Abby Martin on Whether Israel Is “Done” (& much more!)

The video transcript features an interview with a journalist discussing the ongoing blockade of Gaza and the courageous efforts of humanitarian missions attempting to break it. The discussion highlights a recent flotilla incident where drones attacked a ship, nearly sinking it, an act met with a lack of condemnation from global leaders. This new flotilla, emphasizing transparency, is also facing psychological warfare through hovering drones, drawing parallels to earlier attacks and threats.

A significant portion of the interview focuses on the dire situation of Palestinian journalists. Over 120 journalists have been deliberately killed, often along with their families, in what is described as targeted assassinations and a horrific crime against humanity, violating international conventions. The speaker emphasizes the immense debt owed to these journalists for their bravery in documenting war crimes and countering a massive Israeli effort to control the narrative, stating that without them, the world would know even less about the atrocities.

The conversation then delves into the long-standing plight of Gaza, predating recent events, referencing a film about the "Great March of Return." This peaceful, nonviolent demonstration aimed to draw attention to the refugee crisis and the artificial border fence. The speaker recounts the "methodical slaughter by snipers" targeting individuals in the leg, chest, and head, including children, medics, disabled people, and journalists. This systematic violence, the speaker argues, created the conditions that led to the events of October 7th, as attempts at peaceful revolution were met with deadly force, highlighting the brutal reality of an occupying force denying basic human dignity and rights.

• A new flotilla is attempting to break the brutal blockade and medieval siege on Gaza, following a previous attempt that was attacked by drones.
• Over 120 Palestinian journalists have been deliberately murdered, often with their families, in targeted assassinations that violate international conventions.
• The "Great March of Return" involved peaceful, nonviolent demonstrations where protestors were allegedly targeted and killed by snipers.
• The speaker argues that the systematic denial of basic human rights and the violent suppression of peaceful attempts at revolution created the conditions for escalating conflict.
• A new documentary, "Earth's Greatest Enemy," will explore the extensive environmental impact of US military pollution.

Related Video Summary

• Israel’s Gaza City offensive forces families into tents by the sea with little food or shelter
• Israeli strikes on Gaza continue as ceasefire negotiators head to Egypt
• Protesters block troops entering Gaza: 'Allow the flotilla to pass'
• Israel Detains 440+ Global Flotilla Activists; Italian Unions Strike in Protest

The Gaza Freedom Flotilla and International Condemnation [1:33]

• A new Gaza Freedom Flotilla, part of a coalition of international humanitarians and global activists, is attempting to break the 15-year blockade and siege on Gaza.
• Only a couple of boats had successfully made it through in the early stages of these efforts.
• In 2010, Israeli commandos attacked a previous flotilla in international waters, resulting in the deaths of 10 activists.
• A confidential attempt one month prior by approximately 30 activists to sail to Gaza was sabotaged.
• An Israeli C130 plane launched quadcopter drones that bombed the generator of the ship, aiming to sink it.
• This was described as a horrific international terrorist attack that received no condemnation from European or Western leaders.
• The new flotilla is proceeding with full transparency to make it more difficult for sabotage.
• The ship carries supplies such as prosthetics, baby arms, rice, flour, baby formula, and medicine.
• Notable individuals on board include a doctor, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and a member of the EU parliament.
• Drones have been hovering above the flotilla nightly, engaging in psychological warfare.
• Threats against the activists' lives have been made by politicians.
• The speaker expresses bafflement at the global response to what is described as a year and a half of "disgusting and in-your-face genocide."

The recent flotilla's attempt to break the Gaza blockade is highlighted, alongside the lack of international condemnation for an attack on a previous humanitarian mission. The current flotilla is operating with increased transparency and is facing ongoing psychological warfare from hovering drones.

"It's unbelievable. And there's been drones hovering above them nightly to terrorize them psychologically."

The Deliberate Murder of Palestinian Journalists [4:36]

• The mass murder of Palestinian journalists and media workers is described as an unmatched historical tragedy and crime.
• Over 120 Palestinian journalists have been killed during the ongoing conflict.
• There are reports of deliberate executions of Palestinian journalists and their entire families on a weekly basis.
• These are characterized as targeted assassinations and a horrific crime against humanity.
• Targeting a journalist wearing a press jacket is an obvious violation of the Geneva Conventions, even in an active war.
• The current situation is seen as Israel using the "genocide as a cover to take out all the dissident and all the journalists."
• This has resulted in less coverage coming out of Gaza, as many journalists previously followed have been killed.
• Hasssan Shabbat is mentioned as a journalist who survived an assassination attempt but was later killed in the hospital.
• Friends of the speaker have been displaced multiple times, and one videographer has had five brothers and his father murdered.
• The survivor's guilt experienced by Palestinians who escape is profound.
• A 22-year-old who had never left Gaza is now in Ireland, separated from his family, after narrowly escaping.
• The speaker states that the world owes Palestinian journalists everything for their courage in documenting crimes.
• Billions of dollars are invested by Israel to control the narrative, and without these journalists, a fraction of the crimes would not be known.
• Western journalists who amplify Pentagon narratives are called "stenographers" and are complicit in genocide.

The interview emphasizes the deliberate targeting and murder of Palestinian journalists, framing it as a systematic effort to silence dissent and cover up atrocities. The immense bravery of these journalists in documenting war crimes is underscored, with a profound debt of gratitude expressed for their work.

"The deliberate mass murder of Palestinian journalists and media workers. It's been over 120 throughout the course of the genocide."

The Great March of Return and the Normalization of Violence [7:30]

• The speaker spent time in Gaza prior to October 7th, although Israel banned their entry, requiring work with photojournalists.
• Israel is accused of controlling access for journalists, not Hamas.
• The film "The Great March of Return" documented war crimes through the efforts of courageous videographers and journalists.
• This movement was a completely unprecedented, nonviolent, and peaceful mobilization.
• The march aimed to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians as refugees and their desire to return to ancestral lands.
• Protestors set up encampments at the artificial border fence.
• Israel has established a perimeter zone with the right to shoot to kill.
• The Great March of Return saw a "methodical slaughter by snipers" targeting hundreds of people and injuring thousands.
• Snipers are described as cowardly, perched behind sand dunes.
• People were directly targeted in the leg, chest, and head, with direct kill shots from 300 meters away.
• Victims included children, medics, disabled people, and journalists.
• The speaker questions the lack of awareness, stating that those who peacefully advocated for their cause were "slaughtered."
• A quote suggests that when peaceful revolution is made impossible, violent revolution becomes inevitable.
• The conditions leading to October 7th are described as a "tinderbox" due to the treatment of people like animals, deprivation of water and electricity, and lack of mobility.
• The UN warned in 2020 that Gaza was becoming unlivable due to a lack of clean water, with diseases stemming from this issue.
• Israel is accused of bombing the only water desalination plant.
• The arrogance of an occupying force thinking they can cage people and deny them dignity and rights is criticized.
• The slaughter of peaceful mobilization attempts is seen as a predictable outcome.
• The speaker notes that while these events were shocking at the time, they have now been normalized, with no news reports on the shooting of children.
• During the Great Return, 220 people were killed.
• The rampant slaughter has become a backdrop due to the news cycle and algorithms.
• Intentional starvation of babies and mass extermination are ongoing issues.
• The normalization of horrific war crimes is compared to propaganda used during the Gulf War.
• The constant bloodshed, especially of babies, is a terrifying prospect.

The "Great March of Return" is described as a peaceful demonstration met with brutal sniper fire, resulting in widespread casualties among civilians, including children and medics. The speaker argues that this violent suppression of peaceful protest, coupled with the denial of basic human rights and resources, created the conditions for the October 7th events and has led to a disturbing normalization of violence.

"Well, it's very clear to anyone who was paying attention. Whatever precipitated October 7th, it was a tinder box."

The Collapse of Israel and Shifting Global Perceptions [13:00]

• Politicians are accused of gaslighting and normalizing the situation, while Israeli politicians openly express genocidal intent.
• A realization has emerged that many people are excusing the actions, and unlike Nazi Germany, "you cannot say that you did not know."
• Signs of Israel's potential collapse are discussed, including a large percentage of IDF reserves not showing up.
• Hundreds of thousands of businesses have gone bankrupt since October 7th.
• Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing Israel for countries where they hold dual citizenship.
• The trope of calling criticism of the state anti-Semitism is seen as "played out" and no longer holding water.
• There is hope that the worsening situation for Israel could lead to larger-scale changes.
• It is argued that Israel will never regain the political capital it had after October 7th and must "go full genocidal."
• This is seen as their only chance to complete the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and recolonize it.
• The presence of a "virulent ardent Zionist" as US president at this time is noted as a "green light" for Israel's actions.
• However, Israel will never be viewed the same way again.
• Even before October 7th, human rights organizations like Amnesty International and B'Tselem declared Israel an apartheid state, a crime against humanity.
• The speaker criticizes the "Jim Crow style governing" with second-class citizens and a military dictatorship.
• Proper apartheid within '48 and the illegal military dictatorship are highlighted.
• The International Court of Justice ruling, the International Criminal Court directive, and the opinions of Israeli historians and genocide scholars all confirm that Israel is an apartheid state committing genocide.
• Polling across America, particularly among American Jews and Democrats, shows dramatic shifts in views, with increased sympathy for Hamas and a growing number not supporting Israel.
• Young Jews are seen as less likely to be swayed by "birthright canard" to normalize the occupation.
• The situation is described as revealing both the lack of and the strength of humanity.
• International solidarity activists are realizing the interconnectedness of struggles, including immigration, ICE raids, police brutality, the Gaza genocide, and foreign policy in places like Yemen.
• The speaker is happy that "gleeful fascists" and unapologetic Zionists have been revealed, exposing "liberal Zionism" as a "farce."
• This manipulative tactic, used to prey on well-intentioned anti-racists, will no longer be effective.
• People who care about human rights will no longer be put on the defense.
• Genocidal maniacs and their Zionist defenders will be excluded from progressive spaces and must apologize for their racism and bigotry.
• The academic and cultural boycott is deemed a necessity, as Israeli society is described as having "gone full bore genocidal maniacs."
• Polling indicates that 50% of Israelis want to kill all Palestinians in Gaza, and 80% want to ethnically cleanse them.
• This is seen as a society "too far gone," necessitating intensified boycotts.
• The existence of millions of online trolls and AI bots employed by Israel to "correct the record" highlights the importance of these actions.
• Every act, no matter how small, makes a dent in changing the narrative and building momentum for apartheid's fall and the achievement of equal rights.

The interview discusses signs of Israel's weakening, including internal dissent and emigration, alongside shifting global perceptions. The persistent accusations of apartheid and genocide are reinforced by international legal rulings and growing public opinion against the state. The speaker advocates for academic and cultural boycotts as a crucial tool to dismantle apartheid, emphasizing that even small actions contribute to changing the narrative and achieving equality.

"It's totally over. I mean, this the sad thing about it is that they will continue. I mean, they will never have that sort of political capital again that they had in October 7th."

US Military Pollution: Earth's Greatest Enemy Documentary [18:37]

• The speaker's new documentary film is titled "Earth's Greatest Enemy."
• The film tackles the "enormity of the topic of US military pollution."
• The project took four years to make.
• It began as an exploration of climate emissions, noting that the US military does not count its climate emissions.
• The US military is identified as the largest polluting force on Earth, purchasing approximately 260,000 barrels of oil daily.
• This statistic is just the "tip of the iceberg," with military pollution being a much larger issue encompassing arsenals, chemicals dumped into the ground, and accumulated toxic waste.
• Specific pollutants mentioned include PFAS and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• The film references the fuel consumption of Pegasus aircraft, stating that one flight mission of these "mobile gas stations" would take an average American driver 120 years to match.
• No other country possesses such military assets or holds the world hostage with nuclear threats from over a thousand military bases.
• The "cost of empire" is described as extreme and cataclysmic for the environment.
• The documentary documents and speaks with indigenous people in places like Okinawa, Guam, and Alaska whose homes are used as "sacrifice zones" for war preparation.
• The film is intended as a tool to bridge the environmental movement with the anti-militarist movement.
• It argues that climate change cannot be defeated without addressing the "elephant in the room": not just the US military, but the entire structure of imperialism stemming from global capitalism.
• The documentary will be released this year and will embark on a tour.

The documentary "Earth's Greatest Enemy" explores the vast and largely uncounted environmental impact of the US military, identifying it as the largest polluting force on Earth. The film highlights the destructive nature of military operations, the waste generated, and the disproportionate effect on indigenous communities, arguing that environmentalism must be linked to anti-militarism and the dismantling of imperialism.

"The cost of empire is really extreme and cataclysmic for the environment."