While Canadians deserve to know the extent of our government’s complicity in the destruction of Gaza, the NDP is talking out of both sides of its mouth. While criticizing military exports to Israel, New Democrat leaders have largely adopted Israel’s framing of the war and condemned voices speaking out in support of Palestinians. This has occurred at both the federal and provincial level.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/15540247

Meanwhile, when activist and author Yves Engler tried to ask Singh if he agreed with South Africa’s accusation of genocide against Israel, the NDP leader refused to answer while a member of his RCMP detail knocked a cellphone out of Engler’s hands.

  • cygnus
    519·
    9 months ago

    I can’t take seriously any media outlet that uses the term “genocide” willy-nilly. Israel is probably committing war crimes and deserves to be censured for it, but genocide has a very specific and narrow definition, for good reason. We don’t call the bombings of Dresden or Hiroshima genocides. The battle of Cannae was not a genocide, but the siege of Carthage could perhaps be considered one.

    • KichaeEnglish
      14·
      9 months ago

      Genocide isn’t particularly narrowly defined, though. It’s the intentional destruction of a people - that is, an ethnicity or culture - in whole, or in part.

      The reasons for wanting to do so aren’t really a consideration, nor is the percentage of the part.

      And here’s the thing, you have the IDF indiscriminately attacking civilians, forcing them to flee, and threatening to carpet bomb them if they don’t while members of the ruling coalition in Israel go out there on television declaring that Israel must gas the Palestinians and “erase Gaza”, while calling Palestinians animals and vermin.

      And Gaza is home to a significant fraction of Palestinians. It’s not the equivalent to Deaden or Hiroshima just from a population breakdown perspective.

      But also, you’re begging the question with respect to those cities, so you can fuck right off and suck on a tailpipe.

      • m0darn
        8·
        9 months ago

        Genocide isn’t particularly narrowly defined, though. It’s the intentional destruction of a people - that is, an ethnicity or culture - in whole, or in part.

        The reasons for wanting to do so aren’t really a consideration, nor is the percentage of the part.

        Nor is the requirement that it be by killing them.

        For example China’s ‘re-education’ of Uighers might be genocide. Because it seems they’re trying to eliminate Uigher identity.

        • Hootz
          5·
          9 months ago

          Exactly, that’s a key thing people don’t get, trying to eliminate a culture/people via re-education can be just as genocidal as outright killing them.

          If people got that I think reconciliation here would be easier. Residential schools without dead children is just as much an act of genocide.

          People are dumb, they get hung up on strict definitions.

    • ILikeBoobies
      7·
      9 months ago

      Not probably

      Attacking hospitals is a war crime and they are doing that

      The argument against genocide is how few civilian casualties there are but their denial of food/water is the argument for it

    • m0darn
      11·
      9 months ago

      It’s suspected to be genocide because Israel has an interest in the cessation of a Palestinian identity, and their actions have furthered that interest.