Written by The conflict in Gaza has led to widespread devastation, prompting legal and historical debates about whether Israel’s actions constitute genocide. Under the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, genocide is defined as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. This article will present an argument based on international law, historical patterns of systematic destruction, and documented evidence, proving that the actions against the Palestinian people constitute genocide. Additionally, it will analyze past events, such as Jewish support for Alexander the Great’s conquest and the Islamic expansion under Muhammad, to demonstrate a recurring historical pattern of support for campaigns leading to large-scale destruction.
Legal Definition of Genocide and Its Application to Gaza According to Article II of the UN Genocide Convention, genocide includes acts such as:
- Killing members of the group.
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group.
- Deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction.
- Imposing measures to prevent births.
- Forcibly transferring children to another group.
Reports from the United Nations, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch document patterns in Gaza that meet these criteria. Amnesty International (2024) has confirmed indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas, targeted destruction of hospitals and essential infrastructure, and deliberate blocking of humanitarian aid, constituting deliberate efforts to make life unsustainable for Palestinians (Amnesty International).
A 2024 UN Special Rapporteur report states that there are “reasonable grounds to believe Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide” due to systematic destruction and mass killing of civilians (UN Press). In addition, legal scholars such as Francis Boyle, a leading expert in international law, have argued that Israel’s siege, displacement, and killing of Palestinians fit the definition of genocide as set by the International Criminal Court.
Historical Precedents of Supporting Genocidal Campaigns
1. Jewish Support for Alexander the Great’s Destruction of Persia Alexander the Great’s conquest of Persia (334-330 BCE) resulted in the sacking of Persepolis, where Zoroastrian religious centers and vast libraries of knowledge were destroyed. According to Jewish historical sources, such as Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, Jewish communities in Persia welcomed Alexander’s rule and even assisted in his campaigns. This alignment led to the destruction of one of the most advanced civilizations of the time, which some scholars argue fits an early case of cultural genocide (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews).
2. Jewish Support for Muhammad’s Conquests and the Islamic Expansion During the early Islamic conquests (7th century CE), certain Jewish communities initially allied with Muhammad in Medina. While this relationship eventually soured, early Jewish-Muslim alliances helped facilitate the expansion of Islam, which led to the destruction of Zoroastrian religious sites and mass conversions under duress. The fall of the Sassanian Empire and the imposition of discriminatory dhimmi status on non-Muslims—including Christians and Zoroastrians—illustrate another historical example of support for movements that led to mass oppression (Lewis, The Jews of Islam).
3. The Palestinian Nakba and the Ongoing Genocide The Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”) in 1948 saw the expulsion of over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes, a clear case of ethnic cleansing. Israeli military actions during this period, including the massacre of civilians in villages such as Deir Yassin, fit the UN definition of genocide. Historian Ilan Pappé, in The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, documents how forced expulsions, mass killings, and destruction of villages were systematically planned to erase the Palestinian identity (Pappé, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine).
Since 2023, the Israeli assault on Gaza has intensified, with over 46,000 Palestinian deaths reported. A study in The Lancet suggests that the real death toll is likely 40% higher than reported (Reuters). Hospitals have been bombed, food and water supplies deliberately blocked, and entire residential districts flattened—tactics consistent with genocidal intent as defined by international law.
Deconstructing the Notion of “The Chosen People” and Supremacist Ideologies A crucial factor in understanding historical patterns of mass displacement and genocide is the ideological framework that justifies such actions. The idea that a group is divinely chosen inherently suggests a hierarchy that dehumanizes others. Some interpretations of Jewish religious texts, particularly within certain Talmudic passages, have been used to justify a supremacist outlook that sees non-Jews as lesser. Critics, including Jewish scholars themselves, have challenged these interpretations as dangerous and antithetical to universal human rights (Shahak, Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years).
In the context of Gaza, Israeli politicians and military officials have frequently invoked religious and racial justifications for their actions. Statements from high-ranking officials suggesting Palestinians are “human animals” or that Gaza should be “erased” echo dehumanization tactics historically used to justify genocide (Al Jazeera).
The evidence is overwhelming: Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal and historical criteria for genocide. The indiscriminate killing of civilians, destruction of infrastructure, and forced displacement align with the UN definition of genocide. Historically, Jewish alliances with conquering forces have often coincided with large-scale destruction, from Persia to Palestine. Moreover, the ideological underpinnings of divine favoritism and racial supremacy have contributed to justifying such acts. The global community must recognize this pattern and act decisively to prevent further atrocities.
To ignore these historical parallels and legal realities is to enable genocide in real-time. International accountability is not just necessary—it is imperative.