An expert has cautioned that the ongoing violence in Israel shows no signs of abating, despite a recent UN study concluding that Israel has engaged in acts of genocide against Palestinians in war-torn Gaza.
According to international law, there are five recognized genocidal actions, and the latest investigation revealed that Israel has carried out four of these atrocities against the Palestinian population in Gaza. These actions include the killing of group members, hindering births, causing severe mental and physical harm, and deliberately creating conditions aimed at their destruction.
Israel has dismissed the report, labeling its conclusions as “distorted and untrue,” and shifting blame to Hamas, accusing them of attempting genocide by committing atrocities such as murders, rapes, and arson. The commission’s chair, Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights chief, emphasized that there is a clear intention to eliminate the Palestinians in Gaza through actions that align with the Genocide Convention criteria.
Pillay implicated Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for allegedly inciting acts of genocide.
In response to the report, Professor Anthony Glees, an expert in international relations, expressed doubts about the immediate relief for Palestinians and suggested that justice for Gaza residents would be delayed. He highlighted that while the report’s impact may not be immediate, its significance is expected to be acknowledged in the long term.
Professor Glees, drawing from his experience in investigating war crimes, remarked that Israel’s current actions are unchecked and predicted that the country would likely ignore the report’s findings. He noted that although Israel justifies its actions as self-defense against Hamas, it has resorted to extreme measures that harm all Palestinians in Gaza.
The expert stressed that the evidence of Israel committing war crimes is clear and supported by the UN commission’s report, which convincingly suggests a genocide has occurred. He pointed out that the criteria for defining genocide in international law, initially drafted by a Jewish lawyer who survived the Holocaust, are being met in this situation.
Professor Glees concluded by stating that the report’s findings align with the distressing scenes witnessed globally, but the cycle of violence shows no signs of abating.
