Is Gaza the graveyard of International law?
Key information
- Date
- Time
-
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Venue
- Main Building, SOAS
- Room
- Khalili Lecture Theatre (KLT)
- Event type
- Lecture
About this event
In his talk, Raji Sourani will reflect on the Israeli war on Gaza since October 2023 and its effect on our understanding of the efficacy and universal applicability of international law.
Modern International human rights law was developed after World War II to provide protection for civilians and to criminalize acts against them at the time of war and to hold accountable any perpetrators. However, Israel hit a record with its violations and grave breaches by having Palestinian civilians and civilian targets in the eye of the storm, in one of the most well documented conflicts in modern history. Universal jurisdiction cases were blocked politically, and the lCC was threatened once again to not act against Israel.
The ICJ, in the Genocide case against Israel by South Africa, issued three decisions on provisional measures, but none of them were respected or implemented. A plausible case of genocide has been taking place for a year, with the whole world watching, yet no tangible acts have been made to stop it or to hold the perpetrators accountable. Thus, this case is sending a very critical and clear message to the Palestinian people and to advocates of international law across the globe. The world is sending a clear message to Gaza: "we are sending the rule of law to the graveyard; what is prevailing now is the rule of jungle".
Image credit: Emad El Byed on Unsplash
About the speaker
Raji Sourani is one of the most prominent Palestinian human rights lawyers. He is the director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, which he founded in 1995 to document human rights violations and provide legal assistance to victims of these violations. In 1988, while held in administrative detention, without a trial, Amnesty International declared him a prisoner of conscience. He received the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Award in 1991, as well as the Right Livelihood Award in 2013, for courageous human rights advocacy. He spearheaded the work on applying the concept of universal jurisdiction and international criminal law to achieve accountability and justice for victims of human rights violations. He has also served as the President of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights.
Chair
Registration
This event is free to attend, but registration is required. Please note that seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
