As you read this report, that Gaza is now uninhabitable, recall the Israeli statements & conduct that South Africa's ICJ application referred to. This report also confirms the urgency cited by South Africa for issuing provisional measures against Israel's genocide
Remember that making Gaza uninhabitable was a war aim. How do we know? Israeli generals involved in the fighting said it on Israeli TV ("fallow land", "scorched earth"). Here is how South Africa quotes them in the ICJ application 2/7
In addition to genocidal intent, as South Africa shows, Israels' pattern of conduct shows a genocidal intent. The "evacuation" orders and the massive destruction makes large parts of Gaza unliveable. 3/7
The UN now says that food insecurity in Gaza is "the highest levels.. ever recorded”. Thus, South Africa was right to list this as part of genocidal actions. 4/7
In reaction to the ICJ application, Israel now says that it will emphasise it allowed humanitarian aid. But South Africa already anticipated this, emphasising both that it pales compared to what is needed, and continuing the military actions inhibits it. UN agrees. 5/7
Some Israeli legal scholars defend Israel on the grounds that not all of the alleged instances of actions & statements, that South Africa cites, are necessarily genocidal. But South Africa already replied to this: not all of them need to be for the Court to issue an order. 6/7
This Guardian report, then, confirms the urgency that South Arica cited in its ICJ application for Provisional Measures. Let us hope the ICJ rises to the challenge. 7/7
Recall also that Israeli TV commentators, like South Africa, have understood Israel's actions in Gaza to mean that it seeks to make it uninhabitable. Here is a reminder 8/8
"In the 1960s/1970s, left-wing governments of Israel proposed plans to 'thin' the population of the Gaza Strip. A perusal of the minutes of meetings reveals that their ideas don't differ much from those of today's far-right government"
Israeli universities seem surprised by the increasing global boycott of Israeli academia. Here is a brief list that shows how embedded Israeli academia in the military industrial complex: 🧵 haaretz.com/israel-news/20…
1. "Given the developments during the reporting period, the Special Committee is ever more convinced that the world is witnessing genocide in Gaza" ohchr.org/en/documents/t…
2. "Committee is shocked by the extent of land confiscation, targeting of communities, separation of families, demolitions, forced evictions, killings, physical abuse and other tactics employed... to push Palestinian communities from their lands and homes" in the West Bank
3. "Special Committee has received disturbing briefings on the systematic and widespread perpetration of sexual and gender-based violence, torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment inflicted on Palestinian detainees by Israeli military and security forces"
1. The Trump - Netanyahu plan should be opposed and rejected. It offers the Palestinians a choice between colonial apartheid and occupation, at best, and gives a cover for the continuation of the genocide, at worst. 1/24 🧵
2. This is a unilateral, one-sided plan, that is delivered as an ultimatum. Therefore it would effectively justify the continuation and completion of the genocide. Either because Hamas will be cornered to reject it or because Israel will violate it.
3. Israel has a track record of violating agreements (no withdrawal from Lebanon after Nov 2024 agreement; violating cease fire agreement in March 2025; no lifting of blockade despite release of a hostage in May 2025).
UN Commission of Inquiry concludes on reasonable grounds that Israel have committed and is continuing to commit the following actus reus of genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip
The report released today adds to the growing consensus that Israel has been committing genocide since October 2023 ohchr.org/sites/default/…
The Commission recommends that all Member States: Employ all means reasonably available to them to prevent the commission of genocide in the Gaza Strip;
1. The most annoying thing about the Ezra Klein interview with Philippe Sands is his use of Lemkin to maintain that 7 October was a genocide. It is had to reconcile this with Lemkin's actual book. A brief 🧵
2. The glaring omission from this statement by Sands are the words "occupation" and "coordinated plan"; and thus the recognition of the gross power asymmetry between Israelis and Palestinians. To begin with, here is Lemkin's definition:
3. Lemkin continues: genocide has 2 phases...
(Who has confiscated the lands and displaced the residents? Who has de-nationalised? Who has imposed their national pattern? who is the occupier?)