Palestine and Palisades Are Burning for the Same Reason

For prioritizing the advancement of capitalist and colonial interests over the lives and well-being of millions.

When I saw the flames engulf the city of Los Angeles last night, the first thing that came to mind, after recognizing all the familiar spots I used to hop around, was a Serbian movie that loses its impact when translated: Pretty Village, Pretty Flame (Lepa Sela Lepo Gore). It’s a film about the war in Bosnia—morbid, comical in its tragedy, and brilliant in its own way—and not just for its title. Pretty places burn so beautifully, don’t they? All those iconic California landmarks—it’s a tragedy, but, man, do they burn spectacularly!

I’m not trying to enrage or shock you.

Is the California inferno in the first week of 2025 truly shocking to you, after everything you’ve witnessed over the past 15 months? I’m speaking with morbidity, I can’t help it, because it’s a continuation of the same morbidity that’s been unfolding for over a year now. Pretty places burn beautifully—but what about the tents in Gaza? Does Gaza burn as beautifully? Small, beautiful children brought to hospitals, with t…