It is rather fitting that the United States celebrating a genocidal holiday while supporting genocide in Palestine. Here is US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby trying to justify US backed Israeli genocide by claiming it is Hamas that is genocidal:
John Kirby is not an expert on genocide. He is a retired United States Rear Admiral. What are the experts on genocide saying?
They are saying Israel is in fact carrying out a genocide. Raz Segal, an Israeli expert on modern genocide, in an interview with DemocracyNow has called this a textbook case of genocide.
So, when we look at the actions taken, the dropping of thousands and thousands of bombs in a couple of days, including phosphorus bombs, as we heard, on one of the most densely populated areas around the world, together with these proclamations of intent, this indeed constitutes genocidal killing, which is the first act, according to the convention, of genocide. And Israel, I must say, is also perpetrating act number two and three — that is, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and creating condition designed to bring about the destruction of the group by cutting off water, food, supply of energy, bombing hospitals, ordering the fast evictions of hospitals, which the World Health Organization has declared to be, quote, “a death sentence.” So, we’re seeing the combination of genocidal acts with special intent. This is indeed a textbook case of genocide. - Raz Segal
And other experts agree. Over 800 legal scholars have signed onto a letter saying “The ongoing and imminent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip are being conducted with potentially genocidal intent.”
Another letter, signed by over 100 organizations and genocide scholars, says, “Alarmingly, Israeli officials have been issuing statements that indicate a clear intent to commit war crimes, crimes against humanity and incitement to commit genocide, using dehumanising language to describe Palestinians.”
Usually genocide is difficult to prove as it is hard to find clear intent. But Israel is not hiding their genocidal intent. In October, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said:
“It is an entire nation out there that is responsible. It is not true this rhetoric about civilians not being aware, not involved. It’s absolutely not true. They could have risen up. They could have fought against that evil regime which took over Gaza in a coup d’etat.”
This is textbook collective punishment, illegal by the Geneva convention. Many other Israeli officials have made similar statements:
“We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly.” - Yoav Gallant, Israeli defense minister
“We’re fighting Nazis.” - Naftali Bennett, former Israeli prime minister.
“You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible — we do remember.” - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, referencing scripture that calls for killing men, women, children, and infants.
“To be clear, when they say that Hamas needs to be eliminated, it also means those who sing, those who support and those who distribute candy, all of these are terrorists. They should all be eliminated” - National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir
“There is no such thing as uninvolved civilians in Gaza.”- Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, who also called for dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza.
“I don’t call them human animals because that would be insulting to animals.” - Sara Netanyahu, wife of the prime minister
“We are now rolling out the Gaza nakba” - Israeli agriculture minister, Avi Dichter
When it comes to genocide, Israel has been very open about their intentions.
The US is thoroughly complicit in supporting this genocide. Florida Congresswoman , Debbie Wasserman Schultz, well known for her help rigging a primary, tweeted out:
I’m also thankful @POTUS did not heed calls for an immediate ceasefire weeks ago, as Israel could not have achieved this breakthrough had one occurred. A unilateral ceasefire only serves Hamas terrorists, who broke a ceasefire on Oct. 7th - and vow to do so again and again.
She is thankful that we did not have a ceasefire sooner so that more Palestinian children could be brutally murdered by Israel. She is also thankful for her big fat check from AIPAC.
And the Biden regime is also concerned about the recent pause that was agreed to in order to exchange hostages, according to Politico:
There was no sense that the pause would turn into a lengthier cease-fire, a senior administration official said. And there was some concern in the administration about an unintended consequence of the pause: that it would allow journalists broader access to Gaza and the opportunity to further illuminate the devastation there and turn public opinion on Israel.
Over 50 journalists have already been assassinated by Israel during the genocide and the Biden administration is concerned that a pause in the bombing would allow journalists to actually do their job without being murdered. There is no concern for the Palestinians who are the victims of this genocide. There is only concern that the world might find out what Israel is doing to them.
In fact, according to another Politico article:
The Biden administration has been providing Israel with the location of humanitarian groups in Gaza for weeks to prevent strikes against their facilities. But Israel has continued to hit such sites.
The US provides Israel with the GPS coordinates for humanitarian sites and hospitals and Israel then proceeds to bomb those sites.
And at home, according to a report by CNN, “A Muslim postal worker was attacked while wearing a hijab, and many Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian Americans leaders have told CNN they are experiencing post-9/11 levels Islamophobia – or worse.” And former Obama national security advisor is harrassing Arab-Americans. Lesser evilism is certainly evil and it is very questionable that it is lesser.
Today we remember the genocide of the indigenous peoples at home and abroad. The United States, like capitalism, was born in blood, and is continuing its genocidal legacy with Joe Biden at the helm. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.
Thank you Birrion Sondhahl for this thought provoking essay!
I posted a link for this piece to Mastodon Social and X, but shadow banning is not an imaginary phenomenon.
These pictures of death and indiscriminate destruction will outlive those powerful but dwindling voices that defend this ongoing genocide.
Very powerful article and I am so hoping that your voice and all our voices will rise together to stop this terrible slaughter of the people of Palestine. I spoke with a Palestinian visiting professor once at Whitworth University and he pointed out that in some cities of Palestine the majority of people are Christians. He felt that fact was purposefully kept from people here.