The course of the events taking place in Palestine and on its people is the antitheses of law and freedom. Each and every ‘inalienable’ human right is being violated in Palestine on an hourly basis, minute by minute. They are indeed a plethora of horrific events ravaging Palestine. Perhaps the most tragic, however, is genocide, which is underway right now in Gaza. Genocide is unfolding under the watch of everyone on this planet, with world leaders unwilling to demand an end to it, as well as demonstrating a weak commitment to international law and a rules based international order by failing to call it what it is: Genocide. On the contrary, many actors continue to tout familiar facile comments related to the ‘right to self-defence’ and the importance of adhering to international law, yet the failure making everyone in the international community to hold Israel accountable to internationally established values and laws; it is a shameful mark, we will never forget.
In the midst of prevailing statements that turn a blind eye to the mass killings and genocide, the targeting of civilians, the use of chemical weapons in densely populated civilian areas, one might wonder: where does international law and international humanitarian law stand on all this? Was not this law a binding slogan that every nation and government promised to abide by in order to maintain global peace and security? Where are human rights and the value of human beings? Have all these values and principles vanished for the sake of pleasing the Israeli State, a State which has been proven to be the orchestrator of a state of apartheid?
The occupying power, Israel, has not only found itself entangled in several shady affairs, but has also boldly contravened– literally – every line in the book of international law, not only since 7 October, but decades before that. The blatant violations of international law have exceeded all limits and have gone beyond imagination. Let us have a look on some of the violations the occupying power, Israel, has been committing recently:
Bombing residential facilities and schools – a clear violation of international law (more than 443 thousand housing units were destroyed making 54 per cent of Gaza housing units either destroyed or damaged by Israeli attacks, in addition to 22 schools which were either fully or partially destroyed).
Bombing medical facilities – including the destruction and damage of more than 107 hospital, clinics and medical centres, in addition to the destruction of 25 ambulances.
Intentionally targeting medical and UN staff –Israeli attacks left 66 doctors and paramedics killed, and injured more than 110, in addition to 35 UN staff.
The unprecedented Israeli bombardment intentionally targeted journalists with the aim of silencing the truth– making the number of journalists killed 32.
The soaring death toll exceeded 8,700 Palestinians, that includes purposefully killing children, women, and the elderly and – (62 per cent of the causalities) bringing the current numbers to: more than 3,718 children, 1,929 women 1,200 elderly killed while, by the time this is published, the numbers will surely be higher.
Cutting off water, electricity, medical supplies and communications – collective punishment that constitutes a war crime by international law.
Displacing citizens from their homes and lands (more than one million 400 thousand civilians forced to leave their homes).
The unabated attacks and bombardment have clear signs of the use of internationally prohibited weapons such as white phosphorous, not to mention the horrendous amount of explosives dropped on Gaza (12 thousand tons of explosives, equal to the power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima).
In this context, Israel is an occupying power, yet is clearly violating International Humanitarian Law, as represented in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, particularly, the Fourth Geneva Convention, regarding the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. And, assuming that this is a war as promoted by Israel, then even war has rules under International Humanitarian Law. Israel must spare the lives of civilians, journalists, medical persons and related infrastructures, including; residential areas, hospitals, churches, mosques, schools and UN grounds. Nonetheless, provision of vital supplies like water, food and medicine remain a priority. Israel should stop the destruction of civilian infrastructure, forced displacement and collective punishments.
Source : MEMO
