Editorial opinion

The world’s attention is on Israel and the escalating Palestinian crisis. The Israeli authorities are moving to commit genocide through the meting out of brutal punishment to whole population. There is no other way to call this. and it threatens to become even worse. Increasing attacks in Lebanon threaten to draw in other nations and increase the risk of global conflict.

A human tragedy is already unfolding in Gaza, and if the Israeli government carries out the threatened blitzkrieg, flattens Gaza City, creates mountain of civilian casualties and stations a permanent army there, the toll of dead and injured will be immense.

The crucial context of Israel’s war on Gaza

The following video from The Listening Post is censored and only available on YouTube. It provides an Insight into what is really going on and the complicity of the west’s governments and media in murder.

condemnation has come from the African union, the governments of South Africa, Belize, Colombia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Ireland, Kuwait, Morocco, Malaysia, Maldives. Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar Russia, Syria, Venezuela, and South Africa. Many others are deeply concerned. Millions of civilians have taken to the streets in support of the Palestinians in capitals and other major cities around the world.

Photo by Ahmed Saad/Reuters: A huge crowd gathers in Baghdad the capital of Iraq to show their support of the Palestinians

Photo by Martial Trezzini/EPA: People rally in Geneva the home of the European Union

In the West Bank, another occupied territory there has been a general strike and street marches calling for action to support those living in Gaza.

Israel argues that it is stamping out terrorism. This falls flat when the action is to target a population for collective punishment, and when no bones are made about targeting civilians, especially women and children. A horrible statistic is that 30 percent of Palestinians being killed by the Israeli action in Gaza are children.  

West Bank marches in support of Gaza

Hamas may have killed children in its incursion into Israel. We don’t really know. Unlike with Gaza, claims haven’t been verified. If it turns out that its true, these killings can’t be justified. Nor will it justify the Israeli authorities ordering the same on a much bigger scale.

Many Israelis are becoming angry at their government’s monumental failures. A ban has been put on journalists witnessing the attack on Gaza, and it is only a few who were already are reporting from the scene. Most western news is what is handed out by the Israeli government.

Until now, much of the West has excused and aided Israel’s move towards genocide. This includes the Australian government and opposition. They have joined Israel in turning a deaf ear to pleas from a range of human rights groups for the murder to be stopped.

Anyone who suggests the slaughter of Palestinians is alright or excuses it’s really saying that some human beings are less deserving to live than others. Crying crocodile tears over Israel deaths and ignoring the much greater number of Palestinian deaths is abetting a crime against humanity. It is justifying Israel’s application of an apartheid system. This is, that one people is less deserving than another and entitled to fewer rights.

There must be an end to the hypocrisy of preaching non-violence to the Palestinians, while at the same time ignoring the voice of Palestinians, blocking investigations by the International Criminal court, and arming the /Israeli state to the teeth. Without this, Palestinians will continue to feel betrayed and see no other possibility but to fight back in any way they can.

Distraught residents watch the bombs destroy their homes and kill

Hospitals are turning into morgues and half the patients are children

Killing must be stopped. The only way to do this is for international pressure to compel the parties to the negotiating table, declare a ceasefire, and start working for a genuinely workable solution.

This won’t happen unless the context is understood and dealt with. Hamas’ fighters are waging resistance against occupation, aggression, apartheid policies. The Israeli army is an occupation force that has been using terror to subjugate a people for more than 70 years.

Securing peace requires the world to act to end the blockade that is depriving the Palestinian population of food, water, medicine, electricity, sanitation, and other necessities. The blockade is an act of aggression under international law. So is the imprisonment of millions of people and the ongoing use of occupation military force.

The daily acts of violence and wholesale imprisonment Palestinians, including their children, without due process must be stopped.

The use of collective punishment on a whole population because of claimed wrongs perpetrated by a few is also a violation of international law., as is state sponsored expansion of settler colonialism and the expulsion of Palestinians from their land.

A solution that brings peace must also address the security of Israelis. Their ongoing existence is a reality, and their real interests lie in living in harmony with the Palestinian population.

None of this will be achieved by the Israeli state. A global effort is needed to secure the peace.

The latest news is that China is talking to the parties to bring them to the negotiating table. This is good news. China has built positive relationships with both parties and the region and is the best position to succeed.

But this doesn’t let those who excuse the mass killing off the hook.