How Israel’s stance on genocide denial influences global war crimes prevention and discourse.
Israel’s retaliation for the October 7th massacre by Hamas has rightly faced significant international condemnation, primarily from non-governmental organisations and pro-Palestine campaigners. Tel Aviv’s actions, led by Netanyoahu to swiftly respond to the incident have been a subject of concern, but there are emerging threats in recognising the 9,000 plus killed, as a genocide.
Genocide – neutrality and denial is complicity
In the context of the current Palestinian plight, a significant human rights concern is the denial of genocide. While the United Kingdom has not implemented specific laws to penalise Holocaust denial, there is an informal protection for it, yet there is no equivalent support to safeguard other instances of genocide. It can be argued that these measures, which I support universally, appear to favour the interests of the Israeli government over others.
Despite the phrase “never again” associated with the implementation of such statutes, it’s crucial to recognise that genocides continue to happen, including one we are currently witnessing – the genocide of Gaza.
Never again has happened, time and time again
Since the Holocaust, the world has witnessed several large-scale massacres, one of which is the Cambodian genocide, resulting in the brutal murder of over 1.7 million people. Tragic accounts from this period include heinous acts like the smashing of babies against trees and the mass disappearance of entire communities. These events serve as stark reminders of the continued horrors that humanity has faced in the post-Holocaust era.
The Rwandan genocide, a harrowing chapter in history, witnessed the brutal rape, torture, and massacre of over 1 million people. This horrific event was perpetrated by the Hutu people against the Tutsi population, and might never have occurred if colonial powers, who exacerbated divisions between these groups using pseudo-science – a tactic used by the Nazis – had not imposed their presence on Africa.
The Srebrenica genocide, a tragic chapter in history, witnessed the ruthless extermination of over 11,000 people at the hands of the Serbian army. The Bosnian Muslim population fell victim to a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing orchestrated by the ruling Serbian regime. Countless women endured unspeakable horrors, including widespread sexual violence, leaving them to bear the children of their tormentors. This grim event inflicted lasting psychological scars on an entire nation, a recurring legacy seen in many instances of genocide.
After enduring prolonged persecution in Myanmar over the years, the Rohingya community bore witness to a large-scale ethnic cleansing campaign. This crisis led to a forced exodus from their homelands to neighbouring Bangladesh, primarily during the 2017 Rohingya crisis. The international community faced substantial criticism for its perceived lack of timely response to the situation.
Tragically, the tactics employed during the ethnic cleansing included the scorched earth method, leading to the burning of entire villages and the destruction of countless homes, often with residents trapped inside. Shockingly, infants and babies were forcibly separated from their mothers and subjected to horrifying violence, such as being impaled on spikes, serving as scare tactics to compel entire communities to flee Myanmar. It’s worth noting that similar tactics were previously employed by the Irgun in Palestine during their efforts to establish the state of Israel.
This and numerous other instances serve as stark reminders that “never again” is merely a slogan at this point in time. Even with advanced technologies at our disposal, capable of providing extensive evidence for analysis, the international community falls short in its response to such crises.
Israel’s exoneration from war crimes
From its inception, the land upon which Israel was established has been marred by violence. Groups like the ‘Irgun‘ and the ‘Stern Gang,’ considered terror organisations, employed tactics such as using explosives, destroying homes, and even carrying out systematic executions of Palestinians. Some individuals involved in these acts have openly (and on camera) acknowledged committing war crimes, including massacres, rape, and torture, sometimes even admitting to horrific acts like castrating a Palestinian man and forcing him to ingest his own genitals. It is worth noting that while some Israelis from that era acknowledged these events, there were no prosecutions against those responsible.
Despite the forced evictions and exile of the Palestinian population, their struggle persists in the present day. Boundaries established with the intention of protecting Palestinians, such as those in the West Bank and Gaza, have seen Israeli government-supported actions that involve bulldozing land and homes, as well as destructive tactics like arson and bombing. These actions, often carried out by immigrants from Western countries, have resulted in the displacement of entire generations from Arab neighbourhoods, in alignment with the goals of Zionist movements. It’s worth noting that these activities often occur with the endorsement and involvement of local law enforcement and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
All of the mentioned issues persist to this day. The recent mass killings in Gaza (9,000 and rising) without accountability appear to reinforce Israel’s relative immunity from international prosecution, even as some of their tactics echo those used by past perpetrators of genocide.
Some, including Daniel Levy, argue that the Israeli government has skillfully utilised a “unique cloak of victimhood,” enabling them to operate with impunity while avoiding criticism and legal repercussions.
The Israeli government is actively participating in genocide denial
Israel’s enforcement of genocide denial has become a notable tactic integrated into its narrative, even though many of its citizens are descendants of Holocaust survivors, whose experiences are protected by law in many countries. By leveraging its past as a protective shield, Israel has fostered Western support that can assist their permission in denying a genocide it is presently carrying out right now. This implicates supporters of Israel in these actions and their complicity in war crimes becomes evident in many ways; this includes the United Kingdom, United States and the European Union as prime facilitators through the provision of moral permission and funding.
In essence, Israel is employing psychologically manipulative forms of propaganda, effectively gaslighting the international community. They manage to maintain their assertions through unwavering support, often bolstered by the phrase ‘never again.’ This level of support is seldom extended to other groups, and the distinct sympathy and remembrance granted can foster a sense of superiority in their self-perception, allowing them permission to treat the Palestinians as other groups have been in the past. They have recontextualised the narrative in international media by categorising all Gazan civilians as ‘militants’, thereby altering the overall death count to claim 9,000 “terrorists” instead of civilians. This is done while disputing the accuracy of the Palestinian authority’s records, despite using it themselves.
This denial spreads globally via social media, employing seemingly amateurish and unprofessional psychological tactics. Surprisingly, these strategies resonate with a broad audience interested in both hate-filled rhetoric and far-right ideologies. The landscape of antisemitic politics has shifted from post-Holocaust efforts to protect the Jewish community in two significant ways: the attraction of neo-fascist groups, once opposing Nazism, and the evolving focus on detesting Muslims and immigration.
In the United Kingdom, this shift extended to targeting the South Asian population, some of whom identify as Muslim. Israeli propaganda acknowledges these dynamics, displaying intolerance towards Muslims and Arabs. In a contradictory manner, Israel’s bias against Arab Christians often escapes scrutiny from neo-fascist groups, claiming to uphold Christian values, revealing an underlying bias against Arabs, regardless of their faith.
Final thoughts
Genocide denial is a reprehensible hate crime, without question. The Holocaust’s occurrence is undeniable, but it’s equally disturbing that the United Nations, primarily led by Western nations, often fails to acknowledge and remember subsequent genocides, such as those in Rwanda and Srebrenica, and the pattern continues in instances like the Uyghur persecution in China and the Rohingya crisis. Moreover, the recognition of these crimes often takes an inexplicably long time, despite the readily available evidence. Permanent Security Council members paradoxically find themselves at odds with each other, with a record of discord both directly and through proxy warfare, and their strategic interests in the Middle East drive their support for the Tel-Aviv regime.
The weaponisation of Israel’s ancestral past to justify its actions is a troubling exploitation of the history of victims and their families. By using their own history of persecution as a rationale for oppressing another ethnic group, they all but guarantee perpetuating a cycle of violence that gives licence to them to protract further suffering. This dynamic is further exacerbated by the potential support from governments with their own political interests, which is deeply concerning.
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