there are no more words to describe the depravity of the Israeli Genocide Forces.
the murder of Palestinian paramedics isn't just a war crime—it's definitive proof of a world order rotting from the inside.
Good day, spectators,
And like many of you last week, I read the story of the IGF (Israeli Genocide Forces) killing the paramedics in an ambulance in an ambush and then burying their bodies in a mass grave. It was at that moment, I think I crashed against a brick wall. I simply have no more words to describe the depths to which the Israeli state has sunk at this moment in history.
If you haven't seen it yet, here's the video.
Watch: 15 Palestinian paramedics and aid workers are ambushed and killed by Israel.
This footage was discovered on the phone of a paramedic who was found along with 14 other Palestinian rescue and medical workers in a mass grave in Gaza. It's probably the most potent and irrefutable piece of evidence of war crimes we have from this genocide so far—and that's saying something considering the plethora we already have.
Frankly, I no longer have words strong enough to describe the cowardice and simple inhumanity of a 'military' that will methodically execute medical workers, bury them in mass graves, and then tell the news that the vehicles were 'advancing suspiciously' without lights on. These soldiers and their superiors and supporters are utterly depraved and a threat to all humanity. It’s that simple.
Before hiding the bodies in a mass grave, though, they forgot to grab one of the medic’s phones, who recorded his own assassination for the world to see.
As the soldiers are nearing their vehicle, and the medic knows they will murder him, we can hear him saying:
'Forgive us, everyone. Oh God, accept me as a martyr and accept my repentance. Oh mother, forgive me, this is the path I have chosen…to help people.'
the systematic targeting continues.
Even as I am writing this article, a new horrific video just emerged, this time of a journalist being burned alive after Israel bombed a camp of reporters in Southern Gaza. Watch this and consider the number of other people who've died this way.
Israel does this every day, multiple times a day.
Watch: A Palestinian reporter is burned alive in his tent after an IGF airstrike.
His name is Ahmad Mansour and he isn't 'collateral damage.' This isn't 'self-defence.' This is the systematic targeting of those who either care for Palestinians or document their suffering. When you deliberately target ambulances and press camps, you're not fighting terrorism—you're trying to eliminate witnesses and those who might save the survivors.
This is genocide.
the people versus the power.
What makes this ongoing atrocity even more maddening is that the vast majority of people worldwide stand with Palestinians. It’s as clear as day. We've seen unprecedented protests from London to Sydney, from New York to Tokyo. Even in countries providing the weapons for this slaughter, ordinary citizens are marching by the hundreds of thousands, demanding an end to the complicity.
Watch: Hundreds of thousands of people march for Palestine in London.
So why do our governments continue to supply the weapons, provide the diplomatic cover, and offer the blank cheques that make this genocide possible? The disconnect between popular will and governmental action has perhaps never been so stark, so obscene, or so bloody dangerous.
institutional decay as a choice.
As Anne Applebaum argues in her book, 'The Twilight of Democracy': 'Institutional decay is a choice and societies can either reinvest in transparency and equity or let the unravelling continue.'
Almost everywhere in the West, this institutional decay is rife, although the decay is more pronounced in the US. The EU will follow shortly if this perfect storm of bollocks is not countered by focusing on the will and needs of the people, rebuilding trust and addressing all these broken layers. And I mean all of them.
What we're witnessing in Palestine is the expected, logical endpoint of decades of unbridled colonialism and institutional decay, where governments no longer feel accountable to their citizens and international bodies like the UN have been rendered toothless by great power politics. The ICJ can rule that Israel must stop its attacks, the ICC can issue arrest warrants for war crimes but still… the killing continues unabated.
In fact, there are many countries in the EU that wouldn't arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited and they've stated as much—such as Germany. Have a read:
so what now?
The world needs to wake up simultaneously and address all of the problems that are systemic in our world that have allowed this to happen. Our entire global order is rotting from within when we can witness such barbarity and respond with little more than concerned statements and continued arms shipments.
We need to remind our leaders—repeatedly, and through every available method—that they represent us, not Israel, not defence contractors and other nonsense geopolitical abstractions. Their legitimacy ultimately flows from the people, and the people are saying: enough.
If your representatives won't represent you on something as fundamental as opposing the deliberate killing of paramedics and journalists, then what exactly is their point? And what claim to democratic legitimacy can they possibly maintain?
I personally can not stop thinking about the paramedic's final words: 'This is the path I have chosen to help people.' He chose to help and our governments have chosen to enable his killers. And now we must choose whether to accept this state of affairs or change it.
I am personally quite lucky to be from a country that has been taking steps against Israel's genocide but there is still work for us to do in Ireland too.
People of the UK, US, and the EU and the wider West…what are you going to choose?
The answer won't come from above—it will come from us, or it won't come at all.
And on that note, I will leave you for the day,
(And as always, thanks for reading, make sure to subscribe and do please give this post a ❤️ and restack below.)
the spectacle is only possible because of its committed subscribers. I tackle the geopolitical stories mainstream news channels ignore, distort or simply lie about. Help keep it going and supporting independent journalism by becoming a paid subscriber to get full access to the magazine. Or, buy me a sandwich for 3 euro below!
If everyone reading this made a small contribution, I could dedicate myself to this work full time, bringing you even more unfiltered, independent journalism. Every contribution counts and is deeply appreciated. Thank you for being part of this community.
Read more from the spectacle:
I was an active first responder myself, I am a journalist, have been working in the field of civil defence and research for many years. My first assignment was in 1990 during Gulf war in Syria, back then, I was in my twenties and didn't understand why the Jewish elder lady next to me said "I hate them" as we both stood at the border fence observing ISR tanks moving around. I am German, educated to be tolerant and guilty. For more than three decades I've been trying my best to explain ordinary people that political speeches have nothing to do with the reality on the ground. They read my articles, but didn't believe. After reading this morning the report of my colleague about the attack on the media tent in Gaza, I had to have a break. I lost friends and colleagues in Iraq, Syria, in the Kosovo, in Lebanon. Every media worker from Palestine I know, and who lives in the diaspora, lost a family member, or two, or more. I witnessed the suffering of the civilian population in Syria, amputated children, victims of mines and left ordnance, everywhere in the streets. I really thought, I can handle Gaza. But today I just felt sick, angry and lost.
I swear to the Almighty, there will be justice for the victims. That is my only goal now. I would rather die than allowing them to get away with a genocide, another genocide committed by German helpers. No, they can't and won't destroy the foundation of civilization, basic human rights and ethical norms, it won't happen. I'm prepared for a long lasting struggle, a battle, a war, yes, but we will succeed.
Thank you, Deaglan - our solid rock to cling tight on to (hope) in this ocean of darkness, waiting for the life-saving rescue ship. -- Susan
P.S. I share your postings on mastodon, because I left all US social surveillance platforms ten years ago.
It’s past the point of “holding our politicians to account” at the ballot box.
We won’t vote our way out of this sh!t. Mass, coordinated, civil disobedience and actions. It’s not only right, but it’s our duty to break unjust laws. Until the people get really organised the establishment elites, which supports Israel no matter what crimes it commits and without question, will ignore us as long as we are merely protesting, albeit a beautiful thing to see so many people in solidarity with Palestine and Palestinians and the Resistance.