Israel Accused of Perpetrating Apartheid and Genocide
A harrowing critique at the Oxford Union
In a blazing speech, author Susan Abulhawa tore into Israel with unrelenting fury, delivering an unrivaled indictment of the Jewish state in over a decade. A lifelong human rights activist, Abulhawa cast a harsh light on the dark underbelly of Israel's founding ideology, exposing its pervasive, toxic tenets that date back to its inception.
Abulhawa shrewdly bypassed the conventional narrative of Israel as a sanctuary for Jews—an assertion she refuted by revealing the insidious focus of the state's founders on land conquest and ethnic cleansing. These despicable acts are not a mere response to sporadic Palestinian violence, Abulhawa argued, but rather the foundational principles of the Zionist state's malevolent dogma.
In Gaza, Abulhawa witnessed the horrifying reality of this oppressive regime firsthand. She shared a disturbing tale of a young boy, no older than 9, who had his limbs blown off by a booby-trapped food can abandoned by Israeli soldiers. This heinous act of cruelty is but one example of countless tragedies perpetrated by those who tragically view themselves as victims, rather than the oppressors responsible for exerting their power over a long-suffering people.
"Has there ever been a clearer example of 'good vs evil' than what we are seeing play out now in Gaza today?" Abulhawa demanded. Israeli soldiers, she claimed, revel in the suffering of others, parading their sadistic behavior on social media, from gleefully destroying hospitals and universities to laughing while torturing prisoners. Not a single TikTok celebrity has faced punishment for these heinous acts, leading many to wonder if these atrocities are tacitly condoned by the IDF's top brass.
Abulhawa didn't mince words in her powerful denouncement: "Israel has lost its humanity, and the reckless and ruthless actions of its government and military exemplify this disturbing truth." Now, with complete disregard for any laws, restrictions, or rules of conduct, Israel wields its power with wild abandon. The suffering of Palestinians is treated with callous disdain, a noxious mind-virus that has infected the overwhelming majority of Israelis today.
According to journalist Gideon Levy, empathy—the most precious human virtue—is not only banned but illegal in Israel today. Teachers and headmasters who express empathy for Palestinian children have faced interrogation and potential imprisonment. In this grim landscape, it seems that being a decent human being is no longer acceptable in Israel.
Abulhawa's speech rang out across the Oxford Union, resonating with the audience's applause lasting over three minutes. Her heartfelt delivery was a clarion call for the world to take notice of Israel's dark deeds and recognize the truth of who they are, a "Zionist genocidal colony" that cannot escape its despicable legacy.
In recent months, Israel's actions have left no doubt as to its true nature. The world must confront this reality and take action to put an end to Israel's impunity and arrogance. Palestine will be free, restored to its multi-religious, multi-ethnic glory, and the Zionist American war machine will be dismantled. Only then will Israel learn to live as equals with others, respecting the fundamental human rights of all peoples.
Sources:[1] https://www.unz.com/mwhitney/israel-savagely-beaten-in-fractious-oxford-donnybrook/[2] https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2024/12/06/satans-chosen-people-4/[3] https://www.trtworld.com/opinion/oxford-union-must-be-shut-down-over-israel-apartheid-genocide-motion-52631[4] https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jan/25/debating-the-israelioccupationwith-susanabulhawa-bookclub[5] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/1/29/oxford-union-debate-israel-deemed-apartheid-state-responsible-for-genocide[6] https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190312-oxford-union-resolution-declares-israel-an-apartheid-state-committing-genocide-against-palestinians/[7] https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/susan-abulhawa-harshly-criticizes-israelis-for-treating-the-world-like-their-own-playground-1.7235067[8] https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium.MAGAZINE-why-was-my-lecture-about-israel-banned-at-the-israeli-writers-conference-1.7215590[9] https://jewishcurrents.org/dont-believe-israeli-apologists/[10] https://mondoweiss.net/2019/03/oxford-union-israel-apartheid/[11] https://theintercept.com/2019/07/08/oxford-union-debate-israel-apartheid-genocide-right-wing-bullies/[12] https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/oxford-union-susan-abulhawa-debate-apartheid-tel-aviv-190303112331516.html[13] https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium.MAGAZINE-no-country-will-coexist-with-israel-susan-abulhawa-1.7097503[14] https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/MAGAZINE-what-does-the-uproar-over-susan-abulhawas-oxford-union-speech-tell-us-1.7107002[15] https://electronicintifada.net/content/oxford-union-debate-israel-apartheid-genocide-true-myself/29301[16] https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/susan-abulhawa-oxford-union-university-college-please-resume-debate-and-publicize-the-correct-speech-1.7241684[16] https://www.timesofisrael.com/expanded-oxford-union-speech-shows-susan-abulhawa-did-not-accuse-israel-of-genocide/[17] https://electronicintifada.net/content/ms-aljouni-challenges-oxford-union-apartheid-vote-debate/29324[18] https://electronicintifada.net/content/writers-academics-worldwide-sign-open-letter-calling-oxford-union-reinstate-abandoned-motion/29342[19] https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/MAGAZINE-is-the-oxford-union-collapsing-over-israel-s-apartheid-motion-1.7241795[20] https://www.mpowerchange.org/single-post/2019/03/16/Oxford-Union-Must-Apologize-and-Admit-That-It-Is-Using-Islamophobia-to-Suppress-an-Arab-Voice[21] https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190312-the-oxford-union-symposium-on-the-occupied-palestinian-territories-must-be-held/[22] https://mondoweiss.net/2019/06/oxford-union-condemned-oxford/
- The harrowing speech by Susan Abulhawa at the Oxford Union was a stinging critique of Israel, revealing the dark history and toxic tenets of its founding ideology that continue to be pervasive in present-day politics.
- Abulhawa called attention to the human rights abuses in Gaza, including the tragic case of a young boy whose limbs were blown off by a booby-trapped food can, highlighting the cruelty and disregard for human life by those in power.
- Articles around the world have reported on Abulhawa's speech, including accounts of Israeli soldiers gleefully destroying hospitals and universities, and laughing while torturing prisoners, with no accountability for their actions.
- Technology has played a role in this sadistic behavior, with Israeli soldiers parading their actions on social media platforms such as TikTok, raising questions about the IDF's complicity in these atrocities.
- Healthcare, education, and general news sources have long documented the suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli regime, and Abulhawa's speech served as a clarion call for the world to recognize the truth and take action to put an end to Israel's impunity and arrogance.
