Three members of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, called on Thursday 2 March for Israeli accountability.
“Like all states, Israel must be held accountable for any failure to protect human beings on its territory and in areas under its effective control”, said Commission Chair Navanethem Pillay to the European Parliament’s Sub-Committee on Human Rights.
For Christopher Sidoti, a member of this commission of inquiry, “only the opinion of the International Court of Justice can put an end to this conflict with the help of the UN and the EU. Any peace process that is not based on international law and does not recognise the right of the people concerned will not be sustainable”. Mr Sidoti added that the work of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court must be supported, explaining that otherwise the conflict will never end.
For his part, Miloon Kothari, another member of the UN commission addressing MEPs, called on the European Parliament sub-committee to work towards a unified EU position on the Near East issue, denouncing the ‘double standards’ in the EU’s response to the situation in Ukraine and Palestine, adding that this was not helping his UN commission. “Otherwise, Israel will continue to enjoy impunity”, he warned.
Yet, according to Ms Pillay, “Israeli policies and actions taken by the Israeli government over the years amount to international crimes, including the war crime of directly or indirectly transferring civilian populations into occupied territories and the crime against humanity of deporting people”. Highlighting legitimate Israeli security concerns, the President noted that all actions must remain within the law.
“The continuing occupation of the territories and discrimination against the Palestinians are the source of tension in the region. The instability for decades has created a sense of despair among Palestinians, but also in Israel and in the diaspora. This situation is used by some Palestinians to justify their own violation of international law”, she summarised.
The European Parliament’s Sub-committee on Human Rights will visit the Near East in June. In the same month, the commission of inquiry is expected to submit its report. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)