Iftikhar Khattak
“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” ― Nelson Mandela
To address the forthright question of whether Israel violates human rights, the answer is unequivocally yes. Over the last 75 years, Israel has been accused of long-term abuses against and denials of rights to minorities by a number of nations, international human rights organizations, and political figures. Given the US’s constant support—financial help as well as implicit support of its actions—Israelis seem mainly indifferent about the situation. This support not only violates international law but also contributes to an atmosphere of lawlessness. In the strategically important Middle East, where economic, military, and geopolitical considerations are at play, criticizing Israel is often seen as undermining US interests. Former US President Donald Trump’s contentious “Deal of the Century,” which had been widely criticized as a total surrender of Palestinian rights, serves as a prime example of this problem. In other words, how on earth can the US teach the lesson of democracy to the world after contributing to the oppression of Palestinians?
In 2011, former British Prime Minister David Cameron denounced Israel for turning Gaza into a “prison camp” and called for an end to these conditions. Not many countries, particularly those with significant political or economic links to Israel like the United States and several European nations, agreed with his criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Its outcome is now evident, as the situations there have gotten significantly worse. Additionally, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, in conjunction with several human rights organizations, has repeatedly denounced Israel’s actions, characterizing the strategy of starving Palestinians into submission as illegal and a crime. During a session in Geneva in 2017, the UN Human Rights Council harshly lambasted Israel’s activities and declared it the world’s worst offender of human rights.
Israel was designated as a “Jewish state” in its Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. It is a multiparty parliamentary democracy that is often referred to as an apartheid state. This designation’s legal implications were formally implemented in 1985. The Israeli constitution’s policy on human rights is frequently perceived as mere rhetoric as it does not provide the social and economic rights of all of its inhabitants, especially the collective and shared rights of minority groups, who are especially neglected. Since October 7, it has become undeniably evident that Israel’s actions are in direct violation of international law and deeply inhumane. Article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination highlights that racial concerns are a major source of friction between Israel and Muslim Arab governments. The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination denounced Israel’s 2003 rule forcing Palestinians married to Israelis to live apart. They approved a motion criticizing Israel for breaking a global human rights agreement meant to end racism and prejudice.
The UN must take strong action to rectify this blatant contradiction, where different laws apply selectively, in order to put an end to this instability. The world community has to speak out against Israeli impunity and support the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people. It is critical to make it crystal clear to Israel that abuse of civilian rights and acts of aggression, particularly those committed against children, will not be accepted any longer.
The occupation obviously does not regard Palestinians as human, and regrettably, the rest of the world does not regard them as human either. If Palestinians were fully recognized as human beings, they would be granted access to healthcare and, more fundamentally, the right to life. The United States’ stance is consistent with its historical neglect of indigenous populations and marginalized black and brown communities within its own borders.
If we fail to advocate for the vulnerable, the deceased, and the suffering we witness both in reality and through our screens, we are no better than the AI box intended to replace human empathy and action. Hospitals, once training grounds for medical students, have been transformed into sites of torture, mass graves, and venues for executing medical professionals. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 493 healthcare workers, including nurses, paramedics, doctors, and other medical personnel, have been killed since October 7, 2023. These actions constitute psychological torture by Israel, and the global community must voice its condemnation. If, especially within the Muslim world, there are efforts to silence or intimidate those advocating for the suffering children in Gaza, a critical introspection and self-examination is necessary: “Am I part of the problem?”
The writer is a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST).
