I will leave it to historians to debate whether Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. But what is absolutely clear to me right now is that this Israeli government is committing suicide, homicide and fratricide.

It is destroying Israel’s standing in the world, it is killing civilians in Gaza with seemingly no regard for innocent human life, and it is tearing apart Israeli society and world Jewry, between those Jews who want to still stand with Israel no matter what and those who can no longer tolerate, explain or justify where this Israeli government is taking the Jewish state and now want to distance themselves from it.

I was struck by this paragraph in The New York Times’ story from Israel on Monday about the Israeli strikes on a hospital in southern Gaza, killing at least 20 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry — including five journalists who worked for international media outlets, plus medics and several others: “The Israeli military said it had carried out a strike in the area of Nasser Hospital, without saying what the target was. The statement said the military regretted ‘any harm to uninvolved individuals,’ adding that its chief of staff had ordered an immediate inquiry.”

Obviously sensing that many around the world were appalled by this explanation — I mean, how many times have we heard this? — the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare statement of contrition, saying that “Israel deeply regrets the tragic mishap.”

The truth is, though, what Netanyahu called a “tragic mishap” is the inevitable byproduct of his policy of stringing out the war in Gaza in order to stay in power, to avoid his criminal trials and to avoid any Israeli inquiry commission into his profound complicity in the failure to prevent the surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. For Netanyahu to stay in power, he needs the support of far-right ministers, such as Bezalel Smotrich, who is engaged in an effort to carpet the West Bank with as many Jewish settlements as he can to prevent any Palestinian state from emerging there. Smotrich is also encouraging the eviction of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, to pave the way for Israel to absorb both.

But here’s the problem: Israel has already devastated Hamas as a military force and killed virtually all of its top commanders who planned the Oct. 7 attack. So now, to justify the continued war effort, it must go after lower-level commanders, who are living and hiding among civilians.

It is one thing for a country at war to justify collateral damage when going after the enemy’s top leaders. It is something entirely more sinister when you are killing and wounding dozens of civilians to try to kill, say, the deputy to the deputy commander.

It is also devious and sinister when you use your military to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians from one part of Gaza to the other — under the guise of evacuating them from fighting zones — and then deliberately bulldoze the homes they left behind for no real military reason but with the clear ulterior motive of making life so miserable for them that they will leave the area entirely. And it is shameful when you stop and start humanitarian aid, with the hope that people will get hungry enough to leave.

But as I said, this is not just homicide pure and simple; it is also suicide and fratricide. Israel is now well on its way to making itself a pariah state — to the point that Israelis will think twice about speaking Hebrew when traveling abroad.

Consider these recent news items from around the world:

— “The manager of a leisure park in southern France has been detained for alleged religious discrimination after a group of Israeli children were refused access.”

— “Australia has hit back at Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu after he branded the country’s prime minister ‘weak,’ with an Australian minister accusing the Israeli leader of conflating strength with killing people.”

— “When 1,600 Israelis aboard a Mano Maritime cruise were stranded off the Greek island of Syros … as protesters blocked their entry, it was a jarring reminder that Israeli tourists today can face hostility simply because of their passports.”

Unfair, says the Israeli government. The world seems to have forgotten, it argues, that Hamas murdered some 1,200 people; kidnapped some 250, including women, children and elderly; and is still holding some alive in inhumane conditions in tunnels and elsewhere in Gaza. Hamas’ leadership could have ended all of this suffering by agreeing to quit Gaza and release all its hostages. By perpetuating this war, Hamas has also engaged in its own heinous crimes — the murder of Israeli hostages and the human sacrifice of thousands of Palestinians to Hamas’ mad dreams.

It’s all true — and relevant.

So why is the world ganging up only on Israel now? Because it holds Israel to a higher standard than Hamas, because Israel has always held itself to a higher standard.

And because the world can tell the difference now between a war being waged for the survival of the Jewish state and a war being waged for the political survival of its prime minister. And finally, because the world can no longer look the other way, as it did for months, at the loss of Palestinian civilian life in Gaza as the inevitable byproduct of a war in which — it hoped — Israel was trying to expel Hamas from Gaza and replace it with an Arab peacekeeping force in partnership with the Palestinian Authority. The PA has recognized Israel and could, if reformed, be a partner for a two-state solution.

But because Netanyahu has now made it crystal clear that he refuses to let Gaza be ruled by either Hamas or the PA, the war increasingly looks like what it now is: a war to extend Israel’s occupation from the West Bank to Gaza. So it appears to many around the world that Palestinian civilians are being killed by the dozen almost daily as the inevitable spillover not from a just war for Israeli survival and an attempt to produce a better Palestinian partner in Gaza but rather from an effort to ensure that Israel has no Palestinian partner in Gaza.

Is it any wonder Israel is losing so many friends around the world — as well as potential regional partners like Saudi Arabia — for whom this is becoming obvious?

As for fratricide, if this war continues this way, it is going to rip apart many, many synagogues around the world during the Jewish High Holidays this year — between those who feel the need to stand with Israel, right or wrong, and those who simply can’t stand this Israeli government’s awful behavior in Gaza any longer, especially when they see hundreds of thousands of Israelis themselves taking to the streets against this government.

It is also going to rip apart the Democratic Party, between those who are afraid to defy the influential Israeli lobbying group AIPAC, for fear of losing campaign funding to their Republican opponents, and those who just can’t stand it any longer.

Alas, if this is geopolitical suicide, as I believe, it has become assisted suicide. There is one person who could stop it all right now, and that is President Donald Trump. I hope that I am wrong, but I fear that — just as Trump was duped by Russian President Vladimir Putin into giving up on a ceasefire in Ukraine and opting instead for the chimera of total peace — Trump has been duped by Netanyahu into giving up on a ceasefire in Gaza in pursuit of Bibi’s fantasy of “total victory.”

Thomas Friedman writes a column for the New York Times.

How on earth is it almost September?

When I was a kid, summer seemed to last forever. I’d spend hours face down in a clover patch, happily imagining an entire world of tiny people living underneath a canopy of heart-shaped leaves.

Now that I am a grown-up, summer blows by in a blink. I was just racing to sign my kids up for summer camp, and now I’m thinking about what to pack for school lunches, one of my least favorite things to do.

But done it must be. So I spent some time scrolling through New York Times Cooking in search of some high-protein lunch ideas for my kids. In that spirit, here are a handful of easy, protein-rich weeknight dinners whose leftovers pack up beautifully in a lunchbox.

1. Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy caviar. Cowboy caviar, baked chicken meatballs and coconut curry tofu pack up nicely in lunchboxes. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui. (David Malosh/The New York Times)

Depending on where you’re from, this simple dip is known as cowboy caviar or Texas caviar, and it’s a favorite at tailgates and potlucks all over the South. Its creator, Helen Corbitt, a dietitian from New York, had never heard of black-eyed peas when she moved to Texas in 1931. The exact details are fuzzy, but at some point in her 40 years working in restaurants there, she combined black-eyed peas with a simple vinaigrette, and it was a big hit. The recipe has evolved over the years, and you can find a number of variations online. Some contain corn and black beans (as this one does), and others avocado. Some call for bottled Italian salad dressing, others homemade. No matter how you tweak it, it’s always good with a pile of tortilla chips.

Recipe from Helen Corbitt

Adapted by Margaux Laskey

Yield: 8 cups

Total time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours’ chilling

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Kosher salt and black pepper

For the salad:

3 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded if desired, and diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 to 4 cobs) or thawed, drained frozen sweet corn (about 8 ounces)
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish, if desired
1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Tortilla chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to combine.

2. Add the tomatoes, red onion, black beans, black-eyed peas, corn, bell pepper, jalapeño and cilantro. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

3. To serve, toss well and season to taste. Sprinkle with scallions and serve with tortilla chips.

2. Baked Chicken Meatballs

Baked chicken meatballs. Cowboy caviar, baked chicken meatballs and coconut curry tofu pack up nicely in lunchboxes. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)

These weeknight-friendly chicken meatballs come together in a snap, with minimal chopping and minimal mess. They’re made with a panade — a simple combination of breadcrumbs and milk — which makes for light and tender meatballs. Baked meatballs aren’t quite as charred and caramelized as the pan-fried variety, but they do brown nicely underneath, thanks to contact with the hot sheet pan. A hit with adults and kids, chicken meatballs can be served as a snack with your favorite sauce for dipping or tossed with a simple tomato sauce and served over pasta.

By Lidey Heuck

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 pound ground chicken (preferably not 100% breast meat)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Lemon wedges (optional), for serving
Simple tomato sauce, Buffalo sauce or jarred marinara sauce (optional), for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine the panko and milk and set aside until the panko has absorbed all the milk.

3. Crack the egg into a large bowl and beat lightly with a fork. Add the chicken, Parmesan, parsley, oil, garlic and onion powders, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly, then fold in the panko mixture.

4. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop or your hands, form meatballs that are about 1 1/2 inches wide. (You should have about 16 meatballs.) If the meatballs aren’t holding their shape, chill the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up before continuing.

5. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until just cooked through and browned underneath. Serve hot or at room temperature, with lemon wedges and sauce for dipping, if desired.

Tips: To freeze, bake meatballs as directed and cool completely. Arrange the meatballs on a tray or large plate that fits in your freezer and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Place the meatballs in a freezer-safe plastic bag (squeezing out as much air as possible) or other container, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, heat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the frozen meatballs in a baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until heated through.

3. Slow Cooker Chickpea Stew With Lemon and Coconut

Soothing yet bright, this soup tastes like something that took careful attention but really just requires throwing five ingredients into a slow cooker and letting it cook for hours. Dried chickpeas and cauliflower soften in the gentle heat, and the coconut milk thickens as the mixture cooks, seasoned with earthy turmeric and sweet lemon peel. While a little lemon juice balances the richness, the predominant lemon flavor here isn’t tangy but rather floral from the peels releasing their oils into the stew. Reminiscent of curries throughout South and Southeast Asia, it can be eaten over rice or with sliced almonds or cilantro on top, but it can just as well stand alone.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: About 6 to 8 hours

INGREDIENTS

1 pound dried chickpeas (no need to soak)
1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into big florets
2 (14-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
Salt and black pepper
2 lemons

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chickpeas, cauliflower, coconut milk, turmeric and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Use a vegetable peeler to peel wide strips of zest from the lemons, then add to the slow cooker. Add enough water to just cover the cauliflower.

2. Cover and cook on low until the beans and cauliflower are tender, 6 to 8 hours.

3. Stir in the juice of half the lemon, then season to taste with salt, pepper and more lemon juice until the soup is rich and bright. The strips of lemon peel are deliciously sweet and floral, not at all bitter, but feel free to discard if you prefer.

4. Coconut Red Curry With Tofu

Coconut red curry with tofu. Cowboy caviar, baked chicken meatballs and coconut curry tofu pack up nicely in lunchboxes. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. (Julia Gartland/The New York Times)

This simple weeknight red curry relies on jarred or canned red curry paste for flavor, which you can find at larger supermarkets and specialty markets. Transfer leftover canned curry paste to a jar, top it with a little oil, and store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for longer storage. Feel free to substitute other vegetables for the mushrooms and snow peas, though you might have to increase the cooking time slightly if using something dense like carrot or cubed winter squash.

By Melissa Clark

Yield: Serves 4

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

14 ounces extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil
1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
2 shallots or 1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Thai chile or 2 serrano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
3 tablespoons prepared red curry paste
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup snow peas
Basil and/or cilantro leaves, for garnish
Brown or white rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut tofu into 1-inch slabs and place on paper towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another layer of paper towels and place another baking sheet on top. Let sit for 20 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ginger, shallots, garlic, chile and cilantro stems, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Stir in curry paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk, scraping up any curry paste with a wooden spoon. Add fish sauce, lime zest and juice. Add tofu cubes and snow peas. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and the snow peas are tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and add more salt and/or fish sauce if needed.

3. Serve warm with brown rice and a scattering of torn basil and/or cilantro leaves on top.

5. Easy Burritos

Easy burritos. Cowboy caviar, baked chicken meatballs and coconut curry tofu pack up nicely in lunchboxes. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (Christopher Testani/The New York Times)

Saucy and savory with just ground beef, beans and cheese, this easy recipe is inspired by Los Angeles-style burritos, which restaurant critic Jonathan Gold once summarized as “the rough equivalent of a hard hat’s lunch pail, a method of constructing a filling, portable meal from a tortilla, last night’s beans and a spoonful of stew if there was one.” This burrito’s filling eschews guacamole, sour cream, rice and raw vegetables which means it freezes well for up to 3 months. The seared ground beef is simply spiced, but feel free to swap in a stewed meat like birria or tinga de pollo or make it vegetarian with just beans and cheese.

By Ali Slagle

Yield: 6 burritos

Total time: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow or white onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or chipotle or ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (15-ounce) can black or pinto beans
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice, or apple cider vinegar
Hot sauce, for drizzling (optional)
6 burrito-size (about 10-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet, press the beef into an even layer to fill the skillet. Sprinkle with the onion. Cook over medium-high, undisturbed, until the meat is deeply browned underneath, 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Sprinkle with the cumin, smoked paprika and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Break up the beef into small pieces, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and the spices are fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.

3. Add the beans, including the liquid, and the tomato and simmer, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture starts to sizzle, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

4. Arrange the tortillas on a clean work surface. Sprinkle half the cheese across the center of the tortillas, left to right, leaving a 1-inch border. Top each with 2/3 cup of the beef-bean mixture, followed by the remaining cheese. Drizzle on hot sauce, if using.

5. Fold the tortilla’s short sides over the filling, then fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling. Tightly roll away from you until the burrito is sealed. Repeat with the other tortillas.

6. When ready to eat, in a nonstick skillet over medium, place the burritos seam side down. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.

Tips:

To make ahead, prepare through Step 5. Let cool slightly, then wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove the foil and wrap the burrito in a damp paper towel. Microwave, seam side down, until warm, 1 to 4 minutes. Remove the towel and continue to Step 6.

Related Articles

Recipe: Cheese straws are easy to make and delicious

Matcha madness leaves Japan’s tea ceremony pros skeptical

Gretchen’s table: Bucatini with burst cherry tomatoes and fried caper crumbs offers ample flavor

Quick Fix: Sweet and Tangy Pork Kabobs with Corn on the Cob

Secrets for a great pasta salad

Today is Wednesday, Aug. 27, the 239th day of 2025. There are 126 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Aug. 27, 2011, Hurricane Irene made landfall in the United States; the storm would be responsible for 49 total deaths and more than $14 billion in damage.

Also on this date:

In 1883, the island volcano Krakatoa erupted with a series of cataclysmic explosions. The explosions (which could be heard 3,000 miles away) and resulting tsunamis in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait claimed some 36,000 lives in Java and Sumatra.

Related Articles

Cracker Barrel relents, says its old logo will return

Rochester woman charged for using racial slur against Black child at playground

Book authors settle copyright lawsuit with AI company Anthropic

AT&T snatches up wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar for $23 billion

CSX railroad’s merger prospects derail as BNSF and CPKC make clear they aren’t interested in a deal

In 1894, Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act, which contained a provision for a graduated income tax that was later struck down by the Supreme Court.

In 1964, the film “Mary Poppins” had its world premiere in Los Angeles, California.

In 1979, British war hero Lord Louis Mountbatten and three other people, including his 14-year-old grandson Nicholas, were killed off the coast of Ireland in a boat explosion claimed by the Irish Republican Army.

In 1982, Rickey Henderson of the Oakland A’s stole his 119th base of the season, breaking Lou Brock’s single-season stolen base record. (Henderson would finish the season with a still-unmatched 130 stolen bases.)

In 1990, blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughn and four others were killed in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin.

In 2001, Israeli helicopters fired a pair of rockets through office windows, killing senior PLO leader Mustafa Zibri.

In 2005, coastal residents jammed freeways and gas stations as they rushed to avoid Hurricane Katrina, which was headed toward New Orleans.

In 2008, Barack Obama was nominated for president by the Democratic National Convention in Denver, becoming the first Black presidential nominee from a major political party.

Today’s Birthdays:

Author William Least Heat-Moon is 86.
Actor Tuesday Weld is 82.
Former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., is 82.
Actor G.W. Bailey is 81.
Rock musician Alex Lifeson (Rush) is 72.
Actor Peter Stormare is 72.
Rock musician Glen Matlock (The Sex Pistols) is 68.
Golfer Bernhard Langer is 68.
Gospel singer Yolanda Adams is 64.
Fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford is 64.
Actor Chandra Wilson is 56.
Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Thome is 55.
Rapper Mase is 50.
Actor Sarah Chalke is 49.
Actor Aaron Paul is 46.
Actor Patrick J. Adams (TV: “Suits”) is 44.
Singer Mario is 39.
Actor Alexa PenaVega is 37.
Singer-songwriter Kim Petras is 33.
U.S. Olympic and WNBA basketball star Breanna Stewart is 31.
Rapper/singer-songwriter Rod Wave is 27.

TORONTO — Mickey Gasper hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning, Matt Wallner added a go-ahead homer and the Twins rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman came on in the ninth with Toronto leading 4-3, but Gasper greeted him with a game-tying homer, the first of his career.

Four batters later, Wallner gave the Twins the lead with a two-run homer, his 20th. Wallner homered twice in Monday’s 10-4 loss.

The Twins snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the third time in 12 games.

The blown save was Hoffman’s seventh in 35 chances. Hoffman has allowed 12 home runs.

Hoffman (8-5) left to boos from the crowd of 42,235 after walking Edouard Julien. The right-hander retired two of the seven batters he faced.

Minnesota’s Michael Tonkin (2-0) got two outs for the win and Justin Topa pitched around Daulton Varsho’s pinch-hit RBI double in the ninth to earn his fourth save in six chances.

George Springer went 4 for 5 with two home runs, but it wasn’t enough for the AL East-leading Blue Jays. Springer hit a 433-foot drive in the second, then added a 445-foot blast in the fifth. The homers were his 23rd and 24th. It was Springer’s fourth multi-homer game this season and the 28th of his career.

Luke Keaschall hit a two-run home run for Minnesota, his third.

Key moment

Wallner connected on the first pitch he saw from Hoffman, a 96 mph fastball.

Key stat

The Twins have homered in 22 consecutive games at Rogers Centre, dating to 2017. It’s Minnesota’s longest home run streak at any road stadium. The Twins homered in 21 straight games at Kansas City between 1998 and 2001.

Up next

Blue Jays LHP Eric Lauer (8-2, 2.76 ERA) is expected to start Wednesday. The Twins have not named a starter.