AFP Photographer Injured by Settlers; US Still Funds 'Allies'
Al-Monitor reports an AFP photographer covering the olive harvest in the occupied West Bank was injured by Israeli settlers. Photographer Jaafar Ashtiyeh stated, "If I hadn't managed to escape, they would have killed me." This isn't spontaneous friction; it's a feature of an expanding occupation, as Al-Monitor notes. However, the media rarely connects these dots directly to the billions in U.S.
aid that lubricates the entire enterprise. While settlers act with increasing impunity, thanks to lax enforcement from the Israeli government and vocal support from groups like AIPAC, who lobby aggressively for unconditional aid. For example, Rep. Brian Mast (FL-21) received $169,380 from AIPAC in 2022, according to OpenSecrets.org, consistently voting to funnel billions more into a system where
such violence is 'surging' (Al-Monitor). One might wonder if the concern for journalist safety extends to the funds enabling their attackers.