Tue May 18, 2021 Political maneuvering rather than security considerations has occupied the Israeli Knesset (parliament) in recent years, certainly as it applies to Gaza. The Israeli government worked on arrangements of a long term quiet with Hamas in exchange for Israel easing up on the Gaza blockade and other concessions, including allowing Qatari money to reach Hamas. Israel’s attention was focused on four rounds of elections, with attempts to form coalition governments, a task not yet accomplished. Hamas sensed the chaos in Israel’s governance, and considered it an opportune time to strike and exact more concessions from Israel, while at the same time strengthening its standing among Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel, on its part, was wedded to the conception that Hamas “doesn’t want to escalate things,” and was thus caught by surprise. Since 2014 (Operation Protective Edge), there has been relative quiet on the Gaza border with sporadic rocket attacks t
This Isnât a Civil War, It Is Settler-Colonial Violence
Israeli security forces walk in Jerusalem s al-Aqsa mosque compound, the third holiest site of Islam, on May 14, 2021.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP via Getty Images
By
Earlier this week, massive protests erupted in â48 Palestinian towns and cities. â48 Palestinians (known as âcitizensâ of Israel) had mobilized to protest the threat of expulsion facing Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem, and in protest of Israelâs attack on al-Aqsa Mosque.
As Israel escalated its violence against the families in Sheikh Jarrah, worshipers in al-Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and in Gaza, â48 Palestinian protests escalated as well. Palestinians came out in their masses, from the Naqab to the Galilee, in what has become the most widespread protests among â48 Palestinians in living memory: Rahat, Tal sl-Sabeâ, Shkieb al-Salam, Shefa âAmerican, Yaffa, Haifa, Akka, Nazareth
Armed Israeli settlers arriving in Lydd (Lod) with protection from Israeli forces, May 12, 2021. (Photo: Twitter)
Earlier this week, massive protests erupted in ’48 Palestinian towns and cities. ’48 Palestinians (known as “citizens” of Israel) had mobilized to protest the threat of expulsion facing Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem, and in protest of Israel’s attack on al-Aqsa Mosque.
As Israel escalated its violence against the families in Sheikh Jarrah, worshipers in al-Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramadan and in Gaza, ’48 Palestinian protests escalated as well. Palestinians came out in their masses, from the Naqab to the Galilee, in what has become the most widespread protests among ’48 Palestinians in living memory: Rahat, Tal sl-Sabe’, Shkieb al-Salam, Shefa ‘American, Yaffa, Haifa, Akka, Nazareth Lydd, Umm al-Fahem, ‘Ain Mahel, Baka al-Gharbiye, Majd al-Kroum, ‘Arabe, al-Be’ene, al-Zarazir, Ramla, Kufr Kana, Jaljoulye,