The Illusion of Israeli Generosity at Rafah
📰 THE STORY: The New Arab reports that Israel partially reopened the vital Rafah crossing after a day of intense violence in Gaza, with promises of a wider reopening. The story implies this is a move towards easing the humanitarian catastrophe within the besieged territory. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This 'reopening' comes 17 years into an illegal blockade of Gaza,
intensified into a genocidal assault since October 2023 that has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, including 17,000 children. Rafah's very function as a 'crossing' is predicated on a colonial paradigm where movement in and out of Gaza requires Israeli permission, despite being on the Egyptian border—an arrangement maintained by Israel and facilitated by the US and Egyptian governments since at
least 2007. Double Standard: Imagine any other nation bombing a civilian population into famine, then presenting the 'partial reopening' of an entry point as humanitarian relief or a concession. When Russia besieges a city, any aid convoy is framed entirely as a lifeline against Russian atrocity. When Israel does it, their 'permission' is framed as a benevolent act rather than a temporary lifting
of a deliberately imposed siege that amounts to collective punishment, a war crime under international law. Follow the Money: The very 'aid' allowed through is largely funded by US taxpayers, often distributed by UN agencies that themselves rely on US and Western funding, funneling money back into a system that props up the Israeli military industrial complex. Furthermore, the US provides $3.8