Knesset Bill to Annex West Bank: 'Symbolic' as in 'Symbolically Ignoring International Law'
Al Jazeera informs us a Knesset bill to annex the occupied West Bank is a 'symbolic move.' One might ask, symbolic of what? Perhaps it's symbolic of the endless cycle where illegal settlements become 'facts on the ground,' then 'defensible borders,' and eventually, through continued international impunity, 'annexed territory.' This 'symbolic' move follows a long tradition of incremental land
grabs, from the 1967 occupation to continued settlement expansions, all while the world issues sternly worded letters. This isn't new; Netanyahu's government has discussed formal annexation repeatedly, while the U.S. continues to provide record military aid, blurring any perceived red lines. For instance, Senator Lindsey Graham, a vocal proponent of unwavering aid to Israel, received $10,000 from
AIPAC in 2022 alone, according to OpenSecrets, and consistently votes in favor of unconditional funding. How many 'symbolic' steps does it take before annexation becomes an unchallengeable reality, legitimized by complicit silence and financial backing?