Rubio's Gaza 'Governance' Plan: Imperialism with a Smile
Senator Rubio, fresh from his December 19 announcement to Al-Monitor, believes Gaza will soon be blessed with 'new governance bodies' (an 'international board' and 'Palestinian technocrats') and 'foreign troops.' This familiar tune of 'stabilization' after relentless bombing conveniently omits the context of nearly two decades of siege and occupation. Critics might recall the 2005 Israeli
withdrawal from Gaza, which swiftly morphed into an economic blockade and multiple devastating military operations, not exactly a blueprint for self-governance. It's a miracle how these 'solutions' always involve external control, never genuine Palestinian sovereignty. Rubio, who has a history of hawkish foreign policy and received $29,660 from pro-Israel groups in 2022 (OpenSecrets.org), seems to
confuse self-determination with a geopolitical puppet show. One might wonder if these 'governance bodies' will be allowed to rebuild the flattened hospitals or demand an end to the siege. Or perhaps their primary role will be to 'cement a fragile ceasefire'—a ceasefire that follows 35,000+ deaths (Palestinian Ministry of Health), suggesting a rather robust conflict. It sounds less like liberation
and more like an administrative upgrade for an open-air prison.