‘Dem terrorist mozlems ah gain? See how dey kidnap dose people, what happen to dose people nah? Dem Mozlems like war!’ Says some uninformed people who are uninformed about the Palestinian genocide. October 7th was very unfortunate however, this did not occur in a vacuum. It is impossible to describe in a concise article in detail the severe oppression Palestinians have faced for the almost 80 years. This article is to inform about the genocide taking place in Palestine.

This Zionist state has been oppressing the Palestinians for almost eighty (80) years. According to Encyclopedia Britannica Zionism is a nineteen (19th) century Jewish nationalist movement with the goal of creating a national state in Palestine. Barnavi (2018) in an article explains that the roots of Zionism during the 19th century started in Eastern Europe due to the pressures they faced at that time that made living in Europe extremely difficult. As a result of these challenges, they theorized a number of solutions. One of the solutions was to overthrow the autocracy government there at the time, later the zionist ideology arose that possessed very radical implications and had the most tremendous result.

The term “genocide” has been increasingly used in reference to the suffering of Palestinians, particularly in the context of Israel’s ongoing military actions and policies toward them. This situation has led to widespread accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide. Although there is debate over the use of the term, many human rights organizations and scholars argue that Israel’s actions constitute genocidal practices under the United Nations’ definition.

Genocide, as defined by the UN, involves acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, Palestinians have faced systematic displacement, violence, and denial of their basic rights, which many argue fit this definition. The mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948, known as the Nakba, resulted in the expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians from their land, a major event that continues to resonate through generations.

More recent escalations, such as the wars in Gaza and the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, exacerbate these claims. Israel’s policies of blockades, restrictions on movement, and destruction of Palestinian homes and infrastructure have left the Palestinian population in a state of constant suffering. The United Nations and organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned Israel’s actions as violations of international law and, in some cases, genocide.

The repeated military offensives in Gaza, including Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009), Operation Protective Edge (2014), and Operation Guardian of the Walls (2021), have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, with the vast majority being civilians. These operations often involve indiscriminate airstrikes that target civilian areas, further intensifying the humanitarian crisis. According to reports, these actions disproportionately affect women, children, and other vulnerable groups, leading to accusations of a deliberate attempt to destroy the Palestinian population.

While some argue that Israel’s actions are motivated by security concerns in response to Hamas and other militant groups,others would argue these militant groups are actually resistance groups to the brutal Occupation. Despite this, many have concluded that the acts  of Israeli “Self Defence by the share scale of atrocities and destruction ,amounts to collective punishment of an entire population, alongside restrictions on basic necessities like food, water, and medical supplies, is nothing less than systematic oppression. The blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2007, has turned the region into what some call an “open-air prison.”

The International Court of Justice has declared Israel an apartheid state citing multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Additionally, the chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant each bears criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population.

In conclusion, Dr. Francesca Albanese has articulated that the atrocities in occupied Palestine meet the definition of genocide. These atrocities are happening for the last seven (7) decades, until the Palestinian question is not solved the instability will continue in the Middle East.

References:

Barnavi (2018 January 26). Zionism 101. My Jewish Learning. Zionism 101 | My Jewish Learning

United Nations, Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948.

Human Rights Watch, “Israel: Abuses in Gaza Strip,” 2021.

Amnesty International, “Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: End Collective Punishment,” 2018.

ReliefWeb. (2025, January 26). World Court finds Israel responsible for apartheid. ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/world-court-finds-israel-responsible-apartheid

Amnesty International. (2024, July 9). ICJ opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful is historic vindication of Palestinians’ rights. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/07/icj-opinion-declaring-israels-occupation-of-palestinian-territories-unlawful-is-historic-vindication-of-palestinians-rights/

Written by Sheldon (Dawoud) Darroux Dominica-Palestine Solidarity for Freedom