Russell
Tribunal finds evidence of incitement to genocide crimes against humanity in
Gaza
Read the full summary of findings at http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Summary-of-findings-1.pdf
September 25th 2014
Photo from https://www.facebook.com/russelltribunal
The Russell Tribunal on
Palestine's Emergency Session on Israel's Operation Protective Edge held
yesterday in Brussels has found evidence of war crimes, crimes against
humanity, crimes of murder, extermination and persecution and also incitement
to genocide.
The Jury [1] reported: 'The
cumulative effect of the long-standing regime of collective punishment in Gaza
appears to inflict conditions of life calculated to bring about the incremental
destruction of the Palestinians as a group in Gaza.'
'The Tribunal emphasises the
potential for a regime of persecution to become genocidal in effect, In light
of the clear escalation in the physical and rhetorical violence deployed in
respect of Gaza in the summer of 2014, the Tribunal emphasises the obligation
of all state parties to the 1948 Genocide Convention ‘to take such action under
the Charter of the United Nations as they consider appropriate for the
prevention and suppression of acts of genocide.’
The Jury heard evidence from
eyewitnesses to Israeli attacks during the Gaza war 2014 including journalists
Mohammed Omer, Max Blumenthal, David Sheen, Martin Lejeune, Eran Efrati and
Paul Mason, as well as surgeons Mads Gilbert, Mohammed Abou Arab, Genocide
Expert Paul Behrens, Col Desmond Travers and Ivan Karakashian, Head of Advocacy
and Defence for Children International.
In terms of the crime of
incitement to genocide, the tribunal received evidence 'demonstrating a
vitriolic upswing in racist rhetoric and incitement' during the summer of 2014.
'The evidence shows that such incitement manifested across many levels of
Israeli society, on both social and traditional media, from football fans,
police officers, media commentators, religious leaders, legislators, and
government ministers.'
The Tribunal also found evidence
of the following war crimes:
Willful killing
Extensive destruction of property
not justified by military necessity
Intentionally directing attacks
against a civilian population and civilian objects
Disproportionate use of force
Attacks against buildings
dedicated to religion and education
The use of Palestinians as human
shields
Employing weapons, projectiles,
and material and methods of warfare which are of a nature to cause superfluous
injury or unnecessary suffering which are inherently indiscriminate
The use of violence to spread
terror among the civilian population
The Tribunal further stated: 'It is recognised that in a situation where
patterns of crimes against humanity are perpetrated with impunity, and where
direct and public incitement to genocide is manifest throughout society, it is
very conceivable that individuals or the state may choose to exploit the
conditions in order to perpetrate the crime of genocide.
It further noted: 'We have have a
genuine fear that in an environment of impunity and an absence of sanction for
serious and repeated criminality, the lessons from Rwanda and other mass
atrocities may once again go unheeded'.
The Tribunal calls on Israel to
fulfill its' obligations under international law and for the state of Palestine
to accede without further delay to the Rome Statute of the International
Criminal Court, fully cooperate with the human Rights Council Commission of
Inquiry and fully engage the mechanisms of international justice.
The Tribunal also reminds all
states to cooperate to bring to an end the illegal situation arising from
Israel’s occupation, siege and crimes in the Gaza Strip. In light of the
obligation not to render aid or assistance, all states must consider
appropriate measures to exert sufficient pressure on Israel, including the
imposition of sanctions, the severing of diplomatic relations collectively
through international organisations, or in the absence of consensus,
individually by breaking bilateral relations with Israel.
It calls upon All states to
fulfill their duty ‘to take such action under the Charter of the United Nations
as they consider appropriate for the prevention and suppression of acts of
genocide’.
The Full and detailed findings
and recommendations of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine can be found at the
Russell Tribunal website: www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com
The Tribunal will present its'
findings to the European Parliament today.
Notes
[1] Jury members: http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/sessions/extraordinary-session-brussels/meet-the-jury
[2] Witnesses: http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/sessions/extraordinary-session-brussels/witnesses
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