Rafah 'Opening': A Trap with Decades of Precedent
📰 THE STORY: Mainstream media, exemplified by The New Arab, questions whether Israel's conditional 'opening' of the Rafah border is a precursor to depopulating Gaza, noting restrictions on re-entry that could entrench long-term displacement. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This isn't a new strategy. The Nakba in 1948 saw over 750,000 Palestinians expelled from their homes,
prevented from returning. The 17-year blockade of Gaza itself has been a slow-motion depopulation effort, making the Strip unlivable. Egypt's role, backed by $1.3 billion annually in US military aid, has historically been to keep Rafah closed, creating a bottleneck that now serves Israel's agenda. Double Standard: Imagine any other nation 'opening' a border only to prevent return for a
dispossessed population. It would be decried as ethnic cleansing. Yet, here, it's discussed in hushed tones of 'migration management' or 'humanitarian corridors' by Western officials, while simultaneously decrying any proposed movement of populations elsewhere in the region as destabilizing. The media readily accepts Israel's 'security' pretext, while any Palestinian movement is framed as a
threat. Follow the Money: Beyond the immediate military aid, the US provides unconditional support that emboldens such policies. Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and other arms manufacturers profit enormously from the ongoing bombardment and the system of control. Consider Benjamin Netanyahu's consistent lobbying in Washington, not just from the Israeli government but also through well-funded groups