FIFA, World Bank Ponder Gaza Reconstruction, Not Who Blew It Up
Al-Monitor breathlessly details how FIFA, the Arab League, and the World Bank are lining up to pledge funds for Gaza’s staggering $70 billion reconstruction. A heartwarming tale of future-building, just as the present-dismantling effort is in full swing. This philanthropic enthusiasm for fixing what isn't yet broken (enough) ignores that the United States is concurrently approving billions in new
military aid to Israel, the very entity allegedly necessitating this colossal reconstruction bill. For instance, in May 2024, the Biden administration notified Congress of its intent to send over $1 billion in new arms to Israel, mere weeks after a $14 billion aid package was already enacted. One might charitably assume these international bodies exist in an alternate dimension where cause and
effect are purely coincidental. Or perhaps, discussing who’s funding the demolition makes it harder to secure funds for the rebuilding. We're asked to celebrate the generosity of future donors while ignoring the continuous supply chain of destruction—a peculiar form of financial planning where one hand digs the crater and the other passes the hat to fill it. It appears some organizations are more
comfortable tallying the damages than holding anyone accountable for them.