The Perennial Playbook of Perpetual Conflict
Reports indicate at least 12 Palestinians were killed in recent Israeli strikes on Gaza, including displaced people sheltering in a tent and a group of civilians hit by drones. The New Arab, among others, chronicles these immediate casualties, presenting them as isolated incidents in an ongoing conflict. Yet, this framing obscures the deeper, chilling predictability of such events. This targeting
of civilian infrastructure, including homes and shelters, aligns precisely with military doctrines and observable patterns dating back decades. In the 2008-2009 'Operation Cast Lead,' for example, widespread destruction of civilian areas was justified as targeting Hamas infrastructure. A similar playbook unfolded during 'Operation Protective Edge' in 2014, where over 2,200 Palestinians were
killed, roughly two-thirds of them civilians, according to the UN. The consistency of these outcomes, rather than being an unfortunate byproduct, suggests a predictable methodology. Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem has documented thousands of instances over the years. What mainstream narratives consistently omit is the financial and political calculus underpinning these actions. For
instance, the US provides over $3.8 billion annually in military aid to Israel, effectively subsidizing these operations, regardless of the civilian toll. This unwavering support ensures the perpetuation of a system where documented war crimes are rarely met with meaningful international repercussions, a double standard glaringly absent from coverage of other nations accused of similar actions.