UN Commission Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza, Calls for Global Action/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A UN commission says Israel committed genocide in Gaza, citing four acts under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The report holds Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, responsible for atrocity crimes during the nearly two-year war. Israel rejects the findings as “distorted and false,” while global calls for accountability intensify.
Quick Look: UN Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza
- A UN inquiry led by Navi Pillay concludes Israel has committed four of five genocidal acts in Gaza under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
- The report names Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders as responsible for “atrocity crimes.”
- Israel rejects the findings as “distorted and false,” while the ICJ genocide case against Israel gains momentum.
Tags (one line): Israel genocide accusations, Gaza war, UN Human Rights Council, International Criminal Court, Navi Pillay, Benjamin Netanyahu, ICJ genocide case, human rights violations
UN Commission Accuses Israel of Genocide in Gaza, Calls for Global Action
Deep Look
GENEVA (AP) — A United Nations commission of inquiry has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, urging the international community to take immediate steps to halt the violence and hold Israeli leaders accountable.
The report, issued Tuesday by a three-member team led by former U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay, the commission said Israel had committed four of the five “genocidal acts” defined under an international convention adopted in 1948 known colloquially as the “Genocide Convention,” three years after the end of World War II and the Holocaust.
“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” said Pillay, the commission chair. “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”
Pillay said “responsibility for the atrocity crimes lies with Israeli authorities at the highest echelons” over the nearly two-year war.
Her commission concluded that Netanyahu, as well as Israeli President Isaac Herzog and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, had incited the commission of genocide. It hasn’t assessed whether other Israeli leaders had done so too.
Chris Sidoti, one of the commission’s three members, said he hoped that the report would reach people in Israel, insisting they had been “betrayed” by the government in its “abject refusal” to take action to rescue Israeli hostages after 1,200 people were killed on Oct. 7 two years ago, and its “genocidal war” that has jeopardized Israel’s security.
“We cannot understand how traumatic the 7th of October was for the people of Israel,” he told reporters. “The trauma and their suffering has been ruthlessly manipulated by Netanyahu and his cronies for the last two years — and it’s time that it stopped. And it’s time that those who are responsible for this were held accountable.”
Key Findings of the UN Report
- The commission concluded Israel is responsible for genocidal acts in Gaza, including mass killings, causing serious harm, and conditions leading to widespread destruction.
- Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, were cited as inciting or enabling genocide.
- The inquiry pointed to the high civilian death toll, the blockade of aid causing starvation, and the targeting of Gaza’s healthcare system as evidence.
- The report urged countries to stop weapons transfers to Israel and block any support that could contribute to genocide.
Background on the Commission
- Established four years ago by the U.N. Human Rights Council, the inquiry has repeatedly documented alleged abuses since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that killed 1,200 people in Israel.
- Chair Navi Pillay, who previously served on the Rwanda genocide tribunal, said the report represents the final findings of her team before stepping down in July.
- Although the commission itself cannot enforce penalties, its conclusions may influence cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Israel’s Response
- Israel has rejected all genocide allegations, calling them an antisemitic “blood libel.”
- The Foreign Ministry accused the commissioners of acting as “Hamas proxies” and dismissed the findings as fake.
- The accusations are especially sensitive for Israel, a nation founded after the Holocaust, where collective memory of genocide shapes national identity.
Global Reactions and Legal Ramifications
- Volker Türk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, has condemned Israel’s actions but has stopped short of labeling them genocide.
- The ICJ is already hearing a genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel, with Spain, Mexico, and Libya joining the legal challenge.
- Critics argue that waiting for court rulings could take years, while thousands of civilians continue to die in Gaza.
Voices from the Commission
Pillay stated: “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.”
Fellow commissioner Chris Sidoti added that Israelis themselves had been “betrayed” by leaders who manipulated the trauma of Oct. 7 for political gain.
Why This Matters
- The report intensifies global pressure on Israel amid a war that has already killed tens of thousands.
- It also raises the stakes for international courts, potentially paving the way for criminal accountability of Israeli leaders.
- The findings fuel a broader debate over the role of international law in active conflicts and the responsibility of states supplying military aid.
Commission calls on countries to act
The commission urged other countries to halt weapons transfers to Israel and block individuals or companies from actions that could contribute to genocide in Gaza.
“The international community cannot stay silent on the genocidal campaign launched by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” said Pillay, who is a South African jurist. “When clear signs and evidence of genocide emerge, the absence of action to stop it amounts to complicity.”
The current U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, has decried Israel’s conduct of the war in Gaza and spoken out forcefully against alleged crimes, but has not accused Israel of carrying out genocide.
His office, alluding to international law, has argued that only an international court can make a final, formal determination of genocide. Critics counter this could take years and insist that thousands of people, many of them civilians, are being systematically killed in Gaza in the meantime.
The International Court of Justice is hearing a genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel. Other countries, including Spain, Mexico and Libya, have asked the U.N. court to join the case.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.