Israel’s Assault On The Foundations Of International Law Must Have Consequences: UN Experts

 GENEVA (30 December 2024) – Israel must face the consequences of its campaign to undermine the legal framework for the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, a group of independent human rights experts* said today, as the full-scale armed assault on Gaza and forced displacement of its population continues unabated.

“As we have repeatedly reminded Israel, international humanitarian law comprises a set of universal and binding rules to protect civilian objects and persons who are not, or are no longer, directly participating in hostilities and limits permissible means and methods of warfare,” the experts said.

“Rather than abide by these rules, Israel has openly defied international law time and again, inflicting maximum suffering on civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory and beyond.”

Citing Israel’s most egregious violations, the experts highlighted crimes against humanity including murder, torture, sexual violence, and repeated forced displacementamounting to forcible transfer, war crimes encompassing indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian objects, including objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population and educational institutions and cultural heritage, the use of starvation as a weapon of war, the targeting of healthcare workers and health facilities, attacks on humanitarian workers, arbitrary restrictions on access to humanitarian aid, and attacks on journalists, collective punishment and perfidy.

“Political and judicial actors must consider the totality of such acts against the entire civilian population under Israeli occupation, who are protected persons and do not constitute military objectives under international law,” the experts said. “Acts aimed at their destruction in whole or in part are genocidal.”

The experts were particularly alarmed over events in northern Gaza, where they said Israel had grievously violated its obligations as an Occupying Power.

“Indiscriminate attacks, including on shelters for displaced persons and the Kamal Adwan Hospital and its vicinity, and the intensification of siege conditions on northern Gaza for the last three months run contrary to Israel’s legal duty to ensure the protection of the civilian population,” the experts said. “We are disturbed that this siege, coupled with expanding evacuation orders, appears intended to permanently displace the local population as a precursor to Gaza’s annexation in further violation of international law.”

“The International Court of Justice has recognised the unlawfulness of and made clear that Israel must unconditionally end its ongoing presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and imposed binding provisional measures on Israel to prevent the commission of genocide in Gaza, while Israel’s Prime Minister and former Minister of Defence arewanted by the International Criminal Court,” the experts said. “Nonetheless, Israel continues to face no real consequences, largely due to protection offered by its allies, who have gone so far as to join Israel in delegitimising international institutions and besmirching Special Procedures mandate-holders.”

The experts reiterated the urgency of allowing independent and thorough investigations of serious violations of international law.

“Israel’s continued impunity sends a dangerous message suggesting that parties to other conflicts around the world need not comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law,” they said. “We cannot afford to lose the force of the multilateral system. Israel and its leaders must be held accountable.”

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