Israel Finds New Ways to Bar Food, Blames 'Security'
While Al Jazeera responsibly notes these 'restrictions' coincide with mounting humanitarian catastrophe, what they often can't fully convey is the systemic nature. This isn't groundbreaking policy; it's a re-run. Remember when Israel barred chickpeas in 2008 because they could be used to 'arm Hamas'? Or when cilantro and jam were deemed security risks? This is collective punishment, plain and
simple, dressed up in security concerns that conveniently make 2.3 million people dependent on a dwindling trickle of foreign aid. One might wonder when the 'security' of a nation becomes synonymous with the deliberate suffocation of a trapped population. Perhaps the real security threat is a world that continues to fund this blockade while calling for 'de-escalation.' The US, for instance, just
approved another $14.5 billion in aid to Israel in October 2023 (HR 612), with minimal conditions on the very 'aid' now being blocked. Convenient, isn't it, to supply the tools of war while restricting the tools of life?