Israel attacked Iran illegally, to divert attention from the genocide and potentially stop a nuclear deal with the US.
Recap of what happened:
- Israel launched a wave of strikes against Iranian military and nuclear sites, and residential areas
- Iran said Israel “must expect severe punishment”
Israel’s Strategy: Attack Another Country to Hide a Genocide
Let’s be clear. Israel is trying to shift attention away from its genocide of Palestinians, their starvation and murder. It has repeatedly used this strategy, escalating violence abroad to distract from the horrors it commits against Palestinians.
While it was striking Iran, Israel
- Imposed a total siege on the West Bank
- Cut off all internet in Gaza. That means no communication for the population being starved, displaced, murdered, and a paralysis of aid operations.
- “Killed at least 42 people in the enclave since the early hours of this morning. Twenty-four of that number were waiting for aid, the sources said.”
Do you realise what’s happening? It looks like they are gearing up for more horrors every single day. Now, don’t fall for it. The focus must remain to end the genocide.
The Strikes on Iran Are Illegal
Let’s talk about the strikes. They are illegal. A blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. As Professor Ben Saul, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counterterrorism, said: “Israel's strikes on Iran are a prohibited use of force under article 2(4) of the UN Charter, an armed attack under article 51 giving Iran a right of self-defence and likely an international crime of aggression by Israeli leaders.”
Another Motive: Sabotaging Diplomacy with Iran
Now, Israel might have a secondary motive besides turning attention away from its genocide: to stop the nuclear deal negotiations happening between the US and Iran.
What now?
These strikes come after the attacks on Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian, and Yemeni land.
Israel must be stopped from committing genocide, colonising more land, attacking neighbouring countries. It is a rogue criminal state violating the UN Charter again and again, and breaking all basic human values. The only way to stop it is to isolate it, militarily, politically, economically. This is also the only way of preventing more wars in the region.
What the world must do:
Besides this, all countries and the United Nations must:
- Work to end the genocide, now
- Impose a total arms embargo on Israel
- Pressure Israel economically, politically and diplomatically
- Implement a permanent ceasefire
- Pursue justice by supporting South Africa’s case in front of the International Court of Justice, as well as the International Criminal Court’s investigation and work
- Support those displaced
- Ensure the rights of those supporting Palestine in your countries. Too many have criminalised solidarity
- Then, end the occupation and apartheid
As a side note: no state should have nuclear weapons. Not Iran. Not Israel. Not the US. Not any other.