Aggression In Gaza Is Increasingly Worrying, UN Member States Urged By Israel's Arms Embargo

Gaza Strip/Un Women/Samar Abu Elouf

JAKARTA - The Human Rights Watch Organization (HRW) urged UN member states to carry out weapons sanctions and embargoes against Israel for its aggression in Palestine during a high-level UN conference on Palestine, July 28.

The ministerial meeting will be chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, following the decision of the 2024 International Court (ICJ) which states that Israel's occupation is unlawful and an apartheid.

"It is very important for the government to take seriously Israel's gross violations seriously by committed to concrete and time-frame measures," said Bruno Stagno, head of advocacy at HRW as reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, July 23.

This, said Bruno, includes targeted sanctions, arms embargoes, suspension of preferential trade agreements, and a clear commitment to support the enforcement of all arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

HRW also warned of "the risk threshold for serious genocide has long been passed," referring to the ICJ's decision and the destruction of civilian infrastructure by Israeli forces.

The group emphasizes that countries have a legal obligation based on the Genocide Convention to act.

The organization stressed 12 countries recently pledged to cut ties with Israel over its attacks on Gaza.

Meanwhile, other countries, including Britain and several European Union countries, have imposed sanctions or re-evaluated trade relations.

"However, there is still much to be done, to stop the destruction, persecution, and apparatus carried out by Israeli authorities against Palestinians," Human Rights Watch said.

The organization urged UN member states to take concrete steps such as suspending military aid and arms sales to Israel, imposing travel bans and asset freezes on officials linked to serious offenses, and banning all trade and business with illegal settlements.

Other proposals include suspending economic and political agreements with Israel, publicly supporting the ICC, fully funding the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees, and dealing with systemic violations by recognizing apartheid crimes and persecution.

"The UN Security Council should have taken such steps for a long time, but it was crippled by the United States, which engages in Israeli war crimes with continued arms transfers and is determined to ensure impunity to Israeli violations," the group said.