Israel Escalates Gaza Strikes After Recovering Fighter Bodies
Another day, another 'escalation' in Gaza, this time spurred by the recovery of bodies. The New Arab article, like so many others, presents this as a reactive measure, a proportional sigh of exasperation from a regional superpower. What they don't say is that 'escalation' is just Israel's default setting, especially when its political leadership needs a distraction, a domestic win, or another
opportunity to 'mow the lawn.' Netanyahu's government has employed this precise playbook for decades, from the 2008-09 'Cast Lead' operation to 2014's 'Protective Edge,' always with devastating consequences for Gaza's civilian population, yet somehow always framed as 'self-defense.' We hear of 'fighter bodies,' but the subsequent 'strikes' inevitably claim the lives of civilians trapped in an
open-air prison. The UN's reporting of 535 'violations' by the Israeli army in Gaza this year alone before this 'escalation' began offers a rather glaring context that mysteriously fades from prominence when a new cycle of violence is underway. One might wonder: how many Palestinian deaths does it take to make the international community consider Israel's actions an 'escalation' worthy of more
than a mild rebuke? Or do only certain bodies count as justification for collective punishment?