It’s hard to ignore blatant double-speak being normalized by Israel.

Strikes began in southern Gaza after the Israeli military said “terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire” toward its troops in Rafah, killing two soldiers.

Hamas said it was “unaware” of any clashes in the area under Israeli control.

By evening, Israel said it had hit Hamas targets across Gaza, with hospital sources saying 44 people were killed.

I’m reminded how Egypt achieved total surprise in 1973 when the Israelis, and the Americans for that matter, were too caught up believing their own lies.

Or perhaps more to the point, Netanyau’s rise to power has been implicated in the assassination of Rabin, to stop anyone from making peace with Palestinians. Netanyahu stirred extremist violent political groups by decrying Oslo peace accords with vitriolic hate.

To this day, the killing of Yitzhak Rabin by a man determined to halt the Middle East peace process remains that rare thing: an act of political violence that wholly achieved its aim. Judged by the goal it set itself, it is surely the most successful assassination in history.

A cease-fire deal where Israelis are opening fire to enforce it, sounds on brand for Netanyau… if not authoritarians before him like Stalin.