The G word (genocide)
South Africa brought the charge of genocide against Israel to the International Court of Justice. Here are my somewhat scattered thoughts on the subject.
My multiple reactions to activists accusing Israel of genocide
Not long after the Israeli military response to Hamas’ October 7 massacre began, protesters against the Israeli attacks in Gaza began publicly accusing Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians. My first reaction to the use of this term was deep skepticism, though tinged with a litle self-doubt. (I’m a champion of self-doubt, so this is a very common reaction from me.)
Actually, I had other reactions at the same time, a jumbled mix of thoughts and feelings. Part of me was curious to hear the reasoning behind why some of my rabbinic colleagues were choosing to use this language, given how emotionally explosive it is in the Jewish community. At other times, I have felt defensive and resentful towards people making this claim.
All that notwithstanding, hearing “the G word” used about Israel kept reminding me of the huge number of Gazan civilians that the Israeli military was killing and displacing in their effort t…
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