Injured people are treated at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on January 25, 2024, after an Israeli attack that left at least 20 people dead and more than 150 injured while waiting for Israeli humanitarian aid. Fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo credit: AFP) (Photo credit: -/AFP via Getty Images)
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that there is a substantial risk that Israel will commit genocide against Palestinians, a group protected under the Genocide Convention.
This damning ruling leaves the Palestinians and their allies around the world feeling vindicated to some extent. So I wondered how global efforts to prevent genocide could be matched with continued support for actions that may be inconsistent with these principles.
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crimes of Genocide has been signed, ratified or acceded to by 153 countries, including Israel and the United States.
I believe that a verdict on the validity of genocide against Israel would lead to countries distancing themselves by halting funding and military aid, calling for a cease-fire, and meaningfully increasing aid to the devastated enclave to avoid contributing to its continuation. I was hoping that would be enough to put the . About these war crimes.
However, the opposite happened after Israeli intelligence lodged a complaint against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) about the possible complicity of 13 UNRWA employees in the October 7 attack.
UNRWA was established 75 years ago in response to the refugee and humanitarian crisis caused by the forced displacement of 750,000 indigenous Palestinians after the creation of the state of Israel, and has the on-the-ground capacity needed to alleviate this crisis. It is the only humanitarian aid organization. The pain and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza.
After the conveniently timed release of the report, the United States and 11 other countries will wait until their suspicions are verified at a time when starvation, disease, and preventable death are becoming commonplace. Instead, it chose to suspend funding to UNRWA.
Although the UN has since terminated the employment of those named in the dossier and an investigation is ongoing, the decision to withdraw funding from UNRWA is certain to have a devastating impact on humanitarian assistance.
Ironically, Israeli officials agree, but for different reasons. The Times of Israel quoted an official as saying, “If UNRWA ceases operations on the ground, it could cause a humanitarian catastrophe that would force Israel to halt its fight against Hamas.” “This is not in Israel’s interest, nor will it be in the interest of Israel’s allies.”
Lena, a Gazan, and her two children are in Colorado, finishing their studies. She, too, understands the serious impact this has. She said, “I found out that our home had been destroyed when my daughters saw their neighborhood being destroyed on TikTok.”
Despite having less communication with her family, she couldn’t bring herself to tell her mother, who is now one of 1.9 million displaced people in Gaza, that she had nowhere to go.
Her husband has given her first-hand accounts of the spread of hunger and disease. Women have testified about having C-sections without anesthesia. Hearing Lena speak about her family, she recalled that when the genocide case was heard before the ICJ, it was pointed out that Palestinians were live-streaming their own genocides. Ta.
But let’s bring all these elements home. There is growing opinion that Israel’s war in Gaza will single-handedly change the political landscape for the 2024 elections.
In key battleground states, Muslim and Arab votes weigh heavily. President Joe Biden had a comfortable 59% support among that group in 2020, but by the end of 2023 it was 17%. Reuters reports that “Arab and Muslim Americans are less likely to support Trump, but they may skip the election and not vote for him.” Biden, some activists said. ”
The Nation noted that a recent survey found that voters were “more likely to support a lawmaker who supports a ceasefire and less willing to support a lawmaker who opposes a ceasefire call.”
A recent poll concluded that “among Democrats, 77% of respondents said they supported a ceasefire, while 58% of Republicans said the same.” and “65% of Americans would support a ceasefire.” Only 67 MPs supported the call for a ceasefire, which does not bode well.
The clock is ticking and the campaign season is well underway. Both top and bottom voters have faced protesters calling for a ceasefire at campaign events. But the candidates appear to be deliberately ignoring the majority of American voters who are calling for a ceasefire.
An op-ed in Time magazine laid the tone for the administration: “If Biden really wants to stop the spread of war in the Middle East and, by extension, prevent Donald Trump from getting elected, he needs to use significant influence.” He must bring about a ceasefire in Gaza. ”
In 2016, the US signed a historic military aid package to Israel, already the largest recipient of US foreign aid, providing $38 billion over the next 10 years to one of the world’s most advanced militaries. promised. With two years left and billions of dollars left in the deal, voters are no doubt wondering why they aren’t investing it here at home. For example, HUD reports that it would cost him $20 billion to end homelessness.
And voters know that last week’s U.S. airstrikes on Yemen will further destabilize the region. Seventy-one percent of voters told the government they were aware of the contingency of their vote and believed further involvement would lead to higher gas prices. And suspending funding to UNRWA could put pressure on other member states and destabilize the region.
But Prime Minister Netinyahu has vowed to continue the war “for many more months,” and as November approaches, his government faces a choice.
Iman Jodeh represents District 41 in the Colorado House of Representatives. She is a Democrat from Aurora.
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