War crimes don’t always happen in a dramatic fashion. Values are worn down, step by step and what was once unthinkable becomes routine. Amira Haas describes ethnic cleansing in Palestine.
“The fears and suspicions, as usual, came true - and very quickly. Hiding behind security rationales and the seemingly neutral bureaucratic language of military orders is the gateway for expulsion. Not massive expulsion, heaven forbid, not on trucks, and not far. Drop by drop, unseen, not so many that it would be noticed internationally and shock public opinion; with the proper measure so the Israelis can continue saying it’s justified for security reasons, with the appropriate modesty in the media so the information doesn’t reach the consciousness of even those who are dealing with the details of a permanent agreement, with their love of peace, while a wave of anti-Semitism sweeps the world.”
