War crimes and genocide are being committed before our eyes and the US government is allowing it to occur. There is no denial that eliminating access to water, power, food, access to hospitals, and humanitarian organizations during continual bombardments (over 6000 missiles have been launched on Gaza for perspective including phosphorous missiles) are actions which break three war crimes per international law along with the forcible displacement of people with no safe zone for the innocent. Destroying hospitals and killing aid workers also falls under war crimes as well. The three acts which are being currently carried out: 1. Killing members of a group. 2. Causing serious bodily and mental harm to the same group. 3. Purposefully inflicting conditions on the group that would destroy it. (UN Genocide Convention)
Genocide, under International Law, is when “the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such.” (UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948)
The US government has an obligation to the world to uphold international law and not allow these atrocities to continue. We need calls from elected officials for an immediate ceasefire. Aid workers should have continuous and unimpeded access to Gaza and West Bank without military threats. Water, power, and food should NEVER be withheld. The Israeli government should never have had control of that access either and that needs to change immediately as well. No other nation should have the sole control over a groups access to water, power, or food.
What the US government should reverse since officials claim that Palestinians are not Hamas. If that is the line of reasoning then these would be the logical response:
Demands for an immediate ceasefire with subsequent actions from all groups involved
Protection of hospitals and humanitarian aid organizations
Immediate availability of water, electricity, and food
Opening of the Rafah border crossing for all Palestinians
Removal of the two aircraft carriers sent to the region
Entreaties for peace talks
Palestinians are NOT Hamas. Hamas is a terrorist cell within Palestine and the entire population should not suffer from the acts of the few.
This is all achievable if the US and other foreign nations demand it and make a stand for human rights. The WHO has statements out asking for assistance from world leaders as does many branches of the UN and the Red Cross.
However, the reality remains that there is no discussion of the future for Palestinians but only of vengeance and outright hatred. I fully understand that there are many Israeli’s who are hurting from the Hamas attack and my sympathies and prayers for those who were killed, but genocide is not the answer. In our greatest pain we demonstrate who we truly are, and I hope that is not what anyone would want to be- a mass murderer.
Please call and email your elected officials. Please protest if you are able to.