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Israel's War on Gaza
Israel has seized the opportunity of Hamas's operation on 7 October 2023 to devastate Gaza, reducing it to rubble, massacring a huge number of its inhabitants and forcing the rest to flee. Another Nakba is underway 75 years after the creation of Israel. This booklet includes articles by Gilbert Achcar written as the Israeli onslaught started unfolding in Gaza. He explains why the population of Gaza is facing such 'massive extermination', and argues that the refusal of Western governments to call for a ceasefire is making them accomplices to crimes against humanity.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
59 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2023
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About the author
Gilbert Achcar
42 books122 followersGilbert Achcar is a Lebanese academic, writer, and socialist. He is a Professor of Development Studies and International Relations at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London. His research interests cover the Near East and North Africa, the foreign policy of the United States, Globalisation, Islam, and Islamic fundamentalism. He is also a Fellow at the International Institute for Research and Education.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 23, 2025
Chapter 1, “Initial comments on Hamas counter-offensive,” written Oct 8, 2023, is in praise of the Oct 7 attack and massacre, which Achcar calls a “highly daring offensive all along the border zone.” He also describes Hamas’s actions on Oct 7 as a “quasi-desperate act of bravery” and a “spectacular” operation.
Chapter 2, “Impending catastrophe & urgency to stop it,” written Oct 16, 2023, backs up his pro-Oct 7 stance in chapter 1, further defending the massacre by saying whatever Hamas does isn’t as bad as Israel, therefore it’s justified.
Massacres of civilians are never justified, not when they’re done by the IDF, and not when they’re done by Hamas either. Civilians should never be targets. Killing civilians in agricultural communities, at dance parties, and while they’re hiding in bomb shelters is never okay. We can support the Palestinian people and their struggle against occupation without justifying the massacre of civilians in Israel.
Chapter 3, published Oct 23, 2023, goes over what Achcar knows and what he speculates about Israeli war plans. Chapter 4, published Oct 31, 2023, talks about an Israeli document that had been recently leaked at the time. Chapter 5, published Nov 28, 2023, talks about scale of deaths in Gaza and complicity of Western governments. Though it’s comparison to the death toll of Mosul is a little misleading, as it does not make clear this is the death toll of one battle in the Iraq War, and is much smaller than the actual Iraq War civilian death toll. The final chapter is an old article from 2009.
Whatever insight or neat ideas the later chapters might have had are overshadowed by Achcar’s early celebrating of a massacre of civilians, with pro-Hamas sentiments he repeats now and then in the later chapters.
Hamas does not represent most Palestinians and you can support the Palestinian people and movement without supporting or celebrating Hamas violence. Please, massacres against one side will always only lead to more massacres against the other. We don’t need any more glorification of violence.
Chapter 2, “Impending catastrophe & urgency to stop it,” written Oct 16, 2023, backs up his pro-Oct 7 stance in chapter 1, further defending the massacre by saying whatever Hamas does isn’t as bad as Israel, therefore it’s justified.
Massacres of civilians are never justified, not when they’re done by the IDF, and not when they’re done by Hamas either. Civilians should never be targets. Killing civilians in agricultural communities, at dance parties, and while they’re hiding in bomb shelters is never okay. We can support the Palestinian people and their struggle against occupation without justifying the massacre of civilians in Israel.
Chapter 3, published Oct 23, 2023, goes over what Achcar knows and what he speculates about Israeli war plans. Chapter 4, published Oct 31, 2023, talks about an Israeli document that had been recently leaked at the time. Chapter 5, published Nov 28, 2023, talks about scale of deaths in Gaza and complicity of Western governments. Though it’s comparison to the death toll of Mosul is a little misleading, as it does not make clear this is the death toll of one battle in the Iraq War, and is much smaller than the actual Iraq War civilian death toll. The final chapter is an old article from 2009.
Whatever insight or neat ideas the later chapters might have had are overshadowed by Achcar’s early celebrating of a massacre of civilians, with pro-Hamas sentiments he repeats now and then in the later chapters.
Hamas does not represent most Palestinians and you can support the Palestinian people and movement without supporting or celebrating Hamas violence. Please, massacres against one side will always only lead to more massacres against the other. We don’t need any more glorification of violence.
May 13, 2024
"Israel's War on Gaza" is great because it's incredibly informative but also doesn't belittle the reader. Achcar expects you to have the necessary background knowledge to understand what is happening in the present day and why, while still adding to the conversation.
If you need a full history lesson you might want to get a different book; if you want something quick and accessible, this is for you.
If you need a full history lesson you might want to get a different book; if you want something quick and accessible, this is for you.
November 3, 2024
A very good read. As sad as all other books on this subject. Heaven only knows what will happen if Trump wins next week.
April 2, 2024
Achcar argues forcefully that Israel, with the (tacit) support of the Western world, especially the US, is determined to irradicate Palestine and the people in it. He nests his argument in the context of a fraught history of the region. The value of his arguments is enhanced by the historical perspective which seems to be missing from many discussions of this most recent war.
November 5, 2024
An informative read but unfortunately already out of date as the genocide continues
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews