When a prominent Israeli pens an OpEd entitled: When Genocide is Permissable(text), let’s take a gander at the actual Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide…
Article 1
The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.Article 2
In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:(a) Killing members of the group;
(b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
(c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
(d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.Article 3
The following acts shall be punishable:(a) Genocide;
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide.Article 4
Persons committing genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article 3 shall be punished, whether they are constitutionally responsible rulers, public officials or private individuals.
Starting with Art. 2(a) Killing members of the group… Gaza death toll surpasses that of Cast Lead as count hits 1,437
Pretty self-explanatory…!
Now, lets look at Art 2 (c & d) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part and, (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.
From Haaretz… Siege of Gaza…
Formulas for siege
The use of mathematical euqations to calculate basic humanitarian needs cannot help but raise parallels with the most monstrous uses of science.
For three years,(2007-10) officers from COGAT, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, have used mathematical formulas to monitor food and other basic necessities imported into the Gaza Strip. The formula Z/C=D, for example, was used to measure the “breathing space” Gaza residents had before stocks of a given product were depleted. {…}
The documents that were disclosed displayed the inhumanity of Israel’s closure policy in all its glory. But the blockade had long since proven itself to be not only an immoral instrument of policy, but also an ineffective one. None of its declared aims has been achieved: not the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and not the weakening of Hamas, which has only reinforced its rule under the closure. [...]
But the use of mathematical formulas to calculate basic humanitarian needs cannot help but raise parallels with the most monstrous uses of science. Blood-curdling calculations were made over the suffering of a civilian population numbering 1.5 million individuals. This inhumanity was also expressed in the cynical wording of the documents…
For example… (PDF!)
Appendix B
Calculation of product inventory (except for animal feed, meat
and fuel)b. The inventory of products will be calculated by weight (if for some reason it is not possible to obtain a breakdown by weight of the trucks, the weight will be calculated by the average weight of the relevant product per truck – Appendix G).
c. The daily consumption per capita per product as calculated by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics = A.
d. The population of the Gaza Strip = B.
e. Daily consumption = C. (A * B = C)
f. The daily quantity entering the Gaza Strip of the relevant product (70% of wheat goes to making flour and therefore in calculating the inventory of wheat calculate 70% of the amount of wheat entering the Gaza Strip) = X.
g. The existing reserves in the Gaza Strip (without the amount transferred that day) = Y.
h. The quantity of reserves in the Gaza Strip = Z. (X + Y – C = Z)
i. Breathing space (in days) = D. (Z /C= D)
On the Mental Harm and Duress endured by the Palestinian children… (Graphic!)
A recent look at the aftermath…
Gaza’s children, most likely to be killed, live in state of “shock and horror”Israeli forces began shelling a United Nations girls’ school today, where hundreds of Palestinians have sought refuge since Israel’s attacks began two weeks ago. According to Chris Gunness, spokesperson for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, Israel shelled the school and then shelled it again when humanitarian aid workers went to investigate the damage.
Now, as to Article 3(a) Genocide… Before and After satellite pics of Gaza
Moving along to 3(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide… Israel’s Slaughter, Based on a Lie
This entire slaughter is based on a lie. And not just a small lie, but a huge, cancerous, evil lie. I do not like to make absolute moral statements if I can avoid it. But there is no doubt in my mind that Bibi Netanyahu is evil. While that doesn’t necessarily mean all of Israel is evil, as long as they elect this megalomaniac to office, then all of Israel is culpable in his malevolence.
Bibi must be brought to the Hague. Benny Gantz should join him along with all the other Israeli leaders who authorized war crimes with names like Cast Lead, Pillar of Cloud and Mavi Marmara. Certainly, there should be a few Palestinians joining them. But let’s keep things in perspective: 800 of the 1,000 Palestinian dead are civilians; 3 of the Israeli dead are civilians. If there are crimes here we know whose crimes have proven far more lethal.
To be sure… Netanyahu government knew teens were dead as it whipped up racist frenzy…!
As to Art. 3(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide… From the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset: My Outline for a Solution in Gaza
Ultimatum – One warning from the Prime Minister of Israel to the enemy population, in which he announces that Israel is about to attack military targets in their area and urges those who are not involved and do not wish to be harmed to leave immediately. Sinai is not far from Gaza and they can leave. This will be the limit of Israel’s humanitarian efforts. Hamas may unconditionally surrender and prevent the attack.
Attack – Attack the entire ‘target bank’ throughout Gaza with the IDF’s maximum force (and not a tiny fraction of it) with all the conventional means at its disposal. All the military and infrastructural targets will be attacked with no consideration for ‘human shields’ or ‘environmental damage’. It is enough that we are hitting exact targets and that we gave them advance warning.
Siege – Parallel to the above, a total siege on Gaza. Nothing will enter the area. Israel, however, will allow exit from Gaza. (Civilians may go to Sinai, fighters may surrender to IDF forces).
Defense – Any place from which Israel or Israel’s forces were attacked will be immediately attacked with full force and no consideration for ‘human shields’ or ‘environmental damage’.
Conquer – After the IDF completes the “softening” of the targets with its fire-power, the IDF will conquer the entire Gaza, using all the means necessary to minimize any harm to our soldiers, with no other considerations.
Elimination- The GSS and IDF will thoroughly eliminate all armed enemies from Gaza. The enemy population that is innocent of wrong-doing and separated itself from the armed terrorists will be treated in accordance with international law and will be allowed to leave. Israel will generously aid those who wish to leave.
Sovereignty – Gaza is part of our Land and we will remain there forever. Liberation of parts of our land forever is the only thing that justifies endangering our soldiers in battle to capture land. Subsequent to the elimination of terror from Gaza, it will become part of sovereign Israel and will be populated by Jews. This will also serve to ease the housing crisis in Israel. The coastal train line will be extended, as soon as possible, to reach the entire length of Gaza.
Can you say ‘Final Solution‘, or even Mowing the Lawn…?
In wrapping up, don’t you think it’s just a tad late for Bibi…?
Israel fears UN investigation on its crimes in Gaza
Today, Israel Today reported the massive destruction caused by the offensive, in addition to the large number of deaths on the Palestinian side. It predicted that these crimes will not go unnoticed and Israel will be punished for them. In turn, there is a prevailing fear in Israel that the Human Rights Council will publish an incriminatory report that could lead to indictments against Israeli officials to the International Criminal Court in The Hague on the accusation of committing war crimes.
The newspaper said that the political and military leadership in Israel has been preoccupied with how to face the commission of inquiry. A series of deliberations have been discussed, including the deliberations that took place in the Political-Security Cabinet.
The newspaper reiterated that Israel’s concern was focused at the end of the aggression, when crews from the international media enter Gaza and see the enormity of destruction caused by the Israeli aggression. This would increase international criticism about the size of military force used by the Israeli army, which will lead to a serious backlash in international public opinion, which would impact political leaders, especially those in Western Europe.
Israel Today quoted official Israeli politicians as saying that the UN commission of inquiry will be much more damning than the “Goldstone Commission” report issued by a similar committee in the aftermath of the aggression on Gaza at the end of 2008, especially since the “Goldstone Commission” was a “fact-finding committee”, whilst the current committee is a “commission of inquiry“.
The newspaper considered the differences to be “extremely worrisome” because the probe could refer its conclusions to the International Criminal Court and bring to trial the leadership in Israel on charges of committing war crimes, should the case reach such a conclusion.
The newspaper said that the Israeli government has formed a team to deal with the commission of inquiry, and the team will focus on facing legal and political campaigns as well as the international media immediately after the aggression on Gaza ends.
It seems that Israel will repeat its claims and arguments that the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip worked from within populated areas and used civilians as ‘human shields’, and that this lead to a large number of civilian deaths
And about those ‘human shields’… Israel uses Palestinians as human shields but US lawmakers condemn Hamas
