UN Commission Concludes Israel is Committing Genocide in Gaza
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (Key International Conventions - Genocide Convention; UN bodies and commissions; Israel-Palestine conflict); Current events of international importance.
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (World History): The Israel-Palestine conflict is a key part of post-WWII world history.
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): Important International institutions, agencies and fora—their structure, mandate (ICJ, UNHRC); Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. The concept of genocide and the role of international law are key topics.
General Studies Paper 4 (Ethics): Ethical dimensions of international relations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Key Highlights from the News
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry found that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
This is the first time a UN-mandated body has reached such a serious conclusion against Israel.
The Commission's report states that Israel has committed four of the five crimes under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The Commission also found that statements by high-ranking Israeli officials, including the President and Prime Minister, constituted incitement to genocide.
Israel has completely rejected this report and demanded the disbandment of the Commission.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk stated that although International Court of Justice (ICJ) courts are ultimately responsible for determining whether genocide is occurring, the evidence for it is increasing.
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