Joseph Massad

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced a plan to use Nile crocodiles as prison guards at Ketziot Prison in the Naqab desert. The Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman classified crocodiles as 'cultivated wild animals' to facilitate their deployment in prison moats. The prison, known as Ansar III during the First Intifada, has a history of detaining Palestinians.

The article argues that Arab recognition of Israel is a reward for its territorial expansion and land theft, citing recent agreements like Lebanon's acknowledgment of Israel's 'sovereignty' in 2026. It criticizes US pressure on Arab and Muslim-majority countries to normalize relations with Israel, linking this to Israel's ongoing actions in Palestine and broader settler-colonial policies.

The article critiques the 250th anniversary of US independence as an occasion to celebrate ultranationalism and rewrite history, erasing the roles of slavery, dispossession, and white supremacy. It contrasts statements by President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama, highlighting how both perpetuate a myth of American benevolence.

The article argues that Palestinian elites have historically collaborated with colonial forces, including British occupiers and Zionists, to suppress resistance movements. It claims this pattern began in the 1920s and continues today through the Palestinian Authority's actions against resistance in the West Bank.