Nearly two years into Israel鈥檚 war on Gaza, a United Nations inquiry concluded on September 16 that it is committing genocide.
The UN鈥檚 on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said it based its conclusions, in part, on statements made by Israel鈥檚 President, Prime Minister and its former minister of defence.
鈥淚sraeli civilian and military authorities and the pattern of conduct of the Israeli security forces indicate that the genocidal acts were committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as a group.
鈥淭he Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,鈥 said Navi Pillay, commission spokesperson.听鈥淚t is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.鈥
This conclusion, very delayed, supports those reached by a majority people across the world and is the reason for their continued protests, including the demand that sanctions be levied on Israel, as well as putting an end to the two-way arms trade.
The 听(ICJ) had already begun found in January of last year that it was plausible that Israel was committing genocide and orders the Israeli government to take all measures within its power to prevent genocidal acts including ensuring aid and services reach Palestinians under siege in Gaza.
South Africa lodged the claim with the ICJ, arguing that Israel is violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention with its military assault on Gaza, which began on 8 October, after the attack by Hamas. Israel tried to get the case dismissed, but failed.
Pillay said the commission鈥檚 findings are based on a 鈥渃omprehensive examination of the underlying acts of genocide and genocidal intent鈥. In establishing genocidal intent, the commission applied the 鈥渙nly reasonable inference鈥 standard set down by the ICJ in the case of Bosnia versus Serbia.
It called on Israel to 鈥渆nd its policy of starvation, lift the siege and facilitate and ensure the unimpeded access of humanitarian aid at scale鈥. It called on Israel to 鈥渋mmediately end the activities of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation鈥.
Further it called on member states to 鈥渃ease the transfer of arms and other equipment that may be used for the commission of genocidal acts to Israel鈥 and to 鈥渆nsure individuals and corporations in their territories and within their jurisdiction are not involved in aiding and assisting the commission of genocide or incitement to commit genocide鈥.
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Protests for these same demands continued in cities across Australia over the weekend of September 13-14. More than 1000 people joined the 100th consecutive Naarm/Melbourne protest on September 14, reports Jordan Shukri AK Armaou-Massoud.
Mohammad Sheerab from Free Palestine Coalition Naarm and Sit-Intifada, talked up the Sovereignty听Never Ceded march the previous day, saying: 鈥淲e will not give them [the racists] space to spread their hate鈥.
Ihab Alazhari, founder of Sit-Intifada, called for an end to Labor鈥檚 complicity听in the genocide saying 鈥渢he blood of the children of Gaza is on the hands of governments around the world鈥.
Community lawyers and Australian Services Union (ASU) delegates听鈥斕鼵harlotte & Dylan听鈥 who organised of a听recent ASU-led unprotected industrial action听also spoke. 鈥淲e are all stronger together,鈥 Charlotte said.
Dylan added: 鈥淲e wanted to use our power as workers to disrupt business-as-usual鈥.听Dylan, whose pay was docked for attending the stop work, said they felt obliged to strike, despite the anti-strike听laws.
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Other speakers included nurse Mat from Australian Nurses and Midwives Victoria for Palestine; Amin G Abbas and Jamal Hakim from Melbourne for Palestine and musicians Ahmad Atawneh/DJ Matab and Uma Dobia.
The protest marched to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission office to demand the two-way arms trade between Australia and Israel ends.
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Jews for Palestine WA held an emergency protest on September 12 at the US Consulate in Boorloo/Perth against the US role in allowing Israel to systematically destroying every last building in Gaza. The protesters called for sanctions and for an end to the two-way arms trade.
Community sector workers walked off the job in Naarm/Melbourne on September 10, and National Tertiary Education Union members and other unionists on Gadigal Country/Sydney took action on the same day demanded that universities cut all ties with Israel on September 10.
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Jews Against the Occupation 鈥48 held a solidarity event to highlight the Sumud Flotilla trying to reach Gaza with aid on Bondi Beach, on September 7. Jews, Palestinians and others sent off origami boats into the sea, while Zionists draped with Israeli flags and white supremacists听draped in the Australian flag shouted abuse. Police had to be called to stop the pro-Israeli government protesters from trying to physically stop the family friendly event.
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