COLONIALISM

EDITOR—In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP President Lara Friedman speaks with Mouin Rabbani about Israel’s war on Gaza, its offensive in Lebanon, and how these and other developments fit into Israel’s broader objectives in the region, most notably with respect to Iran. Mouin is widely published analyst and commentator on Palestinian affairs, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the contemporary Middle East. He was previously Senior Analyst Middle East and Special Advisor on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group, and head of political affairs with the Office of the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria. He is Co-Editor of Jadaliyya E-zine.

CARA MARIANNA—Settlers appear to enjoy playing at being soldiers. In another common bullying tactic, settlers dress as soldiers and order shepherds off of their land. But just as commonly settlers remain dressed in civilian clothing as they bully shepherds. When these illegal incidents are later reported, the same settlers don military uniforms and, in a sadistic cat-and-mouse game, mockingly “investigate” their own crimes. The villagers, who recognize their victimizers, are powerless to do anything and have no legal recourse.

MARTIN C FREDERICKS IV—It’s true that a year and two days ago Hamas fighters killed Israelis in an attack. It’s equally true that even at the low end of death estimates, and using the inaccurate figure of 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas on that day, in the past year Israel has visited 35 October 7ths upon the people of Palestine. Factor in estimates of people trapped under the rubble and otherwise missing, and it’s more like 167 October 7ths. Finally, it’s true that Israel has been murdering Palestinians for 76 years now…Meanwhile, much of what we’ve been fed since Oct. 7, 2023 by the governments of Israel and the USA has been untrue.

EDITOR—The Israeli government presents this invasion as a “limited” one, but as many have pointed out the same was said about the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. That led to years of brutal warfare and an occupation that lasted nearly until the end of the century. The Israeli government often describes its aggressive operations as “limited” to gain support in the West, but somehow they never stay “limited.”

Akbar Shahid Ahmed spoke to a career U.S. official who said that the administration was permitting “a nihilistic regional murder spree.” That is unfortunately all too accurate. Among other things, Israeli forces recently bombed Yemen by targeting critical civilian infrastructure once again. They seem to delight in devastating the vital infrastructure of the poorest parts of the region. The Netanyahu government’s first instinct appears to be to inflict collective punishment of the civilian population of other countries.

EDITORS—Visibly moved upon Israel’s assassination of an exemplary revolutionary leader, Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, Laith struggles to describe the feelings of sadness and devastation among the anti-imperialist activists in Lebanon, Palestine and beyond, explaining that, however painful this blow is, it will not stop the work to liberate Palestine and defeat the imperialist scourge blighting the world. Hezbollah will continue its attacks on the Zionist entity until a new Middle East arises.