Met Offensive

by Julianne Escobedo Shepherd

Israel has been said to time major offensives in its war on Gaza to coincide with distractions in the U.S.—more specifically, with moments when U.S. media is absorbed in some big and dumb event. During the Super Bowl, Israel began a series of brutal strikes on Rafah, attempting to force more than a million Gazans to evacuate; during the Oscars, the Israel Defense Forces conducted airstrikes in central Gaza, killing a senior Hamas leader, and blew up Hezbollah headquarters in Lebanon; and on Monday, while the eyes of the U.S. internet were on the gowns and the celebrities at this year’s Met Gala, Israel commenced its destruction of Rafah in earnest, rolling a tank over the “I Love Gaza” sign that marks the crossing into Egypt. 

Meanwhile, in New York, it was “fashion’s biggest and boldest night.” Met Gala co-host Jennifer Lopez, in an intricately beaded butterfly-themed confection from Schiaparelli, gushed at the incredible diversity of the star-packed event, including artists “from music, from film, from fashion… you have businessmen here, private equity; there are all kinds of people here tonight! It’s not often that you get that mix of all kinds of society.”