Zionists weaponizing ‘victimhood’ as a political tool to whitewash genocide

By Iqbal Jassat

Having just read an incisive review of a new book authored by Sim Kern, Genocide Bad—described as a timely and crucial publication, especially in the context of Donald Trump’s re-election and his controversial declaration that Gaza is designated prime real estate for colonial settlers—it is astounding that local supporters of Israel continue to weaponize "victimhood" as a tool not only to conceal Zionist racism but also to discredit and undermine Palestine's freedom struggle.

Mahmood Sanglay, the reviewer of Kern's book, writes that it meticulously dissects different aspects of the Israeli occupation and the broader implications of Zionist policies.

We also learn about the author's personal experiences and her journey toward becoming an anti-Zionist activist.

To make sense of the historic event of October 7, it is of paramount importance to draw a clear distinction between the oppressed and the oppressor.

Unless it is understood that unfairly framing Israel’s unlawful, unjust, and immoral occupation and decades-long siege as a mere "conflict" serves to obscure the severity of Zionist genocidal crimes, these crimes will escape scrutiny.

Palestine is colonized. The well-documented crime of ethnic cleansing by Zionist colonizers, which led to the dismemberment of the indigenous population, predates October 7, 2023 by almost a century.

The breakout from Gaza—the world's largest open-air prison—by Hamas and fellow resistance fighters to remove the shackles of occupation was a manifestation of their inalienable right to freedom.

It is equally important to understand that the crippling siege of Gaza, which deprived millions of Palestinians—most of them women and children—of fundamental human rights and dignity, has been a deliberate policy of racist subjugation intended to inflict pain and suffering on them.

A de facto paradigm of war, expulsion, and extermination since the Nakba of 1948 has been the tragic reality for Palestinians living under Zionist occupation.

We learn that one of the central themes of Kern's book is the deconstruction of Zionist propaganda, or Hasbara. The reviewer points out that she systematically debunks common myths and misconceptions propagated by Zionist narratives, such as the idea that Israel is merely defending itself or that criticizing Israel is inherently antisemitic.

In this regard, it is regrettable that local pro-apartheid Zionist lobby groups have sought to emotionally exploit the event of October 7 by demonizing legitimate Palestinian resistance as barbarism.

As is evident and confirmed by many Israeli captives released by Hamas in the last few weeks, their conditions were exceptionally humane—unlike the terrible, torturous hell Palestinian prisoners have endured in Israeli regime prisons for decades.

The fixation on October 7 and the exaggerated false narratives spread by Israeli propagandists reflect an attempt to deflect attention from the legitimate grievances and just demands of the Palestinian people.

The suffering endured by 2.3 million Palestinians—live-streamed during the last fifteen months of merciless scorched-earth policies by Benjamin Netanyahu and his criminal gang of warlords—reminds us that fascism reigns in the occupied territories.

It is thus imperative that unless one takes historical context and factual evidence into account, the underlying motives of Zionist policies will remain unchallenged.

For instance, the tragic killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who begged to be rescued as Israeli tanks closed in on her, highlights the stark disconnect between an occupied population and their savage occupiers.

Investigations later revealed that Hind’s story spread across the world when a phone recording of what is now understood to be her and her family’s final moments went viral on social media.

In the call, which lasted about three hours, Hind begged rescue workers to save her after her family’s car came under fire, leaving her the sole survivor, stranded inside with her dead relatives.

Two dispatchers from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) sent to rescue her were also killed.

We also learned from a recent TV interview with former Israeli military affairs minister Yoav Gallant (who, along with Netanyahu, is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court) that orders were given to implement the Hannibal Directive.

This confession by a top Zionist official—admitting that the Hannibal Directive was activated to kill their own settlers to prevent their capture—will likely spark anger and outrage among Israelis, who may come to realize that the regime authorized the murder of their own families.

Although almost three weeks have passed since the ceasefire agreement was announced, marking the temporary end of the genocidal war and defeat for the occupation, the humanitarian situation for Palestinian in the Gaza Strip remains dire.

Nearly all forms of aid remain disrupted, and the urgent humanitarian needs of the besieged territory’s roughly 2.3 million residents have yet to be met.

The harsh reality of Israel’s destruction of Gaza and the suffering of more than two million human beings cannot, under any circumstances, be whitewashed or reduced to "the other," as Zionist propagandists seek to do.

Iqbal Jassat is an executive member of Media Review Network, Johannesburg, South Africa.

(The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Press TV.)

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