Gaza city Under Threat: International Law, Palestinian Rights, and the Looming Humanitarian Crisis
Updated August 10, 2024
The United Nations Security Council is set to convene sunday at UN headquarters in New York to address the rapidly escalating crisis in the Gaza Strip, triggered by Israel’s announced plan to seize Gaza City. This move, widely condemned by global leaders and humanitarian organizations, threatens to displace nearly one million Palestinians and exacerbate an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. The impending actions raise critical questions about international law,Palestinian self-determination,and the role of the international community in preventing further bloodshed.
Israel’s Plan and the Risk of Forced Displacement
This week, Israel’s security cabinet approved plans to seize control of Gaza City, initiating a forced displacement of its Palestinian population into “concentration zones” in the southern Gaza enclave. This plan has been met with staunch resistance from Palestinians and grave warnings from human rights groups and the UN. Critics argue the move will dramatically worsen the existing humanitarian crisis – characterized by severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and shelter - and inevitably lead to mass casualties.
Israel maintains its intention to “free Gaza from Hamas,” framing the operation as a security imperative. However, the scale of the proposed displacement and the potential for civilian harm have ignited international concern.The legality of forcibly displacing a civilian population under international humanitarian law is highly contested, and many legal scholars argue such actions constitute a war crime.
Palestinian Perspective: Genocide and Expansionist Ideology
Palestinian Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, in a Saturday interview with Al Jazeera, delivered a stark assessment of the situation. She characterized the ongoing events in Palestine over the last 22 months as “nothing but a genocide,” rooted in what she described as Israel’s “expansionist ideology” aimed at complete control of the occupied state of Palestine.
Shahin emphasized the essential need for the international community to uphold international law and international humanitarian law.She asserted that lasting peace in the region – and globally – is contingent upon respecting Palestinian rights, specifically the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.
“There will be no peace in israel-Palestine, or the region for that matter, or even the world at large, if the rights of the Palestinians are not respected,” Shahin stated.
The Question of Governance and Palestinian self-Determination
Recent statements from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the future governance of Gaza have further fueled tensions. Netanyahu indicated a desire for a “peaceful civilian governance” in the enclave, explicitly excluding the Palestinian Authority (PA), Hamas, or any other “terrorist institution.”
Shahin vehemently rejected this premise, asserting that the decision of who governs Gaza rests solely with the Palestinian people. She underscored the legitimacy of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the representative body with legal and political authority over Gaza.”The one that has the legal and the political authority on Gaza today is the PLO,” Shahin explained. “If gaza wants to come back to the core, which is the entirety of the Palestinian land, then it has to become under the control and governance of the Palestinian Authority, the PLO.”
This highlights a core issue: the denial of Palestinian self-determination and the imposition of external control over their territories. The PLO, recognized by many nations as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, remains committed to a two-state solution and a future Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.
US Role and International Inaction
The position of the United States, Israel’s closest ally, is under intense scrutiny. While the Biden administration has not directly commented on the plan to seize Gaza City, former President Donald Trump previously suggested he would not impede a full Israeli takeover of Gaza. This perceived lack of strong opposition from the US emboldens hardline elements within Israel and undermines diplomatic efforts towards de-escalation.
Shahin directly addressed the need for the US, if it seeks a resolution, to prioritize Palestinian rights. Though, she also leveled criticism at the broader international community for its prolonged inaction in the face of escalating violence against palestinians in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
“It is the inaction that has emboldened the Israelis, including the settlers, to do whatever they are doing for the last six decades, since day one of the 1967 occupation,” Shahin stated.She warned that the situation is “very hazardous now” and urged the international community to fulfill its duty to uphold international law and end Israel’s perceived impunity.
Escalating Violence in the West bank
The focus on Gaza has overshadowed a parallel surge in Israeli military and settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.These attacks,often carried
Worth a look