US, allies complicit, Tel Aviv pursues ‘genocidal assault’ against Palestinians
United Nations human rights experts have criticized Western countries for allowing Israel to go unpunished over its military operations in Gaza, which they said have now reached “alarming levels” as violence intensified in the West Bank to levels “not seen in two decades”.
They also questioned whether Israel’s membership in the UN should be reconsidered, given its attacks on the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA, and disregard for UN advisories as a whole.
At a news conference on Sept 16, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese questioned Israel’s membership at the UN, given Tel Aviv’s “zero” respect for the organization.
Albanese noted that Israel’s “genocidal assault” in Gaza has devastated entire families, razed neighborhoods and destroyed essential infrastructure.
According to the UN, at least 220 employees of UNRWA have been killed in Israeli retaliatory attacks in the Gaza Strip since Oct 7 when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel.
Arie Afriansyah, associate professor at the Faculty of Law at Universitas Indonesia, told China Daily that there was no precedent to “unseat” a UN member state.
He said the only matter now is “the support that mainly comes from the US to Israel”.
George Katrougalos, UN special rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, said it is “clear now to everybody” that there is an evolving tragedy in Palestine.
“However, this tragedy is an issue not just for the Palestinians. It is immediately related to the future of multilateralism and the UN system of rules,” said Katrougalos.
Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN special rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, said it is important to note that even before Oct 7, the situation for Palestinians “was already incompatible with the realization of the right to health”.
Abdalfatah Asqool, lecturer in international law at the University of Palestine in Gaza, said: “There are some countries that are still arming Israel, and those countries also must face sanctions.”
“If they do not want to spark a regional war, the international community must stop Israel now,” he added.
On Sept 17, Israel announced the expansion of its aims, widening its nearly yearlong fight against Hamas in Gaza to focus on Hezbollah along its northern border with Lebanon, amid reports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will replace his defense minister with a hawkish rival.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the border by exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.
On Sept 17, 8 people were killed and more than 2,800 others, including several Hezbollah members, were wounded in Lebanon as their pagers exploded.
Hezbollah blamed Israel for the “criminal attack,” vowing to retaliate.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said last week that it will not support Israel’s “day after” plan in Gaza unless a Palestinian State is established, making its stance clear despite having signed the Abraham Accords in 2020 to normalize relations with Israel.
UAE Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan reiterated this position in a post on X on Sept 14.
In May, the official rejected Israeli leader Netanyahu’s suggestion that the UAE could participate in the civil administration of the Gaza Strip, with security control under Israel.
The Abraham Accords are a series of agreements aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries.
Almost a year into the conflict, Israel has yet to meet its objectives of eliminating Hamas in Gaza and securing the release of about 100 hostages still being held by the militant group, while Palestinian civilians continue to pay a heavy price.
The Palestinian death toll has swelled to more than 41,000, while Netanyahu faced criticisms from citizens and the hostages’ families over his prolonged efforts to reach a cease-fire deal.
In an interview with the BBC, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator Sigrid Kaag said the international community is collectively failing innocent civilians in Gaza as it is not meeting the needs or creating prospects and hope for people in the besieged enclave.
Agencies contributed to this story.
