Over the weekend, the Israeli military launched a destruction operation in Gaza that all of Israel is a partner to, whether by action, by disregard or by indifference. No one will be absolved. Of course, Benjamin Netanyahu is complicit first and foremost.
The prime minister is writing the most decisive chapter of his political biography. This is how he will be remembered. Not for the government coup, not for his early accomplishments, not for his failed government, not for his criminal indictments and trials. The chariots of genocide that the Israeli army is now riding under his command will define his legacy.
He will forever be remembered as the destroyer of Gaza. Everything else pales by comparison and will be forgotten, like melting snow. His Wikipedia entry 50 years from now will call Benjamin Netanyahu the destroyer of Gaza. Fortunately for them, all of his cabinet ministers will be forgotten. Not a single one of this mindless, spineless motley crew will be remembered, not even Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The lead contractor is IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. He promised and has carried out this enterprise of destruction. That's how he, Zamir, the chief of staff of destruction, will be remembered. Israel Air Force commander Tomer Bar will be his senior partner, the chief pilot of the aerial destruction force whose pilots have slaughtered huge numbers of people from the sky, indiscriminately and ruthlessly and will now press ahead even harder, aimlessly and pointlessly. Their crimes can never be forgiven. Their hands are red with blood. If anyone has still entertained any doubts, the last 19 months have demonstrated that Air Force pilots are the wrong stuff.
History will put them on trial along with the Israeli military's top brass, none of whom have had the guts to refuse, speak out or give up their ranks. That's how these IDF commanders will be remembered, even if they're still the heroes of the hour to many Israelis. Whether they stand trial in The Hague or not, they will stand trial before history, which is what counts most.
They didn't send the IDF into just another war – there's no longer anyone to wage it against – but rather into an operation of explicit and declared destruction. Recently all of the camouflage netting has been removed not only from the killing machines but also from the key words being used: Israel is saying that it wishes to bring about Gaza's complete and final destruction, to concentrate Gaza's remaining refugees into one dense area, after starving them for two and a half months, and to defeat them. That's not war – in a war, there are two sides to the conflict – but rather a barbaric assault on waves of rubble and on two million destitute displaced people, the shocked, exhausted, disabled and sick who have no shelter or refuge. If the IDF dares hand out citations of merit in the aftermath of this "war," they will be citations of genocide for its outstanding commanders.
Like the commanders, the soldiers taking part in this are also complicit. A minority of them will one day come to regret it. The others will repress the guilt. And what will they tell their children? That they leveled Gaza? That they shelled hospitals and schools? But it wasn't limited to the government and the army. There were those who provided cover, who encouraged, incited, concealed and lied – the vast majority of the Israeli media. It will also be credited with the destruction of Gaza. It has been involved in this – and how. This is the Israeli media's nadir.
A spirit of incitement has prevailed in the broadcast studios, from the sweet-mannered anchors to the fascist panelists to most of the military affairs "reporters." They have been a large army of nationalist propagandists who have incited and legitimized it.
A courageous, decent media scene could have prevented this military operation, but we barely have anything like that. Professional media that would have shown us Gaza over the past 19 months rather than despicably concealing it just to make viewers feel better; media that would have told the truth about the renewed "war," that would have made many Israelis take to the streets not only on the hostages' behalf but for two million innocent people. The grandchildren of news anchors Yonit Levy and Dany Cushmaro might also ask them one day: 'Were you in favor of that? And if not, why did you normalize everything?' The grandchildren of military reporters Nir Dvori, Or Heller and other such warmongers won't ask them anything. They will be ashamed.