Accomplices in the genocide of Palestinians

Many Trump-aligned politicians are hailing President Trump’s fantastical Gaza plan as the greatest breakthrough of the century. However, a few Republicans, led by Senator Rand Paul, have voiced criticism. The rest simply echo whatever Trump wants to hear.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has heaped praise on Trump’s plan, declaring, “Our goal is to achieve lasting peace for all people in the region.” But can those who claim to seek lasting peace continue to supply Israel with ammunition for its genocide? Can true peace be achieved without granting Palestinians their rights? While an overwhelming majority of the UN recognizes the State of Palestine, the U.S. remains obstinate in its opposition—followed closely by its European allies.

The European Union claims to support a two-state solution, yet does nothing to make it a reality. Even as Israel escalates its actions to the level of genocide, EU nations refuse to impose sanctions, limiting their response to empty condemnations. Contrast this with their swift punitive measures against Russia.

For years, pro-Israel politicians and commentators in the U.S. and Europe insisted that Israel had no expansionist ambitions, dismissing the idea of "Greater Israel" as an Arab conspiracy theory. According to them, the only obstacle to a two-state solution was the Palestinians themselves. They also argued that Israel had no intention of holding onto the territories it occupied in the 1967 war and was willing to return them in exchange for peace.

Yet, every agreement—including Oslo—was nothing more than a stalling tactic to buy time. For decades, Israel has systematically dismantled any hope for a two-state solution. Today, even discussing such a resolution has become taboo in Israel. With unwavering U.S. and European support, Israel has methodically advanced its annexation policies. Illegal settlements in the West Bank have expanded year after year, with neither the U.S. nor the EU taking any serious measures to deter Israel’s land grab.

The case brought before the International Court of Justice and the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant have failed to change anything. Israel remains undeterred because the U.S. stands firmly behind it, shielding it from consequences. The U.S. has made it its mission to ensure Israel's impunity. Even after Israel slaughtered over 50,000 people—70% of them women and children—the core EU states and the UK continue to bury their heads in the sand.

While Netanyahu and Gallant avoid traveling to ICC signatory countries in Europe, other Israeli government officials face no restrictions. Israeli generals still move freely through European capitals. And if Netanyahu were to travel to Europe, would these countries actually enforce an arrest warrant? Unlikely. They will do everything behind the scenes to prevent such an embarrassment, begging him not to come to avoid exposing their double standards.

After World War II, military tribunals were established in Germany and Japan to prosecute war crimes. The legal precedents from these trials are well documented. Consider the case of Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, who was responsible for forces in the Philippines. He was found guilty and executed by a U.S. military tribunal—not because he ordered war crimes, but because he failed to prevent them. His inability to maintain effective control over his troops became the basis for his conviction. This precedent, known as the "Yamashita Standard," led to the incorporation of the "command responsibility doctrine" into the Geneva Conventions and was later applied in trials at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The ICC, established in 2002, also adopted this principle.

Yet, while Israel commits genocide in Gaza for the whole world to see—bombing homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship—it faces no accountability. Israel has committed every crime imaginable, and its ultimate goal is clear: the expulsion of Palestinians from the river to the sea. Trump’s Gaza plan directly serves the Zionist vision of Greater Israel. Meanwhile, the so-called liberal, rules-based international order—championed by the West—continues to treat Israel like a normal state, shamelessly enabling its impunity. The legal, political, and moral burden of Israel’s unchecked crimes rests squarely on the shoulders of the Western world.