In my last blog I reluctantly described how the IDF were persecuting their war in Gaza as genocide, I again reluctantly now call Israel a rogue state, a state that unashamedly is breaking international law. The International Court of Justice in July this year issued a clear and unambiguous opinion that “Israel’s occupation and annexation of the Palestinian territories are unlawful, and its discriminatory laws and policies against Palestinians violate the prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid”. The International Court of Justice has also said that Israel has committed war crimes, as the occupying power has violated international conventions by abusing the Palestinian people, weaponising the availability of water and food as a military tactic and is engaged in reinforcing its version of apartheid. If this is not the actions of a rogue state what is? This is a rhetorical question; the ICC is also now seeking warrants for the arrest of Netanyahu and Gallant on the grounds that they have committed war crimes.
A country that was formed out of the holocaust, seems to have lost any sense of its humanity. The indiscriminate killing of 25000 to 30000 innocent women and children, where the killing of one Hamas terrorist justifies the deaths of 50 innocent civilians, this IDF calls, “collateral damage”. A military operation by the IDF into the town of Qabatiya in the Westbank where Israeli forces were filmed pushing three lifeless bodies from a roof, when asked about the incident, they responded, “This is a serious incident that does not coincide with IDF values and the expectations from IDF soldiers”. The question this poses is, does anyone know what their values are, considering the IDF has been accused of war crimes.
Israeli people came out and protested both for the release of those kidnapped on October 7th and for Netanyahu to step down. Still, they have little to say about the continuing massacres of innocent women and children in Gaza. Israelis, of which over 70% still support the war and how it is being prosecuted, including limiting humanitarian aid. A nation that was created out of the greatest tragedy and horror perpetrated by humans against other humans, seem to have lost any sense of humanity, empathy and morality and this is not me just saying this. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that the act of collective punishment being perpetrated in Gaza and the West Bank undermines Israel’s moral foundation.
A democracy that my father admired, created out of the tragedy of the Holocaust in a neighbourhood surrounded by autocrats, military dictators and theocracies is now an indistinguishable part of that neighbourhood. My father also mourned the “Nakba” and its consequences because as a young student, he fought against the partition of India which failed, and the ensuing sectarian violence resulted in the loss of 900,000 lives. What is clear, is that the current Israeli government is on a land grab and its goal, “From the river to the sea, not a Palestinian will be seen”. Emanuel Ringelblum a secular Marxist Zionist dreamed of creating a Palestine shared with Arab citizens, which was an undeliverable utopia, now the dream of a two-state solution looks no closer despite the fact, that the beneficiaries would be future generations of Israelis and Palestinians.
Finally, shame on Western democracies particularly the US who continue to provide military hardware to a regime that shows only disdain for its friends and allies. The current Israeli government is a rogue state, maybe not in the premiership however, anyone who believes differently, quite frankly is deluded.
Suneil Sharma
23rd September 2024
The Gob 
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