I don’t want to criticise the Guardian on this. Some of their reporting on Gaza has been very good, for example, this piece, based on a collaboration with an Israeli-Palestinian outlet and a ‘Hebrew language’ outlet, showing that 83% of those killed by Israel in Gaza are probably civilians. (I would actually guess a higher figure). So this example is probably more about a general trend in the West, debased as we are by our tolerance of mass war crimes carried out right in front of our faces, than a criticism of the Guardian per se. But, consider this for a headline, and subheading;
‘Leave now,’ Netanyahu tells Gaza City residents as he says Israeli forces readying for ground ‘manoeuvre’
Israeli PM says to people in devastated city ‘you have been warned’
This, which was planned anyway. but seems to have been given new violence by an attack carried out by Palestinians on civilians at a bus stop today in Israel proper, appears to be, at least, declaring the war crime of the forcible transfer of people. The Guardian does not quote Netanyahu directly. This is his Defence Minister:
This is a final warning to the murderers and rapists of Hamas in Gaza and in luxury hotels abroad: Release the hostages and lay down your weapons- or Gaza will be destroyed, and you will be annihilated [1]
“Gaza will be destroyed”. That is a threat against a people, not identifiable terrorist leaders or operatives.
I am just saying, we have become so debased by doing nothing in response to the genocide, that the media can now report, Netanyahu’s threats of further war crimes, as nothing more than business as usual.
Notes