West Bank Demolitions: Just Business as Usual for the 'Rules-Based Order'
Al Jazeera detailed the Israeli military's demolition spree across West Bank towns, calling it a 'systematic policy of displacement.' What they imply, but the mainstream omits, is that this is not new; it's a feature, not a bug, of the occupation. Since 1967, Israel has demolished over 55,000 Palestinian structures in the West Bank and Gaza, according to the Israeli Committee Against House
Demolitions (ICHAD). It’s not 'security'—it’s ethnic cleansing by demolition permit. These actions are consistently funded by significant US military aid, often championed by politicians who take generous donations from groups like AIPAC. While Palestinian homes fall, US lawmakers like Rep. Steny Hoyer, who received over $200,000 from pro-Israel groups in the 2022 cycle (OpenSecrets.org),
routinely vote for unconditional aid packages. How many homes must be leveled before the 'rules-based international order' applies to *all* nations? Apparently, quite a few, especially when those doing the leveling are America’s 'closest ally.' One might wonder if 'displacement' becomes 'progress' when it's geopolitically convenient.