FT Discovers 'May Lose' the House Colonized Decades Ago
The Financial Times article, 'The house we built. The city we may lose,' presents a Palestinian writer's poignant reflection on potential loss in Ramallah. A touching narrative, no doubt. But the framing of 'may lose' conveniently skips over the 1948 Nakba, the 1967 occupation, and the relentless, internationally illegal settlement expansion that has systematically dispossessed Palestinians for
generations. This isn't a new phenomenon; it's a slow-motion land grab documented by countless human rights organizations and, occasionally, even the UN. One might wonder at the timing, portraying this as a recent concern rather than the foundational trauma and ongoing reality for Palestinians. The 'may lose' is a linguistic gymnastics routine. It's like calling a man whose house is being
bulldozed 'at risk of losing his home.' The 'house they built' is indeed theirs, but the context of an accelerating, state-sanctioned dispossession isn't a future tense 'may lose'—it’s a past and present reality. Meanwhile, politicians like Representative Steny Hoyer, who received $105,798 from AIPAC in 2022-2024 (OpenSecrets.org), continue to reaffirm 'unshakeable' support for policies that
ensure these 'losses' continue, without consequence.