Israel now faces grave allegations of genocidal actions in Gaza. As we’ve documented, major human rights organizations, legal experts, and genocide scholars have raised their voices to express their concerns. A recent United Nations report described Israel’s actions as demonstrating “genocidal intent,” marking the strongest assertion to date that the country has committed genocide. Our review of the report has generated quite the response from the international community. While some nations have moved quickly to condemn Israel’s actions, others have been slower to act.
The UN’s findings have intensified scrutiny on Israel’s military operations in Gaza, particularly following the leveling of apartment buildings in Gaza City ahead of a proposed ground invasion. Israel’s government has categorically rejected the genocide claims, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labeling the UN report as “an antisemitic, rotten, terrorist-supporting, and irrelevant body.” This dismissal is consistent with Israel’s longstanding practice of denying all past charges of genocide leveled by human rights organizations.
Shifting Stances Among Nations
The international response to the UN report released last September has been encouraging, with clear signs from some nations that they are ready to put pressure on Israel. Notably, Germany has suspended certain weapons exports to Israel, a significant shift considering its historical reluctance to criticize the nation. In a historic move, the European Commission under President Ursula Von der Leyen has ordered cancellation of all funding for Israeli programs. They are calling for the EU to suspend the EU-Israel free trade agreement.
Spain and Ireland have gone further, both taking direct actions against Israel. European countries are waking up on the need to hold accountable the human rights violations occurring in Gaza. This move is indicative of an ever-increasing recognition of the problem.
Australia is taking a much more cautionary approach. Unfortunately, the Australian government has been unwilling to resort to sanctions or any other significant measures against Israel. This hesitance is probably due to fears about suffering political retribution from the United States. This hesitance would, at worse, mean that Australia risks losing credibility in international human rights dialogues.
Concerns Over Involvement in Genocide
Australia is still supplying materials that could be used to produce weapons. This leads to exceedingly important and concerning questions regarding the country’s possible complicity in the alleged genocide. F-35 fighter jets and metals are currently being air-lifted to Israel. If the production or use of these goods enables or proceeds genocidal acts, Australia may have serious legal and reputational consequences.
Melanie O’Brien, president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, isn’t waiting. She has urged the Australian government to take a tougher line on Australia’s role in this issue. She stated, “The Australian Government really needs to bring sanctions under our Magnitsky-style Sanctions Act to ensure that all Australian entities — corporate and individuals — are not engaging in any way with what is being determined as genocidal conduct.”
“Countries should have become aware of the risk that Israel is perpetrating a genocide in Gaza months ago,” she remarked.
The Road Ahead
As the international community grapples with the implications of the UN report, calls for accountability and preventive measures are growing louder. The UN urges states to take “all means possible to prevent the commission of genocide,” including halting the transfer of goods that could be used in Israel’s military operations.
While all these suggestions do provide some hope for action, it is still not clear if Israel’s government is willing to listen to the UN report’s conclusions. As tensions escalate in Gaza and accusations mount, nations will need to navigate a complex landscape of diplomatic relations while considering their ethical obligations in response to potential human rights violations.
