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Bombing Santos expelled

sANDRA DAy O’CONNOR 1930-2023

resumes in
Gaza with from Congress
more dead on bipartisan vote
Israel-Hamas deal breaks Ethics rEPort sPArKs historic MoVE
down as pause ends and Lawmaker becomes 6th ever kicked out of House
civilian casualties mount
BY A MY B W ANG that accused santos of an array of
AND M ARIANA A LFARO misconduct, including stealing
This article is by Miriam Berger, money from his campaign, de-
Michael Birnbaum, Kareem Fahim, The House voted Friday to ceiving donors about how contri-
William Booth and Ruby Mellen expel Rep. George santos (R-N.Y.) butions would be used, creating
from Congress — an action the fictitious loans and engaging in
JERUSALEM — despite pleas by chamber had previously taken fraudulent business dealings.
world leaders, the seven-day hu- only five times in U.s. history, santos, the report alleges, spent
manitarian pause in fighting in and not for more than 20 years — hefty sums on personal enrich-
Gaza ended Friday with aerial in response to an array of alleged ment, including visits to spas and
bombardment and rocket fire, crimes and ethical lapses that casinos, shopping trips to high-
with israel and Hamas blaming came to light after the freshman end stores, and payments to a
the other for the renewed hostili- lawmaker was found to have subscription site that contains
ties. fabricated key parts of his biogra- adult content.
Just hours after U.s. secretary phy. Moments after the expulsion
of state antony Blinken departed The resolution to expel santos vote, santos left the chamber and
from Tel aviv, israeli jets began passed in a 311-114 vote, easily headed down the Capitol steps to
striking 200 targets in the Gaza exceeding the required two- his car, trailed by dozens of
strip, while rockets arced toward thirds threshold for removal, reporters.
israel and reports of Palestinian with numerous Republican law- “You know what? as unoffi-
casualties rolled in. makers turning against santos in cially already no longer a mem-
Blinken said the israeli govern- what was the third effort to expel ber of Congress, i no longer have
ment had agreed to “a clear plan” the New York congressman this to answer a single question from
to avert civilian deaths before it year. Two democrats voted pre- you guys,” santos said before his
resumed its assault on southern sent, and eight lawmakers did car pulled away.
Gaza, amid intensifying U.s. pres- not vote. santos has long denied wrong-
sure on israel to reduce the war’s Nearly half of House Republi- doing and resisted calls to resign,
grave humanitarian toll. cans voted to oust santos even claiming at a news conference
By Blinken’s account, he was though some GoP leaders voiced Thursday that fellow House
forceful with israeli leaders and concerns about setting a prec- sEE santOs oN a4
received assurances that they matt york/ap edent by expelling a lawmaker
would change how they wage the Justice sandra day O’connor, shown in 2005, overcame early sexism to rise to the highest court who had not been convicted of a ‘so predictable’: ouster rouses old
war. in the land. she served on the supreme court from 1981 until her retirement in 2006. crime. feelings of shame for Brazilians. A4
speaking on the sidelines of the The vote followed the release
U.N. climate conference Friday in two weeks ago of a 56-page Bye, George: Scenes from the final
dubai, Blinken blamed Hamas for House Ethics Committee report act of a Washington farce. C1
ending the temporary truce. The
militant group “began firing rock-
ets before the pause had ended,” Pathbreaking jurist played
key role at center of high court
he said, and “reneged on commit-
ments it made in terms of releas-
ing certain hostages.”
Blinken praised israeli efforts
to protect Palestinian civilians,
“including making sure that they First female justice defied categorization as she shaped landmark cases
have the information they need,
and that there are ways to accom- BY F RED B ARBASH public life.
modate them.” in her nearly quarter-century as a justice, from
The Gaza Health Ministry re- sandra day o’Connor, the first female U.s. her swearing-in on sept. 25, 1981, after being
ported Friday that 178 Palestin- supreme Court justice, whose independence on a appointed by President Ronald Reagan, to her
ians had died after hostilities re- court that was often ideologically divided made retirement on Jan. 31, 2006, to care for her
sumed. Patients with severe inju- her the pivotal vote in numerous closely contest- husband, who had alzheimer’s, Justice o’Connor
ries overwhelmed what was left of ed cases and one of the most powerful women of tried to avoid what she called “giant steps you’ll
Gaza’s health system, medical offi- her era, died dec. 1 in Phoenix. she was 93. live to regret.”
sEE Gaza oN a9 The cause was complications from advanced she rejected the idea of eliminating the right to
dementia — probably alzheimer’s disease — and a abortion, for example, in part because “an entire
Vt. shooting: Uncertain futures for respiratory illness, according to an announce- generation has come of age” relying on it. she
three injured palestinian teens. A3 ment by the court. Justice o’Connor had said in co-wrote the principal opinion in Planned Parent-
2018 that she had dementia and was exiting sEE O'cOnnOr oN a6 riCky Carioti/tHE WaSHiNgtoN poSt
Hunger strike: a pro-gaza protest “I no longer have to answer a single question from you guys,”
is staged near the White House. B1 former congressman George santos told reporters after the vote.

ELECTION 2024 RIsING INDIA, TOxIC TECH

Weeks ahead of Iowa, Stanching a signal, stoking unease

DeSantis’s woes grow In a nation notorious for cutting the internet, ethnic turmoil tests its blackout tactics
BY A NANT G UPTA
Charles Koch — once drawn to AND G ERRY S HIH
desantis — endorsed Nikki Haley
Super PAC turmoil, as it looks to stop Trump, promis-
iN CHURaCHaNdPUR, iNdia

D
Haley endorsement coup ing the support of its ready-made uring times of civil unrest
field program. some senior cam- and political turmoil, au-
among latest blows paign aides are increasingly thorities around the world
gloomy about their chances, ac- frequently cut access to the inter-
cording to a person close to de- net to control their populations
BY H ANNAH K NOWLES, santis. “People increasingly think and throttle the flow of informa-
M ICHAEL S CHERER it’s over. it’s a dumpster fire,” said tion. The militaries in sudan and
AND J OSH D AWSEY the person, who like others spoke Myanmar pulled the plug when
on the condition of anonymity to they carried out armed coups in
Ron desantis’s presidential discuss private conversations. 2021. iran flipped the switch
bid is facing extraordinary tur- The fresh blows come at a when protesters flooded the
moil approximately six weeks be- critical time in the GoP primary streets following last year’s death
fore the iowa caucuses, with in- campaign, with Trump dominant of a young woman, Mahsa amini,
ternal disputes erupting into in national and early-state polls in police custody.
public view as Republicans eager and a growing sense that he may But the country that most fre-
to stop donald Trump increasing- be unstoppable. desantis entered quently deploys the tactic is not
ly pin their hopes on a rival the race with high expectations an authoritarian state such as
contender. and formidable resources. But his Russia or China, digital rights
The chairman and CEo of the struggles as a candidate — includ- groups say.
super PaC running much of de- ing his strained small talk, some- it is india.
santis’s operation have both times awkward smiles and per- Between 2016 and this past
stepped down in recent days after ceived aloofness — have drawn May, india accounted for more
other allies of the governor took sEE desantIs oN a5 than half of all the shutdowns
the unusual step of starting an- recorded worldwide by an inter-
other super PaC late in the race. Debate: DeSantis vs. Newsom was illUStratioN By SHUBHaDEEp mUkHErjEE For tHE WaSHiNgtoN poSt; aFp/gEtty imagES; Biplov BHUyaN/Sopa/Sipa/ap sEE IndIa oN a10
The vast political network led by a noisy, confusing spectacle. C1

in the news THE ECONOmy

as elon Musk’s
THE REGION
Maryland Gov. Wes
spORTs
the capital centre
BusINEss NEws.........................A13
COmICs.........................................C6
OpINION pAGEs..........................A15
X devolves, news outlets Moore (D) is proposing changed the sports land- OBITuARIEs..................................B5
‘Price gouging’ President Biden ramped up THE NATION THE wORLD are turning to Reddit, drastic cuts in spending scape in the D.C. area — TELEVIsION...................................C4

his criticism of big businesses for not lowering the education Depart- Methane emissions but choosing a commu- on transportation to and provided a home for wORLD NEws...............................A8

ment’s failure to update from coal mines in Chi- nity can be fraught. A13 curb a multibillion-dol- the Capitals and Bullets
prices, part of his effort to respond to voter its financial aid guide- na complicate global cli- the Uae announced a lar budget shortfall. B1 — when it opened 50 CONTENT © 2023
discontent over the economy. A14 lines may lessen awards mate negotiations. A8 $30 billion clean energy alexandria Mayor years ago. D1 The Washington Post

1
Year 146, No. 53687
for students. A2 a majority of Russians fund as it tries to quell Justin M. Wilson (D) the commanders
case appears dead Theodore McCarrick, 93, trump can be held civ- support continuing the doubts about its plans to announced in his news- hope simplifying their
a former D.C. archbishop, was found unfit for illy liable over Jan. 6, an war in Ukraine, a report move away from fossil letter that he won’t seek schemes helps fix their
appeals court ruled. A5 found. A12 fuels. A14 reelection in 2024. B1 struggling defense. D1
trial in Wisconsin on sex assault charges. B1
A2 eZ Re the washington post . saturday, december 2 , 2023

Follow-up GAO audit finds the Navy still suffers from fatigue and understaffing
American military One was seriously hurt when a “impairment levels comparable not the Navy, identified another
readiness is propeller struck him between the to intoxication.” problem common in
threatened legs. Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson, a bureaucracies and other
because sailors are “I put six sailors at risk and service spokesman, said the Navy organizations — culture change.
sleepy. injured one, based on a bad welcomed the GAO report, telling Despite the Navy’s change in
Federal A recent federal decision which was driven by my The Washington Post that “we are fatigue policies, Cordle estimates
Insider watchdog audit, own fatigue,” Cordle said in an actively addressing challenges the Navy is about six years into a
citing Navy data, interview of the incident that still with sailor fatigue through a decade-long culture change
Joe says sailors should haunts him. His fatigue was so variety of measures ranging from process that would lead to real
davidson have 7.5 hours strong that it amounted to being force manning to technological results.
available for sleep “legally drunk,” he added, “as far applications that help manage On that point, GAO said the
every day, but as like my ability to make crew rest and optimize human Navy has “expressed a desire to
average 30 percent less sleep, just decisions.” performance.” fully crew all required positions
5.25 hours, “placing sailor health Cordle, now a civilian Defense He said “ships that deploy are on its ships but has not
and ship safety and readiness at Department employee in Norfolk generally manned above 90 committed this intention to
risk.” with a doctorate in engineering percent” and the service is policy.” A change in action takes
Short-staffing is a major management, studies sleep progressing toward the goal of even longer.
culprit. There are too few sailors deprivation. Another time, he lost 100 percent by adding an average Nonetheless, Cordle does see
for the work required, making “situational awareness of where I of 14 more sailors per ship since progress. He called Navy
sailors work too many hours. The was” as his ship led others the summer of 2017. instructions allowing for naps
Navy has made some efforts through a strait. He had to stop Abrahamson’s response was and urging circadian schedules,
against sleep deprivation, but “to get my bearings,” causing the infoRmation technician second class Ruskin naval/aP more positive than the Navy’s so sailors work and sleep at the
without enough sailors for the job other ships to halt and leading to The federal watchdog report sailors average just 5.25 hours of written reply included in the GAO same time every day “a sea
and a culture resistant to change, “a pretty good butt-chewing from sleep, putting “sailor health and ship safety and readiness at risk.” report. change.” Ten years ago, he
progress is slow. Bad mattresses my boss.” “Unfortunately,” wrote Rear recalled, sailors talking about
make it worse. “Most of the close calls I had in factors causing sailor fatigue and l routinely assigned fewer crew Adm. Joseph F. Cahill, being awake for 36 hours was
John Cordle knows the sleep command . . . were because I was inadequate sleep.” GAO focused members, on average 15 percent commander of the Naval Surface “almost like a badge of courage
deficit dangers all too well. tired,” Cordle said. “I made bad on surface ships, which do not fewer, to ships than “needed to Forces Atlantic, despite all efforts . . . a source of pride.”
In 2001, the former Navy decisions that were driven by include submarines. safely operate them” “the amount of sleep obtained by Transforming attitudes like that
captain was commanding officer fatigue.” Navy officials issued a l “used inaccurate baselines for our Sailors at sea has not is part of the Navy’s culture
of the USS Oscar Austin, a The October Government managing fatigue policy in 2017 calculating future personnel increased significantly in the past change.
300-crew member, 505-foot, Accountability Office audit is a following four ship accidents, needs that could perpetuate five years.” He cited “barriers to Meanwhile, the Navy is
10,000-ton destroyer with follow-up to one in May 2021 that including two collisions in which crewing shortfalls into the future improvement,” including developing a 15-year plan “to
100,000-horsepower engines, made eight recommendations fatigue was a factor and 17 were future.” sailor shortages, longer sea reverse enduring personnel
armed with missiles, torpedoes addressing sailor fatigue. Only killed. Yet, four years later, GAO GAO cited a fiscal 2022 Navy deployments, too little funding shortfalls and to fully crew the
and helicopters. They were off the four had been fully implemented found troubling results. The survey finding “that workload for fatigue monitoring technology fleet,” GAO reported. “However,
coast of Norfolk, when Cordle when the October document was October report also found that and uncomfortable mattresses, and uncomfortable mattresses. until the Navy takes action to fill
ordered a maneuver that released. Three were partially the Navy: respectively, are the two leading Cahill identified Cordle, who required positions with qualified
generated a huge wave, flipping a implemented but the one not l “inconsistently implemented factors causing inadequate sleep was interviewed by GAO, as the sailors, personnel shortfalls will
much smaller inflatable craft implemented at all seems the its policy and 14 percent of and fatigue.” Navy data also show, Navy’s action officer on this issue. likely continue to be a leading
alongside the destroyer. Six most basic and all encompassing: officers were getting adequate according to GAO, that prolonged In interviews with The Post, factor causing inadequate sleep
sailors were tossed into the water. “Take actions to address the sleep” sleep deprivation results in Cordle, speaking for himself and and sailor fatigue.”

KLMNO
NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
Federal failure could lower financial aid for college students
for home delivery comments
or concerns contact us at amount of income shielded from determine a student’s ability to the lowest-income students re- “Without this inflation adjust-
the formula that determines how pay for college and a replacement ceiving Pell Grants, a form of aid ment … students could either get a
washingtonpost.com/subscriberservices or
send us an email at
Education Dept. has not much students have to pay and for the Expected Family Contribu- for undergraduate students with lower Pell Grant than they should
homedelivery@washpost.com or call updated FAFSA formula the aid they can receive. Congress tion. The higher the SAI, the lower exceptional financial need. The qualify for or might get knocked
directed the department to raise the aid eligibility. new law ensures that families out of Pell Grant eligibility,”
202-334-6100 or 800-477-4679
to account for inflation the amount of income protected “We’re going to see lower feder- earning less than 175 percent and Desjean said.
TO SUBScRIBE
800-753-Post (7678) by 20 percent for parents, 35 per- al, state and institutional aid student parents earning less than But the impact does not end
cent for dependent students and across the board because the for- 225 percent of the federal poverty there. The index also determines
TO ADVERTISE BY D ANIELLE D OUGLAS- almost 60 percent for students mula isn’t going to keep up with line will automatically qualify for eligibility for other forms of need-
washingtonpost.com/mediakit
classified: 202-334-6200
G ABRIEL with children of their own, and to the inflationary impact on income the maximum Pell Grant — $7,395 based federal aid, such as work-
display: 202-334-7642 adjust the numbers for inflation and costs over time,” said Bryce for the current academic year. study and subsidized loans — in
The Education Department has annually. McKibben, senior director of pol- The Education Department which the government pays ac-
MAIN PHONE NUMBER failed to update guidelines used to However, the department ne- icy and advocacy at the Hope Cen- projects that 1.5 million more stu- cruing interest while students are
202-334-6000
calculate eligibility for financial glected to make the adjustment, ter at Temple University. dents will receive the maximum in school, Desjean said. States and
TO REAcH THE NEWSROOM aid, an error that could result in which was supposed to be calcu- McKibben helped write the award because of the new law, colleges will also use the metric in
metro: 202-334-7300; students receiving less scholar- lated using the consumer price FAFSA Simplification Act in 2020 bringing the total number of stu- awarding scholarships and
metro@washpost.com ship and grant money for college index from April 2020 to April of while working for Sen. Patty Mur- dents eligible for the full amount grants.
national: 202-334-7410; next school year. this year — a period of record-high ray (D-Wash.) when she chaired to more than 5.2 million. The Education Department
national@washpost.com The mistake is the latest hiccup inflation. the Senate Education Committee. But students in the running for says it is “helping colleges inter-
Business: 202-334-7320; in the agency’s implementation of College-access and aid groups He said neglecting the three years partial Pell Grants will not fare as pret the SAI” as they make their
business@washpost.com a three-year-old bipartisan law to flagged the outdated information of inflation adjustment — when well, said Jill Desjean, a senior own decisions on financial aid.
sports: 202-334-7350; simplify and ease requirements in a series of comment letters in cumulative inflation hovered policy analyst at the National As- Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott
sports@washpost.com for the Free Application for Feder- October about the new FAFSA and above 18 percent — means far sociation of Student Financial Aid (Va.), the top Democrat on the
investigative: 202-334-6179; al Student Aid. The redesign of the implored the department to up- more of a family’s earnings will Administrators. Students who do House Education Committee, ex-
investigations@washpost.com form, which is critical for students date the information, to no avail. factor into the new formula than not qualify for Pell Grants solely pressed frustration with the de-
style: 202-334-7535; seeking federal, state and institu- The Education Department Congress intended. on the basis of income may be- partment’s failure to increase the
style@washpost.com tional aid, has been beset by de- said Thursday it is using the tables By his estimations, dependent come eligible once the Student income protection allowance and
lays that the department blames that appear in the law because of students and their families will Aid Index has been applied, which said the agency must find a way to
TO REAcH THE OPINION PAGES
on the complexity of the changes timing and data constraints but see anywhere from $6,000 to makes income protection tables it make up to families.
letters to the editor:
letters@washpost.com or call required. Advocates and lawmak- will make updates for the 2025- more than $10,000 of additional especially important for them, “The department could adjust
202-334-6215 ers have been sympathetic but are 2026 aid cycle. income considered in their calcu- Desjean said. next year’s allowance to account
opinion: frustrated with the execution of The advocate groups said that if lation, depending on the size of The State Higher Education Ex- for any missed inflation adjust-
oped@washpost.com the law. the tables are left unchanged, their families. A single parent en- ecutive Officers Association has ments since 2020,” Scott said. “... I
Published daily (issn 0190-8286). The initial version of the sim- many students will get less finan- rolled in college with one child, he projected that about 2.1 million will continue to use my oversight
PostmasteR: send address changes to
the Washington Post, 1301 k st. nW, Washington,
plified FAFSA, which covers aid cial aid than they are actually said, will have more than $8,000 students previously ineligible for authority to ensure the depart-
d.c. 20071. for the 2024-2025 school year, is eligible to receive. That is because of income factored in when it Pell could become recipients un- ment simplifies the FAFSA proc-
Periodicals postage paid in Washington, d.c., and expected to be released by Dec. 31. the current tables will produce an should not be considered. der the new law. But those projec- ess and helps every American get
additional mailing office.
Among the many changes to artificially high Student Aid In- The Education Department tions are imperiled in this upcom- the resources they need to access a
the FAFSA is an increase in the dex, or SAI — a figure used to said the tables have no bearing on ing FAFSA cycle. high-quality education.”

c OR R E c TI O N S

the Washington Post is committed to

Officials: Ohio pneumonia outbreak unrelated to China, Europe
correcting errors that appear in the
newspaper. those interested in Mandy Cohen told reporters Fri- independent public health ex- pay more attention to making the and will sporadically cause clus-
contacting the paper for that purpose day, noting that “a lot of kids” are perts who monitor China say the diagnosis,” Offit said. ters of cases,” Terk said. “I don’t
can: 145 pediatric cases going to the emergency depart- cases appear to be driven by the Warren County officials said think this is on the freaking-out
Email: corrections@washpost.com.
call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be reported in Cincinnati ment for respiratory illness such usual mix of respiratory viruses it’s unclear why they are experi- scale for most parents generally.
as flu and RSV, or respiratory including influenza, coronavirus encing a rise in pneumonia, Sometimes, when it is going
connected to the desk involved —
national, foreign, metro, style, sports,
area since August syncytial virus, which can be and RSV, as well as Mycoplasma which usually isn’t reported to around, awareness and concern
Business or any of the weekly sections. dangerous for some infants and pneumoniae, a type of bacteria health authorities. may increase about it among
comments can be directed to the young children. that can infect the lungs. All of “We have no evidence whatso- parents.”
Post’s reader advocate, who can be BY F ENIT N IRAPPIL The CDC monitors overall re- these pathogens circulate in the ever of any connection to any Widespread media coverage of
reached at 202-334-7582 or AND L ENA H . S UN spiratory illnesses using data re- United States. outbreaks statewide or interna- a pneumonia spike in western
readers@washpost.com. ported daily from about 80 per- Mycoplasma pneumoniae can tionally,” said Clint Koenig, a Massachusetts was dispelled Fri-
Health authorities are moni- cent of the country’s emergency cause several types of infection, family physician and medical di- day by pediatrician John Kelley,
toring an outbreak of pneumonia departments. Nationwide data as including chest colds and pneu- rector at the Warren County whose comments to a local news
in children in an Ohio county, of Nov. 25 show that diagnosed monia. While some media outlets Health Department. “We don’t outlet about how children with
stressing that it appears to be pneumonia rates in children are have used the term “white lung have any evidence to suggest this RSV sometimes develop pneumo-
driven by familiar pathogens not unusual for this time of year, syndrome” to describe illness is anything but routine, standard nia were inaccurately reported as
with no connection to pneumo- CDC officials said. caused by mycoplasma, public winter bugs causing pneumonia confirmation of a second out-
nia clusters in China and parts of The Ohio cases have not health authorities do not use the in higher rates in kids.” break. Kelley told The Washing-
Europe. caused undue strain on the state’s term and some experts caution A mix of pathogens are behind ton Post he is not seeing unusual
Officials in Warren County, health-care system, and the over- that it creates a misleading per- the pneumonia cases, he said, pneumonia trends or any paral-
which is in the Cincinnati area, all respiratory virus trends are ception of a dangerous, unknown with few cases linked to myco- lels to China in his office. Massa-
reported 145 cases of pneumonia typical for this time of year, disease. plasma. chusetts health officials said a
in children ages 3 to 14 since Cohen said. In fact, the bacteria is fairly Koenig said school nurses statewide increase in pediatric
August. The caseload is higher “Hospital capacity is fine. Chil- common, and when it causes alerted his agency to unusually pneumonia is expected this time
than normal and reaches the dren are recovering at home,” she pneumonia, it’s not as severe as high numbers of sick students, of year, with no evidence suggest-
state’s threshold for an outbreak, said. “There’s no evidence that other types of bacterial pneumo- spurring further investigation ing a link to mycoplasma.
but there have been no deaths or any of those increases are con- nias, which is why it is often and news releases about the Mycoplasma, which causes ep-
evidence of increased severity, nected to other outbreaks nation- referred to as “walking pneumo- pneumonia outbreak. He said idemics in countries every sev-
Download The officials said. ally or internationally.” nia,” said Paul Offit, a professor of those announcements were eral years, is landing on the radar
The Centers for Disease Con- Respiratory illness is spread- pediatrics at Children’s Hospital meant to encourage health pro- of pediatricians because it is re-
Washington Post app trol and Prevention has been in ing in most of the country, and of Philadelphia. Offit said he has viders to test children coming in emerging in parts of Europe and
stay informed with award-winning touch with Ohio officials and is CDC officials said they expect never heard the term “white with symptoms and to encourage Asia for the first time since the
national and international news, also monitoring the increases in levels of covid-19, influenza and lung” in reference to this disease. parents to be vigilant about covid-19 pandemic, according to
Plus complete local news coverage respiratory illness among chil- RSV to continue to increase. Although physicians treat the hand-washing and keeping kids a paper recently published in the
of the d.c. metro area. create dren, including potential elevat- “RSV season is in full swing,” disease with antibiotics, such as home when sick — not to warn journal Lancet.
ed rates of pediatric pneumonia, Cohen said, and flu spread is azithromycin, it often resolves on the nation. The researchers found myco-
customized news alerts, save
in other parts of the United “accelerating fast.” Covid-19 re- its own. The fall and winter respiratory plasma was most frequently de-
articles for offline reading in my States. Officials said the reported mains the primary cause of new Since the pandemic, he said, season is typically a tough time tected between April and October
Post, browse the daily print edition trends do not appear to be due to respiratory hospitalizations and parents and physicians may be for children’s hospitals and pedi- in Denmark, with Singapore,
and scroll through our the discover a new virus or other novel patho- deaths, with about 15,000 hospi- paying more attention to symp- atric offices, but doctors say they Sweden and Switzerland further
tab to find stories that interest you. gen and instead attribute the talizations and about 1,000 toms of respiratory illness — worry more about RSV, influenza behind.
free to download on the app store increases to several viral or bacte- deaths every week, according to cough, runny nose, fever, difficul- and covid than pneumonia. Danish health officials said the
and Play store, subscribers enjoy rial causes expected during the the CDC. ty breathing — because people Jason Terk, a pediatrician in country normally sees mycoplas-
unlimited access. respiratory illness season. The outbreak in Warren Coun- want to know whether it’s covid- Texas, said he has treated several ma epidemics about every four
“As of today, we are not seeing ty attracted outsize attention that 19. suspected mycoplasma pneumo- years and expected an increase in
anything that is atypical in terms erroneously linked it to clusters “That’s caused people to pay nia cases in the past six weeks, cases, driven by children who did
of pneumonia-related emergency of childhood pneumonia in more attention to respiratory in- which is not out of the norm. not build up immunity due to
department visits,” CDC Director northern China. The CDC and fections, and more importantly, “This is a bacterial infection covid-19 restrictions.
A8 eZ Re the washington post . saturday, december 2 , 2023

The World
BY C HRISTIAN S HEPHERD

To get a sense of the scale and

severity of China’s addiction to
coal, look no further than the
scores of deep industrial mines
and uncounted smaller pits dot-
ted across the country’s north-
central region, churning out more
of the black rock than the rest of
the world combined.
Scrutiny of China’s coal indus-
try tends to focus on the network
of power plants that burn the
fossil fuel for energy and release
huge amounts of atmosphere-
heating carbon dioxide. But the
methane seeping from its mines
has hampered global efforts to
keep planetary warming from
reaching even more dangerous
levels.
And it helps explain why China
— the world’s largest emitter —
remains reluctant to set hard lim-
its on the potent greenhouse gas
that the International Energy
Agency estimates is responsible
for around 30 percent of global
temperature rise since industrial-
ization.
Beijing this month released its
first plan to curb methane emis-
sions, but it didn’t commit to any
specific targets, and agreed, joint-
ly with the United States, to triple
renewable energy by 2030. While
the Biden administration touted
the deal as a significant break-
through, many climate experts
consider the statements too weak.
Within the coal industry, China
is “the single dominant country”
with potential to dramatically re-
duce emissions, which is why
many hoped they would set quan-
titative targets in the plan, said
Drew Shindell, a professor of
earth science at Duke University.
Reducing methane, he said, “is
the strongest lever for the next
few decades to slow down and
mitigate the damages from cli- Noel CelIs/aFP/getty Images

mate change.” A mine in Datong, in China’s northern Shanxi province, in 2021. Reducing methane from coal mines is widely seen as one of the cheapest, fastest ways to cut emissions.

Before China’s coal is even burned,

As thousands of delegates gath-
er at the U.N. Climate Change one of those exceptions. “Basical-
Conference in Dubai, methane — ly the U.S. has power to keep it on
and particularly China’s contri- the agenda,” Li said.

its mines are warming the planet

bution — will be a major point of Chinese leaders in general are
contention, and a likely obstacle wary of multilateral obligations,
to any real breakthrough at and are also wary of making
COP28. promises they cannot deliver
Reducing this gas from coal upon. In addition, they do yet
mines, oil and gas operations, and have a firm handle on the scale of
agriculture is widely seen as the Methane seeping from pits and shafts complicates global talks on reducing greenhouse gas emissions the problem, experts said.
cheapest, fastest way to reduce Estimates using satellite im-
emissions that are warming the agery suggest that the country
planet. While carbon dioxide lasts rity goals. Many of China’s coal mines are methane ‘super-emitters’ jing suspended talks in August accounted for about a tenth of the
longer in the atmosphere than Coal mines are the most obvi- 2022 in anger over a visit by global total in 2021. But a push to
methane and is much more abun- ous choice for China to cut emis- methane is a potent greenhouse gas, but it can be difficult to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expand mining may have signifi-
dant, methane gas is far more sions, but it will be tough to get control, especially in China, where the north-central region is to Taiwan, the island democracy cantly increased emissions since
effective at trapping heat — the industry on board. Unlike dotted with coal mines. that the Chinese Communist Par- then, according to estimates from
roughly 80 times more potent catching leaks from pipes, which ty claims as its territory. Global Energy Monitor, a nongov-
over 20 years. is relatively cheap to do and al- Because of fallout from that ernmental organization that
Paul Bledsoe, a former Clinton lows companies to sell the cap- emission Rate (tons/hour) 30 100 300 trip — and also concerns on how tracks fossil fuels infrastructure.
White House climate adviser who tured gas, mining companies to ensure power supplies — Chi- Because of a lack of know-how
is now a lecturer at American have minimal incentive to invest nese officials delayed the meth- and technology to measure meth-
University’s Center for Environ- in expensive equipment to cap- ane plan, according to two people ane, leaving targets out of the plan
mental Policy, underscored the ture and use methane. Most see briefed on internal Chinese dis- was the only “practical” option,
lack of emissions targets in Chi- the gas primarily as a safety haz- Harbin cussions. said Zhang Yuzhong, assistant
na’s delayed methane plan, origi- ard best expelled and only moni- The document would have professor at Westlake University
nally promised during 2021 talks, tor it to avoid accidents. Ürrüm
mqi been ready for last year’s climate and head of the Atmospheric En-
as a worrying omission. Along with India, Russia and Changchun talks, as China’s promised at Glas- vironmental Research Lab. “For
“China has promised methane Iran, China declined to sign onto a gow, and it was not materially the last decade, everyone has fo-
Beijing shenyan
ng
cuts since Glasgow, yet now offers global methane pledge 150 coun- updated before the release nearly cused attention on monitoring
only monitoring, despite massive tries have made to reduce global a year later, said the people, who and verification of air pollution,
methane leaks from its coal emissions by at least 30 percent spoke on the condition of ano- but when it comes to methane,
mines,” he said, adding that “Bei- from 2020 levels by 2030. nymity to discuss a sensitive mat- people aren’t even thinking about
jing’s climate backtracking While the United States and ter. it as a greenhouse gas,” he said.
should be a key focus at COP28.” European countries hope to press shan
nghai Even though the “watered- The focus on avoiding mining
U.S. climate envoy John F. Ker- China to take methane more seri- Chengdu down” document was a disap- accidents may have made the in-
ry has said that finding ways to ously in climate talks, Beijing is pointment, without its release dustry adopt habits that are good
reduce emissions faster across all resistant to the appearance of and the resumption of U.S.-China for safety but bad for the environ-
greenhouse gases — not just car- caving to outside pressure, ana- climate talks “this COP would ment.
bon dioxide — is a focus of talks lysts warn. As Kerry was in Bei- have been a disaster,” said Yan To meet requirements for ex-
with China in Dubai. By working jing to meet his Chinese counter- Qin, a carbon analyst at data tremely low methane concentra-
with China at talks, “we are going part, Xie Zhenhua, President Xi provider Refinitiv. tions, many mines opt to pump air
to be able to find a way to deal Jinping declared that China Getting China to pay close at- into the shaft and “deliberately
with the emissions much more would decide how fast to transi- source: Kayrros.com tention to atmosphere-warming diluted the methane to avoid hav-
rapidly, and also to include all tion away from fossil fuels with- gases beyond carbon dioxide may ing to deal with it,” said Hanling
greenhouse gases in the reduc- out outside interference. be one area where the United Yang, senior director of energy
tion efforts. That hasn’t been true Xi, China’s most powerful lead- cerns about domestic energy sup- na, they said, needs more of every- States appears to still have lever- transition-Asia at the Environ-
up until now,” he told Japanese er in decades, has tried to position ply and diplomatic jockeying with thing — both fossil fuels and re- age. mental Defense Fund.
Broadcaster NHK this month. himself as a global leader on envi- the United States. Chaos in inter- newables — before it can priori- “China does not want to be seen The problem isn’t how to cap-
In China, about 40 percent of ronmental issues. In 2020, he an- national energy markets from tize cutting emissions. as giving in to U.S. demands on ture methane; it’s creating finan-
methane comes from coal mines nounced a plan to hit peak carbon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Notwithstanding world-lead- climate, but there can always be cial and policy incentives so the
and 42 percent from livestock, dioxide “before 2030” and reach power shortages that shut down ing installations of wind and solar exceptions,” said Li Shuo, incom- coal industry sees the gas as a
rice paddies and other agricultur- “carbon neutrality” by 2060, spur- Chinese factories inflamed long- power, Xi declared that coal must ing director of China Climate Hub resource, not a waste product,
al sources, according to estimates ring a flurry of activity from local standing concerns in Beijing remain the “mainstay” of the at the Asia Society Policy Insti- said Sabina Assan, an analyst at
by Chinese researchers. Those governments and polluting in- about the security of electricity power sector in the near term. tute. Ember, an environmental non-
sources are spread across the dustries. sources. Climate diplomacy with the China is in need of expertise profit. “The technology is all
country and considered essential But he has reversed course as Officials adopted a new man- United States was also interrupt- and support in controlling coal there. It’s been there for the past
for Beijing’s energy and food secu- that ambition clashed with con- tra: Build before you break. Chi- ed by a flare-up in tensions. Bei- mine gases, so methane may be 25 years,” she said.

Di gest

MYANMAR great opportunity to change the increase the maximum number Mwiimbu said in Parliament month of exhibition of films the strikes included caves,
political situation in Myanmar,” of soldiers in the Russian armed that the collapse happened in through his Times Television shelters, and storage facilities.
Military losing ground said Le Kyar Win, spokesperson forces by 170,000 people, the the city of Chingola, in Zambia’s network without approval of
in coordinated attacks for the Myanmar National Kremlin and the Defense copper belt, about 250 miles the Kenya Film Classification 2 dead in Guinea-Bissau
Democratic Alliance Army, or Ministry said Friday. north of the capital, Lusaka. He Board, charges dating back to clashes: Two people died and
A major offensive against MNDAA, one of the three The ministry said that the said rescue teams were at the 2019. Mackenzie had been several were injured overnight
Myanmar’s military-run militias that launched the increase in the number of site. The southern African nation accused of using the TV channel in Guinea-Bissau in clashes
government by an alliance of offensive Oct. 27. soldiers is because of the is among the 10 biggest copper and his sermons to radicalize between two army factions that
three militias of ethnic Caught by surprise by the recruitment of contract producers in the world. Cobalt is children and parents against broke out in the capital after
minorities in the northeast has attack, dubbed Operation 1027, personnel, and the military has also mined in Chingola. Western education and national guard soldiers freed an
been moving at lightning speed, the military has lost more than no plans to significantly increase medicine. opposition minister, the army
inspiring resistance forces 180 outposts, including four conscription or carry out a new Kenyan cult leader sentenced said on national radio Friday.
around the country to launch major bases and four wave of mobilization. to 18 months: The leader of a Turkish airstrikes hit 16 Fighting began overnight and
new attacks. economically important border — Reuters doomsday cult in Kenya was Kurdish militant targets: continued into Friday after
With Myanmar’s military crossings with China. sentenced Friday to 18 months in Turkey’s military conducted soldiers from the national guard
falling back on almost every — Associated Press More than 30 trapped in mine prison for the illegal distribution airstrikes in northern Iraq on stormed a police station where
front, hope is rising among collapse in Zambia: More than of films and operating a film Friday evening and destroyed 16 Finance Minister Suleimane
opponents that this could be a RUssiA 30 people are trapped under studio without licenses. The Kurdish militant targets, the Seidi and the secretary of state
turning point in the struggle to rubble at an open-pit mine in senior magistrate in the city of Turkish Defense Ministry said, for the treasury, Antonio
oust the army leaders who Putin increases size of Zambia after part of a waste pile Malindi, Olga Onalo, handed adding that many militants had Monteiro, were detained after
toppled democratically elected nation’s armed forces was thought to have collapsed down the sentence for Paul been “neutralized” in the attack. their arrest Thursday night. The
Aung San Suu Kyi almost three on them, a government minister Mackenzie. The preacher can In a statement on social army said order was restored
years ago. Russian President Vladimir said Friday. Home Affairs and appeal within 14 days. messaging platform X, the Friday afternoon.
“The current operation is a Putin has signed a decree to Internal Security Minister Jack Mackenzie was found guilty last ministry said the targets hit in — From news services
saturday, december 2 , 2023 . the washington post ez su A9

israel-gaza war

After week-long pause, fighting restarts in Gaza, and death toll keeps climbing
GAzA from A1 ian control. The Israeli official said
the country did not intend to occu-
cials said. py the territory but was develop-
“Hospitals have reached their ing plans that could effect its in-
darkest hour yet,” said Suhaib al- tegrity.
Hams, director of the Kuwaiti The Israeli defense establish-
Hospital in rafah. “There are no ment is considering “some kind of
empty beds.” security buffer on the Gaza side of
At least 90 percent of the the border so that Hamas cannot
wounded patients that the hospi- gather military capabilities close
tal received friday needed ampu- to the border and surprise Israel
tations, he said. Doctors also saw again,” the official said.
patients with severe burns, inter- “It is a security measure, not a
nal bleeding and head trauma. political one. We do not intend to
“If it stays like this, the hospitals remain on the Gaza side of the
cannot sustain,” al-Hams said. “All border.”
of them will be out of service.” reem, a mother in Gaza City’s
central rimal neighborhood, a fo-
Israel did not allow aid deliver- cus of the fighting, heard the
ies into Gaza on friday, but an boom of tank fire friday morning
Israeli official, speaking on condi- and sprang into action.
tion of anonymity under rules set “When we heard the sounds, we
by the government, told reporters told the kids to prepare their
that it would be resumed. White things in case we had to go,” she
House National Security Council told The Post by phone. She spoke
spokesman John Kirby said that at on the condition that her last
U.S. request, deliveries would con- name be withheld to protect her
tinue, but it would be “dozens” of privacy.
trucks, not “hundreds.” “We told them to move away
The sides agreed to the pause from the windows,” she said. “All of
and extended it twice to allow the the things that we became accus-
exchange of hostages kidnapped tomed to during the war, we re-
from Israel during raids by Hamas turned to that today.”
and other fighters oct. 7 for Pales- The family moved down to a
tinians held in Israeli prisons and neighbor’s ground-floor apart-
to increase the amount of humani- ment, hoping it would be safer. As
tarian aid entering Gaza. she spoke, two blasts boomed in
Kirby said friday that the ad- the background. reem had not
ministration would “continue to loAy Ayyoub for the WAshinGton post expected Israel’s air-and-ground
remain deeply engaged” in trying Damaged buildings after an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Friday, when the humanitarian pause in fighting ended and jets began assault to resume friday. “Unfor-
to reinstate the pause so that more striking the Gaza Strip. Along with bombs, Israel dropped leaflets in southern Gaza, warning that they were now in combat zones. tunately, we had hope until the
hostages may be released and last minute that the cease-fire
more aid may reach Gazans. gled with internet connectivity. Hamas official in Beirut, told The vast majority of them men, includ- ian Commission for Detainees and would be extended,” she said. “We
“We’re working literally by the Government spokesman Eylon Washington Post in a voice mes- ing many soldiers. Hamas is said ex-Prisoners’ Affairs. The Gaza hadn’t prepared ourselves psycho-
hour” to resume the truce, he said. Levy blamed Hamas for the re- sage. “The aggression against the to be calling for more prisoners to Health ministry said last week logically for the return to war.”
“We have every expectation that sumption in fighting. Gaza Strip preceded the resump- be released than the three-Pales- that the Israeli military campaign While aid increased during the
another pause could be executed.” “Unfortunately, Hamas decided tion of the fighting, so the one who tinians-for-each-hostage ratio of had caused more than 13,300 pause, the World food Program
The Israel Defense forces said to terminate the pause by failing ended the negotiation situation the pause. deaths, but communication chal- warned that it was not nearly
friday that it had notified the fam- to release all the kidnapped wom- and thwarted all the efforts made During the week-long pause, lenges and no-go areas have made enough to stave off the growing
ilies of four more hostages of their en as it was obligated to do,” he was the Israeli side.” Hamas released more than 100 it impossible to produce a com- risk of famine and starvation.
deaths and returned the body of a told reporters. He said the group Qatar, which has been hosting Israeli and foreign hostages, most plete count. James Elder, a spokesman for
fifth to Israel. did not provide a full list of hostag- the talks over the pause in fighting of them women and children, and The Israeli official said the IDf the U.N. children’s agency,
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a es it intended to release friday. “So for the past weeks, expressed its Israel released 240 Palestinian estimates that it killed 1,100 UNICEf, told The Post that the
spokesman for the IDf, confirmed having chosen to hold on to our “deep regret at the resumption of prisoners, who were women and Hamas terrorists oct. 7 and sev- bombardment in southern Gaza
early friday that fighting had re- women, Hamas will now take the the Israeli aggression against the teens, many of them detained for eral thousand since. The official was constant.
sumed in Gaza. “We are back at it,” mother of all thumpings.” Gaza Strip” and said the renewed rock-throwing and incitement. said there could be future pauses: “I can hear attacks everywhere,
he said. “Now we are preparing for Hamas countered that it was bombing of Gaza complicates the Hamas and other fighters “We believe that applying more airstrikes,” Elder said in a tele-
the next stage — southern Gaza.” Israel that ended the truce when it still-ongoing mediation. streamed out of Gaza early on oct. military pressure on Hamas could phone interview from the enclave.
Along with bombs, Israel rejected a deal in which the mili- A U.S. official, who spoke on the 7 to attack Israeli towns near the lead to further hostage releases in “There is nowhere to move to,”
dropped leaflets in southern Gaza, tants would release elderly male condition of anonymity to discuss enclave. They killed around 1,200 the future.” he said. “It’s not a cliché to say that
where most people in the north Israeli hostages and the bodies of closed-door talks, suggested that people and took 240 more as hos- for now, the official said: “We nowhere is safe.”
have fled in the two months of war, three Israeli hostages, including the breakdown came because tages. Israel has responded with a are in a high-intensity operation
warning that they were now in children from the Bibas family, in Hamas may have released all or military campaign that leaders in the coming weeks, then prob- birnbaum reported from Dubai, fahim
combat zones. The IDf also an- exchange for elderly Palestinian nearly all of the hostages it ap- say is aimed at eradicating Hamas ably moving into a low-intensity reported from beirut, and booth
nounced an interactive map to tell prisoners. pears to be willing to release for from Gaza. mode.” reported from london. paul schemm
residents when to leave their areas “The Israelis refused, and it is now. “We’re at the end of the line.” Since the Hamas attack, Israel The United States has insisted in london, Mohamad el chamaa in
— part of its effort to reduce civilian clear that they have made a deci- Israel said friday that there has detained around 3,400 Pales- that after the war, the whole of beirut and hazem balousha in
casualties. The enclave has strug- sion,” osama Hamdan, a senior were still 137 hostages in Gaza, the tinians, according to the Palestin- Gaza must remain under Palestin- Amman contributed to this report.

Gazans mourn the loss of cultural and communal spaces

walking into the ruins of the Is-
City library, artistic lamic University of Gaza, which
was hit during a previous round of
center left in ruins by Israeli strikes.
fighting in the enclave He noted that Gazans face an
uphill battle in importing books
into the enclave, as shipments
cannot go straight to Gaza —
BY M OHAMAD E L C HAMAA which is blockaded by Israel and
Egypt — and are instead delivered
BEIRUT — Amid the bombed-out to the West Bank. In his 2020 talk,
buildings and thousands of dead Abu Toha described the situation
in Gaza City, there is another, as “asking the head of an Ameri-
often overlooked casualty: the can library to travel through mex-
embattled enclave’s shattered cul- ico to pick up a parcel in Guate-
tural institutions, particularly its mala.”
few libraries. As news circulated this week of
Both the Gaza municipal Li- the damage to the libraries,
brary and the rashad al-Shawa stunned and saddened residents
Cultural Center — which hosted a took to social media to mourn the
meeting between President Bill loss. one user on X with the
Clinton and Yasser Arafat 25 years name of “Gazabibliophile” wrote:
ago — have been shelled into rub- “many memories and eternal
ble during the nearly two months friendships I’ve lived with in the
of war as Israel attempts to de- Gaza Public Library!”
stroy the militant group Hamas, Another simply said, “Do you
which controls the Gaza Strip. know what the mongols did when
“The occupation planes target- they invaded Baghdad?” — a ref-
ed and turned the public library erence to the sacking in the
building into rubble and de- 13th century of one of the Islamic
stroyed thousands of books, titles world’s preeminent literary cen-
and documents recording the ters.
city’s history and development, as The Gaza City municipality
well as the destruction of the called on UNESCo to protect
library’s language courses hall Gaza’s cultural institutions, not-
and other library facilities,” said a ing that such places are “protect-
statement monday from the local ed under international humani-
government, which also de- courtesy of GAzA MunicipAlity tarian law.”
scribed the destruction of the Sha- Damage inside the Gaza Municipal Library, hit by an Israeli airstrike, according to Gaza City’s government. Destroyed were “thousands of In a statement to The Post,
wa center and the municipal books, titles and documents recording the city’s history and development,” it said. Israel did not comment on whether it hit the library. UNESCo said it was “deeply con-
printing press. cerned about the adverse impact
The municipal authorities enclave’s few cultural institu- ning agreement with the french change, a very positive change.” Strip. most of the libraries in the that fighting could have on any
called the strikes an attempt “to tions, which locals recall as refug- city of Dunkirk and funding from “The library was a calm place. enclave are poorly equipped, ac- cultural heritage in Palestine and
spread a state of ignorance in es and rare beacons of culture. the World Bank. The library con- It had a quiet cafeteria, and the cording to a 2020 talk by Israel, which comes in addition to
society.” It is unclear when the When asked about the strikes, sisted of two floors and a base- place was always breezy, especial- Gaza-based poet and New Yorker UNESCo’s concerns before the
institutions were destroyed, as it the Israel Defense forces did not ment. Its holdings included ly in the summer,” said Abdalhadi contributor mosab Abu Toha, ongoing fighting about the state
was only after the pause in fight- address whether it had hit the 10,000 volumes in Arabic, English Alijla, a Sweden-based academic who founded the first English- of conservation of sites in Gaza
ing that began Nov. 24 that many libraries, and would say only that and french. from Gaza who described to The language library in Gaza in 2017. due to the lack of local public
parts of the city became accessible it “follows international law and The rashad al-Shawa Cultural Washington Post how he started That library, named in honor of policies on heritage and culture.”
again. takes feasible precautions to miti- Center and its accompanying frequenting the Shawa center the late Edward Said, the Palestin- It added that it has urged all
The Israeli assault, which has gate civilian harm.” Diana Tamari Sabbagh Library, when he was 15. ian literary critic and Columbia sides to respect international law,
mainly focused on Gaza City and Photos taken by the municipal- which opened in 1988, also lie in museums, archaeological heri- University professor, began by noting that “cultural sites are ci-
the northern half of the Strip, ity showed the main library build- ruins. It was there that on Dec. 15, tage sites and university campus- crowdsourcing many of its vol- vilian infrastructure that cannot
came in response to a Hamas ing gutted, with books scattered 1998, with Clinton looking on, es in Gaza have all been damaged umes. Some were from the private be targeted and cannot be used as
attack on southern Israel on oct. 7 on a floor covered with debris and that hundreds of Palestinian and destroyed in Israeli attacks collection of its namesake, donat- military sites.”
that left about 1,200 people dead. dust, and few shelves intact. fighters voted to remove from the during the offensive, according to ed by his widow, mariam Said, The library will “be missed by
Civilians, however, have borne The library system included charter of the Palestine Libera- human rights and cultural heri- and some funding was received female students who used it as a
the brunt of the response, and at the Gaza municipal Library as tion organization clauses calling tage groups. Israel has said some from Pulitzer Prize- safe space,” Alijla said. The books
least 13,300 people have been well as a cultural center and a for the destruction of Israel. The of the sites, including the Islamic winning novelist Viet Thanh could be replaced, “but we also
killed in the Gaza Strip, while library for children. It was a gath- vote paved the way for a meeting University of Gaza, were used by Nguyen. lost a place of gathering,” he said.
80 percent of its inhabitants have ering space for events and a venue at the Erez border crossing be- Hamas operatives. There has been no information “The memories cannot be
been displaced. for students, families and writers. tween Arafat, Clinton and Israel’s A 2010 survey by the Palestin- about the current condition of the brought back.”
Amid all the destruction, resi- According to the Gaza munici- young prime minister, Benjamin ian Central Bureau of Statistics Edward Said Library.
dents have barely had an opportu- pality’s website, the library was Netanyahu, who at the time de- found that there are 13 public Abu Toha said he first had the Kareem fahim contributed to this
nity to grapple with the loss of the founded in 1999 through a twin- scribed the PLo vote as “a real libraries operating in the Gaza idea for the library in 2014, after report.