A convoy of Israeli tanks heads to the Lebanon border on Tuesday, As each tank rolled by, Gershon Fried, 72, of Safed, Israel, handed soldiers small bags of apples and honey, the traditional treat of the Rosh Hashanah holiday that started Wednesday night. (Heidi Levine for The Washington Post)
Genocide Warning: Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon
October 5, 2024
By Aiden Carlton, Genocide Watch
Since October 8, 2023, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in constant war. Hezbollah has launched thousands of missiles into Israel. Hezbollah’s attacks have driven over 60,000 Israelis from northern towns. Israel has bombed Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and Beirut in response. Hezbollah claims its rocket attacks on Israel are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Israel says that safely returning citizens to the north is its goal.
Israel has sent precision missiles into Lebanon and Syria that have killed several senior Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has also tried to assassinate Nasrallah's likely successor, Hashem Safieddine. April 13, Iran fired 330 missiles and drones and October 1, 181 hypersonic missiles into Israel.
The war in Lebanon has escalated rapidly since September 17th. Israel has invaded southern Lebanon and is conducting daily airstrikes on Hezbollah bases in southern Lebanon and Beirut. Israel detonated hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies, killing dozens and maiming thousands of Hezbollah operatives.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is determined to drive Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon and destroy Hezbollah’s leadership and arsenal. Hezbollah says it will not stop its attacks on Israel until Israel withdraws from Gaza. Netanyahu says Israel will not withdraw until all Israeli hostages are released and Hamas is crushed.
Israeli leaders widely support Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. They see Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran as united in their genocidal intent to destroy Israel. They are existential threats of another Holocaust.
Largely driven by frustration over Netanyahu’s failure to bring Israeli hostages back from Hamas, there are now large demonstrations calling for new Israeli elections. Netanyahu rejects elections because of his almost certain defeat. The loss of his office would result in the loss of his ministerial immunity from prosecution for corruption.
Both Israel and Hezbollah are violating UN Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted unanimously in 2006. It ended the Israeli occupation of part of Lebanon, established the Blue Line between the Israeli border and the Litani River, and authorized a 15,000 troop UN Peacekeeping Force, UNIFIL, to enforce the peace agreement.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed over 2000 people. Israel says it has killed 250 Hezbollah combatants. Over one million Lebanese are displaced according the UN. Critics of the Israeli incursion into Lebanon say it will be ineffective in restoring safety in northern Israel. They contend that as in previous Israeli invasions into Lebanon, Israel has no exit plan. Hezbollah has been criticized within Lebanon on similar grounds.
Israeli officials have threatened to repeat the heavy bombing used in Gaza. They reject calls for a ceasefire to prevent further escalation. Iran’s missile attacks are early warnings of a wider war between Israel and Iran.
Israel is internally divided. It is at Stage 6: Polarization. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon indicates that Israel is at Stage 7: Preparation for a wider war and the war crimes such a war will inevitably cause.
Genocide Watch Recommends:
Israel and Hamas must accept the US and UN peace plan and end the war in Gaza.
Immediate cease fires by all sides must stop the wars in both Gaza and Lebanon.
The International Criminal Court must try Hamas and Hezbollah leaders for genocide and war crimes.
The ICC should charge Israeli leaders for the war crime of starvation of Palestinians.
NATO should impose Magnitsky sanctions on Israeli and Palestinian leaders for war crimes in Gaza.
The US should suspend its aid if Israel rejects the proposed 21-day ceasefires for Gaza and Lebanon.