Decoding the Controversial Demolition of Monuments in Gaza
Examining the Complex Narratives Surrounding the IDF's Actions and the Legal, Ethical, and Military Implications
The MV Marmara Martyrs monument (31.523769, 34.432540) was erected as a memorial to the 10 IHH workers who were killed during the Gaza Flotilla Raid of 2010. A panorama of the monument is available here.
Israel Destroyed the monument during Operation Swords of Iron on November 16th, 2023, most likely with an earthmover.
However, the reason for the destruction of the monument may not be as straightforward as it seems.
International law allows for the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including monuments, when needed to accomplish a specific military objective.
A case like this might be destroying tall towers so they cannot be used as sighting points for artillery or mortars (also known as “shift from a known point”).
However, based on satellite data, it appears that the towers of the Al Hussain Mosque (31.523054, 34.432955) did not have both of its minarets destroyed. This leads me to believe that Israel has not been intentionally destroying tall structures that could be used to sight artillery.
So the Mavi Marmara Martyrs Monument was destroyed for some other reason.
The reason may lead all the way back to 1996 and the Cave of the Patriarchs Massacre. On February 25th, 1994, an Israeli-American Doctor named Baruch Goldstein walked into a makeshift mosque in the West Bank and murdered 29 muslims.
His grave was turned into a shrine by ultra-religious Jewish extremists.
In 1998, Israel passed a law preventing the construction of shrines to Terrorists.
Goldstein fit that definition and the monument was destroyed.
So the destruction of monuments in Gaza and subsequently the West Bank may not be occurring for any tactical reason, nor out of spite. The destruction of Palestinian monuments may come from a quirk of Israeli law that is now being enforced for rigorously - ironically one that was implemented due the actions of a Jewish Israeli.
NOTE: A viewer pointed out that The Oslo Accords created 3 areas within the Occupied Territories. Area A is solely under Palestinian National Authority (PNA) jurisdiction, area B is under joint jurisdiction and Area C is solely under the jurisdiction of Israel. Therefore the enforcement of the 5758-1998 monuments law is limited to Israeli territory, and areas B and C of the Occupied Territories. In Area A, including Gaza, the PNA law applies.
So Israel may be enforcing a law that it has no right to technically enforce.
The full video on the Israeli response to the 2010 Gaza Flotilla can be found here.
All of the associated Power Points, Satellite images and PDFs can be downloaded below for paid subscribers.