A prominent Israeli historian asserts that Israelis prefer to forget the crimes committed by their army in Gaza during the war of extermination, warning of the future repercussions of this in several directions.
In an article published in Haaretz, historian and lecturer at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Dr. Lee Mordechai, states that 33 months have passed since October 7th, and it seems as though life has returned to normal, preoccupied with internal issues. Gaza, the numerous crimes committed there, and those responsible for them, are barely mentioned in the public discourse.
Israeli institutions responsible for producing knowledge contribute to this amnesia, primarily the media and academia, by downplaying what is happening in Gaza.
He adds, warningly: “This is not an isolated incident, but a recurring characteristic similar to what happened after every round of fighting during the past two decades. Israelis forget quickly, and this forgetfulness is what led to the October 7 attack, and its continuation will lead, in the near future, to the collapse of what remains of liberal Israel, and in the more distant future, it will lead to a repetition of an event similar to what happened on October 7.”
According to Mordechai, Israeli institutions responsible for producing knowledge contribute to this amnesia, primarily the media and academia, by marginalizing what is happening in Gaza.
He says that as an Israeli historian who chose to document the events in Gaza, he presents here a reminder of a number of issues:
International courts
Israel is facing a lawsuit before the International Court of Justice in The Hague on charges of committing genocide in Gaza. In parallel, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for the current Israeli Prime Minister and former Minister of Security on charges of committing crimes against humanity.
The court also requested the issuance of secret arrest warrants, likely related to the same charge, against the Minister of Finance, the Minister of National Security, the Minister of Settlement, as well as two military personnel.
The Israeli historian reviews the features of the genocide by pointing to the killing of more than 73,000 people in the Gaza Strip and the injury of more than 173,000, noting that these figures were acknowledged by the former Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Herzi Halevi, who stated that more than 10% of the population of the Strip were killed or injured.
Mordechai points out that these figures include at least 20,000 children, and believes that they represent an underestimate, and that the true number of deaths is probably higher.
He notes that a year ago, Haaretz estimated the death toll at around 100,000, with more than a thousand of them killed during the current ceasefire.
starvation policies
The Israeli historian asserts that Israel prevented the entry of food supplies into the Gaza Strip for two and a half months, which led to the starvation deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.
He adds regarding this crime: “When I allowed the resumption of aid entry, it was done through the ‘Gaza Foundation,’ an Israeli-American initiative that resulted in the killing of about 2,600 Palestinians and the wounding of about 20,000 as they tried to obtain food for their families.”
It also points to Israel's systematic destruction of the health system in the Gaza Strip.
He adds: “An academic study indicates that the average life expectancy in the sector has decreased to about half of what it was before October 7. Gaza has suffered widespread destruction; two years after the outbreak of the war, it is clear that 81% of the sector’s buildings, 90% of energy facilities, 74% of the road network, and 88% of the water infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed. These are just examples, not a comprehensive list.”
Preventing journalists
It is worth noting that the occupation authorities control the information coming out of the Gaza Strip, as they have not allowed journalists to enter the Strip independently for 33 months. The only way to enter is through the Israeli army spokesman, who determines what journalists can see and forces them to show the pictures they take to the army.
Opinion polls show that the Israeli public is adopting hardline positions, as a poll conducted by the Accord Institute showed that 62% of the public believe that there are no innocent people in Gaza.
It is also noted that military censorship, along with the media's tendency towards self-censorship, prevents Israelis from getting a complete picture of the reality that shapes their lives.
