Gaza Faces Annihilation in 'Second Holocaust'

In a stark and uncompromising interview with Al Jazeera, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of pursuing a deliberate campaign to ethnically cleanse the Gaza Strip, forcibly displace its entire population, and ultimately remove Palestinians from all of historic Palestine. Barghouti asserts that this objective has been the true aim of Israel's war on Gaza since its outset, and that the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding is part of a calculated plan rather than an unintended consequence.

Key Allegations Against Netanyahu

1. Systematic Lying and Shifting War Goals

   • Netanyahu repeatedly presents new "final objectives" - from capturing Rafah in the south to seizing Gaza City - while the underlying goal remains unchanged.

   • Barghouti calls Netanyahu "the biggest liar in modern history," accusing him of deceiving both Israelis and the world about his true intentions.

2. Ethnic Cleansing as the Core Objective

   • The war's primary aim is not the destruction of Hamas, but the destruction and removal of the Palestinian people from Gaza.

   • The plan, according to Barghouti, is to:

     • Occupy all of Gaza without assuming responsibility for its population.

     • Push Palestinians from northern and central Gaza into an overcrowded "concentration camp" in the south.

     • Eventually force them out of the enclave entirely.

3. Parallels to the Nakba of 1948

   • Barghouti likens Netanyahu's policy to the original Nakba, when 70% of Palestinians were displaced and over 500 communities destroyed.

   • He warns this constitutes a "second Nakba" - a repeat of the same ethnic cleansing, this time under global media scrutiny.

4. A 'Second Holocaust' in the Making

   • Barghouti uses the term "a terrible second holocaust" to describe the scale of the atrocities, noting the tragic irony that it is being carried out by a state whose founders were survivors of the Holocaust.

International Complicity and U.S. Backing

• American Green Light:
  Barghouti accuses the U.S., especially under the Trump administration, of giving Netanyahu explicit permission to advance his ethnic cleansing agenda.

• Global Responsibility:
  He argues that any country failing to impose sanctions or punitive measures on Israel is complicit in the crimes.

• Western Hypocrisy:
  Despite public condemnation from international actors, including Egypt and Jordan's refusal to accept Palestinian refugees, no decisive actions have been taken to stop Israel's campaign.

Evidence of Atrocity and Human Cost

• Mass Killings:

  • At least 10% of Gaza's population has already been killed or injured.

  • Over 60,000 children have been killed or wounded.

• Starvation as a Weapon:

  • The destruction of homes, blockade of food, and deliberate famine are part of forcing "voluntary" emigration - which Barghouti calls a gross manipulation of the term.

• Potential Future Toll:

  • If current policies continue, Barghouti warns the toll could reach one million Palestinians killed or injured.

Changing International Dynamics

• Growing Isolation of Israel:

  • Germany, historically a staunch ally and the second-largest supplier of weapons to Israel, has reportedly suspended military supplies.

  • Former Israeli prime ministers themselves have described Israel's status as a "pariah state."

• Barghouti's Call to Action:

  • Arab and Muslim countries must go beyond verbal condemnation.

  • Immediate actions should include:

    • Boycotts of Israeli goods and institutions.

    • Expulsion of Israeli ambassadors.

    • Cancellation of normalization agreements.

Conclusion

Mustafa Barghouti frames the current war not as a campaign against Hamas, but as a continuation of a settler-colonial project to eliminate the Palestinian presence from Gaza and beyond. He stresses that the global community - particularly Arab and Muslim states - has a moral and political obligation to act decisively. Failure to do so will make them complicit in what he calls one of the greatest crimes of the 21st century, unfolding in full view of the world.