, Save the children Fund, UNRWA and others. Yet never been held accountable, thus Netanyahu sees no reason to stop destruction, demolishing, burning, razor land in neighboring state - using Gaza as his 'successful' model, to flatten the local culture, as if it never existed, forcing the 'natives' to disappear, prepare the sites for the big land grabbing. The Nazis called it creating "Lebensraum".  It is shocking what crimes persons from different countried are capable of doing, in spite of having  various religious beliefs. What happened to our so-called civilization? Those specially protected according to international laws, like doctors and other medical staff, journalists, unarmed civilians, innocent children...... now just a target for a brave, 'highly moral' army acting in 'self-defence' ? Willful destruction of infrastructure, hospitals, schools, houses of worship like churches and mosques, etc, represents war crime, those responsible must be held accountable! Even funerals, ambulances are attacked, no save place, no empathy, just hate, is this still human? Plenty of evidence exists and has been submitted to the I CC in Den Haag. More than 60 villages have been destroyed by Israel in South Lebanon, the demolition continues. Meanwhile 20,000 homes have been effected. It doesn't say anywhere (not even in the Torah) that only Jews are entitled to human rights, Netanyahu's obvious idea of a 'democratic' Israel. They have become what they hated. Israel banned the Great Mufti of Jerusael and Palestinians from entering the Al Akqsa Mosque compound for one week. Netanyahu prevented the Arab League Chief from visiting West Bank. The Great Mosque in Paris opened 100 years ago, it was built as a big 'Thank You' from the French state to the Moslems for their support during the First World War (70,000 Moslems lost their life). Many jews survived during the 2. World War because the Great Mosque offered them protection. A few years ago I had the great fortune to visit the Great Mosque, one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. A dream, now celebrating its one hundred years' anniversary. Men can create a lot of beauty but also a lot of horror. What are great man remembered for? In UK 80 politicians demand tougher measures against Israel. Spain and Ireland declared last year that they won't participate in the Fifa world cup should Israel be accepted. If EU and perhaps Africa would leave Fifa, it would be the end of the corrupt organization, experts say. Politics have nothing to do with sports? Why then does the US president set the rules and openly shows that he and Infantino are the best of pals? Fifa should be politically neutral occording to its fundamental principles : independence of sports bodies from direct government interference, but its president, Infantino, is a regular guest at Mar-a-Lago and the White House, even arrived alongside Trump at the Gaza summit in Egypt. After the top US scorer, Balogun, received a red card and it looked bad for the US football game against Spain, ("Terrible country", says Trump) Mr. Trump phoned Mr. Infantino and the red card was withdrawn. Trump called it "correction of a great injustice." Following an international outcry over this unprecedented decision, (many were pleased to see it didn't help, US lost against Spain) a Fifa committee checked the matter and it was officially declared to be okay. Journalists of the British newspaper, The Times/Sunday Times, though, found out that all of the 17 committee members voted : NO, only the chairman said Yes, a correct decision, my vote counts! The IOC (International Olmypic Committee) received complaints about the performance of Fifa's president, Infantino. A lot of fans from several countries declared they lost interest in football. The DFG boss advised he won't sign again for Infantino. Fifa says they are neutral but they are siding with the powerful. How can a country that is at war with one, or even more country/countries host the Fifa World cup? The Iran team had to put up with a lot of discrimination and fans from various countries, e. g. Ivory Coast, not surprisingly Iran, were barred from entering the US. Politics very much came into sports, due to Trump and others, last not least, the Fifa president, a disgrace! - Seeing Trump's organisation, ICE, performances, makes me wonder how save the US streets are for Marco Rubio, after all he looks very much like many immigrants that are arrested and deported without reason, just wrong colour of eyes, hair and skin, not surprising with Cuban rootes. Mr Trump tried to change laws that entitle babies of immigrants born in US to become citizens. A judge stopped this, saying such a change is against the constitution. Anyhow, the US Secretary of state, Marco Rubio,  launches a compaign to dismantle ICC  in Den Haag. He doesn't seem to be aware of its history. It was set up by the Americans, a lesson learned following the brutal Nazi dictatorship, the genocide against Jews, Sinti and Roma, plus mass murder of others, a lesson learned from the Nuernberg trials. The idea was to never again allow such horrible atrocities and genocide, Without Exemptions. Those who commit crimes like that should always know that one day they will be held accountable. We should be grateful to all who work for the ICC, at different levels, not very rewarding but rather depressing to hear and see those horrible sufferings and unspeakable crimes, put up with threats and blackmail by shameless people. Yet they give us a bit of hope to regain a civilized society. We must protect them!!! - By the way, the American president managed to double his wealth since his re-election, now approx. 6,3 Billion dollars, he owns large plots of land in 23 countries. Shameless Trump impossed taxes of 45 (?) percent on Vietnam, a country in which the U S committed terrible crimes in the past. After Vietnam agreed to sell him a plot of land (which they originally didn't want) he reduced it by 50 %. Typical Trump, isn't it blackmail? Yes but, don't forget to praise him for it. Perhaps also for intending to reduce the nation parks in one federal state by 90 %, good for the environment, isn't it? By the by, the first lady has a good sense of humor, when asked what she likes best about her husband, she answered, his faithfulness, and when asked what is his biggest fault, she replied, he hasn't got one.