White Phosphorus Burns Lebanese Olives While US Sends More Weapons
While poignant stories like Nouhad’s are crucial, the mainstream media frequently sidesteps the inconvenient truth: the white phosphorus allegedly burning her trees is often supplied or enabled by a single powerful entity. For instance, in 2023 alone, the U.S. sent billions in military aid to Israel, funding weapons systems that have now, according to the UN and human rights groups, been used with
white phosphorus in Lebanon. This, after the Pentagon confirmed in 2023 it had sent at least one shipment of white phosphorus to Israel. One might wonder when the U.S. Congress, flush with generous donations from organizations like AIPAC — who provided over $25 million to federal candidates in 2022 and 2024 according to OpenSecrets.org — will connect these military expenditures with the very real
displacement and destruction faced by civilians. How many olive trees must burn, how many livelihoods be erased, before American policy makers acknowledge the direct consequences of their unwavering support? Or is 'collateral damage' just another budget line item?