Thread by @Aizenberg55

🧵A long thread worth your time to debunk Israel genocide in Gaza. Claims of genocide often rely on analysis by Raz Segal as an "expert” on genocide. Analysis of his work and a group of recycled quotes by Israeli officials, now used by the media, shows it's all fabrication. 1/

Notably, Segal published his claim on Oct 13 only days after Hamas atrocities with <2,000 Gazan deaths. Segal already decided he was going to charge Israel with genocide before the bodies were all pulled from Be'eri. His arguments are easily debunked. 2/ jewishcurrents.org/a-textbook-cas…

On Nov 20 Segal spoke with Owen Jones making the same case for "textbook" genocide but ALL his "evidence" of genocidal intent by Israel is falsified or misrepresented, blatant academic dishonestly. Both the article & video interview will be debunked. 3/

Segal notes in his article that claiming genocide requires proving "intent" and says Israel has "loudly proclaimed intent" to destroy the Palestinians. Without proving such intent claims of genocide totally fall apart. So this is the absolute critical first step for Segal. 4/

In the video Segal adds that to prove genocide requires “special intent” which is a “high threshold” and it is “usually very difficult to prove intent.” But Segal flouts this high threshold mandate of evidence instead relying on fabricated evidence to prove intent. 5/

Segal's first & ONLY evidence from an Israeli official for his Oct 13 article is a statement by Gallant calling for a siege and claiming Israel is fighting “human animals.” As Segal consistently does, he dishonestly attributes references to Hamas as to all "Palestinians." 6/

Importantly, sieges are legal under int’l law and do not indicate intent of genocide as Segal implies, see below from Red Cross. Sieges are illegal if intended to starve the population but on their own do not prove intent. So this is not evidence Gallant "intends" genocide. 7/

Segal cites again in video Gallant’s “human animals” claiming he referred to Pals but Gallant does not say this. Segal ignores many statements by Gallant that Pals are not a target only Hamas is. Omitting this is academic dishonesty. Here is example from Gallant from Oct 29. 8/

On Oct 13, same day Segal claimed Gallant “intends" genocide Reuters reported Gallant said Israel is waging war on “Hamas militants” and said Palestinian civilians should move south to save their lives. Segal willfully omits this since it contradicts his core evidence. 9/

The ONLY other evidence to prove “intent” in Segal's Oct 13 article is an “interviewee” on TV (a former MK from 2015) some random Israelis & social media posts & banner. It’s inane to claim this supports “textbook” evidence that Israel “intends” to kill all Palestinians. 10/

So we know based on Segal’s Oct 13 article, before much even happened, that Segal was going to say genocide no matter what. ALL he shows to prove intent on Oct 13 is ONE misrepresented statement from Gallant & random Israelis. Does this meet “high threshold” of proof? NO. 11/

Segal offers no proof in Nov 20 video. He says genocidal “intent is so clearly articulated” & cites examples. His FIRST evidence is claim that Herzog said all Pals in Gaza are responsible. But Segal omits that Herzog made clear this is not the case in same press event! 12/

Herzog also has a wide body of statements over many weeks making clear Israel is not at war with Pals, just Hamas, like in this CBS interview. There are many examples. Herzog is simply not evidence of an Israel leader “intending” Palestinian genocide -- unless you lie. 13/

Segal’s SECOND evidence “proving” intent to genocide is that Netanyahu “promised to turn Gaza into rubble” (video 6:37) but Segal egregiously lies as Bibi specifically said only HAMAS locations would be turned into rubble NOT Gaza. Here is a Reuters report: 14/

Segal's THIRD evidence is Netanyahu’s mention of Amalek which again is not "high threshold" evidence that he means to kill all Palestinians. Amalek is used metaphorically in Jewish history & study to refer to mortal enemies of the Jews -- in this case Hamas. 15/

Here is an Oct 30 piece from the WSJ explaining its use. It certainly may be the case that other people in the past have used the Amalek metaphor to refer to Palestinians. This certainly does not therefore prove that is what Bibi meant. 16/

But even better evidence: in the SAME press conference where Bibi mentioned Amalek he specifically noted the war aims are clear: “destruction of Hamas” and Hamas is the "evil." But Segal & others deliberately misrepresent claiming Bibi meant ALL Pals. Academic dishonesty. 17/

Segal next claims Naftali Bennet referred to Palestinians as Nazis (Segal interview 10:00). But Bennet says specifically of Pal civilians that “we don’t target them” and said “Hamas, Nazi Hamas”. (Sky News at 1:58). So another blatant lie by Segal. 18/ news.sky.com/video/israel-h…

Segal in the end offers zero evidence of intent. EVERY example cited is falsified or misrepresented. Not the “high threshold” proof he says is necessary. If intent it so clear why so many fabrications? Of course he dishonestly omits 100s of statements showing NO intent. 19/

For example Leading Israeli spokesman Eylon Levy who is on TV every day has continually said the same thing: the war is against Hamas NOT Palestinians. So the “intent” charge has to deliberately ignore all this, and same comments from many other Israeli leaders. 20/

Segal can't cite official policy documents, IDF battle plans or Knesset bills calling for the deliberate murder of Palestinian civilian like the Nazi Wannsee Conference. For Israel, random falsified quote snippets while ignoring everything else said is “textbook genocide” 21/

Of course nothing contradicting case for genocide is ever mentioned. Like Israel evacuating ~1 million Gazans from the north. Why do this, losing weeks of the element of surprise, why risk IDF troops on ground, if genocide intent "so clear" why not just bomb them all? 22/

Segal & all these quotes on Amalek, human animals, rubble, Nazis – which ALL refer to Hamas but are falsely claimed to refer to Palestinians -- are now recycled by certain media (@mehdirhasan ) & others as "proof" of genocide. Part of the industry of lies to demonize Israel. 23/

Actual evidence will never convince rabid Israel haters & antisemites who see Jews as bloodthirsty and hate that Hamas' won't exist anymore. Segal clearly made up his mind even before the war got going. Like Kirby says people can say what they want. END