Agreement, currently in force, attempts to end two years of conflict and provides for the release of hostages and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip
The special rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, criticized this Wednesday (22) the ceasefire agreement between and , mediated by. According to her, the plan is “absolutely inadequate” and does not comply with international law in the face of what she describes as a “genocide” against the Palestinian people.
The agreement, currently in force, attempts to end two years of conflict and provides for the release of hostages and the reconstruction of the city, largely destroyed by the fighting. However, Albanese stated that the truce is insufficient and defended deeper measures, such as an end to the occupation and exploitation of Palestinian resources. “It is not a war, it is a genocide, with the intention of destroying a people as such”, declared the rapporteur during an interview in South Africa. She acts under a UN mandate, but does not officially speak on behalf of the organization.
Israel, which currently controls half of Palestinian territory, denies the accusations and says they are “distorted, false and full of anti-Semitism”. South Africa, in turn, filed a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in The Hague, for crimes of genocide.
Albanese, who has been under US sanctions since July for his criticism of Israel, is expected to present a new report to the UN in the coming days from South Africa. In a preliminary version of the document, she accuses Western countries of “complicity” with Israel by providing military, diplomatic and economic support during the conflict.
According to the rapporteur, the United States and Israel not only “lead the genocide in Gaza”, but also “cause the collapse of the multilateral system”, by threatening judges and institutions that seek international accountability. Albanese also criticized recent discussions about a two-state solution, classifying them as “a pretense of doing something”, when the focus should be “how to stop genocide”. She defended that UN member countries break ties with Israel, arguing that “those who maintain economic, political or military relations with the Israeli state are all responsible to a certain extent”.
*With information from AFP
