As we noted, Arab-on-Arab violence is rarely reported. In these highly distorted times, such stories lack journalistic impact. Result: it's as if they never happened.
We have two more to offer. These concern Moslem-on-Moslem violence rather than Arab-on-Arab. We leave to you to judge whether they get, or have gotten, the media coverage and awareness that they deserve.
A well-known but now retired Turkish military general, Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu, interviewed in a prominent Turkish news medium, reveals that when Turkish forces invaded Cyprus in 1974 (they have been in illegal occupation of 36% of Cyprus from then until today), they destroyed a mosque. Why? Because when you see yourself as being at war with your foe
...certain acts of sabotage are staged and blamed on the enemy to increase public resistance
Laconic-enough language. But when you pay attention to the vituperation emanating from Turkish sources in the wake of the failed assault on the Israeli naval blockade of Hamastan/Gaza, you see that they assertively claim some very high ground. Likewise, tensions between the Turks and their despised Greek neighbors have long run high. When it was suggested in the past (and it was) that Turkish tactics included self-inflicted damage for the effect it might have, the official Turkish response was "nonsense". Turns out not so much. The full interview is here.
Meanwhile a chemical bomb (see original news report) that exploded this past Tuesday in the vicinity of the Islamic Society of Portland, Maine, turns out to not be another Islamophobic hate crime. This report says the local police were contacted in the wake of the explosion by Islamic elders who informed them the culprit was... a 13 year old from the Islamic Society community.
And why would he do such a thing? Well, because - and we're quoting - he "was experimenting". What could be more normal? Experimentation is part of the American way, no? How else do we expect a kid to grow to full manhood and blow things up properly?
Two notes to keep in mind. One - a second bomb was located by police underneath a parked vehicle before it was detonated. And two - a popular eatery, the Back Bay Grill, is located a handful of meters from the site of the explosion and the second bomb and shares a car park with the Islamic center.
What could be more normal than a teenager building and laying home-manufactured explosive bombs in a public place and then setting them off? And lest we jump to the conclusion that the locals are troubled to the point of acting - well, not really. The news report says: "Police say it's unclear if charges will be filed against the teenagers." (Plural.)
Now imagine for a moment the media festivities if it turned out the Israeli army was behind the bombing of a synagogue for the effect. Or if local Jewish kids experimented with live explosives in the car park of a major capital city restaurant, right next to a Mosque.
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