dSince October 7, 2023, meaningful debate has gained momentum in the political arena. First, it was necessary to qualify Hamas’s actions on Israeli territory. We, ecologists, did not hesitate: these were terrorist acts of rare barbarism. As we continue to demand the release of hostages by Hamas.
Since October, we have also called on people not to associate Jews in general, and French Jews of the Jewish faith in particular, with the actions of the Israeli government. In response to Israel, we have not hesitated to qualify the facts: war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in Gaza.
Today, the question is the qualification of genocide. This debate is particularly difficult to discern what the Jews of Europe experienced during the Shoah and the extent to which it marked the history of humanity and the State of Israel in particular, created after this terrible destruction. We refuse the excessive bidding of some just as we do not accept the blinds of others. In our view, what should guide our analysis is simple: political courage, clarity and respect for international law.
On 14 January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) noted that “Real and Imminent Threat of Genocide in Gaza”. As it prepares to launch its offensive on Rafah, the last refuge for more than one million Palestinians displaced in the 60 square kilometer area, Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli government always seems closer to what the judges of the High Court may call it. Genocide
A humanitarian disaster
Remember that, according to the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the crime is defined by acts. “Committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial, ethnic or religious group”especially by “Killing Gang Members” And “The deliberate subjection of a group to conditions of existence intended to bring about its total or partial physical destruction”. According to international law, genocide is therefore defined by the materiality of the crimes and the intent of the perpetrators.
After five months of war the materiality of Israeli crimes is undeniable. According to Hamas, more than 30,000 Palestinians were killed, including 25,000 women and children. An analysis by the BBC reports that more than 50% of Gaza’s homes have been destroyed or damaged. According to the UN, more than 1.7 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced. The Israeli army deliberately attacked – journalists, medical personnel, schools, places of worship, hospitals, energy infrastructure.
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