Many people who like to use the word "genocide" know perfectly well there is no such thing, it is only a political tactic, and an effective one for ignorant people.
But only because the ultimate arbiter, the UNSC, hasn't branded it such. Nor the ICC. But the ICJ is very close to doing so, and the campaign that Netanyahu is preferring for Rafah might change their mind.
Today, the ICJ unanimously demanded Israel immediately make available basic services and humanitarian assistance. This unanimity is important, because so far, all ICJ orders have been qualified by the lack of support from Vice-President Sebutinde and/or Judge ad hoc Barak > https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240328-pre-01-00-en.pdf
Even if these high political and legal institutions will not call it genocide, it nevertheless has the stench of it: too many senior Israeli political and military decision-makers have expressed genocidal intent publicly (see pp59-67 https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf); with the majority of Gazan domiciles now uninhabitable, and with famine and pestilence rife, another part of the definition of genocide - deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction - makes Israel's conduct of this war a de facto genocide.
Furthermore, the herding of civilians into Rafah with no way out is another dimension to this cataclysm. Egypt must take the blame aswell for this, keeping its gate firmly locked. And this too is important, because it's not an either/or but a both/and: just because Israel has forced this upon Gazan noncombatants doesn't mean that Egypt is off the hook. And in the same way, just because Hamas have committed the atrocity (and in my book a war crime) of 7 October does not absolve Israel of all subsequent actions. Israel has always had a choice.
I pray that Netanyahu makes the choice not to assault Rafah, because otherwise the ICJ will brand Israel a genocidal state, a marker that cannot be erased from the history books. And Caitlin will earn vile money by selling the T-shirt.
Many people who like to use the word "genocide" know perfectly well there is no such thing, it is only a political tactic, and an effective one for ignorant people.
Perfectly stated, down to the word. Thank you.
You are right, Thomas, it isn't genocide. Yet.
But only because the ultimate arbiter, the UNSC, hasn't branded it such. Nor the ICC. But the ICJ is very close to doing so, and the campaign that Netanyahu is preferring for Rafah might change their mind.
Today, the ICJ unanimously demanded Israel immediately make available basic services and humanitarian assistance. This unanimity is important, because so far, all ICJ orders have been qualified by the lack of support from Vice-President Sebutinde and/or Judge ad hoc Barak > https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240328-pre-01-00-en.pdf
Even if these high political and legal institutions will not call it genocide, it nevertheless has the stench of it: too many senior Israeli political and military decision-makers have expressed genocidal intent publicly (see pp59-67 https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf); with the majority of Gazan domiciles now uninhabitable, and with famine and pestilence rife, another part of the definition of genocide - deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction - makes Israel's conduct of this war a de facto genocide.
Furthermore, the herding of civilians into Rafah with no way out is another dimension to this cataclysm. Egypt must take the blame aswell for this, keeping its gate firmly locked. And this too is important, because it's not an either/or but a both/and: just because Israel has forced this upon Gazan noncombatants doesn't mean that Egypt is off the hook. And in the same way, just because Hamas have committed the atrocity (and in my book a war crime) of 7 October does not absolve Israel of all subsequent actions. Israel has always had a choice.
I pray that Netanyahu makes the choice not to assault Rafah, because otherwise the ICJ will brand Israel a genocidal state, a marker that cannot be erased from the history books. And Caitlin will earn vile money by selling the T-shirt.