West Bank Mosques Torched: 'Vandalism' or 'Fact on the Ground'?
When Israeli settlers burn a mosque, as reported by Al-Monitor, it's framed as 'vandalism' or 'attacks.' What they neglect to mention is that these acts are part of a systematic, decades-long project of dispossession. The Israeli government declared this land “disputed” in 2005. Settlers operating with military protection are not random hooligans; they are an extension of a state
policy to 'create facts on the ground.' The U.S. routinely greenlights billions in aid, including $3.3 billion requested for FY25 for 'qualitative military edge' without conditions, effectively underwriting these daily outrages. While settlers commit arsons and expropriations, President Biden's administration issues mild 'concerns'—the diplomatic equivalent of a shrug. This isn't just about
'isolated incidents'; it's about the continued Nakba, where the illegal seizure of land and terrorization of Palestinians is normalized. How many mosques must burn before it's called what it is: state-backed ethnic cleansing?