By Charlotte Webster-
A UN commission has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a stunning development that marks the first time a United Nations body has publicly levelled this charge. The explosive UN commission genocide claim is detailed in a new report, which states there is “an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza.” The commission concluded that Israel’s actions fulfil four of the five criteria for genocide under the Genocide Convention. This definitive judgment is likely to be met with fury by the Israeli government.
Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion. Pic: Reuters
The Findings of a Landmark UN Commission Genocide Claim
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory has been investigating Israel’s conduct since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. It alleges Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined in the Genocide Convention. The report claims Israeli forces are killing Palestinians, causing them serious harm through torture and displacement, deliberately inflicting inhumane conditions, and imposing measures to prevent births. The final claim is linked to an attack on the Al-Basma IVF clinic, which the commission says destroyed thousands of embryos and sperm samples. The report also alleges that Israeli forces have deliberately targeted children. Navi Pillay, chair of the commission, stated, “The responsibility for these atrocity crimes lies with the Israeli authorities at the highest echelons.” The report specifically concludes that President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant have incited the commission of genocide.
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Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Pic: AP
Israel’s Foreign Ministry strongly rejected the report, calling it “distorted and false.” The ministry also labelled the commission’s members “Hamas proxies” who rely on “Hamas falsehoods.” For additional context on the legal proceedings, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant last year, alleging war crimes. This landmark report from the UN commission, however, represents a more definitive finding. The commission has called on nations to stop supplying Israel with weapons and says states have a “legal obligation” to do everything to “stop the genocide in Gaza.”
A Widening International Divide
The UN’s finding adds to a growing international divide. Last year, the International Association of Genocide Scholars also passed a resolution declaring that Israel’s conduct met the threshold for genocide. On the other hand, a British government report said it had “not concluded” that Israel intended to destroy the Palestinian people. The US and Israel have long claimed the UN is biased against Israel. The report’s findings will certainly not be accepted by Israel or its allies. A senior Israeli military leader told me, “It is a pure, total lie—there is enough food for everyone.” He also claimed that the UN relied on faulty data and Hamas propaganda.
For more information on the UN commission’s findings, you can watch this video: Israel’s actions in Gaza meet legal definition of genocide, scholars group says.
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