“When a wise man points at the moon, the imbecile examines the finger.”
This proverb – attributed to Conficius – pinpoints the human tendency to focus on a message, messenger or concept instead of the reality that it signals, especially when that reality might be uncomfortable or upsetting. Today, it is acutely relevant to the ongoing killing and starvation in Gaza.
Many scholars, lawyers, journalists and officials have defined the Government of Israel’s actions in Palestine as genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity. The Government of Israel and its allies refute these claims, but often do so on the grounds of antisemitism or ulterior motive rather than any objective truth about events themselves. At the same time, many activists use these concepts without a comprehensive understanding of their theoretical implications.
