Jan 13, 2009 | Advocacy, Open letters
The ICJ condemned Israel’s military attacks in Gaza that have been indiscriminate or disproportionate.
The ICJ called for an immediate end to the Israeli military operations that came in response to indiscriminate Hamas’s rocket attacks on civilian targets in southern Israel. It also called on Hamas to unconditionally stop these attacks that violate the principle of distinction.
While supporting an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, the ICJ urged the Human Rights Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry to conduct a fact-finding investigation on violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law by all parties.
Israel-ICJ Intervention on Serious Violations of Human Rights & Humanitarian Law-non-legal submission-2009 (full text, PDF)
Jan 7, 2009 | News
The ICJ today called for an immediate end to the 12-day Israeli Military operations in Gaza that have claimed lives of more than 660 and wounded some 3.000 Palestinians.
Nine Israelis have also been killed during these operations. Many of the victims have been civilians.
“Palestinian civilians continue to pay the heaviest toll in operations that appear replete with violations of international humanitarian law”,” said the ICJ. “Many attacks have been indiscriminate or disproportionate, and Israel has failed in its legal obligation to take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects from attack.
Palestine-Israeli military operations in Gaza must stop; civilians must be protected-Press releases-2009 (full text, PDF)
Dec 10, 2008 | News
The declaration has become a beacon for the development of international law, the institution of universal human rights mechanisms and procedures and a primary instrument for those who struggle for dignity.
Nevertheless, the promise of the Universal Declaration has yet to be fully realised.
“Despite the burgeoning of a culture of human rights in parts of the world, major objectives of the Universal Declaration remain unfulfilled, as the efforts to implement human rights have left many men and women behind”, said Lukas Machon, ICJ Representative to the UN.
UN-Universal declaration of human rights at its 60th anniversary-news-2008 (full text, PDF)