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If a military action of this nature — that involves an imbalance of power this massive, a lust for blood this extreme, a population targeted this indiscriminately, cultural monuments & institutions eradicated this thoroughly, official calls for extermination this explicit & dehumanizing, and a body-count this obscenely high — doesn't qualify as "genocide," then the word has no meaning.

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This Friday May 10th there will be a global strike in solidarity with the Palestinian people and in particular those in Rafah and the rest of the Gaza strip. The strike will be worldwide: Do NOT go to work and do not conduct any transactions; NO buying NO selling and NO transactions using CREDIT or DEBIT cards!

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I will honor the strike and encourage others to do the same.

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If it's true that a majority of Dems think Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, they need to have the courage & integrity to SPEAK UP--LOUDLY. Listening to most Dem politicians & media, they're clearly & blindly pro-Israel. How much they really care about issue over AIPAC/votes/ ratings/sponsorship/ fake-fanatic "religious" groups, is unclear. However, it seems they care more about themselves, their jobs & money more than ethics/humanity. Anti-Semitism is wrong--but so is Islamophobia. What's also wrong is to blindly support a war criminal who's committing genocide. Most US Dems should understand the injustice/inhumanity Netanyahu et al are committing. Dems /citizens need to make Biden, Dem leaders, GOP, media & world know Netanyahu etc al belong in prison for crimes against humanity. Dems should demand US not send money/weapons to Israel. We must stop being complicit. After Dems do all this, I'll believe most Dems think Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. For now, it seems they're too brain-washed from decades of propaganda, too indifferent and/or too ignorant. As citizens, we have a duty to remain informed, open-minded and fair. To be clear: I'm an American. I'm a Dem. I'm 76 years old (so, not the expected university protester.) I grew up poor in NY- "The Melting Pot Of The World" with all sorts of people from all over the world. I'm also educated because I chose/ constantly choose to be. I worked hard to go to university. I majored in Anthropology bc I love the diversity of cultures. I met people from all races, ethnic & religious backgrounds. I've lived in Europe & experienced other cultures. This much I've learned: If civilization is to survive with justice & humanity, we can't tolerate war criminals. No matter the race, religion or party affiliation, WE MUST SPEAK UP --LOUDLY!

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I am 79 and I am with you loud and clear. Powerful words and deeds. Let’s not fear the rhetoric of the inept people who are entrenched in government jobs. They are 90% grifters who repeat repeatedly and are the moderate white do nothing. Latinos are too afraid of politics for good reason—targets of hate speech daily from white moderates whose main issue is immigration. We are all better than this. Ceasefire & end welfare state of Israel & it’s Zionist propaganda machine AIPAC

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'If it walks like a duck and quack like a duck, then it is a duck'

The South Africa document at the ICJ has a great collection of all the statements by the Israeli officials about their intent. Countless images and documentation out of Gaza are evidence of that intent.

If this is not a genocide, then I don't know what is.

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The Moral Authority of the Ordinary Men and Women, and the Children thereof, has shifted conclusively to the right side of history. The Human Rights of All Palestinian People to live in peace and security, in dignity and justice. Enough of the Genocidal Mania of Rabid Fascist Nutcsses like Netanyahu, Gvir, Smotrich, Gallant et al. Enough of the shameless misappropriation of the Holocaust, and using it to forever play the victim and justify a Genocide on the Palestinian People. NEVER AGAIN means exactly that, to NEVER AGAIN allow one race or religion annihilate another. Human Rights for All, not a select few, or even worse, a so - called CHOSEN FEW. If Human Rights for All the People of Mother Earth, and the Right to Live in Peace and Dignity, does not apply to Everyone, then we're all Animals, and should stop calling ourselves Human Beings.

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In the intricate tapestry of global politics, the threads of public opinion and policy weave a complex pattern. The recent poll results reflect a kaleidoscope of perspectives, mirroring the multifaceted nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The call for a ceasefire resonates with the universal longing for peace, transcending political affiliations.

Meanwhile, the stance on military aid serves as a barometer of the shifting winds in international relations, hinting at a growing desire for accountability and humanitarianism. As for the protests, they underscore the enduring spirit of free expression, a testament to the vibrant discourse that fuels democracy. In essence, these opinions are not just a snapshot of sentiment but a mosaic of conviction, shaping the contours of future diplomacy.

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40% supporting the student protests is a shockingly high number given the media coverage, the media has lost the ability to shape public perception on foreign conflicts.

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Yes, this is very encouraging. I think public attitudes about protest generally may have shifted in response to the George Floyd protests. Sure, right-wingers can lie all they want about how the entire city of Seattle was burned to the ground, but normal people identified with the protesters, saw they had a legitimate complaint, and that may have served to provide legitimacy to other protests as well.

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Re: the campus protests, is there any actual data on “university investments in corporations that profit from Israel's military operations?” What is the protestors’ specific ask in that regard?

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Here at UW-Madison (and I suspect elsewhere) one of the key demands is for simple transparency in university investments. It's true we don't know, that's because universities keep this information secret.

You might think there would be people who would sign on to a call for more transparency, whatever they think of what's happening in Gaza. Guess not.

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Oliver Hart of Harvard and Luigi Zingales of UChicago providing economic philosophy rationale for universities to be transparent about investments - https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-protesters-are-right-about-transparency/

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This is a thoughtful essay, thanks for sharing.

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Transparency would be excellent.

Even in its absence, I'm unclear about whether most protesters today call for divestment in companies which

- Sell or make any products in Israel?

- Buy any Israeli products?

- Make any weapons?

- Make any weapons for Israel?

- Make weapons which Israel is using against Palestinians in Gaza?

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I think it's "All of the above" for the protesters here.

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So, more or less, it's consistent with the "BDS" movement of the past 20 years?

I haven't been following super closely, but the horrors in Gaza have certainly captured my attention.

Do you have any insight into whether the protesters there think Israel has a right to exist at all, notwithstanding what any particular Israeli government is doing?

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I can't speak for the protesters, of course, but I believe it is consistent with the goals of the BDS movement.

"Do you have any insight into whether the protesters there think Israel has a right to exist at all..."

Well, the claims that the protesters want to push all Jewish Israelis into the sea is a ridiculous lie, to start with. If your definition of "Israel" is "A Jewish state, explicitly designed along religious lines, giving Jewish religious leaders greater rights over public policy than people of other religions and non-religious people" then I would say the protesters oppose that vision of what Israel should be, preferring a democratic, multi-ethnic state with equal treatment for people of ALL religions.

The comparison I'd make is to Christian Nationalists, people in this country who believe "The United States is a Christian Nation" and that Christian leaders should therefore have outsized influence over public policy. Or Narendra Modi's vision of Hindu Nationalism.

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I understand you can't speak for them. Side note, I'm a little surprised that no prominent public spokespeople have emerged yet, nor does there seem to be any centralized leadership. The longer the Gaza horror continues, the more organized the opposition will become.

I'm not a student of any of this, but I do know that, in as much as any state has an identity, Israel has always considered itself "a Jewish state." What that has meant in practice for Jews and non-Jews alike, has been the subject of terrible conflict for many years.

I greatly appreciate your "on-the ground" perspective, thanks again.

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I think it's interesting to note that if you tell a Christian Nationalist that you oppose their particular religious vision for what this country should be, they will claim that you want to DESTROY AMERICA.

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Vox did an explainer recently (https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/5/7/24150638/divest-israel-protesters-bds-columbia-meaning-fossil-fuel). Not just Israel, but weapons, fossil fuels. It is challenging to achieve, but we all deserve transparency. The effort could trigger more discussions about how the U.S. Economy is structured. UAW has been organizing on the ground via Labor in bomb factories, recognizing that these people have very little power to choose alternative work. It is all connected to how Federal Gov't spends our massive collective tax dollars. We could fund Green Jobs, Clean Jobs, Education Jobs, Care Jobs, etc. Or we can keep going like this, funding the weapons economy. The people who make the profits - top line executives, major shareholders (incl retirement funds) - do not have any incentive to change when profits are so high. But we all deserve to be able to see the flows - these companies get $$ from us, our tax dollars, by contracting with the federal gov't to "make and sell" these weapons. If you don't understand gov't contracting or the public-private partnership nature of how our gov'ts work, then please look more closely. Talk to friends, neighbors, family. Everywhere there are people who work in some type of work that has involved a gov't contract. Gov't is everywhere, not just federal, but local at all levels. So this problem of weapons to Israel is the same. The next time your local public school falls short on janitorial or maintenance b/c "the system" doesn't have enough money, ask why there is still plenty of money for our gov't to contract with these companies that make/sell bombs to kill Palestinians. There are Americans in the weapons business who don't want this guaranteed flow of money to dry up.

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Quite striking how the "don't know" category for the first question ranges between 20-30 percent (as compared to about 10-15 percent for all the other ones). I wonder if it's somewhat indicative of how potent the "anti-Semite" smear continues to be? Which made a sizeable number of respondents hesitant to say what they really think - particularly because the question is framed as "genocide" (recognizing of course that maybe some people just don't know).

I know Mehdi did the intelligence squared debate on the anti-Zionism isn't anti-Semitism question. But a shorter clip debunking the common talking points of those who disingenuously equate the two would be really beneficial I think - AND it'll save us all the trouble of listening to the garbage spewed by Melanie Phillips and Einat Wilf!

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Every time I call my congresswoman's local office, in Los Angeles, and it's been weekly for months now---they always pick up, a live person!---I ask why she does not vote as the vast majority of her constituents clearly want her to do. They simply repeat talking points from the tired form letters I get every time I email same elected official: Israel has a right to defend itself blah blah. I let them know in no uncertain terms how angry and disgusted I am.

I also ask: How many civilian deaths does she think are acceptable for each supposed militant killed? No answer. I ask: Does she take $ from AIPAC? No answer. It's beyond frustrating. I often tell the poor intern/staffer to tell the congresswoman that she should not wonder why their approval is so low, that it's clear to this voter that she works for lobbyists, to try and understand how this corrupt process is making voters feel like there's no point or hope.

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I watched an Australian podcast this morning called OnePath Network where a Imam interviewed a Muslim journalist and political activist. The guest was Sami Hamdi. It was a lengthy interview filled with a lot of quotes from the Quran but if you boil it all down, Sami Hamdi advocates for Muslim voters all over the world to rise up and vote to support Palestine and its inhabitants. Support a ceasefire and support holding Israel accountable for the atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank. He seems to think that there are enough Islamic voters in the west to effect policy change within their respective countries, whether they are in the U.K., Australia, Canada or the U.S. Especially the U.S. as their national elections are coming up in a few short months. Could the Muslim voters in the U.S. gather together across the country and vote no confidence for the democrats and genocide Joe? That is the question Sami Hamdi asks. Maybe the U.S. should reconsider and set up a better slate of candidates that won't bring the country into wrack and ruin. He also tells us that we shouldn't be so afraid of Donald Trump. He will only be there for four years and, compared to other countries, like Palestine and other authoritarian ruled countries, the Americans should suck it up and deal with it as it is only for four years. Despite the fact that King Donald wants to reverse the 22nd amendment so he and his children can rule like Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orbán. The interview does make one think about the possibilities of a Muslim voter uprising to force the governments to listen to their people and bring some sanity back into the world.

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Biden has taken a strategic turn. He has decided he can’t win with the traditional Democratic Obama base, so he’s turning to Nikki Haley supporters to “make up the difference” (not likely to be sufficient to fill the gap, but that’s their thinking according to recent NYT article). It will become more clear in the coming weeks but we’re seeing it already in his messaging like his heinous statements condemning sacrosanct first amendment free speech, free assembly rights and suggesting pro-Palestinian protestors engaged in violence, while being absolutely silent about the many reports across the country of police brutality against the protesters. He’s leading the Democratic Party to be Nikki Haley’s party. That’s the reality of where we are today.

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Back in 2016 when Trump first won the Republican nomination, Chuck Schumer was quoted as saying "We'll pick up two votes in the Ohio suburbs for every vote we lose in rural Ohio!" Because his assumption was that those "moderate suburban" Republicans voters couldn't stomach Trump as their nominee and would switch to the Democrats. And how did that work out?

But this is always how it is with the Democrats, those of us who have been voting for them our whole lives despite everything, we're not good enough, we can just be tossed aside, it's so much more EXCITING to go chasing those "moderate" Republicans who will never vote for them.

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Fantastic interview with Piers - you have patience beyond mere mortals. Carry on with the great work! Thanks.

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It seems that about half Americans in polls support a fascist who will put millions in camps and deport them. Is that evidence that they are right or that they are uninformed or perhaps worse. So much for polls.

What does this quoted poll show? Perhaps uninformed people have a voice, the success of misinformation.

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Like any credible poll, it shows the prevalence of a belief which, rightly or wrongly, has political consequences. Anyone who cares about political outcomes ignores that data at their own peril.

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Whatever reasons Biden might have given for that awful speech smearing the student protesters, nobody can seriously argue it's about gaining (or even not losing) votes. My guess is he just sincerely hates student protesters, he admitted that was the case when he was in college himself and he probably hasn't changed his views since then.

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I agree but my impression is that the intention of the headline is to project that these people are correct and affirm what they believe. I see it as a warning of how misinformed so many people are.

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Yeah, that's what I always say when a poll comes out showing most people disagree with me.

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Might be true though. I gave the example of all those that support Trump.

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And you say the same thing - about how misinformed so many people are - when you see a poll result that shows most people agree with you?

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I think you didn’t read my comment. It was not referring to the poll but to the headline and implications of what this means. Not that this is a significant message, but these people are correct. I try to be media literate, aware of propaganda, do critical thinking, all the time.

Let’s find ways to reach an ending to this war and suffering instead of expanding it to you and I wasting time arguing over nothing…how I critique post headings.

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Friday 10th global strike. Please join and spread the word : NO Work, NO Buying, No Selling, NO transactions using CREDIT or DEBIT cards!

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Very disappointing that so many still don’t think it is genocide. Especially independent and almost 30% of democrats!

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Poll methodology: Most media fail to provide details about polling company and poll methodology, only occasionally including a margin of error (MOE). I suppose the expectation is that if a reader cares so much, they can look it up. In the case of this poll, I found the methodology only by linking to the poll, and more about Data for Progress by looking it up.

If Zeteo wants to be on the cutting edge of information and transparency, best practice would be to include a paragraph about methodology in the main article, ideally with a link to a description of Data Progress. That allows us more confidence when we read and share these results.

Thank you Mehdi and Zeteo.

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