Why the Delay in Judging Israeli War Crimes?

On July 27, the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem released a groundbreaking report declaring the Israeli military campaign in Gaza a genocide. While this acknowledgement is critical, the delay in publishing such a conclusion raises serious concerns. It reflects a broader, troubling pattern of politically motivated hesitation that has, in effect, enabled Israeli war crimes to continue with impunity.

The report, based on a detailed examination of intent, systematic destruction of civilian life, and government-engineered famine, reinforces what Palestinians and many legal experts have argued since the war began. It adds weight to the extensive body of legal, eyewitness, and forensic evidence that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide.

What makes this declaration particularly important is that it comes from an Israeli source. As such, it directly challenges the false and often weaponized claim that calling out Israeli war crimes is an act of antisemitism.

Western media, which have long disregarded or downplayed Palestinian testimonies, gave considerable attention to B’Tselem’s findings. This exposes the double standard in how narratives are validated: Palestinian suffering gains legitimacy only when echoed by Israeli or Western voices.

For decades, Palestinian accounts of Israeli atrocities have been ignored or dismissed by mainstream media and academia. From the 1948 Tantura massacre, to Sabra and Shatila in 1982, to the Jenin massacre in 2002, the Palestinian perspective has rarely been treated as credible—unless corroborated by Israeli testimony.

Even so, a difficult question remains: Why did it take B’Tselem almost two years to reach this conclusion? As an Israeli organization, it has unparalleled access to army conduct, political discourse, and Hebrew-language media. A well-informed conclusion could have — and should have — been reached within two months, not two years.

“Delays born of political calculation and fear of retribution have given Israel the critical space it needed to carry out its genocide.” — Dr. Ramzy Baroud

This kind of calculated delay has also characterized the behavior of international institutions, governments, and even progressive public figures — individuals and organizations whose moral authority could have helped establish the genocide narrative early on and potentially saved countless lives.

Take the International Court of Justice (ICJ), for example. On January 26, 2024, it acknowledged that South Africa’s accusation of genocide against Israel had merit and required further examination. But the court has yet to issue a conclusive ruling. In the meantime, it expects Israel to investigate itself — a clearly unrealistic expectation, especially when Prime Minister Netanyahu openly promises to “encourage the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.”

Similarly, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024. Yet no tangible action has followed. Instead, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan has faced attacks from U.S. politicians and media outlets for daring to pursue the case.

Even prominent figures on the political left have stumbled. On March 22, 2024, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to use the term “genocide,” despite acknowledging the scale of the violence. Senator Bernie Sanders, long critical of Netanyahu, downplayed the word “genocide” during a speech in Ireland, saying it made him “queasy” and calling for caution in its use — even as less “radical” voices had already adopted the term.

These aren’t just missed opportunities; they have real-world consequences. Silence, delay, and equivocation embolden Israel’s actions, giving it both time and political cover to escalate its military campaign. Had the global community acted sooner and more decisively, thousands of lives might have been spared.

Today, Israel continues to exploit the vacuum of legal and moral accountability to carry out its atrocities in Gaza. But this must change.

The Palestinian voice must no longer require validation from Israeli or Western sources to be heard and believed. Palestinian truth must be centered — not as a symbolic nod to inclusivity, but as a core component of international justice.

Those who have delayed, deflected, or diluted the truth will not escape judgment. If not by law, then by history — and by the anguished cries of Gaza’s parents, who could not protect their children from Israel’s bombs or from the world’s deafening silence.

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Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author, and Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of six books, including Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out, co-edited with Ilan Pappé.
Website: www.ramzybaroud.net
X: @RamzyBaroud

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