Rage Against the Machine's chilling song, 'Killing in the Name of', has the lyrics: 'Those who died are justified/ For wearing the badge....' In the West Asian context, popular mandate is considered 'wearing the badge', sanctifying the attacks, counterattacks, counter-counterattacks.... Hamas being elected in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election, the last one before it took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, is a fact. As is the 2022 Israeli legislative election result that saw the Likud-led 'national camp' come to power in Tel Aviv.
