This is Albanese’s second report on Israel’s genocide of Palestinians. In March 2023, her office argued that Israel’s crimes in Gaza legally constitute genocide.
Her latest report, “Genocide as colonial erasure” documents how Israel’s genocide is not isolated to Palestinians in Gaza. She writes:
“While the scale and nature of the ongoing Israeli assault against the Palestinians vary by area, the totality of the Israeli acts of destruction directed against the totality of the Palestinian people, with the aim of conquering the totality of the land of Palestine, is clearly identifiable. Patterns of violence against the group as a whole warrant the application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention) in order to cease, prevent and punish genocide in the whole of the occupied Palestinian territory.”
According to the genocide convention, genocide is proven by documenting intent to commit genocide. In South Africa’s International Court of Justice case against Israel, they included several genocidal statements by high-ranking Israeli politicians and ministers about Palestinians.
These comments range from calling Palestinians “human animals” to saying there is no such thing as “innocent civilians” in Gaza. While these comments were made to justify Israel’s siege and invasion of Gaza, Palestinians are Palestinians whether they live in Gaza, the West Bank, or in parts of Palestine that were occupied in 1948.
As such, Israel’s dehumanization campaign affects Palestinians wherever they are living. Albanese’s report shows this, documenting comments by Israeli Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant. In December 2023, Gallant said “when what the IDF did in Gaza becomes clear, that will also be projected on Judea and Samaria [the West Bank].”
This is exactly what Israel has done since October 7. It has capitalized on the genocide in Gaza in order to further colonize Palestinian land. In July 2024, Israel approved the largest theft of West Bank land since 1993.
Albanese’s report concludes that in expanding its genocide, Israel has exposed the basis of its existence: the colonization and occupation all of historic Palestine. She writes:
“The State of Israel is predicated on the goal of Palestinian erasure; its entire political system is directed towards this goal. State structures have historically architected the oppression of Palestinians; now its institutions, failing to function as a bulwark, are together advancing the course of the current catastrophe”.
A.M.
