Israel’s settler colonialism and the genocide in Gaza

Abstract

This paper traces the continuity of Israel’s settler colonial policies and practices of massacre and genocide, beginning with the 1948 Nakba, continuing up to today’s Genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. It argues that genocide is a fundamental feature of the structure of settler colonialism. It is a process and not an event. Since 1947, Israel’s settler colonialism has been accompanied by unrelenting military, juridical, geographical, economic, ideological, psychological, and cultural violence against Indigenous Palestinians.

Keywords:

• Genocide
• Israel
• Palestine
• settler colonialism
• Zionism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

About the author

Nahla Abdo teaches in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Notes

1 Abdo and Masalha, eds., Oral History.

2 For a full discussion on the various definitions of the Nakba, see Abdo and Masalha, eds., Oral History. 59. Authors who discussed the Nakba as a genocide include Ilan Pappe, Martin Shaw, and Phillip Weis.

3 Raphael Lemkin defines genocide as an act which intends to “signify a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of essential foundations of the life of national groups, with the aim of annihilating the groups themselves. The objectives of such a plan would be disintegration of the political and social institutions, of culture, language, national feelings, religion, and the economic existence of national groups, and the destruction of the personal security, liberty, health, dignity, and even the lives of the individuals belonging to such groups. Genocide is directed against the national group as an entity, and the actions involved are directed against individuals, not in their individual capacity, but as members of the national group.” Lemkin, Axis Rule, 81.

4 For more on the relationship between Palestinians, especially women and their land, see Abdo, Women in Israel.

5 For a full account of the exclusivist and exclusionary policies of the Zionist Movement, see Abdo, Women in Israel, 67–69.

6 See Kasrils, “Birds of a Feather,” 23–42.

7 For more on the impact of Deir Yasin massacre, see Abdo, Women in Israel, 82–83.

8 The documentary “Tantoura” was directed by Alon Schwartz and was based largely on the research of Teddy Katz, who researched the massacre in this seaside village of Tantoura. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16378034/.

9 For a full account of Kafr Qasem massacre, see Manna, “Kafr Qasim.”

10 See Facing History, “Prime Minister Harper’s Apology.”

11 Various investigative reports, including those by Israelis, talk about the involvement of Israeli air and land attacks on the Israeli citizens captured by or held by Hamas. “The Doctrine of ‘Hannibal,’” it has been reported, was implemented at that time. The following reports explain this situation: Hedges, “What Really Happened”; Israel State Radio Kan, “Israeli Teen”; Blumenthal, “October 7 Testimonies”; Blumenthal, “Scandal-Stained Israeli Group.”

12 See Euro-Med, “Nearly 30,000 Palestinians Killed.” The number of killed in this report is higher than that provided by Gaza Ministry of Health with an estimate of around 23,000. It is possible that the Euro-Med count included those under the rubble in its estimates.

13 Israeli President Moshe Katsav, The Jerusalem Post, May 10, 2001.

14 Meir, June 15, 1969, and March 8, 1969.

15 These demeaning and dehumanizing narratives by Israeli leaders and officials evince the arrogance, disrespect, and hatred Israelis hold towards the Palestinians. For more on this, see Arab News, “Old Will Die.”

16 For a full account of this minister’s utterings, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x02rCeusCI.

17 Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, 2023–2024.

18 See Alhaj Ali, “Wanton Destruction.”

19 See Al-Jazeera, “Israeli Army Arrests.”

20 See Euro-Med, “In Total Violation.”

21 See Osman, “Israel-Palestine War.”

22 See Desai and Shahwan, “Preserving Palestine,” 469–89.

23 See Euro-Med, “Israel Required by Law.”

24 Veracini, “Decolonizing Settler Colonialism,” 1–18.