Besieged territory. As President Biden goes to israel to show support, we will go to gaza where the death toll has topped 2800. We will speak with a longtime palestinian human rights lottery or raji sourani, recipient of the robert f. Kennedy award for human rights. Still in gaza. We will also go to ramallah and the occupied west bank to speak with sari bashi of Human Rights Watch. And we will speak to former israeli peace negotiator daniel levy. His recent interview on the bbc went viral. The israelis would say, we are defending ourselves. We are trying to put an end to what we believe is a terrorist organization once and for all. Can so incredibly tell me the leadership of a country said, we are cutting up food, electricity, water to entire civilian population that there targeting militants . I am sorry, these kind of lies cannot be allowed to pass. Amy all that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Gazas humanitarian crisis has deepened after a 11th consecutive day of unrelenting attacks by israel on the besieged palestinian territory. Health Officials Say the latest israeli airstrikes and artillery killed at least 71 people, including attacks on rafah and three homes in khan younis. The attacks on Southern Gaza killed and wounded civilians whod heeded israels order to evacuate the northern half of gaza. Since october 7, israels attacks on gaza have killed 2800 people, over one third of them children, a figure does not include an estimated 1000 additional palestinians trapped under rubble of homes and businesses. With no water allowed into gaza and no fuel for desalination plants, residents have been forced to tap gazas only aquifer, which is contaminated with sewage and seawater. Fears are growing over the spread of disease as garbage piles up and sewage goes untreated. The u. N. Reports 20 of 23 of hospitals in gaza are only partially operational, with critical shortages of fuel to run generators needed for lifesaving medical devices. Painkillers have run out and blood banks are running low. The World Health Organization says among those most at risk are 84,000 pregnant women in gaza. As of tuesday afternoon, the sole crossing point between egypt and the gaza strip in rafah remains closed with israel continuing to deny entry to a caravan of aid trucks lined up on the egyptian side. This is mariam, a britishpalestinian girl whose family spent days trying to escape gaza. I am really in fear and every time i just have to have that thought of me dying in a bomb in gaza. Like, it is not a good thing. Every place i go, i run away and i just find bombs and dead people. Maybe one day i will end up like them. It is really scary thing for me. Amy more than 1400 israelis having killed by palestinian militants, most killed october 7 when hamas launched its surprise attack. On monday, israeli official said 199 people are being held hostage by hamas. That is 50 more than previous the reported. Over the weekend, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Israels Defense Ministry and tel aviv demanding an end to the violence and a safe return of the hostages. The United NationsSecurity Council has rejected a draft resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in gaza. The resolution was introduced monday by russia and won the support of gabon, mozambique, the united arab emirates, and china. Six countries abstained while france, japan, the united kingdom, and the United States voted against the ceasefire resolution. This is russias ambassador to the u. N. Vassily nebenzia. Today the entire world waits with needed breath for the Security Council to take steps in order to put an end to the bloodletting but the delegations of the western countries have basically stomped on those expectations. Amy this week russian president Vladimir Putin is traveling to beijing for talks with chinese president xi jinping. Over the weekend, chinas foreign minister said israels war on gaza had gone beyond the scope of selfdefense and amounted to collective punishment, which is war crime. Secretary of state Antony Blinken returned to israel monday to continue talks with israeli leaders, capping a weekend whirlwind tour of qatar, jordan, bahrain, the united arab emirates, saudi arabia, and egypt. Blinken said President Biden will depart for israel today in a show of solidarity as israels military prepares for a ground offensive in gaza. Make clear as he has done unequivocally since hamass slaughter of more than 1400 people, including at least 30 americans, that israel has the right and duty to defend his people from hamas and other terrorist. Amy blinken said biden would later visit jordan for talks with jordanian King Abdullah ii, egyptian president abdel fatah elsisi, and Palestinian Authority president mahmoud abbas. Bidens trip comes after the u. S. Navy said it is dispatching a second Aircraft Carrier strike group, led by the uss dwight d. Eisenhower, to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of israel. On monday, thousands of Jewish Americans and allies marched on the white house to demand President Biden press for a ceasefire in gaza. More than 50 people were arrested for nonviolent acts of civil disobedience. This is eva borgwardt, a leader of the group if not now. Everyone here is going to unimaginable pain. And through their grief, we are determined to stop this genocide because we know the warning signs. And so we are blocking every entrance to the white house or as many as we can stay therefore because President Biden has not been listening to the voices of American Jews and palestinians and allies who are saying, we cannot try the same thing that has not worked for decades here. Amy on capitol hill, a group of house progressives has introduced a resolution calling on President Biden to push for an immediate ceasefire in gaza. Missouri democratic congressmember cori bush, who coauthored the resolution, said the United States bears a unique responsibility to exhaust every diplomatic tool at our disposal to prevent mass atrocities and save lives. We cant bomb our way to peace, equality, and freedom. In bridgeview, illinois, just outside chicago, mourners monday laid to rest wadea alfayoume, a sixyearold palestinianamerican boy who was stabbed to death in an antimuslim hate crime. The boys mother Hanaan Shahin was left hospitalized with serious injuries after saturdays assault by the familys landlord, who reportedly shouted you muslims must die during the attack. The landlord appeared in court monday to face murder charges. This is deanna othman, a palestinianamerican High School Teacher and Community Member who attended the funeral. We are seeing the repercussions of the rhetoric that our government has been spouting and a lot of media has been spouting regarding palestinians, showing them as less than human. Unfortunately, this young boy has paid the ultimate price for that. Amy Ohio Republican congressmember jim jordan says he believes he has the 217 votes needed to become the next speaker of the house when representatives gather for a floor vote today. With all 212 House Democrats united behind new york congressmember hakeem jeffries, jordan can only afford to lose four republicans. Jordan founded the farright House Freedom caucus. He currently chairs the house judiciary committee. The house remains at an unprecedented standstill while republicans are unable to agree on a new speaker. The Biden Administration has reached a long awaited settlement in a landmark Class Action Lawsuit brought by the aclu and migrant families separated at the u. S. Mexico border under former president trump. If approved, the settlement will bar the federal government from enforcing a blatant limiting migrant family separations for at least six years. The deal also includes relief for migrants affected by trumps zero tolerance policy, including permission to remain in the United States, access to Legal Services and work permits, medical and Mental Health care for families dealing with trauma, and housing benefits. The aclu said at least 4500 children and their families will be impacted by the settlement. Aclu lead attorney lee gelernt said in a statement while no one would ever claim that this settlement can wholly fix the harm intentionally caused to these little children, it is an essential beginning. President biden has himself faced backlash over his harsh border and immigration policies which have also led to the separation of asylumseeking families. To see our coverage, go to democracynow. Org. In california, a 29yearold Asylum Seeker from guinea has reportedly died while held by u. S. Immigration officials in an openair Detention Camp along the san diego border. U. S. Customs and Border Protection provided few details of what happened and a cause of death has not been determined. Immigration and human Rights Groups had repeatedly warned of heat waves and other dangers faced by thousands of Asylum Seekers, including babies and toddlers detained the outdoor desert camps near jacumba springs. The agency has been accused of failing to provide adequate food, water, hygiene products, and medical care. Erika pinheiro of al otro lado said in a statement this is the first death, but will not be the last if Border Patrol continues to use these camps in a futile and inhumane attempt to deter migrants rather than process them expeditiously. And in virginia, at least three environmental activists were arrested monday after locking themselves to equipment temporarily shutting down the construction of the Mountain Valley pipeline. Dozens of protesters descended on the site yesterday for the peaceful action. For the water we drink, for the place we call home, the air we breathe, for the water we drink amy among those arrested monday was indigenous lawyer and activist tara houska. The controversial 6. 6 billion pipeline would go through virginia and West Virginia and carry 2 billion cubic feet of fracked gas across more than 1000 streams and wetlands in appalachia. The project has long had the backing of powerful West Virginia senator joe manchin, the biggest recipient of fossil fuel money in congress. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman in new york, joined by democracy now s Juan Gonzalez in chicago. Hi, juan. Juan hi, amy. Welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Amy the death toll from israels bombardment of gaza has topped 2800 after israeli air strikes killed at least 71 people in the Southern Gaza strip. The attacks came just days after israel ordered residents of the Northern Gaza Strip to head south. Gazas Civil Defense force estimates at least 1000 palestinians remain trapped under rubble from recent israeli strikes. The number of martyrs who are under rubble is 1000 according to the figures of the ministry of interior. Work is underway to extract them but we do not have heavy machinery to do so. We are exerting individual efforts by personnel with excavators from gaza valley until rafah, only two excavators working. An excavator gets damage and we postpone taking up martyrs until we fix it. Amy earlier today, the Gaza Ministry of health announced gazas only oncology hospital, the turkishpalestinian friendship hospital, will be forced to close within 48 hours due to a lack of fuel. On monday, unrwa, the u. N. Palestinian refugee agency, warned that israels siege is having a devastating impact on civilians. Cloaked no supplies have come into gaza since october 7. Nothing. No fuel, no food, no water, no other types of assistance. No supplies have come into gaza since october 7. That i can confirm. Not from unwra or other agencies. We are talking about too many people in the gaza strip who do not have water and water is running out and water is life and life is running out of gaza. Amy on monday, u. S. Secretary of state tony blinken announced President Biden will visit israel on wednesday to show support for israel following last weeks surprise attack by hamas that killed over 1400 people in israel. During the attacks, hamas and other militant groups seized as many as 250 hostages, most of whom are civilians. On monday, blinken set ideal is being to resume sub aid to gaza. Cloaked to that end, at our request, we have developed a plan that will enable if you meditate aid from donor nations and multilateral organizations to reach civilians and gaza and them alone, including the possibly of creating aids to help keep civilians out of harms way. It is critical that aid begin flowing into gaza as soon as possible. Amy President Biden is also expected to travel to meet with jordans king abella and egyptian president in the Palestinian Authority mahmoud abbas. Pres. Biden so far has refused to call for a ceasefire in gaza. On monday, the u. S. Voted against a ceasefire resolution proposed by russia at the u. N. Security council. On monday, more than 50 protesters were arrested at the white house in demonstrations calling for us is fire. The protest was organized by jewish voice for peace and if not now. The head of u. S. Central command army general Michael Kurilla flew into israel today as the United States continues to rush ammunition, air defenses, and other weaponry to israel ahead of a possible Israeli Ground invasion of gaza. We go now to gaza city where we are joined by raji sourani, awardwinning human rights lawyer and director of the Palestinian Center for human rights in gaza. He is also the 2013 right livelihood award laureate and is on the executive board of the International Federation for human rights. He received the robert f. Kennedy human rights award in 1991. Also twice named an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience. And years ago when he was denied entry into the United States, it was former u. S. President jimmy carter, among others, who advocated on his behalf to secure a visa. On monday, he shared this message with his friends good morning from gaza. The most wonderful city l loved and wish to end my life on its soil. Terrible and unbelievable the criminality. We did not sleep from the bombing. Freedom and dignity so costly and we are ready to pay our lives for it. No right to give up. I am so proud of my people, unbelievable courage and strength. Keep the strategic optimism. Love and hugs to you all my friends. Raji sourani, youre in gaza city. We spoke to you a week ago. You have remained in gaza city, which is in the north of gaza. You have not moved south. Can you talk about what is happening in your city and why you have chosen to remain there . Hi, amy. Gaza the majority of the population are refugees. We suffered the nakba in 1948. Palestinians always have the nakba in their minds. What the Prime Minister netanyahu the people of gaza [indiscernible] minister of defense had no electricity, no water, no fuel, and no food. From the first minutes for the reaction, they began to bomb. They were targeting civilians. Later on, there are people in the north of gaza were asked to move to the south as if the south is a safe haven. But when people leave, hundreds of thousands of them moved to the south, the israelis bombarded them. More than 170 were killed on the move to the south. The last two days, the south has had bombing and the concentration of bombing of the israelis and the smart bombs, 32, 37. Smart american bombs are targeting everywhere. Why should we be good victims . The world is watching. I cannot be a good victim for the israeli criminal occupation in this war launched against us after a blockade of 16 years and after the occupation of 55 years. After 75 years, we have no rent [indiscernible] it is not a secret. The whole world is watching. And those who are backing it, politically, are complicit of the crimes committed against the palestinian people. Juan raji sourani, how are the people, you and others, surviving without water, without lecture city, without fuel . I am proud of my people for because with all the mighty of israel the 365 square kilometers and after a blockade of 16 years and for the most is the populated area on earth, which lacks everything, there are still strong, still surviving. They did not give up. They have no right to give up. They are managing. In the streets and in the sky, coming from the sky everywhere there is death and destruction. People having super fantastic social solidarity. They are trying to resist this aggression once and again. We have no right to give up. I am very proud of the gazans, of the palestinians. I am very proud we are not good victims for criminals. Juan and when you hear the report now that President Biden in the midst of this colossal war crime that is being committed is going to travel to israel . I dont know why he and mr. Blinken are insisting on bringing humanitarian aid as if we are an animal farm and what people need food. Im giving you 1200 children have been killed in gaza. 950 women have been killed in gaza. More than that, we have 7000 injured people, hundreds of them in very critical condition. We are having 1200 under the rubble. People cannot uncover them because we have no means to uncover them in gaza. Even hospitals were urged to evacuate. Evacuate to where . You are imposing a death sentence on injured people who are treated in the hospital. Doctors, nurses have the courage to say no, we are not going to evacuate. They are doing all of these horrendous acts. Is this the most moral on earth who bombs schools used as shelters with thousands of people . Is this the most moral army who cuts water, electricity, food supply on civilians . Is this the mighty israel . Humanitarian law and human rights is there to protect civilians at the time of war. That is why the geneva conventions are there. I mean, civilians need protection. They need to have safe haven. But not only food. Nobody is talking about occupation. [indiscernible] this is blinken and biden ringing some food and medicine to the animal farm . We want dignity. We want freedom. We want the end of occupation. That is what we want. We have to stop these atrocities. [indiscernible] why you supported ukraine . Because russia invaded and occupied ukraine. They give them support. In the ask americans to go and try for the freedom of ukraine, to end the occupation of russia. We are occupied for 55 years. The nakba, 75 years. We want an end to occupation. All International Human rights and stations organizations they said we have to hold israel accountable for the crimes their committee and doing. Even before this war. Mr. Biden, what he should say is, stop this aggression immediately. Stop attacking civilians, end the occupation with the palace give palestinians the freedom and dignity. That is what we want. We dont want more bags of flour. We want the end of occupation, dignity, and freedom. Amy we are sticking with you, raji. It is a little hard to understand as you speak on the phone. Where do media organizations have people on the phone from gaza. It becomes increasingly difficult to hear what is happening on the ground there, so we appreciate and will at democracynow. Org the transcript of this conversation will be available. I wanted to ask about the state Department Memo that was revealed warning diplomats not to use the word deescalate. And in israeli strategist saying our goal isnt turning gaza city into a parking lot, our goal is to turn into a hamasless region. Can you respond to that . Hamas [indiscernible] it is not that israel is engaging the hospital, schools, houses has to do with israel . With the attack that has happened . What 1000 children have been killed has to do with that . The women have been killed. Under the rubble and destruction and unable to be recovered. My patients cannot receive this . Why our fate and destiny to stay under occupation. Everybody should think about the root causes. There is occupation by israel, occupation permitted committed many, many crimes. It is the must document a conflict in history and there is no investigation at the icc did not move one millimeter. Liars of sanctions have been imposed. Now with israel come everything is ok . They have tried to kill and destroy us, not what is happening, but destroy our tomorrow. It is a shame to support such criminal country who do these war crimes. We cannot be like old. There was rule of law for masters, not for slaves. Palestinians are not the same of the 21st century. We will not accept that. We will die with dignity but we are not going to be killed according to the israeli army. Juan raji, we have heard for a week that the rough will be rafah crossing will be opened but continues to be close. What have you heard about why it is taking so long to allow at least the most injured and those who are most vulnerable to leave gaza . The real intentions of netanyahu. They knew the real ultimate goal was to push all gazans, 2. 4 Million People, toward egypt. They cannot be complicit part of the crimes. And they close the border on their side because they dont want gazans to leave. The level of bombing, the architect of bombing pushing people toward the south, toward egypt. And that is why egypt closed up. Israel wants the border to be open to make gazans leave. Most of the gazans wont leave and egypt that is why they blocked it. They said if you want to open the crossing, will only do that if you allow the humanitarian aid to come into gaza. Israel does not want humanitarian aid to come to gaza. Rafah crossing sorry, amy. Amy it was just bombed again, the area leading to rafah today. We just have 30 seconds, but just to understand, are you going to leave gaza . Are you going to leave your home . The last time we talked to you, your house was shaking. They had bombed the Islamic University nearby. What are your plans now . On my body, i have no plan. I am here. We will never leave our homeland. I am eight centuries, my family, living in this part of the world. I am not going to reward netanyahu by leaving because he threatens. They can bomb us, they can kill us, but they cannot take the love and the justice from our hearts and minds. We are defending we know dignity and freedom, so we will fight for that. Amy raji sourani, thank you for being with us, awardwinning human rights lawyer and director of the Palestinian Center for human rights in gaza. Right livelihood award laureate. Recipient of theright livelihood award laureate. And the robert f. Kennedy human rights award, speaking to us from his home in gaza city. Please, be safe. Next up, we go to ramallah in the occupied west bank to speak with sari bashi of Human Rights Watch. Back in 30 seconds. [music break] amy we are palestinians by dalal abu amneh. Arrested by the ease really forces in the west bank after she shared a social media post in support of charities working in gaza. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with Juan Gonzalez. We head now to ramallah in the occupied west bank where Israeli Soldiers and settlers have killed at least 55 palestinians in the west bank since hamass shocking attack on israel on october 7. Israeli authorities have also arrested over 700 palestinians, several prominent lawmakers, including aziz dweik, the speaker of the palestinian legislative council. To talk about the situation in the west bank and the humanitarian catastrophe in gaza, we are joined by sari bashi, Program Director at Human Rights Watch, cofounder of gisha, the leading Israeli Human Rights Group promoting the right to freedom of movement for palestinians in gaza. Sari if you, can talk about the entire situation, the eminent invasion of gaza. You just heard raji sourani. Talk about the west bank. In the last year, approximately come a bit more, but a palestinian a day has been killed since the beginning of the year. Thank you. Im sorry to say since october 7 in gaza, israeli airstrikes on average have killed 100 children a day and that is the this latest escalation begin october 7 when hamasled fighters committed unspeakable war crimes against civilians. The massacred partygoers, entered homes. In some cases burning homes and another cases shooting. They took hostages. Appropriately, the u. S. Government and people in the United States condemned those acts because they were unspeakable crimes against civilians that have no justification. The answer cannot be for the Israeli Government with the backing of the American Government to then target and harm civilians in gaza. I am particularly concerned about the collective punishment of civilians in gaza. The israeli the terry cut food, electricity, water, Food Supplies on october 7, which is contributing to the mediterranean catastrophe and the Israeli Military is dropping explosive weapons in densely Populated Areas with wide area effects. When you do that, when you drop bombs on crowded urban centers, it is predictable that you will kill civilians. It is predictable you will kill children. And that is what is happening. Gaza is about the size of philadelphia. 2. 2 Million People. Nearly half of those people are children. That is something we need to see more of United States government addressing. We have heard about comments eating to respect humanitarian law. We need very specific directives for the Israeli Government to restore food, fuel, electricity and Water Supplies immediately and to stop dropping weapons in densely populated civilian areas. Juan sari bashi, the Prime Minister netanyahu has urged the palestinians in gaza to fully to egypt flee to egypt if they want to avoid the horrors of the bombing and the invasion. Isnt this itself a form of ethnic cleansing . After all, israel is not telling the palestinians, hey, if you want to escape the bombing and the invasion, move into israel or be transported to the west bank. After all, even putin in his invasion to ukraine in mid 1. 2 million ukrainians into russia to avoid the worst impact on them of the war itself. The first thing to say is that the countries that are neighboring gaza, israel and egypt, have an obligation to open their borders and that people who are fleeing for their lives to enter. Not doing that risks the violation about settlement. When families are trying to save childrens lives, egypt needs to open her borders. But the israeli Evacuation Order risks forcible transfer. The military has called on half the population in gaza in the north to go to the south and israeli officials have also called on some people in gaza to flee to egypt. 70 of People Living in gaza are refugees from what is now israel. Some of the older people who fled friday, saturday from northern gaza to Southern Gaza, they remember fleeing the israeli army 70 years ago. They remember leaving their home and not allowed to come back. Although International Law defense the right of return for all refugees, whether they are ukrainians try to resume return to areas that have been liberated from Russian Occupation or under Russian Occupation or people from gaza coming back after the army has left. My concern is that while it is acceptable and in some cases advisable for warring parties to issue warnings, those warnings are only effective if there are safe ways for civilians to avoid harm. So when you tell one Million People to evacuate but theres no safe place to go to and no safe way to get there, that is not an effective warning. Another thing the u. S. Government should do very clearly is to call on the israel i government to cancel the Evacuation Order and to take all measures to protect civilians who remain in the north. There are many people who either cannot or will not leave northern gaza and they retain the protections under International Law. Juan could you talk about how palestinians in the west bank are being impacted as a result of the continuing conflict in gaza . People are mostly worried. There have been road closures. Workers have not been allowed to enter israel for their jobs. There has been increased military activity in the west bank, including incursions and arrests. Imagine arrests of people who you mentioned arrests of people who were supporting. For the most part, people are worried. All of this is unprecedented. The attacks that hamasled fighters committed are unprecedented. It was the worst as occur massacre post at the level of harm, targeted harmony Israeli Military is inflicting is also unprecedented. At Human Rights Watch, were trying to hold open a narrow space for universal basic principles of humanity. It is never ok to commit unspeakable war crimes against civilians as was done in southern israel on october 7. And that noah justifies committing war crimes no way justifies committing war crimes. For americans who are confused by all of what is going on, i was suggest you remember the very basic principle that civilians need to be protected and then encourage your elected representatives to remind the u. S. Government of that principle. Because the United States government is providing 3. 8 billion in annual military aid to israel and rushing even more weapons here now. It has a responsibility to reign in the attacks from civilians come to call on israel to cancel the Evacuation Order and protect civilians in gaza, and to immediately restore humanitarian supplies to civilians. Amy can you talk about the difference between your experience on the west bank as an Israeli Jewish lawyer and your husbands experience as a palestinian professor, a resident of ramallah . For people to understand also this issue. Jake sullivan recently said, just a few weeks ago, Bidens National security advisor, it has been quieter in the middle east than any time in 20 years. This is the time that at least a palestinian a day was being killed. And talk about settlers and the army. I think part of the concern, i know raji was addressing that when he talked about root causes, some of the root causes of the violence, including what Human Rights Watch and many other groups have called apartheid come are invisible to u. S. Policymakers. We have a situation where u. S. Policymakers are very busy brokering normalization deals between the most rightwing Israeli Government in history and dictatorial arab governments and it is not paying attention to what is happening on the ground. Decades, the israeli by 30s have engaged in systemic repression of palestinians, including not allowing people and gaza come refugees and gaza to return to their homes and what is now israel and including a punishing closure of the last 16 years that is not allowed appropriate supplies to enter and leave gaza and is not allow people to travel. That is part of the reason why people of gaza were so vulnerable even before the violence began. In addition, the Israeli Government is privileging israel i jews over palestinians and that is the essence of crime against humanity, of apartheid when you commit inhumane acts and engage in systemic repression in order to privilege one group over another. I am an Israeli Jewish american and my partner is palestinian. I can do things that he cannot do. I can travel quite freely. Even though his mother is a refugee from what is now israel, he cannot pass areas that are offlimits to palestinians. I have excellent rights. I have help. There cities being billed for jews only, settlements being built for israeli jews only while palestinians are unable to build cities and their homes are being demolished for lack of permits that are almost impossible to get. The israeli authorities are engaging in forcible transfer where they remove palestinian communities in the west bank to make room for settlements. All of these are part of the causes of the violence. Yellow thing i can hope is u. S. Policymakers will realize that it is not quiet here. Theres terrible abuses going on. You just have to listen to what people on the ground are telling you and adjust accordingly. No u. S. Policy toward israel have in palestine will be successful if it does not address the abuses on the ground. First, second, and third. Amy sari bashi, thank you for being with us Program Director , at Human Rights Watch. Cofounder of gisha, the leading Israeli Human Rights Group promoting the right to freedom of movement for palestinians in gaza. Next up, former israeli peace negotiator. Back in 20 seconds. [music break] amy rahawan by haya zaatry. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with Juan Gonzalez. Critics of the mainstream medias coverage of the israelhamas war say a key problem has been its failure to challenge the dominant narrative from israel that its military response in gaza is targeting hamas. Former israeli peace negotiator general leavy recently daniel levy recently challenged bbc news presenter maryam moshiri. This is a clip that went viral. The israeli say we are defending ourselves, trying to put an end to what we believe is a terrorist organization once and for all. Can you really keep a straight face when you say that . Do you think care is organizations embedded in populations who were denied their most basic rights to end it once and for all in a military campaign, does that happen in history . Can some incredibly tell me when the leadership of a country, cutting off food, electricity to entire civilian population, that they are targeting militants . Im sorry, these kinds of lies cannot be allowed to pass. When you tell yourself the lie, it leads to the wrong policy. If anyone told me that what the militants did on the weekend was a legitimate response to years and years of occupation, i would say, you have lost sight of humidity and reality. If anyone tells me what israel is doing in gaza today is a legitimate response to what happened on the weekend, it is exactly the same. Yet the International Community is saying that. People need to challenge them because it is a lie and we are warmongering if we allow them to get away with it. Amy for more, we are joined by daniel levy, who you just heard in that clip. President of the u. S. Middle east project and a former israeli peace negotiator with the palestinians at taba under Prime Minister ehud barak and at oslo b under Prime Minister yitzhak rabin. He cowrote a piece with zaha hassan for the irish times headlined the outside world must walk israel back from the abyss. It cannot be part of the choir of incitement. Welcome to democracy now we only have a few minutes. President biden is arriving in israel tomorrow, meeting with netanyahu. Can you talk about what needs to happen, what netanyahu needs to do you were the peace negotiator and advisor to the office of the former Prime Minister. Can you talk about what israel needs to do and what the u. S. Needs to do . Well, israel, as we have heard just now from sari bashi, needs to operate within the confines of International Law, international communitarian, and to not collectively punish the civilian population of gaza, and it has to address the ongoing crimes being committed under the occupation. That is not the mood in israel right now and it wasnt on october 6 before the horrific events of october 7 and before everything that has transpired since. Therefore, it will be for the u. S. Administration to do the thing that it has conspicuously failed to do historically, significant contributor to how we got here in the first place. Because according israel impunity, guarantin there can be nog is the worst political guidance and contributed to everything that is going wrong but also contributed to the hubris and complacency which i think for a major part of how october 7 happen. Youre going that the public messaging a President Biden and i fully expect him to wrap his arms around the israeli leadership, show empathy and he should. The first thing to say is, if he fails to humanize palestinians, to show empathy to palestinians, to see palestinian pain and suffering which is all to real and we heard raji sourani, then he is by sins of omission encouraging the kind of i dont use this word lightly genocidal language that is clerk for rated right now and that is proliferated right now and that is incredibly dangerous to everyone. That is in public. In private, my hopes are high but what needs to happen is a strong message to the israelis. It will have to go public if necessary, on what they can and cannot do and how we prevent broader escalation not only on the northern border where many people that only in terms of stopping what is happening in gaza, but we have heard about what might happen and is already happening in the west bank and inside israel itself where people are terrified on all sides but what you see is in a possible circumstances toward the palestinian citizens of israel. Amy you have said, we do not say this lightly, if the International Community doesnt intervene to stop what is coming, we could looking at accommodation a mass killing and forced expulsion in real time. Elaborate on this. Well, i think we have heard what is going on right now in terms of the killings of palestinians and that number goes up all the time. The number of children go up all the time. What you see on the israeli leadership declarations is a real refusal to draw a distinction between competence and civilians. And we heard a lot of talk coming out of israel in the last years, and it has only intensified, of a second nakba, forced displacement. Israel has gone through an interesting transition where first it was denied and then embraced something that needs to be completed. Not by everyone. I want to make that clear. But that right is real and it doesnt just over over gaza, which has been hover over gaza, which has been cut off. That is why we raise the alarm bells and called on internationals not to join this choir of incitement because it is the road to hell for everyone. If israel is going to exist and that art of the world, it cannot be zerosum because what were doing is creating more and more hatred. When you step back from that, to propel yourself further into it. Amy 30 seconds, daniel leavy. Your message to the u. S. , to israel, to palestinians, and the world. Step back from the brink in the immediate term and get to grips with the fact the palestinians who live without hope, rights, the ability to plan a future are not going to succumb to that. It doesnt justify. We have been warning for years this will explode and it has come and no need a different approach. Amy daniel leavy, president of the u. S. middle east project and a former israeli peace negotiator with the palestinians. That does it for our show. Democracy now is currently accepting applications for our video news production fellowship. Go to democracynow. Org for more information. [captioning made possible by