- Unlike other genocide perpetrators, Israeli officials are explicit in their intentions, says Theriault
- ‘What we’re seeing is escalation to a level we hadn’t gotten to yet. However, it can be traced back to the Nakba of 1948, when mass displacement and destruction set a precedent,’ says genocide scholar
ATHENS
Even if Israel were to halt its military campaign today, the destruction of the Palestinian people could continue, warns Henry Theriault, former president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS).
Speaking to Anadolu as Israel’s war on Gaza enters its third year, Theriault said Israel’s aim to destroy the Palestinian people is deeply rooted.
“Even if Israel stops today, the genocidal process could play out over the next decade unless the world community ensures Palestinians can survive as a community,” he said.
Theriault, a professor of genocide studies and former head of IAGS – which on Aug. 31 officially declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, with 86% of its participating members voting in favor – said what is unfolding in Gaza meets the UN definition of genocide.
“Initially, because of the Hamas attack, people did not see Israel's response as a genocide, but as that response continued, more and more scholars were saying this fits the UN definition,” he said. “Consequently, last year, myself and some other folks in the association decided we needed to write a resolution that was calling this genocide.”
Over the past two years, Israel has killed nearly 67,200 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, and wounded around 170,000, according to figures from Palestinian authorities.
A UN independent international commission of inquiry also concluded last month that Israel is committing genocide in the enclave, where its siege and blockade on aid have also triggered a famine that has killed more than 460 Palestinians, including over 150 children.
Defining genocide in Gaza
Theriault explained that the IAGS resolution rests on the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which defines genocide as acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.
Israel’s actions meet multiple criteria of this definition.
First, he said, “direct killing” has claimed thousands of lives, predominantly non-combatants, including children: “There’s no way we can say that five-year-old children are part of Hamas.”
“Second, Israel’s blockade and restrictions on food and aid constitute measures intended to cause death through starvation, a tactic seen in some other genocides,” he added.
“The destruction of hospitals, homes and infrastructure further exacerbates conditions, increasing disease and exposure risks.”
Israel also employs non-lethal acts of genocide, such as severe bodily and mental harm, he said, with many Palestinians in Gaza having suffered profound psychological trauma from constant bombings, the loss of family and the destruction of their homes.
“Preventing births – through the deaths of pregnant women and lack of medical care – threatens the Palestinians’ future viability,” he said.
Intent, a critical component of genocide, is evident in statements from Israeli leaders, he added.
“Unlike most genocide perpetrators who avoid explicit declarations, Israeli officials have openly expressed aims to ‘bomb Gaza into the Stone Age’ or destroy Palestinians, simplifying the case for genocidal intent,” Theriault said.
Decades of oppression
Theriault said what is happening today is the culmination of decades-long Israeli policies.
Unlike some scholars who view Israel’s current war on Gaza as distinct due to its explicit genocidal nature, he argued that it reflects a continuous process aimed at undermining Palestinian viability.
“What we’re seeing is escalation to a level we hadn’t gotten to yet. However, it can be traced back to the Nakba of 1948, when mass displacement and destruction set a precedent,” he said.
He was referring to the forced displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians following the creation of Israel, what Palestinians call the Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic.
Rejecting Israel’s claim that Palestinians’ refusal to leave Gaza justifies the attacks, Theriault said: “It’s not a legitimate argument to say, ‘We’re going to expel you, and if you don’t leave, we’re going to kill you.’”
He also noted that ongoing colonization in the occupied West Bank further threatens Palestinian survival as a political and ethnic group.
US support to Israel ‘a significant obstacle’
Commenting on US politics, Theriault said support for Israel is waning among Americans, particularly younger generations and even some Republicans, yet the Trump administration’s stance remains firm.
He attributed this to Israel’s role in US foreign policy as an “unquestionable ally,” reinforced by powerful domestic lobbies and geopolitical interests.
The administration’s resistance to public pressure, along with efforts to criminalize criticism of Israel, complicates advocacy efforts, he added.
While the genocide declaration may strengthen international pressure on Israel, Theriault said he remains doubtful it will bring an end to the violence.
“The (IAGS) resolution aims to affirm the reality of Israel’s actions and spur action through negotiation and popular pressure,” he said. “However, US support, particularly weapons shipments and UN vetoes, remains a significant obstacle.”
He referred to the case of East Timor, where the US withdrawal of support for Indonesia in 1998 changed the course of events, paving the way for the territory’s independence the following year.
“A similar shift could occur in the US if domestic pressure influences future elections,” he suggested.
