UN committee says Israel’s actions ‘consistent with characteristics of genocide’

A report by a United Nations special committee has accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war and policies and practices in Gaza that may amount to a “possibility of genocide”.
 
The special committee comprised three member states – Malaysia, Senegal and Sri Lanka.
 
The report, released amid ongoing scrutiny of Israel’s military response to the October 7 Hamas attack, highlights the difficult conditions facing Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, particularly in terms of restricted access to food, water, medical care and shelter. 

 
“The policies and practices of Israel during the reporting period are consistent with the characteristics of genocide,” the report states, urging immediate steps to be taken to protect civilian lives.
 
The special committee also concluded that Israel is committing several violations of international law, and not just in Gaza.

“Civilians have been indiscriminately and disproportionally killed en masse in Gaza, while in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Israeli colonial settlers, military and security personnel have continued to violate human rights and humanitarian law with impunity,” its report said. 

The committee added that Israeli government and military officials must be held accountable, including for using dehumanising language and inciting violence.

The report goes further than just actions taken by Israel during its devastating war on Gaza.

The committee accuses Israel of “discriminatory” legislation and measures that maintain a near-complete separation of Palestinians from Israeli settlers, in breach of article 3 on racial segregation and apartheid under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Israel’s violations of UN Security Council resolutions and orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are “weakening” the international rules-based order, the committee said.

The report recommends that UN member states exercise their leverage to stop Israel from practices and policies that violate Palestinian human rights; halt all offensive arms transfers; hold Israelis accountable and review financial policies that allow religious and charitable organisations from funding activities in Israel.

Multiple fronts

The report comes at a time when international legal actions are being pursued against Israel. 
 
In the wake of the October 2023 attack, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of committing genocide. 
 
This case marks only the second instance in which a state has sought to bring another to court under the Genocide Convention, following the Gambia’s case against Myanmar in 2019, accusing it of genocide against the Rohingya population. 
 
Israel recently moved to sever ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa), which has been the primary provider of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. 

Israeli lawmakers cited allegations of Hamas infiltration within Unrwa as the reason for this decision, prompting concerns from UN officials that the move could further hinder relief efforts. 

The report urges international bodies to increase support for Unrwa, both politically and financially, as the agency faces growing challenges in delivering vital services to the Palestinian population. 

“Since the escalation of the conflict, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies depriving civilians of food, water, and fuel, indicating their intent to instrumentalize the provision of basic necessities,” the report concludes.
 
The UN’s findings are corroborated by the investigation from the ICJ brought by South Africa’s case. 
 
In response to the case, the ICJ has ordered Israel to take interim steps to prevent genocide, ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza and preserve evidence of potential genocide. 
 
However, Israel has rejected the court’s ruling, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserting that Israel’s commitment to international law was “unwavering”.