The Hamas terrorist organization (classified as such by the United States, the European Union, Canada, and Japan) and its supporters continue to refer to the horrific deaths in Gaza Strip as genocide. Genocide means “the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.” If true, Israel would not, as it has, continue to provide advance notice of the locations of specific bombings. If true, Israel would have carpet-bombed Palestine years ago. How simple a one-and-done solution would be.
Throwing the G-word around is dangerous. Like calling someone a Nazi just because it feels satisfying. It is very easy to type the word out on a keyboard, especially in this time of instant publishing and run-of-the-mill flaming. Words do not just have definitions, they have meaning and, as such, require respect. If not, they lose their meaning. On the other hand, in today’s politically correct environment, when its use is appropriate, one also needs the courage to use it.
The people of Rwanda know about genocide: The Hutu majority slaughtered 800,000 to one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus over the span of 100 days during 1994. That’s 8,000 to 10,000 human beings snuffed out every day. Hutus slaughtered up to 75 percent of the Tutsi population. Just because they could.
The Armenians of Turkey know about genocide: The systematic extermination of 1 million to 1.5 million human beings occurred at the hand of Turkey’s Ottoman government during World War I. The wholesale killings massacred Armenian men, women, children, seniors, and the sick, all of which were pushed into forced death marches in the Syrian desert. Deprived of food and water, the walking dead were then subjected to robbery, rape, and brutal forms of murder. That is genocide.
Speaking in June at the 11th National Conference of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, Jacqueline Murekatete recounted the slaughter of her family by the Hutu, her harrowing escape, and President Clinton’s decision to keep the United States away. Not a few hours later, the Obama administration refused to make 100 historic White House cables public – communiques which chronicle the discussions of policymakers from that time. At least one of those people are now senior with the Obama administration, National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
There is a great desire in the world community to see the militant Palestinians of the Gaza Strip become “moderate” so, facts be damned, it has become sort of politically incorrect to speak about such terrorists as “extreme.” Nevertheless, genocide is precisely what they have been openly wanting to do since early in the last century. This statement goes against what the State Department, the U.N., and cognoscenti try to convince us of — that various groups within the Gaza Strip have somehow become more moderate over the years, that “violence goes both ways,” and if Israel would only give over more concessions, then peace will finally prevail.
The question of why and motive is critical. If the motive of Palestinians has been to secure territory—and then exist peacefully as a neighbor to Israel—then some justification for this ongoing stream of violence might be rationalized and understood. However, if the motive for such murders is nothing more than to kill Jews, these are indeed the actions of genocide. There is no justification for intentional annihilation and the surrender of more territory will not end such hatred.
After more than a century of such killings, people other than Jews have inevitably been killed along the way. They died because they were in the wrong bus or the wrong night club at the wrong time. But the target is clear, if only because no Palestinian terrorist over all these years has tried to murder Israeli Arabs. (Israeli citizens who are not Jewish represent approximately 25 percent of that country’s population and 20 percent of the population of Israel are Arabs.)
Consider: Those 20 percent of Israelis who are Arabs are also members of Israel’s plebiscite – actual, voting citizens in the democracy that is the State of Israel. If militant Palestinians have a beef with Israelis then logic fails to offer a clue as to why 20 percent of that country’s people not targeted. If indeed it is the policies of Israel that Palestinians are so furious about, it stands to reason that the full spectrum of Israel’s voting and participatory citizens should be targeted. However, that is not the case.
If Palestinians are truly in conflict with Israelis, the various media of the Palestinian Authority would not be running cartoons of Israelis solely with side curls, beards, enormous noses, and yarmulkes. Terrorists of the Palestinian persuasion do not spray bullets at buses in Israeli-Arab towns. They do not trigger bombs in Israeli-Arab grocery stores nor do they abduct and then murder Israeli-Arab teenagers from hitchhiking posts.
Their goal is clear: Death to Jews. It is not about territory beyond the Gaza Strip, policies, or politics. It is about genocide.
Opinion By Gregory Baskin
Sources:
Haaretz
JNS.org
Jewish Virtual Library
Dictionary.com
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20 Responses
Let’s then say that the duty of remembrance forces attention on communities whose life conditions are most reminiscent of the European Jew Ghettos of the late thirties, and that among contemporary middle eastern communities the best fit to that clearly isn’t Jew. We could also try to characterize genocide – or at least, war crimes – by a divergent kill ratio, as it is rather obvious that an excessive kill ratio belies claims of proportionate legitimate defense, all the more so in time-extended confrontations.
Just because the death toll isn’t high enough for you, doesn’t mean the actual definition of the word doesn’t fit in with what is going on.
When one group of people wishes to kill another group of people, indiscriminately, that is genocide. It doesn’t matter if they wipe out 20% of the population or not – it is the meaning behind the deaths that matter. So you’re right; words do have meaning and deserve respect, which is why I will continue calling this war what it is: genocide.
As for your example of Israel dropping “leaflets” regarding the next attack. . . of course they don’t mind doing that because the Palestinians have nowhere to go. What are they to do? Where will they go?
If Israel was truly concerned with getting rid of, or suppressing, Hamas, they would not indicate their intentions of bombing a certain area. That does nothing more than give their fighters an opportunity to leave. But, the people don’t really have that option. Everywhere they go, there are more people.
They are told to go to UN shelters, so the shelters get bombed. They then go to hospitals and the hospitals are bombed. Everywhere they go, the IDF follows.
So please stop justifying genocide because Israel propagandizes their intent with ridiculous leaflets.
Good day.
the jews could have jumped off the train on the way to the ovens, dont you think?
A) The trains were probably locked.
B) Many didn’t know that they were “on the way to the ovens”
C) You can’t just jump off a speeding train without serious injury, and if they attempted to do so when the train was slowing down or stopped, they’d be shot by one of the snipers.
Etc.
The Nazis were many things, but stupid they weren’t.
Kind of like when the Israelis dropped leaflets saying they were about to be slaughtered. Then after seeking shelter in a un school, are killed and wiped ou
Avi is right. Genocide?? Of course not! Israel is only helping the Gaza civilians to be rid of the terrorists called Hamas among them who are waging war against both Israel and the Gaza civilians. As there are casualties among Israeli civilians (though less because of the Dome) so will there be among Gaza civilians, but more as their homes, schools, hospitals, etc. are being used as shield by these cowardly Hamas terrorists. The situation is very similar as in my country, India, against Pakistan. Pakistan cannot wage an open war (having been decimated in earlier conflicts), so they wage a proxy war through J&K Paki trained terrorists. J&K is an integral part of India. Earlier they did it through Khalistanis (Sikh), but these have been eliminated for good. Pakistan yet tries incite Indian Mujahedin in States of India like Uttar Pradesh, but most of their leaders now languish in jails.
Dear UN Secretary-General,
You said Israel has the right to defend itself. And that there is no excuse to hitting UN facilities and hearting so many civilians. You’re right, of course. Any casualties of civilians is awful.
But let me remind you:
In the war in Somalia, the UN has sent 38,000 International Forces to Mogadishu. The war went worst, the local militants used women and children as human shield, Thousands of innocent civilians were killed. UN spokesman Stockwell said “anybody on the ground in the combat area is considered a militant”. Of course, the UN forces received full support from the UN.
Nobody has sent any rescue forces, no support was sent, and UN forces continued to shoot many civilians when militants were hiding between them.
In 2009, Sri Lanka decided to get rid of the Tamils terrorist groups. According to the UN reports, 40,000 civilians were killed. No international intervention, no worldwide demonstrations – however, the UN Human Rights Council has praised Sri Lanka for its activity against terrorism!
Speaking of Proportions….
In the Rusia-Chechnia war, in the US and UK against Jihad forces in Iraq – there were hundred of thousands of civilians killed ! In NATO bombing of Belgrad, most casualties were civilians !
Oh – in NONE of these conflicts, missiles were launched on cities of US, UK, Sri Lanka, Russia, Somalia…
BTW – before complaining that Israel has hit UN facilities, you need Israel a report:
How comes rockets are found in UN schools?
How comes such rockets are handed back to the terrorists?
How comes launchers are hidden behind UN flag?
How comes UN facilities are used to hide Hamas missiles and terrorists?? Is the UN cooperating with terror organizations?
Listen to the France 24 reporter, showing lunching rockets within UN buildings… Have anybody heard of any UN investigation? Apology?
No need to be pro-Israel. All is needed is to be HONEST.
Say “sorry” and drop your false claims against Israel.
What a senseless rant…
What a ridiculous article. There is more than enough evidence out there of Israel’s determination to keep Palestinians in poverty and their economy on the brink of collapse. If people being confined to what are essentially prison camps doesn’t qualify them as victims in your eyes, maybe you and your family should go live in one! Then you can tell me how acceptable you think their situation is.
elroy, committing ad hominems gets you nowhere but exposing yourself as someone who uses logical fallacies. make an argument, based on facts, or refute content from another argument. that would be valid. go work for foxnews if all you can do is call people names. you would fit right in there
free Palestine from the deformed jews
watch this video:
http://youtu.be/A_fP6mlNSK8
Jews, Israelis, Zionists or whatever you may call them have a right to exist. If somebody is out to wipe them out then such organization must face the wrath of the people of Israel. All these muslim terrorist organizations like Hamas, ISIS, Taliban, etc. must be wiped out for humanity of all faiths to live in peace.
Go and live a life for a day in Philestine. You wouldnt be able to survive just by viewing the sightings of raining death over them. The whole world will be termed as terrorist if US or Israel is on the other side. Whatever Israel is doing killing kids and bombing hospital and civilian inhabitance is all a very good action of humanity but not terrorism…right? because it has US on their side. stop this non-sense if you cant hlp set things right. just dnt be on tyrants side. Be human and be honest. the innocent people dying out there are humans like you and have families and kids like yours… open the eyes of your heart. dnt be a moron Mr. wanna be expert and influential writer.
Scotty, you’re a boob.
So your argument starts with denying Israeli war crimes, which I agree do not rise to the level of genocide, and you end by actually conflating resistance to the occupation as genocide of the Jews by the Palestinians. This is perhaps the weakest, most poorly-written argument not based on any historical fact I have ever read on the issue. But facts do not matter to people whose minds have been twisted by propaganda. Zionists are easily exposed by their moral stance, or lack thereof, on key issues.
Right you are. Why bother with facts if you want to blame Israel.
Excellent article
another racist zionist baby killer….
agree completely