A United Nations expert has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict in the region in a new report titled “Anatomy of a Genocide”.
In the report, Francesca Albanese, the U.N. Human Rights Council special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, asserts that Israel’s military actions qualify as genocide on at least three grounds. She emphasizes the dehumanization of Palestinians as a recurring theme in their history, marked by ethnic cleansing, dispossession, and apartheid.
The report further highlights the genesis of the recent hostilities, which began with an attack by Hamas militants on Israel, resulting in casualties and hostages. However, Albanese’s report condemns Hamas’s actions and calls for the release of remaining hostages. Since the initial attack, Israel’s offensive in Gaza has led to a significant loss of life and widespread displacement, with thousands of Palestinians killed and injured and many left without access to essential aid.
Israel vehemently rejects the report’s findings, dismissing the accusations of genocide as baseless and politically motivated. The Israeli mission to Geneva asserts that the report seeks to undermine the legitimacy of the Jewish state and tarnish its reputation on the international stage.
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Albanese’s report draws upon the 1948 Genocide Convention to outline Israel’s alleged genocidal acts, including killings, causing bodily harm, and intentionally inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction. The report also points to inflammatory rhetoric from Israeli officials as evidence of genocidal intent, calling for the elimination of the Palestinian population.
The report’s recommendations include imposing sanctions on Israel, enacting an arms embargo, and supporting South Africa’s case before the International Court of Justice. It calls for independent investigations into violations of international law and urges accountability for all parties involved in the conflict.
Albanese emphasizes the urgency of addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and calls on member states to fulfill their obligations to prevent and punish genocide. The report’s release triggered mixed reactions from the international community, with some nations expressing support for its findings and others vehemently opposing it.