Israel’s Perversion of Humanitarianism as a Tool for Further Occupation and Genocide in Palestine

Description

In this podcast, students from the Geneva Graduate Institute examine humanitarianism in Palestine not through the concepts of “aid” or “compassion,” but as a system that can help stabilize and legitimize occupation, apartheid, and ongoing violence. The discussion draws on interviews with Sitara Jabin, the Strategic Communications Advisor for emergencies at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Olive, a Palestinian living in Europe. The episode moves beyond organizational narratives to explore how humanitarianism becomes entangled in political structures. Sitara highlights how even principled humanitarian actors like MSF face limits imposed by the occupying power, while Olive reveals how Palestinian suffering is often depoliticized and treated as a technical problem rather than a human-made one. Together, their insights challenge listeners to rethink the limits of humanitarianism, recognizing it as both life-sustaining and system-sustaining, and to understand why meaningful change requires linking humanitarian concerns to broader struggles for rights, justice, and de-occupation. By Ema Torcato, Maryjoy Maningas, Molly Ryan, and Shannon Smith Mint 265 - Human Rights and Humanitarianism through the Concepts - Julie Billaud, Neus Torbisco-Casals - December 2025