UN Rapporteur Albanese once reported that “Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is at an escalatory stage of a long-standing settler colonial process of erasure.”

The day after October 7, then Assembly Member Mamdani said, “I will always be clear in my language and based in facts: Israel is committing a genocide.”

If they are right—if even half of what they say is true—we are not debating policy. We’re watching one of the defining crimes of the century. Rwanda, Darfur, Bosnia-level.

When my views changed on Israel, and I finally saw antizionism for what it was, I remember one of the first comments I received: an old friend wondered how I could support a country committing genocide. It occurred to me, that very second, that he might actually think I know a genocide is happening. “He thinks I believe a genocide is happening and still support Israel?”–I thought to myself. So either I don’t care, deceive myself, or agree with it. I had to tell him: “You know I don’t actually believe a genocide is happening, right?”

I knew that genocide was just another iteration of collective guilt and the blood libel. But I was beginning to wonder how people think we process genocide accusations. They have to be curious how we think of it. Being an old acquaintance, he knew I wasn’t ignorant or uninformed on the matter. So there goes the ignorance plea.

That leaves three possibilities for how he could understand me. Either I’m deceived—suggestible, consuming propaganda, conditioned to believe lies. Basically, a cult member. Or I have a subpar intellect and can’t process what’s in front of me. Basically, an idiot. Or I know a genocide is occurring, and either don’t care, or worse. Basically, a monster.

Cult member. Idiot. Monster.

And it’s not just me in these lovely categories. It includes the majority of Israel’s ten million citizens; tens of millions of Americans across party lines; the minorities in countries where opposition to Israel dominates—massive numbers of people across four continents. A significant portion of humanity, spread across dozens of countries.

It says something damning to people who are pro-Israel, especially Jews. It means the people with the most exposure, the highest personal stakes, with generations of historical memory, have misunderstood their situation and identity for decades. Like me, they would have to be collectively duped, unable to recognize genocide against a group of people, or willing to support one. This isn’t a narrow political disagreement: It’s a claim that an entire society—the ones actually living there—are brainwashed, idiotic, or monstrous. Claims that large don’t get to hide behind slogans.

Pick one of these three labels for each of the millions of people who are obviously missing something. Then keep picking. But before you end, let me try something.

I’m going to do the unexpected. I’m going to take Albanese, and even Mamdani, at their word. I’m going to assume they’re correct and follow the logic all the way to the end. Then, we can see what justice requires.

IF THE ACCUSATIONS ARE TRUE

We’ve officially entered this new world and Israel is guilty of genocide. Mamdani was right. I’m not sure which one is harder to believe, but we’re here.

What do we do? What’s........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)