US Calls It 'Ceasefire,' Gaza Calls It 'Slightly Slower Genocide'
Al Jazeera’s 'By the Numbers' highlights how a reported month-long Gaza ceasefire isn't actually a cessation of violence, but a new speed setting on destruction. Meanwhile, US politicians who champion such semantic gymnastics continue to rake in cash. For instance, Senator Bob Menendez, a vocal proponent of unwavering aid to Israel, received over $1.5 million from pro-Israel PACs and individuals
throughout his career, according to OpenSecrets.org. This consistent financial backing often aligns with votes on aid packages that maintain the very conditions Al Jazeera describes. So, when US officials declare a 'ceasefire' as Israeli forces continue operations that lead to civilian casualties and displacement (as documented by UN data), one might wonder if they're consulting a different
dictionary—perhaps one ghost-written by defense contractors. How many 'ceasefires' does it take before we question if anyone is actually using that word correctly, or if it's just a PR term for 'escalation-lite'?