More than 1,000 mostly Jewish demonstrators blocked entrances to the White House to protest Israeli violence in Gaza and call on President Joe Biden to press for an immediate ceasefire in the region. The protest was hosted by IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace. October 16, 2023. Photo by Matthew Litman

Yonah Lieberman October 17, 2023

This last week has been deeply painful, for Jews, Israelis, Palestinians, and for so many around the world watching the violence in Israel/Palestine unfold with horror. I wish I could have spent it mourning the Israelis killed by Hamas militants on Oct. 7. Instead, I have spent it with thousands of American Jews and allies working to stop the zealots in the Israeli government from committing genocide against the Palestinians.

Don’t get me wrong: We are in pain, attempting to process a week of unspeakable violence that has left thousands of individuals injured, traumatized, kidnapped, or killed. But American Jews must categorically refuse to let our grief be used as a justification for further bloodshed and a second Nakba.

Our pain cannot be an excuse for more violence. War crimes do not justify more war crimes.

Time is running out, and millions of lives are hanging in the balance. The Israeli government has spent the week escalating Gaza’s humanitarian crisis — already brought to the brink by Israel’s 16-year-long blockade — and using every possible platform to dehumanize Palestinians. This week’s war has leveled countless city blocks, killing nearly 3,000 Palestinians, including over 1,000 children. Over the weekend, the government issued evacuation orders to 1 million Palestinians, while bombing them as they fled and when they arrived at their destination. These are war crimes and indicate a clear intent to commit genocide.

I do not use the term “genocide” lightly. The Jewish people have a painfully intimate understanding of this brutal term. But the situation in Gaza warrants naming reality, and using this strong language.

According to Holocaust and genocide scholar Raz Segal, the legal definition of genocide, in the 1948 United Nations Convention, involves “the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.” The convention further details five actions that define genocide and Israel’s actions in Gaza fall under three of them: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction in whole or in part.

The dehumanizing language that Israeli leaders are using — calling Palestinians “human animals” and “children of darkness,” and stating that “it is an entire nation out there that is responsible” — is being intentionally employed to blur the lines between civilians and militants, thus justifying the widespread destruction of Palestinian lives.

The American government’s unyielding support for this revenge frenzy is only fanning the flames of violence. With Israel mobilizing its forces and a potential invasion on the horizon, President Joe Biden is refusing to use his influence to push an immediate ceasefire. The world is watching, and history will remember what President Biden chooses to do in this moment of crisis.

Endless cycles of war and enforcement of apartheid will not keep Jews and Israelis safe. The Oct. 7 attacks proved that no amount of technology, walls or guns can keep people safe. It shattered the illusion that Israeli safety can be secured while denying Palestinian rights. The collective punishment of all Palestinians is a strategy born out of vengeance, not safety.

Right now Israeli and American leaders are co-opting our grief, using it as an excuse for more violence. We must do everything we can to stop them. In this dark time, we must unite in grief and purpose. American Jews must work with our neighbors toward equality, justice, and lasting safety for all, be they Jewish, Israeli or Palestinian.

Our call to action is clear. We urge our political leaders, especially President Biden, to work toward an immediate ceasefire, an end to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, and the safe return of hostages.

After the war is over, we cannot revert to the status quo in Israel/Palestine. It is a daily nightmare for Palestinians who live without dignity and human rights. The only way to achieve equality and safety for all between the river and the sea is for our leaders to take concrete steps — like ending the blank check the U.S. government gives Israel — to end Israel’s system of apartheid.

To contact the author, email [email protected].

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