Families and supporters of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, take part in the four day march from Reim to Jerusalem to call for the release of hostages, as they enter in Jerusalem, March 2, 2024. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
A terrorist is defined as a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.
Contrary to international law, Prime Minister Netanyahu turned off the water, electricity, and fuel to Gaza, creating the stage for famine and diseases. Netanyahu has also turned a blind eye to international law by bombarding Palestinian homes, hospitals, UN safe havens, schools, universities, bakeries and desalination plants.
Israel, as a member of the UN, and by virtue, the Prime Ministers of Israel has blatantly ignored at least 28 United Nations Security Council resolutions and the Laws of War and Occupation as stated in the Fourth Geneva Convention.
These violations include the illegal occupation of land annexed by force in 1948 and 1967. Israel illegally built more than 200 settlements in the occupied territories with 500 000 settlers residing in the West Bank and 220 000 in East Jerusalem. This land was not allocated to Israel in the UN Partition Plan.
In 1948 Israel took 15% more than land allocated to it by the UN Partition Plan. And the Golan Heights. After the incidents in 1948 and 1967 Israel promulgated laws and used the IDF to prevent Palestinians from returning to their homes. The International Court of Justice in 2004, ruled the Israeli separation barriers illegal.
The ICJ condemned the separation wall in the occupied West Bank in a 14 to 1 ruling. Israel’s system of legalised discrimination against Palestinian Arabs complies with the UN’s definition of apartheid; considered to be a crime against humanity.
Israel’s response of collective punishment by targeting entire Palestinian communities in response to the actions of Palestinian resistance groups. In 2023 alone, before the 7th October, 243 Palestinians were killed by the IDF but the whole world failed to lift a finger when these atrocities occurred.
* Adiel Ismail, Mountview.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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