Since when it is OK for a paper to print an opinion piece that contains blatant lies and not counteract it with truths? This is in response to a recent My View (River Reporter, July 2-8) “No excuse seems needed for antisemitism,” with the ironic subhead “On slander, hatred, history and the consequences of untrue narratives.”

The writer says that Israel’s actions against Gaza are not considered a genocide and then asks, “If there was a genocide in Gaza, why is the population there today larger than before October 7?” 

For those of us witnessing the horrifying live-streaming destruction of Gaza and Palestinians getting killed on a daily basis (even now during the so-called “ceasefire), we know that’s simply not true.

First, what exactly is a “genocide”? The modern legal definition (1) comes from the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted in 1948 after World War II. The United States signed the Convention in 1948 and ratified it in 1988, incorporating it into domestic law through the Genocide Convention Implementation Act. It defines genocide as specific acts “committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” The Convention identifies five categories of prohibited conduct: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm; deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction; imposing measures intended to prevent births; and forcibly transferring children to another group. All of that is happening in Gaza, so yes, there is a genocide going on.

Second, to address the Gaza population growth lie, according to the World Population Review (2), Gaza population estimates are based upon 2023 UN data and growth trends BEFORE October 7, 2023. As such, they do not reflect the impacts of the current war. Real-time population data has obviously been unavailable at present wartime, but Gaza's population is known to have decreased significantly due to casualties, migration of individuals (both forced and voluntary), and other acts of war.

Third, why does it matter how many people in a population are being killed to warrant a genocide label? Israel’s actions are illegal and violating international laws, with America’s support.

It is unbelievable that the River Reporter published “untrue narratives” without contesting or acknowledging the writer’s own untruths, thus grossly misinforming your readers.

The readers of this paper deserve better; they deserve the truth.

It may be simply the writer’s view or opinion that there isn’t a genocide and that the people in Gaza aren’t being deliberately targeted and killed, but is that the view of the River Reporter too?

Shame on you.

Sources:

(1) worldpopulationreview.com/cities/palestine/gaza

(2) www.military.com/what-counts-as-genocide-under-international-law

Kathy Morawski lives in the Town of Fremont, NY.