[A lot was cut out of the beginning for some reason.] [Quickly re-writing it.] Also:
The waning Moon (the last quarter was [Thursday] July [17th] 18th) will pass in front of the Pleiades star cluster (M45) in Taurus early on July 20th: is.gd/iotapleiades Because of the trees, I might not be able to see this occultation without going somewhere [else] [the clouds parted by morning and I saw the occultation, though not the Moon's movement across the stars]. Earlier in the morning the star Fomalhaut (in Piscis Austrinus), Saturn (in Pisces), Capricornus, Aquarius, Pegasus, Triangulum, Aries, Cetus, Perseus, Capella in Auriga, etc. are high in the sky and Venus is still a brilliant white "morning star" in the east at dawn. [Venus will be near zeta Tauri (天關, Tiānguān, formerly Tien Kwan, "Celestial [Frontier] Gate" – part of the Net (畢宿 Bì Xiù) mansion: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeta_Tauri or ancient Babylonian Shur-narkabti-sha-shuutuu – Star Names) the Crab Nebula, M1, July 26th. Venus was lined up with the star Aldebaran in the Hyades in Taurus around July 12th. On July 26th Venus (The Moon was near Saturn on the 15th.) The Moon and Venus will be relatively close together on July 21st, though this is their furthest apart conjunction of the year. The Moon will approach Jupiter (I forgot the whereabouts of Jupiter over the months) at the west end of Gemini the mornings of July 22-23, but I probably won't be able to see it from home [I was able to see Jupiter through a gap in the trees near dawn this week; brighter than Capella, but Jupiter has become much dimmer in 2025?]. The Moon will be near Mars, also forgotten, on the evening of July 28th, and the Moon will be near Spica the evening of the 30th. The Moon will be near the star Regulus in Leo on the 26th.] The Moon occulded the star pi Scorpii at the front [end] of Scorpius at the beginning of the month [(July 6-7th)], a rare event made possible by the current major lunar standstill [should be in bold] period. [Pluto, at the west end of Capricornus, reaches opposition July 25th. I think Uranus is near the Pleiades and Neptune is near Saturn all month. The asteroids Ceres and Hebe [the anniversary of its discovery is in early July?] are near Saturn while Vesta is near Virgo and Leo. Mars will move from Leo into Virgo on the 27th (with the waxing Moon nearby). Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object known to enter the solar system, was discovered July 1st near Serpens Cauda and Sagittarius (up now), observing from Río Hurtado, Chile. – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3I/ATLAS The night of July 29th should be a good time to see meteors, combining the Southern Delta Aquariids, Alpha Capricornids, early Perseids, and sporadic meteors not connected to a known shower – Sky and Telescope and Astronomy magazines and see: www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-calendar/ ]
[According to the National Day Calendar website, July 20th is Moon Day, commemorating Apollo 11, July 16-24th in 1969: nationaldaycalendar.com and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11 ]
There have been thunderstorms and rain almost every day here in recent weeks [including this afternoon and evening and the thunder was sharply snapping a little while ago] and the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal caused flooding in Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties, apparently exceeding that caused by hurricane Fran on the Eno River, while the Haw River raged red but didn't [not] set a new record. – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Chantal_(2025) , etc. [It didn't seem like it rained that much. Getting quite hot and dry at the end of July?] Many cicadas [I briefly saw and photo'd a female (?) with green wing veins today], butterflies, dragonflies, orthopterans, a very large blue-black[, beige, and white] mosquito, [large cicadakiller wasps might be out now;] [an American carrion beetle knew where a 'clean' trash bin had been the day before?; a sharpshooter; a pale green mantis nymph;] etc. here recently, but [ ] possibly fewer fireflies than usual, but they are usually rare in my neighborhood by now anyway (but at least a few are around all summer and my neighborhood isn't that rich in fireflies). [Ruby-throated hummingbirds, goldfinches, catbirds, woodpeckers, nesting swifts, maybe cuckoos, etc. around and the cardinals and chickadees might be nesting again.]
International Moth Week 2025 is July 19-27th: nationalmothweek.org [Moths to note.] [A hummingbird moth oviposited on new shoots of Japanese honeysuckle here a few days ago, but the eggs haven't hatched yet as of July 27th. Chinese privet and an ornamental Viburnum might show evidence of other sphinx moth caterpillars. Red caterpillars defoliated some of the dogbane and another kind is tying up the leaves of Vinca major. Webworm nests have appeared in a large persimmon. There seems to be a borer of some kind in the stem of a tickseed. I saw what I thought was an early Virginia ctenucha, a somewhat colorful day-flying moth, or maybe it was a grape leaf skeletonizer, a few weeks ago. Before that there was a gray and maybe a reddish spiny oakworm moth. I also saw a buckeye butterfly that seemed to be laying eggs on English plantain recently.]
Long-time political prisoner Georges Ibrahim Abdallah has just been released by France and will be back in Lebanon by July 25th: www.pcof.net/georges-ibrahim-abdallah-est-libre/
[
Slightly edited:
1. Originally posted at: adc.org/adc-warns-californias-sb-771-is-censorship-disguised-as-civil-rights/
ADC Warns: California’s SB 771 is Censorship Disguised as Civil Rights
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2025
Contact: media[at adc org]
WASHINGTON, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is sounding the alarm to its nationwide membership and allied organizations on California Senate Bill 771 (SB 771), a dangerous and unconstitutional measure that would punish online platforms and users for speech critical of Israel, state violence, and systems of oppression. As written, the bill enables sweeping censorship under the guise of protection. With less than one month left, ADC is mobilizing communities and organizations across the country to stop it.
The legislation would expose social media companies to massive civil penalties for content they do not remove — directly infringing on their First Amendment rights and editorial discretion. Companies could face financial penalties in the billions if their platforms or algorithms are alleged to have facilitated illegal threats, harassment, or intimidation against protected groups, including those based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
“Exposing companies to such extreme civil penalties would likely force the overpolicing of lawful expression, chill free speech, and distort the online environment in ways that harms all users,” said ADC National Executive Director, Abed Ayoub. “Beyond moral and political concerns, SB 771 also raises serious constitutional issues.”
Courts have repeatedly affirmed that platforms are protected in their decisions to curate, prioritize, and moderate content, similar to traditional publishers and broadcasters. The bill’s liability structure likely conflicts with Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a cornerstone of internet free speech that protects platforms from civil liability for third-party content and good-faith moderation decisions. In recent rulings — including NetChoice v. Paxton and Twitter, Inc. v. Taamneh — courts have struck down similar state-level attempts to control online expression and platform design.
Framed as a civil rights safeguard, SB 771 could enable politically motivated claims that conflate criticism of Zionism with antisemitism — a trend already visible in Meta’s content moderation policies, where “Zionist” is treated as interchangeable with “Jewish,” and in the push for platforms to adopt the controversial international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This definition has been widely criticized by hundreds of scholars and numerous Jewish organizations (including JVP and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice) for erasing the line between political critique and bigotry, raising serious concerns that SB771 could be used to suppress protected speech about apartheid, occupation, and settler colonialism in Palestine.
ADC condemns all forms of hate and stands firmly against discrimination in every form. SB 771 weaponizes civil liability to force platforms to remove content that challenges dominant narratives, particularly those relating to Israel and Palestine. By encouraging platforms to over-police content to avoid costly lawsuits, SB 771 can trigger a de facto “delete policy” — especially for Palestinian voices and those in solidarity with them.
2. Originally posted at: adc.org/adc-statement-on-the-lynching-of-23-year-old-palestinian-american-by-israeli-settlers/
ADC Statement on the Lynching of 20-Year-Old Palestinian-American by Israeli Settlers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 11, 2025
media[at adc org]
Correction: Sayfollah Musallet’s first name was misstated in a previous version of the press release. It has since been corrected.
Washington, D.C. | Under the protection of government officials, Israeli settlers lynched a Palestinian American man from Tampa, Florida during an attack near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The victim, 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet, born in Port Charlotte, Florida, was visiting family for the summer when he was beaten to death while protesting the construction of a new illegal Israeli outpost on village land in al‑Mazra’a ash‑Sharqiya. An ambulance was blocked from reaching him for nearly two hours.
This horrific murder is yet another example of Israel killing American citizens. As of the issuance of this statement, no one has been arrested, no one has been indicted, and—if the past is any guide—no one will be held accountable for the death of Saif. This is not an aberration; it is part of a well‑documented pattern of impunity enjoyed by illegal Israeli settlers and security forces who routinely attack Palestinians and Palestinian‑Americans under the protection of occupation authorities and indifference of U.S. officials.
Typically, when Americans are killed abroad, the United States government mobilizes the full weight of the State Department, the FBI, and international partners within hours. But when the perpetrators are Israeli settlers or security forces, many U.S. citizens themselves, Washington’s response is silence, delay, or repeating the lies of Israeli authorities.
The lives of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, 80‑year‑old Omar Assad, 14‑year‑old Omar Rabea, and now Saif al-Din Musalat testify to this shameful double standard.
ADC calls on President Donald J. Trump to direct the State Department to open an immediate, American-led investigation into this heinous murder; demand that Israeli authorities arrest and prosecute the perpetrators without delay; and apply standard diplomatic protocol given to any murdered U.S. citizen, including public condemnation of the crime, and regular briefings to Congress until justice is served.
“Failing to act not only diminishes the value of Palestinian‑American lives; it signals to violent actors worldwide that certain U.S. passports are worth less than others. That is unacceptable,” said ADC National Executive Director, Abed Ayoub.
Saif helped run his family’s ice‑cream shop in Florida. His family, our community, and this nation deserve justice—not another empty condolence. The United States government’s highest duty is to protect its citizens. We demand that duty be honored equally and without exception.
3. Originally posted at: adc.org/hind/
Hind Rajab Nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2025
media[at adc org]
Washington, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes the nomination of Hind Rajab for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The nomination to the Nobel Prize Committee was submitted by ASU Law Professor, Khaled Beydoun, in close consultation with ADC. Hind’s life and untimely, horrific death stand as a searing reminder of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians, symbolizing the innumerable children in Gaza and around the world whose lives have been ruthlessly stolen by war and genocide.
Her legacy and global impact aligns with the Nobel Peace Prize criteria: to reduce the horrors of armed conflict, foster unity among nations, and promote enduring peace. Hind’s story—though a heartbreaking reminder of the failures of our elected officials and leaders—stands as a clarion call for global recognition of the plight of children everywhere who bear the brunt of war and genocide.
In his nomination letter, Professor Beydoun underscores the impact of Hind’s story:
“Hind Rajab’s life story symbolizes the profound resilience and dignity of children in war and genocide. Particularly, for children who were – by no choice of their own – thrust into a life of war. And prematurely, killed by it. In bearing witness to the unimaginable—losing family members, neighbors, friends—children in Gaza have repeatedly found the courage to rebuild and nurture hope, even when day-to-day existence seems insurmountably fragile. Although Hind’s life was taken six years into it, her memory and the memories of all children slain by global wars form a collective beacon that refuses to be silenced. They remind us that a child’s life should be devoted to growth and learning, not overshadowed by fear and violence.”
Hind Rajab ignited a historic global outcry against the systematic war crimes committed on Palestinian, particularly children, by Israel. Hind’s final moments—captured in a harrowing audio recording where she pleaded for help as an Israeli tank repeatedly fired on her family’s car, leaving her the lone survivor for hours before she too was ultimately killed—has galvanized millions worldwide. Her story sparked one of the most powerful and sustained calls for peace in recent memory, mobilizing people across continents to demand peace, justice and an end to Israel’s relentless genocide.
More than 50,000 Palestinian children have been killed or injured by Israel since October 2023. The destruction of essential infrastructure has also gravely worsened living conditions, causing further indirect deaths and compounding children’s suffering.
“Hind Rajab’s nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize is a powerful testament to the innocence lost in war and genocide—and a rallying cry to protect every child’s fundamental right to life, safety, and peace. Hind’s story has galvanized a pro-peace movement worldwide in ways few singular events in recent memory have,” said Abed Ayoub, ADC’s National Executive Director. “Above all, it underscores that children are always the biggest victims of war, paying the steepest price for decisions they never made.”
Hind Rajab Epitomizes Peace
Just as past Nobel Peace Prize laureates have inspired hope and awakened global responsibility, Hind Rajab’s story inspired an irrepressible demand for peace. Professor Beydoun’s nomination places Hind’s name among the ranks of those considered for humanity’s highest honor—a sobering recognition that reminds us all: Peace is a universal right. Humanitarian values must prevail. Voices of the most vulnerable deserve center stage.
ADC calls on individuals and organizations to lend their name and endorse the nomination. By signing, you will be joining a global coalition demanding an end to the genocide in Palestine and to war crimes committed against children everywhere.
Click Here to Endorse the Nomination
4. Originally posted at: adc.org/another-sham-ceasefire/
Another Pause in the Genocide, Another Sham “Ceasefire”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2025
media[at adc org]
Washington, D.C. | Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington to meet President Trump and discuss a potential “ceasefire” in Gaza. For nearly two years, Palestinians have endured a campaign of annihilation and siege that has reduced Gaza to ashes and continues to choke the West Bank. More than a hundred Palestinians are killed on an average day, and even the most basic acts of survival—queuing for bread or gathering flour—have become lethal. More than 600 people have been targeted and executed by the IDF at aid “death traps” in the past weeks alone.
Against this grim backdrop, President Donald Trump now touts a “final” sixty‑day ceasefire proposal, a deal neither Israel nor Hamas has yet to accept.
“Palestinian lives are not bargaining chips. A pause in killing that leaves the U.S. weapons pipeline wide open is not a ceasefire– it’s a license to reload,” said ADC National Executive Director, Abed Ayoub. “President Trump’s unconditional support for Netanyahu has already cost him politically and nearly dragged America into a catastrophic war with Iran. He cannot credibly speak of peace while shipping two‑thousand‑pound bombs to Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to this ceasefire proposal, not with concessions, but by reaffirming Israel’s intention to eradicate Palestinian life rather than negotiate a durable peace.
Enough is enough. The genocide will end only when the U.S. chooses to use its power, just as President Trump did to halt the Israel-Iran war.
The hollowness of this sham ceasefire is underscored by Washington’s actions. Last week, the U.S. Government approved an additional $510 million sale of 7,125 Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance kits—including bunker‑buster variants designed to penetrate deep into concrete and rock. With one hand, the United States waves a banner of “peace,” while the other arms Israel with the very weapons that pulverize Palestinian homes, hospitals, and schools.
ADC reiterates its demand for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire; a total suspension of U.S. arms transfers to Israel; unfettered humanitarian access and protection for medical personnel; and full legal accountability for the war crimes that have been committed. Anything short of these measures is smoke and mirrors.
Until the United States halts the flow of weapons and insists on an end to occupation, President Trump’s proclamations of an “aspiration for peace in the Middle East” will ring as hollow as every broken promise from every American president who has come before him.
5. Originally posted at: adc.org/ceasefireiran/
ADC Statement on Iran’s Missile Strikes on U.S. Base in Qatar and Announcement of Ceasefire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 23, 2025
media[at adc org]
Washington, D.C. | President Donald Trump’s uncalculated decision to bomb Iran has set a dangerous cycle in motion, which led to Iran bombing a U.S. military base in Qatar. We condemned Israel and the U.S.’ decision to bomb Iran, and now denounce Iran’s retaliatory strike on Qatar. These military actions endanger civilian lives, violate the sovereignty of Qatar and all Arab nations, and threaten to plunge the region into a broader conflict.
We welcome and are cautiously optimistic about news of a ceasefire, and urge President Trump to immediately pursue the same in Gaza and Lebanon. Long-lasting peace cannot be achieved without first securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon. We ask President Trump to take all steps to immediately halt further military operations and pursue urgent diplomatic channels to secure a lasting peace across the Middle East.
ADC calls on President Trump to put America First by not engaging in the wars of others, and urges all parties to de-escalate tensions and resolve their differences through dialogue, not violence.
6. Originally posted at: adc.org/adc-statement-on-israels-unprecedented-and-unprovoked-attacks-on-iran/
ADC Statement on Israel’s Unprecedented and Unprovoked Attacks on Iran
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2025
media[at adc org]
Washington, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) condemns Israel’s unprecedented, reckless, and illegal military aggression against Iran, actions that threaten to plunge the Middle East into catastrophic warfare. Once again, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sabotaged peace efforts in the region, severely jeopardizing current U.S. diplomatic negotiations with Iran and regional stability. The Administration is allowing Israel to drag the United States into yet another regional conflict, with severe consequences both abroad and domestically. This directly contradicts President Trump’s own campaign promises to end America’s endless wars.
Israel’s targeted assassination campaign against Iranian military leaders, prominent scientists, and academics once again displays its unrestrained use of psychological terror, further destabilizing regional security and undermining global peace pleas. Israel, who has the largest nuclear arsenal in the region and who refuses to become party to non-proliferation treaties, is a rogue state determined to drag the United States into a constant state of war.
These aggressive acts are not what the American people desire. A May 2025 poll by the University of Maryland showed that 69% of Americans, including two-thirds of Republicans, prefer a negotiated agreement to military action against Iran’s nuclear program. Last year, a poll by the Chicago Council on Public Affairs found that whether facing an attack by Iran or neighboring countries, majorities of Americans now oppose using U.S. troops to defend Israel.
We urge President Trump and leaders of both political parties in Congress to immediately halt all weapons transfers to Israel. The global community has consistently rejected Israel’s pattern of reckless militarism, and the United States must decisively align itself with international consensus by ending its unconditional support of Israel’s endless wars and aggression.
Summer is the peak tourism season in the Middle East, a time when many U.S. citizens travel to the region to visit family and loved ones. Given Israel’s ongoing attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, we urge the Administration to take immediate measures to guarantee the safety of American citizens in the region and provide any necessary assistance for their safe evacuation and return home.
ADC calls for immediate de-escalation, restraint, and diplomatic engagement from all parties involved to prevent further loss of innocent lives and to restore peace and stability to an increasingly volatile region. The ADC implores President Trump to exercise sound judgment and prioritize America’s interests by unequivocally condemning Netanyahu’s unprovoked acts of war, and steer U.S. policy toward responsible diplomacy and respect for international law.
7. Originally posted at: adc.org/israels-aid-announcement-is-a-smokescreen-for-starvation-and-genocide/
Israel’s Aid Announcement is a Smokescreen for Starvation and Genocide
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2025
media[at adc org]
Washington, D.C. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s deceptive and performative resumption of aid into Gaza is an affront so he can continue his crimes against humanity. This announcement is not a humanitarian gesture—it is a calculated, cynical response to mounting international pressure, designed to preserve Israel’s strategic goals and the illusion of restraint while continuing its campaign of extermination against the Palestinian people.
For decades, Israel has imposed a total blockade on humanitarian and commercial goods entering Gaza. This deliberate siege has practically depleted supplies critical to survival—food, water, medicine, fuel. 100% of Gaza’s population is now living under acute food insecurity.
Starving Palestinians has historically been a common practice of the occupation. Israel is not “allowing” aid into Gaza; it is limiting it with surgical cruelty. The recent “approval” of a few trucks of aid is a grotesque performance. The United Nations says Gaza needs at least 500 aid trucks every day. What actually entered were five or nine—“a drop in the ocean,” as the UN put it.
This is the legacy of the blockade: mass starvation, collapsing health systems, rotting bodies buried in rubble, and a world being told that somehow, this is humanitarianism.
We remind President Trump that the United States does not need Israeli permission to deliver aid. It has the power, the means, and the responsibility to act now. To continue deferring to Israeli control over humanitarian corridors is to become a full partner in the siege. Washington cannot claim moral high ground while writing checks for starvation and standing by as children with distended bellies die on camera.
No amount of public relations spin by Israel can disguise the truth. This is the use of hunger as a weapon of war. This is collective punishment. This is genocide. The time for polite diplomacy and conditional aid has passed. What is required now is courage, moral clarity, and action.
ADC stands with the people of Gaza. We call on President Trump, every American official, journalist, and citizen of conscience: Do not look away. Do not let history record your silence. The starvation of a nation is not aid—it is annihilation. And it must end. Now.
8. Originally posted May 15th at: adc.org/take-action-support-representative-rashida-tlaibs-nakba-resolution/
Take Action: Support Representative Rashida Tlaib’s Nakba Resolution
Today marks the 77th anniversary of the 1948 Nakba (“The Catastrophe”)—the mass expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homes and lands, and the destruction of hundreds of villages to establish the State of Israel.
“My dreams are very simple. They are not dreams, but simple rights. But they have turned into almost impossible dreams. I dream that my daughter Maria will return to school, Malek to kindergarten, and that my daughter Leen will eat healthy, nutritious food. Food has not been available for 70 days because of the siege. And that I will return to my school, which no longer exists, since the occupation destroyed it. But we are still strong despite everything… I believe in a future that is better and more beautiful.” — current resident in Gaza
When Gaza’s grandparents survived the Palestinian Nakba, they never imagined the Nakba would outlive them. The mass expulsion and genocide of 750,000 Palestinians in 1948 is not a moment but a structure—a persistent system of annihilation.
As Palestinian poet Mohammed El-Kurd reminds the world, catastrophe—in all its hierarchical distinctions—marks the Palestinian experience: “if you’re not evicted from your home, it’s demolished; if you’re not imprisoned, you’re shot in the street; if you’re not shot in the street, there’s a drone in your sky in the Gaza Strip; if it’s not a bomb, it’s exile.” A Palestinian refugee living in exile remains acutely aware of their spatial isolation from the land, yet a fire within them continues to burn for truth and justice.
586 days of televised genocide. Scores murdered. A region besieged and plundered. Millions displaced and made refugees again—refusing to abandon a homeland. Today marks the great catastrophe for Palestinians but, also, a recognition of Palestinian sumud.
77 years later, Palestinians continue to resist.
Palestinians continue to be an embodiment of hope while the world abandons them. Palestinian refugees continue to demand the right to return to the towns and villages their families were forcibly displaced from in 1948, and call for the full implementation of the “right of return.”
Today, while the world watches the daily assault on Palestinian life across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and as Israel’s starvation campaign continues to intensify, it is imperative to remember this is the 77th year of Palestinian suffering.
For nearly a century, Palestinians have endured, resisted, and survived. They continue to dream of a future rooted in justice, dignity, and liberation.
ADC urges its members to support Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s Nakba Resolution, recognizing the catastrophic displacement and serial dispossession of Palestinians in 1948 during the establishment of the state of Israel.
The U.S. has historically erased or ignored Palestinian narratives. Recognition of the Nakba challenges this silence. Palestinian displacement and dispossession didn’t end in 1948 — it continues today through land theft, forced evictions, military occupation, and apartheid policies. Palestinian Americans and their allies are demanding that Congress recognize the Nakba and affirm the right of return for Palestinian refugees under international law.
Recognizing the Nakba is a critical step toward truth, justice, and accountability in U.S. foreign policy.
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