In a move that demonstrates a lack of understanding, 23 academics have penned a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, calling to halt the military aid to Israel. They allege that Israel is perpetrating "genocide," a claim that even the International Court of Justice did not uphold when presented by South Africa. If it were to be accepted, it would primarily serve as a further testament to the global campaign of falsehoods, a campaign to which this group of misguided individuals is now contributing.
The signatories' letter raises the question of whether there is any substance to their claims. Prof. Lee Mordechai from the Hebrew University, one of the signatories, provided a document purporting to "prove" genocide. He claims, in his opening statement, that "Israel is committing genocide," basing his argument mainly on South Africa's lawsuit and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Such an argument is far from convincing. Firstly, South Africa is widely seen as an extension of Iran and Hamas. Secondly, OCHA, which has long been utilized as a Palestinian instrument, has recently been offering public relations and legitimacy services to the Palestinian Health Ministry, controlled by Hamas, concerning the number of fatalities. There is no concrete proof, no body count, and at least three studies already exist that refute Hamas's claims. Yet, Mordechai does not address them, which is a cause for dismay.
In a startling revelation that underscores the absurdity and the inherent political and antisemitic bias of the situation, Mordechai confesses in his initial note: "I was inspired by Prof. John Mearsheimer." Mearsheimer, who co-authored a book about the Jewish lobby with Prof. Stephen Walt, gained considerable notoriety.
The book was essentially an articulate version of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," labeled as an "antisemitic book" in an article in the Washington Post, a publication that isn't known for its Zionist leanings. The book was lauded by antisemites, as it cloaked their racist rhetoric in academic jargon.
Mearsheimer took his stance further by endorsing a book by Gilad Atzmon, a self-professed antisemite, which led to a fierce critique from Prof. Alan Dershowitz. The fact Mearsheimer is Mordechai's "source of inspiration" is deeply troubling.
In an effort to further demonize Israel, Mordechai relies on questionable sources, such as blogger Evan Jones, a Hamas supporter, and Francesca Albanese, a UN Special Rapporteur of the Palestinian Territories.
Albanese propagated a claim about Palestinian women being sexually assaulted, a story that Mordechai also peddles, even though Al Jazeera has retracted the claim. Neither Mordechai nor Albanese have done so themselves, despite Albanese being labeled as antisemitic by France and Germany.
The plight of Gaza's residents can be attributed solely to Hamas, much like the impending damage to Germany's civilian populace was the exclusive responsibility of the Nazi regime. In any struggle to eradicate evil, innocent bystanders are indiscriminately affected, a fact that is undeniably regrettable. However, the alternative is far worse. Consider the fight to eliminate ISIS in Mosul.
There were no hidden tunnels there, and no majority of the population identified with the terrorist organization that seized control of the city. There were no weapon caches, missile launch pads, or tunnel shafts in almost every home and building.
Hospitals weren't used as terrorist command centers. The situation in Mosul pales in comparison to the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, according to U.S. military estimates, ISIS only had 2,000 terrorists, a figure significantly lower than the 30,000 terrorists Hamas had at the beginning of the war.
Despite this, the Iraqi city of Mosul was razed, and a staggering number of civilians lost their lives. Initially, it was reported that only 1,000 had died. However, human rights NGO Amnesty International contested this, suggesting the figure was closer to 10,000.
The Associated Press reported counting 9,606 bodies in morgues, a claim later challenged by The Independent, which asserted many corpses remained buried beneath the rubble. According to intelligence sources and testimonies gathered by the newspaper, the death toll was around 40,000. Amid these conflicting numbers, those provided by Hamas somehow emerge as the ultimate truth.
On the other hand, a group of academics have their grievances. They're not against Hamas's horrifying, openly declared intentions of committing genocide. Their objections aren't rooted in compassion or humanity. Instead, they seem to be aligning themselves with Hamas's propaganda machine.
They represent a dangerous, influential minority among thousands of academics—a few dozen who demand the world impose an embargo on Israel. Their call echoes the demands for an embargo on the UK during the war to defeat the Nazis due to the Dresden bombings.
When academics like Mordechai and his peers claim to champion human rights while supporting such views, it's little wonder that the discourse on rights is becoming increasingly tinged with racism and antisemitism.