Yuli Novak, Executive Director of the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, has leveled serious accusations regarding the conduct of the ongoing military operations.
In an interview, Novak stated that B’Tselem has concluded, based on a year of observation, that Israel is perpetrating genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. She emphasized the urgency of intervention, asserting that legal determinations often come too late to protect those at risk of extinction.
This assessment is detailed in a recent B’Tselem report, titled “Our Genocide”. The organization alleges that the Israeli government is committing genocide, citing documented evidence and eyewitness accounts of targeted and systematic killings of Palestinians, the intentional destruction of infrastructure vital for survival and indications of intent to destroy. Novak contends that the existential threat felt following the October 7th attacks by Hamas served as the catalyst for these actions and that this state continues to this day.
Novak also directed criticism towards international policy, alleging that Germany and other European nations are effectively supporting Israel’s actions. While acknowledging the complexities of German-Israeli relations, she asserted that the reality of the situation can no longer be ignored, stating that “the descendants of those who suffered the paradigmatic genocide perpetrated by Germany are now themselves committing one”.