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18 September 2024<\/p>\n
Over 50 days since the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered its historic<\/em>\u00a0Advisory Opinion<\/em><\/a>, declaring that Israel\u2019s occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful, UN experts* are warning that the edifice of international law stands upon a knife\u2019s edge, with most States failing to take meaningful steps 51ÁÔÆæ their international obligations reaffirmed in the ruling. Offering specific action points for States that would ensure compliance with the ICJ Opinion and international law, a group of experts issued the following statement:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOver 50 days have passed since the International Court of Justice issued a landmark Advisory Opinion. The ICJ declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, encompassing the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, as unlawful under international law and emphasised that Israel\u2019s actions amount to annexation. The Opinion noted that Israel\u2019s actions include forcible transfer, racial discrimination and segregation or apartheid, and a violation of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Particularly alarming is the impact of these violations on generations of Palestinian children, and the disproportionate effects on women, persons with disabilities, and older persons.<\/p>\n The Court has reaffirmed that the realisation of self-determination cannot be left to bilateral negotiations among two unequal and asymmetrical parties \u2013 the occupier and the occupied. It called for Israel to immediately cease its illegal settlement activities and withdraw from these areas as swiftly as possible. More importantly, the Court provided unequivocal directions concerning the responsibilities of States and international organisations, with regard to Israel\u2019s unlawful occupation.<\/p>\n Despite these adamant directions, States remain paralysed in the face of the seismic shift represented by the Court\u2019s ruling and appear unwilling or unable to take the necessary steps to meet their obligations.<\/p>\n Devastating attacks on Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory show that by continuing to turn a blind eye to the horrific plight of the Palestinian people, the international community is furthering genocidal violence. Gaza remains under siege and intense bombardment, with homes, schools, hospitals and densely populated displacement camps sheltering thousands, routinely attacked. The extent of the resulting environmental destruction and contamination in Gaza are still to be fully assessed. The scale of destruction of Palestinian landscape and urban fabric, including schools and universities, hospitals, the violations of housing, land and property, the pollution and degradation of the environment, and exploitation of natural resources, is extreme in Gaza and spreading across the rest of the occupied territory, prompting allegations of\u00a0domicide<\/a><\/em>, urbicide,\u00a0scholasticide<\/a><\/em>, medicide, cultural genocide and, more recently, ecocide. Extreme violence and intimidation against Palestinians in the West Bank, and military assaults against the cities of Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem Tubas, and in rural areas, where Palestinians practise pastoralism, are all escalating.<\/p>\n States must act now. They must listen to voices calling on them to take action to stop Israel\u2019s attacks against the Palestinians and end its unlawful occupation. All States have a legal obligation 51ÁÔÆæ the ICJ\u2019s ruling and must promote adherence to norms that protect civilians. Therefore, States should:<\/p>\n Decisive action is needed. Facing irresponsible inaction by most governments, it is now incumbent upon civil society organisations and National Human Rights Institutions to mobilise and call on their states 51ÁÔÆæ the ICJ\u2019s landmark Advisory Opinion. It is time to knock on the doors of every political leader and responsible official ministry across the world to bring an end to Israel\u2019s illegal occupation, apartheid, oppression of, and onslaught against the Palestinian people, and ultimately ensure truth, justice and accountability. We owe this especially to women and children, who have been disproportionately affected by the current catastrophe.<\/p>\n Failure to act now jeopardises the entire edifice of international law and rule of law in world affairs.<\/p>\n The world stands upon the edge of a knife: Either we travel collectively towards a future of just peace and lawfulness \u2013 or hurtle towards anarchy and dystopia, and a world where might makes right.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n *The experts:\u00a0Francesca Albanese,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Balakrishnan Rajagopal<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Tlaleng Mofokeng<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Farida Shaheed<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right to education<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0George Katrougalos<\/strong>,\u00a0Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0Nicolas Levrat<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Cecilia M Bailliet<\/strong>,\u00a0Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity<\/a><\/em>; Irene Khan,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression<\/a><\/em>; Gina Romero<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association;<\/a><\/em>\u00a0Tomoya Obokata<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Alexandra Xanthaki<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights<\/a><\/em>,\u00a0Heba Hagrass,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities<\/a><\/em>; Ashwini K.P<\/strong>.\u00a0Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Olivier De Schutter<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Pedro Arrojo Agudo<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Paula Gaviria Betancur<\/strong>,\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons<\/a><\/em>; Michael Fakhri,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the right to food<\/a><\/em>; Reem Alsalem,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Marcos A. Orellana,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes,<\/a><\/em>\u00a0Richard Bennett,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan,<\/a><\/em>\u00a0Barbara G. Reynolds (Chair), Bina D\u2019Costa, Dominique Day<\/strong>,\u00a0Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent;<\/a><\/em>\u00a0Mary Lawlor,<\/strong>\u00a0Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders;<\/a><\/em>\u00a0Ms. Fernanda Hopenhaym (Chairperson), Ms. Pichamon Yeophantong, Mr. Damilola Olawuyi, Mr. Robert McCorquodale and Ms. Lyra Jakulevi\u010dien\u0117,<\/strong>\u00a0Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises<\/a><\/em>;\u00a0Laura Nyirinkindi (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krsti\u0107, and Haina Lu,<\/strong>\u00a0Working group on discrimination against women and girls<\/a>;\u00a0Genevi\u00e8ve Savigny, chair-rapporteur, Carlos Duarte, Uche Ewelukwa, Shalmali Guttal, Davit Hakobyan,<\/strong>\u00a0Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n