There is a genocide going on, but it's NOT in Gaza

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I have a very good friend who I've known for decades, and he posted something on Instagram the other day that shocked me.

Apparently, there is an actual genocide happening in the world, not one that is fabricated for political reasons. The Druze, an ethnic and religious minority, are being systematically exterminated in Syria by the current regime.

You know the one that I'm talking about, right? The one that so many progressives hailed for getting rid of an admittedly terrible dictator, Bashir al Asaad.

The one filled with former members of ISIS, the terrorist group that President Barack Obama declared "declining in power." That one.

My shock came from the fact I hadn't heard anything about it. My social media feed fills up day after day with defamatory and antisemitic statements about the "ethnic cleansing" in Palestine, and as I write this, unemployed children are banging pots and pans outside of the Jewish Federation in Philadelphia to bring attention to the war in Gaza.

Only they don't call it a "war." They call it, as I suggested before, a "genocide." They do that a lot, and it's become their favorite word du jour, one they neither understand nor in some cases, can spell correctly.

What is happening in Gaza is the horrific collateral damage that comes when one combatant — in this case, the aggressors ofHamas — attack another combatant — in this case, Israel — and the aggressors refuse to raise the white flag.

It is the aggressors' fault that the flag is now a deep ruby red, stained with the blood of innocent Gazan children. But that is not a genocide.

That is not the result of ethnic cleansing, or of an attempt to erase every trace of a culture and tradition from the face of the scorched earth.

What is happening in Gaza is closer to what happened at Hiroshima than what happened in Rwanda and Bosnia, where, respectively, the Tutsis and the Muslims were annihilated.

Palestinians are not being murdered because they are Palestinians. They are being killed because their leaders want Israel to disappear into the sea.

Remember that phrase, which is probably printed as a children's rhyme in the Gazan Kindergarten readers, I have a very good friend who I've known for decades, and he posted something on Instagram the other day that shocked me.

Apparently, there is an actual genocide happening in the world, not one that is fabricated for political reasons. The Druze, an ethnic and religious minority, are being systematically exterminated in Syria by the current regime.

You know the one that I'm talking about, right? The one that so many progressives hailed for getting rid of an admittedly terrible dictator, Bashir al Asaad.

The one filled with former members of ISIS, the terrorist group that President Barack Obama declared "declining in power." That one.

My shock came from the fact I hadn't heard anything about it. My social media feed fills up day after day with defamatory and antisemitic statements about the "ethnic cleansing" in Palestine, and as I write this, unemployed children are banging pots and pans outside of the Jewish Federation in Philadelphia to bring attention to the war in Gaza.

Only they don't call it a "war." They call it, as I suggested before, a "genocide." They do that a lot, and it's become their favorite word du jour, one they neither understand nor in some cases, can spell correctly.

What is happening in Gaza is the horrific collateral damage that comes when one combatant — in this case, the aggressors ofHamas — attack another combatant — in this case, Israel — and the aggressors refuse to raise the white flag.

It is the aggressors' fault that the flag is now a deep ruby red, stained with the blood of innocent Gazan children. But that is not a genocide.

That is not the result of ethnic cleansing, or of an attempt to erase every trace of a culture and tradition from the face of the scorched earth.

What is happening in Gaza is closer to what happened at Hiroshima than what happened in Rwanda and Bosnia, where, respectively, the Tutsis and the Muslims were annihilated.

Palestinians are not being murdered because they are Palestinians. They are being killed because their leaders want Israel to disappear into the sea.

Remember that phrase, which is probably printed as a children's rhyme in the Gazan Kindergarten readers, "From the River to the Sea?"

That is the code for a genocide, not what is happening in Gaza today.

But if the Jew haters really want to see what a genocide looks like, never fear. It's happening in Syria.

Members of my friend's family were assassinated this past month, as the regime in Syria ramps up its attacks on the Druze. Many people are unfamiliar with what it means to be Druze.

According to the Pew Research Center, "The Druze are a unique religious and ethnic group. Their tradition dates back to the 11th century and incorporates elements of Islam, Hinduism and even classical Greek philosophy."

This is a proud, rich heritage. Unlike many who believe that all Druze are Muslim, they are not bound by religious affiliation since the ethnicity cuts across sectarian lines.

Many of the Druze in Israel are full Israeli citizens who have a great deal of loyalty and allegiance to the government.

I once dated an Israeli Arab, a Druze, who served in the Israeli army.

For that reason, I think I have my answer as to why there is silence from the usual suspects on the genocide.

Even Amal Alamuddin Clooney, an ethnic Druze, has not come out as of this writing with a definitive condemnation of the brutality in Syria. She had no problem signing on to an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, however.

She has been outspoken about human rights abuses against Afghan women and the Yasidi, even assisting Nadia Murad, a Yasidi survivor of genocide, in winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

But Amal has been virtually silent on the annihilation of her own people.

Again, I think I know why. It is popular to accuse Israel of genocide against Palestinians, because anti-Zionism is in many cases a cover for antisemitism. This is a story as old as time.

In fact, the Gen Zers and millennials banging their pots and pans at the Jewish Federation would be protesting outside of the Israeli Consulate if they really wanted to condemn a country. They do not.

They are attacking an entire group of people. That's not genocide, but it is ethnic intimidation.

Back to the Druze. We need the U.N. to come out and condemn what is happening to these poor people, on our watch.

We need Pope Leo to show the same righteous anger and outrage at the murder of Druze as he has for the plight of Gazan children.

We need President Trump to take some time away from fending off the Epstein wing of MAGA, and call out this horror.

And we need to stop misusing the word "genocide."

From the River to the Sea?"

That is the code for a genocide, not what is happening in Gaza today.

But if the Jew haters really want to see what a genocide looks like, never fear. It's happening in Syria.

Members of my friend's family were assassinated this past month, as the regime in Syria ramps up its attacks on the Druze. Many people are unfamiliar with what it means to be Druze.

According to the Pew Research Center, "The Druze are a unique religious and ethnic group. Their tradition dates back to the 11th century and incorporates elements of Islam, Hinduism and even classical Greek philosophy."

This is a proud, rich heritage. Unlike many who believe that all Druze are Muslim, they are not bound by religious affiliation since the ethnicity cuts across sectarian lines.

Many of the Druze in Israel are full Israeli citizens who have a great deal of loyalty and allegiance to the government.

I once dated an Israeli Arab, a Druze, who served in the Israeli army.

For that reason, I think I have my answer as to why there is silence from the usual suspects on the genocide.

Even Amal Alamuddin Clooney, an ethnic Druze, has not come out as of this writing with a definitive condemnation of the brutality in Syria. She had no problem signing on to an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, however.

She has been outspoken about human rights abuses against Afghan women and the Yasidi, even assisting Nadia Murad, a Yasidi survivor of genocide, in winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

But Amal has been virtually silent on the annihilation of her own people.

Again, I think I know why. It is popular to accuse Israel of genocide against Palestinians, because anti-Zionism is in many cases a cover for antisemitism. This is a story as old as time.

In fact, the Gen Zers and millennials banging their pots and pans at the Jewish Federation would be protesting outside of the Israeli Consulate if they really wanted to condemn a country. They do not.

They are attacking an entire group of people. That's not genocide, but it is ethnic intimidation.

Back to the Druze. We need the U.N. to come out and condemn what is happening to these poor people, on our watch.

We need Pope Leo to show the same righteous anger and outrage at the murder of Druze as he has for the plight of Gazan children.

We need President Trump to take some time away from fending off the Epstein wing of MAGA, and call out this horror.

And we need to stop misusing the word "genocide."

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Christine M. Flowers is a lawyer and columnist.