I don't think you can prove the case that Israel has genocidal intentions. It certainly feels like an accusation that rises to the extent of the damage and death, but I just don't believe it's an apt description. Was America's war in Afghanistan a genocide? Was their war in Iraq? Genocide, by law, requires inten…
I don't think you can prove the case that Israel has genocidal intentions. It certainly feels like an accusation that rises to the extent of the damage and death, but I just don't believe it's an apt description. Was America's war in Afghanistan a genocide? Was their war in Iraq? Genocide, by law, requires intent. You can absolutely prove that Israel has the intention of allowing an intolerably high number of civilian deaths — 'collateral damage' — but I don't think you can prove that the civilian deaths are the point. Israel could, tomorrow, clear Gaza and displace its entire population. It has spent decades dealing with the PA in Gaza, allowing Gazans to enter Israel for work, building infrastructure in Gaza, etc. You can, and should, argue that many of those policies and programs were inadequate and even, at times, malicious. But I don't think it portends a desire to destroy the Palestinian people. As I point out, it was Israel who offered a deal for independence in 2000, and it was the Palestinians who said no. Yes, some cabinet officials have said truly unhinged and grotesque things. And, yes, the IDF have breached international law and ignored reports making that clear. We can be honest about that. But I reject the idea that we must support something greater, the accusation of genocide, or else our criticisms are actually apologia.
My point is specifically that we still have the tools to punish those responsible by removing Netanyahu and supporting an alternative that supports peace. You can confine yourself to your outrage, but I don't think that brings the world closer to peace.
'Reject' my criticisms till you're blue in the face (they're not 'my' criticisms, in fact, but those of individuals... journalists, lawyers, human rights advocates, whom I profoundly respect and defer to in the context of on-point astute critics of Israel's depraved assault on the citizenry of Gaza). You're a word smith, but you're not the voice of clarity that you purport to be. Being self-critical about this, it won't hurt you. It'll better your journalism. In vital ways.
Well, sorry to see you go.
I don't think you can prove the case that Israel has genocidal intentions. It certainly feels like an accusation that rises to the extent of the damage and death, but I just don't believe it's an apt description. Was America's war in Afghanistan a genocide? Was their war in Iraq? Genocide, by law, requires intent. You can absolutely prove that Israel has the intention of allowing an intolerably high number of civilian deaths — 'collateral damage' — but I don't think you can prove that the civilian deaths are the point. Israel could, tomorrow, clear Gaza and displace its entire population. It has spent decades dealing with the PA in Gaza, allowing Gazans to enter Israel for work, building infrastructure in Gaza, etc. You can, and should, argue that many of those policies and programs were inadequate and even, at times, malicious. But I don't think it portends a desire to destroy the Palestinian people. As I point out, it was Israel who offered a deal for independence in 2000, and it was the Palestinians who said no. Yes, some cabinet officials have said truly unhinged and grotesque things. And, yes, the IDF have breached international law and ignored reports making that clear. We can be honest about that. But I reject the idea that we must support something greater, the accusation of genocide, or else our criticisms are actually apologia.
My point is specifically that we still have the tools to punish those responsible by removing Netanyahu and supporting an alternative that supports peace. You can confine yourself to your outrage, but I don't think that brings the world closer to peace.
'Reject' my criticisms till you're blue in the face (they're not 'my' criticisms, in fact, but those of individuals... journalists, lawyers, human rights advocates, whom I profoundly respect and defer to in the context of on-point astute critics of Israel's depraved assault on the citizenry of Gaza). You're a word smith, but you're not the voice of clarity that you purport to be. Being self-critical about this, it won't hurt you. It'll better your journalism. In vital ways.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/israeli-genocide