Israeli rhetoric may prove genocidal intent, experts warn

Pattern of dehumanization

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir last month called for killing "30 to 40" Palestinians in Gaza every night, saying some Palestinians "are not worthy of life" and "are not even people," according to Anadolu. Speaking on a podcast hosted by former Israeli captive Rom Braslavski, Ben-Gvir described a Palestinian woman who had provided food during captivity as a "terrorist" who "needs a bullet in the head," while renewing calls for Palestinians to be driven from Gaza and for Israeli settlements to be established across the enclave.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told a gathering in France in March 2023 that there was "no such thing as the Palestinian people," denying the existence of Palestinian history and culture. Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef denied Palestinian peoplehood last September, describing Palestinians as "not a people, but a mob" that "only do looting and killing." Rabbi Menachem Ben Shahar recently called for expelling Palestinians who reject Jewish sovereignty over the West Bank, claiming in footage published by Al Jazeera that even a five-year-old child "loses his right to exist" if parents are deemed enemies.

Evidence of genocidal intent

Ramy Abdu, chairman of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, said statements by Israeli officials since October 2023 have repeatedly dehumanized Palestinians and reflected an intention to destroy them. "These statements carry serious legal significance in the context of the case before the International Court of Justice concerning genocide in Gaza," Abdu told Anadolu. Under Article III of the 1948 Genocide Convention, "direct and public incitement to commit genocide" is an independently punishable act.

Abdu said such statements could establish the specific intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group — the element generally considered most difficult to prove in genocide cases. International courts have previously considered public statements when determining genocidal intent; the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda convicted three media figures of genocide and incitement to genocide in 2003, saying they "used the institutions they controlled and coordinated their efforts towards the common goal: the destruction of the Tutsi population." The Euro-Med Monitor has documented dozens of statements alongside genocidal acts in Gaza, he noted, adding that South Africa cited Israeli officials' remarks in its ICJ case.

Individual and state responsibility

Abdu said potential legal consequences extend to both individual and state levels, noting that individuals could face criminal responsibility for direct and public incitement to genocide regardless of whether genocide was ultimately carried out. "The repetition of these statements, their issuance by officials in military, political or parliamentary positions or by influential religious figures, and their coincidence with actual military attacks in Gaza strengthen the connection between the rhetoric and conduct on the ground," he said.

Waseem al-Shanti, a lawyer and legal researcher, told Anadolu that the statements must be considered alongside Israel's actions toward Palestinians. "From a legal perspective, these statements cannot be regarded merely as political positions or rhetorical expressions," al-Shanti said. "Alongside other evidence, they may constitute important indicators of the nature of the Israeli intent underlying the acts committed against Palestinians." South Africa's case against Israel remains pending before the ICJ, while the ICC prosecutor has sought arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.