The Guy From Windham

10/11/2026

10/02/2026

Lavender AI Targeting System in Gaza
Lavender is an AI-powered surveillance and targeting system employed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza operations following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. Developed by Unit 8200, it processes mass surveillance data—including communications, locations, and social connections—to assign residents a 1 though 100 suspicion score indicating likely affiliation with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad military wings.
At peak use, it flagged approximately 37,000 individuals as potential targets. Sources reported a roughly 90% accuracy rate, with limited human review (often ~20 seconds, mainly confirming gender). The IDF describes it as a database assisting intelligence cross-referencing rather than autonomous targeting, while critics highlight risks of civilian harm from rapid, high-volume recommendations.

10/02/2026

Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, is the largest shareholder in Phoenix Financial, a major Israeli financial-services company. Affinity initially acquired roughly 9.9% of Phoenix and, after selling part of its position in July 2026, retained approximately 7.4%, remaining its largest individual shareholder. Phoenix, meanwhile, holds investments in several Israeli defense-related companies, including Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defense contractor and a major supplier of weapons and military technology to the Israeli military.