UN experts: Israel's war in Gaza could escalate into genocide of Palestinians if fire not stopped
Israel's military actions in Gaza could escalate into genocide of Palestinians, so the international community must urgently take measures to ensure a ceasefire – as declared in the statement of 18 UN special rapporteurs distributed by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, RIA Novosti reports
The released document provides an assessment of the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “We are deeply distressed at the failure of Israel to agree to – and the unwillingness of the international community to press more decisively for – an immediate ceasefire. The failure to urgently implement a ceasefire risks this situation spiralling towards a genocide conducted with 21st century means and methods of warfare,” it reads.
The experts are also concerned about the ‘discernibly genocidal and dehumanising rhetoric coming from senior Israeli government officials, as well as some professional groups and public figures, calling for the ‘total destruction’, and ‘erasure’ of Gaza, the need to ‘finish them all’ and force Palestinians from the West Bank and east Jerusalem to Jordan’.
"The international community has an obligation to prevent atrocity crimes, including genocide, and should immediately consider all diplomatic, political and economic measures to that end,” the statement adds.
