On both sides of the conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip, many answer with an unequivocal “yes.”
Some Israelis and other Israel supporters are pointing a finger at Hamas, which killed 1,400 people, most of them civilians – while wounding many more – in Israel and took over 240 hostages in its surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
The attack, some Israel supporters and political observers note, must be seen in the light of Hamas leaders repeatedly stated goal of destroying Israel and their recent promise to attack Israel “again and again” until it is gone.
As of Nov. 6, Israel’s attacks have resulted in more than 10,000 deaths, including thousands of children, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. Pro-Palestinian supporters see this as part of a longer history of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Hashtags like #StopTheGenocide and #GenocideinGaza are circulating widely on social media.
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib amplified these allegations when she said on Nov. 4 that President Joe Biden is guilty of supporting genocide in Gaza.
Regardless of people’s position, almost everyone would agree that the crisis is dire, war crimes have likely taken place, far too many civilians have suffered greatly or lost their lives – and the situation has arrived at, or is on the cusp of, genocide.
I am a scholar of genocide studies. As the Israel-Hamas conflict grinds on amid continuing genocide allegations, it’s crucial to understand what genocide actually is and how this term has been used for political purposes in the past.
Is genocide taking place in the Middle East?
On both sides of the conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip, many answer with an unequivocal “yes.”
Some Israelis and other Israel supporters are pointing a finger at Hamas, which killed 1,400 people, most of them civilians – while wounding many more – in Israel and took over 240 hostages in its surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
The attack, some Israel supporters and political observers note, must be seen in the light of Hamas leaders repeatedly stated goal of destroying Israel and their recent promise to attack Israel “again and again” until it is gone.
Ireland will not introduce hate speech laws, its justice minister said on Saturday, dropping a central part of the response to riots in Dublin last year following criticism from
Russia will take no part in any follow-up to the Swiss-organized "peace summit" held in June as the process amounts to "fraud," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that the end of the more than 2-1/2-year-old war with Russia depended on the "resolve" of Kyiv's Western allies in providing needed