In light of the UN Commission of Inquiry’s latest findings, we encourage you to go a step further and describe Israel’s campaign as genocidal, with clear attribution to the UN Commission’s findings.
To the Toronto Star and Associated Press,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East to thank you for the article titled: “UN-commissioned experts say Gaza ceasefire has not stopped Israel from committing genocide.”
We appreciate that the article reported on the UN Commission of Inquiry’s findings that Israel continues to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extermination, persecution, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence, while deliberately targeting Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and continuing its genocide in Gaza.
We especially appreciate that the article reports on the torture and sexual assault committed by the Israeli forces against Palestinians that is so often not talked about altogether in the media.
In fact, Israel’s use of sexual violence is not new and dates back to 1948. In his book The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine historian Ilan Pappé recounts testimony from Najiah Ayyub regarding events in Tantura in May 1948:
“I saw that the troops who encircled us tried to touch the women but were rejected by them. When they saw that the women would not surrender, they stopped. When we were on the beach, they took two women and tried to undress them, claiming they had to search the bodies.” (The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, p. 246).
In another documented instance, on May 14, 1948, Haganah and Irgun units occupied Jaffa. Historian Benny Morris writes:
“On 14 or 15 May, a 12-year-old girl was raped by two Haganah soldiers; there were also a number of attempted rapes.” (The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, p. 220, citing a report from the IDF archives.)
All of this to say, thank you for reporting on Israel’s use of systemic rape against Palestinians.
Lastly, we appreciate the shift in language from previous articles, which characterized Israel’s actions as “retaliation.”
Indeed, it is inaccurate to characterize an ongoing genocide as “retaliatory.” The intent is fundamentally different than a war or a response or retaliation, it is genocidal.
In light of the UN Commission of Inquiry’s latest findings, we encourage you to go a step further and describe Israel’s campaign as genocidal, with clear attribution to the UN Commission’s findings.
Regards,
Media Analyst. Canadians for Justice in the Middle East