The UN criticism over Gaza aid proves that they knew Israel didn't occupy Gaza ~ Elder Of Ziyon

Thursday, May 29, 2025

The UN criticism over Gaza aid proves that they knew Israel didn't occupy Gaza

The anger over the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation shows, as clearly as can be, the double standards applied to Israel.

The Humanitarian Country Team yesterday said, "A new militarized distribution system has just been launched. As we have stated, it does not align with humanitarian principles, it puts people at risk, and it will not meet people’s needs, or dignity, across Gaza.."

The main problem, the critics say, is that Israel's military is in the distribution hubs, and that violates "neutrality" in aid distribution.

Yet when Hamas gunmen pretend to "protect" the aid, for some reason the UN and other organizations haven't had a problm with "neutrality."

This is only the beginning of the hypocrisy and falsehoods from the critics.

From the beginning of the war, the UN and others say that Israel is responsible for feeding Gaza because it is still legally the occupying power, using a tortured logic that controlling the borders and airspace is considered occupation under international law. The UN and Israel's critics say Gaza has been occupied by Israel since 1967, and even after the 2005 disengagement. This was a rule made up just for Israel and Gaza.

And they know this as well.

Because when they say that Israel cannot use the military to help protect aid centers and corridors, that is the opposite of what international law says.

The Fourth Geneva Convention says, "To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of the occupied territory are inadequate."

The 1958 ICRC Commentary says, "It should be noted that the Convention does not lay down the method by which this is to be done. The occupying authorities retain complete freedom of action in regard to this, and are thus in a position to take the circumstances of the moment into account."

Which makes sense in a case of real occupation, because all the functions of a government fall to the occupiers. It makes no sense when Israel has no areas under its direct control.

Of course a real occupier can use the military to expedite aid delivery. If Israel was really occupying Gaza, then it would be legally obligated to directly provide aid or to oversee NGOs in providing aid under whatever constrains the IDF deem necessary for security and to avoid aid going to Gaza. The only way their argument against "militarized distribution" makes sense is if Israel is not occupying Gaza!

The UN and other critics want to consider Gaza occupied when it is in Hamas' favor but they do not consider it occupied if it helps Israel's desire to cut out Hamas.

The occupation paradigm has changed in the past few months. Up until recently, even though Israel invaded Gaza, it didn't hold much territory. That is changing. And any territory it physically holds is, under the legal definition, occupied.

Since now Israel has said it intends to re-occupy parts of Gaza, this means under international humanitarian law (IHL) it must provide aid. According to real international law, not the one made up just for Israel, "occupation" extends to where the occupier has real control, i.e., boots on the ground. These humanitarian zones are set up and built by Israel, inside Gaza - meaning that at least those areas are, legally, occupied - and Israel is obligated to provide aid in those areas.

There is no problem in international law for the occupier to hire a private contractor to help distribute aid. It might be a problem only if Israel is not the occupier of any part of Gaza.

So Israel is doing everything international law demands of it - and its critics are whining about it because they simply do not want Israel to win the war against Hamas. That is the only consistency I can see as to when they say aid distribution is not neutral and when it is, when Gaza is considered occupied and when it isn't, when refugees are encouraged to flee war zones for other countries and when they are not, emphasizing glitches on the first day of GHF food delivery while ignoring Gazans being shot dead while taking flour from a Hamas warehouse - the only pattern is that they are always choosing the position to make it more difficult for Israel to win the war.

In respect to aid, I cannot find a single example where Israel has violated international law. In fact, that applies to the entire war in Gaza. The way that the IDF built these humanitarian distribution hubs is a perfect example of how Israel wants aid to be delivered to the innocent and not hijacked by Hamas. It is utterly inconsistent with "using starvation as a weapon of war" or "genocide."

Why has no news media noticed this pattern? Why does it repeat the UN lies? Why is it so hard to look up the Geneva Conventions themselves?