The Vulnerable Advocate from Charles KnightGaze on Gaza: the collapse of the remaining moral legitimacy of the powerfulMoral failure of the USA, Israel, and the "international community"
I was going to write my first post for The Vulnerable Advocate with my thoughts on ‘the best of bad choices’ for an end to the Ukraine-Russian war. I have many notes on that subject, but then today… South African lawyers made presentations before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague, calling for the court to order ‘provisional measures’ (a court procedural reference) to stop Israel’s campaign of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. I found it so compelling that I decided to do this quick post on that topic. I thank South Africa for bringing this action before the UN’s highest court. For a couple of months now, it has seemed clear to me that Israel’s right-wing government’s reaction to the October attack by Hamas fighters was to flatten Gaza. This chosen plan would essentially make Gaza uninhabitable, thus forcing the removal of any surviving Palestinians in this particular part of Israel’s occupied territories. The military means of such a policy is largely indistinguishable from genocide. And, as most of you are surely aware, President Biden is backing Israel’s war “100%” including, most importantly, digging deep into US ordnance stockpiles and rushing those destructive enablers to Israel. So, if Israel is pursuing genocide, Washington is making a clear choice to enable it. I urge you to spend some time watching the testimony from earlier today of the South African team before the ICJ. It is extraordinary! And it is far more authentic and well-said than anything I could put together. As a post-apartheid black-led nation whose native peoples suffered deeply under European colonialism and racism, South Africa has earned standing on these matters. And the case they have assembled is compelling. Don’t take my word on it. John J. Mearsheimer has done us the favor of reading their 84-page application to the Court. He found it carefully argued and compelling. For a more immediately dramatic experience, listen to the 11 January initial hearing presented by the South African team before the court. The full hearing —> Two segments I had time to watch today and which I found deeply moving (even when I had read some of the particulars before they were so compellingly presented) —> Please watch and read the case. I do not think it can be denied. The facts are overwhelming. I have no idea if Israel’s behavior can be changed by court decisions or global public anger. However, Biden can easily stop sending American arms until Israel stops bombing and shelling Gaza. It is well within his power, and I argue it is a moral imperative. Finally, a personal note. I have written from personal experience about the choice we all have when we are oppressed, hurt, and humiliated by others. We can join with others to work toward ending oppression, intentional harm, and humiliation in our society, or we can join with the oppressors in doing new harm. Make no mistake, choosing the latter is how the cycle repeats — endlessly if we allow it. |