Soumaya Ghannoushi, a British-Tunisian writer and expert in Middle East politics, explains how Israel’s assault on Gaza is not just a war but a deliberate attempt to erase its history, culture, and identity.
Ghannoushi argues that what is unfolding is more than mass destruction; it is cultural genocide. More than 200 heritage sites have been obliterated, including ancient mosques, churches and archaeological landmarks that have stood for thousands of years.
“This is not collateral damage,” she adds, “but a calculated effort to erase the idea that Palestinians ever belonged to Gaza, or that Gaza even existed – to sever Gaza from its past so that its people’s claim to the future can be denied.”
She says this strategy follows the logic of conquest: invade, destroy and then declare the land empty. As Trump and Farage speak of turning Gaza into a blank slate for redevelopment, they echo the colonial mindset that has long justified the erasure of indigenous peoples.
Yet, as Ghannoushi reminds us, Gaza was ancient when Rome was young. It was thriving before London and Paris were even imagined. And despite relentless bombardment, despite attempts to silence its people and erase their heritage, Gaza endures. Palestinians today will not leave, because to do so would betray those who came before them.
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She concludes that Gaza is not ruins, and it is not nothing. It is human heritage – and the world must not allow its erasure.
Produced by: Middle East Eye
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