Conversations about Gaza, Israel, and genocide
Thousands in New York protest Benjamin Netanyahu's UN visit while UNGA high-level events decry a deteriorating situation for Palestinians in Gaza
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefed the UN on Thursday, claiming his country "prevented a genocide" in Gaza—despite evidence stating otherwise.
He followed Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas' address that "a genocidal war ... created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe," and Netanyahu charged "accusing Israel of genocide is the greatest lie of the century."
The UN Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory found a year ago that Israel is carrying out genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The International Court of Justice has not yet ruled on an ongoing genocide case but said in 2024 that it is plausible Israel is committing genocide and should take steps to halt those actions. The Human Rights Watch asserts Israel is not complying with the ICJ's order.
Independent organizations, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Israeli-based B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, as well as genocide scholars like the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and International Association of Genocide Scholars (PDF) have ruled that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
At a high-level meeting I attended on Thursday, Amnesty's Agnes Callamard said, "genocide continues ... Israel continues to impose all Palestinians in Gaza conditions incompatible with their survival."
She said to other panelists," you mentioned the crisis, the war, the humanitarian crises. It is nothing of that nature. It is a genocide, unlawful occupation, apartheid. It's not a war."
"We are at a crossroads to stop this erasure."
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