Former Top UN Official Craig Mokhiber on Israel’s Genocide

It has been more than 46 days since Israel began its brutal bombing campaign against Palestinians in Gaza. During this period, Israel has killed more than 14,000 Palestinians, including more than 5,500 children in Gaza alone. Thousands of Palestinians remain trapped under the rubble. The Israeli military has deliberately bombed hospitals, mosques, churches, homes, ambulances, and vital infrastructure throughout Gaza. On top of the ruthless bombing campaign, Israel has intensified its blockade on Gaza, blocking the entry of food, water, and fuel and cutting off the electricity supply. Israel has destroyed more than half of the housing units in Gaza, and two-thirds of Palestinians have now fled their homes. In this episode, host Diana Buttu speaks with the former Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Craig Mokhiber. Mr. Mokhiber breaks down for us how Israel's military attack against Palestinians in Gaza constitutes the crime of genocide. On October 28, 2023, Mr. Mokhiber took the bold decision to publicly resign from his position at the U.N. for its failure to once again stop the crime of genocide. In this episode, he talks to us about how Israel's actions clearly meet the conditions for the crime of genocide, including proving intent, which is considered the most difficult to prove. We also discuss the role of countries like the U.S. and how they are directly complicit in Israel's war crimes, including genocide. We delve into why it is critical for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its repeated war crimes as a necessary step to stop its 75-year ethnic cleansing campaign against the Palestinian people. As of publishing, a temporary pause has been brokered, which stipulates a temporary halt in Israel's bombing of Gaza for up to four days and a 6-hour pause in the north of Gaza. The specifics of the agreement state that Israel will release over 150 unjustly imprisoned Palestinian women and children in exchange for the release of 50 Israeli captives.