Collective Punishment of Palestinians
As the events have unfolded, Israel has taken drastic measures to respond to the attacks perpetrated by the Hamas earlier this week. As a form of retaliation the Israeli government has deemed it necessary to collectively punish all Palestinians in an effort to regain their control. On the 9th of October, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered a siege on the Gaza Strip, turning off all electricity and fuel and cutting off food and water. This punishment is a war crime.
[As of 13 October 2023]
In October of 2022, President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that attacking civilian infrastructure, specifically electricity, is a war crime. In this context, she was speaking on the attack of Ukraine at the hands of Russia. Will the same statement be made in the context of Israel shutting off electricity in Palestine? Not quite. This week the President of the EU Commission stated in a tweet that they “fully support Israel’s right to defend itself. Europe stands with Israel…” The right to defend oneself does not include war crimes, regardless of who does it. International law is not only binding to some countries; it must be obeyed by all.
Other entities have condemned the decision by Defense Minister Gallant. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Joseph Borrell stated that “the right for self-defense has to be done within international law” and specified that cutting off electricity and water to mass civilian populations is, in fact, a violation of international law. Human Rights Watch also stated that this action by the Defense Minister is a war crime and that the International Criminal Court should take note. Self-defense is recognized under international law, but so is self-determination. Palestine is not an independent state, it is an occupied territory under Israel. The right to resist is recognized as an aspect of self-determination, where territories can use armed resistance against the occupying power.
Collective punishment is a violation of everyone's basic human rights. Israel’s choice to retaliate should not lead to collectively punishing Gaza, a region that is currently occupied by Israel and inhabits over 2 million people, half of whom are children. Shutting down electricity is not the only collective punishment Palestinains are facing. After Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi stated that the EU Commission would cut aid to Palestine (which has since been refuted; aid will continue) many European countries swiftly condemned that, stating that only civilians will suffer in that decision. Even though the Commision is not suspending aid, Denmark and Sweden announced that they would be suspending Palestinian development aid.
Cutting the power in Gaza does not only affect Palestinians in their homes. Access to clean water will be impacted, leading to a public health crisis. It will limit the abilities of hospitals, including those on life support and in intensive care, not to mention newborn babies and children facing treatment. The Israeli government assured that the power would remain off until Hamas release hostages. A newborn baby on life support in the hospital cannot make Hamas release the hostages. A child ill from drinking contaminated water cannot urge Hamas to listen to the Israeli government. An elderly couple injured from a collapsed building cannot make the Hamas act. This is why collective punishment breaks international law. It forces those who have nothing to do with the war to pay the ultimate price.
It has recently been confirmed that Israel has launched white phosphorus artillery rounds in Gaza. White phosphorus burns at extremely high temperatures when exposed to air and can continue to burn inside of flesh, leading to lifelong physical and mental trauma. Launching this in an area with a high population density is seen by many as a violation of international humanitarian law. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have determined based on verifiable video evidence that Israeli military forces used this in their operations in Lebanon and Gaza on the 10th and 11th of October.
We at Politics4Her unequivocally condemn the war crimes being committed in Gaza and all human rights abuses, believing firmly in the universal principle that every individual deserves respect, dignity, and protection. However, it is increasingly apparent that discussions surrounding these issues have often been one-sided, with a noticeable bias towards supporting Israel while disregarding their occupying presence in Palestinian territories that amounts to an apartheid system. We believe it is essential to address this discrepancy and approach the situation with a more balanced perspective that considers the rights and well-being of all parties involved. In doing so, we can work towards a just and equitable resolution that upholds the fundamental principles of human rights for everyone in the region. We call on the Israeli government to end their illegal collective punishment and restore power in Gaza. Above all, we call on Israel to abide by international law and be held to the same standard other countries are held to. Obeying international law is not a choice, and we join Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International in calling for an end to these violations.
