UN special rapporteur says Israeli strikes on Gaza are ‘illegal’

Francesca Albanez calls on the United Nations to research whether or not Israel has breached worldwide regulation and guarantee accountability.

The United Nations particular rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories says Israel’s air raids on the besieged Gaza Strip “not solely are unlawful however irresponsible”, calling for a diplomatic answer to the newest bout of violence, which started on Friday when Israel launched air assaults on Gaza Metropolis.

“The scenario in Gaza is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster,” Francesca Albanez instructed Al Jazeera.

“The one option to safe the wellness of Palestinians wherever they’re is to elevate the siege and permit support to enter.”

Israel has characterised the assault as a “preemptive” act of self-defence in opposition to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group and mentioned its operation may final every week.

Albanez blasted the USA for saying that it believed Israel had the fitting to defend itself. “Israel can not declare that it’s defending itself on this battle,” Albanez mentioned.

The US ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, wrote on Twitter on Friday: “The USA firmly believes that Israel has a proper to guard itself. We’re participating with completely different events and urge all sides for calm.”

His remarks have been echoed by British International Secretary Liz Truss, who mentioned the UK “stands by Israel and its proper to defend itself”, and condemned the “terrorist teams firing at civilians and violence which has resulted in casualties on either side”.

A minimum of 31 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and 260 injured since Friday. No critical casualties had been reported on the Israeli aspect as of Sunday, because the Iron Dome defence system shot down 97 p.c of missiles launched from the besieged strip, in keeping with its army.

“Safety is one thing I demanded in Palestine, and that’s not me alone. It’s mandatory … to guard civilian lives,” Albanez mentioned. “[Israel] can’t be defending itself from civilians since 1967.”

The particular rapporteur, who’s an impartial knowledgeable accountable for monitoring human rights violations within the occupied Palestinian territories and referring them to the UN, known as on the worldwide physique to determine whether or not worldwide regulation had been breached in Gaza and guarantee accountability.

“I consider lack of accountability strengthens Israel,” Albanez mentioned. “I see ending occupation as the answer.”

An impartial fee of inquiry arrange by the UN Human Rights Council after a brutal conflict in Gaza in Could 2021 mentioned Israel should do extra than simply “ending the occupation” of land that Palestinian leaders need for a future state.

“Ending the occupation alone is not going to be adequate,” the report revealed in June discovered. It added that motion have to be taken to make sure the equal enjoyment of human rights for Palestinians.

Nonetheless, it cited proof that Israel had “no intention of ending the occupation” however was as an alternative pursuing “full management” of the territories taken in 1967.

The fee discovered the Israeli authorities to have been “appearing to change the demography by way of the upkeep of a repressive atmosphere for Palestinians and a beneficial atmosphere for Israeli settlers”.

The US give up the Council in 2018 citing “continual bias” in opposition to Israel and absolutely rejoined solely this 12 months.

In Could 2021, an 11-day-long army offensive on Gaza killed greater than 260 Palestinians and injured over 2,000. 13 folks have been killed in Israel.