Four months into Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, one might have thought that American policymakers and commentators would have learned some lessons. Instead, their discussions about the conflict appear to remain trapped in the same tiresome and, at times, delusional framing that existed before the current fighting began. As a result, they frustratingly tie themselves in knots struggling to explain what’s happening and what’s to be done in the future. They refuse to step outside the constraints imposed by conventional wisdom and dare not venture beyond the accepted terms of what is defined as correct political discourse. Conditioned, in this manner, there are things that should be said that they will not say.

For example, despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel’s behaviors establish a plausible case for genocide, that word is verboten. When presented with the numbers of those killed, those facing starvation, and clear evidence of mass destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, policymakers and commentators shift the discussion to the crimes committed by Hamas on October 7th or blame the civilian deaths on Hamas’ use of “human shields.”

They also seek to absolve the U.S. from any responsibility for the deaths insisting that the president and his administration continue to urge the Israelis to take measures to avoid civilian casualties. They then ignore the fact that Israel pays no attention to our “urging” while they continue to resupply Israel’s deadly munitions and block international efforts at a ceasefire.

Equally frustrating is the U.S. insistence that it stands behind efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the desperate Palestinian population in Gaza, while at the same time refusing to hold Israel responsible for the fact that its cumbersome, duplicative inspection regime and continued bombing in the south of Gaza impedes delivery of supplies to those in need. Additionally, the recent US decision to withhold funds for UNWRA—the only agency with the capacity to deliver aid—makes a mockery of our commitment to providing humanitarian assistance. As obvious as these linkages may be, they may not be said.

In acceptable U.S. discourse Israel is never blamed. It’s all Hamas’ fault and the U.S. is doing everything it can to alleviate suffering. As for the decision to cut off UNWRA thereby punishing the entire Palestinian population for the alleged crimes of about 12 of the agencies thousands of staff, it is not allowed to refer to this as collective punishment.

After ignoring the reality that daily Israeli raids into West Bank Palestinian cities and towns have resulted in the murders of over 400 Palestinians and that 500 settler attacks on Palestinians in their homes, cars or fields have resulted in the deaths of eight and the destruction of thousands of olive trees, the U.S. decided to take action by sanctioning four settlers. This was heralded by the pundits as “unprecedented” and “dramatic,” but scoffed at by the settlers as a hollow gesture—which, in fact, it was. But that cannot be said.

What is not discussed are the root problems with the Israeli occupation (a term that Democrats have never allowed in the party’s platform), the ever-expanding settlement enterprise, the apartheid (another word that is not allowed) system that creates impunity for both settlers and the Israeli military. This self-censorship of terms that can be used is infuriating.

Equally troubling are discussions about the “day after” that is gaining........

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