What you need to know and do
Genocide
South Africa has charged the government of Israel with genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The case was filed with the International Court of Justice, December 29, 2023. Since then, more than 45 countries have signed on to the complaint and the list is growing.
Western countries are noticeably absent from the list. Israel says the charges are ‘preposterous’, and accuses South Africa of being the “legal arm of Hamas”; US and Germany say, “we stand with Israel”; Major US Jewish lobbyist organizations, AIPAC for instance, spent over $53 million influencing 361 pro-Israel candidates in 2024. It promotes, “Israel has the most moral army in the world”.
Israel spends large sums of money managing its image and narrative. Advertising budgets for what it refers to as ‘public diplomacy’ includes an additional $150 million to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, 20x its normal budget. Approximately $15 million is given for social media; the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora receives $2 million to generate fake accounts on X, Facebook and Instagram; and $7.1 million is allotted to influence U.S. politicians on YouTube. Israel’s media campaigns are conducted in conjunction with American Jewish groups.
Tel Aviv is a major city and center for news in Israel. It is 47 miles from Gaza. No Israeli can claim ignorance of the genocide underway.
Evidence of genocide
No amount of image management or narrative cleansing can cover up the facts. Israel has forced the displacement and removal of 1.2 million Palestinians from their homes and land. It has systematically bombed and destroyed high rise towers in Gaza, for instance, Al Ruya, which is home to hundreds of Palestinian families; it has blocked food, water, medical supplies and lifesaving assistance leading to widespread malnutrition, starvation and death, including 132,000 children below the age of 5 years who are at risk of acute malnutrition.
It has dropped over 40,000 bombs on Gaza, unleashing greater fire power than Hiroshima; it has conducted bombardment of Gaza City with a population density of 650,000 persons per 18 square miles, more densely populated than New York City. It has dropped MK 80 bombs on populations, which eliminate all life within 400 yards and rip through 17 inches of concrete; it has destroyed 85 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure including civilian neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, shopping districts, and power stations.
Israel has killed over 63,633 individuals and 18,661 children; disabled 21,000 children, and injured 40,500 children with new war-related injuries; it has wounded 160,914 individuals, with an estimated 10,000 bodies under rubble, and minimum of three years estimated for body retrieval (Data up to August 30, 2025; sources listed below).
83% of all deaths are civilians; the targeting and killing of 1,400 medical personnel and 230 journalists, three times more journalists killed than WWII; the systematic and unlawful detention of journalists, doctors, health workers and specialized medical personnel; and direct killings of Palestinian noncombatants including hungry children seeking food and water.
Israel has recently conducted ‘double strikes’ on hospitals; first, the IDF bomb the hospital’s emergency department, inpatient ward, and surgical unit. Then they wait 10 minutes for medical personnel and others to come to victims aid, then drop a second bomb killing more people. Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, proudly states, “The gates of hell are being unlocked in Gaza City”.
Laws against genocide
Israel is a signatory, along with 152 nations, including the U.S., to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of The Crime of Genocide, 1948. This law was enacted to legally protect future humanity from the brutality and killing experienced by Jews and others under the Third Reich. The U.S. ratified it under President Reagan, November 5, 1988.
The law clearly defines genocide as, “specific acts committed with intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.” Acts include killing members of the protected group, causing them serious bodily or mental harm, imposing living conditions intended to destroy the group, preventing births and forcibly transferring children out of the protected group areas to areas of danger and war. The law also states that parties to the agreement have an obligation to pursue the enforcement of the prohibition of genocide. In other words, parties to the agreement have an obligation to prevent death and destruction – which is not dependent upon intent.
Israel, as an occupying power and member of the UN, has additional obligations to protect civilians in Palestinian territories. This obligation, which is clearly spelled out to U.N member nations, is to ensure provision of food, water, medicine, and essentials to protect civilian life.
Avoidance of genocide
Israel and Western countries have avoided their contractual, ethical, and moral obligations under genocide and occupation treaties that they’ve signed and proffered. Israel, in particular, uses the unique history of Jews to escape responsibility—it conflates being Israeli with being Jewish— including:
- Collective guilt: The Holocaust, 1939 to 1945, left an indelible mark on Jews, and the world. Collective guilt was experienced by Germany and several European countries. It’s no mystery that Germany, until recently, has been an apologist for Israel’s actions. The Third Reich killed an estimated 6 million Jews. The question of German guilt lies just below the surface. Israel capitalizes on this past.
- Victimhood: Israelis and Jews in general, embrace victimhood. They have exploited being victims of Hamas to approve killing Palestinians. The statement ‘never again’, which refers to the Holocaust, was used after October 7th by Israelis and Jews as a reveille for war and revenge. They have conducted or supported killings by any means they deem necessary. Israel has not charged a single IDF soldier with violation of the laws of war despite a visual record on social media of IDF killing children and unarmed individuals. Israel’s response was to erase social media evidence. Mr. Netanyahu, furthermore, referred to October 7 as the biggest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Of the 1,194 individuals killed, 736 were Israeli civilians, 79 foreign nationals, and 379 members of security forces. While terrible and inhumane, it’s hardly grounds for equivalency to the Holocaust. His statements were designed to exploit victimhood to incite more killings with good conscience.
- Antisemitism: Any challenge to Israel’s actions are viewed as antisemitic. Mr. Netanyahu, in a recent talk delivered at the U.N, accused the organization of antisemitism. This was a defense against countries questioning Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. U.S representatives and the Jewish community at large frequently use the trope of antisemitism to block criticism of Israel. University administrators and donors claim antisemitism to block protests, faculty concerns, art and cultural exhibits.
- Denial: The Israeli government has responded to charges of genocide as ‘preposterous’, stating that they only pursue operations against Hamas and terrorists. All else is merely collateral damage. Israel claims to have killed 8,900 Hamas. No details or additional evidence has been forthcoming.
- Elimination of witnesses: Israel denies journalists access to Gaza to witness the devastation and violations of law. Journalists have been targeted and killed in tents marked PRESS, hospitals, climbing stairs to get better access to Wi-Fi, and crowds covering stories. Snipers admit to killing journalists, such as an American passport holder Palestinian Shireen Abu Akleh who was killed in Jenin refugee camp. Israel when confronted with evidence states: “we don’t target journalists”.
- False narratives: Israel repeatedly claims that they have the most moral army in the world. They inform Palestinians living in North Gaza, for example, to move to the South to ‘safe zones’ so they can bomb their neighborhoods; then, after they move South, they bomb them in the South. In addition, 90 percent can’t afford the fuel or transportation costs to move South, and don’t have money for food, rent or purchase of tents. To insulate themselves against charges of genocide, the IDF states that they provide residents notification of intent to bomb. The message to Palestinians is clear: take your belongings and leave now or suffer death. Notification can be minutes or a few hours. Mr. Netanyahu has recently stated that, “Israel has the lowest ratio of civilian to combat deaths in the history of urban warfare”. No data is forthcoming. When the IDF bomb a hospital, for instance, it’s unclear who’s actually being killed aside from medical personnel and patients. No data is forthcoming.
- False ethical promises: The IDF has killed women, children, elderly, medical personnel, journalists, school teachers and individuals at home. It has killed unarmed Palestinians in their front yards. It has also kidnapped and incarcerated over 300 children, 85% who report being beaten in jail; children 14 years old are frequently placed in solitary confinement. Israel’s standard responses to questions by the press or governments are “we’ll look into it”; “errors happen in war”; and “unless the prisoner is an Israeli citizen, we cannot release information about cause of death”. Many Palestinian prisoners have died in jail or prison without explanation despite questions asked by family members.
The U.S, under Presidents Biden and Trump, under Republicans and Democrats, have failed to enforce international laws that their respective countries have already signed. It’s time to act.
Conclusion
Sufficient evidence exists to hold Israel accountable for genocide and war crimes under existing international laws. Western countries, supporting Israel, are complicit in genocide. They should change course and support South Africa’s case against Israel in front of the International Court of Justice.
Private individuals can take small steps that matter: phone your representatives and tell them to stop the genocide against Palestinians, and stop taking money from AIPAC; phone the Israeli consulate and protest the treatment of Palestinians; email the U.N in support of South Africa’s legal case, and ‘stop the genocide’ (enter contact U.N in your browser); and/or donate money to the Hind Rajab Foundation which is filling legal cases against IDF and leaders who commit war crimes. They are having some success.