UN member states must secure an immediate ceasefire across Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and the region, and end the impunity that has allowed atrocities by Israeli forces against civilians to continue and escalate, 150 organizations, including DAWN, said in a joint statement.
The organizations warned that, "The international community's egregious disregard for international law and the government of Israel's unchecked impunity in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon, has set dangerous new precedents for the conduct of war."
"Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity. It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation. All Member States must prevent further atrocities and ensure that those responsible for any violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, are held accountable. Failure to act now risks further eroding international norms and emboldening perpetrators. The cycle of violence against civilians needs to stop," the organizations said.
The full statement and list of signatories follow below.
Oct 24, 2024
Open Call for a Ceasefire in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel and End to Impunity amid a Spiralling Humanitarian Catastrophe and Escalating Regional Conflict
We, the undersigned organisations, appeal to all UN member states to secure an immediate ceasefire across Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and the region, and to end the impunity that has allowed atrocities by Israeli forces against civilians to continue and escalate. Without accountability, there will be no red lines and no rock bottom.
Israel's war in Gaza, following the deadly attacks by Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023, is the latest and most horrific onslaught of violence in the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. After a year of unfathomable killing and destruction, patterns of civilian harm by Israeli forces are spreading and escalating from Gaza to Lebanon, while rocket attacks by armed groups in Lebanon continue. We are now on the precipice of even greater devastation across the region.
Failure to act now is a choice – a choice that will fail to stop and prevent future atrocities. The UN Commission of Inquiry concluded last week that Israel has committed war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination with relentless and deliberate attacks on medical personnel and facilities in Gaza, and called on member states to "cease aiding or assisting in the commission of violations."
Over the last 12 months, the UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Gaza, including one calling for a ceasefire, and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention. The ICJ also issued an Advisory Opinion that found that Israel's occupation1 and annexation of Palestinian territory is illegal, and the UN General Assembly passed a resolution demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) within 12 months. Despite this, none of these measures have been implemented or adhered to.
The international community's egregious disregard for international law and the government of Israel's unchecked impunity in Gaza, the West Bank and now Lebanon, has set dangerous new precedents for the conduct of war.
For civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon and Israel this has resulted in:
– Israeli military actions killing over 43,000 Palestinians across the oPt and more than 2,000 people in Lebanon.
– Israeli forces issuing displacement orders covering over 84% of Gaza's territory and now 25% of Lebanon's territory. These orders, combined with Israel's bombardment, have forcibly displaced around 90% of Gaza's population and over 800,000 people in Lebanon.
– An estimated 400,000 Palestinians are under siege and relentless bombardment in northern Gaza without access to food, water, fuel, or medical care. (UNRWA)
– The killing of over 300 Palestinian and international aid workers, and over 1000 health care workers in Gaza and 95 in Lebanon. UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon are also coming under attack by Israeli forces (UNIFIL). Israeli military attacks on hospitals, clinics, and ambulances have decimated the health care system in Gaza, and are destroying it in Lebanon – leaving millions without access to care.
– Countless children and adults are dying of malnutrition and facing the risk of starvation, directly induced by the Israeli government's siege on Gaza, which includes systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and essential services. (IPC)
– The killing of nearly 1,200 people in Israel during the Palestinian armed group led attacks on October 7, 2023 (OCHA).
– Rockets fired by Palestinian and Lebanese armed groups have killed and injured dozens of people (Amnesty International) and displaced over 140,000 Israelis.
– 101 hostages remain held by Palestinian armed groups, and thousands of Palestinians are unlawfully detained by Israeli forces in detention centers, including children, many whose whereabouts are unknown and have effectively disappeared.
Many among us have repeatedly called for a permanent and unconditional ceasefire, hostage release, a halt to arms transfers, and de-escalation of tensions in the region, and yet the violence only appears to be intensifying. Again, we call on all Heads of State and Governments, the UN Security Council, and actors on the ground to prioritise the preservation of human life above all else by:
- Securing an immediate ceasefire by all parties to the conflict and an end to the indiscriminate attacks that kill civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure;
- Halting the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to parties to the conflict that may be used to commit violations of international humanitarian law (IHL);
- Enabling unhindered humanitarian access for the delivery of lifesaving assistance, including food, medical supplies and fuel, and the safe movements of civilians and aid workers.
- Ensuring the protection of civilians from further forced displacement, and the right to return for those forcibly displaced. Civilians who choose to stay or are unable to leave remain protected under international law.
- Securing the release of all hostages and detainees.
- Immediately activating independent international investigations into all apparent violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes committed by all parties.
Governments must do everything in their power to end this growing catastrophe and cycle of impunity. It is not only a moral imperative but a legal obligation. All Member States must prevent further atrocities and ensure that those responsible for any violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, are held accountable. Failure to act now risks further eroding international norms and emboldening perpetrators. The cycle of violence against civilians needs to stop.
1 For more on what international humanitarian law says about occupation, please see commentary by ICRC.
Signatories:
- ABCD Bethlehem
- Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR)
- AFSC, American Friends Service Committee
- ALEF – act for human rights
- Alternatives Internationales
- Amos Trust
- Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
- Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem
- Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz (ACPP)
- Asociación Otra Escuela
- Association Switzerland-Palestine (Gesellschaft Schweiz-Palästina) 12. Avaaz
- Baytna pour le soutien de la société civile
- Belgium Palestine Mental Health Network
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
- Caritas Internationalis
- Caritas MONA (Middle East and North Africa)
- CCFD-Terre Solidaire
- Children Not Numbers
- Christian Aid
- Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
- CIVICUS
- Clowns Without Borders Sweden
- Clowns Without Borders UK
- CNCD-11.11.11
- Collective Aid
- Comisión de Justicia y Paz de Confregua
- Cordaid
- Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)
- Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu)
- Danish Refugee Council
- DAWN
- Egala Association
- Emmaus International
- Equal Legal Aid
- EuroMed Rights Network
- Europe Cares e.V.
- European Alternatives
- Fellowship of Reconciliation – USA
- Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid
- Firefly International
- Forces Watch
- FORO SALUD NACIONAL
- France Palestine Mental Health Network
- FSMAGH (Forum des alternatives Maroc – FMAS) 46. Fund for Global Human Rights
- Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
- Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP)
- Global Witness
- Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
- HelpAge International
- Hivos
- Human Rights & Democracy Media Center "SHAMS"/Palestine 54. Human Rights Sentinel
- Human Security Collective
- Humanity & Inclusion/Handicap International
- ICNA SISTERS CANADA
- Initiatives et Changement
- International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)
- International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR)
- International Peace Bureau (IPB)
- INTERSOS
- Ireland Palestine Mental Health Network
- Islamic Relief Worldwide
- Jewish Network for Palestine
- Jewish Voice for Peace-Health Advisory Council
- KAIROS Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
- Kenya Human Rights Commission
- KinderUSA
- Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law
- Lebanese Center for human Rights
- MADRE
- Mayworks Kjipuktuk/Halifax
- Médecins du Monde International Network
- medico international
- Medicus Mundi Italia
- Migrant Roots Media
- Minnesota Peace Project
- Movement for community-led Development
- MPower Change Action Fund
- Muslim Association of Brantford
- Muslim Delegates and Allies
- Musulmanas de Guatemala por Palestina
- NO NAME KITCHEN
- Nonviolence International
- Nonviolent Peaceforce
- Norwegian Refugee Council
- Olof Palmes Internationella Center
- Omega Research Foundation
- Oxfam
- Palestinian Assoc. of Brantford
- PAX
- Pax Christi Australia
- Pax christi Deutsche Sektion
- Pax Christi England and Wales
- Pax Christi Flanders
- Pax Christi International
- Pax Christi Scotland
- Pax Christi USA
- Peace Boat
- Peace Direct
- Peace SOS
- Peace Watch Switzerland
- Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!
- People's Health Movement (PHM)
- Permanent Peace Movement
- Plan International
- Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine
- Polish Medical Mission
- Première Urgence Internationale
- Progressive Democrats of Pennsylvania
- Protection International
- PVE Works
- Quakers in Scotland (Religious Society of Friends)
- Resource Centre for human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED)
- ReThinking Foreign Policy
- Rethinking Security
- Righting Relations Canada
- Saferworld
- SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties
- Seenaryo
- Share The World's Resources
- SOS Children's Villages UK
- Ster Organization for human development
- Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR)
- Tamkeen for Legal Aid and Human Rights
- Terre des Hommes Netherlands
- The Advocacy Academy
- The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security
- The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
- The International Federation for Rights and Development – IFRD
- The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
- The Namibia NGO Forum Trust
- The National Organization of Yemeni Reporters SADA
- The socio-economic Justice Initiative-MAAN
- The Syria Campaign
- Train of Hope Dortmund e. V.
- UK Palestine Mental Health Network
- United Nations Association – UK (UNA-UK)
- University Network for Human Rights
- US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO)
- Vision GRAM-International
- War Child
- WESPAC Foundation, Inc.
- WeWorld
- WILPF US
- Women for Women International
- Women's International League for Peace & Freedom-Minnesota, USA, Branch
- World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
- Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation
- مؤسسة الجلك لالستجابة والتنميه
- مؤسسة مدافعات للحقوق والحريات
