Rights experts: end Israel impunity
/
3:26
/
MP4
/
252.3 MB
Download

Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR Press Conference: Human Rights in Gaza and OPT - 11 December 2024

Rights experts call for end to impunity for Israel’s violations of international law

Four independent human rights experts jointly called on Wednesday for the international community to sanction Israel’s conduct of hostilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well as in the wider Middle East region - including in Syria, Lebanon and Iran. They also called for the restoration of trust in the international justice system through the abandonment of “extreme interpretations” and “double standards” in the application of the universal norms which regulate the conduct of war.

The four Special Rapporteurs - independent experts advising the Human Rights Council in their personal capacities – were speaking at a press conference in Geneva today.

“We ask for one simple thing: compliance with international humanitarian law - it’s not charity, it’s an obligation,” said Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, speaking at a press conference at the United Nations in Geneva today. (Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to fulfil advisory functions in their individual capacities.)

Citing the very high casualty figures among Palestinian civilians, as well as the blockages to humanitarian aid and the expansion of settlements, among a list of violations, Ms. Albanese questioned what she called the weak response from the UN Member States, even in the face of attacks on its own staff, premises, and representatives. “There are never sanctions on Israel - judicial processes are either ignored or circumvented, and trade continuous and diplomatic ties remain intact. Member States seem to be paralyzed or awestruck, many of them still normalizing the occupation,” Ms. Albanese said.

Ben Saul, the rights expert on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, said that “one of the striking features of the last 14 months is how Israel has used counterterrorism rhetoric to justify exceptional extreme violence against Palestinians, accompanied by a chronic dehumanization of the Palestinian people, which, of course, allows them to be killed, in large numbers — at the political level and also through the legal measures that Israel has taken.

Mr. Saul pointed out that insufficient attention has been focused on what he described as “extreme” and non-standard legal interpretations of international humanitarian law and human rights law being applied by Israel to justify unprecedented levels of violence. “This last campaign, in Gaza, is unprecedented in the history of warfare in recent years,” Mr. Saul said, adding that includes “deliberate attacks on civilians, indiscriminate attacks, disproportionate attacks, starvation, denial of humanitarian relief, suppression of NGOs and UNRWA as “terrorists”, a complete lack of credible accountability through the Israeli military and civilian justice system.”

He explained that “Israel has enabled this violence by taking very extreme, exceptional interpretations of international humanitarian law to impose a kind of cloak of legality on what they're doing. So, they've expanded the definition of what is a military objective. They've expanded the category of people they call fighters who can be attacked. They’ve imposed very large numbers, on the civilian casualty counts, that they tolerate in targeting.”

Mr. Saul echoed the call for credible investigations, and an end to impunity, noting that most violations have “gone unchallenged by the States that matter and that can have a real influence to change Israel's behavior on the ground.” Mr. Saul pointed specifically to Germany and the United States, as suppliers of the great majority of Israel’s military hardware, as being countries that could use their influence to end many of these human rights violations.

Margaret Satterthwaite, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, stressed the role of international justice, particularly the International Criminal Court (ICC), in holding perpetrators accountable for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. She criticized the United States government for undermining the ICC with “outrageous” threats and stressed the need for international justice to be equitably applied to all.

It’s time to end the double standards,” Ms. Satterthwaite said. “International justice exists or does not. We can't abide by justice for people from some States and the protection of the law for some people with impunity, for people from other States, and an abandonment of the resulting victims.”

George Katrougalos, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, echoed the concern for the broader consequences of impunity for the international order, warning that Israel’s actions risk creating a two-tiered system where some States are immune to consequences. “One of the ways that we have to put pressure upon governments to respect their legal obligations is by demonstrating our willingness to defend human rights and be against injustices,” he said, emphasizing that the current situation went far beyond legal issues. “We have, all of us, a moral responsibility.”

— ends —

Story: “Rights experts: end Israel impunity” – 11 December 2024

Speakers are:

  • Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967
  • Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers
  • Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
  • George Katrougalos, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order

TRT: 3’26”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 11 December 2024 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press Conference



SHOTLIST

  1. Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley.
  2. Wide shot of speakers at the podium in the press conference room.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967: “We ask one simple, very simple thing, all of us in unison: the compliance with international law. It's not charity, it's an obligation.”
  4. Wide shot of photographers in the press conference room.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967: “There are never sanctions on Israel. Judicial processes are either ignored or circumvented, and trade continuous and diplomatic ties remain intact. Member States seem to be paralyzed or struck, many of them still normalizing the occupation.”
  6. Wide shot of the press conference room.

    7. SOUNDBITE (English)
    Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism: “One of the striking features of the last 14 months is how Israel has used counterterrorism rhetoric to justify exceptional extreme violence against Palestinians, accompanied by a chronic dehumanization of the Palestinian people, which, of course, allows them to be killed in large numbers at the political level and also through the legal measures that Israel has taken.”
  1. Wide shot of photographers and journalists in the press conference room.
  2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism: “This last campaign in Gaza is unprecedented in the history of warfare and in recent years. It's not just that there have been extreme violations which have been well documented. So, we all, over the past 14 months, have seen deliberate attacks on civilians, indiscriminate attacks, disproportionate attacks, starvation, denial of humanitarian relief, suppression of NGOs and UNRWA as “terrorists”, a complete lack of credible accountability through the Israeli military and civilian justice system.”
  3. Close shot of photographer in the press conference room.
  4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism: “Israel has enabled this violence by taking very extreme, exceptional interpretations of international humanitarian law to impose a kind of cloak of legality on what they're doing. So, they've expanded the definition of what is a military objective. They've expanded the category of people they call fighters who can be attacked. They impose very large numbers on the civilian casualty counts that they tolerate in targeting.”
  5. Medium shot of speakers at the podium.
  6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism: “Much of this has gone unchallenged by the States that matter and that can have a real influence to change Israel's behavior on the ground.”
  7. Wide shot of speakers at the podium and press conference room.
  1. SOUNDBITE (English) Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers: “It's time to end the double standards: international justice exists or does not. We can't abide by justice for people from some States and the protection of the law for some people with impunity, for people from other States, and an abandonment of the resulting victims.”
  1. Wide shot of the press conference room.
  1. SOUNDBITE (English) George Katrougalos, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order: “We have, all of us, a moral responsibility. One of the ways that we have to (put) pressure upon governments to respect their legal obligations is by demonstrating our willingness to defend human rights and be against injustices.”
  1. Various shots of journalists in the press conference room.


Documents 1
Download Storyline
Download

Audio Files 2
Download OPT PRESS CONFERENCE 11 DECEMBER 2024 Continuity (Continuity)
Download
Download Rights experts: end Israel impunity
Download

Similar Stories

UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif on DRC at Human Rights Council

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif on DRC at Human Rights Council ENG

UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif on Tuesday presented a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, detailing the continued violations of human rights as a result of the offensive launched by the Rwandan-backed M23 in eastern DRC.

Gaza update OCHA - UNICEF -  IFRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , IFRC

Gaza update OCHA - UNICEF - IFRC ENG FRA

UN humanitarians and partners on Tuesday expressed deep shock at the killing of 15 colleagues on duty in southern Gaza whose remains were recovered from a shallow grave after a week-long rescue operation, noting that one worker is still missing.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 1 April 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | IFRC , OCHA , UNCTAD , UNFPA , UNHCR , UNICEF , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 1 April 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Populations Fund, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Myanmar earthquake update UNICEF - OCHA -  WHO - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA , WHO , UNHCR

Myanmar earthquake update UNICEF - OCHA - WHO - UNHCR ENG FRA

Myanmar earthquake latest: window for lifesaving support is closing, say UN humanitarians

As the death toll continues to rise in earthquake-struck Myanmar, UN humanitarians have been rushing to support severely deprived and traumatized victims, warning that the window for lifesaving response is closing.

Gaza update - OCHA, WHO UN Women 28 March 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , UNWOMEN , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA, WHO UN Women 28 March 2025 ENG FRA

Lifesaving supplies in Gaza continue to run dangerously low, nearly four weeks into the total aid blockade and deadly bombardment of the enclave by Israel, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 28 March 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | OCHA , UNHCR , UNWOMEN , WHO , IFRC

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 28 March 2025 ENG FRA

Updates on Gaza, women in Gaza, health crises, and funding cuts for displaced people.

Yemen 10 years of war - UNICEF

1

1

1

Edited News | UNICEF

Yemen 10 years of war - UNICEF ENG FRA

As Yemen’s conflict reaches 10-year mark, over half a million children severely malnourished

In Yemen, a decade of conflict has been catastrophic for the country’s children living under the threat of airstrikes and staggeringly high malnutrition rates, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 25 March 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNCTAD , UNDP , UNICEF , UNIDIR , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 25 March 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Institute on Disarmament Research, UNICEF/Giga, and the World Health Organization.

UNAIDS Press conference - 24 March 2025

2

1

2

Press Conferences , Edited News | UNAIDS

UNAIDS Press conference - 24 March 2025 ENG FRA

Amid continuing uncertainty about the impact of deep US funding cuts to humanitarian work worldwide, the head of the UN agency coordinating the fight against HIV-AIDS warned that an addition 6.3 million people will die in the next four years, unless the support is reinstated.

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 21 March 2025

1

1

1

Press Conferences | UNRWA , IFRC , UNICEF , OHCHR , UNHCR , WHO

UN Geneva Press Briefing - 21 March 2025 ENG FRA

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Health Organization, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

UN report details devastating impact of hostilities on children in Ukraine

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN report details devastating impact of hostilities on children in Ukraine ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office today published a report detailing how death, injury and lasting family separation are among the traumatic events that have upended the lives of Ukraine’s children in the three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion. 

Gaza update - UNWRA, UNICEF, IFRC 21 March 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , IFRC

Gaza update - UNWRA, UNICEF, IFRC 21 March 2025 ENG FRA

Israel’s renewed bombing campaign and intensifying ground operation in Gaza are reversing gains achieved during the brief ceasefire, UN humanitarians said on Friday from inside the devastated enclave.