Israel has deliberately starved the people of Gaza. It couldn’t have done it without the west's help | Owen Jones

The author accuses Western politicians, including Keir Starmer, of empty bluster in response to the crisis in Gaza. The UN has declared that a famine is currently unfolding in the Gaza Strip. Israel's deliberate starvation of Gaza is a crime that has been confessed to and implemented in plain sight. Starmer has promised to recognize Palestinian statehood if Israel agrees to a ceasefire and a two-state solution, but this is seen as a symbolic action rather than a meaningful step. The author argues that Palestinian national self-determination is an inalienable right, not a bargaining chip. Israel's leaders have explicitly stated their intention to starve Gaza's people, with the former defense minister announcing a complete siege on Gaza in October 2023. The Israeli general in charge of humanitarian affairs in Gaza and the West Bank has referred to Gazans as "human beasts" who will suffer a total blockade. The author suggests that Western politicians' hand-wringing will not feed Gaza's emaciated children or absolve them of guilt. Instead, the author argues that sweeping sanctions and an end to arms sales would be a more meaningful response. The crisis in Gaza is a result of deliberate actions by Israel, and Western politicians must take responsibility for their inaction.