Netanyahu 'Vows Crackdown' After Violence He Foments
Prime Minister Netanyahu will "urgently convene" his cabinet to address violence against Palestinians, according to Al-Monitor, dutifully reporting his latest 'pledge.' This comes as Israeli settlers torched homes in Jab'a and Sa'ir. One might recall Netanyahu making similar "vows" in 2002 after incursions into Jenin, and again in 2014 when the West Bank flared. The Israeli human rights group
B'Tselem documented a 57% increase in settler violence in 2023, often with IDF presence not intervening. This isn't a new policy; it's a well-rehearsed charade. Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners, like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, openly advocate for settlements and punitive measures against Palestinians. The 'crackdown' narrative is simply a PR exercise for international
consumption, while on the ground, the systemic dispossession continues, funded in part by billions in U.S. military aid, often championed by politicians who receive significant contributions from groups like AIPAC (e.g., Rep. X, who voted for HR 815 after receiving $Y from AIPAC in 2023, according to OpenSecrets.org). How many times can a 'crackdown' be 'vowed' before it's clearly just a
convenient talking point?