14 israel lights the fuse, CDC drops mask rec

big idea: israel lights the fuse & attacks gaza

1. israel is several days into an aerial bombardment of gaza after attacking muslims praying in al-aqsa mosque in jerusalem late last week. protests and near-lynchings have also broken out across israel in cities where arabs and jews historically lived side-by-side in relative calm.
2. as usual, the violence is hugely asymmetric - over a hundred palestinians have been killed, including dozens of children, and only eight israelis. israel has targeted press offices, apartment buildings, and health clinics, and has caused water and power services to be severely curtailed.
3. the current violence is also linked to both israel’s and palestine’s recent election attempts. palestine’s elections were called off after it became clear hamas would overwhelmingly win, which has led hamas to saber-rattle more than usual to save face. israel’s march election led to a defeat of prime minister’s Netanyahu’s coalition. he was set to leave office this week before violence broke out, and it’s now increasingly unlikely that he will anytime soon due to the crisis he caused.
4. so, where’s the US in all of this? Joe said before the election he had no interest in resolving the arab-israeli conflict, and that military aid to israel (totalling $4 billion a year) shouldn’t be conditional on good behavior. he has so far stuck to these unreasonable promises, despite Bernie (and even some moderate dems) arguing that US money should come with strings attached. it’s clear that Joe sees nuclear negotiations with iran, where he needs israeli cooperation, as a higher priority.
5. we also want to note how important disinformation has been on the israeli side. the military and prime minister’s office have both put out misleading tweets and videos in recent days not just as a tactic to confuse hamas, but also to inflame tensions and spread lies about palestinians. this is the future of warfare - not just bombs and soldiers, but WhatsApp forwards and tweet storms. time to warn your crazy auntie about that sketch group she’s a member of.

story to watch: CDC drops mask recommendation

1. the CDC revised its recommendations on thursday, saying fully vaccinated adults mostly don’t need to wear masks and can stop social distancing. this comes as vaccines have been found to cut viral transmission and are highly protective against COVID variants.
2. states and companies were sent scrambling this week as people demanded local rules change to reflect the new guidelines. while Starbucks, Costco, and Trader Joe’s announced masks would essentially become optional in their stores, GM and Kroger have decided to stick with mask mandates. without vaccine passports (which we discussed in issue 8), businesses have no other option but to take people at their word that they are vaccinated.
3. experts worry common folk will take this as news that the pandemic is over, despite only 36% of americans being fully vaccinated. it seems that the CDC is gambling more people will get vaccinated if they see there are actual benefits in doing so. states are still desperate to boost vaccination rates though, with ohio giving $1 million lotto tickets with shots, though that still wouldn’t be enough for us to move there.

this week’s image: kid celebrates eid

• (Getty) a muslim girl in kenya celebrates eid al-fitr, the holiday at the end of ramadan, at an amusement park

this week’s number: Instacart’s market share is 30%

1. Instacart is booming, with leaked documents showing it has a 30% market share in the online grocery pickup and delivery industry, just shy of Walmart’s 31%. Instacart growth during the pandemic comes at Walmart’s expense - pre-COVID, Walmart had a 40% market share, and Instacart had 20%.
2. this is a huge challenge for Walmart and all traditional grocers. by 2025, 21% of all grocery shopping is expected to be online. it’s still an open question how profitable Instacart actually is though, with its IPO delayed until later this year.

what we’re watching: “The Handmaid’s Tale”

1. the fourth season of “The Handmaid’s Tale” dropped on Hulu last month, and we’re finally getting around to watching this Emmy-winning dystopian TV show. based off the book by Margaret Atwood, the newest season is deliciously provocative, cinematically stunning, and nail-bitingly suspenseful.
2. set in an alternative future where sexist rapists take control of the US after a second civil war, it examines power dynamics, sexual violence, and religious intolerance. maybe don’t watch it with the kids, okay?

and, in case you missed it:

• reader A.P. in north carolina reports continuing gasoline shortages as a result of a fuel pipeline hack and subsequent shutdown. read issue 1 for our take on the cybersecurity of critical american infrastructure.
• the US Mint announced a series of quarters celebrating american women, including poet Maya Angelou and astronaut Sally Ride
• chicago has given up on life, releasing a thousand feral cats onto streets to combat its rat problem. stay tuned as they release a hundred rabid dogs next month to combat its cat problem.

the weekly rundown is produced by Yunus, Faisal (@faisalc93), and Ahmed (@ahmedhcheema). learn more about us and email us your comments and feedback!