MSNBC reports – excuse me, runs an opinion piece:
Even now, as Israel starves civilians and shoots many of those who try to obtain what little food is available, Democrats are either calling what Israel is doing a strategic mistake or using the passive voice to describe an “unfolding” famine. And always there’s the reiteration of Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, even though that has nothing to do with Israel’s humanitarian obligations under international law. Former President Barack Obama, a gifted writer, released an evasive statement that starts with a throat-clearing caveat calling for “a return of all hostages” and refuses to name Israel as the agent behind the starvation of Gaza. No Democratic leader in Congress has called for the United States to cut ties with Israel, nor do they acknowledge that Israel unilaterally withdrew from the ceasefire with Hamas. [my emphasis] (1)It may be an “opinion” piece. But that paragraph is reporting facts.
Michigan Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin was picked by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to deliver a response to Trump’s joint address to Congress in March. Her interview this week with Breaking Points shows what a dilemma mealy-mouthing about something like the current genocide is for Democrats, at least. (2) The Republicans, riding their own tidal wave of xenophobia and Christian Zionist zealotry, are mostly more than happy to support Israel’s current policy. The relevant portion begins at 11:00 in this video:
Israeli columnist Gideon Levy apparently sees no need to mealy-mouth about what is going on.
It is no longer possible to beat around the bush and avoid giving an answer. We can no longer hide, evade, mumble, mollify and obscure. Nor can we hang on to legal sophistry about the "question of intent" or to wait for the ruling of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which may only be handed down once it's too late.Levy is commenting on recent reports by the Israeli human-rights group B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI).
It's already too late. That is why the time has come to call the horror by its name – and its full name is genocide, the extermination of a people. There is no other way to describe it. In front of our horrified eyes, Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. It did not begin now; it began in 1948. Now, however, sufficient evidence has accumulated to call the monstrous child in the Gaza Strip by its full name. [my emphasis] (3)
Full B’Tselem report (4): https://www.btselem.org/publications/202507_our_genocide
Full PHRI report (5): https://www.phr.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Genocide-in-Gaza-PHRI-English.pdf
Nir Hasson reports:
This marks the first time that Israeli human rights groups have officially determined that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The groups are now calling on the international community to take action against the Israeli government to stop these atrocities.Intent is a key element of the crime of genocide as defined by the UN Genocide Convention of 1948. This has been the hardest element to establish in considering whether events of mass killing or ethnic cleansing are part of a genocide. Both are war crimes but by themselves don’t fulfill the standard of genocide.
The B'Tselem report opens with a strong condemnation of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, noting that the group's assault included numerous war crimes and likely crimes against humanity.
The report also states that Israel's response was exceptionally brutal, resulting in widespread killing, destruction, displacement and starvation on a massive scale. …
"Statements by senior Israeli decision-makers about the nature of the assault on Gaza have expressed genocidal intent throughout," it added. [my emphasis]
Numerous Israeli leaders have openly expressed genocidal intent. And actions can also speak for themselves. As Levy writes:
When you destroy 33 out of 35 hospitals – the intent is transparent, and the debate is over. When you systematically erase entire neighborhoods, villages and cities – the doubts as to your intentions have come to an end. When you kill dozens of people every day waiting in line for food – the method has been proven beyond any doubt. When you use starvation as a weapon – no question marks exist any longer.Notes:
Nothing is missing any longer to understand that what is happening in Gaza is not the collateral damage of an ugly war – it is the objective. The mass starvation, destruction and death are the goal, and from here the path to the conclusion is short: genocide. [my emphasis]
(1) Zeeshan, Aleem (2025): How Israel's Gaza genocide is happening in broad daylight with U.S. support. MSNBC 07/30/2025. <https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/israel-genocide-meaning-definition-gaza-democrats-rcna221477> (Accessed: 2025-31-07).
(2) Krystal And Saagar GRILL Dem Senator On Epstein, Zohran, Israel. Breaking Points YouTube channel 07/29/2025. <https://youtu.be/AFrEJTFbSTc?si=Y7vPbu1KzUrs8oEW> (Accessed: 2025-31-07).
(3) Levy, Gideon (2025):It's Not Just War. It's Genocide – and It's Being Done in Our Name. Haaretz 07/30/2025. <https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025-07-30/ty-article-opinion/.premium/its-not-just-war-its-genocide-and-its-being-done-in-our-name/00000198-5c7c-d843-af99-de7d5dfd0000?gift=59f0d5f9615941ae96be2f7bb618e7a0> (Accessed: 2025-31-07).
(4) B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel (2025): Our Genocide: B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel: Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip 07/28/2025. <https://www.btselem.org/press_releases/20250728_our_genocide> (Accessed: 2025-31-07).
(5) Hasson, Nir (2025): For the First Time, Israeli Human Rights Groups Say Israel Is Committing Genocide in Gaza, Call for International Intervention. Haaretz 07/28/2025. <https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-07-28/ty-article/.premium/for-the-first-time-israeli-human-rights-groups-say-israel-is-committing-genocide-in-gaza/00000198-50f1-de88-a9d8-5bf31b1e0000> (Accessed: 2025-31-07).
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