David Remnick: Starvation Being Used As a Tactic Against Civilians in Gaza ‘Can’t Be Easily Dismissed’

Heilemann: “I ask you right now, the contention of those on the left who are critics around the world and wider than just the left of the way Israel’s handled this, particularly crystallizing this weekend has been, the things we have been saying — I’m quoting, kind of paraphrasing their view — the things we’ve been saying for two years now are abundantly clear, Israel is using a starvation as a tool, as a tactic of warfare against civilians in Gaza. That is a war crime and it buttresses our argument — again, I’m putting this in the mouths of those who are critics, that this has always been a policy of genocide. So I ask you, number one, what you saw when you were there, is it the case that starvation is being used as a tactic against civilians in this war? And do you therefore agree, if that’s — the answer is yes, that we’re getting to the point where we have to be kind of honest about what Israel’s doing in Gaza on the scale of the question of — of — of —“
REMNICK: “Well, here’s — here’s what I can report, John, thank you. What I can report is that the former prime minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, calls these war crimes. What I can report is that Olmert Bartov, who is probably the leading scholar, Israeli born, fought in the 1973 war, teaches at Brown. What he says is that this amounts to genocidal behavior on the part of the Israeli government. I can report that Moshe ‘Bogie’ Yaalon, former Defense Minister under Netanyahu, who broke with Netanyahu, talks about ethnic cleansing in Gaza. So these are not just severe critics of Israel who innately hate Israel. These are also people within the Israeli establishment, as well as scholarly critics like Bartov. So this can’t be easily dismissed as the terrible rhetoric of enemies of Israel. One of the crises that Israel now faces is that its reputation in the world is so immensely diminished. And this has ramifications too. No one doubts — I don’t doubt that Israel requires a peace and security for itself at the same time that Palestinians require and should demand justice. And I hope all of that comes to all sides. But right now the situation is worse than it’s ever been. Worse than it’s ever been. These images that you see now, John, on your screen, are reminiscent of times of terrible destruction and conflict in the region before 1948 and after. But they’re worse. The death count is just dreadful. The displacement is dreadful. People I know, Palestinian friends I know, have lost not just a member of their family, but many members of their family, many friends. And how will they regard their futures going forward? So this portends to be really ugly, not just today and tomorrow, but for many years to come.”