Palestinian coup de grâce?

In December 2021, documents pertaining to the massacres perpetrated by Israeli soldiers during the Palestinian Nakba of 1948 were declassified for the first time. The report highlighted that while 120,000 Palestinians resided in the targeted area, only 30,000 were left to recount their ordeal.

Of course, such stories only garner a lackluster response, being a mere cog, which makes up the bigger machinery of annihilation.

Earlier this month, a video on social media showcased how the Apple system software ‘Siri’ fails to recognise the state of Palestine. For many around the world, this is nothing short of a coup de grâce to mark another year of death, destruction and devastation that has been inflicted on the Palestinians.

Today, Israel by design is the sole governing authority over Palestinians from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Its policies of repression towards the Palestinian people undeniably constitute apartheid. Of course, imperialistic components exclude the settlers who peacefully reside in (forcefully) confiscated houses.

Repeated admonishments by the United Nations only seem to have spurred the Israeli leadership into carrying out its activities with much more vigour. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the behaviour of the new Israeli government — elected in June 2021 — under Naftali Bennett is even more extreme than its predecessor.

This year, a Framework for Cooperation was also signed between the US and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) which stipulated that subject to strict clauses, the US would resume funding the UN agency. The conditions included intervention in the school curricula of UNRWA- run schools, especially on matters related to religion and geography, as well as screening the map of Palestine.

Even though an apparatus of dehumanisation and repression against Palestinians in terms of scrutiny and spying has always existed, a prime focus this year was to control the persecuted Palestinian populace using technology premised on abusive facial recognition, hijacking phones, and placing severe restrictions on all movement. Moreover, using smartphone technology called ‘Blue Wolf’ the Israeli army has accumulated an extensive database calling it the ‘Facebook for Palestinians’. Further to this, they have also constructed what they call an ‘iron wall’ around besieged Gaza. Covid-19 has further enabled many firms central to Tel Aviv’s rule to further expand under the guise of a public health crisis. These include Israeli biometric startup AnyVision, the NSO Group, and Elbit Systems.

Dissent peaceful or otherwise is immediately branded terrorism.

Needless to say, Israeli surveillance systems have become central to controlling the everyday lives of Palestinians. Occupied Palestine has long been a laboratory for Israeli firms to test their invasive surveillance technologies before they can be exported globally. On the other hand, Israeli policies since 2000 have had an economic toll on Palestinians estimated at $57.7 billion — a third of real GDP — according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) report.

In the race for accruing greater economic benefits and thus reinvigorating prominence, world leaders’ inadvertence to the Palestinian cause is palpable. To all intents and purposes, Israel does not flinch from its settler-colonial mantle. Failure of the international community to stand up to the Israeli occupation has only encouraged the ever-increasing discriminatory and genocidal policies.

Another year is coming to a close with no end to the Palestinian struggle in sight. The wings of global support for Sheikh Jarrah witnessed in May have long receded.

In essence, the Palestinian occupation is defenceless against the barbs created by ignorance and inaction. Reinforcing these are the divisions among the Palestinian leadership as could be seen in the municipal elections. Unless the root causes of the conflict are addressed, the world will keep witnessing the birth of generations that are increasingly anxious, angry and filled with fear.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2021.

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