The terms “self-defense,” “genocide,” and “ethnic cleansing” have been commonly used in light of recent events in Gaza and Israel. Numerous journalists, commentators, and other individuals have raised the issue of proportionality and self-defense without a thorough understanding of the terms’ legal definitions or their implications. Most recently, leaders of the 27 nations that make up the European Union emphasized “Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with humanitarian and international law” against the “violent and indiscriminate attacks carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization.” In contrast, according to the UN human rights office, Israel’s total blockade of Gaza and order for one million Palestinians to evacuate could amount to a forceful transfer of residents, which is in violation of international law. The Israeli government has not yet taken any steps to ensure that people who were evacuated have enough housing and comfortable conditions, according to spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani, who made the statement in Geneva on Tuesday, 17 October. The contrasting statements regarding Israel’s right to self-defense beg an exploration of the meaning behind these concepts, as there is also a growing recognition that the right to self-defense is not…
Palestine-Israel: Differentiating Between Self-Defense, Genocide, and Ethnic Cleansing
October 19, 2023
