Partners In Genocide: The Gaza That Existed Before October Seventh No Longer Exists

Do you know what year saw the adoption of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide? 

1948. 

I expect most people reading this will know, with a sense of tragic irony, that 1948 was also the year of the Nakba — the violent displacement and dispossession of the Palestinian people along with the destruction of their society, culture, identity, political rights, and national aspirations.

Just wait until you work out the Nakba has never ended. It hits you real hard.

The 2023/24 genocide of Gaza isn’t a ‘Nakba 2’, because the death, oppression, and ethinic cleansing — including some of the gravest crimes against humanity of the 21st Century, hasn’t ever stopped. 

To qualify as genocide or attempted genocide, two things are required. First, the specific intent of the perpetrator to destroy all or part of an identified national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. Second, commission of at least one of five specified acts designed to make that happen.

The South African petition matches at least three of the five acts that constitute genocide when linked to specific intent. Remember, you only need one. 

Those include killing members of the group, causing serious physical or mental harm to members of the group, and, perhaps most indicative of genocidal purpose, creating “conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction.

For specific intent, South Africa points to more than 500 examples made by Israeli leaders, including the President, Prime Minister, and other cabinet officials, and as well as Knesset members, military commanders, and more.

On 15 October 2023, over 800 scholars and practitioners of international law, conflict studies and genocide studies signed a public statement warning of the possibility of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. 

On the 16th October the United Nations warned: 

“We are sounding the alarm: There is an ongoing campaign by Israel resulting in crimes against humanity in Gaza. Considering statements made by Israeli political leaders and their allies, accompanied by military action in Gaza and escalation of arrests and killing in the West Bank, there is also a risk of genocide against the Palestine people”.

On the 2nd November the United Nations experts issued another warning stating: 

“We remain convinced that the Palestinian people are at grave risk of genocide. The time for action is now. Israel’s allies also bear responsibility and must act now to prevent its disastrous course of action.”

“The Israeli airstrike on a residential complex in the Jabalia refugee camp is a brazen violation of international law – and a war crime. Attacking a camp sheltering civilians including women and children is a complete breach of the rules of proportionality and distinction between combatants and civilians.”

On the 16th November, the United Nations issued yet another serious warning: 

“Many of us already raised the alarm about the risk of genocide in Gaza.” 

“We are deeply disturbed by the failure of governments to heed our call and to achieve an immediate ceasefire. We are also profoundly concerned about the support of certain governments for Israel's strategy of warfare against the besieged population of Gaza, and the failure of the international system to mobilise to prevent genocide.”

Again, on the 21st November, UN experts reiterated their warnings saying: 

“We are deeply distressed at the failure of Israel to agree to – and the unwillingness of the international community to press more decisively for – an immediate ceasefire. The failure to urgently implement a ceasefire risks this situation spiralling towards a genocide conducted with 21st century means and methods of warfare.” 

On the 6th December United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said:

“My humanitarian colleagues have described the situation as apocalyptic. In these circumstances, there is a heightened risk of atrocity crimes".

Turk also noted what he called "dehumanizing and inciteful statements" made by high-level Israeli officials and figures fromu Hamas, which he said could potentially be viewed as incitement to committing atrocity crimes.

"History has shown us where this kind of language can lead.” 

"This is not just unacceptable, but a competent court may view such statements in the circumstances in which they are made as incitement to atrocity crimes."

Once again, on the 21st December the UN warned of “hate speech and dehumanising discourse targeted at Palestinians, raising severe concerns regarding Israel’s and other State parties’ obligation to prevent crimes against humanity and genocide.”

I can keep going if need be, but I think you and I can both safely say the whole world was undoubtedly made aware of Israel’s incitement to genocide and genocidal actions.

You have witnessed what I have witnessed. 

The genocide of Gaza is the first genocide in history where the victims have documented and streamed their own deaths on TikTok. The Gaza that existed before October 7th no longer exists.

Israel doesn’t seem to think they’ve done anything wrong by grinding Gaza and its population into the ground. 

But from day one, when Netanyahu promised to “eliminate Hamas”, the only likely outcome was defeat because you simply cannot eliminate an ideology with bombs.

The elimination of Hamas was a cover for the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Gaza. The Zionists have made no secret of their lust for forcible displacement and mass murder.

If you spent your Friday morning taking in the Israeli submission to the International Court of Justice you have my deepest sympathies. 

While the South African case was compelling, emotive, and fundamentally based upon facts, the Israeli case was dishonest, disorganised, entirely subjective and ultimately a circus where the clowns were struggling to stay in control.

In reality, we do not need the ICJ or any other institution (that’s main funder is the United States) to tell us there’s a genocide happening in Gaza, do we? 

What we do need from the apparent defenders of human rights and upholders of justice is for them to simply do their jobs, because if they fail to do so the entire credibility of international law itself may be lost as collateral damage. 

While the moral authority of the West is now irreparably diminished the result from The Hague will undoubtedly define the integrity of the institution that has found itself on trial alongside Israel.

Before I go, please allow me to give you the latest horrifying tally of death and destruction as of Friday evening. 

(98) days since the genocidal war.

(1,968) massacres committed by the occupation army.

(30,469) murdered and missing persons.

(23,469) murdered who arrived in hospitals.

(10,300) children murdered.

(7,100) murdered women.

(337) murdered medical staff.

(45) murdered Civil Defence staff. 

(117) murdered journalists.

(7,000) missing - 70% of whom are children and women.

(59,604) infected.

(6,200) injured people needing to travel for treatment to save a life.

(707) wounded that have travelled for treatment.

(10,000) cancer patients face the risk of death.

(99) cases of arrest of health personnel.

(10) detained journalists.

(2) million displaced people in the Gaza Strip.

(400,000) infected with infectious diseases as a result of displacement.

(134) government buildings destroyed by the occupation.

(95) schools and universities completely destroyed by the occupation.

(295) schools and universities partially destroyed by the occupation.

(142) mosques completely destroyed by the occupation.

(240) mosques partially destroyed by the occupation.

(3) Churches targeted and destroyed by the occupation.

(69,200) housing units completely destroyed by the occupation.

(290,000) housing units partially destroyed by the occupation.

(65,000) tons of explosives dropped by the occupation on Gaza.

(30) Hospitals taken out of service by the occupation.

(53) health centres destroyed by the occupation.

(150) health institutions partially destroyed by the occupation.

(121) ambulances destroyed by the occupation army.

(200) archaeological and heritage sites destroyed by the occupation.

The genocide of Gaza was predicted before it happened, the alarm bells were sounded while it was, and still is happening, and the only conceivable answer from the International Court of Justice is to confirm to the world that the accusation of genocide against the state of Israel is proven. 

Until next time…

Rachael 

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts, if you want to chip in towards improving my ongoing campaign, and it would cause you *no hardship*, you can do so here: