Israeli forces walk near the Dome of the Rock during a crackdown on Palestinian protests at Al-Aqsa compound against the possible forced expulsion of several Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of Jerusalem on May 7, 2021 [File: Ammar Awad/Rreuters] Israel is a colonial war machine that never sleeps. Its mounting provocations in Jerusalem in recent weeks have predictably driven Palestinians to the streets in protest. Hence, the short answer to the question, “why?”, is simply, “why not?”, considering that every new Israeli day brings along more Palestinian dismay. The Israeli occupation, repression, disruption, discrimination, property confiscation or home demolition are a decades-long daily affair. Likewise, racist and violent provocations by Israeli fanatics are common practice in the occupied Palestinian territories.