Avi Shlaim’s Genocide in Gaza: A Review
Shlaim’s core argument is that Gaza’s suffering—especially after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack and Israel’s brutal response (Operation Swords of Iron)— is no accident. He sees Zionism as a settler-colonial project, echoing scholar Patrick Wolfe’s idea that “invasion is a structure, not an event.” Gaza’s blockade since 2007, the repeated bombings Israel calls “mowing the lawn,” and the staggering toll— over 40,000 deaths by mid-2024, mostly women and children— aren’t just security measures but steps toward elimination.
