-by Dr. Stephen Frantz
After too many months of consideration, the International Criminal Court (ICC) finally issued arrest warrants (on 21 Nov 2024) for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, alleging that the leaders intentionally blocked humanitarian aid and basic methods and materials for survival from entering Gaza in order to target Palestinian civilians
with military strikes. The ICC also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Muhammad Deif; however, Israel has claimed to have killed Deif in July. All 124 members of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, are now (in theory) compelled to arrest the two Israelis if they enter their country and hand them over to the court. Numerous countries have said they would comply with the ruling, including: Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Jordan, Turkey, South Africa, and a few others. This was a fine day for the rule of law.
Israel is indignant that the ICC would dare to issue arrest warrants for its leaders; Netanyahu, who has a sense of entitlement, immediately “wrapped himself in the flag of Israel” calling the ICC’s ruling “antisemitism.” Somehow, the ICC has not issued similar warrants for the Biden/Harris administration that continues to send military aid to Israel (arms that continue to kill Palestinians) despite national and international demonstrations. These protests have also been dubbed ‘antisemitic’ by ADL, AIPAC lobbyists and all their influencer minions, and shamelessly by the bulk of the U.S. Congress and the White House which have agreed to sending even more arms. Only Sen. Bernie Sanders and eighteen of his colleagues have voted to stop suchshipments.
Netanyahu’s willingness to do nearly anything to stay in power is remarkable, what are we to think of his claim of “antisemitism” re. the ICC ruling? What would be the correct term for Israel’s intense hostility against Palestinians (and Lebanese) and the collective punishment of the citizens of Gaza by the terrorist IDF? Linguistically, “semites” includes any number of peoples originating in southwestern Asia, particularly Arabs and Jews. The classic definition of antisemitism is animosity toward Jews, and is directed towards the Jewish religion and Jews individually or collectively. Are we to believe semites (Jews) are against semites (Jews or Palestinians) and other semites (Palestinians) are against semites (Palestinians or Jews)? This does become confusing to many people who conflate the two positions.
In 2016, the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) devised a new definition that included the clause, “expressions of antisemitism directed against the State of Israel.” Suiting the long range plans of the Zionist Israeli
government, this definition was quickly adopted; also by much of Western Europe and most profoundly by the United States. Obviously, there is no relationship between the two positions that conflate antisemitism (religion) with criticism of Israel’s government (politics). It is unlikely we will decipher why Biden has repeatedly misapplied the term, but it’s possibly related to his
being the premier recipient of AIPAC funds for 1990-2024 at $4,229,598. In addition, Kamala Harris has accepted perhaps a half million dollars from AIPAC, six million dollars from J Street lobbyists and has demonstrated a record of complicity and no departure from Biden’s Middle East policies.
But the carnage in Gaza continues with more than 44,000 Palestinians slaughtered (70% are women and children), more than 110,000 wounded (many of whom will die due to lack of medical attention) and thousands more buried under the rubble of war. Note that entire families have been killed from the terrorist IDF’s relentless bombardment of schools, mosques, apartments, and hospitals— many of which had been deemed “safe” by the IDF. Take a moment to consider what this means… entire families— mothers, fathers, children, aunts and uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers— all generations gone forever and many of whom had been dismembered beyond recognition. For the first time, this particular genocide has been broadcast in real time to the whole world via social media and courageous investigative reporting.
Netanyahu officials and Biden/Harris officials continue to propagate Hamas’ alleged sexual abuses on 07 Oct 2023, allegations that have since been debunked, while conveniently neglecting to address well-documented sexual violence committed by the terrorist IDF against Palestinians. They often use the old trope that “Israel has the right to defend itself,” that no one denies. However, Israel has no right to: the daily humiliation of Palestinians, wholesale killing of Palestinian civilians; starving an entire civilian population; forcibly displacing a people; mass incarceration without cause; torture of prisoners; nor to contaminate vegetation, land, air and sea due to the unprecedented bombardment of Gaza (and Lebanon). These are virtually all international crimes against humanity. The IDF terrorists have used 25,000 tons of explosives in Gaza, creating a toxic wasteland with 40 million tons of debris. Israel has embarked on an erasure, or omnicide, of Palestine and its people. Do the Netanyahu and Biden administrations value Jewish blood over Palestinian blood? It is deplorable that the next potential Deputy U.S. Nat. Security Advisor has said “there is "no such thing as Palestine.” Is this ignorance or insanity?
Globally, millions of people of all ages and faiths have protested the Israeli government’s unspeakable atrocities. This includes students on campuses everywhere that result in fallacious alerts and propaganda from pro-Israel organizations. While not serving the Zionist cause, such demonstrations are essentially anti-government (political) not antisemitic (religious). As a married to the daughter of Holocaust survivors, I am extremely offended by Netanyahu’s banal exploitation of the term ‘antisemitism’ in his bid to stay in office and avoid the consequences of his own corruption. It belittles the horrific reality of Germany’s 1930s and 1940s genocide against Jews. I am enraged by Netanyahu’s ignorant American enablers: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Sec. of State Antony Blinken, Sec.of Defense, Lloyd Austin and Nat. Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan. They have gaslighted numerous ceasefire initiatives for Gaza, using many empty words with no sustainable follow-up. Undermining the
ceasefire process has become SOP for the U.S. government. It underscores the administration's unwavering support for Israel's ongoing occupation and brutal campaign in Palestine. Note that on 20 Nov 2024 the U.S. vetoed for the 4th time a U.N. Security Council unconditional, immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on
Gaza. However, on 27 Nov 2024 a limited ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Lebanon by the U.S. and France (in terms favoring Israel), but nothing for Gaza. Israel achieved nothing in its bombardment of Lebanon, but they have major annexation plans for Gaza and the West bank. The long, shameful history of U.S. complicity in Israel’s war(s) with incriminating evidence of Israel’s conduct was comprehensibly presented in a recent lecture by Chris Hedges at UC Santa Barbara (the University forbade any advertising of the event = pure censorship). He reported 93 major massacres have been committed in Gaza by the IDF since 07 Oct 2023. The return for such extended savagery is the creation of new adversaries originating from those slain in previous generations. Does anyone question how antisemitism is spawned? Using the IHRA absurd
definition, antisemitism has been conveniently weaponized in order to silence any criticism, here and abroad, of the Israeli government.
By the end of the 20th century, everyone knew the fate of Palestinians in Israel’s apartheid government. There was a time when morality might persuade politicians to do the right thing.
But, now, the pro-Israel lobby finds it necessary to provide funding, especially for younger politicians, in order to gain sustained support for their Zionist agenda. They have even paid firms to publish libelous exposés of Israel”s critics. Further, the U.S. has repeatedly capitulated to Israel’s defiance of the rule of law. This has got to change through whatever means possible including the ballot box.
The rest of the world must stand up to the U.S. domination of the Security Council, and support internationally recognized laws and the principles of justice and human rights for the people these laws are meant to protect. Moseb Abu Toba’s poems, Forest of Noise help us comprehend much of the day-by-day horror of Palestinian existence in Gaza; it poignantly captures what can no longer be expressed by those who’ve passed. Some brief excerpts: “No need for radio: we are the news,” “Soldiers advance, burn books,” “Our kids in the basement, backs against concrete pillars,” “Tanks roll through, dust, through eggplant fields,” and “If you live in Gaza…you die several times.” How is it that anyone with a conscience can accuse protests against such dire circumstances to be ‘antisemitic’?
Enough— with little or no help from neighboring Arab leaders and others not prepared to help the Gazans, please stop helping their Israeli oppressors. “Stopping” is not that difficult, it requires virtually no time… simply STOP!
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