Hell on earth…
“The images from last night are proof of how Rafah has turned into hell on earth.” These words come from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Philippe Lazarini. I can hardly describe the hellish scenes created by Israel bombing the tents in Rafah, which it had declared a safe zone for Palestinians. It’s more accurate to call it the point where words fail. This attack, following the International Criminal Court’s Chief Prosecutor seeking arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, and the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to halt its operations in Rafah, clearly shows that the Israeli government disregards concepts like rights, law, justice, or international legitimacy. The Netanyahu administration, backed by Washington, continues to massacre innocent Palestinians, showing it acknowledges no authority.
“TRAGIC MISTAKE” AND “COLLATERAL DAMAGE”
By bombing the tents in Rafah and killing dozens of civilians, Israel shows no qualms about committing war crimes, thinking it can brush it off as a mistake if necessary. Claiming the attack was based on intelligence about Hamas militants in the area, Israeli forces are also signaling they don’t care about global outrage. Having carried out ethnic cleansing and faced genocide charges in international courts, Israel seems to have convinced only the Biden administration, which turns a blind eye. Even when describing the bombing as “heartbreaking,” a National Security Council official refrains from naming Israel, continuing the farce of referring to an “investigation” by the Israeli military.
By emphasizing the killing of “two Hamas leaders” in the attack, the Biden administration effectively admits that the deaths of 45 civilians and 200 injuries are seen as “collateral damage.” After stating that Israel should do its utmost to protect civilians, they add that they are in touch with the Israeli military to understand “exactly what happened,” implicitly accepting Netanyahu’s “tragic mistake” explanation. Despite threatening to halt weapons aid if a large-scale operation in Rafah proceeded, Biden’s administration sent $1 billion worth of new arms, emboldening Netanyahu’s government. Israel, knowing that Biden is willing to bear the political cost domestically and internationally to protect it, acts with impunity.
THE FAILURE OF BIDEN’S POLICY
In all instances of massacres and war crimes, the Biden administration has either defended Israel’s right to self-defense or hidden behind ongoing investigations, lacking both the desire and the power to control Netanyahu or convince global public opinion. Facing strong opposition from both his party and Republicans over Israel, Biden’s failure to lead through the crisis reveals a significant weakness in his presidency. Standing by Netanyahu, despite arrest warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity, under the guise of “Israel’s security,” signifies the collapse of his Gaza policy.
As I write this, reports indicate Israeli officials told Washington that they used “smart munitions” in the attack, but a shrapnel fragment hit a nearby oil depot, causing a fire. The contradictory explanations – calling it a tragic mistake while blaming shrapnel – seem like an attempt to confuse. Such inconsistent explanations, despite lacking credibility, reduce pressure on the Biden administration to hold Israel accountable. After the World Central Kitchen attack in April, the Biden administration expressed anger and demanded a swift investigation, but no meaningful results or accountability have followed.
Regarding the Rafah attack, it’s likely Biden will again express deep sadness, anger, and heartbreak while advising to await the outcome of Israel’s investigation, signaling he is unwilling to exert meaningful pressure on Netanyahu to resolve the Gaza crisis. By continuing to protect Israel at the upcoming UN Security Council meeting on Rafah, the Biden administration will again admit that international norms and laws don’t apply to Israel. While this may offer no immediate benefit to Palestinians, it’s crucial to remember that state legitimacy depends not only on hard power but also on political legitimacy. Israel’s gains, seemingly achieved through brute force, will remain hollow and unsustainable without a foundation of political legitimacy and international acceptance.
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