Anaya Nolan
Israel has been accused of violating international law and committing war crimes by building settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, displacing the local population, and refusing Palestinian refugees their Right of Return. The UN Security Council has deemed the Jerusalem Law and the Golan Heights Law illegal and not recognized by the international community. The Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that the Hague Conventions can be applied to land and settlement issues in the occupied territories, but Israel's building of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem violates the Hague Regulations, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Human rights organizations and the UN have also deemed the siege of Gaza, which has kept 1.8 million people on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, illegal. Israel's actions have been described by UN experts as inflicting maximum suffering on civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory and beyond, and there are calls for Israel and its leaders to be held accountable for their violations of international humanitarian law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Unlawful appropriation of property | Israel's building of settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, violates the Hague Regulations and Fourth Geneva Convention. |
| Violation of human rights | Israel has refused Palestinian refugees their Right of Return, violating UN General Assembly Resolution 194. |
| Violation of international humanitarian law | Israel's policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local population contravenes international humanitarian law. |
| Violation of the laws of war | Israeli forces have committed serious violations of the laws of war, including targeting civilians and imposing collective punishment. |
| Non-compliance with UN resolutions | Israel has ignored UN Security Council Resolutions 446 and 465, which state that Israeli settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention. |
| Indiscriminate attacks | Israel has conducted indiscriminate attacks on shelters for displaced persons and hospitals in northern Gaza, violating its legal duty to protect civilians. |
| Siege conditions | The Siege or Blockade of Gaza has caused humanitarian suffering and is considered collective punishment, a violation of international humanitarian law. |
| Apartheid | Human Rights Watch and other organizations have found that Israeli authorities are committing the crime against humanity of apartheid against Palestinians. |
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What You'll Learn
- Israel's settlement expansion reduces land for Palestinians, increasing humanitarian aid dependency
- Israeli military forces have closed down hundreds of Palestinian businesses
- Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights is deemed illegal by the UN
- Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is deemed unlawful by the UN
- Israel's attacks on civilians and civilian objects violate international humanitarian law
Israel's settlement expansion reduces land for Palestinians, increasing humanitarian aid dependency
Israel's settlement expansion in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has reduced land availability for Palestinians, leading to increased humanitarian aid dependency. This expansion involves the unlawful appropriation of Palestinian property, contravening international humanitarian law and human rights law. Israel's policy of settling civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local population is illegal under international humanitarian law.
The expansion of settlements has reduced the amount of land available to Palestinians for herding and agriculture, making rural communities more dependent on humanitarian assistance. Settler violence and the destruction of Palestinian-owned crops and olive trees have also damaged farmers' livelihoods. The UN has reported that Israeli military actions have forced Palestinian businesses to close, further exacerbating the issue.
In addition to land issues, Israel's settlement expansion has resulted in the demolition of Palestinian homes and schools, as well as the forced transfer of Palestinian communities. These actions have been condemned by various UN delegates, who have called for a cessation of settlement expansion and a return to peace negotiations.
The ongoing expansion of settlements and the associated infrastructure are not temporary and do not benefit Palestinians or serve legitimate security needs. Instead, they are established with the sole purpose of permanently settling Jewish Israelis on occupied land. This has contributed to the obstruction of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and has been described as a “dangerous escalation” by the Palestinian presidency.
Israel's actions have been met with international criticism and concern, with UN experts emphasizing the need for accountability and compliance with international humanitarian law. The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is governed by international humanitarian law, which includes the rules of the law of occupation, and international human rights law. Israel's violations of these laws have been widely recognized, and its impunity sends a dangerous message to other parties in conflict around the world.
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Israeli military forces have closed down hundreds of Palestinian businesses
Israel's policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local population is in violation of international humanitarian law. The unlawful appropriation of property by an occupying power is prohibited by the Hague Regulations and the Fourth Geneva Convention and is considered a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
The Israeli military has been accused of forcibly closing down hundreds of Palestinian businesses. In Hebron city centre, for example, the Israeli military has forced 512 Palestinian businesses to close, according to the UN. More than 1,000 others have shut down due to restricted access for customers and suppliers. The Israeli military has also been accused of destroying homes and essential civilian infrastructure in refugee camps, rendering them uninhabitable. These actions have resulted in the mass forced displacement of Palestinians and have been described as a "cruel system of apartheid and unlawful occupation" by Erika Guevara Rosas.
The international community has been criticized for its failure to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law. UN experts have expressed concern that Israel's continued impunity sends a dangerous message to other parties in conflicts around the world, suggesting that they are not obligated to comply with international humanitarian law.
Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories have resulted in serious consequences for the Palestinian people, including violations of their human rights and war crimes. The right to education has been affected, with reports of settler attacks on Palestinian schools and harassment of Palestinian children on their way to and from school. The right to earn a decent living through work has also been violated, as the expansion of Israeli settlements has reduced the land available to Palestinians for herding and agriculture, increasing their dependency on humanitarian aid.
The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories is governed by international humanitarian law, including the rules of the law of occupation, and international human rights law. Israel's violations of these laws have been well-documented by human rights organizations and the United Nations.
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Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights is deemed illegal by the UN
Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights is considered a violation of international law by the United Nations (UN). In 1980, Israel formally annexed East Jerusalem as its capital, and the UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 478 declared this annexation "a violation of international law," stating that it was "null and void and must be rescinded."
Similarly, Israel's annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights in 1981, which it captured during the 1967 Six-Day War, was also deemed illegal by the UN. The UNSC Resolution 497 states that this annexation is a violation of international law and must be rescinded. The Golan Heights Law, passed by Israel in 1981, which applied Israeli law, jurisdiction, and administration to the Golan Heights, was declared "null and void and without international legal effect" by the UN.
Israel's actions in these annexations have been widely criticized by human rights organizations and UN entities. They are seen as a threat to the peace and security of the region and the world, and they contravene fundamental rules of international humanitarian law and human rights law. Israel's settlement policy in occupied territories and the displacement of the local population are considered illegal under international law.
The UN has noted that Israel has openly defied international law time and again, and there are concerns about the country's impunity, which sets a dangerous precedent for other conflicts globally. The UN has called for consequences and accountability for Israel's actions, emphasizing the importance of upholding the multilateral system and international law.
The international community, including the UN, continues to consider the Golan Heights as Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, despite Israel's claim of "applying Israeli sovereignty." The US is the only country that has recognized Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.
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Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is deemed unlawful by the UN
Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) has been deemed unlawful by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the United Nations (UN). The ICJ's advisory opinion, issued on 19 July 2024, determined that Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, since 1967, and the subsequent creation of Israeli settlements and exploitation of natural resources, are illegal under international law. The court's opinion was endorsed by a subsequent UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution.
The ICJ's ruling stated that Israel's occupation is unlawful and that Israel should end its occupation, cease creating new settlements, and evacuate existing ones. The court also found that Israeli laws "implement a separation" between Palestinians and settlers in the occupied territories, breaching Article 3 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The ICJ mandated Israel to provide full reparations to Palestinian victims and facilitate the return of displaced people.
The UN Special Rapporteur has determined that Israel has imposed a system of racial oppression and discrimination that satisfies the evidentiary standard for the crime of apartheid, a crime against humanity. The UN has also stated that the siege of Gaza, which has kept the region on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, is illegal and should be lifted. Additionally, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (CoI) on the OPT, including East Jerusalem, determined that Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during its military operations and attacks in Gaza, including starvation as a method of warfare, intentionally directing attacks against civilians, sexual violence, torture, and forcible transfers.
Israel's actions in the OPT, such as the expansion of settlements, have reduced the amount of land available to Palestinians for herding and agriculture, increasing their dependency on humanitarian assistance. Settler violence and the destruction of Palestinian-owned crops and olive trees have also damaged the livelihoods of Palestinian farmers. Furthermore, Israel's building of settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, violates the Hague Regulations and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibit the confiscation and destruction of private property by an occupying power.
The UN and human rights experts have called for investigations and prosecutions against those involved in crimes in the OPT, particularly those serving in Israel's military or involved in settler violence. They have also called for a protective presence for Palestinians and demanded access for independent experts and mechanisms to the OPT. Israel's continued defiance of international law and its obligations as an occupying power has sent a dangerous message to other parties in conflicts worldwide, and there is a consensus that Israel and its leaders must be held accountable.
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Israel's attacks on civilians and civilian objects violate international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law (IHL) comprises a set of universal and binding rules to protect civilian objects and persons who are not, or are no longer, directly participating in hostilities. It also limits the permissible means and methods of warfare.
Israel has also committed the crime of apartheid, including through the forcible transfer and displacement of Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Israeli military has also forced 512 Palestinian businesses to close, while more than 1,000 others have shut down due to restricted access for customers and suppliers.
The unlawful appropriation of property by an occupying power amounts to “pillage”, which is prohibited by the Hague Regulations and Fourth Geneva Convention and is a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and many national laws. Israel’s building of settlements in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, does not respect any of these rules and exceptions.
The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) is primarily governed by two international legal regimes: international humanitarian law (including the rules of the law of occupation) and international human rights law. International criminal law is also relevant as some serious violations may constitute war crimes.
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Frequently asked questions
Israel's impunity sends a dangerous message to other countries in conflict, suggesting that they need not comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. Political and judicial actors must consider the totality of Israel's acts against the entire civilian population under Israeli occupation, who are protected persons and do not constitute military objectives under international law.
Israel has been accused of openly defying international law, inflicting maximum suffering on civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory and beyond. Israel's policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local population contravenes fundamental rules of international humanitarian law. Israel has also been accused of violating the right to earn a decent living through work. The expansion of settlements has reduced the amount of land available to Palestinians for herding and agriculture, increasing the dependency of rural communities on humanitarian assistance.
The UN Human Rights Council mandated a commission in May 2021 to investigate all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, leading up to and since 13 April 2021. The commission found that the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is authoritative and unambiguous in stating that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful.
There is a broad consensus among human rights organizations and UN offices that Israel's violation of international law should have consequences. Israel and its leaders must be held accountable, and all states are obligated not to recognize territorial or sovereignty claims made by Israel over the occupied territories.
