Al Jazeera Asks About Colonialism, Skips Current Occupation
When Al Jazeera asks, 'Can former colonial powers be held accountable for past atrocities?' a vital follow-up question is left unspoken: What about current colonial powers, or those actively enabling them? The debate, sparked by Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf calling for French compensation, is rich in historical context but notably silent on the ongoing occupation of Palestine. It’s a
convenient amnesia, perhaps: While focusing on centuries-old injustices by France, the media often downplays contemporary military occupations. Israel, for instance, has received over $158 billion in U.S. taxpayer money since its founding ( Council on Foreign Relations ). This ongoing financial and military support directly underwrites policies that critics, including UN human rights experts, have
repeatedly labeled as effectively colonialist. One might wonder if 'accountability' only applies to the historical record, safely tucked away in dusty archives, and not to the daily atrocities enabled by modern-day political and financial arrangements. Is it 'colonialism' only when it happened to *them* long ago, but 'security assistance' when it happens today, far from mainstream cameras?