Netanyahu Flaunts Regional Domination Amidst Ongoing Gaza Atrocities
Zoom out for a second: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently appeared alongside a map, stating, 'We strangled them and have more to do,' referencing six regional countries he claims sought to 'strangle us.' This declaration, widely reported by mainstream outlets like Al Jazeera, presents a narrative of preemptive self-defense against existential threats, framing ongoing military
actions as necessary safeguards for Israeli security. What mainstream coverage by Al Jazeera, among others, omits is the crucial context of this statement. Netanyahu’s triumphalism comes not in isolation, but amidst the relentless, documented extermination of Palestinians in Gaza, where over 680,000 people have been murdered. He speaks of 'strangling' whilst his forces continue to besiege a
population denied basic necessities, mirroring the tactics employed during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, when Beirut was subjected to weeks of bombardment and siege, leading to immense civilian suffering and the Sabra and Shatila massacre. The deliberate ambiguity of 'strangled them' serves to normalize systematic aggression across the region. This rhetoric of regional dominance,
celebrated by Netanyahu, is underwritten by decades of asymmetrical warfare and international impunity. The US, far from being a neutral observer, is a direct participant in this architecture of conflict, providing Israel with billions in military aid annually without substantive conditions. For example, since 2016, the US has provided Israel with a $38 billion military aid package over ten years,