The Gaza Genocide – A Deadly Threat To Humanity?
Emeritus Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
Opinion - Bacalah Malaysia
January 16, 2024
After almost 100 days of ongoing “war” in Gaza, and more than 23,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) commenced a hearing on South Africa’s genocide case against the aggressor on January 11.
Throughout, severe blockade of the supply of food, medicine and fuel has caused a humanitarian “catastrophe”, according to the United Nations sources, as most of the population of Gaza, numbering some 2.3 million, were forcibly displaced.
Blanket bombing was allegedly used. And there is virtually no place safe enough to seek shelter. The aggressor is said to have “deployed 6,000 bombs per week. No one is spared. Not even newborns.
UN chiefs have described it as a graveyard for children,” citing Adila Hassim, the lawyer representing South Africa in The Hague. She claimed that “[t]he actions show a systematic pattern of conduct from which genocide can be inferred.”
Reportedly, it was argued in The Hague that “Israel violated the 1948 Genocide Convention, established in the aftermath of the Holocaust, which mandates that all countries prevent the recurrence of such crimes.”
It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide, in breach of Article II of the Genocide Convention, which included the “mass killing” of Palestinians in Gaza, the most crowded place on Earth thus far.
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, said his nation was pursuing the case of what he called “the ongoing slaughter of the people of Gaza”.
For many of us to appreciate what is happening to the people of Gaza in real terms, is not easy. Perhaps a 2014 movie titled ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ depicting the mass departure of the Hebrews from Pharaonic Egypt way back in the 1300s BCE could be of assistance.
The film praised the visual effects (while recognising weaknesses in other aspects) and gave some impressions of how harrowing it can be to be chased by Ramesses, the Egypt king, and his men equipped with the best arsenals of the time.
Despite having a good head start, making their way through a steep and narrow mountain pass towards the Red Sea, the Hebrews were still at the mercy of Ramesses who was grieving the death of his beloved first-born child, putting the blame on the Hebrews.
With the Red Sea lying right in front of their path to freedom, the fate of the Hebrews remained uncertain! Much like the Gazans of today under the new metaphoric Pharaonic power they were subjected to.
This time, the pursuit involved an ultra-modern army backed by technologically advanced weapons of mass destruction supplied by no less the US and its allies.
To the Europeans, the Nazis of the early 1930s would be a more fitting substitute as the then Pharaonic power, as it “attempt to force all German Jews to emigrate [when] the regime passed anti-Jewish laws and orchestrated a nationwide pogrom in November 1938.”
In June 1941, following the invasion of the Soviet Union, some 2 million Jews were shot by German forces and local collaborators. Holocaust became the hallmark of “genocide of European Jews during World War II.”
In the present case, the new Pharaonic power is synonymous to the ruthless oppressor-occupier of Palestine; while the Gaza population, the new victims being forced out under heavy military bombardment – air, land and sea!
Regardless, at the end of it all, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of South Africa, Ronald Lamola, announced that “Israel has failed to disprove South Africa’s genocide case before the ICJ.”
In the full statement, he highlighted: “The world has watched in horror as Palestinian men, women and children were slaughtered, blown up, buried alive under rubble of their homes, left to die painful death in unresourced (sic) hospitals, resulting in more than 23,000 deaths, through destruction to homes, schools, hospitals, water treatment plants and other public infrastructure that impairs the conditions of life and is calculated to bring about the destruction, in whole or in part, of the Palestinians living in Gaza.
“Sadly, the world has not succeeded in stopping the genocide that is unfolding in Gaza. The international community has largely remained passive in response to these atrocities. Women and children in areas such as refugee camps, schools and hospitals have been targeted, leading to a humanitarian crisis.”
In summary, he deemed that “South Africa’s case before this court is a simple one. Under the Genocide Convention nothing justifies genocidal acts currently being committed by Israel. Self-defence is no answer to genocide.
There is no balancing exercising Israel has sought to suggest and the prohibition is absolute.” He also stressed that nothing justifies Israel’s actions. Period.
South Africa, a country that has faced almost identical dehumanisation under the apartheid regime supported by the very same western-centric, colonial power structures that reduces people to the level of being subhuman, is no doubt the most effective in teaching the world a lesson, beginning with the Gazan (avoidable) case.
After all, in early post October 7, Israel Defence Minister allegedly addressed Palestinians in Gaza as animals. “We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly,” he was quoted as saying.
As for the big and powerful, despite preaching from a moral high ground, they are extremely reluctant to bring other states to the ICJ. It takes Gambia to unmask the hypocrisy in 2019 against Myanmar for its violations under the obligations of genocide convention.
The precedent is courageously taken up by South Africa so that the state of humanity can be truly protected and respected, unlike today. – BACALAHMALAYSIA.MY
- The writer is Rector at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)