The brutality and inhumanity of Israel's assault on Gaza is no surprise. It's just what was promised

[Uncle Joe]

As the international court considers claims of genocide, the question of intent seems moot. Just read the words of Netanyahu and his allies

It always starts with words. Genocide is largely remembered for its depraved acts, but it is incubated in language. Words can cast dark spells on a population, stirring hatred in those who otherwise see themselves as moderate, humane, normal.

(snip)

As the British lawyer Daniel Machover tells me, Israel has a legal obligation to prosecute those who incite genocide. But instead, since the grave war crimes committed against Israeli civilians by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October, government ministers, parliamentarians, army officers and journalists have indulged in the language of extermination. This chilling phenomenon has few historical precedents, because usually instigators of genocide go to great lengths to cover up their crimes. As Raz Segal – an Israeli-American associate professor of genocide and Holocaust studies – tells me, Israel’s onslaught on Gaza is unique “in the sense of discussing it as what I think it is – that is, genocide – because the intent is so clearly articulated. And it’s articulated throughout Israeli media and society and politics.”

In South Africa’s document setting out its genocide case against Israel over the Gaza war, there are nine pages dedicated to genocidal incitement. It notes that Benjamin Netanyahu twice “invoked the Biblical story of the total destruction of Amalek”, declaring: “You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. And we do remember.” A later passage in the Bible leaves no doubt for interpretation: “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” This was no throwaway comment. Consider the unprecedented slaughter of Palestinian children – or “infants and sucklings” – and note that six days after invoking Amalek in a national address, Netanyahu referred to it again in a letter to army soldiers and officers.

Then there’s Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, who declared: “It is an entire nation out there that is responsible. It’s not true this rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved. It’s absolutely not true.” No demarcation between militants and civilians exists here. Yoav Gallant, the minister of defence, was a repeat offender. On 9 October, in an unashamed commitment to collective punishment, he declared Israel was imposing a “complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” he said. “We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly.”

(snip)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/13/israel-hamas-gaza-war-crimes

[pwb]

1. You ever feel like trump gave the green light to

Vlad and Netanyahu to start all this shit? I do.

[Uncle Joe]

2. Yes, I am of the belief that *rump and his Middle East peace advocate

666 Kushner, along with perhaps Prince Bonesaw and Netanyahu had set an "October surprise" in motion to begin a year early, knowing that his Hindness would be busy in court all year and they would need this.

What was two billion to Kushner for?

[pwb]

3. Yep

all that.

[Uncle Joe]

4. One thing is for certain over the past several years neither

Bonesaw or Netanyahu have cared much for journalist safety.

[Mr.Bill]

13. True.

Another thing they have in common with Trump.

[Uncle Joe]

17. One more thing, I found this from about 3 weeks before October 7th

September 13, 2023
•
In The News

Rep. Garcia: Why Did Saudi Government Give Kushner $2 Billion?

(snip)

Garcia makes the case for the investigation by stating that:

Kushner pushed his way into a job in his father-in-law’s administration with no experience.
Kushner prioritized pushing out the Secretary of State in order to “cozy up” to the Saudi Government.
There are records of a $110 billion arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia that was inflated at the direction of Kushner.
Months after Kushner’s departure from the White House, the Saudi crown prince overruled his own investment advisors and sent $2 billion into Kushner's companies' bank account.

Garcia: "I rise today to urge House Republicans to investigate one of the modern American scandals and political cons. Why did the Saudi government give Jared Kushner $2 billion just months after he left the Trump White House? Kushner, who oversaw Middle East policy for his father-in-law, has enriched himself and his family in what’s clearly an enormous grift and likely serious conflict of interest crimes. Let's review."

"First, Jared Kushner conned his way into a cushy White House job with no clear job description and no experience. Then he took it upon himself to prioritize pushing out the U.S. Secretary of State so he could cozy up to the Saudi government. Now, once he was close enough to the Saudis, we have records of a $110 billion arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia that was inflated at the direction of Jared Kushner. Then, mere months after he exits the White House, what happens? The crown prince of Saudi Arabia overrules his own investment advisors and sends $2 billion to Kushner's company's bank account."

"In the exact words of Republican Chris Christie, who I'll quote: "The grift from this family is breathtaking." Jared Kushner and Ivanka Kushner walk out of the White House and months later get $2 billion from the Saudis. Some have said the Kushner family has engaged in business dealings that may have crossed the ethical line, and I agree. Yet they refuse to act. Is this the same party that's obsessed with President Biden's family? The American people deserve answers, and I urge my colleagues across the aisle to answer all our calls and subpoena Jared Kushner's company once and for all."

(snip)

https://robertgarcia.house.gov/media/in-the-news/rep-garcia-why-did-saudi-government-give-kushner-2-billion



I'm wondering what connections Saudi Arabia has to Hamas?

I know Netanyahu wanted Hamas to exist as a counter to the PA and both men had to have the good sense to know the pressure cooker of Gaza would eventually explode.

[Uncle Joe]

19. P.S. I didn't realize it until I read this,

but Kushner's first investment with the two billion in Israel was a car company 1 month before October 7th on September 6th 2023.



Jared Kushner's Post-White House $2 Billion Saudi Investment Sparked Ethical Debate and Saudi Skepticism Due to 'Inexperience' and 'Public Relations Risks'

Just months after leaving the White House in 2021, Jared Kushner secured a $2 billion investment from a Saudi crown prince-led fund, despite objections from the fund’s advisers about the deal.

A panel that screens investments for the Saudi sovereign wealth fund expressed concerns about Kushner’s new private equity firm, Affinity Partners. According to The New York Times, they cited issues like the firm’s inexperience, the possibility of the kingdom bearing most of the investment risk, unsatisfactory due diligence on the firm’s operations, an excessive asset management fee, and public relations risks due to Kushner’s previous role as a senior adviser to President Trump.

(snip)

Kushner’s close ties to the Saudi crown prince, including his defense of him after the Khashoggi murder, have also drawn attention. Interestingly, the Saudi fund invested twice as much with Kushner compared to former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, even though Mnuchin had a successful investment record before entering government.

(snip)

This week it was announced that Affinity Partners is making its first investment in Israel by acquiring a $150 million minority stake in an Israeli car company. In this transaction, Affinity will purchase a 15% stake in the car and credit division of S Shlomo Holdings Ltd, a closely held Israeli company. The investment was disclosed in a filing on September 6th.

(snip)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jared-kushners-post-white-house-211939446.html



Now that is what I would call cosmic timing.

I'm wondering who if any major players in Israel's government own any of that stock?

[rubbersole]

15. Vlad needed a distraction from his royal ass kickin' in Ukraine.

[ShazzieB]

16. Hamas started it eith the 10/7 massacre.

I'm not defending any of Israel's actions, but the fact is, they aren't the ones who started this.

[Deep State Witch]

5. Yes, But Biden

Can just say the magic word "ceasefire" and Netanyahu will stop, right?

[Uncle Joe]

6. President Biden

would either have to cut off arms supplies or threaten to cut off arm supplies.

Of course he would pay a political price for that as well, I'm sure.

I don't believe they have left him a good choice but I believe the absolute worst choice is being on the wrong side of genocide.

"Never forget" was not exclusive.

[Deep State Witch]

7. Between a Rock and a Hard Place

The US Government has a long-standing partnership with the IDF. Like it or not, we are very entwined with Israel, especially since the "War on Terrorism". We have to support our ally. OTOH, when are allies are doing outrageous things like wiping Gaza off of the map, we have a duty to call them out.

Like Biden said the other day at Mother Emmanuel church - there is a lot going on behind the scenes that the American public is not privy to.

[drray23]

8. he could but that would require drastic measures that would likely backfire here at home

He would have to cut off the aid to Israel , the sale of ammunitions. missiles and so on. That would generate a huge backslash so I am not sure its actually practical.

[Mr.Bill]

9. There is something to be said for keeping

Israel reliant on us. If they weren't, we would have no leverage. It's a very thin line for our President to walk, but so far I generally agree with what Biden is doing. I simply trust that he knows what he is doing. He has shown us over and over that he usually does. It reassuring knowing I can trust my President without needing to second guess him. There haven't been many presidents like that in my lifetime.

[calimary]

11. Good point!

A VERY good point, actually.

[moniss]

14. One phone call

to Israel from Biden with the following words "Either you change the approach of bombing an entire apartment complex in order to get a couple dozen Hamas militants or the following will take place. We will encourage a series of resolutions to come forward and we will not veto them. The first resolution will order an international peacekeeping force be deployed to the West Bank. The second resolution will give Israel 90 days to remove all settlements from the West Bank that have been built since the occupation began. If they are not removed the peacekeeping force will bulldoze them. The third resolution will establish an international peacekeeping force in Gaza and as part of that resolution no blockade of goods will be allowed. The prohibition of arms into either the West Bank or Gaza will remain prohibited. The fourth resolution will establish the borders as they were in 1967. The fifth resolution will set in place a commission that will have one year to develop and implement a framework for the resolution of the subjects of compensation and right of return as were promised by the UN in 1948 and prior. We will oppose none of these resolutions.

Now Mr. Prime Minister do you wish to change your strategy and tactics in Gaza? Keep in mind that transgressions by you will result in the implementation of getting the resolutions moving. Now which will it be sir? This has all gone on for many decades too long."

The warning will be given to Hamas, the PA and all other actors that the international peacekeeping forces will be given "shoot to kill" rules of engagement. Enough of this dragging the world through this squabbling bullshit on a constant basis. If the sides will not agree on a resolution then the UN should impose a resolution since the entirety of the problem arose under their authority and continues to be under their authority to this day.

[moniss]

10. Israel knows

that when push comes to shove the US veto at the Security Council will always be there for them. So they can and have acted with impunity in the Occupied Territories.

[Sky Jewels]

12. Thank you.

I’ve been absolutely disgusted by the defense of genocide on DU. I know a lot of us see it, but are being shushed and criticized for speaking out.

[Igel]

18. "Amalek" has layers of meaning.

It was a tribe that hashem said to wipe out. That's the narrowest reading. It's also popular default reading in the West.

But it's also, per tradition, the group that in every generation is out to wipe out the Jews. Every generation has an Amalek to be dealt with, antisemitism that threatens the group. Hitler and the Nazis were Amalek. How that antisemitism is wiped out ... That's a question. If every generation has an Amalek to face, which huge war was fought in the generation before Hitler? In the 1830s? Right. Like I said, "That's a question." But most don't rape and slaughter women and kill infants en masse, which (lack of such cruelty happening) is a good thing.

It's also a nifty metaphor for cruelty and resides in the human heart, and is also to be wiped out. Nobody calls for eradicating human hearts.

Probably has other meanings. But not my cultural tradition. I just know that when somebody says "nuance" and "context" it applies fairly broadly, not just in the specific ass-covering and context-defying circumstances that it claims to cover over.

[orthoclad]

20. "utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not"

The Abrahamic religions were founded in conquest, genocide and human sacrifice.
The dominant faction has the emblem of human sacrifice as their symbol. Not loaves and fishes or healing the sick: a torture device.
I can speak, having gone to Catholic school.

Other factions symbolize geometry and astronomy, but the currently dominant one uses human sacrifice via torture as a symbol.

Loaves and fishes. Heal the sick. But WE are bombing pediatric hospitals and starving masses. Those are US weapons, bought with our labor.

[NowsTheTime]

21. Bernie is speaking out

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218596485