The Manchester synagogue terrorist attack

A horrific attack in England today on Yom Kippur.

Antisemitic terrorism.

The normalisation of antisemitism in the west since Oct-7.

This is what “globalising the intifada” looks like.

The antisemitic uses of the word “genocide” against Israel

I recommend a great podcast.

Venetia Rainey, Telegraph, had a terrific episode “‘This is not a genocide’: ex-IDF lawyer explains why the UN is wrong”. The guest is Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer (“ESB” for short). Former lawyer at the IDF and part of the team defending Israel at the ICJ. (Topical issue as, very recently, the United Nations had countries calling for the denial to Israel of “tools of genocide” and the Mayor of London accusing Israel of genocide.)

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Until recently, it was very rare to hear of a nation being accused of genocide. Nowadays, Israel is accused on a daily basis. 

Not only does it have no basis in fact, but I suggest that it’s a nasty attempt to Nazify the Jewish and thereby undermine her moral resolve to stand and defend herself.

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The word “genocide” as gaslighting to accept its own moral defeat

The word genocide entails the clear and specific intent to destroy an ethnic, religious or national group. The humanitarian hardship must have been specifically calculated to destroy that group. Israel’s declared aim is to dismantle Hamas.

The Gaza civilian casualty count is usually the only thing people look at. It’s usually quoted at around 60k. My question is why call this a “genocide” or “mass murder” as opposed to an aspect of warfare?

The problem is the selective cherry-picking and the incomplete picture. For instance, we also have to bear in mind that Israel has:

• Integrated the rules & requirements of law into operational procedures - ESB points out the Israel’s military lawyers work together with IDF operational commanders (e.g. the selection of targets). Thus, the various principles of international law are part of the IDF’s backbone in decision-making. Moreover, IDF commanders are also trained on the law.
• Having a war cabinet (Attorney General present) in which decisions are made about the war and to which the IDF are then accordingly instructed on how to operate. Legal advice present at all levels. Judicial oversight exercised by the Israeli Supreme Court.
• Focused on Hamas targets and Hamas military capabilities (i.e. intent to destroy the enemy’s capacity - not a “people”). 
• Issued warnings before air strikes.
• Created evacuation routes.
• Fed civilians.
• Created refugee zones.
• Urged civilians to flee.
• Investigated alleged misconduct by the Military Advocate General.
• Punished soldiers who abused their position and power.

These are not the actions of a genocidal regime.

The civilian casualties in Gaza - while obviously horrible - are a feature of 21st-century urban warfare. A democracy is responding to an enemy engaged in battle in an unprecedented manner in the modern history of warfare.

In the podcast, ESB addressed the question of “aren’t there just too many casualties”:

His answer was to point out the logical corollary of this reasoning. It means that if Hamas is effective & evil enough in managing to hide and shield themselves among its civilians, then a democracy cannot win the war. Such a genocidal regime must be tolerated and accommodated by the democracy. Thus, the lives of Israeli civilians matter less than the lives of Palestinians in Gaza because their enemy is so cruel and so cynical that there’s just no way to win against them.  

The word “genocide” is being used to gaslight the Jewish state into accepting its defeat.

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The word “genocide” to delegitimise the Jewish state

I think the word “genocide” serves to delegitimise the Jewish state in the most profound way possible.

Only a nasty cretin would label Israel’s response to Oct-7, in the context of that history, with the same word that describes the unprovoked mass murder of a people (that we all associate with the Nazis and the final solution). Especially to the Jews, having been threatened with obliteration forever, and certainly since Israel’s inception in 1948.

For everyone on Earth, Nazism is the vertible epitome of evil.

Thus, the antisemite - in using the word “genocide” - is seeking to equate Israel with the Nazis. Thereby, transforming the nation into a horrifying monster. This goes to the core of the nation’s self-respect and to the Jewish identity as a whole.

This is pure antisemitism. It also hopes to obfuscate history’s hard truths: you cannot let those who commit mass slaughter hide behind their own civilians.

And yet, we live in a universe where basic moral truths are inverted by those with a nasty agenda.

The only genocidal organisation is Hamas (as per their founding charter’s aim). If this terrorist organisation were to surrender, free the remaining hostages and agree to disarm, then there would be no need for this horrible but necessary war.