Stop the Genocide

If the IDF is killing Palestinians because they are Palestinians, that action is evidence for a charge of genocide against the State of Israel. If the IDF is ignoring their responsibility to exercise discrimination and proportionality in their attacks in Gaza then there is evidence for violation of International Humanitarian Law and charges of war crimes against those responsible for conducting the war. In recent months, the assessment of some human rights organizations and moral leaders has been leaning to accusations of genocide and war crimes at the hands of the armed forces of Israel.

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Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP via Getty Images)

Muhammad Abu Salmiya, Director of Al-Shifa Hospital, in an article with supporting references in the Lancet concludes that more than 85% of Gaza’s population have been displaced, at least 33,000 Palestinians have been killed, and 70,000 civilians have been injured.

Since the attacks by Hamas against Israel on Oct 7, 2023,1 the Israeli retaliatory strikes, bombings, and strict sieges have almost never stopped. So far, more than 85% of Gaza's population have been displaced,2 and as of April 13, 2024, at least 33 000 Palestinians have been killed (more than a third of them are children)3 and 70 000 civilians have been injured.4 Approximately 7000 Palestinians are reportedly missing—most are likely dead.3,4 This massacre has taken place in just 180 days and is still ongoing.3 Gaza has now been described as a graveyard of children by the UN.4 According to WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières, hospitals in southern Gaza are at “breaking point” while all the hospitals in northern Gaza have been destroyed and are out of service.5 There is very limited access to ambulances, electricity, and clean drinking water, and injured patients are being transferred to medical institutes by donkey carts.6 The UN announced that the number of health-care workers killed by Israeli strikes is the highest in any single conflict in the organisation's history.7 Josep Borrell, a High Representative for the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has described the destruction in Gaza as being proportionally greater than that which Germany experienced in World War 2.8

A key aspect of this war is the deliberate targeting of civilians by the Israeli military—for example, in just one investigation by Amnesty International, US-made munitions were found to be used by the Israeli military in two deadly, unlawful air strikes on homes containing civilians in Gaza.9 These air strikes were either direct attacks on civilians or civilian objects or indiscriminate attacks and Amnesty International is calling for them to be investigated as war crimes.9

(References cited above are detailed in web article) (Abu Salmiya, n.d.)

Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, reports that Amnesty International’s research has found sufficient basis to conclude that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip.

The report, ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza, documents how, during its military offensive launched in the wake of the deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel has unleashed hell and destruction on Palestinians in Gaza brazenly, continuously and with total impunity.

“Amnesty International’s report demonstrates that Israel has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza. These acts include killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction. Month after month, Israel has treated Palestinians in Gaza as a subhuman group unworthy of human rights and dignity, demonstrating its intent to physically destroy them,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

“Our damning findings must serve as a wake-up call to the international community: this is genocide. It must stop now. (Callamard, n.d.)

On 14 November 2024 the UN Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices* said in a new report that Israel’s warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, with mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians.

The report documents how Israel’s extensive bombing campaign in Gaza has decimated essential services and unleashed an environmental catastrophe that will have lasting health impacts. By early 2024, over 25,000 tons of explosives—equivalent to two nuclear bombs—had been dropped on Gaza, causing massive destruction and the collapse of water and sanitation systems, agricultural devastation, and toxic pollution.

“By destroying vital water, sanitation and food systems, and contaminating the environment, Israel has created a lethal mix of crises that will inflict severe harm on generations to come,” the Committee said. (UN Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices, n.d.)

The report raises serious concerns about Israel’s use of AI-enhanced targeting systems in directing its military operations, and the impact it has had on civilians, particularly evident in the overwhelming number of women and children among the casualties.

“The Israeli military’s use of AI-assisted targeting, with minimal human oversight, combined with heavy bombs, underscores Israel’s disregard of its obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants and take adequate safeguards to prevent civilian deaths,” the Committee said. (UN Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices, n.d.)

The concerns of human rights organizations about the possibility of genocide and war crimes being committed by Israel follow similar concern that Giada Zampano from AP Rome reports that Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year. 

References

Abu Salmiya, M. (n.d.). Stop the Gaza genocide immediately. thelancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00135-1/fulltext 

Callamard, A. (n.d.). ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza. Amnesty International investigation concludes Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. https://amnesty.ca/gazagenocide/ 

UN Special Committee to investigate Israeli practices. (n.d.). UN Special Committee finds Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza consistent with genocide, including use of starvation as weapon of war. OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/11/un-special-committee-finds-israels-warfare-methods-gaza-consistent-genocide 

Tenants in Transition

A walk through many neighbourhoods of Halifax Regional Municipality will show construction of housing underway in new multi unit buildings that have capacity for hundreds of people to live. The target residents for this new construction are not likely to be those most in need of adequate shelter. Fixed term leases have become more common and rent increases have not been capped at levels needed to ensure tenants can expect to be able to continue to finance housing which should be a right for all in Canada.

Transition to Adequate Housing

ACORN Canada news and events presents an article by Brendyn Creamer written for The Coast that reports the NSNDP promises to scrap fixed-term leases and lower rent cap if elected.

In a press release on Oct 31, party leader Claudia Chender said if the NDP form the next government, they would ban fixed-term leases. This practice allows landlords to boot tenants after their lease is up and increase the rent of units, effectively bypassing the 5% annual rent cap enacted by premier Tim Houston’s government.

Chender also said she would cut the cap in half, meaning yearly increases to rent would not be more than 2.5% of what tenants are already paying. She says she would do this immediately.

The release notes that rent increased 18% last year on average, and that the typical one-bedroom apartment costs $2,000 per month in Nova Scotia. They also said the vacancy rate is 1%. The CMHC’s 2023 rental market report shows that the vacancy rate in Halifax last year was 1%, and noted that the average two-bedroom apartment rent is $1,628—up from 11% the previous year, although other sources claim that it has only become worse in 2024. (ACORN Canada, n.d.)

Social Housing & Human Rights, a coalition of organizations and individuals advocating for more federal investment in social housing in Canada, reports that more than 2.68 million Canadians are in core housing need – unable to find a home that meets the acceptable housing standards of adequacy, suitability and affordability.

Adequate

Housing is considered adequate if it is not in need of major repairs.

Suitable

Housing is considered suitable if there are enough bedrooms for the size and make-up of the resident household.

Affordable

Housing is considered affordable if it costs less than 30% of before-tax household income.

Some groups are harder hit than others. Women-led single parent households, racialized and newcomer families, people with disabilities, and First Nations, Metis, and Inuit households are over-represented in core housing need. (Social Housing and Human Rights, n.d.)

Andrew Lam  of CBC News reveals that Killam, one of Canada’s largest residential landlords, reports 'largest rental gains' on new leases in the company's history in the most recent update. Rents increased the most on new leases in Halifax, Saint John and Moncton.

Like other landlords, Killam boosts rents to the market rate when new tenants sign a lease, pushing the reported average rent increase above Nova Scotia's five per cent cap. The cap only applies to lease renewals.

Killam's financial results are an example of the overall trends we've been seeing in recent years in rental markets where there's been inadequate housing supply, said Neil Lovitt, a vice-president with Turner Drake, a real estate consulting company.

"That creates an opportunity for for-profit housing providers to raise rents to market prices when they have an opportunity to do so," Lovitt said. "They're … doing what any market participant really can do." (Lam, n.d.)

Andrew Lam of  CBC News reports that Killam Apartment REIT, based in Halifax, is one of Canada’s largest residential landlords, owning, operating, managing and developing a diverse portfolio of apartments, manufactured homes and seasonal properties.

The Killiamreit website presents information about their Affordable Housing.

We’re committed to providing clean, safe, accessible housing for everyone, regardless of age, background or income level. That’s why Killam partners with many non-profit housing and government agencies to offer over 800 subsidized units in our communities. (Killam Apartment REIT, n.d.)

Subsidized units in Nova Scotia may be a good long term solution to our housing needs. The work to date to provide “pallet homes” has begun a transition from living rough and tent communities to more adequate housing.

Pallet Home Community

Michael Tutton of the Canadian Press reports for CBC News on a $630,000 installation in Lower Sackville that includes 19 sleeping units, separate washrooms and a laundry facility. Jim Gunn, a board member of Beacon House Shelter, describes the boxy 70-square-foot Pallet shelters — carrying the name of the U.S. company that makes them — as a temporary solution.

"Our greatest concern is that these should never become and be seen as permanent, but there's no affordable housing," the retired educator said during a recent tour of the property in Lower Sackville, about three weeks after it opened. "These shelters will stay here until we find someplace else people can go." (Tutton, 2024)

Cassidy McMackon, of the Canadian Press, writing for Global News reports that a village of tiny homes is set to open next month in a Halifax suburb, the latest project by the provincial government to address homelessness.

A Village of Tiny Homes

Located in Lower Sackville, N.S., the tiny home community will house up to 34 people when the first 26 units open Nov. 4.

Another 35 people are scheduled to move in when construction on another 29 units should be complete in December, under a partnership between the province, the Halifax Regional Municipality, United Way Halifax, The Shaw Group and Dexter Construction.

The province invested $9.4 million to build the village and will contribute $935,000 annually for operating costs.

Residents have been chosen from a list of people experiencing homelessness maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, the community entity of the federal Reaching Home program for Halifax and rural Nova Scotia. The main objective of Reaching Home is to streamline access to housing and supports for people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, by coordinating local services to achieve community-wide outcomes using real-time data. 

They will pay rent that is tied to their income for a unit that is fully furnished with a private bathroom, shower and a kitchen equipped with a cooktop, small fridge and microwave. (McMackon, 2024)

The work to address homelessness in Nova Scotia is not complete.

The Right to Adequate Housing

The right to housing is honoured when people can transition from “pallet homes” and a Tiny home village to subsidized accommodation like that just across Cobequid Road in a modern apartment building.

Transition from “pallet homes” and a Tiny home village to adequate accomodation

References

ACORN Canada. (n.d.). The Coast: NSNDP promises to scrap fixed-term leases and lower rent cap if elected. ACORN Canada News and Events. https://acorncanada.org/news/the-coast-nsndp-promises-to-scrap-fixed-term-leases-and-lower-rent-cap-if-elected/ 

Killam Apartment REIT. (n.d.). KIlliam's Approach. Home | killam. Retrieved November 26, 2024, from https://killamreit.com/killams-approach 

Lam, A. (n.d.). Killam reports 'largest rental gains' on new leases in company's history in most recent update. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/killam-reit-2024-q3-financial-results-1.7390918?cmp=rss 

McMackon, C. (2024, October 24). Homelessness: Tiny home village to open next week in Halifax suburb - Halifax | Globalnews.ca. Global News. Retrieved November 26, 2024, from https://globalnews.ca/news/10828781/tiny-home-village-halifax-suburb/ 

Social Housing and Human Rights. (n.d.). Housing is a human right. https://www.moresocialhousing.ca/ 

Tutton, M. (2024, March 18). Tiny shelter community in Halifax suburb up and running, as province seeks new sites. CBC. Retrieved November 26, 2024, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/pallet-shelters-halifax-nova-scotia-installed-1.7147652 

Possible Genocide in Gaza

Pope Francis is one of the most high-profile figures on the international scene to imply that Israel's actions in Gaza could amount to genocide.

Smoke rises from North Gaza, as seen from Ashkelon 

Reuters reports that Pope Francis suggests an international study into possible genocide in Gaza.

"We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition (of genocide) formulated by international jurists and organizations," the pope said in the excerpts, published by Italian daily La Stampa. (Pope Francis Suggests International Study Into Possible Genocide in Gaza, n.d.)

Vatican News explains that in a book for the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis addresses current issues, including the suffering of war displaced and the famine in Palestine. He underscores the importance of respecting human dignity. The book comes out on Tuesday 19 November in Italy, Spain and Latin America, and will follow in other countries.

In one passage the Pope mentions the humanitarian crisis in Gaza saying that what has happened must be investigated. Speaking of nations receiving war refugees, he says "In the Middle East, where the open doors of nations like Jordan or Lebanon continue to be a salvation for millions of people fleeing conflicts in the region: I am thinking above all of those who leave Gaza in the midst of the famine that has struck their Palestinian brothers and sisters given the difficulty of getting food and aid into their territory." 

"According to some experts," Pope Francis writes, "what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies." (Pope: Investigate Whether Genocide Is Taking Place in Gaza, Respect Human Dignity, n.d.)

Middle East Eye staff write that Pope Francis has called for an investigation into the allegations of "experts" about genocide in Gaza.

In a new book, Hope Never Disappoints. Pilgrims Towards a Better World, the Catholic leader for the first time suggested that Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip could be characterised as a genocide.

"According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide," he wrote, in extracts published on Sunday in Italy's La Stampa daily.

"This should be studied carefully to determine whether (the situation) corresponds to the technical definition formulated by jurists and international organisations." (Pope Francis Has Called for an Investigation Into the Allegations of "Experts" About Genocide in Gaza., n.d.)

Giada Zampano from AP Rome reports that Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year.

It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.

The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the Pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It will be released on Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa. (Pope Francis Calls for Investigation to Determine if Israel’s Attacks in Gaza Constitute ‘Genocide’, n.d.)

Reuters notes that last week Francis met at the Vatican with a delegation of former hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, who are advocating for the release of family members and others still being held.

References

Pope Francis calls for investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute ‘genocide’. (n.d.). Associated Press News: Breaking News, Latest Headlines and Videos | AP News. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://apnews.com/ 

Pope Francis has called for an investigation into the allegations of "experts" about genocide in Gaza. (n.d.). Middle East Eye: News, Opinion, and Analysis | Middle East Eye. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.middleeasteye.net/ 

Pope Francis suggests international study into possible genocide in Gaza. (n.d.). Reuters. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.reuters.com/world/ 

Pope: Investigate whether genocide is taking place in Gaza, respect human dignity. (n.d.). Vatican News: News from the Vatican - News about the Church. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.vaticannews.va/