How and Why Israel Helped Create, Fund & Support Hamas to Maintain an Apartheid State
An Inconvenient Truth: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Israel’s Government and Hamas
that
"When it’s uncomfortable, when it’s unpopular, even when it’s dangerous to speak the truth, is the precise time that the truth should be spoken."
— Unknown
Preface
Yes, the title sounds click-baity, but I can assure you it’s most certainly not - not my style. But if you’re already triggered by the title, and generally judge a book by its cover, then it’s best to close your browser tab now. Or, if you just don’t want to hear the hard reality, backed with tons of credible sources (over 400), then this isn’t a read you’ll likely enjoy. I tend to deal out hard-to-swallow pills, regardless of how I or anybody else feels or wants the world to be.
It took me 4-5 months to research and write this article, so it’s not something I “wrote on a whim”.
This article also highlights some of the most disgusting aspects of what humans and politicians in power will do to its populace to further their agenda.
What You’ll Learn
Why the Israeli government, and especially Netanyahu, are one of Hamas’s strongest supporters, how they engineer this madness and why governments actively support dictators and terrorist organizations in the first place
Why the IDF commits so many war crimes and how the Israeli government is responsible for so many massacres of the past 70 years
How Netanyahu, a man embroiled in corruption, leads a cabinet with a convicted terrorist, and a self-proclaimed fascist. And why their lovely coalition even deny the very existence of a Palestinian state
Why President Biden even had big qualms about Netanyahu’s cabinet and called it the “the most extreme Israeli government that he’s ever seen”
How the Gaza conflict has already far outpaced the civilian deaths of any given conflict, the U.S. has documented
How Israel’s killing rampage, and its seek for revenge killed many of its citizens and straight up executed unarmed, surrendering civilians and why these indiscriminate killings are not tragic and isolated incidents, but emblematic of Israel’s IDF
How Israel's far-right has helped create an environment where its soldiers can operate with more or less total impunity and some of their soldiers are even having fun doing so
Why an increasing number of former Israeli soldiers and whistleblowers are calling out their government as “war criminals” and “terrorists”
How the Israeli, U.S. government and press tried to use atrocity propaganda of “beheaded babies” to justify its brutal actions in Gaza and quickly had to retract these statements
How Israel, too, committed torture, executions, sexual abuse, left babies to die - all the barbaric atrocities Israel has accused Hamas of
How and why Israel loves to weaponize the Holocaust, is known to play victim to justify its war crimes and how Germany’s government, too, weaponizes its historical guilt, with the media fueling accusations of antisemitism to stifle and criminalize dissent
How Israel has already violated the UN genocide convention by inciting genocide on an unprecedented and never before seen level
Why antisemitism laws, falsely labeled as such, are being implemented throughout the EU and why the perceived freedom of speech in Germany is at a historic low
How you, too, can play the “fun” game “1, 2, 3… You’re a Nazi!” and learn how to scapegoat your fellow citizens (beginner-friendly!)
Why no one in power dares to criticize Israel publicly, to what lengths an Israeli lobbing organization will go to achieve its goals, why it should have been required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and what the very few outspoken critics say
How Germany, just two years after the 1952 Reparations Agreement, illegally armed its former Holocaust victim and why so little is known about this secret relationship
How Germany has been guilt-tripped into eternal post-war atonement and how Israel has strategically (ab)used its history to keep Germany perpetually indebted, unable to repay
Why the original reparations paid by Germany were not fully used for their intended purpose, but instead spent on weapons and other equipment, leaving many Holocaust survivors impoverished
Why no other country has been as willing as Germany to provide Israel with high-tech military equipment, including nuclear-warhead-capable submarines, something Germany denied for decades
Where Israel initially acquired their nuclear material and knowhow from
How Israel rose from the ashes of genocide only to side and collaborate with a Adolf Hitler sympathizer that supported a brutal apartheid regime
Why Israel, of all countries, has been committing so many horrible crimes over such a long period
Whether Israel has a right to self-defense and why Germany is intervening on Israel's behalf in the ICJ case
Why Germany could be tried for complicity in genocide if Israel loses the case and why nearly 50 South African lawyers are preparing a separate lawsuit against the US, UK for complicity in Israel's war crimes in Gaza
What happens if the German government continues to hold Germans (past, present, and future) hostage for Nazi crimes committed by past generations and what needs to change to honor the true meaning of the slogan “Never again!”
We have lots of ground to cover, so let’s get started. Buckle up, it’s gonna get rough!
Table of Contents
Israel’s Love For the Game Called “Fuck Around and Find Out”
Israel’s Extracurricular Activities: Why Its IDF Commit So Many War Crimes
Israel’s “Killing Rampage” - Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
The Weaponization of the Holocaust: How Israel Tries to Play Victim to Justify War Crimes
Just a Bunch of Baboons Condemning a Ceasefire: Scapegoating for Dummies
The International Court of Justice: Has the Time of Reckoning Come at Last?
Bonus Reading: How to Bake a “Shit Pie” - A MICHELIN Star Recipe Worth Dying For
0. Disclaimer
I find the following disclaimer to be self-evident and common sense, but there’s always a significant number of people who believe all or some statements that are made are generalizations that don’t apply to everything and everyone. Well, duh?
Quick refresher:
[Generalize]: Make a general or broad statement by inferring from specific cases (aka inductive reasoning). Or to make something more widespread or widely applicable. However, generalizations do not mean “all” its “most”. Newsflash: There is absolutely nothing wrong with true generalizations.
Generalizations are inevitable as an inherent part of human perception, which requires us to categorize things and situations. Therefore, we should not insist on avoiding generalization, but simply acknowledge that there is variety in the individuals of a certain group. Lastly, I try to back up my claims with sufficient evidence, as is apparent by the sheer number of sources I have cited throughout this article. And the rest is my educated opinion.
So if you’re one of those readers who do not understand generalizations, it’s best to move on. If you do understand them and still want to argue this point, then you’re either really bored or just want to argue with someone online (aka being a “troll”).
So, here’s that reminder:
Yes, I’m aware that not all Americans, Germans, Israelis, Russians, Ukrainians, (insert whatever country you’re from) are the same or support their current government or certain actions taken by their respective political leaders. Nowhere, does that mean that every citizen of a country I mention throughout this piece, is the same. Not every Israeli is Jewish or Zionist for that matter. Israel does not represent all Jews or Israelis. Palestinians do not automatically equate to Hamas. A government does not equal its citizens. Never has. Never will.
You’re welcome to have a different opinion, interpret the sources I will present differently, or even entirely disagree and come to another conclusion than I have. However, please do your research, look and read my sources and give yourself some time to reflect.
And if you do feel emotionally triggered by something I wrote, then that’s probably more a reflection upon yourself than me. Pro-tip: Things that trigger you the most, can often uncover your biggest growth potential.
A word of caution
I got a word of warning for all you would-be readers. When you join my article, you take on debit. A debit you owe me personally.”
— Adapted from Inglourious Bastards, Lt. Aldo Raine
In plain English:
If you can’t handle extreme sarcasm and dark humor in the face of truly horrifying, depressing events, then it’s better you do not continue beyond this point. Because I love sarcasm. It’s like punching people in the face, but with words. Moreover, this article makes extensive use of “sentence enhancers”, also known as profanity.
1. Israel - The Biggest Supporter of Hamas
What might seem like a preposterous accusation, is, in fact, the sad reality and a "genius" (read: disgusting) move by the Israeli government to avoid any peace settlement with Gaza.
In fact, it’s been a well-known and long documented fact, that the ultra-right wing Israeli government has funded and supported Hamas. The article, titled "Hamas is Israel’s Golem", goes into the history of when, how and why Israel thought it was a "good" idea to do so. But, here’s the very short, condensed rundown as I would rather not bore you with unnecessary details. [1]
Hamas has been a leading force in armed resistance in the occupied Palestinian territories since it was founded in 1987. While Hamas claims a long presence in Palestine (dating back to the British mandate in 1935 and the establishment in 1946 of the Gaza branch), its rise in the 1990s is much the result of the Israeli Intelligence's manipulation.
Israel had long provided financial and other types of support to Hamas before it took full control of Gaza (2006-07), contributing to its rise as the dominant Palestinian force in the region. There is plenty of credible evidence from Israeli sources that successive governments in Jerusalem helped create this militant strain of Palestinian political Islam, not only in the form of Hamas, but also the Muslim Brotherhood precursors.
The rise of the extremist Islamist movement in Gaza can be traced back to the first Intifada in 1987. This was a time when Israeli leaders viewed the main threat to the country’s security came from the secular Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by Yasser Arafat. The Israeli military operation against the PLO in the 1980s led to the emergence of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Involuntary Whistleblowers
Surprisingly, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, was imprisoned by Israel in 1984 but released after only a year despite being convicted for possessing hidden weapons. [2]
(…) the government in Jerusalem gave him money to support the Islamists in Gaza. The objective, in the late ’80s and early ’90s, was to prevent what seemed like the growing influence of the PLO and its Fatah party. Brigadier General Yitzhak Segev said that the goal of aiding the Palestinian Islamist movement was to create a "counterweight" to the Arafat’s PLO.
Arafat himself referred to Hamas as ”a creature of Israel.” [3], [335]
Don’t believe him? Too biased? Alight…
Former Israeli officials like Brig. Gen. Yitzhak Segev (Israeli military governor in Gaza in the early 1980s) told a New York Times reporter that he had helped fund the group. [4]
Or, Avner Cohen, a former Israeli religious affairs official who worked in Gaza for decades, informed the Wall Street Journal back in 2009: [5]
"Hamas, to my great regret, is Israel’s creation"
Charles Freeman, former US ambassador, told Saudi Arabia: [6]
"Israel started Hamas. It was a project of Shin Bet (Israeli Intelligence Agency), which had a feeling that they could use it to hem in the PLO."
It doesn’t get more obvious than that.
Benjamin Netanyahu was probably Hamas’s strongest supporter. Back in 2019 he urged support for Hamas, albeit for different reasons. He viewed Palestinian extremism, exemplified by Hamas, as a bulwark against the two-state solution, which he adamantly opposed. [7]
“Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas. This is part of our strategy—to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank."
To put it differently, just a few years ago, the Prime Minister of Israel believed that backing a powerful Islamist group in Gaza would serve as a defense against a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
Former prime minister of Israel, Ehud Barak informed Time that Netanyahu's admitted: [8]
"Anyone who is against a two-state solution should support his attitude toward Hamas, which was basically to let them be alive and kicking."
Suheib Yousef, son of Hamas co-founder, even secretly worked as an Israeli spy under Shin Bet. [9], [347]
Even the very outspoken U.S. politician Dr. Ron Paul (considered the Republican peace candidate when he was running for president in 2008/2012), knew the facts and opposed supporting Israel for this very reason. Here’s a 3 min. clip of him:
Dr. Ron Paul: Who REALLY started HAMAS in 2009 [10]
Side-note:
Notice how he also gives us and the representatives a free history lesson as well, where he mentions the U.S.’s support of Osama bin Laden in the 1980s?
And now that the dog (Hamas) has bitten their master’s hand (Israel), the gloves have come off, and it’s time to beat the dog that Israel(!) helped, shelter, feed and train.
So then, I’m not sure why Netanyahu was embarrassed by the photos of suitcases full of cash (15M USD in total) going to Hamas became public. If you’re already almost openly supporting Hamas, then at least own that shit. [11], [12], [336]
In 2020, Avigdor Liberman, Israel's hawkish defense minister, was the first to reveal that Netanyahu had sent Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and IDF officer in charge of Gaza, Herzi Halevi, to "beg" the Qataris to send money to Hamas. [13]
“Both Egypt and Qatar are angry with Hamas and planned to cut ties with them. Suddenly, Netanyahu appears as the defender of Hamas, as though it was an environmental organization. This is a policy of submission to terror.” (and that Israel was paying Hamas) “protection money” (to maintain the status quo).
A “fun” tidbit about Liberman:
He was also convicted of assault. For what? Hitting a 12-year-old boy. Quite fitting for a hawkish defense minister, don’t you think? [376]
Anyway, Liberman ultimately resigned in protest over Netanyahu's Hamas policy, where he stated: [14]
"The first time Israel is funding terrorism against itself."
The first time, huh? Suuure…said the wife-beater with a history.
"Sir, I only beat my wife once - it’s my first time, I swear! I’m still reading “Wife-beating for Dummies”!
Engineering Madness
But make no mistake, the hardliners in the Israeli government have been engineering this madness for years. This symbiotic relationship between Netanyahu and Hamas has been documented for quite some time and near impossible to refute it at this point, by both friends and foes, hardliners and moderates. [334]
The logic behind this strategy is straightforward: [14]
”It's easier with Hamas to explain to Israelis that there is no one to sit with and no one to talk to." — Ehud Barak, Former prime minister of Israel
But there you have it, plain and simple: Israel created, supported and financed Hamas as a weapon to stop a two-state solution.
The underlying and over-simplified strategy Israel is applying is "Amicus meus, inimicus inimici mei" (the enemy of my enemy is my friend). By supporting an enemy that a government itself created, it can achieve its objectives in a much more effective (albeit indirect) manner.
It reminded me of the movie scene from Alien vs. Predator
2. The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend
But before I elaborate on this strategy, it’s important to note that this isn’t the first time such methods have been employed. And Israel was certainly not the first to do so, either. Let’s recap some history, as it’s essential for the broader context.
The U.S. has whole military branches dedicated to meddling in the affairs of other nations. Sadly, this has been going on longer than I’ve been alive. Just as the Cold War was used as a justification, likewise the U.S. used the war on terrorism to overthrow, assassinate and bomb many countries. Subsequently, installing more "compliant" dictators to replace the ones that do (or should I say did?) not play ball with the U.S.’s national interests. [15]
From Bros to Hoes
Case in point: Do you remember our good ‘ol friend Saddam Hussain? And when I say friend, I do mean that in the most literal sense. The U.S. funded, supported and armed Saddam Hussain with American weapons for years. In fact, CIA files have proven that the U.S. knew Hussein was launching some of the worst chemical attacks in history and gave him a reach-around. [16], [17]
I’m sure you’ve seen the 1983 photograph where Donald Rumsfeld (at the time, Reagan’s special envoy to Iraq) was sharing an intimate moment with Saddam Hussein. And when in 1987 Iraqi jets attacked the U.S.S Stark, killing 37 sailors, this was not a problem for the Reagan administration. Because when you “love” someone, you forgive them for their mistakes. [18]
We’ll get to Germany’s involvement in a second, don’t worry…
And sure enough, the U.S. delivered on its promise with a military aid program called "Bear Spares”, whereby the U.S "made sure that spare parts and ammunition for Soviet or Soviet-style weaponry were available to countries which sought to reduce their dependence on the Soviets for defense needs." [19]
According to Teicher's 1995 court affidavit: [361], [362]
“If the "Bear Spares" were manufactured outside the U.S., then the U.S. could arrange for the provision of these weapons to a third country without direct involvement. Israel, for example, had a very large stockpile of Soviet weaponry and ammunition captured during its various wars. At the suggestion of the U.S., the Israelis would transfer the spare parts and weapons to third countries (…).”
Germany’s Bloody Complicity: Fueling Iraq's Poison Gas Production
While we’re on the topic of war, we surely can’t leave out Germany, especially since they have had such an "extensive" track record in the past when it came to manufacturing and supplying weapons to other countries.
In fact, Germany was also a "key supplier" of Saddam’s regime. The 11,000-page report sent to the UN in 2002 revealed that: [20], [21]
By 1989, German support had turned Iraq into the Middle East’s biggest producer of gases that can be used in warfare.
Some 80 German companies were supplying Saddam Hussein’s regime with equipment for its weapons program, far outstripping the involvement of other countries.
While much of this technology was used for conventional weapons, (…) German companies "actively encouraged" the Iraqi government to develop weapons.
(…) German assistance allegedly ware given to Iraq for the development of poison gas used in the 1988 massacre of Kurds in northern Iraq.
(…) after the massacre, public pressure forced the U.S. to reduce its military co-operation with Iraq, but German firms continued their activities until the outbreak of the Gulf War.
I imagine the discussion have gone done something like this:
Saddam Hussain: "Yo, Uncle Sam! Ya wanna help a brother out?"
Uncle Sam: “Yo, my boy, Saddam! Sure, thing! What do ya need?"
Saddam Hussain: "Some of your bestsellers. Those pew, pew, pew things and some ammo!"
Uncle Sam: "No problem! We got your back. My friend Israel will do the same."
Saddam Hussain: Hey Krauts, you guys want in on the action?"
Zze Germans: "Uff kourse, ve ze OGs uff var. Ve vill exceed your expectation!"
Saddam Hussein was considered enemy number one. And the rest is history.
The Taliban, too, were once propped up and armed by the U.S. under President Reagan. Hell, practically every ruler in South America has been supported or actively opposed by the CIA and other three letter agencies. And some of these "non-cooperative" rulers were even assassinated by Uncle Sam. Just look at the long and dirty laundry list of the U.S.’s involvement in the world-domination tour of “democracy and freedom" just in the 50s and 60s alone. [15]
And hardly any mainstream media even acknowledges the fact that Barack Obama and Joe Biden overthrew the government of Ukraine less than a decade ago. Or, the recent explosive New York Times exposé showing how Ukraine entered into a far-reaching partnership with the CIA and MI6 against Russia over 10 years ago! Ukraine can easily be an anti-Russian outpost of NATO without being a member. [22], [23]
All this helped trigger the Ukraine war and clearly served as a provocation to the Kremlin. If the roles were reversed and Russia established such bases in Mexico, you’d be sure the U.S. would respond accordingly. So much for the bullshit claim that the U.S. and its allies used when they declared that Russia had invaded Ukraine “unjustified and unprovoked”. [24], [25], [26], [352]
I’m sure German Chancellor Olaf Scholz won't remember any of these details and will just play dumb - as usual. But I'm certain Biden actually has an excuse.
LINK TO UKRAINE ARTICLE (coming soon….)
3. Blowback - Better Known as “When Shit Hits the Fan”
Viewed in this light, you can now see what a valuable the asset Hamas really is to those who do not want peace in the region. And that’s why Israel’s government supports and sends cash to Hamas. And when shit does hit the fan, it’s what the CIA calls "blowback". [27]
It’s these unintended consequences and unwanted side effects of covert operations that often result in civilians bearing the brunt of the blowback. It typically presents itself as seemingly "random” acts of political violence without a discernible or direct cause, as the public remains unaware of the secret attacks that prompted a provoked revenge (counter-attack) against them.
Dr. Ron Paul (no surprise there) talked endlessly about this very subject and how the U.S. interventionist foreign policy actually causes terrorism. This short interview with him is well worth a watching: [28]
In a speech in the House of Representative back in December 2001, Ron Dr. Paul concerning the ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine laid out the case for neutrality (emphasis mine). [325]
(…) we are, in a way, an accomplice on all of this killing because we fund both sides. (…) we should consider neutrality, to consider friendship with both sides, and not to pretend that we are all so wise that we know exactly with whom to have solidarity. (…) that is basically our problem. We have a policy that is doomed to fail in the Middle East, and it fails slowly and persistently, always drawing us in, always demanding more money.
The human cost of blowback is real and oftentimes extremely unpredictable. But the politicians that support or sign-off on such operations DO NOT CARE - no matter how fucked up these clandestine operations are.
Anyone doubting this, should not forget Operation Northwoods, where the U.S.’s Department of Defense proposed a false flag operation staged by the CIA to "commit acts of terrorism against American military and civilian targets, blaming them on the Cuban government, and using it to justify a war against Cuba." Luckily, JFK rejected that proposal. [29], [30]
However, the lie of the Gulf of Tonkin incident was successful, enabling the U.S. to enter a war with Vietnam. After all, how can you start a good (and profitable) war without a lie? [31]
The formerly secret documents, and since 2005 declassified by the NSA, are available for anyone to read in the National Security Archives. This just goes to show how morally bankrupt and devoid of humanity people in power can be. [32], [33]
So why play this “game” at all?
Simple, because the potential "rewards" are so huge - at least when things go "right".
…Israel, where you at?
4. Israel’s Love For the Game Called “Fuck Around and Find Out”
Israel has been applying some of the same "learnings" (or should we call them "fuckups") all over the world, but especially in their backyard. e.g., Gaza Flotilla incident, where IDF Commandos raided 6 civilian ships carrying humanitarian aid & construction materials, killing 9 activists, the USS Liberty incident, where Israel deliberately attacked an American Cargo Vessel, killing 34 and wounding 174 without any repercussions, or when the Israeli Mossad posed as CIA agents to recruit terrorists to carry out False Flag Operations against Iran. [34], [35], [36], [337]
I do really wonder, if Israel studied American history, full of horrible crimes and said to themselves: "You know what? Israel should learn from the Americans and apply all their fuckups. We believe we can screw up better." [15]
The Taliban, Saddam Hussein, Hamas,…they all sound very familiar, don’t they? Propping up an extremist (terrorist) organization and it later blowing up in everyone’s face. And sadly, it’s almost always the innocent civilians on both sides that pay the ultimate price. Essentially, it’s just the same shit, different government!
What’s particularly ironic about these incidents is the fact that governments (be it the U.S., Israel or any other) continue to play with fire, but then complain when they get burned? What did you expect, Dumbo? If I put my hand on a burning-hot stove, I certainly don’t except it to gently caress my hand with warmth.
Even children learn this simple game on their first or second try - "Play stupid games, win stupid prizes". The adult version of this is called: "Fuck around and find out!", illustrated by the following graph:
It should be obvious that there’s a strong positive correlation and causation between fucking around and finding out.
With what audacity and hypocrisy can governments like the U.S. and Israel condemn violence against their citizens when they themselves have supported and funded extremist and terrorist groups without taking responsibility for their actions?
I’m left conbaffled…
It almost reminds you of the Good Will Hunting movie scene, where Will is asked why he shouldn't work for the NSA.
5. War on Hamas - A Profoundly Simplistic Reduction
Something we should also briefly address is the wording and narrative that is used in the context of armed conflicts.
Like the "war on terror" paradigm, the "war on Hamas" argument reduces the current conflict to a simple and abstract phrase, devoid of any cultural, religious, historical or even geopolitical analysis. It completely omits the question of causality (i.e., why did October 7 happen?). [37]
Similar to the 9/11 attacks, such reductionism (“war of terror”) generates more catastrophic militaristic responses (and blowbacks) rather than an honest analysis and discussion of various views surrounding the root causes.
The same can be said for most wars and conflicts around the world. Reducing Putin to a crazy, unpredictable, power-hungry Oligarch that suddenly attacked Ukraine in February 2022, is not in the least bit constructive. Taking the time to analyze, reflect and dig deeper does, however, help.
Using Ukraine as an example, we can see that the official Western narrative that Russia had invaded Ukraine “unjustified and unprovoked” is not what it claims. [26]
The sad truth, is that NATO and its allies knew very well that NATO expansion (esp. towards Georgia & Ukraine) would become a big issue if it did not stop. In a confidential cable (Feb. 2008) from Ambassador William J. Burns, former CIA director, titled “Nyet means nyet: Russia’s NATO enlargement redlines” knew that: [38]
“In Ukraine, these include fears that the issue could potentially split the country in two, leading to violence or even, some claim, civil war, which would force Russia to decide whether to intervene.”
And while we’re on the topic of NATO, I should address this organization, before we move on, because many still believe that NATO is just a defensive alliance. If true, then why would Putin even care if NATO expands its “defensive” alliance to its borders?
Sure, it’s a defensive alliance, except for all the times it wasn’t. Except for the times it fought illegal, aggressive wars in Serbia, Libya, Afghanistan, and so many others. Therefore, is it really that difficult to understand Putin's perspective, that this isn't a defensive alliance?
NATO is essentially the European wing of the U.S.’s Empire. And Uncle Sam is the most war hungry country in the world, who started at least seven wars just in the past 20 years and slaughtered millions of people. [39], [40]
This informative and interactive map shows most of the illegal wars conducted by NATO countries and the U.S. since WWII (that we know of). [41]
These wars are/were illegal because they violated the UNO Charter and were conducted without UN mandate. Wars that did not bring “democracy” or “freedom” to these nations, but were about resources, power and military expansion. All responsible should have been held accountable. Yet, they weren’t even condemned. [42]
So when NATO stations dual-use rocket launchers in Poland, it claims they’re trying to ensure that Iran can't nuke Europe with the nuke that they don't have. However, from Putin's perspective, NATO is trying to cut down on the time it would take for a nuclear weapon to hit Moscow.
Today, it's "Russian propaganda" to claim the U.S. and NATO foreign policy bears any responsibility for the situation in Ukraine. This even though, over 25 years ago, more than 40 foreign policy experts, including Bill Bradley, Sam Nunn, Gary Hart, Paul Nitze, and Robert McNamara warned about this very expansion as both expensive and unnecessary given the lack of an external threat from Russia. They also believed “that NATO expansion would “decrease allied security and unsettle European stability” and was a “policy error of historic proportions”. [43]
Political elites and the media said the same things during the Iraq war (although not a NATO-led war). At the time, it was considered "Al Qaeda propaganda", and utterly insane, and unpatriotic to believe that terrorist attacks were a direct, entirely avoidable result of U.S. and NATO policies, and that invading, occupying, and bombing Iraq would lead to blowback. It's so painfully obvious that even hardliners can't deny the overwhelming evidence. [44], [45]
Merely pointing out the truth of NATO’s aggressive and expansionist policy's catastrophic consequences is just called propaganda of the (current bogeyman).
In Ukraine’s example, Jens Stoltenberg, in testimony to the European Union Parliament in September 2023, explained "(…) that it was America’s relentless push to enlarge NATO to Ukraine that was the real cause of the war and why it continues today”. [46], [47]
Stoltenberg himself admitted (emphasis mine):
“(…) Putin declared in the autumn of 2021, and actually sent a draft treaty that they wanted NATO to sign, to promise no more NATO enlargement. That was what he sent us. And was a pre-condition to not invade Ukraine. Of course, we didn't sign that.
The opposite happened. He wanted us to sign that promise, never to enlarge NATO. He wanted us to remove our military infrastructure in all Allies that have joined NATO since 1997, meaning half of NATO, all the Central and Eastern Europe, we should remove NATO from that part of our Alliance, introducing some kind of B, or second-class membership. We rejected that.
So, he went to war to prevent NATO, more NATO, close to his borders. He has got the exact opposite."
It's ridiculous that I even have to mention it: Putin is not a nice guy. Like, duh. It also doesn’t mean he was justified in invading Ukraine. All the horrible war crimes he's done, he's probably responsible for most of them. Saddam Hussein, too, was a bad guy. Gaddafi was a bad guy. Bashar Al-Assad is a bad guy. Ukraine is full of bad guys, neo-Nazis and have indulged themselves in systematic torture. [48], [49]
But guess what? Our ruling elites are also composed of evil folks (e.g., Obama). These wars were waged by countless “democratic” states and committed war crimes, with no regard for the human life in the countries where they racked up their record-breaking death toll numbers. [39], [50]
The war in Ukraine is the culmination of a three decade long pet project of the Neocons (American neoconservative movement). This gang of Neocons is the one who had the “glorious” idea to ”remake” the Middle East. The same ones who also had the policy to expand NATO all the way to Russia's doorstep. And to achieve their objectives, the U.S.’s military is pre-positioned and maintains nearly 750 bases in 80 countries around the world and has five aircraft carriers ready to lead wars if necessary. [51], [52], [399]
And Biden’s administration is jam-packed with its members who championed the illegal U.S. wars in Serbia (1999), Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Syria (2011), Libya (2011) and now Ukraine.
This is the dumbest, most reckless policy one could choose. It puts everyone closer and at risk of World War III (the last sequel in this horrendous trilogy) and nuclear war than we've ever been. And for what? To make sure that the Donbas region is ruled by Kyiv rather than Moscow? Is that really worth it?
Plain and simple: Neocons are dangerous and utterly reckless. Ukraine is just one of the latest of many examples of this policy. But despite so much damming evidence, there’s no admission of this from our ruling class, and they continue to act like it's merely a figment of the Russian imagination.
It appears like we’re just repeating the same dumb mistakes and are falling for the same lies of the last two decades when it comes to judging these wars and the surrounding simplistic debate. Just look at the stark differences and hypocrisy in the public’s attitudes towards the invasion of Iraq and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many called for Putin to be held accountable for his aggression, but in 2002-03, little attention was given to the Bush Jr. administration’s illegal war with Saddam Hussein and his alleged WMDs.
The majority can recognize the mistakes in hindsight, but aren't seeing them played out in the present. History and the conversations never seem to change from reductionist reasoning to more complex and nuanced cause and effect.
LINK TO UKRAINE ARTICLE (coming soon…)
By the same token, it’s not that Hamas started anything on 7 October. It was simply a new, and particularly brutal, phase in what has been going on for decades - Palestinian resistance to Israel’s belligerent occupation of Gaza. But now, Israel has taken this as a justification for killing 30,000 of Palestinians and starving millions more. Israel is not primarily eradicating Hamas. It is erasing Gaza.
No question, Hamas committed terrible atrocities by killing innocent civilians on both sides that can’t be justified by any means. However, this “whole mess” didn’t just start on October 7, 2023. In almost all cases, there are events and escalations that preceded it. Here’s just a very small excerpt of some of these “events”. Therefore, isn’t it remotely plausible that some of them contributed to this disaster? (rhetorical) [370]
So, instead of portraying this in a simplistic worldview, maybe turning Gaza into one of the biggest open-air prisons and apartheid states, the prolonged occupation, and the Nakba in 1948 (that Palestinians call the "catastrophic uprooting”, creating the first wave of 750,000 refugees, many of which ended up in Gaza), also contributed to the continued escalation of this conflict. Even before Hamas’ attack on October 7, Israeli forces had already killed well over 200 Palestinians in the West Bank, while settlers were responsible for 9 more killings. Could this, too, have been a reason? [53], [371], [380], [341]
Among Jewish critics of Israeli policies, there’s also hope. In-depth interviews by author and professor of Religion, Conflict, and Peace Studies Atalia Omer [54], [55]
“(…) have shown a long process of unlearning a narrative about how tanks and bombs would make them safe and shield them against another Holocaust. Many of them became acutely aware of the realities of the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and the devastation of Gaza throughout the prolonged blockade and cyclical wars. They were ethically outraged. They refuse that such acts of structural and direct violence be done in their name. Therefore, they underscore "Not in Our Name" while reimagining what it means to be Jewish.”
6. Israel’s Extracurricular Activities: Why Its IDF Commit So Many War Crimes
Have you ever wondered why the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commit so many war crimes? Look, Israel even has its own, big fat Wikipedia entry page dedicated to their…how should we put it? Let’s call them "extracurricular activities". [56]
If you haven’t heard much about these until the recent October escalation, you might (not?) want to go down the depressing rabbit hole of horrible Israeli war crimes, massacres and controversies, all backed up with reliable, vetted sources. Just take a quick peek. [57]
A word of caution, though:
It’s not for the faint of heart! And be ready to do lots of scrolling. You’ll find documented gang rape and execution of a Bedouin girl by the IDF, and countless massacres and other nasty atrocities. I warned you at the beginning of the article! [58], [59]
Now, to be fair, it’s not going to be a single, clear-cut answer to the outlined question, but I’ll try, and I think I have a working hypothesis of what could be a contributing to Israel’s "extracurricular activities".
Israel’s “Exceptional” Leaders
First, let’s start with the current Israeli leadership, as one would do with any organization.
Without further ado, readers, meet the current Israeli finance minister, Belazel Smotrich, who called himself a “proud fascist homophobe". But wait! Wait! Before you judge, on the bright side, he "won't stone gays (to death)" though. [60], [61], [62], [63]
This lovely and charming little fella denied Palestinian identity, stating that there isn't any "Palestinian history or culture" and "no such thing as a Palestinian people”. He has also called for Israel to annex the West Bank, and I’m pretty sure he isn’t referring to annexing a Palestinian document. [64], [65]
He even addressed Arab Knesset members: [66]
“I’m not speaking to you, anti-Zionists, terror supporters, enemies. You’re here by mistake, it’s a mistake that Ben-Gurion didn’t finish the job and didn’t throw you out in 1948.”
Smotrich’s remarks about denying everything Palestine, were described as "racist, fascist, and extremist" by the Palestinian foreign ministry. [67]
Ohhh, thank god, someone else that is not German called him out first! Otherwise, if I as a German had mentioned the same thing, I would have been made out to be an antisemitic Holocaust denier (almost always a bullying tactic), even though my Czech grandfather was prosecuted by the Nazis too. Wow, I dodged that bullet…
Fun fact: During the Israeli elections, our friend Smotrich [65]
“(…) wanted to lead the defense ministry, but the Biden administration — in a veiled manner — made its discomfort with that clear, according to one of the U.S. officials. Still, Netanyahu may give him an additional position that oversees matters such as Palestinian work permits.”
In a CNN interview on July 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden was much more direct and called out the Israel government as the ”the most extreme Israeli government that he’s ever seen” and that members of the Israeli cabinet are “part of the problem”. [68]
Let me remind you, Biden has always been and still is a hardliner NeoCon (read: he and his Neocons love war). So, if that makes Biden’s administration feel "uneasy" and Biden calls out Israel directly like this, that tells you everything you need to know. Let that sink in…
And it’s not like you couldn’t see this coming. Aida Touma-Suleiman, a member of the Knesset from the Hadash party, admitted in a VOX article titled: “Israel’s new right-wing government is even more extreme than protests would have you think” back in January 2023: [69]
“This government has all the components of fascist groups.”
He also (almost prophetically) stated:
“I have to tell you the truth. I don’t have a lot of expectations, the Biden administration might criticize, they might give messages, but I don’t see them doing more than that.”
And this is the same government President Biden and German chancellor Scholz unequivocally support? [70], [71]
Did Scholz skip German history in school or did he just…ohhhh, I forgot : ) My bad! Ok, where were we again? Damn, I seem to have caught the Scholz Syndrome and his forgetfulness is catching on… [72]
Ahhh, yes…exceptional leaders of Israel…
I’m curious, how likely is it that we’ll find more self-proclaimed "fascist homophobes" and “Palestine deniers” in the current ultra-right wing government of Israel? Or is Smotrich the "exception"? Asking for a (Jewish) friend…
Sooo, let’s see if we can’t find ourselves another fine specimen of an Israeli politician. Bam, we got another one! Or were we just lucky?
Meet Itamar Ben Gvir, aged 45 and the current Minister of National Security. This lovely young lad [14], [73]
“(…) has eight Israeli criminal convictions — including convictions for supporting a terrorist organization and incitement to racism. Once, he was rejected by the IDF for his extremist views. Now, Israel's police must answer to him as Benjamin Netanyahu’s minister of national security.”
And he’s even an Israeli lawyer. (who would’ve thought?) that was also, as just mentioned, previously convicted of supporting a terrorist group known as Kach, which espoused Kahanism, an extremist religious Zionist ideology. Even Israeli sociologist Eva Illouz has explained that he represents "Jewish fascism". The Kach party was not only violently racist, but was also banned from participating in Israel's elections in 1994. It was also labeled as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. [65], [74], [75], [372]
Quick side-note: I don’t know about you, but "Jewish fascism" was a new one for me too and left me a bit speechless.
Just in case you were wondering, yes, he too, is also "widely known for his openly racist, anti-Arab views and activities" for "which he had stood trial a few times in the past and which went beyond even Smotrich’s” (the fascist-homophobe fellow) ”rather radical, controversial views”. That last bit is quite the understatement. [76]
Are you up for one more charming fella that will help spike your cortisol levels? And do you want to meet a new “friend”? Yeah?
Readers, meet Amihai Eliyahu, Minister for Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage. He’s a strong opponent of the two-state solution (shocker, I know), describing the green line as a "fictitious" one. He also supports complete annexation of the West Bank. In December 2023, he endorsed that Israel "should fully occupy the Gaza Strip" after the war and build Israeli settlements there. [77], [78], [79]
Think it can’t get any worse? Then brace yourself!
Our compassionate friend Eliyahu has also called for the execution of Palestinian prisoners. However, to be fair, this “glorious” idea originally came from Itamar Ben-Gvir’s. [80]
Ben-Gvir had made the death penalty for Palestinians a condition for his faction joining Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government before its formation. The party, he leads, “is the one that submitted the draft law to execute Palestinian prisoners,” adding that the draft “is expected to receive support by all members of the Knesset.” Dear god, let’s hope not! [81], [82]
When The Exception Becomes the Norm
At this point, I’m going to stop looking for these "exceptional" leaders in Israeli politics and leave you, the reader, to make up your mind if these are the exceptions to the rule. Besides, you would not believe how many horrid things I read through for this piece and how many aspects I left out or have not even mentioned.
And it’s becoming extremely depressing and unsettling, which you might have noticed by my "not-so-usual", deeply sarcastic, and in some parts, crass writing style.
With any group of people or organizations in general, the leadership has a considerable impact on the culture and values that are fostered within it. It also sets the tone on which behaviors are rewarded or punished.
Could these racist, fascist, homophobic and ultra-religious views from parts of the Israeli leadership not be conducive to an extremely toxic environment where (many) war crimes go unpunished and IDF soldiers act with impunity?
This could be an explanation.
And by the way, doesn’t this sound very similar to the impunity of the far-right groups in Ukraine such as the Azov-affiliated (a Nazis/fascists infested National Militia) and other groups that committed war crimes and systematic torture? [48]
LINK TO UKRAINE ARTICLE (coming soon..)
Grim Ledger and His Skyrocketing Body Count
To recap:
During the period October 7 and December 2023 at least 20,000 Palestinians (not including Israeli casualties) have been reported killed. [83]
Future me here:
The revised Palestinian death toll has now surpassed 25,000 as of January 21. I guess that’s what they call achieving the stretch goal. [84]
This pales in comparison to the death toll in the previous years in the same conflict. [348]
Emily Tripp, director of Airwars, an organization which has monitored civilian deaths in wars and conflicts since 2014, tried to find a comparison and said (emphasis mine): [83]
”What we're seeing in terms of civilian deaths has already far outpaced rates of harm from any given conflict we have documented"
Let me try to put that into perspective. In the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings in 1945, it was estimated that between 110,000 (at the low end) and 210,000 (on the high end) people were killed. [85]
Most certainly, this is an unfair comparison because Israel isn’t using their nuclear bombs (yet?) But I know “our” boy Amihai Eliyahu is itching to use them. However, what makes these numbers so horrendous is that we have one of the most densely populated areas on earth. Remember, Gaza is just 41 km (25 miles) long and 10 km (6 miles) wide. And before the conflict, you had more than 5,700 people per sq km living in Gaza - similar to a city like London. [161]
By some measures, the level of destruction in Gaza has even outpaced Allied bombings of Germany during World War II. From 1942-1945, the allies targeted 51 major German cities and towns, resulting in the destruction of approximately 40-50% of their urban areas. This equated to 10% of buildings in Germany. In contrast, Gaza experienced >33% destruction of its buildings. [86]
And then you add the fact that, according to US intelligence assessments, Israel has dropped more than 29,000 bombs on Gaza since October until and mid-December, with 40-45% of these being unguided. [87]
Former Pentagon intelligence analyst Marc Garlasco had to go back even further (emphasis mine):
“To find a similar density of high explosives used in a small populated area, we might have to go back to the Vietnam War for a comparable example - like the 1972 Christmas bombing, when some 20,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Hanoi during Operation Linebacker II."
An estimated 1,600 Vietnamese civilians were killed in these Christmas bombings. Yeah, I’m sure they “enjoyed” their “presents” from Uncle Sam.
Investigations from Associated Press suggested that between 9,000-11,000 civilians were killed in a 9-month battle between US-backed Iraqi forces and IS for the city of Mosul back in 2017. [88]
And as if this damage that Israeli has done wasn’t bad enough, according to an Israeli study, 61% of Gaza deaths from airstrikes were civilians. [89]
Not only is the Israeli press calling the IDF out directly on their false claims (even boasting about it), that they are using precise munitions (40-45% of these are unguided) to reduce harm to noncombatants, but they’ve completely lost all restraint. [90], [91]
Therefore, we can call total bullshit on the so-called “war on Hamas” if the majority of causalities Israel is producing are not Hamas terrorists, but are mostly (67%) women and children. Israeli politicians aren’t fooling anyone with a half of brain left. [92]
Well…except maybe German Chancellor Olaf Scholz when he claimed: [93]
Israel is “guided by very humanitarian principles” and he has “no doubt” that “Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would certainly abide by international law”.
Again, 25,000 dead in just 3 months after Israel started bombing Gaza. Pounder that for a moment…
You have to admit, though, Israel is really “outdoing” themselves and almost every other country.
It seems redundant, albeit necessary to remind every country, (esp. you, Israel) that the Geneva Convention is not an ala Carte menu where you get to choose which parts to apply and when you want to apply them. Israel is not special, nor are they "the chosen one" or the only victim in history. They do not get to invoke the "Holocaust or antisemitism card" as an excuse whenever they intend to commit war crimes or shame others that criticize said crimes.
A spade is a spade. A war crime remains a war crime - regardless of who and which country commits them, regardless of how it’s justified!
If Israel disregards the Geneva Convention, then why the hell did they ratify it in 1951 in the first place? [94]
I have and will continue to call out any nation on their hypocrisy. I’ve said it in the past, the U.S., Russia, Ukraine (with their war crimes and neo-nazi and fascist brigades and systematic torture) and Israel have all committed war crimes. Likewise, I’m an "equal opportunity war crime hater" I hate all war crimes - no exceptions 🙂 [48], [49], [95]
7. Israel’s “Killing Rampage” - Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
After the dust settled following the Hamas attacks on the Nova music festival on October 7th, more and more details emerged and had to be revised. [96]
I’m not going to speculate what led to the complete lapse of military intelligence and defense on this particular day. That is beyond the scope of the article. There are many theories surrounding how this could have happened, but it would be pure speculation at this point, which I don’t want to engage in. However, we can evaluate what we know and how that changed the original narrative.
Festival of Death
Initially, the Israeli military and rescue services claimed that 260 Israelis were killed, all by Hamas and Palestinians, in a deliberate massacre. Shortly thereafter, witness' statements contradicted many of the original Israeli claims. [97]
Could this be the reason the Israeli police accused the national press of irresponsibility and warned them about their reports claiming Israeli civilians may have died while Israeli Apaches (attack helicopter) were fighting with Hamas on October 7? [98]
“Especially during this period, we call on the media to show responsibility in their reporting and base their news only on official sources."
Then on October 26, the Israeli censor unit (part of the army's intelligence department), sent a letter to the press imposing restrictions on news related to Gaza.
From Shock to Rage - The Indiscriminate Killing of Israelis by Their Government
According to an Israeli police investigation, it was discovered that some attendees at the Nova music festival near the Gaza border were killed by an Israeli Apache. It was found that these Apaches fired at both Hamas fighters and Palestinians who crossed the border fence from Gaza into Israel, but also Israelis attending the festival. This resulted in 364 deaths. [99]
“When the pilots realized it was difficult to distinguish between terrorists and Israelis, some decided independently at around 9 a.m. to use artillery against the terrorists without obtaining permission from their superiors.”
This was the first acknowledgement that Israeli forces killed some of their own. And notice the thought process (or the lack thereof): [98]
It was “difficult to distinguish between terrorists”, so they just used “artillery against the terrorists”. Annnnd?? Civilians! Did we forget that “little” detail?
The Israeli media published an interview with Yasmin Porat, the Kibbutz Be’eri survivor, who told Israeli radio that Israeli security forces “undoubtedly” killed many of their civilians following the Hamas assault on 7 October. [100]
Another interview (Haaretz) with a Kibbutz Be’eri resident that wasn’t home on October 7th, but had his partner killed in the events, seemed to confirm this story. According to him, when the IDF it opened fire, including firing tank shells, killing all their occupants inside to eliminate the terrorists along with the hostages. [101]
There are increasing reports suggesting that the Israeli military is accountable for the deaths of both civilians and military personnel. Mondoweiss concedes that while it could be justified if captives were accidentally killed during the Israeli response to the attack, this account implies that the decision to attack the kibbutz and all its occupants was a deliberate military decision. [102]
In another incident in Sderot, Hamas fighters occupied a police station and held Israeli police officers hostage. The situation ended when the IDF launched tank shells at the police station, resulting in the death of both the Hamas fighters and Israeli police. Afterward, the IDF demolished the station using bulldozers. [103]
Bullets of Betrayal: Killing Unarmed and Surrendering Civilians
Just months later, in December of last year, Israeli soldiers shot three Israeli held hostages by Hamas. Sadly, this incident itself wouldn’t be that newsworthy because the “shoot-first-ask-later” philosophy of the Israeli army is emblematic, and often acts with more or less total immunity. [104]
No, what caused global and local outrage was the fact that these young men (in their 20s) had taken off their shirts to show that they had no hidden weapons. They also waved a white flag (generally a sign of surrender, truce, or a desire to talk), and spoke to the soldiers in Hebrew, begging to be rescued.
After the IDF soldiers killed two of them, soldiers then reportedly killed the third one after he re-emerged from hiding (running from the bullets). The result: All three men were killed by a building marked “SOS”. [105], [359]
The IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari wrote that the Israeli troops found the hostages and accidentally identified them as a threat. [106]
”(…) the force fired at them, and they were killed. During a scan and inspection of the area of the incident, a suspicion arose regarding the identity of the dead. The bodies were taken for examination in Israeli territory, after which it turned out that they were three Israeli abductees."
“Accidentally identified them as a threat”? People that were waiving a white flag, showing you that they had no concealed weapons, speaking Hebrew and pleading with the soldiers to be rescued, were viewed as a threat? A mistake? [107]
The rifles of the IDF also did not misfire, nor did the young men mistakenly approach them. These men were also not in a crossfire between Hamas fighters and IDF soldiers. Even the army's chief, Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi, agreed that the hostages “did everything possible” to make it clear to the IDF soldiers that they did not pose a threat, but that the soldiers acted “during combat and under pressure.” [108]
Again, What in the world makes these three young mean look like a threat, even “during combat and under pressure”? If that makes someone a threat to a trained IDF soldiers, then they are not only unfit for combat, but should not be carrying firearms - and they need a psychological evaluation. And at the very least, their training sucks.
Some skeptics might disagree and object: “I’m sure this is just a tragic and isolated incident.” Sorry, to burst your bubble, but no, no, no, no and no! [102], [326], [327], [328], [329]
“Israeli forces have a track record of firing at unarmed people who pose no threat, even those waving white flags, and underscore the long-standing practice of Israeli forces of shooting first and asking later.”
As human rights expert and Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch, Omar Sharif confirms. [330]
“Firing at unarmed people” Well, I would phrase it much differently. How about: The Israeli army straight up executed hostages with a complete disregard for human life? Guess what that constitutes? Bingo! You guessed it, yet another war crime to add to Israels long, dirty laundry list. [57], [330]
Breaking the Silence, a whistleblower group that documents testimonies of former Israeli soldiers, backs up this claim even further. Soldiers from past military engagements in Gaza showed that once an area was deemed by the military to be clear of civilians, they were instructed to ”shoot everything that moves.” [108]
Just about a month before (on November 5) the incident with the three unarmed hostages that were gunned down by IDF soldiers, the Israeli military “struck a vehicle in Lebanese territory that was identified as a suspicious vehicle containing several terrorists (…)” [109]
And by now, you can probably guess that these weren’t “terrorists”, but that (emphasis mine)
“This attack by Israeli military forces that struck a car carrying a family fleeing violence shows a reckless disregard for civilian life. Three young girls and their grandmother have lost their lives, (…) as a result of the Israeli military’s failure to distinguish between combatants and civilians. Their killing is a violation of the laws of war, and Israel’s allies, like the US, should respond to this apparent war crime by demanding accountability for this unlawful strike.”
Again, I’m not remotely a lawyer, but I find the international law to be clear on this point as well. Killing any unarmed civilian or military personnel is a war crime. [110]
Ben Caspit from the daily Maariv, tries to offer an explanation as to why these aren’t isolated incidents (emphasis mine). And it seems to be inline with my hypothesis I mentioned in the previous chapter, which has to do with it’s leadership and the environment they helped foster. [108]
“The rise of Israel's far-right has helped create an environment that makes it easier for forces to open fire. In recent years, our finger has become too light on the trigger. The recent events have made it even lighter.”
According to Ben Caspit there appears to be a common sentiment among Israel's hard-line right-wing that there are no noncombatants in Gaza. [108]
The Rise of The “Hannibal Directive”
Another explanation could be that Israel is, once again, employing their “Hannibal Directive” - a controversial procedure used by the IDF until 2016 to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces. It states that "the kidnapping must be stopped by all means, even at the price of striking and harming our forces." [111]
What this looks like in action, can be reviewed by the events of August 1, 2014, one of the most violent Israeli campaigns against Gaza up to the current one.
On this day, a ceasefire was in place, but an Israeli unit provoked a situation that resulted in a Palestinian militant capturing one of their soldiers. In response, Israel launched a severe attack intending to ensure the soldier, Hadar Goldin, would not be alive, causing the deaths of a significant number of Palestinian civilians. [112]
Amnesty International and the United Nations conducted investigations and reported that the intense Israeli bombardment led to the deaths of approximately 135 to 200 Palestinian civilians, including 75 children, within three hours of the suspected capture. For one soldier! [113], [316]
If the Hannibal Directive was used in the December hostage incident by the IDF, it was used against the three unarmed civilians and not soldiers.
At this point, anyone would ask how many innocent civilians were killed not only by Hamas, but by the IDF itself, who refused to negotiate for the release of the prisoners. Instead, they chose to go on what appears to me to be a "killing spree"?
Experts and human rights organizations, however, say that the cold-blooded killing of the three hostages is emblematic of the Israeli military's 'shoot-first-ask-later' philosophy, which it has been using for years to target Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.
Others, like Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, commented on Israel’s society 10 years ago. At the 2014 conference "From Hatred of the Stranger to Acceptance of the Other”, he stated that it’s time to admit that Israel is a sick society that needs treatment, referring to the escalation of tensions between Jews and Arabs. [114]
And in 2016, Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, deputy chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, gave a speech at the Holocaust Remembrance Day saying that he’s seeing “revolting trends” in Israel, comparing it to Nazi-era Germany and Europe in the 1930s. What prompted him to this statement was the killing of a wounded Palestinian by an IDF soldier. In response, Israeli Jews protested in Tel Aviv celebrating the soldier’s action, demanding his release, while cheering “Death to Arabs”. Here’s an emblematic video of what this looks like: [115]
Israelis calling for the death of Arabs
In this speech, he gave a stark, but very fitting warning:
“There is nothing easier than to hate those who are different; there is nothing easier than to sow fear and terror; there is nothing easier than to behave like animals.”
Shortly after this speech, he retracted and apologized, for he did not intend to compare Israel to Nazi Germany. [116]
Mhh…I wonder if he was forced or pressured to do so? You be the judge. In 2022 Golan, referring to his 2016 speech, he said that it’s the reason he didn't become Chief of Staff of the IDF, though he still agrees with his statements. [117]
And if anybody still doesn’t want to accept the word of the former Israeli officials, the mainstream press, human rights organizations or any other credible sources, let’s hear it directly from former Israeli military soldiers. Let’s put any skepticism of what the Israeli government has been doing for decades to rest, once in for all.
An Ex-Israeli Air Force pilot and whistleblower, Yonatan Shapira, puts it very bluntly:
”My Government and Military are War Criminals" [118]
Ex-IDF Veteran Eran Efrati said: [119]
”I was the terrorist":
Ex-IDF Soldier Yehuda Shaul during a France24 interview:
“We are the Terrorists" [120]
Or former Head of Shin Bet, Avraham Shalom, compares Israel's occupation to Nazi Germany's actions in WW2 towards the Czechs, Poles, and Dutch. [121]
While more and more videos emerge from the front line of this conflict, it almost seems that some IDF soldiers are having far too much fun playing in the rumbles of mosques. Who knew desecrating religious places of worship or glorifying the offensive in Gaza with “Until Gaza is erased" through Israeli hip-hop artists could be such fun? I guess that’s what Israel calls “self-defense”. [122], [123], [379]
And guess who isn’t having fun? Me, writing this depressing piece… But no need to feel sorry for me - nothing that coffee can’t fix.
Even American veteran Josephine Guilbeau agrees that this is “clearly (…) not self-defense”. She confirms that the Israeli military intentionally aims at Palestinian civilians, despite possessing the technology to identify individuals inside the buildings they decide to annihilate. [363]
If you had to put yourself in the shoes of a Palestinian, living under Israeli occupation, what would you do and to what lengths would you go to achieve a dignified life?
That’s exactly what former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon was asked in an ABC interview. Listen to his answer (53 sec. watch time). [395]
Former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon says he would ‘fight against Israel’ if he was Palestinian
8. Incompetent, Liars or Intentional Strategy?
Three days after the attack (Oct. 10) during a phone call between Netanyahu and Biden, Netanyahu told Biden that the Hamas attack was the worst since the Holocaust and worse than the Islamic State group. [124]
“We’ve never seen such savagery in the history of the state” nor “since the Holocaust. They took dozens of children, bound them up, burned them and executed them. They beheaded soldiers, they mowed down these youngsters (…)” [125]
Looking back and hearing, Netanyahu’s statement appears to be inline with Israel’s disproportionate response and complete disregard for civilians life during the days and months that followed. The poll results of Israeli Jews were also hawkish on the use of force in Gaza: [126]
57.5% believed the IDF was using too little firepower
36.6% said the IDF was using an appropriate amount
Only 1.8% said they believed the IDF was using too much
4.2% said they weren't sure whether it was using too much or too little
Just a few days after the initial Hamas attack on October 11, the Israeli government seemed to embrace and welcome the unconfirmed story that the army had found 40 beheaded babies. From there, the “news” traveled to Washington and the entire world. Even President Biden claimed to have seen the photos. [127], [128]
My initial gut reaction at this time? One of large skepticism, and I immediately thought of the prelude to the 1. Iraq invasion. Was this story true or just another PR stunt for modern atrocity propaganda (like we’ve seen in the past with Nayirah testimony) or is this story being twisted to fit Israel’s narrative? [129]
For those readers who don’t remember, Nayirah (15-year-old girl, publicly identified by her first name) gave a testimony before the U.S. Congressional Human Rights Caucus on October 10, 1990. In her testimony, she claimed that after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait she had witnessed Iraqi soldiers take babies out of incubators in a Kuwaiti hospital, remove the incubators and leave the babies to die. It was later revealed that she was the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to the U.S. (oops-a-daisy) and that her testimony was a complete lie and was supported by the PR firm Hill & Knowlton.
Shortly after the story with the beheaded Israeli babies emerged, almost everyone had to backtrack. The Press, the White House, Israeli government including journalists, apologizing for their failure to verify these claims. [130], [131], [132], [385]
It’s well-known that the first victim of war is the truth. I guess the truth died with the babies…
At least you can commend journalists, apologizing for mistakes they’ve made. Not something we should expect from our politicians anytime soon.
9/11 Copycat - Torture, Executions, Sexual Abuse, Babies Left to Die - War Crimes Made in Israel
I also found Israel’s choice of words, following the Hamas attacks, very interesting. They said the October 7 Hamas attacks were Israel's 9/11. And in the same vain as the U.S. after 9/11, the IDF on Oct. 12 tweeted the following: [133]. [134], [135]
Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene tweeted: [136]
“Anyone that is pro-Palestinian is pro-Hamas.”
Do these statements remind you of something and someone? This exact sentiment led the U.S. into wars most Americans now regret, but it was this mindset that also led U.S. soldiers to commit war crimes and torture. If 9/11 was used to massively restrict freedoms for the sake of security, Israel’s own 9/11 is beginning to show the same signs of things to come. [137]
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” ― Benjamin Franklin
The U.S. justified their atrocities in Guantánamo - a place that still exists, visa restrictions that had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11, not to mention the illegal attacks on two sovereign countries. Or, the fact that Iraqi women were raped and murdered by U.S. soldiers. [382]
Fast-forward to today…
There have already been previous reports of systematic rape of Palestinian women by Israeli authorities. A UN Human Rights Council report from 2019 details these accusations going back more than a decade. But in a more recent press release from Feb. 2024 UN experts were appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls. Soldiers were also believed to have taken photos of female detainees in degrading circumstances and then uploaded them online. Didn’t U.S. soldiers do similar things a while back? [383], [389]
Many the 4,000 or so Palestinians taken hostage by Israel since 7 October are civilians, like the men and boys paraded through Gaza’s streets or held in a stadium stripped of clothing before being detained in a dark cell. [388]
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz even warned that Israeli jails must not become execution facilities for Palestinians, and an Israeli judge recently called the makeshift cages in which Palestinians are held “unsuitable for humans.”[386], [387]
Even medics were not spared from such inhuman treatment. The BBC reported that Gaza medics told them that the IDF troops beat and humiliated them after the hospital raid. In other cases, Israeli snipers had fired into Gaza’s hospitals, killing medical staff and patients. Or, the IDF using Palestinians as human shields, including one man sent into a hospital, his hands tied, to convey an Israeli order to evacuate the premises. The IDF executed him on his return. [377], [391], [392], [393]
Along with these atrocities, there have also been beatings and waterboarding (probably learnt from their American friends) of humanitarian aid workers. A separate report by the UN revealed that these aid workers had been taken by Israel, where they were tortured to extract confessions, most likely false, of involvement in Hamas’ October 7 attack. Those “confessions” were cited by western media as the grounds for cutting off funding to the UN relief agency Unrwa. Israel used these claims, extracted through torture, to rationalize its imposing of a famine on Gaza. [390]
And yet, where is the western media when it comes to reporting on these Israeli atrocities?
It only leaves one possible conclusion: It is being selectively narrated. The consistent and glaring lapses in their coverage have all helped Israel commit mass slaughter and war crimes in Gaza, something the International Court of Justice is currently assessing if it meets the criteria of genocide.
What Hamas does is terrorism, no question. But what do we call what the Israeli government and its military have done? All the (war) crimes Israel accuses Hamas of committing, they have “indulged” in as well. Torture, executions, babies left to die, sexual abuse - all barbaric atrocities committed by your truly, Israel. [394]
And with Israel having a long history of dehumanizing of Palestinians, I’m sure they’ll continue to add war crimes to their already too long of a wrap sheet. [138], [384]
I wonder, if we look at all this evidence, could we simply replace all the post-9/11 torture and war crimes committed by the U.S. with Israel’s current war crimes and notice a difference?
This is pure revenge (or rather rage) and not defense, and is in clear violation of international humanitarian law. I don’t even think self-defense can be claimed by Israel, but we’ll get to that argument soon enough.
On top of all these terrible atrocities committed by Israel, they have subjected Palestinians to apartheid. It is cruel to collectively punish the civilian population.
By the way, sadly Jimmy Carter was one of the first (and only?) US president to identify Israeli apartheid. [139]
Jimmy Carter on Israeli apartheid
9. The Weaponization of the Holocaust: How Israel Tries to Play Victim to Justify War Crimes
When it comes to this particular conflict between Israel and Palestine, there seems to be various groups of people. Those who fully support everything Israel does ((by any means necessary), those who criticize some of Israel's actions, and some that do not voice their true opinions in public for fear of social repression.
And of course, as with every topic, you’ll have (extremist) groups and organizations that try to hijack peaceful protests or movements to further their agenda and instill hatred among the general populace.
Good or Evil? The Sudden Need for Binary Reductionist Judgement
Regardless of their position, the first question people get asked that speak up against Israeli war crimes is: "Do you condemn Hamas?" There appears to be an explicit need for confirmation if the person they’re talking to, is on the "right” or "good" side.
Where does this sudden demand for condemning one side before you can speak on a certain topic come from? Do we ask every Russian to condemn Stalin, who killed an estimated 6-9 million people (some estimates say 20-60M)? Do we ask every German to condemn Hitler if they speak about their history? How about asking every Chinese if they condemn Mao Zedong (who murdered an estimated 45M). Do we demand Americans to condemn the horrible crimes and genocide they’ve committed throughout their history?
Why don't we ask the same for every nationality? Why don't we ask Israel to condemn the past usage of white phosphorus in populated areas or many other war crimes and massacres? I find the sudden use of double standards very peculiar. [57], [140], [141], [142]
As for me, I know where and for what I stand. As I already stated earlier: I’m an equal opportunity war crime hater - I hate all (war) crimes against humanity. I most certainly don’t pick favored sides and do not subscribe to the notion that there is only one "correct" side.
Genocide, Genocide on The Wall, Who is The Best Inciter of Them All?
In a press conference on October 10, 2023, Netanyahu, together with the German chancellor Scholz, described Hamas as the "new Nazis". Scholars of genocide were quick to criticize the use of the Holocaust to justify Israeli violence against Palestinians. [143], [144]
It should be noted that the weaponization of the Holocaust by Israeli politicians runs deeper than you might think. In 1982, when Israel attacked Lebanon, the then Israeli prime minister, Menachem Begin, compared the PLO leader Yasser Arafat to Adolf Hitler in his bunker in Berlin at the end of the war. [145]
Then comes along Netanyahu in 2015 and takes the weaponization to a whole new level, where he tells World Zionist Congress that Hitler only wanted to expel the Jews, but Jerusalem's Grand Mufti convinced him to exterminate them. [146]
My initial response? Like what the actual (insert your explicative of choice)!
Then Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant a month ago: [147]
"Gaza will not return to what it was before. We will eliminate everything."
Or Nissim Vaturi, a member of the Israeli parliament (Likud party), as another example, called for [148]
“(…) one common goal - erasing the Gaza Strip from the face of the earth”.
And there are many more such statements from various Israeli politicians.
Raz Segal from The Guardian offers some explanation as to why Israeli politicians try to weaponize the Holocaust (emphasis mine). [144]
The fantasy of "fighting Nazis" drives such explicit language because the image of Nazis is one of "pure, unadulterated evil", which removes all laws and restrictions in the fight against it. Perpetrators of genocide always see their victims as evil and themselves as righteous. This is, indeed, how Nazis saw Jews.
And he also addressed Biden’s statement in this regard too (emphasis mine):
Biden’s words constitute therefore a textbook use of the Holocaust not in order to stand with powerless people facing the prospect of genocidal violence, but to support and justify an extremely violent attack by a powerful state and, at the same time, distort this reality.
We should also acknowledge that Israeli politicians aren’t the only ones that weaponize the Holocaust for their purposes. When Putin launched his attack on Ukraine in 2022, he called it a "campaign of denazification". While there is some truth to this, it’s not the whole story and distorts the true reasons. [149]
German politicians, too, occasionally like to indulge in the “skillful art” of weaponizing the Holocaust. On April 7, 1999, former Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, a member of the Green Party, stated: [150]
“Never again war and never again Auschwitz. Never again genocide and never again fascism. Both belong together for me (…)”
His speech was intended to rally the Germans and the Green Party for a NATO-led war against Kosovo - an illegal war that violated the UNO Charter. And shortly before this very speech, he was attacked with a bag full of paint, rapturing his eardrum and his attacker called him a “warmonger”. [42]
His weaponization of the Holocaust was met with harsh criticism, saying it was a cheap propaganda tactic to curb the waning enthusiasm among Germans for the war against Kosovo. [151]
Sadly, Germany ultimately participated in bombing this sovereign country. And it’s quite ironic that the Green Party is one of the biggest warmongers in the German political landscape, despite their claim and heritage. They supported the wars in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Ukraine and now Israel’s bombing campaign against Gaza (and even delivering the necessary weapons). Maybe it’s time to call consumer protection.
But back to Israel…
Just very recently, our friend Smotrich (remember, that’s the self-proclaimed fascist homophobe), “joined a growing list of senior lawmakers who expressed support for large-scale transfer of Gaza's civilian population as a solution to Israel's post-war security concerns”. [61], [152]
While he didn’t outline his preferred method, he suggested that the removal of around 90% of Gaza's residents would help achieve his goal. But I’m fairly confident that he does have quite a few ideas on how to achieve this objective, and this process is well under way. [152]
Likud MK Danny Danon stated in an interview with Kan Bet radio that Israel ”has to make it easier for Gazans to leave for other countries,” under the guise of humanitarian aid by stating it as a “voluntary migration by Palestinians who want to leave”. [153], [338]
“Want to leave”? “Voluntary migration”? Mhh… Interesting choice of words… Sounds more like he is trying to obfuscate their true intentions.
Amihai Eliyahu, on the other hand, didn’t mince his words when he advocated (emphasis mine): [77], [154]
”They can go to Ireland or deserts, the monsters in Gaza should find a solution by themselves."
To me, that all sounds more like “depalestinification”. Let’s add that one to the dictionary, shall we? And, I’m sure, the Israeli government learnt this from their American friends as well.
Earlier in 2023, our charming friend Smotrich (I know, I don’t like him either) berated Palestinians as “repugnant", "disgusting" and called for "wiping out" the entire Palestinian village of Huwwara in the West Bank. [155]
I guess Christmas came early for him last year. Then again, he might have confused "repugnant" and "disgusting" with himself. He only needs to look into a mirror…
The Nuisance of Accountability
If we truly want to apply the horrible learnings from the Holocaust and other human atrocities, we require accountability that applies to everyone.
As a logical conclusion, this would mean holding Israel accountable for simply inciting genocide, which is punishable under article III of the UN genocide convention, even when genocide does not follow. [156]
The wording of article III is clear and easy to understand and is spelled out in plain English (emphasis mine).
“The following acts shall be punishable:
(a) Genocide
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide.”
October 10, Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian (head of the Israeli Army’s COGAT), told the Gaza residents: [157]
"Human animals must be treated as such. There will be no electricity and no water, there will only be destruction. You wanted hell, you will get hell.”.
I guess our “friend” Alian didn’t get the memo on the UN genocide convention…
Ladies and gentlemen, that is what human rights and international law experts call “collective punishment” - “The indiscriminate punishment imposed collectively on persons for omissions or acts for which some or none of them may or may not have been responsible”. [158], [159]
And guess what? Bingo! A war crime prohibited by treaty in both international and non-international armed conflicts, Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II. [159]
Yo, my boy Alian, you want this tattooed across your face, maybe? Might help you remember.
Then, on the same day, Israeli’s army spokesperson Daniel Hagari acknowledged: [160]
"The emphasis is on damage and not on accuracy."
And, if that this point, you’re probably thinking to yourself that these insane statements can be outdone. Then comes along my boy Amihai Eliyahu (the minister who supports executing Palestinian prisoners) agreeing that nuking Gaza could be a viable option. [161], [354]
He also objected to humanitarian aid to Gaza, saying "we wouldn’t hand the Nazis humanitarian aid" and that there were no "uninvolved civilians in Gaza". [162]
Now, who weaponizes the Holocaust the best? My OG Eliyahu always comes through for us and “saves” the day!
With this amount of evidence, there is no disputing the fact that Israel committed war crimes and violated international humanitarian laws. What does the Holocaust mean if we don’t continue to apply its learnings and hold everyone accountable?
It means holding Israeli war criminals and the perpetrators in the Palestinian leadership and Hamas that committed the atrocities on 7 October accountable.
Approx. 800 scholars of international law, conflict studies, and Holocaust and Genocide Studies share the same sentiment with their declared statement on October 15: [163]
"We are compelled to sound the alarm about the possibility of the crime of genocide being perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. We do not do so lightly, recognizing the weight of this crime, but the gravity of the current situation demands it."
Perpetrators of war crimes and those responsible for violating international humanitarian laws should always stand trial because it is based on equality, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
And remember, the weaponization of the Holocaust is almost always used as a cheap, manipulative bullying tactic by those who are likely to commit war crimes themselves, and it shows everybody around you who you really are. And Israel knows it too. [164]
During an interview with Democracy Now in 2002, former Israeli Education Minister Shulamit Aloni said that equating criticism of Israel is weaponized as "antisemitic" (1:20 min. watch time). [164]
Transcription:
“(…) it’s a trick, we always use it. When from Europe somebody is criticizing Israel, then we bring up the Holocaust. When in this country, people are criticizing Israel, then they are antisemitic. And the organization is strong, and has a lot of money, and the ties between Israel and the American Jewish establishment are very strong (…) have power, which is okay. (…) and they are not ready to hear criticism. And it’s very easy to blame people who criticize certain acts of the Israeli government as antisemitic, and to bring up the Holocaust, and the suffering of the Jewish people, and that is to justify everything we do to the Palestinians.”
10. Free Speech - It’s What I Say It Is!
It’s safe to assume that the majority of people will agree that countries such as North Korea, China, Russia, and other more or less authoritarian regimes don’t enjoy the benefits of free speech. However, most would not agree with the following statement I’m about to make.
Germany, too, does not have true freedom of speech. And just by stating this will trigger many Germans that will counter: “But, but, but that’s not true!” and will try to defend their stance by arguing something like: “But we need to restrict certain kinds of speech such as hate speech!”
Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection. — Neal Boortz
Really? I find it ironic that almost everyone agrees with free speech until they hear something they don't like? Essentially, what they actually mean is: You can voice any opinion you like, as long as I agree with it or find it acceptable. Wait…isn’t that what we call… ”censorship”? [165]
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient”.
Well, you can’t have it both ways. They are two contradictory, incompatible views at the same time and are mutually exclusive. Picking which one you support means giving up the other.
“I’m all in favour of free expression provided it’s kept rigidly under control.”
— Tony Benn (1980)
Ultimately, free speech is not difficult to understand. Freedom of speech means that you can voice whatever opinion you want. However, on the flip-side, everyone else can have an opposing opinion - no matter how extreme or socially unacceptable about what you just said. Furthermore, the government is legally obliged not to prosecute the speaker’s views.
Remember, no one is required to listen to, agree with, or acknowledge the speaker or the speaker's views.
A Blast from the Past: Barbecuing Books and People
And if we do restrict speech in some form, who determines what constitutes “wrong” or “socially unacceptable” views?
As soon as you give someone the power to police that, you give them the power to destroy all views that they dislike, wrong or right. It’s a slippery slope. The idea that people should be punished for expressing “wrong views” is precisely the kind of thinking that led to this:
”It is there, where they burn books, that eventually they burn people.”
— Heinrich Heine (1823)
Even though we don’t physically burn people for having the “wrong” or controversial opinions anymore, we do burn them in other ways. Individuals that voice or articulate uncomfortable truths - no matter how unpopular these might be (e.g., there is more scientific debate about the cause of climate change than portrayed by the media), are often the first to get bullied into submission or publicly ostracized.
The current generation prefers and different (and more sinister) method by canceling people they disagree with or that make them feel uncomfortable, frequently resulting in the destruction of their careers.
“You have not converted a man because you have silenced him.”
— John Morley (1874)
Instead of trying to hear your opinion out of somebody’s else’s month, here’s a much better suggestion, and I’m going to state this as bluntly as possible: Instead of behaving like spoiled, entitled little brats and canceling someone, how about you grow up and learn to deal with opinions and worldviews that don’t fit into your little fragile world-view.
Defending the Uncomfortable: The Case for Hate Speech
Something I’ve also noticed is that most Western countries struggle to grasp and apply the simple concept of unrestricted free speech. Countries such as Canada, UK, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, Australia, and some others generally tend to have some limits (i.e., hate speech laws) on freedom of speech, curtailing its usage. These countries don’t see what they define as “hate speech” as something worth protecting. Thus, they have various laws restricting free speech.
But interpretations of what continues “harm” or “hate” are culturally and politically relative. Take Russia, for example, where harm and offense principles have been used to justify the Russian LGBT propaganda law restricting speech concerning LGBT issues.
In the past, a minority in Canada tried to do the opposite of what the Russian government did. They tried to pass a law (gender identity rights Bill C-16) that would penalize citizens who do not use specific pronouns when referring to gender diverse people. Luckily, for the majority of Canadians, it did not even meet the threshold for hate speech. [166]
If someone identifies as a three-spirited sloth, no one can force anybody else to accept those views, feelings, or the use of some made-up pronouns. If I don’t get to force the usage of my adjectives (I identify as young, charming and handsome), you don’t get to force others to accept your pronouns. Nobody, transgender, unicorn or otherwise, should be legislatively given the right to dictate to others which pronouns that other person uses.
Why limiting speech in such a way is a bad idea, has been around for a long time. John Stuart Mill advocated in On Liberty (1859), that [167]
”…there ought to exist the fullest liberty of professing and discussing, as a matter of ethical conviction, any doctrine, however immoral it may be considered".
He argues that the most generous freedom of expression is required to push arguments to their logical limits, rather than the limits of social embarrassment. [168]
Whether you agree with it or not, the U.S. is the only country that truly has unrestricted speech. There’s a reason why it’s protected by their the First Amendment - even if those the American founders stole the initial idea from France. [169]
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
And yes, even hate speech is protected by the First Amendment in the U.S., as decided in R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul in 1992 in which the Supreme Court ruled that hate speech is permissible, except in the case of imminent violence. Because guess what? There is no single definition of what constitutes "hate". [170], [171], [349]
America's Unrivaled Legacy in Free Speech
America isn’t number 1 and certainly shouldn’t be a role model to follow in many aspects (e.g., the biggest destabilizing force in the world, military spending and weapons exports,..). Even Americans themselves tend to agree that there are plenty of things wrong with the U.S. Too often the U.S. with its American exceptionalism and double standards acts as a bull in a china shop around the world. And for this behavior, America does (rightfully) deserve criticism. But in the realm of free speech, the U.S. is the number one, undisputed champion. [172], [173]
The U.S. is the only Western country, where individuals can express extreme and controversial views without facing government censorship or legal repercussions, unlike in other Western countries. You can literarily stand in public and call for another Holocaust or genocide, burn a Koran, or call for a proletarian uprising to seize the means of production, while lynching the decadent bourgeois overlords.
Now, those aren’t things I would remotely do or even stand for, but I do support the freedom to say horrible, disgusting and vile things. And you can most certainly expect me to give that person my fair share of opinions on those issues - no matter if he or she is offended by my views.
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.
— attributed to Voltaire (1758)
That may not meet the Europeans or the readers' definition of freedom of expression, but it is the most generous, consistent interpretation and application of this particular value. And even though the U.S. is (and has been) the biggest destabilizing force in the world, they do take their protections inshrined into their Constitution and Bill of Rights very seriously. Very few nations spend as much time and effort limiting government interference with speech and other matters.
Granted, it could be argued that this has gone downhill during the last few administrations (sorry, I stopped counting after Bush Jr.).
Truth is Treason in an Orwellian Empire of Lies
Another important function of free speech is to be able to criticize horrible acts and circumstances (i.e., war crimes), by pointing these out to others so that they might become aware of them.
What you do or don’t do when crimes against humanity or violence occurs, actually matters. Were you part of it? Did you support it? Did you get involved? Or did you just ignore it? Did you publicly shame the people who spoke up for those who were defenseless, simply for having a different view than yourself?
Shifting back to current affairs with Israel’s war with Palestine, we can’t forget the most popular bullying tactic against those who criticize Israel for their war crimes - using the Holocaust and antisemitism card.
Firstly, it’s an extremely cheap and despicable tactic to employ. But I, for one, do not feel bullied by it nor does it scare me if it is used against me - not in the slightest. Nobody should, for that matter.
If someone believes that criticizing Israel’s government or pointing out some of their many war crimes is antisemitic and/or supports the Holocaust in some way, then those who are making the accusation ARE the actual problem. It shows the true and ugly character of the accuser.
And from experience, we all know that those who portray themselves as the most morally virtuous and accepting people, are generally quite the opposite. It almost seems like an inverse law of nature, whereby there is an inverse correlation between virtue signaling, chest ponding and bravado and actually practicing what you preach.
Ever noticed that dogs that bark the loudest are mostly the smallest and most annoying of them all? (I call them “ankle biters”) And the potentially(!) “dangerous” ones, always seem to have a calm and quiet demeanor. Or that person at the bar who boasts about his days out in the field with his Navy SEAL buddies (more like “Gravy Seals”), whereas his counterparts are typically quiet professionals.
Secondly, just because someone says “antisemitism” doesn’t make the criticism magically go away like some fairy tale pixie dust. By (ab)using the term “antisemitism” so often when a person doesn’t want to hear criticism about the Israeli government, it’s essentially turned it into an entirely meaningless word. And this meaningless expression is thrown around by people who take pride in the fact that they have redefined (perverted is a more apt description) it into criticism of illegal Israeli policies and practices.
Actual antisemitism, is the hatred of Jews based on their identity. By using antisemitism against criticism of the illegal Israeli apartheid regime or incitement to genocide, it trivializes the term. It degrades it and has now become hollow, and the main victims of which will be Jews who experience real antisemitism.
Moreover, one shouldn’t play the “selective condemnation” game either. It’s when you selective use an example to, say, whitewash the ethnic cleansing of Palestine during the late 1940s or that Israel is an apartheid state and come up with a selective example of a person or situation that distorts this. “What do you mean Holocaust?”, “My neighbor is Jewish. My beliefs are Jewish.” [341]
With slight differences, every major human rights organization, B’Tselem in Israel, Al-Haq in Palestine, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International internationally, have all reached an undeniable conclusion that Israel is an apartheid state. And sure, someone can quote someone from somewhere who says that it’s not. But, the evidence is there, documented and “unwavering” (karma again!), and it’s indisputable. [368], [369], [370], [371], [372], [378], [341]
“Israel is the sole sovereign power that operates in this land and it systematically discriminates on the basis of nationality & ethnicity. Such a reality is, as we saw ourselves, apartheid.”
— Dr. Alon Liel, former Head of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador to South Africa & Ilan Baruch, former Israeli Ambassador to South Africa [373], [374]
People can also keep on insisting that every citizen in Israel has full equality. However, Israel has passed a controversial (apartheid) law that defines Israel as a Jewish state and is for the Jews alone, and that only Jews have the right to self-determination in Israel. Just imagine if the U.S. Congress passed a law that in the United States, only Americans have the right to self-determination. [366], [367]
Germany's Own Weaponization of Historic Guilt to Takeout Critics
And so it is all the more worrying what the German government is currently doing to condemn and shutdown Israel’s critics. [174]
“Germany’s leaders have given unconditional support for Israel’s war in Gaza — but also demanded that immigrants do the same. The rhetoric of German atonement for the past is being used to silence left-wing Jews and blame antisemitism on immigrants.”
Over the past months, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck have made it abundantly clear that Israel’s security is part of Germany’s raison d’être. In fact, (get this) within Germany, antisemitism is equated with criticism of Israel. Germany officially defines “hatred” towards Israel as antisemitic. [174], [175]
Now, I don’t know about the reader, but that’s the biggest crock of horse manure I’ve ever heard!
Germany’s government is essentially weaponizing its own historical guilt to demonize said critics. Like say…critics that take umbrage with war crimes.
You got to hand it to the Germans, they’ve always been an “innovative bunch”. I’ve seen the weaponization of the Holocaust many times, but weaponizing historical guilt to justify war crimes committed by another country is a whole another level.
Neither I nor the German citizens are responsible for the security of Israel. And most certainly not for their war crimes! Furthermore, I and most of my fellow Germans weren’t even alive in the 1930s. We did not participate, nor are we responsible for, the Holocaust.
Because guess what? I actually learnt from German history. I believe as Germans, we should be the first to lead by example, call out war crimes and foster diplomatic and peaceful relations, no matter how difficult - not feel shame and guilt for crimes I and many Germans currently alive never committed.
I, personally, find it my moral responsibility to call out the Israeli government and any other nations when they blatantly commit war crimes or wage illegal wars. But that could just be my good upbringing or solid moral compass and have nothing to do with my citizenship.
So, how can Scholz, with a straight face, claim Israel is “guided by very humanitarian principles” and have “no doubt” that “Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would certainly abide by international law”, while Israeli bombs have already killed thousands of Palestinian children? [93], [176], [350]
But in their defense, Olaf Scholz’s and Robert Habeck’s moral compasses are so fucked up, that I’d be shocked if they managed to find their way back to the parking lot!
Some might argue this originates from Germany’s commitment to fight antisemitism, born from our historic responsibility to make up for the Holocaust. While that might be commendable considering Germany’s past, its understanding of what constitutes antisemitism is incredibly distorted and will backfire if criticizing Israeli war crimes is considered “antisemitic”.
Demonizing Dissent: How the Media Fuels Antisemitism Accusations to Shut Down and Criminalize Critics
Could this be a part of the reason the perceived freedom of speech by Germans is at a historic low (40%) when asked ”Do you feel that you can express your political opinion freely in Germany today, or is it better to remain cautious?”? Shortly after the Germany’s reunification, it was almost 80%. Remember: Perception quickly becomes reality. [177]
One could also argue that [174]
“Germany’s extremely narrow understanding of its responsibility to “protect Jews” is once again actually making life for Jews in this country more dangerous by strengthening right-wing chauvinism. In short, German guilt has been laundered into Islamophobia and xenophobia.”
But there will always be those who, despite fierce opposition, will speak up. A noteworthy example of this was an open letter (well worth reading) titled “Freedom for the One Who Thinks Differently - An open letter from a group of Jewish artists, writers, and scholars in Germany”. It criticized Germany’s censorship of pro-Palestinian voices and xenophobia. [178], [353]
It outlines that (emphasis mine):
“Attempts to defy these arbitrary restrictions are met with indiscriminate brutality. Authorities have targeted immigrant and minority populations across Germany, harassing, arresting, and beating civilians, often on the flimsiest of pretexts.”
And that:
“(…) infringements of civil rights are taking place almost entirely without comment from Germany’s cultural elites. Major cultural institutions have silenced themselves in lockstep, canceling productions that deal with the conflict and de-platforming figures who might be critical of Israel’s actions—or who are simply Palestinian themselves. Such voluntary self-censorship has produced a climate of fear, anger, and silence. All this is done under the banner of protecting Jews and supporting the state of Israel.”
As to be expected, the open letter was largely ignored in the German press.
German press: “If we ignore it, it didn’t happen.”
International press: “Mhhh…didn’t you already try that in your dark past?”
German press: Walks away in shame…
The German press loves to attack and label people who criticize Israel’s government in any way as “antisemitic”. People like Naomi Klein, who called the Israeli violence “genocidal” and who happens to be Jewish too. It appress that most Germans haven't realized that using Israel as a representation for all Jews is actually antisemitic. I guess the irony in that is lost on them. [179]
But if all these bullying and intimidation tactics by the government and media to silence individuals from criticizing Israel fail, the government may use other means to stifle dissent.
EU governments, particularly the governments of France and Germany, were quick to adopt the extreme and controversial Israeli position, declaring BDS activism as antisemitic. BDS activism ultimately aims to put an end to the policies and practices of Israeli settler colonialism and apartheid against the Palestinian people. Even the UN reprimanded Germany for its decision to pass such a law. [180], [181], [182], [183], [351]
Antisemitism laws, falsely labeled as such, are being implemented in EU countries, with Germany’s government leading the way by criminalizing criticism of and action against Israel's policies, equating such criticism and action with antisemitism. [180]
Unfortunately, these dangerous precedents aren’t limited to Europe. There are cases in the U.S. where individuals and organizations are required to certify that they do not support the boycott of Israel. Some lawsuits have already been filed by individuals claiming that their First Amendment rights have been violated, and some lower courts (e.g., Texas) have ruled in their favor. [184], [185]
A Supreme Court decision on this very issue is still pending, although it declined to review the Arkansas Times’ legal challenge to an Arkansas law requiring government contractors to certify that they are not boycotting Israel. [186]
These abhorrent laws, which originated in Israel (surprise!), have been pushed by supporters and lobbyists (incl. AIPAC, which we’ll cover in one of the next chapters) in various countries. It tried to achieve the common goal of restricting people's ability to speak freely or peacefully protest their governments' policies toward Israel. [187], [188]
So Germany’s current policies and laws on Israel are one that unequivocally supports whatever Israeli government is currently in power, regardless of the consequences. It doesn’t seem to matter that not all Israelis are Jews, that Netanyahu is extremely unpopular in Israel, or that there is growing sentiment against the war. [189]
Again, let’s not forget who helped create, fund and support Hamas? Hello? Israel, anyone home? Despite them being partially responsible for this tragedy, they aren’t taking any responsibility whatsoever.
In short, Germany’s current unwavering support of Israel is truly repugnant and disgusting! Just as “repugnant” and “disgusting” as our friend Smotrich. Karma is a bitch that works both ways, my “friend”. [60], [155]
How does the phrase go that the German government loves to through around when it relates to their history? “Nie wieder!” (Never again).
How about we never again censor citizens who voice their dissent? How about we never again forget the right to criticize countries (including Israel!) that commit blatant war crimes? How about we never again remain silent and stand up against war crimes, human rights violations and illegal wars?
“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism"
— attributed to Thomas Jefferson
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist or a hold a PhD in Middle-eastern foreign policy to acknowledge the fact that Hamas’s attack on October 7th does not justify killing innocent civilians or leveling entire city blocks.
So, how do Germans and their respective government view these horrendous war crimes, committed by the Israeli government, as a justified retribution for the Holocaust? By remaining silent and ignoring the issue? This makes Germany complicit in my book.
: Germaan should speak up against Israel in the Palestine Questions (ZDF, June 21, 2021)As you imagine, the Israeli pressure on media outlets isn’t limited to Germany or the EU, but is very prevalent in Hollywood as well. In 2022, The Israel Files, a cache of emails published by Wikileaks, proved without a doubt that influential entertainment magnates attempted to whitewash Israeli crimes and portray the country as defending itself from a potential “genocide”. They collaborated with Israeli military and government officials to control their narrative, cancel critics, and pressure institutions supporting artists who spoke out against the apartheid government. [381]
“It is horrible. But in the end, it is no surprise, because apologists for Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians will go to any length to prevent the people opposing them. We shouldn’t underestimate the hatred of those who cannot tolerate the idea that Palestinians have human rights, that Palestine is a state; and they have their country.”
— Ken Loach, British filmmaker and social activist Ken Loach [381]
Luckily, the rise of social media and a new generation of activists highlight the injustices being carried out by governments. Today, we are more likely to see first-hand, raw accounts of Israeli brutality on social media platforms.
11. Just a Bunch of Baboons Condemning a Ceasefire: Scapegoating for Dummies
Remember the time when Rumsfeld & Cheney tried convincing the public that the white powder they were ingesting daily was the reason to invade Iraq a second time in 2003? And remember how protestors against this war were called "pro-Saddam"? [190]
Looking back, we can clearly see that these protestors were not “pro-Saddam”, but instead against a war under a false pre-tense that killed between 110,000-650,000 people. [191]
And anyone opposing the countless post-9/11 wars, causing pure carnage and destruction, taking the lives of an estimated 4.5 million people in the process, is also not “pro-(insert your favorite scapegoat)”. [40]
Or remember that time when those who favored peace-talks during the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2021 were called "pro-Putin"?
Or those who didn’t want to take an experimental mRNA vaccine were called "anti-vaxxers", even though not everyone was against all vaccines or had other (legitimate) reasons for not taking the jab?
Essentially, if you don’t agree with the majority or the current narrative and dare to form your opinion, you’re a Nazi.
If you want to play the game “1, 2, 3… You’re a Nazi!” for yourself, here are the 3 easy-to-follow steps:
Step 1:
When certain obstructive individuals become too bothersome (read: PITA), label them as “fascist” or “antisemitic” (or a “Holocaust denier” if they’re from Europe) and use the reputation of an e.g. “fascist” to discredit them according to the public.
Step 2:
Continuously connect and denounce those who oppose you with these negative labels, which already have a bad smell, and through repetition, the association will eventually be accepted as fact in the public's perception. And perception becomes reality.
Step 3:
Profit!
This pathetic game is, of course, not limited to Western countries. In 2015, when an Egyptian court labeled the military branch of Hamas as a terrorist organization, some Gazans denounced Egypt as “pro-Zionist”. Similarly, when a meeting was organized in Iraqi Kurdistan to discuss improving relations with Israel, the Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr denounced it as “terrorist-Zionist.”[192], [193]
And now you’re "Pro-Hamas" if you advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, even though Israel is killing mostly (67%) women and children (now totaling over 25,000 civilian deaths). [92]
But what makes the pro-Hamas accusations so unbelievably preposterous is that we know for a fact who in the West was pro-Hamas for many years. Not just pro-Hamas, but providing them with generous funding and support. Israel. [3]
And, as I already alluded to earlier, this was the same story with Saddam Hussein, whose biggest supporters had once been the U.S., especially during Iraq’s war with Iran in the 1980s.
Those who denounce their fellow citizens for having opposing views, are the same people who can’t keep multiple truths in their head at the same time. They just can’t conceive of the possibility that there can be more than two sides in any conflict. It’s almost as if things can’t be mutually exclusive.
Yet, this strategy has been used on citizens around the world for decades. They are being led by their baboons brains instead of their pre-frontal cortex. The reason this works so well, is that we are no better than baboons. Or, how did the BBC documentary aptly put it: [194]
”Acts of disloyalty in a time of war are given swift and brutal punishment."
Or are the groups of people that are punishing their dissenting neighbors for having different opinions actually baboons that can walk upright? I may be on to something, but this needs further exploration…
This particular strategy has been used by many governments, countries, and empires before. It also has a name: "divide et impera!" - Divide and conquer. It’s a method used by those in power to undermine and break down the relationships and unity between marginalized (often racial) groups struggling for justice, freedom, and liberation, to maintain the status quo. [195]
The tactics include:
Creating a narrative that blames each group for the other group’s problems, fostering mistrust among groups and obfuscating truths.
Bribing some groups with access to some resources (e.g., media access), aligning some groups with those in power over other subjugated groups. However, the resources provided do not fulfill the original objectives of the movement.
Threatening to withhold resources and/or use violence against other groups if they form alliances (e.g., condemning certain protests “illegal” or pro-Hamas), instilling fear and damaging relationships between different groups (i.e., being socially ostracized for advocating for peace). This also discourages groups from being courageous and taking risks in their fight for justice, freedom, and liberation.
So, do we want to continue reliving the same Groundhog day, and discard any human capacity for rational thinking (and dare I say "empathy"), and punish those who wish to advocate for peace, protect civilian lives and liberties?
Because if you don’t learn from history, nothing will save you.
12. Why Nobody in Power Dares to Criticize Israel Publicly
If you're wondering why Israel’s government has faced so little criticism and backlash for the war crimes and atrocities it has committed for more than 50 years, you are asking the correct question. And the first thing anyone with critical thinking skills does when pondering such questions is to follow the money (and therefore influence).
Enter the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), a lobbying group that advocates pro-Israel policies to the legislative and executive branches of the U.S.
A lobby organization, you say? Sounds harmless. There are numerous lobby organizations representing all kinds of interests. And there are several Israeli lobbing groups in the U.S. So what?
To be honest, that was the same reaction I initially had. What’s so special about them? Did they bribe some politicians? Boo-Woo, big deal!
Then I (and many other before me) did just a bit of research and found this lobbying group is truly powerful and wields enormous political influence. So much influence, in fact, that almost no one in U.S. politics dares to criticize Israeli (too much). For this reason, it’s often called one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the U.S.. Even back in 1997 the Fortune magazine named them the second-most powerful influence group in Washington, D.C. They even boast about having a 98% success rate of candidates they back in General elections on their website. [196], [197], [198]
Former Senator William Fulbright, in the 1970s, and former senior CIA official Victor Marchetti, in the 1980s, even argued that AIPAC should have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). It mandates individuals who receive money or represent a foreign government to register as foreign agents. Think about that. If that doesn’t scare the shit out of you… But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s ease into the subject. [199]
AIPAC Origins
Founded in 1953 by Isaiah L. Kenen as the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (AZC) but was later diverged from AZC to broaden support for Israel among traditionally non-Zionist groups. But it was also in part a response to the negative international reaction to the Qibya massacre in 1953, in which Israeli troops under Ariel Sharon killed at least 69 Palestinian villagers, two-thirds of them women and children. [200]
You should already be used to Israel’s “business as usual” policy (aka war crimes and massacres ala carte). Although you’re welcome to read the other scandals (e.g., espionage where AIPAC seems to get away with anything) this organization was involved in. [187], [201], [202]
Pull Them Panties Down and Show Me Dem Benjamins
OK, AIPAC is powerful - understood. But how deep does the rabbit hole really go? Time to take a look.
As always, we start from the top - the leadership, starting with the Top 20 Pro-Israel Recipients of the 2020 Presidential Candidates. [203]
Oh, look, it’s an old acquaintance - current U.S. President Biden. He received more than 4 times as many donations ($3.7m) from Pro-Israeli lobby groups than the next frontrunner, Donald Trump.
And if have been paying attention to U.S. politics, you already know that Biden is not only a hardline NeoCon, but has also been a strong and vocal supporter of Israel over the last decades. [204]
Joe Biden's long history of pro-Israel statements
Knowing this, let’s look at the Top 20 Members of Congress Pro-Israel Recipients during 1990-2024. Remember, before Biden was elected president, he was a Senator. And again, it’s Joe Biden with $4.3m. [205]
Might this explain the unequivocal support for Israel by Biden’s administration? And why he also advocates for the removal of congressional oversight and policy reviews on Israel’s access to the U.S.’s secretive weapons stockpile War Reserve Stocks for Allies-Israel (WRSA-I)? [206]
But wait, it gets even better!
You’ve probably seen Karine Jean-Pierre a few times in White House press conferences. She’s the current press secretary for Biden. More importantly, she supported the Democratic candidates' decision to not attend the AIPAC conference during the 2020 presidential campaign. She heavily criticized the AIPAC for promoting “racist, Islamophobic rhetoric” and for inviting Netanyahu, who was facing allegations of war crimes and corruption. [207]
She continued to slam Netanyahu in her article, stating that he: [207]
“(…) not only has personal charges levied against him—he’s been indicted on both bribery and fraud charges—but under his leadership of Israel, according to the UN, Israel may have committed war crimes in its attacks on Gazan protestors. It’s time to call a spade a spade.”
Even Republicans criticized her as “anti-Israel” and her support to boycotting AIPAC. [208]
Well, shit! Isn’t that what I have been saying all along? And she stole my line too! Hell, if I didn’t know any better, I would actually start to like this chick (spoiler alert: I don’t).
Guess what happened after she joined Joe Biden in the White House? No, not that. Wrong president! That was Clinton.
She did a 180-degree turn (unlike Baerbock’s 360 degree stupidity) and began defending Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. [209], [210]
However, in her 2019 Newsweek article she was calling out Israeli war crimes that happened during the Great March of Return, a peaceful protest where Gazans marched to the Gaza border. The Israeli army shot and killed hundreds of unarmed Palestinians, injuring many others. The Israeli forces famously targeted the legs of the protestors. [207], [211], [212]
Here’s her in a press conference equating “anti-Israel protestors” with antisemitism and extremists, such as the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, where the White House also condemned them. [213], [214]
Double standards are nothing new in American politics, depending on which country is currently in their national interest. And it seems to run in Biden’s family as well.
Just take a look at how John Kirby, the White House National Security Consul Spokesperson, argues and acts during questions relating to the wars in Gaza vs Ukraine. Notice any differences, besides the fact that his performance is Oscar-worthy?
John Kirby on Ukraine vs Palestine
Now let’s compare his reaction to Israeli vs Palestinian casualties.
But in all fairness, the U.S. doesn’t really view Palestinians as actual human beings.
And does anyone believe his fake emotional pauses? Really?! Any 5-year-old can act better. By the way, he’s also an admiral. God help us! I really do hope he was more successful at this job.
But not all AIPAC critics are (morally) corruptible. Some of AIPAC’s critics are University of Chicago professor John Mearsheimer and Harvard Kennedy School professor Stephen Walt. In their New York Times bestseller book The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, they accuse AIPAC that distorts American foreign policy. They explain that (emphasis mine): [215]
“AIPAC's success is due to its ability to reward legislators and congressional candidates who support its agenda, and to punish those who challenge it. (…) AIPAC makes sure that its friends get strong financial support from the many pro-Israel political action committees. Anyone who is seen as hostile to Israel can be sure that AIPAC will direct campaign contributions to his or her political opponents. (…) The bottom line is that AIPAC, a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on Congress, with the result that US policy towards Israel is not debated there, even though that policy has important consequences for the entire world."
They make the case that the Israeli lobby has managed to “skew” U.S. foreign policy U.S. and
“divert it as far from what the national interest would suggest, while simultaneously convincing Americans that US interests and those of the other country — in this case, Israel — are essentially identical.”
More famous critics include Jimmy Carter. In a 2007 interview with Democracy Now, Jimmy Carter talks about his book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid”, peace in Israel and Palestine and the influence of AIPAC and what happens to politicians that don’t “play ball” with their position. He was also asked about Mearsheimer’s and Walt’s book I just mentioned. [215], [216]
In this interview, he’s extremely forthcoming and calls what Israel has been doing to Palestinians by its correct name - apartheid. I’ve added the starting point at the relevant section for your convenience (approx. a 3 min. watch). [217], [218]
Jimmy Carter on Democracy Now talking about apartheid
After the publication of Jimmy Carter’s book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, as to be excepted, he was denounced as an anti-Semite (oh, how creative!). In this short Guardian article, Carter mentions the fierce backlash (incl. negative Amazon reviews) he received after publishing his book. [216], [219]
He goes on to explain why it was so difficult for U.S. politicians to discuss America’s relationship with Israel and the policies of the Zionist state in an open and honest fashion. And he urges Americans to know the facts about the “abominable oppression of the Palestinians” (emphasis mine). [219]
“It would be almost politically suicidal for members of Congress to espouse a balanced position between Israel and Palestine, to suggest that Israel comply with international law or to speak in defense of justice or human rights for Palestinians. Very few would deign to visit the Palestinian cities of Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Gaza City or Bethlehem and talk to the beleaguered residents.”
What happened to Carter’s book? It went on to become a New York Times bestseller with a 4.7 rating on Amazon. That’s what you call a big fat middle finger to critics.
War Criminal Joins Jimmy Carter
Following the footsteps of Jimmy Carter, former president Barack Obama also spoke out against the pro-Israel lobby and criticized its inordinate influence over U.S. policymakers. [344]
Isn’t it ironic that Obama himself, a 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and certified war criminal, having launched 10 times more airstrikes and military raids than Bush Jr. in at least seven countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan, killing 3,797 people in 563 drone strikes and dropping 26,171 bombs in 2016 alone, is one of the few U.S. politicians that speaks out against AIPAC’s influence. [39], [220], [221], [222], [230]
And just a quick and important side-note:
The most disturbing aspect of his presidency was the use of “double-tap drone strikes”, a fairly recent tactic (since 2009). [223]
Double-tap drone strikes are as fucked up as it sounds. Excuse the French, but there’s no other way of putting it. It involves a strike on a suspected military target, waiting between 5-30 min. before following it up with another bomb at the same location. During the two strikes, family members, first responders, and other locals rush to the bombed area trying to provide assistance to any survivors. These civilians and the remaining wounded are often killed in this second strike. [50]
These attacks are both immoral and illegal under international humanitarian law, as they are deliberate acts of murder against civilians. Told you, I’m an equal war crimes hater. [50], [224]
Simply put: Despite his Nobel Peace Prize, Obama was just another criminal war president, who simply just dressed nice, had a different skin color and spoke charismatically. Actions and behavior speak louder than hollow words. But I’ll still give Obama (speaking out against AIPAC) and anyone credit where it’s due. [225], [231]
In his book A Promised Land, he acknowledges that there are political costs to criticizing Israel for its apartheid state that will result in accusations of “antisemitism”. [226], [341]
He goes on, highlighting that
“Members of both parties worried about crossing the AIPAC, (…) dedicated to ensuring unwavering U.S. support for Israel.”
And showing how the deep said rabbit hole really goes,
“(…) just about every politician in Washington—including me—counted AIPAC members among their key supporters and donors.”
The AIPAC (emphasizes mine)
(…) “increasingly argued that there should be “no daylight” between the U.S. and Israeli governments, even when Israel took actions that were contrary to U.S. policy. Those who criticized Israeli policy too loudly risked being tagged as “anti-Israel” (and possibly antisemitic) and confronted with a well-funded opponent in the next election.”
Oh boy…“Anti-Israel”,“antisemitic”... Can’t they get more creative with their tactics and insults? It’s getting really old…
Roughly 16 years after the publication of the seminal works from Carter, Mearsheimer and Walt and now Obama, there have been desperate attempts to silence US lawmakers. [227]
Douglas Macgregor, former top adviser and acting defense secretary to President Donald Trump, routinely criticized the “Israeli lobby” and “neocons” for pushing the U.S. into wars. Including the push to go to war with Iran. He has been an outspoken critic of American foreign policy and “endless” wars. [228], [229]
In an interview from 2019 when Macgregor was asked if then-national security adviser John Bolton and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham wanted war with Iran, he gave the following answer:
“(…) look at the people that donate to those individuals. Mr. Bolton has become very, very rich and is in the position he’s in because of his unconditional support for the Israeli lobby. He’s their man on the ground, in the White House. The same thing is largely true for Mr. Pompeo, he has aspirations to be president. He has his hands out for money from the Israeli lobby, the Saudis and others.”
In 2012, he also gave an RT interview where he named AIPAC for pushing Congress to launch “military strikes” against Iran. During that time, AIPAC called for "crippling" sanctions on Iran in a letter to every member of Congress, it received "stalled after stiff resistance from President Obama."[228], [232]
You Can Commit More War Crimes, but You Can’t Hide Them Anymore
Over the last few months, Israel has made its horrible apartheid regime, war crimes and the incitement to commit genocide public - for the whole world to see. Unsurprisingly, global support for Israel has dropped significantly since the war in Gaza. [233], [398]
Could that be the reason AIPAC is increasingly becoming nervous about countering the growing support for the Palestinian cause within the Democratic Party? It certainly seems that way. [234]
If you want to dig deeper into AIPACs influence, then I can highly recommend you watch the excellent (and free) 4-part documentary that investigates the influence of the Israeli lobby in the USA & UK, including undercover footage. [235]
Another (Israeli) documentary is The Kings of Capitol Hill from 2020 and depicts how the pro-Israel lobby in the US, has become the most powerful lobbying organization in America. It being historically secretive, it has recently allowed interviews with its founders to reveal the organization's history and the turbulent relationship between Israel and the US. It also shows how AIPAC has moved toward the political right wing and away from political positions most American Jews hold.
13. Shackles of the Past: Germany's Guilt-Tripped Journey of Eternal Post-War Atonement and Israel’s WMD Collaboration with an Adolf Hitler Sympathizer
If you thought Israel’s enormous influence ended with AIPAC and the previous chapter, I’m about to go full throttle. Be sure to be sitting down when reading this chapter. Good anger management skills will help too.
There’s nothing wrong with preserving the memory and lessons from the Holocaust while paying reparations to the victims of Nazi crimes. However, Israel has strategically (ab)used this history to keep Germany perpetually indebted, unable to repay. A more apt description would be blackmail. But let’s start with a quick rundown on how Germany’s eternal debt is “repaid”. [236]
The 1952 reparation agreements between Israel and Germany created the basis for all subsequent compensations for Nazi crimes. Despite fierce opposition from both sides, the agreement stipulated payments of 3B Deutsche Mark (around $7bn today) over a 10-year period. Today marks 70 years after of compensating Holocaust survivors. In total, Germany has paid more than €80bn or a total of €116bn in reparations to Israel, while also supplying it with military equipment. [237], [238], [239]
A Match Made in Heaven: Reparations Meet Military Weapons
If you’re confused by “reparations” and “military equipment” appearing in the same sentence, don’t worry, I’ll explain. And no, it won’t make sense.
Germany is using their, (How should we phrase it?), let’s call it “special responsibility” to justify the violation of their laws which explicitly prohibit exporting weapons to conflict zones (which includes Israel). [240]
In 1981, Helmut Schmidt sold Leopard 2 tanks to Saudi Arabia in a historic military deal, something Israel didn’t like very much. And by using this “special responsibility”, Germany, the 5th largest weapons exporter, continues to export and purchase weapons for Israel until today. [173], [241]
And in September last year, Germany finalized a deal to fund the Israeli-made Arrow 3 hypersonic missile system, worth $3.5bn. Awww…what a “loving” relationship. [242]
Germany: Lord of War
Germany's export law allows for the export of weapons to prohibited countries, but it remains illegal to do so if the weapons intensify conflicts or contribute to internal repression or other severe human rights violations in crisis areas. [240]
It appears that these “exceptions”, to selling arms to conflict zones, are more frequent than you’d think. In fact, Germany has a long history of supplying arms to conflict regions, human rights abusing and war waging states, along with dictatorships, all of them close to each other and hostile. Now that’s what you call a good sales strategy! Who said Germans can’t sell? [243]
The last “exception” Germany’s government made was Ukraine. So, why not just change the law and make it Germany’s “official” policy to deliver weapons into conflict zones and make a “killing” (pun intended) while they’re at it? [244]
But wait, how did Germany go from war reparations to exporting military weapons to Israel? Let’s back up a bit…
During the discussion of Germany’s reparation agreement, some experts argued that the payments should be paid directly to the victims, not linked to a specific country, thus avoiding any entangling political or economic issues. Unfortunately, Germany decided to restrict most of the reparations to Jews and Israel, and consequently discriminating against all other victims. It also assumes that Israel represents all Jews and is entitled to German reparation payments, which is an injustice in itself. Because, let’s not forget, Israel does not equal its citizens (no government does), nor all Jews. Never has. Never will. [245]
Anyway, Israel and the Jewish Claims Conference (JCC) were recognized as the legal representative of all Jews and negotiated with Germany on their behalf, which then led to the Luxembourg Agreement. Many citizens and political parties on both German and Israeli sides were against accepting reparation payments - each having their own reason. But despite massive Israeli protests against the agreement, it was ratified. [237]
Israel, on the other hand, didn’t appear to have any reservations against such an arrangement, as it used the money to bolster its economy and build out its military.
This is where Germany’s responsibility should have ended because in almost all legal systems, a crime is typically followed by a verdict, punishment, or compensation to the victim. Once the full payment is made, the matter should be considered resolved. But for Germany, the story did not end there.
Remember, the reparation payments based on the Luxembourg Agreement were supposed to be limited to 10 years. Payments have been expanded to German companies that benefited from force labor during the nazi regime. A joint fund was created by the German government and the companies called “Remembrance, Responsibility, and Future Foundation” to compensate the forced laborers beyond Jews or Israel. [246], [247]
Prof. Dr. Samir Abed-Rabbo illustrates with a simple calculation that the €5.16bn set aside for this purpose (each laborer/descendant to receive €7,700), would not be enough to compensate the 1.7M victims mandated by this fund. [248]
This single calculation exemplifies that there is still a significant number of Holocaust survivors that are living an undignified life in poverty. One of the reasons is that, even though Germany does compensate these survivors who moved to Israel after 1953, they do not receive these benefits. That’s because the Israeli government limits compensation to only those who moved to Israel before 1953. [249], [250], [251]
Volunteers and survivors have regularly described how the Israeli government’s manages the compensation as one where it: “(…) divides the money as it sees fit (...)” and it feels like their “government (…) is just waiting for them to pass away.” Even former Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid,(son of a Holocaust survivor), backs up this criticism: “Nothing was done for years. It was a disgrace.” [249]
As with all financial payments, there should always be a certain due diligence. Due diligence to ensure that the money reaches the intended recipient and its designated use. Instead, Germany has taken the position the Israel represents all Jewish victims, rather than seeing to it that survivors are compensated directly.
Where’s the Dough?
Tom Segev’s book The Seventh Million: The Israelis and the Holocaust documents how most German reparations payments to the Israeli government have mostly not benefited individual Jewish survivors or any of their descendants. [252]
Instead, Germany’s payments went towards things such as industrial plants (>1,300) owned by the state, development of seaports, railroads, water supplies, oil drilling, mining, acquiring of 50 ships and much more.
In doing so Germany also indirectly financed the looting of Palestinian properties, creating and maintaining an apartheid state for Israeli Jews. Anyone else get the feeling, the slogan: “Nie again! (Never again!) is blatantly false advertizing? Where’s consumer protection when you actually need them? [341]
Even the founder and first Prime Minister of Israel, Ben-Gurion, was furious about the wave of looting of Palestinian property by the new Israelis and was quoted saying: [253]
“Most Jews are thieves.”
He certainly wasn’t a Jew-hating neo-Nazi, but was simply outraged that Israeli authorities “turned a blind eye and thus encouraged the looting, despite all the denunciations, the pretense, and a few ridiculous trials.” [254]
The purpose was “(…) to quickly complete the ethnic cleansing of most of the country of its Arabs, and to see to it that 700,000 refugees would never even imagine returning to their homes.” [253]
Ben-Gurion also acknowledged that the looting in 1948 “(…) was mini-looting compared to the institutionalized looting of property, houses, villages, and cities – the looting of the land.”, which has also been supported by the well-documented work of Israeli historian Ilan Pappé. [254], [255]
Ben Gurion has also been quoted in 1956, admitting the following (emphasis mine): [401]
“Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is natural: we have taken their country. Sure, God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them? Our God is not theirs. We come from Israel, it's true, but two thousand years ago, and what is that to them? There has been anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing: we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that?”
So what does Israel’s society with its institutionalized colonization and apartheid regime have to do with the fact that many victims of the Holocaust live impoverished?
It has to do with what I alluded to earlier - the misuse and misallocation of reparation funds, diverting them away from their original purpose towards more military equipment.
“Military equipment” might still sound relatively harmless, but it’s about to get much scarier than that. I promise! You’ll see to what lengths Israel has gone in the past to get their hands on weaponry that could destabilize the whole region and threaten world peace. But we’ll start slowly with some appetizers…
Former Oppressor Arming Its Holocaust Victim
It’s easy to understand why the German-Israeli re-armament collaboration started in secrecy. Even to this day, very little is known about the true extent of this relationship. Both sides had a very unfavorable political climates regarding anything military. The German government wanted to avoid any public debate on the responsibility for the crimes and genocide committed by the previous regime. Israel also believed their citizens would not tolerate any cooperation with their former oppressor. Despite this, their cozy relationship began with defense-related contacts in 1954, just two years after the 1952 Reparations Agreement. [237], [256]
Those who paid attention in history class, will also remember that Germany, after its unconditional surrender, had to completely disarm its military. But Germany and Israel still wanted to rearm themselves for different reasons. And because Germany also faced legal consequences for exporting military equipment, everything was done to keep this relationship secret. As a result, both respective secret services, the Mossad and the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), became the entities for conducting their arms business and continued in secret even after establishing diplomatic relations in 1965. [257]
Despite an official ban on rearmament and military production, German shipyards produced patrol boats for Israel as early as 1955. In the 1960s and early 70s, German ships and submarines were built in France and Britain, with German markings removed from weapons and components and exported to Israel.
In short, the secret arms cooperation between Germany and Israel benefited both sides. Germany found a market for its defense industry, while Israel gained a valuable partner for evaluating Soviet weapons captured during its conflicts with neighboring states. [256]
Israel benefited from cooperation with Germany by having a reliable and efficient source for spare parts and complete weapons systems, especially during times of war when other countries (U.S., Great Britain and France) were reluctant to supply Israel with arms. In addition, the German government was willing to underwrite the cost of these exports to Israel.
And rarely does the German media mention that exporting lethal weapon systems to Israel, a known conflict zone, is illegal, breaking Germany’s export laws. These same news article also fail to mention how, where, and against whom this military equipment is used, and for what purpose. [258], [259]
The U.S. and Germany have been Israel's largest military supporters, directly and indirectly enabling this hateful spiral of violence to continue and escalate. 70% of all international transfers of conventional weapons to Israel come from Uncle Sam, followed by Germany with 24%. Germany from 1998-2020 has exported €3.0bn and has exported almost €303m ($323m) to Israel up to Nov. 2, 2023, almost 10 times as much as 2022 (€32m). The U.S. just from 2015-2019 alone, signed contracts worth $8.7bn (€8bn) and over the lifetime of the U.S.-Israeli relationship well exceeding $130bn. [260], [261], [262], [357]
Both U.S. (multiple laws) and German weapons exports violate their laws, by providing Israel with military support, making it ILLEGAL. However, profits appear to be much more important than a few pesky laws, and countries supporting Israel militarily, are directly and indirectly enabling this hateful spiral of violence that continues to escalate. [263], [264], [265], [400]
To this day, German politicians at the highest level have been more than willing to oblige Israel in its quest for high-tech military equipment “Made in Germany” in any way the Israelis wish. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in 2002 said: [266]
”I want to state very clearly: Israel will get what it needs for the preservation of its security.”
He should have also correctly added, “and it doesn’t even have to pay for it.” because much of Israel’s military equipment has been mostly financed and subsidized by Germany - sometimes 85% of the cost. [267], [342]
Then, Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2008, went further, in what appeared to be a “dick measuring contest” on who can give the biggest carte blanche to Israel, when she stated: Israel is "part of Germany's raison d'être” and its “(…) security is non-negotiable for me as chancellor.” [268]
When politicians say “non-negotiable”, you know they’re about to do something the average German citizen would not approve of, and they’re up to no good.
When All Refuse, Germany Is Always Willing
Some high-tech military equipment Israel has received from Germany were warships (Sa'ar 6-class corvettes) and nuclear-warhead-capable submarines. These submarines are widely believed to be equipped with a 200 kiloton nuclear warheads. Germany knew about the Israeli nuclear weapons program for decades, despite their official denials. [269], [270], [271]
Former Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak applauded the Germans by saying, “Germans should be "proud" that they have secured the existence of the state of Israel "for many years." [267]
“Secured the existence of the state of Israel”? I’d call that “destabilizing the region and world peace”, but OK.
Former commander of the Israeli Navy, Ami Ayalon, even said:
“For our country, the purchase of the submarines was the most important strategic decision."
No other country has been as willing as Germany when it came to providing such capabilities. [268]
Jee, I wonder why all other countries had reservations? Maybe because Israel shows such self-restraint towards its neighbors. So who knows, perhaps we’ll get lucky by kicking off a nuclear Holocaust, but with reserved roles this time - Israel being the perpetrator.
However, to be fair, Germany does and did so in the past, try to get concessions out of Israel for Germany’s “generosity”. Merkel’s government wanted Israel to change settlement policy, so that Gaza would be given permission to finish building a sewage treatment plant, financed by Germany of course, and release the Palestinian Authority's frozen tax money. Israel obliged, and beforehand probably had a good laugh at the expense of Germany. [266]
In the context of submarine sales, you might remember one of the few corruption scandals that did make headlines in the German press. The Israeli media is generally much more open and revealing than their German counterparts. [268], [272]
The Dolphin-class submarine scandal gave the German public a rare glimpse of the otherwise secret relationship between German-Israeli relationship. It also revealed what Israel is willing to do to get what it wants. Tel Aviv not only pressured Germany’s government, but Netanyahu himself became personally involved. (Can’t have a good corruption scandal without him, right?) Due to these corruption allegations, the sale of these submarine was temporarily suspended. [268]
Some of Germany’s highly subsidized military equipment, knowledge, and blueprints to Israel “mysteriously” finds its way to other countries where Germany also has export bans in place. Such countries include China, India and Turkey, among others. And by Israel re-exporting these subsidized “goodies” they regularly outcompete the German defense companies that have already footed the bill for R&D, further destabilizing the region. [248]
So, let’s “never again” forget what this “special” and secret relationship between Germany and Israel is, one mainly based on arms exports. More still, Israel also has long been granted an unofficial veto over submarines and anti-submarine warship sales by Germany. Or, we could just cut the bullshit and call it what it is - Germany is literally being treated as Israel’s bitch. [273]
Israel's Unlikely Ally and its Forbidden Dance with Apartheid for Nuclear Profit
If you think this is already absurd and messed up, I’m now going to coherently connect “Israel”, “the Holocaust”, “Adolf Hitler” and “nuclear warheads”. And I will explain to you the lengths to which Israel will go when it severs its purpose. So, strap in!
As you probably already aware, Israel has nuclear capabilities, with plausible estimates varying from 80-400 nuclear warheads. But, have you ever asked yourself from where they initially acquired the material and knowhow? [274]
During the late 1960s, the CIA believed that Israel's first nuclear bombs may have been made with highly enriched uranium stolen in the mid-1960s from the U.S. Navy nuclear fuel plant. It then quickly progressed from there and Israel became a nuclear power, even though Israel never acknowledged its status as such. [275]
Then, during South Africa’s (SA) apartheid regime, when most Western countries, for various reasons, refused to supply SA with weapons, Israel was more than willing to lend a helping hand. So much so, that it became SA’s closest ally and biggest supplier of weapons, providing nuclear material and military technology and expertise. [276], [277], [332]
Israel was openly critical of SA’s apartheid through the 1950s and 60s, but that changed fundamentally in 1976. That’s when Israel invited John Vorster over to Israel, who was SA’s prime minister during 1966-1978 and state president from 1978-1979. But ol’ John wasn’t just an apartheid supporter, no, he was a vocal and former Nazi sympathizer and a commander of the fascist Ossewabrandwag that sided with Adolf Hitler. If you think that’s difficult to contemplate, wait until you read the next passage. [278], [279]
Israel's then prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin and John Vorster toured the Jerusalem memorial, dedicated to the 6m Jews murdered by the Nazis. Then, at a banquet, Rabin toasted: "the ideals shared by Israel and South Africa: the hopes for justice and peaceful coexistence" and that both countries faced "foreign-inspired instability and recklessness". SA’s described both countries having one thing in common: They are both in a predominantly hostile world inhabited by dark peoples." [278], [279]
Awww…I guess that’s what you call “true love” then?
Israel and SA reverberated each other to justify the domination of other people and tried to rationalize that their peoples faced annihilation from external forces.
Some, like Vera Reitzer, who survived a Nazi extermination camp, even vehemently defended apartheid as a bulwark against black domination. She also let slip that she thought Africans were inferior to other human beings, not entitled to be treated as equals. So much for “Never again!”. Or is it “Again?”? At this point, I’m really getting confused… [278]
This “love affair” between SA and Israel went beyond simply selling anti-riot vehicles for the use against protesters in the SA black townships. Probably the best kept secret was that Israel provided expertise and technology to SA’s nuclear development program. [345]
In fact, Israel was so ashamed of being connected to a political movement based on racist beliefs that they chose to keep their military cooperation hidden. Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to South Africa, explained this schizophrenia (comments mine): [280]
“At the UN we kept saying: we are against apartheid, as Jewish people who suffered from the Holocaust this is intolerable. But our security establishment kept cooperating.” (referring to the development of SA’s nuclear bombs)
When the international pressure on SA grew in '86-'87, Israel finally started to backtrack, but their military industrial complex “were saying we wouldn't have military and aviation industries unless we had had South Africa as our main client from the mid-1970s; they saved Israel.” [278]
Over time and when apartheid collapsed, the SA Jewish establishment, even those who had previously no problem profiting from such as system, were at the forefront of the anti-apartheid struggle.
SA even officially abandoned its nuclear arms development program in 1989. It was the only country to achieve a nuclear weapon capability and voluntarily relinquish it. In 1993, it also ended its biological, chemical, and ballistic missile programs. [281]
Israel, on the other hand, can deploy nuclear warheads via its newest submarines INS Drakon (achieving second-strike capability), thanks to the German taxpayer, while never having joined the non-proliferation agreement. If Germany’s continued military support to Israel isn’t true “atonement” for its crimes during the Holocaust, I don’t know what is. [282], [283]
The sad irony: Today, Israel maintains an apartheid regime that is “far more brutal than anything we saw in South Africa” according to former SA politician Andrew Feinstein. Even the former head of the Mossad, Tamir Pard, agrees that Israel is indeed imposing apartheid on Palestinians, that is comparable to SA’s former racial oppression. Tamir Pard’s opinion carries weight because of his high regard within Israel’s intelligence community. He’s also one of many joining a growing number of prominent Israelis to compare Israel’s occupation to SA brutal apartheid regime. [339], [340], [341]
14. The International Court of Justice: Has the Time of Reckoning Come at Last?
Before you read on: I’m not a lawyer, but I’ll still try to highlight the different perspectives as a layman and as I understand them.
In the Previous Episode…
At the end of 2023 South Africa (SA) filed a formal legal case, alleging Israel committed genocide against Palestinians residing in the Occupied Gaza Strip, violating the 1948 Genocide Convention, of which both SA and Israel are a signatory. Israel signed in August 1949, ratified by its government in March 1950. [284]
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the UN's highest court, whose authorized function is to arbitrate legal disputes between states that recognize its supranational legal jurisdiction.
The ICJ has now begun to evaluate the evidence behind this claim of genocide. More specifically, SA argues that Israels actions satisfy the legal definition of genocide, which involves acts committed with "intent to destroy" a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
Therefore, SA is asking the ICJ to rule that Israel has violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, which both countries have agreed to. They are using Article IX, which allows non-involved states like South Africa to fulfill their duty to prevent genocide. And just in case you were wondering, an ICJ ruling does not require a UN vote, which means there’s no opportunity for the U.S. to veto anything. [156]
What This Case Is Not
It is not a criminal proceeding against individuals in Israel’s political leadership. That does not fall within the jurisdiction of the ICJ, but rather the International Court of Arbitration (ICC).
Just so you don’t get your hopes up too much, this case could take years to reach a verdict. SA wants the ICJ to make Israel end its military war and lift the Gaza blockade immediately.
Israel’s Position
To no surprise, to anyone, Israel vehemently denies and rejects the accusations, saying it respects international law and had a right to defend itself. And as such, Israel is claiming the case has no legal merit. [285]
Before we pick apart Israel’s arguments, we do have to concede that Israel’s engagement with the ICJ is unusual, which often considers the UN and international tribunals as unfair and biased. Their decision to participate rather than boycott the proceedings seems to reflect their worry that the judges might order them to stop their alleged “war against Hamas” and damage their reputation on a global scale. However, I would argue the damage to their reputation has already been done. So Israel is taking this case very seriously - as it should! [286]
Does Israel Have the Right to Self-Defense?
Israel’s leaders have adamantly stated their right to self-defense in the war in Gaza. So, let’s see if they can actually claim such a right, shall we?
The Blog of the European Journal of International Law summarizes the arguments made by Opinio Juris, against Israel’s right to self-defense, in the following manner. And that’s as complicated as it will get, I promise. [287], [288]
Israel is engaging in a continuous armed attack based on Article 51 (the right to self-defense can be invoked when the state is threatened by another state, which is not the case, as Hamas is an armed group).
The 7 October attacks by Hamas were a defensive action against the continuing Israeli armed attack. Opinio Juris accepts that the October 7th attacks were a violation of the jus in bello (a fancy word for rules that govern the behavior of parties in an armed conflict). Meaning, it was illegal to kill innocent civilians. But nonetheless, Hamas’ actions were still acts of self-defense.
Therefore, because there can be no self-defense against self-defense, Israel’s actions in Gaza are not self-defense and are by themselves unlawful.
However, I think this issue has already been settled 20 years ago(!) in 2004, where the ICJ presided over the “Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and concluded that (emphasis mine): [289], [360]
“(…) Israel could not rely on a right of self-defense or on a state of necessity in order to preclude the wrongfulness of the construction of the wall, and that such construction and its associated régime were accordingly contrary to international law.”
Meaning, as long as Israel remains the occupying power in the Occupied Palestinian Territory it is not entitled to self-defense and cannot claim such, even in an emergency. It is illegal and violates international law as long as Israel remains the occupational force.
Even if we ignore the illegal occupation by Israel and concede that it was self-defense against Hamas during the initial attack, how does that argument hold true if Israel’s bombing campaign has killed mostly (67%) women and children, totaling over 25,000 civilian deaths? [92]
I just don’t see how Israel can claim self-defense.
Either way, Israel’s use of force through the occupation regarding the Gaza Strip and the West Bank has been illegal since 1967. That has been over half a century, in clear defiance of the UN General Assembly to end this occupation.
A justification for new war in an already ongoing illegal use of force cannot be justified from the result of a violent resistance to that illegal occupational force. Otherwise, an illegal use of force would be lawful simply because those subject to said force violently resisted it.
And just to be clear: This does not mean that the deliberate killings of civilians, or indiscriminate attacks on civilians, or the taking of civilian hostages by Hams, are legally justified. These are and were illegal as well.
Some states, especially Israel, love to cherry-pick certain aspects of illegality. Aspects such as the annexation of East Jerusalem, and the settlements in the West Bank — which they object to or refuse to recognize as legal, while staying silent on other more fundamental aspects of the illegal occupation.
The Case for Genocide
ICJ: “Let’s begin these proceedings on genocide!”
Germany (former genocide expert): Cough, “Did someone say genocide? Why didn’t anyone invite me?”
Who would’ve thought that 80 years after WWII, Germany would defend another country against genocide accusations. But then again, Germany knows best. [290]
On January 12, 2024, Germany’s spokesperson and press secretary, Steffen Hebestreit, tweeted the following: [291]
and stated that Germany would join Israel as a third party in defense of the genocide accusations made against Israel, linking to the corresponding press release. [292], [293]
Let’s go through the statements and debunk them one-by-one, stating with the press release (emphasis mine).
However, the German government firmly and explicitly rejects the accusation of genocide that has now been made against Israel before the ICJ. This accusation has no basis whatsoever. (English translation)
If it has “no basis” at all, then why intervene and join as a third party on behalf of Israel? If there’s ”no basis” for these claims, then what is Germany worried about?
And can’t Israel stand on its own and defend itself in front of the ICJ? Or does Germany’s leadership believe Israel doesn’t have good enough lawyers that it can’t handle a case like this and needs Germany’s help? After all, Israel is also sending its top legal minds, including a Holocaust survivor. [294]
The Federal Government supports the ICJ in its work, as it has done for many decades. The Federal Government intends to intervene as a third party in the main proceedings. (English translation)
If Germany has been supporting the ICJ for decades in its work and therefore has confidence in its judgment, again, why intervene? Does Germany view the ICJ as incapable or inadequate?
Or could Germany have other motives?
One explanation could be that Germany’s intervention could prolong the trial and verdict, lessening the political pressure on Israel. Or maybe Germany is afraid Israeli will take its top position as a genocide expert, although one could argue other countries could take that spot too.
However, there might be another reason why Germany is intervening. And I find this argument more convincing.
If the ICJ rules in SA’s favor, ordering Israel to end its military war and lift the Gaza blockade immediately, this would also have serious consequences for countries that support Israel. With this ruling, it would be extremely (near impossible) that the ICJ would also grant the request to continue supporting Israel with weapons.
Or, to state it more clearly, if the ICJ rules in SA’s favor, anyone “unequivocally” supporting Israel morally, politically, financially and/or supplying weapons, would become complicit in genocide.
And wouldn’t you know it. Then SA comes around the corner again with nearly 50 lawyers…
…and is already preparing a separate lawsuit against the U.S., UK for complicity in Israel's war crimes in Gaza. It will be based on the outcome of the genocide case filed by SA against Israel. [295]
The team of lawyers is led by SA lawyer Wikus Van Rensburg, who said (emphasis mine): [295]
“What happened in Iraq is an example of this. No one held the U.S. accountable for the crimes it committed in the Middle Eastern country, as the issue was not given the necessary importance. (…) the U.S. is busy spending more money and more resources to (allow Israel) commit the crime. No one says stop, enough is enough. The U.S. must now be held accountable for the crimes it committed.”
He believes that the U.S. may even face sanctions even if it does not accept the verdict. He also emphasized that Germany is still paying reparations for genocide committed in WW2.
I got to hand it to these SA lawyers. They just seem to be built different.
Anyway, where’s our German press secretary? Mr. Hebestreit, where you at? My readers and I still have a few…questions if you were so kind.
In your tweet, you wrote that Germany (emphasis mine): [291]
“(…) firmly rejects the accusation of genocide made against Israel. It has no basis whatsoever.
“No basis whatsoever”? Really?
Mr. Hebestreit, would you please read article III of the UN genocide convention for us. I’ve highlighted the parts you should pay close attention to. [156]
“The following acts shall be punishable:
(a) Genocide
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide
(c) Direct and public incitement to commit genocide
(d) Attempt to commit genocide
(e) Complicity in genocide.”
Now, we would like you to read the following statements from various Israeli government, political and military officials, keeping the previous article III (c) & (e) in mind? Take your time…
Cough, “no basis whatsoever”? If those statements are not “direct and public incitement to commit genocide” what are they then? Let me remind you, the intention to commit is sufficient to prove genocide. [331], [398]
Mr. Hebestreit, now we would like to watch this 1 min. clip where Netanyahu (after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks) emphasized the Old Testament text on the Amalekites. This reference is about the extermination of an entire people. [373]
Psst! Zip it, Mr. Hebestreit!
How is it that Germany’s government still supports Israel's “right” to self-defense, and it must "not be called into question", despite Israel’s killing mostly (67%) women and children, now totaling over 25,000 civilian deaths? [71], [92]
“Nie wieder!” (Never again), huh? Guess someone already forgot their history. Or should we just call it “Always forgetting”?
So, what are you going to do if Germany gets tried for being complicit in genocide? I don’t believe German chancellor Scholz’s or Mr. Habeck’s favorite excuses will help either of them at “The Hague”.
Oh, wait! Your time is already running out! This just in… [355]
Oops-a-daisy!
History in the Making?
There’s something I found particularly “fascinating” about Israel’s war in Gaza from October 7 onward. It was the first time in my life where I’ve seen a country openly and publicly state its plans and intent to commit genocide. I never thought I’d see that day.
Normally, the leadership of any country tries to keep such horrible crimes on the down-low and hush-hush. But with Israel, it appears like they were never taught that this murderous language and incitement should be hidden. It appears that they were taught that there’s nothing wrong with it. The evidence of bigotry is only hidden when there isn’t mass acceptance of the bigotry. And in Israel’s case, it clearly doesn’t need to be hidden. Instead, Israel could not have made its intentions any more clearer. SA will literally have a field-day with Israel, proving its case for genocide.
An aspect that could also get very interesting, depending on the ICJ’s verdict, is that countries such as Germany and Australia have laws that require them to adhere to these rulings. From my understanding, citizens in these countries could sue their government to enforce compliance. Something I would like to see very much. [296]
The court is also overseeing claims against Myanmar over the Rohingya genocide and against Russia for the ethnic cleansing of Ukrainians in the occupied territory. Both cases have been backed by western countries, including the U.S. But I do wonder why Ukraine’s war crimes and systematic torture aren’t included. [49], [95], [297]
However, we are witnessing a historic moment that will push the international order to its limits at the highest level of politics. May justice and peace for all innocent parties prevail. Sorry, I just got goosebumps…
What Happens if Israel Looses the Case?
Such a ruling would be politically detrimental to Netanyahu, as most Israelis are still largely supportive of the war. And Israel would not meet its declared objective of eradicating Hamas.
Israel could also face UN sanctions if it fails to comply, although the U.S., Israel's closest ally, would have the power to veto such sanctions. But doing so may anger Democrats, who are already unhappy with Biden's support for Israel. This in turn could harm Biden's chances of reelection.
U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, stated that the case against Israel is without merit. What a surprise, another “one” that thinks it's “without merit”. You guys (Biden, Scholz and you) wouldn't happen to be having a threesome, would you? Or is that incest? Never mind, the readers and I don’t even wanna know… [298], [71]
Beyond the political cost to Netanyahu, Germany, the U.S. and other countries could become complicit in genocide as well. There’s already a separate lawsuit against U.S., UK for complicity in Israel's war crimes in Gaza. [295]
Despite this, we should also remember that in 2004, Israel boycotted a prominent court case regarding its West Bank separation barrier, which the court ruled was “contrary to international law”. Israel claimed the proceedings were politically motivated. [299]
Keeping Up-To-Date
I’m not sure if and when I’ll update this chapter to reflect the changes. But if you want to follow the proceedings and have it digested for you by recognized experts in their field, here are a few that I’d recommend you follow:
Adil Haque, Writes about the law and ethics of armed conflict, and the philosophy of International Law (X (Twitter) / Website)
Tom Dannenbaum, Associate Professor of International Law at The Fletcher School(X (Twitter) / Website)
Molly Quell, International law forCourthouseNews and Contributor for dutchnewsnl (X (Twitter))
15. My Predictions
In the current state of the world, it’s really difficult to predict what will happen next. However, let me outline some of my predictions, which could turn out to be complete false.
First, we should never underestimate Netanyahu’s defiance and combative nature. There’s a reason why I nickname Netanyahu “Netancuckoo”. Although, I think "Satanyahu" would also be appropriate. Your choice.
At a recent press conference on January 14, he defiantly made clear that: [300]
“No one will stop us, not The Hague, not the (Iranian-led) axis of evil and not anyone else.”
Netanyahu’s crazy nature won’t make him bend over backwards easily. Make no mistake, he’s ruthless and has no qualms about hypocrisy and even outright lying. Beyond that, he’s also an excellent communicator that uses fearmongering and demonization of his opponents skillfully, tapping into the emotions of the public, twisting the truth to fit his agenda. He's the champion of manipulating people's emotions. He regularly uses fear and hatred as an effective tool to boost his support.
”He is keeping Israelis safe!” is a common theme he loves to employ when giving a public statement after every terrorist attack. Like clockwork, “He’s here to keep the Jewish people safe!”.
Like many other authoritarian political leaders, when things get really bleak, he can always resort to war, which is an almost certain way to boost his popularity and/or shut down people's willingness to criticize him.
In the past, Netanyahu’s government has tried to restrict political criticism, such as advocating for laws that make it harder to fund human rights groups and outlawing criticism about the military or occupation of Palestinian land in schools. [364], [365]
If you want to see how Netanyahu really thinks behind closed doors, take a look at the leaked video from 2001 that re-emerged. It shows him talking about how Israel intentionally strikes Palestinians “painfully” as well as bragging about how he deceived the US to break the Oslo Accords and Americans will always support Israel if it faces backlash. (2:30 min. length) [369]
Consequently, I don’t see any peace deal offered by Israel in the foreseeable future. One of the primary reasons why Hamas was created, supported and financed by Israel and the Prime Minster Netanyahu himself in the first place, was to avoid exactly this - a Two-state solution. In September (before the Oct 7 Hamas attacks), Netanyahu even almost “prophetically” brandished a map where the West Bank and Gaza are part of Israel. [358], [374], [375]
Despite this, it’s clear that the world wants a two-state solution. Yet, after decades of illegal land grabs and illegal settlements, there’s only crumbs left of what was formerly called a Palestinian state. Then, is it to anyone’s surprise that some Palestinians in desperation regularly resort to violent counter-attacks to combat their constant state of subjugation and degradation? Violence tends to breed further violence - a never-ending vicious cycle.
Peace in this region will never be possible as long as this inhuman and illegal occupation persists. A warmonger like Netanyahu can and will never bring peace to the region. Netanyahu is not good for Israel, nor the world.
In his book A Promised Land, Obama aptly described Netanyahu’s: [226]
“vision of himself as the chief defender of the Jewish people against calamity allowed him to justify almost anything that would keep him in power.”
And that’s what I think Netanyahu will do. After all, it’s what spineless and corrupt politicians with no morals like himself will do - they clammer to their power, no matter the cost. If he doesn’t remain in office, he’ll face so many serious corruption charges that will likely end his career - which could be a good thing. [301]
Israeli’s biggest ally, the U.S. and its powerful Pro-Israeli lobby, is also a big part of the problem. [346]
When talking about the influence of the Israeli Lobby on U.S. politics, in his book, Obama shifts the blame from his lack of courage to challenge said lobby groups, to the American people. All too often, politicians like himself love to put the blame and responsibility onto somebody else, instead of having the balls to challenge the status quo. And Joe Biden is even less inclined to challenge the Israel lobby than Obama.
Therefore, getting rid of Netanyahu seems very unlikely. Even if that were to happen, the damage has already been done - and it’s extensive. It’s safe to say that both sides have become more fearful of each other, worsening any peaceful negotiation.
Surely, this shouldn’t be this way. The only ones that should be afraid are the hardliner politicians who created this whole mess, directly or inadvertently supporting it. And yes, that includes President Biden, Ursula von der Leyen, Olaf Scholz, and many others - they definitely share some of the responsibility.
Moreover, not speaking up when atrocities are committed, is just as morally reprehensible as committing them. You can’t claim "I was just following orders!” or “I didn’t know!” either. It is said that some war criminals have used that excuse in the past. Spoiler alert: These excuses didn’t save them.
16. Specs of Hope
I guess this is the point where I’m supposed to give you some kind of hope. Hope that everything’s going to be alright and changing for the better.
Sorry, to bring you back to reality. I warned you at the beginning of this article - it’s not something I wrote to make you feel good. My goal is to educate, not a fluff piece for Vanity magazine. And it’s not intended to blow sunshine up anyone’s ass and make them feel better about the state of the world.
However, the sooner we can collectively realize how fucked up some things in the world are and why they’re that way, the sooner we can change them. Wait…couldn’t that be construed as some form of “hope”? Ewww! You’re lucky I stooped to that level… Won’t happen again!
17. Closing Arguments - Appeal to Reason
After the October 7 attacks by Hamas, we’ve seen Israel blinded and fueled by pure rage and revenge, killing their citizens and outright murdering surrendering and unarmed hostages in the process. [102], [105], [302], [303]
The result of this still ongoing crusade: The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 25,000, as of January 21 of which 61% were civilians,killing mostly (67%) women and children. By some measures, this level of destruction has even outpaced Allied bombings of Germany during World War II. [84], [86], [89], [92]
Anyone can clearly see that this is not a “war against Hamas”, but a war on the civilian population of Gaza, as the majority of causalities are not Hamas terrorists. No one is fooled by Israel’s bullshit claim.
Let’s not forget the well-known, documented fact that the Israeli government helped created, financed and supported Hamas to avoid the two-state or any peaceful solution. Make no mistake, the current government in Israel is ultra-right-wing and some are even proud fascist homophobes. They don’t even hide it. It’s in plain sight for everyone to see. [1], [8], [61], [343]
And occasionally these governments support an alleged “enemy”, as this often makes more sense than outright opposing certain solutions if those proposals don’t benefit a certain government in power. It’s not always what it seems and there can be hidden agendas behind certain government actions, which aren’t crackpot conspiracy theories. Just remember the false flag Operation Northwoods, the Gulf of Tonkin incident and many others that have been long declassified. [29], [31], [32]
Those (politicians) who act all horrified by acts of terrorism are oftentimes (indirectly) responsible for them, such as Israel or the U.S. They both reaped what they sowed. But sadly, it involved innocent civilians on both sides, not politicians, that paid the ultimate price.
Nevertheless, if you assume every action taken by politicians against their constituents are conspiracy theories, you might very well be a crackpot. It is said that too much pot can cause paranoia. In that case, you might want to lay off the weed for a while. (But, I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on the internet!) [304]
Don’t fall into a black and white or good and bad reductionism, either. Just as Putin didn’t go stir-crazy overnight and attacked Ukraine for no reason, Hamas didn’t just pop out of nowhere or commit horrible atrocities simply because they hate all Jews. Even though all examples are war crimes, they simply can’t be reduced to a black and white causality. Albeit, these narratives are more easily sold to the busy and distracted public, than a more complex and nuanced version of cause and effect.
This applies particularly to Israel and its history. Just because millions of Jews were exterminated by the Germany Nazi regime 80 years ago, doesn’t mean that Israel hasn’t committed horrible massacres and (war) crimes themselves over the last 70 years. They clearly have the “track record” to prove it. And with the ongoing Israel–Hamas conflict, Israel is starting a brand-new list of war crimes, where they already appear to be outdoing the number of war crimes committed by Hamas. [56], [57], [324]
Yet, this does not mean every Israeli is directly responsible for crimes committed by its leadership. You can be horrified by the crimes committed during the Holocaust, have Jewish friends, and be completely against the current ultra-right-wing fascist Israeli government (and love yourself some hummus!). It can’t be stated enough, a government does not equal its citizens. Never has. Never will.
At the same time, one must also acknowledge that Israel cannot claim they have not committed any crimes themeless, simply because a generation of Jews were victims of unimaginable crimes against humanity in their past.
These truths, too, are not mutually exclusive and are self-evident. Anyone who tells you otherwise is completely incapable of rational thought.
Holocaust Doublethink
Israeli politicians love to weaponize the Holocaust just as much as the opponents they criticize for (allegedly) doing the same. They often intentionally use this trick. When their adversary is from Europe and are criticizing Israel, they use the Holocaust card, when outside of Europe, they label them as “antisemitic”. That way, any crimes committed to the Palestinians can be “justified”. It’s an easy-to-follow formula which has been proved to work (on most). [164]
Or, if you use “doublethink fascism” (I’m claiming that one), you can just deny it better, yet accuse your victim of all of your crimes before they have a chance for a rebuttal.
In Israel’s warped, over-sensitive reality, the mere acknowledgment of Palestinian people as human beings (how dare you!) is regarded as criticism of Israel and therefore considered antisemitic.
In the 1970s and 1981, then Chancellor of West Germany Helmut Schmidt expressed exactly that, that the Palestinians have a right to statehood. And he did that on more than one occasion. What followed was one of the biggest, unprecedented public “shit-fits” (today we call that a “shitstorm”) Menachim Begin had. He attacked Schmidt, by saying in an interview with the Jerusalem Post: [305], [306]
“Specifically, the Germans should keep their advice to themselves (…) Europe is soaked with Jewish blood from the Atlantic Ocean to the Volga."
Begin added that Schmidt had never retracted his oath of allegiance to Hitler.
Regardless, any attempts to shame this German (author), by trying to pull the Holocaust card or accusing him of “antisemitism”, won’t work. I cannot be shamed for my belief that every country and person should be held accountable for their actions.
I see it for what it is: An extremely immature, emotionally manipulative bullying tactic. It’s toxic behavior that’s more reminiscent of sociopaths than an actual human being with a functioning prefrontal cortex (read: someone with a brain).
I, for one, don’t feel guilt about the Holocaust. I did not kill Jews. I did not persecute my grandfather. I did not follow along with the Nazi party. I did not participate, nor am I responsible for these atrocities I was never part of. Furthermore, neither I nor Germany are responsible for the security of Israel - and most certainly not for their war crimes! [333]
However, I do feel guilty when I don’t speak up when terrible acts of violence or war crimes are committed in the name of "democracy" (insert your favorite stupid justification). Therefore, I see it as my personal moral obligation to raise my voice in dissent to any of these governments.
I pride myself on having a stead-fast moral compass and standing up for those who can’t defend themselves and for injustices when I see them. I, and nobody for that matter, should apologize for doing so - they should stand their ground. And so, with me, cheap Gestapo-tactics will not scare me and will fall on deaf ears.
If those who believe that criticizing the Israeli government for its many war crimes or the war on Gaza is antisemitic, then the real problem is the accuser. Those who present themselves as the most morally virtuous and accepting (and dare I say it, “inclusive”) people, are almost always the opposite. There’s an inverse correlation between virtue signaling, chest ponding, bravado and actually practicing what you preach.
Germany’s Hollow Identity
Every German needs to realize is that Israel has been intentionally weaponizing Germany’s past to keep them locked into a state of eternal debt, which it can never pay off. [236]
However, as a German myself, I strongly believe that my country needs to have the courage to stand up against this very weaponization. As Ernest Hemingway used to say:
“Courage is grace under pressure.”
Courage is not the absence of fear (e.g., from Israeli repercussions), but the ability to act despite one’s fear. It’s how you conduct yourself when you are afraid or in the face of fierce opposition - persevering and standing one’s ground, precisely when fear arises. If you fear to say things that must be said, that’s when you, and countries for that matter, truly find out whom they really are.
Unfortunately, I do not have any hope of that happening in Germany because its spineless politicians won’t have the guts to withstand the pressure and will simply “fall in line”. That’s because Germany’s society is stuck in its past, pledged by historic guilt, and doesn’t know what it actually stands for. It’s essentially void of any national identity, besides beer and soccer.
More so, Germans are actually afraid to show any form of national identity, outside the socially accepted venue of soccer. And if they do waive a flag, it’s almost always some other countries flag. Even German government buildings and embassies abroad, more often than not, present a Ukrainian and/or Israeli flag instead of their own national flag. [307]
Do you see the average Scandinavian feel guilt for their past, when they raped and pillaged their way through Europe? Yes, I’m certain they are aware of their past crimes. I would even argue that Scandinavians have a better self-worth and identify than most Germans. And they’ve become some of the most peaceful nations on earth.
Germany’s identity and culture, on the other hand, has been lost and obsessed with its guilt for more than a half a century. It’s time to for Germans to get their shit together and find which values they truly want to uphold and stand for - and remain consistent about it!
When Victimhood Goes to War
The Geneva Convention, ratified by Israel, “unequivocally” (told you, Karma is a bitch!) applies to them as well and is not an ala Carte menu where they get to choose which parts and when they want to apply them.
All war crimes are equal, but some are more justified than others.
— George Orwell, probably
After all, the Israeli government is known to play victim to justify war crimes when it suits them. Israel is neither special, nor are they "the chosen one" and they do not get to invoke the "Holocaust” or “antisemitism" as an excuse whenever they commit war crimes or shame others for criticizing their crimes. A war crime remains a war crime - no matter who and which country commits them, no matter its justification! [308]
As an increasing number of former Israeli soldiers and whistleblowers are calling out their government as “war criminals” and “terrorists”. Or when the former Head of Shin Bet, Avraham Shalom, compares Israel's occupation to Nazi Germany's actions in WW2 towards the Czechs, Poles, and Dutch, you know Israel has completely lost the plot. Kudos to the whistleblowers. That takes courage to go against the Israeli government and cojones. BIG ones, too! [118], [119], [120], [121]
Abuse Victim Gone Oppressor
Israel’s killing rampage, blatant disrespect of human rights and countless (new) war crimes will likely fuel the conflict for the next 50 years. Maybe it’s time for Israel to change its slogan from “Never again!” to “Again?!” Sadly, that would be much more fitting for what Israel has been doing. [309]
Why has Israel, of all countries, been committing so many horrible crimes over such a long period? [57]
This very question has been pledging me for quite some time. Millions of Jews were exterminated by a fascist German government. Israel has become the last refuge for Jews, who are themselves perpetuating, or at the very least, condoning a horrible cycle of violence onto another state. It just didn’t compute for me. That was, until I finished this article. I found several explanations as to why this is occurring. However, I’m still trying to connect all the dots into a more coherent hypothesis.
My first conjecture leads me to believe that it could be comparable to the “cycle of violence”, whereby abuse victims perpetrate the cycle of violence themselves when they grow up. It has been documented that an early childhood history of physical abuse predisposes survivors to violence in their later years. Essentially, victims become offenders. Even though the cycle of violence theory is based on individuals, I still think this theory can be applied to a society as a whole. Consequently, this might also be the case for Israel, but on a generational level, where certain behaviors and fears are passed on from the previous generations. [310]
I found his sentiment to have been echoed by German-Swiss philosopher and university professor, Karl Jaspers as well. After WWII, Germans developed the concept of "collective guilt" to address the question of responsibility. This idea held that individuals who actively participated in Nazi war crimes were morally guilty, while those who silently allowed them to occur without resistance were politically guilty.
While pounding this conundrum further, I came across a quote from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s. Don’t worry, I won’t get too philosophical. It’s a beautiful yet dark quote from him that appeared to give me a partial answer to this very question.
”He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.”
What I think Nietzsche meant is that pain begets more pain, suffering begets suffering, or phrased differently, hurts people. One of the tragedies of life and humankind is we're stuck in this seemingly perpetual cycle of recurring generational violence.
Often, the very desire to do good, protect others and keep the peace, means that we become a monstrous version of ourselves. And this version of ourselves is not driven by what we love, but rather who we hate.
We only need to look back at history and see how many horrible atrocities were committed by those who were convinced they were doing “good” or “god’s work” to “save” others. The same can be said for Netanyahu. Do you remember how Obama described Netanyahu’s “version of himself” in his book? [226]
“(…) as the chief defender of the Jewish people against calamity allowed him to justify almost anything that would keep him in power.”
As the philosopher Hegel once wrote, one of the tragedies of history is that we appear to never learn anything from history at all. We become its marionettes. This is what I believe Nietzsche meant when he said that if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you. Precisely, when you're confronted with darkness, it's all too easy to become dark and a monster yourself.
To avoid this abyss taking hold of one, you have to remain conscious of the importance of human dignity, life itself and truth, and to uphold these ideals and values of humankind that must be protected, no matter the cost.
Israel appears to be easily offended by any criticism, but is ashamed of nothing - not even war crimes. And so, following Hegel, it would be sad irony if Israel did become what it once hated.
Being a childhood abuse victim myself, having grown up with a truly horrible and abusive stepfather that did so many fucked up things to my mother and me, the cycle of violence hypothesis I just mentioned resonated with me. I’m not going to bore you with any details, but suffice to say, there were hardly any items I didn’t get beat and battered with (and the lacerations to show for it).
The reason I mention this is not pity. The point I’m trying to make is this: I never once felt the urge to abuse or bully others, perpetuating this cycle. I found other productive means to channel my helplessness in the face of abuse.
Yet, this wasn’t taught to me either. As a child, I seemed to have unconsciously found a solution: “It stops with me.” It was a deliberate choice. A deliberate choice not to see myself as a victim or as someone that continues this vicious cycle as a bully and hurting others. Maybe that’s where I developed my strong moral compass to help me stay clear of the abyss. An abyss I’ve all too often had to stare into by experiencing abuse.
So, following this logic, couldn’t the same be a partial explanation for Israel’s abusive behavior? How they act and behave, in relation to their neighbors, is a conscious choice.
If we concede that this is a conscious choice, then there might be more at play to explain Israel’s actions. Ergo, this led me back to the weaponization of certain phrases such as “Hamas are the new Nazis” or “Israel has a right to self-defense” to justify war crimes. [143], [311]
It’s something that psychologist Albert Bandura called “moral disengagement”. His studies tried to understand the mechanisms by which people selectively engage and disengage their morality. He found that the strategic use of morally righteous language can make people justify their own destructive behavior, even if they would normally find them atrocious. Language can also make people view their own inhumane actions as insignificant compared to the enemy's more severe actions. [312], [313]
It’s something, the French philosopher Voltaire (I promise, this is the last dead philosopher I’ll mention) also seemed to have recognized, when he said:
Jesus Christ, did I just try to psychoanalyze Israel and myself with dead philosophers, poets, and psychologists? It’s time I finish this damn piece; otherwise, I’m actually going to need a shrink myself.
Imaging myself at the shrink
Israel’s Impunity Complex Meets the ICJ
Killing civilians and committing war crimes is never acceptable. No matter who commits them, be it a dictator, a "democracy", terrorist organizations (e.g., Taliban, Hamas, Islamic State…) or even a single civilian. If we agree upon a certain set of values and rules, they should apply to all.
As a logical conclusion, this would mean holding Israel accountable for simply inciting genocide, which is punishable under article III of the UN genocide convention, even when genocide does not follow. [156]
And so, the genocide accusation strikes at the heart of Israel's national identity, as it sees itself as a protector of Jews following the Holocaust. The international community's support for Israel's establishment in 1948 was largely motivated by outrage over atrocities committed by the Nazi regime.
How, then, does Israel justify killing over 25,000 civilians? What possible come-to-Jesus moment do they have to invent to legitimize these killings? What bullshit excuse do they make up to rationalize that?
Fortunately, Israel must now face the international community in front of the ICJ and must answer for genocide accusations. And they’ve engaged, which is rare. But Netanyahu is as defiant as ever. Moreover, a separate criminal case has been filed against countries complicit (e.g., supplying weapons) in Israel’s “alleged” genocide.
If Israel is found guilty of genocide by the ICJ, I am curious how Germany’s law enforcement will reconcile their revised and more stringent law on incitement to hatred (§5 Section 130 of the German Criminal Code (StGB)). This law punishes the downplaying or denial of any genocides or war crimes globally. Hence, the denial or downplaying of Israeli war crimes, too, is punishable by law. [314]
And let’s not forget that the Rome Statute of the ICJ clearly states that both the presence of Israeli settlers and the establishment of Israeli settlements on Palestinian soil are considered crimes against humanity. [315]
Germany’s Selective Ignorance
If Germany wants to lead by example, they need to stop supporting the Israeli apartheid regime that openly commits human rights violations and speak up for those who cannot defend themselves. [341]
Even though U.N. bodies, and human rights organizations have criticized Israel’s brutal military actions against Palestinians, Germany, has not (surprise, surprise!). In Germany, no politician, apart from maybe Marjam Samadzade, who was fired soon after, has dared to criticize Israel publicly. [113], [316], [317]
Jeffrey K. Olick, a sociologist from Columbia University, tries to explain Germany’s selective ignorance as one where: [356]
”German political culture is powerfully constrained by the dominant and therefore unquestionable interpretation of the Holocaust as a special burden for Germany.”
This constraint has many layers. One involves a distorted perception of the past and the self. Everyone agrees that Germany has committed horrible crimes in their past. But their guilt was not properly processed. It did not transition from the negative feeling into some form of collective awareness. Instead, it led them from a “collective submission” to a behavior dictated by Israel, motivated by the unachievable desire to become their friend and out of fear of being demonized.
In an article titled Is It Friendship? An Analysis of Contemporary German–Israeli Relations the two authors explain the source of this political tension between the two countries: [318]
“(…) meeting in the memory space through the victim's perspective gives Israel the authority to claim ownership of the memory. It (re)connects Germany to its historical role of the perpetrator and (re)constitutes Germany's guilt and, hence, moral debt vis-à-vis Israel, and with it raising behavioral expectations of atonement. Even if this role is not assigned to contemporary German governments, it requires them to be acute to the perpetrator's continuing presence.”
In simple terms, it means that a friendship between Israel and Germany cannot be genuine as long as it is founded on the flawed memory of the past.
Even officials in Germany and Israel acknowledge that relying solely on the memory of the Holocaust will not suffice to maintain a strong bond between the two countries. They understand that a relationship built on guilt from the past is not as durable as one focused on caring for the future. [318]
The two authors conclude that it is difficult to transform a relationship with a history of extreme violence into friendship, and more work is needed on when that reconciliation has reached that point.
I would add, though, that the German government too has held Germans (past, present, and future) responsible or hostage for Nazi crimes past generations have committed.
Germans are indoctrinated from a very young age to feel guilt and shame for the atrocities of past generations, and that they must make eternal atonement for crimes they never participated in. Yet, Germans should not have to carry this burden. Awareness, to heed the lessons of history, sure, but not guilt and shame!
In my view, Germany has fulfilled its debt and responsibilities from past wrongdoings by acknowledging guilt, being punished, and providing reparations, unfortunately not directly to the victims.
If the German government, in reflection of their slogan “Never again!” would take it seriously, they need to ensure that these crimes do not happen again. And this applies to everyone, not only Jews, but also Palestinians. Therefore, Germany’s government must stop supporting Israel’s apartheid regime, by supplying illegal weapons that are used to commit human rights violations and war crimes. [341]
Yet, the German leadership appears to turn a blind eye when it concerns Israeli war crimes or Ukraine’s human rights violations and systematic torture. In the case of Ukraine, Germany’s state-owned media only took three months after the invasion to pivot from calling Azov “a neo-Nazi volunteer regiment” to saying it was “accused of having a neo-Nazi past” by Russia. [48], [49], [319]
Or, when news and information sources such as Wikipedia go AWOL when it comes to the German entries, like this one about Israeli war crimes or this one about Israel’s apartheid regime. But I’m sure that’s completely random and coincidental 😇. [341]
As we know, Germany’s government loves to weaponize its own historical guilt to demonize and shut down their citizens when they criticize the blind support for Israel and its war crimes. It loves to label these critics as “antisemitic”, a bullying tactic they seemed to have learned from Israel. [174]
Breaking the Chains of Guilt & Blackmail: Leading With a Newfound Confidence and Set of Values
German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt once told Israelis, after Prime Minister Menachem Begin had tried guilt-tripping Germany with the ‘ol collective guilt accusation, that Germany should not be "held hostage to Ausschwitz”. [320]
Thirty years after WWII, Franz-Josef Strauß too, called for an end to the guilt trips. [321]
“We don’t want to be reminded of our past by anyone, including Tel Aviv, and by that be prevented from taking global political responsibility.”
So, allow me to offer some suggestions on how to counter the common sheeple behavior of the average German and its government, when they are confronted or blackmailed with their past. The German government should change their policy and tone and implement the following:
Germany has fulfilled its required reparations, including voluntary contributions. Any further payments should be made directly to Holocaust victims and their survivors, rather than a third party like Israel. [246]
Acknowledge the fact that Israeli officials and its supporting lobby groups will continue to psychologically condition Germans to blackmail its government to extract financial, military and diplomatic support from them. These never-ending guilt trips and unconditional support directly help maintain Israel’s apartheid regime. [236], [341]
Stop all arms exports into conflict zones, including and especially to Israel, by following existing German export laws. These exports were illegal in the first place. The fact that Germany supplied Israel with nuclear warhead capable Dolphin class submarines, that poses a threat to regional and world peace, is a prime example of this. The German government must develop and abide by a coherent arms export policy that protects human rights. The use of public taxpayers' money should always be discussed openly and transparently, not decided in secret. [240]
Israel and Germany have consistently worked to keep their cooperation as discreet and secret as possible since their partnership began. This clearly undermines the fundamental and democratic values to avoid public scrutiny of Germany’s unwavering support for Israel. Therefore, Germany needs to revoke any laws such as the anti-BDS, that guarantee that the nature and scope of this relationship between Germany and Israel remain secret, a taboo – in a true democracy. [256], [322]
If neither the Israeli nor the German government learn from history:
It will make Israel less safe and destabilize the region (and potentially the whole world) for the foreseeable future, simply because Israel’s war is fueled by hatred for a terrorist organization that they themselves helped create, fund and support.
Countries that continue to support and supply arms to Israel, will all continue to be complicit in maintaining Israel’s apartheid state and in their war crimes. [341]
Keep Your Moral & Ethical Compass Calibrated
In times when any opinion straying from the official narrative is fought with denunciation and cancel-culture, it’s more important than ever to keep your moral compass working. The U.S. and Germany already have laws in place or are ready to be passed restricting criticism and even political opposition parties. [236]
Furthermore, governments will deliberately lie and con their way into wars. In the last 2–3 decades alone, we’ve seen the Kuwaiti Incubator Hoax (Iraqi troops allegedly killing babies in incubators in Kuwait), the 2003 invasion of Iraq for Saddam Hussein’s alleged WMD possession and allegations of a connection between his regime and al-Qaeda. And now, the recent claim of "Beheaded babies" by Hamas in the Israel-Palestine conflict, just to name a few. [129], [323]
The “reasons and justifications” governments put forward to go to war, are almost always lies. In the case of the 2003 Iraqi invasion, former British MP George Galloway, in a U.S. Senate committee hearing, emotionally called the Iraq war “a pack of lies”. He was even so adamant that he asked to be charged with perjury so that he could confront the charges in court. [396]
Here’s his speech, a must-watch if you haven’t seen or remember it from 2005. (<4 min. watch). [397]
And so my guiding principle has always been: Never use the government as a metric for what is right or wrong. The Holocaust, slavery, racism, and many other horrible atrocities in human history were made legal by your government and your fellow citizens who remained silent and did nothing.
Just ask yourself: How many crimes were committed because of blind obedience or by “just” following orders and laws? Any (East) German will know the answer. Now contrast that with the number of atrocities committed by civil disobedience (or just by being a PITA)?
Therefore, have your moral compass point you in the right direction. Your intuition and values are indispensable guides. Even kids at the age of 3–5 years old tend to know very well what is right and wrong. And don’t be afraid to stand up against baboons that can’t hold more than one worldview in their head simultaneously. [194]
Holy Shit!
You actually made it to the end of this long-ass piece. First, thank you so much for having the stamina (and you better not have cheated!). Secondly, I also want to thank me for not killing myself for all the depressing and horrible shit I had to research and read for this article.
Furthermore, congrats on enduring my dark and sarcastic humor as well.
18. Bonus Reading: How to Bake a “Shit Pie” - A MICHELIN Star Recipe Worth Dying For
I can only image how depressed some of my readers must feel. Now, that I’ve described all the horrible atrocities that have been committed by the Israeli and the U.S. government in great detail. Now, that I’ve stripped you of all of your hope of things getting better or even normalizing, you’re likely at a point where you think there’s no hope at all. But behold, I can offer you salvation.
Become a corrupt, spineless human being yourself - also known as a ruthless politician. How do you ask? Not to worry, I have the recipe right here.
How to bake a shit pie:
Take a group of people with the right combination of charisma, cunning and a complete disregard for the law, ethics, and morality - basically devoid of any empathy for human beings and give them power. Make them feel they are special - the elite, destined to rule above their pitiful peasants. Don’t worry, if your group is not already corrupt - they will be by the time our pie has finished baking.
Pro cooking tip:
If you lack the ingredient "talent", then the best way to find some, is bribery. Bribery should be an essential utensil in your kitchen. This will also help you find and grease the wheels of power and make things happen. It's a skillful craft, but with a little practice, you'll be a pro in no time. Another alternative is jail. Jails are the perfect location to find lots of “talent”. These people have most of the essential (criminal) skills we need. Plus, none of them have jobs lined up after release - an HR person’s wet dreams.The ingredient we’ll also need is a network of shady characters. Mix this together with our previous ingredient, so that everything blends in nicely.
Next, we require our group of people to be willing to sell their souls and support whatever cause we deem necessary. And they must be willing to do what it takes to get ahead, including breaking the law, cheating, lying, and even murdering innocent civilians. Quit your whining! Baking a shit pie is dirty business. So, stick to the recipe - it has been done before and has proven to work!
Ensure that your first ingredient always remains on top. Put their interests first. They should never be worried by the needs or wants of their plebs. Remain focused on what's best for your elitist friends. This includes, but is not limited to: Financing illegal terrorist organizations, wars and even murdering innocent women and children - all of it is fair game.
Time to garnish. When mixing all these downright awful ingredients of cruelty together, we’ll need to make sure our shit pie looks appetizing. Your group will need to show and make people feel that they’re the kind of people they can trust. This generally involves smiling, shaking hands, and kissing babies (just don’t copy Joe Biden as seen here). It also entails developing your "BS game", which helps distract your peasants from the fact that you're not serving their interests.
Be prepared to let your cake bake for a while. This takes time. Sometimes, years or decades.
Be prepared that your pie will occasionally blow up in your face. So be ready to have another shit pie baking in your oven should this occur. Having a solid alibi, and keeping your cool when pressure mounts, is helpful. And remember, always keep a straight face, deny everything and blame others.Let it cool, as shit pies are best severed ice-cold.
If you’ve done everything correctly, your shit pie should look something like this - ready to be severed to your ungrateful peasants:
Thank you for reading this long-ass piece! 😅 Do me a solid by liking & sharing it. 🤘🏼
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[375] Netanyahu brandishes map of Israel that includes West Bank and Gaza at UN speech, The Times of Israel, 2023
[376] Avigdor Lieberman, Wikipedia
[377] Gaza medics tell BBC that Israeli troops beat and humiliated them after hospital raid, BBC, 2024
[378] Germany rejects Amnesty's 'apartheid' label for Israel, Deutsche Welle, 2022
[379] 'Until Gaza is erased': Israel's 'genocidal' anthems go viral, TRT World, 2024
[380] Gaza: An 'Open-Air Prison’, Human Rights Watch, 2022
[381] The Israel Files: Wikileaks Docs Show Top Hollywood Producers Working With Israel to Defend Its War Crimes, MintPress News, 2022
[382] Mahmudiyah rape and killings, Wikipedia
[383] Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories, United Nations General Assembly, Human Rights Council, 2019
[384] The harm caused by dehumanising language, BBC, 2023
[385] ‘Beheaded Babies’ – How UK Media Reported Israel’s Fake News as Fact, Declassified UK, 2024
[386] Israeli Jails Must Not Become Execution Facilities for Palestinians, Haaretz, 2023
[387] Israel Police Are Holding Palestinian Prisoners in Makeshift Cage-like Cells, Haaretz, 2024
[388] Israel-Hamas war: Video appears to show IDF soldiers rounding up half-naked men in Gaza stadium, yahoo news, 2023
[389] UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls, United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2024
[390] UNRWA report says Israel coerced some agency employees to falsely admit Hamas links, The Japan Times, 2024
[391] Israeli snipers kill 21 civilians outside Gaza’s besieged Nasser Hospital, Al Jazeera, 2024
[392] Israeli sniper kills “everyone who moves” in Gaza hospital, The Electronic Intifada, 2023
[393] IDF Sent in Handcuffed Prisoner to Evacuate Hospital, Then Killed Him When He Left, The Intercept, 2024
[394] Harrowing video shows premature babies dead in Gaza hospital, Middle East Eye, YouTube, 2023
[395] Former Shin Bet director Ami Ayalon says he would ‘fight against Israel’ if he was Palestinian, Middle East Eye, YouTube, 2024
[396] Galloway challenges U.S. senators, CNN, 2005
[397] British MP George Galloway testified at a hearing on how Saddam Hussein manipulated the UN’ Oil-for-Food Program, C-SPAN, 2005
[398] Law for Palestine Releases Database with 500+ Instances of Israeli Incitement to Genocide – Continuously Updated, Law for Palestine, 2024
[399] Infographic: US military presence around the world, Al Jazeera, 2021
[400] Israel’s nukes make US aid illegal, Mondoweiss, 2021
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