Israel above the law

A new report by Mona Deely — CEO of Reform Initiative for Transparent Economies (RITE) — lays bare how support for Israel’s settler-colonial aggression in Palestine depends on disregard for international law by Israel and its allies.

Deely, also a UK-certified lawyer, presents a detailed account of how unconditional support for states engaged in genocide is compromising systems. Moreover, she underscores the acceleration of this beneath state-of-the art surveillance systems. In addition, she highlights the marriage of convenience with Big Tech.

The military support, legal interference, and lobbying across international institutions underpinning these alliances provide Zionist Israel with a political safety hammock. Together, they underscore the failure of democracy as an obligation states are legally bound to deliver.

The account is as damning as it is terrifying — a sullied portrait of the ‘free’ world careering towards the abyss. Deely also presents an analysis of media coverage after October 7 highlighting skewed reporting, exposing the ‘two-sider’ narrative, and the glib sanitisation of Israeli violence. The anti-Palestinian bias within the British media landscape stinks! Speaking of her motivations, Deely told the Canary:

[the report] raises the alarm on one of the most consequential issues we all face as well as pointing to the solutions.

The litmus test for all democracies

The report is an important contribution to the growing body of evidence intended which calls out the violation of international law.

Continuing down this path, Deely warns, means we’re moving towards a world in which the law is irrelevant and redundant. Instead, actions are motivated by the desperation to preserve the status-quo. This status-quo favours Israel at the expense of everyone else.

Take British courts for instance. They’ve shown themselves completely toothless, unable to halt the tide of illegal military exports to a country waging genocide on a captive population.

Commenting on the broader trend, Deely described Gaza as a “test” for “democracy, the rule of law and political integrity.” She explained that the report:

evidences how the same logic that permits the selective application of rights and law internationally is being applied at home to suppress legitimate dissent.

It shows a post-law environment that is incompatible with democracy and that is being entrenched through technological surveillance, misinformation, and poor governance.

The report presents a full-throated rendition of this:

democratic erosion in the US, UK and Germany has accelerated over the past two years, with the Gaza war acting as a magnifier […] it traces the links between disregard for international law and the decline of civil rights and identifies pathways to restore them.

It also raises serious questions about how technology is being weaponized in Gaza — reducing combat to a kill switch. Companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Palantir are the cogs and strings of this genocidal, killing machine.

They are also embedded in the UK. Peter Thiel’s Palantir, for example, has access to identifiable NHS patient data. As a result, this raises serious and ongoing concerns about oversight and control.

People need to start doing their jobs

The report makes 12 policy recommendations, imploring politicians and civil servants to scrutinise policies that undermine international law and diminish democratic accountability.

Others recommendations include the call to suspend arms sales, severing military cooperation, and sanctioning Israeli war criminals and their colonial-settler apparatus, not just illegal settlers. Consequently, this clear-eyed roadmap should redirect the UK. In addition, others governments that may have lost their moral compass can benefit from it.

Deeley also makes recommendations to the media, whose failure to be impartial has been starker since October 7. The lawyer emphasised the need for media production that “reflects legal norms rather than normalising its violations.” In addition, journalists are duty-bound to investigate the facts — not to actively ignore, excuse, or play political ball.

Attempting to remind Western media outlets of their inherent responsibility to provide unbiased reporting, with an accurate understanding of the relevant legal positions. Additionally, media should center stories which are in the public interest,

Crackdown on dissent

Whilst political leaders continue to shield Israel and provide diplomatic cover like an obedient lapdog, citizens around the world have taken to mass protests, petitions, BDS campaigns and direct action.

However, rather than confronting their own failures, governments — especially in the UK — have doubled down, cracking down on dissent. Furthermore, they are restricting speech, criminalising forms of protest, and targeting campaigners advocating for Palestinian rights. They are also targeting those seeking adherence to international law.

Once again, ordinary people are paying the price.

In the UK specifically, we have seen the revocation of visas, the deportation of a Palestinian law student, the weaponisation of the Terrorism Act and pro-Israel groups repeatedly pressure and intimidate governments into suppressing valid criticism of Israel and racist Zionism.

One example noted in thee report circles back to Wes Streeting and his support for the IHRA definition of antisemitism, while criticised for stifling expressions of solidarity for Palestine — Gaza included.

Policymakers should act on this report’s recommendations, and the public should pay attention. Staying informed isn’t optional — we must collective in order to push back against an authoritarian and dystopian direction of travel. It impacts each and every one of us.

Featured image via Barold / the Canary