How much longer will Israel’s agenda be tolerated by world?

THE DEATH toll in Gaza has now climbed to more than 1 000, a majority of them civilians, including more than 200 children. We’re witnessing another brutal chapter in what Israeli historian Ilan Pappe describes as the “incremental genocide” of Palestinians.

As explosions ripped up Gaza, one video clip captured young Israelis in Sderot relaxing on folding chairs, some smoking water pipes, others with pop-corn, enjoying the spectacle across the border. In Tel Aviv mobs of Israeli youth chant: “In Gaza there’s no studying/No children are left there/Olé olé olé olé-olé-olé”. (See electronicintifada.net for video postings).

This cold-blooded gloating can only be explained by the systematic de-humanising of Palestinians by the Israeli propaganda machine.

Behind the propaganda screen, what’s happening is the continued application of Moshe Dayan’s doctrine. “Israel must invent dangers”, he said, “and to do this must adapt the strategy of provocation and revenge.” In May two teenage Palestinians were murdered by a sniper.

The killings were captured on camera. No-one has been arrested. In June three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and murdered, possibly in revenge for the May murders. Within an hour Israeli security knew the three Israeli boys had been murdered, but kept this secret – even deceiving the families of the boys. Instead, a cynical international campaign was mounted: “Bring back our boys”. Hamas was blamed for the kidnapping even though the Israelis had already identified the suspects – two dissidents operating independently of Hamas command structures.

Having built a false propaganda narrative to justify revenge, the Israeli government then emulated the Nazi practice of collective punishment of communities under occupation. An absolutely disproportionate reign of terror has ensued. We’re told “Israel is exercising its right to self-defence”. Of course it has a right to protect its own citizens, but as the occupying power Israel also has an obligation to protect civilians under occupation in terms of The Hague Convention.

Israel claims it pulled out of Gaza in 2005. But in all material respects it remains an occupying power and is recognised as such by the UN. It controls Gaza’s air-space, territorial waters, population register, the movement of people, and the supply of essential products and services (electricity, fuel, water). It even collects taxes owed to Gaza authorities.

We’re told “Israel avoids civilian casualties, while Hamas aims to kill civilians”. Whatever we might think of Hamas tactics, it has limited weapons technology without effective targeting capacity. In contrast, Israel has a hi-tech arsenal, including drones and F-16s.

It vaunts its capacity to surgically target single individuals. Yet, to date, in Gaza it has demolished 3 175 homes, five hospitals, six clinics, damaged 64 mosques, two churches and mowed down boys, aged four to six, clearly not “human shields”, playing soccer on a beach.

It has gone out of its way to target civil- ians, sowing terror as part of a strategy to “downsize” Palestinians in occupied Gaza and West Bank. These are war crimes.

Behind the current pogrom is the real story. Recently, even the US had become frustrated with Netanyahu’s obduracy. There was a general international consensus it was the Israelis who were responsible for the breakdown of US-led peace talks. This was followed by the announcement of a unity government between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

The US, much to Israel’s consternation, recognised this government. Israel’s response? Back to the Dayan doctrine – incite provocation and then exert massive, ethnic-cleansing revenge. All peace-loving people world-wide must absolutely not allow this genocidal agenda to prevail.

Cronin is Deputy Minister for Public Works and deputy general secretary of the SACP.