July 9th, 2024
The UK-based medical journal Lancet has issued an apocalyptic report detailing the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation. Based on the Gaza Health Ministry’s reported 37,396 people directly murdered by the apartheid regime on June 19th, a conservative estimate of indirect deaths as a result of disease and other health conditions suggests 186,000 people (7.9% of Gaza’s population).
This is not a number. This is not a statistic. This is 186,000 real people, with real families and real lives who will be lost even if the genocide ends today, according to Lancet. The estimation is based on indirect deaths from modern wars– although, as we have seen, the occupation is not carrying out a war. The occupation is carrying out a genocide on a scale for which we have no modern comparison.
This heartbreaking and horrifying report comes after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to implement measures that would prevent genocide in January of this year, and after the International Criminal Court (ICC) applied for arrest warrants against senior Israeli occupation leaders in May of this year, and after the ICJ ordered Israel to halt all military operations in Rafah several days later.
Additionally, reports detailing numerous human rights violations and torture conducted by the Israeli occupation have emerged in recent weeks, reminding us of the sinister actions that are endorsed by New Jersey representatives in their unconditional support of genocide.
Nothing can reverse the occupation’s genocide and the tremendous loss of life. Nothing can bring our family and friends back. It was the choice of our elected representatives to stand with genocide and deny Palestine the right to self-determination and the right to live.
These policies, from both Democrats and Republicans, have created the conditions, both directly and indirectly, for this historic tragedy beyond words. The racist dehumanization of Muslim and Arab peoples in the 21st century laid the foundation for the unspeakable. As I have stated for many years, Palestine must be recognized as a state. I am committed to this. But above that point, we must pursue policies that reject the dehumanization of Palestinians and restrict the occupation’s power.
I am committed to acting immediately if elected in November. We must not only be calling for an immediate ceasefire, which I have done repeatedly– we must also be looking toward policies that allow Palestinian statehood, self-determination, reparations, and a reconciliation committee.
With deep sadness, I solemnly reaffirm these commitments. The working people of New Jersey stand with tremendous strength and fortitude for this cause.
Benjamin Taylor
NJ-9 Candidate GPNJ
Ben Taylor for NJ 