Mastodawn

RE: https://tldr.nettime.org/@remixtures/116356810759725972

Does Israel have a right to exist?

Yes, about as much as Nazi Germany or any other state guilty of settler colonialism, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. Which is to say none whatsoever.

What we have, as human beings, is the right to hold Israel responsible for its crimes, bring it to justice, and extract reparations to ease the plight of the survivors (even though even that won’t undo the incalculable suffering and loss). But we’re not doing that. And by not doing that we are failing our own test of humanity.

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Joanne Jacobs 1d ago

@aral the people have a right to exist. The government dies not have that right because they have broken international laws on genocide.

I know you will say the people voted for the government, but the people have not supported the war on Gaza or indeed the war against Iran and other parts of the Gulf.

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Ken M Sweeney 1d ago

@joannejacobs @aral You’re right that the Israeli people have a right to exist in safety and dignity—just as Palestinians and all people do. However, the argument that the Israeli government has broken international law—including prohibitions on genocide, apartheid, and war crimes—is not just rhetorical; it is supported by reports from the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). 1)

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Ken M Sweeney 1d ago

@joannejacobs @aral These bodies have documented systematic violations, including the blockade of Gaza, settlement expansion, and military actions that disproportionately harm civilians.
As for the claim that ‘the people did not support the war on Gaza or Iran’: Israel is indeed a democracy, but its democracy has consistently elected governments that pursue these policies. 2)

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Ken M Sweeney 1d ago

@joannejacobs @aral The current government, the most far-right in Israel’s history, was democratically elected in 2022 with a clear mandate for its approach to Palestine. While there have been protests—such as those against judicial reforms or specific military actions—there has been no mass refusal of conscription, no widespread civil disobedience, and no significant electoral shift away from hawkish policies. 3)

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Ken M Sweeney 1d ago

@joannejacobs @aral Polls, like the one shared, show substantial public support for actions that violate international law, including the expulsion of Palestinians and the use of extreme military force.
Democracy does not absolve a population of responsibility for the actions of its government, especially when those actions are well-documented and widely publicised. 4)

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Ken M Sweeney 1d ago

@joannejacobs @aral The ‘silent majority’ argument ignores the reality that silence and compliance in the face of oppression are forms of consent. If Israeli society truly opposed these policies, its collective power to demand change—through protests, votes, or refusal to participate in military actions—would be evident. Until then, the government’s actions reflect the will, or at least the tolerance, of its people. 5)

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Ken M Sweeney

@joannejacobs @aral This is not about denying Israelis their right to exist; it’s about recognising that no people’s right to exist supersedes the rights of others to live free from occupation, apartheid, and genocide. Sovereignty is not absolute—it is conditional on adherence to international law and human rights. When a state violates these principles, its legitimacy is rightfully called into question, regardless of its democratic processes. 🔚