#1172 Omer Bartov: Is/Was There a Genocide in Gaza?

Nov 6, 2025

Omer Bartov, Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University, delves into the controversial topic of whether the situation in Gaza amounts to genocide. He discusses the legal definition of genocide and differentiates it from ethnic cleansing. Bartov explains how intent can be proven through evidence and highlights missed opportunities for ceasefire. He advocates for a political solution involving collaboration with Palestinian civilians and critiques the feasibility of a two-state solution, emphasizing the importance of accountability.

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INSIGHT

Genocide Centers On Intent

Genocide is legally defined by intent to destroy a protected group, not just mass killing.
The Genocide Convention targets crimes against groups, making intent the central legal element.

INSIGHT

Ethnic Cleansing Vs. Genocide

Ethnic cleansing lacks a fixed legal definition and is usually prosecuted as forcible displacement.
Ethnic cleansing can be a pathway to genocide when removal becomes impossible and leads to mass murder.

INSIGHT

Proving Genocidal Intent

Intent can be shown by explicit statements or by consistent patterns of operations that point to destruction.
The ICJ accepts pattern-based evidence when no reasonable alternative explanation fits the actions.

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Dr. Omer Bartov is Dean’s Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Brown University. Dr. Bartov's early research concerned the Nazi indoctrination of the Wehrmacht and the crimes it committed in World War II, analyzed in his books, The Eastern Front, 1941-1945, and Hitler's Army. He then turned to the links between total war and genocide, discussed in his books Murder in Our Midst, Mirrors of Destruction, and Germany's War and the Holocaust.

In this episode, we talk about the genocide in Gaza. We start by discussing how the concept of genocide was created, how it differs from the concept of ethnic cleansing, and how to prove intent. We then go through the main sources of evidence to claim that there is/was a genocide in Gaza. We debunk arguments and claims made by the Israeli government, Israeli spokespeople, and political pundits. We discuss how the Israeli government should have responded to October 7th, the current ceasefire, and whether the genocide is still ongoing. Finally, we talk about the state of Palestine, and whether a two-state solution is still possible.

A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, HEDIN BRØNNER, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE, SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, VALENTIN STEINMANN, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航豊川, TONY BARRETT, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, TED FARRIS, HUGO B., JAMES, JORDAN MANSFIELD, CHARLOTTE ALLEN, PETER STOYKO, DAVID TONNER, LEE BECK, PATRICK DALTON-HOLMES, NICK KRASNEY, RACHEL ZAK, DENNIS XAVIER, CHINMAYA BHAT, AND RHYS!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, NICK GOLDEN, CHRISTINE GLASS, IGOR NIKIFOROVSKI, AND PER KRAULIS!

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