With Israel moving into Gaza amidst an “impossible” evacuation, many have described the situation as “genocide”. It’s a genocide inflicted by the Israeli government upon the civilian population of Gaza:
As former MEP who chaired the EU Parliament Palestinian delegation, I again call on MEPs to stop Israel acting with impunity.
Israel has murdered 724 Palestinian children in Gaza in the last 7 days, yet disgracefully no EU/UN/US condemnation! All are providing cover 4 war crimes pic.twitter.com/NqU2MpzPBG
— Martina Anderson Sinn Féin💚 (@M_AndersonSF) October 14, 2023
NEW: 70 killed after Israeli strikes hit three convoys of evacuees trying to leave northern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/HOVXZxfIAJ
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 13, 2023
It’s a genocide which many commentators would rather not acknowledge in such direct terms. One public figure who hasn’t been afraid is Frankie Boyle, who had the following message for those who would shy away from acknowledging the war crimes taking place:
A lot of artists and commentators in Britain who’ve spent their careers foregrounding their empathy and humanism, apparently unable to muster a single word about the genocide in Gaza. This matters because Britain is providing political and military cover for these actions. If you…
— Frankie Boyle Updates (@frankieboyle) October 15, 2023
Genocide
Boyle’s full message reads:
A lot of artists and commentators in Britain who’ve spent their careers foregrounding their empathy and humanism, apparently unable to muster a single word about the genocide in Gaza. This matters because Britain is providing political and military cover for these actions. If you have a voice, please use it to call for a ceasefire, and the lifting of the blockade.
The conditions now faced by Palestinians have been widely reported on. Yet Boyle is right – many public figures would rather not acknowledge what’s happening:
Palestinian children in Gaza are being rescued from rubble to find most or all of their family killed by Israeli bombardment.
One boy said he knew his brother died when the rubble had filled his mouth and he could no longer scream out his namehttps://t.co/DSAWtkQ7ju
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) October 15, 2023
Four Palestinians were shot dead by Israeli settlers on Wednesday.
At their funeral, Israeli settlers shot dead two mourners – a father and a son.
This should be called what it is – terrorism.
It won't be, because the perpetrators aren't Palestinian. https://t.co/L3dUpuP2h7
— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) October 12, 2023
Read every single world.
"A Textbook Case of Genocide" by genocide scholar Roz Segal in @JewishCurrents
This is the "Again" of Never Again.
It can still be stopped but only by us. We have no leaders. #gazahttps://t.co/JM5HZxGTtT
— Naomi Klein (@NaomiAKlein) October 15, 2023
For example, former Countdown presenter Carol Vorderman has now made a career for herself as a political commentator. She also hosts the Pride of Britain awards. These, according to the awards’ website:
celebrate the achievements of truly remarkable people who make our world a better place.
However, on X Vorderman can barely bring herself to mention Israel or Palestine. Instead, she reshared a podcast on the subject hosted by war criminal Alastair Campbell – as well as some liberal daydreaming by TV host Patrick Kielty:
Heartfelt words from @PatricKielty whose father was killed during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
"One common truth was that the hurt and the pain on both sides was sadly the same."At the end of his @RTELateLateShow he talks about Israel, Gaza and the "miracle of peace". He… https://t.co/L6DebcaFmU
— Carol Vorderman (@carolvorders) October 15, 2023
As one person pointed out on X, it says a lot that Boyle is the one calling this out:
Absolutely spot on Frankie. Says quite a lot that you're the humantarian voice of reason this week. But then this is exactly what culture is supposed to do. https://t.co/H8133PXAGt
— The Civil Savant (@TheCivilSavant) October 15, 2023
Boyle’s message follows on from others such as these:
In a rational world, Britain would be asking for the blockade on Gaza to be lifted and these ships would be taking food and medical supplies to a disaster zone pic.twitter.com/u1DNsp0Afl
— Frankie Boyle Updates (@frankieboyle) October 12, 2023
Being appalled by terrorism, but unfazed by genocide: the Imperial mindset
— Frankie Boyle Updates (@frankieboyle) October 13, 2023
Hypocrisy
Hamas’s attack on military and civilian targets is being used by some to justify whatever comes next. Those adopting such a position include the most powerful man in the world:
"Make no mistake about it, by providing 100 percent backing for any action that Israel takes in the Gaza Strip, President Biden is complicit in Israel's commission of war crimes, and potentially much, much worse"
– Josh Ruebner, political analysthttps://t.co/42EVvVEP0a
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) October 14, 2023
In the UK, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy refused to give an answer on whether he supported the evacuation of Gaza because he believed it would have a negative impact on his ability to achieve greater political power:
"I'm hoping to be Foreign Secretary one day, so it's not a yes or no question!"
MP David Lammy is funded by key Israel lobbyist Trevor Chinn. He also directs a course at SOAS University on settler colonial societies (Israel not included).pic.twitter.com/TIBjluWuhX
— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) October 15, 2023
If the whole of Glasgow was told to leave the city whilst under heavy bombardment, with the fleeing civilian convoys being bombed, with no guarantee they can ever return home again, I doubt we’d be prevaricating over whether that’s a war crime or not.
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) October 15, 2023
Boyle isn’t the only one calling out the hypocrisy online:
Speaking at the Liverpool rally yesterday I made the point that many politicians want people to believe history started this week with the Hamas attacks.
To understand this terrible situation, you need to understand the context. pic.twitter.com/Uvgo6SnBYf
— Alan Gibbons (@mygibbo) October 15, 2023
You are literally the only journalist left at BBC news and current affairs with any strong moral compass – you surely know what the problem is here and why people did that to your place of work #GenocideinGaza pic.twitter.com/VLKRmqVmtN
— Steve Topple (@MrTopple) October 14, 2023
Would be cool if the government and opposition could stop giving blanket unconditional support to a government killing children they told to flee. One atrocity does not justify another. https://t.co/WxCcu0qBOO
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) October 14, 2023
Labour leader Keir Starmer has also invited criticism for his one-sided stance on the situation:
Thousands of Palestinians killed. Hundreds of children dead. Hospitals bombed. Civilian convoys massacred. War crime after war crime. Ethnic cleansing.
And this is what he offers. Not one word of criticism towards Israel. Not one word. Starmer is a disgrace. https://t.co/h5FWwaCoNS
— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️⚧️ (@LeftieStats) October 14, 2023
Speaking out
However, it’s not just establishment politicians and commentators who are either ignoring or being wilfully obtuse about the situation for the Palestinian people. Grief grifters like U2’s Bono have made their position very clear:
This man is rat, a tax dodging bootlicking vile colonialist rat who exploited the grief and suffering of his own people in the north of Ireland in order to make money, and yet again on the wrong side of history, day and daily for 75 years children die in Palestine, and not a peep https://t.co/JIwFB0hAlG
— TheShanVans (@TheShanVans) October 11, 2023
As the war continues, it’s important that people call out atrocities where they see them. It’s clear that many powerful people see any and all action against ordinary Palestinians as acceptable. They need to understand that the world won’t forget what they say in this moment.
Featured image via Ralph_PH Flickr – image cropped to 770 x 403
