What I believe as a historian of genocide

OMER BARTOV:  Although there is no evidence of genocide taking place in Gaza, we may be watching an ethnic cleansing operation that could devolve into genocide.

Omer Bartov, professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University:

The crime of genocide was defined in 1948 by the United Nations as “the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such”. To prove that genocide is taking place, we need to show both the intent to destroy and that destructive action is taking place against a particular group. 

I believe there is no proof that genocide is currently taking place in Gaza, although it is very likely that war crimes, and even crimes against humanity, are happening. 

In justifying their assault in response to the massacre of October7 - itself a war crime and a crime against humanity - Israeli leaders have made terrifying pronouncements. On October 9, Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said, “We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly,” a statement indicating dehumanisation, which has genocidal echoes. 

The next day, the head of the Israeli Army’s coordinator of government activities in the territories, Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, addressed the population of Gaza in Arabic: “Human animals must be treated as such,” he said, adding: “There will be no electricity and no water. There will only be destruction.”

The same day, retired Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland wrote in Yedioth Ahronoth, “the State of Israel has no choice but to turn Gaza into a place that is temporarily or permanently impossible to live in.” 

These statements could be construed as indicating genocidal intent. But is genocide actually occurring? Israeli commanders insist they are trying to limit civilian casualties, and attribute the large numbers of dead Palestinians to Hamas tactics of placing command centres under humanitarian structures like hospitals.

So, while we cannot say that the military is explicitly targeting civilians, functionally and rhetorically we may be watching an ethnic cleansing operation that could quickly devolve into genocide.

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What I believe as a historian of genocide (NYT)
Omer Bartov is a professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University

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