Israel ignores UN order, continuing genocide on Gaza as UK minister says resolution is binding
Israel's actions fly in the face of international law yet again
UK Foreign Office minister Tariq Ahmad has said it is the government’s position that a UN Security Council resolution for a temporary ceasefire is binding.
The order didn’t include an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine to pave the way for the claimed aim of a two state solution.
Instead, the Security Council resolution ordered a ceasefire for the month of Ramadan and for Hamas to release detainees. But it ignored the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails.
Israel ignores UN Security Council resolution
The UK statement that the resolution is binding comes as Israel ignores it entirely, bombing people’s homes in Rafah, south of Gaza – the place Israel claimed was a safe zone.
The resolution passed over five months into Israel’s colonial and genocidal military campaign against occupied Palestinians. The US has previously vetoed three ceasefire resolutions at the UN Security Council.
The Security Council has five permanent members who can exercise vetoes – UK, US, France, China, and Russia.
Ahmad said in the House of Lords on 27 March:
It is binding. The United Kingdom’s place is clear… There has been speculation on this and the words on ‘binding’ or ‘nonbinding’. We are very clear: there’s two elements on this, a Chapter VII or a Chapter VI.
This was made under Chapter VI, but there is a convention which goes back to 1971 which confirms that those decisions which are passed by the UN Security Council are binding.
Under Chapter VI of the UN charter, states should uphold resolutions through peaceful means. But the UK is still licensing arms to Israel that total £574m since 2008.
The UK has also previously protected an Israeli minister from facing prosecution for war crimes. When he was Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in 2011, Labour leader Keir Starmer blocked the arrest of former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni.
A permanent ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation
After the US failed to again veto the resolution, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a Washington visit by two of his top advisors.
Although the US walked back its position, in contrary to international law, stating that the resolution was non-binding.
The resolution doesn’t go far enough. The Security Council must order a permanent ceasefire along with an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This would help initiate lasting peace in the region.
Featured image via WION- YouTube
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We must look at the very-specific language used in the UNSC Resolution:
UNSC resolutions are legally binding documents under international law. . If the UNSC ‘calls upon’ someone to do something it is the legal equivalent of asking ‘pretty please’. It has no real consequences.
However, UNSC Resolution 2728 which passed this week on a 14 to 0 vote with the U.S. abstaining, does not ‘call upon’ Israel or Hamas to do anything.
It demands that they do something:
“The Security Council, …
…
1. DEMANDS an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire, and also DEMANDS the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, as well as ensuring humanitarian access to address their medical and other humanitarian needs, and further DEMANDS that the parties comply with their obligations under international law in relation to all persons they detain;
2. Emphasizes the urgent need to expand the flow of humanitarian assistance to and reinforce the protection of civilians in the entire Gaza Strip and reiterates its DEMAND for the lifting of all barriers to the provision of humanitarian assistance at scale, in line with international humanitarian law as well as resolutions 2712 (2023) and 2720 (2023) “…
Soon after the resolution passed the U.S. falsely claimed that it is not legally binding
ANY Resolution that came out of the UN, since it’s inception, that ordered Israel to end it’s practices were ALWAYS ignored by Israel. The UN is over 70 years old, however, the UN never penalized Israel IN ANY WAY, for ignoring those Resolutions so why would anyone be surprised, or even shocked, with this latest development? How anyone could be so blind as to NOT SEE that the creator of the UN is the very same creator of Israel…The Rothschild’s.
Israel NEVER had to listen to the UN. Israel CONTROLLED the UN…not the other way around.
Israel controls the American political scene. America, because, politically, is extremely weak, and yet controls the UN in the main. If it doesn’t get its way, like a petulant child, it threatens to pull the plug and leave the congregation. Israel is the bad guy here and, in my opinion, the UN should send in a peacekeeping force to Rafah…but America would VETO that.
The world needs to boycott all Israeli products and should not trade with the country in any way. America would VETO that.
Over Israel…America is WEAK!