An expert has cautioned that the ongoing violence in Israel shows no signs of stopping, despite a recent UN investigation indicating that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the conflict-ridden Gaza region.
According to the latest report, Israel has been found to have carried out four of the five genocidal acts recognized under international law against the Palestinian population in Gaza. These acts include killing group members, obstructing births, causing severe physical and mental harm, and intentionally creating conditions aimed at their destruction.
Israel has strongly rejected the report’s conclusions, labeling them as “misleading and inaccurate,” and pointing fingers at Hamas for alleged genocidal actions against Israelis. The chair of the commission, Navi Pillay, a former UN human rights leader, emphasized that there is a clear intent to eradicate the Palestinian population in Gaza through actions that align with the Genocide Convention criteria.
Navi Pillay further accused Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, of inciting genocidal acts against Palestinians.
Reacting to the report, Professor Anthony Glees, an expert in international relations from the University of Buckingham, expressed his belief that while the findings were damning, they might not provide immediate relief to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. He emphasized that justice for the people of Gaza might come too late.
Despite the gravity of the report’s findings, Professor Glees pointed out that immediate impacts on the conflict in Gaza were unlikely. However, he stressed that over time, the importance of the report would become evident, as justice, though slow, eventually prevails.
Professor Glees, drawing on his experience in war crimes inquiries, remarked that Israel seems to act with impunity and might disregard the report’s recommendations. He also highlighted the failure of Israel to target Hamas terrorists effectively and criticized its approach of targeting all Palestinians in Gaza.
The expert reiterated that Israel’s actions constitute war crimes, and he agreed with the report’s assertion that the situation amounts to genocide. He underscored that the criteria used to define genocide resonate with the atrocities witnessed in Gaza and lamented the lack of foreseeable resolution to the ongoing crisis.
In conclusion, Professor Glees emphasized that the atrocities in Gaza persist without a clear end in sight.