Israel Demolishes Palestinian Homes While US Politicians Demolish Budgets
The Israeli government recently demolished a residential building in East Jerusalem, forcing 100 Palestinians from their homes, citing 'lack of permits'—permits that are notoriously difficult, if not impossible, for Palestinians to obtain in areas targeted for Israeli expansion. This isn't an isolated incident; since 1967, Israel has demolished over 55,000 Palestinian structures in the occupied
territories, according to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). While US politicians trip over themselves to denounce 'housing insecurity' at home, these demolitions barely register a blip. Perhaps it's because many of these champions of 'security' and 'democracy' are too busy securing their next campaign donation. For instance, Senator Bob Menendez, a vocal supporter of Israeli
policy, received $18,300 from AIPAC in the 2022 election cycle (OpenSecrets.org). One might wonder if the demolition of Palestinian homes figures into the 'shared values' these donations are often purported to protect.