Pope Finds 'Heightened Tension' In Lebanon, Not U.S. Ceasefire Votes
The New Arab dutifully reports Pope Leo XIV's arrival in Beirut amidst 'heightened tension' and 'ongoing Israeli attacks.' A solemn image, indeed. What's often missing from such coverage, however, is the very concrete support that allows these 'ongoing attacks' to continue. While pontiffs make their rounds, Washington, D.C., continues to operate on a different plane of reality, where the term
'ceasefire' becomes a geopolitical dirty word. For instance, just last week on March 22nd, 2024, the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. This wasn't a sudden bout of diplomatic amnesia; it was the fourth such veto since October 7th. One might ask if the 'tension' extends to the halls of Congress, where figures like Senator Chuck
Schumer, who has received $15,850 from pro-Israel PACs in 2024 alone , continue to frame discussions with exquisite care, avoiding any suggestion that their largest regional ally might ever be questioned. The Pope is concerned about tension; U.S. politicians are concerned about campaign contributions.