On March 28th, ECDHR and other NGOs delivered an oral intervention at the United Nation Human Rights Council session 55 under item 9 during the General debate. NGO’s pointed out to the racist and discriminatory policies by Israeli government officials against Palestinians.
Throughout the past 8 decades as an occupying power, Israel has subjected the Palestinian people to racist and discriminatory policies by government officials that incite violent genocidal behavior by Israeli officials that aim to expel Palestinians from their homelands and replace them with Israeli settlers. Against this background of apartheid, expulsion and illegal settlements and annexation, Israel, since 7 October 2023 in particular, has failed to prevent genocide and has failed to prosecute the direct and public incitement to genocide. Rather, Israel has engaged in, is engaging in and risks further engaging in genocidal acts against the Palestinian people. The Prime Minister’s instruction of Israeli soldiers to kill everyone including men, women, children, infants and animals, the Israeli President’s assertion that there are no civilians in Gaza, the Defense Minister’s justification that Israel is fighting “human animals”, the Israeli Heritage Minister’s incitement to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza, the Agricultural Minister’s claim that this war will be “Gaza’s Nakba”, the Finance Minister’s call for “sterile zones” are all words inciting genocide. These statements of intent coupled with the level of killing, maiming, displacement, destruction and siege evidence a genocide in the making. Given this Council is mandated with protecting human rights, what is this Council going to do about it?