Lara and Michael investigate how the occupation is repeating the atrocities they’ve committed in Gaza for the past 11 months in the West Bank. More than 70% of the streets in Jenin have been bulldozed, and only within a few days. Lara points out how the Biden administration only talks about ‘lessening the civilian casualties’ rather than sanctioning Israel for the genocide. She goes on to highlight why polio vaccinations have been allowed by the Israeli government; it’s purely to protect Israeli children from getting the disease which has already paralyzed at least one Palestinian child. In an act of resistance, Medo Halimy would plant and tend to his garden, citing that the Israelis only take life, but Palestinians create it. He was recently killed in an Israeli airstrike while on the beach with his friends. Michael talks about New York University updating its code of conduct to include zionism as a protected class, and how no other political ideology has this protection. Meta continues to crack down on Palestinian sentiment by censoring posts mentioning zionism in a political context; Michael points out that the very nature of zionism is political; an apolitical zionist post does not exist. Lara mentions how the US has said nothing regarding the mass rape of Palestinian prisoners. Michael points out how the media were the first to be tried at the Nuremberg trials, and Lara emphasizes the legal precedents of media outlets, like the New York Times, being held accountable for inciting violence through their publications; she cites the Rwanda genocide and 3 journalists found guilty along with the importance of independent media at a time like this.

Another young Palestinian girl was murdered, and the image of her body hanging from a wire with her legs shaved off has made its way around the internet. Yet the genocide continues. Lara and Michael discuss this, along with the mounting offenses at the Rafah border, the siege of Nassar Hospital, enforced starvation by the occupation and the celebration of this tactic by Israeli citizens. South Africa issues an emergency request for the ICJ to consider the bombings and ongoing attacks at the Rafah border as blatant non-compliance to their initial order which requires Israel to take all provisional measures to avoid a genocide. Michael discusses Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s “relevant partners” and Lara points out a damning statement from Rami Igra of the Mossad where he claims that all Palestinian children over the age of 4 are “involved” as a Hamas supporter. It’s another week of the occupation blocking humanitarian aid, targeting journalists, doctors, women, and children, and being fully transparent about the ongoing genocide.

6-year old Hind has been missing for over a week. She was last heard from on the phone with the Red Crescent rescue team after her family had been murdered around her as she was trapped in a car, surrounded by Israeli tanks. Lara and Michael discuss what we know of Hind and attempts at rescuing her. This event, among other heinous crimes, continue even after the ICJ ruling last week calling on Israel to take all measures to prevent genocidal acts. The pod touches on the blocking of humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza, ongoing raids in the occupied West Bank, attacks on hospitals, and the increasing flight departures from Ben Gurion airport. The cracks are causing the structure to crumble, but at what cost to Palestinian lives?

The groundbreaking ICJ case proposed by South Africa against Israel has just closed, and Lara and Michael (mostly Lara) break down what it means. It’s important to remember that South Africa didn’t call for a ceasefire, as this is not legal terminology. All six counts brought against Israel were ruled in South Africa’s favor; these are 1) Israel must take all measures within it’s power to stop murdering & harming Palestinians and preventing their birth, 2) Israel must ensure that it’s military follow all measures from point 1, 3) Israel must prevent and punish all genocidal intent, 4) Israel shall ensure humanitarian aid to Gaza, 5) Israel must not destroy evidence related to these allegations, and 6) Israel must report back to the court in one month’s time. Lara does an excellent job of summarizing the court’s findings, and highlighting the myriad wins that stem from this case. This is among the first legal decisions to attempt to hold Israel accountable for their actions. Michael and Lara speak about how legislation + activism + boycotting as a unified force is the only way to ensure the Palestinian right of return and the end of apartheid and violence against Palestinians.