Gaza: Palestinian Envoy Seeks Application Of Int’l Law Against War Crime

The Palestinian Ambassador to Nigeria, Abdullah Shawesh, has called for the application of international law against war crimes in the Israeli-Hamas war.

Shawesh made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during his courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the agency, Malam Ali M. Ali in Abuja.

According to the Palestinian envoy, a third-part resolution pact on the lingering crisis between Israel and Hamas would ensure a sustainable peace process between the warring parties.

“My message is not only to Hamas but to everyone. This is very important: Peace, international law, and anyone who conducts, or goes against international law should be tried.

“Who is going to decide that you or I go against international law if it came to you or came to me as Israel or to the Palestinian?

“Everyone will be blaming the other party or completely abide by that international law, which is of course full right today.

“How to solve this problem: We have a long experience through history that the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Commission launched three international inquiries – a fact-finding mission – to investigate war crimes across the world.

“Now it is time for all of us to state our claim as Israel or under Palestine. It is completely unacceptable from our side as an international mission. We need another third pact but of course not that.”

He mentioned that both Israel and Palestine have alleged that war crimes were committed against their citizens, but said the UN mission should act urgently to solve the lingering crisis.

He said that a tripartite agreement should be anchored by the mission will help to end the war crime.

“As Palestinians, we are fully assured that Israel is conducting a war crime against the Palestinians. The Israelis are also saying that Hamas conducted a war crime.

“Who is going to tell you that this is a war crime or not? We need another, a third neutral party which is the UN Human Rights Commission.

“We need and we call on the Human Rights Council to launch an investigation/inquiry commission to review every single event or issue in Palestine and Israel.

“Then when they come up with the report, anyone indicted in the war crime should be held responsible for war crime.

“The international community, and Africa as well should have a legitimate way to punish anyone conducting the war crime,” he added.

“There are lots of ways to do that. There won’t be a need for military punishment, but there are lots of diplomatic, peaceful, legal ways to banish anyone conducting war crime,” he added.

Meanwhile, Amb. Michael Freeman, the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria has said that the enemies of Israel are not the Palestinian people.

Freeman who is also the Permanent Representative of Israel to ECOWAS told NAN that Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, would mark 100 days since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Islamic militant group Hamas killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 others hostage.

The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas is considered the deadliest in Israel’s history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.

The Israeli envoy said Israel would continue to do everything within the ambit of the law to bring about sustainable peace.

“The enemies are not the Palestinian people. Hamas on the other hand are doing everything to increase civilian casualties. It is very difficult for us.

“Israel is abiding by international law; we are abiding by humanitarian law; we are doing everything we can to avoid civilian casualties.

“We have opened up civilian corridor, open corridor, safe areas.

“We are facilitating the entry of hundreds of trucks of food, medicine, shelter, and everything good every single day.

“Today (Jan. 16), 30 trucks came in, and the day before, 200 trucks came in.

“We are abiding by international law. Israel is not carrying out war crimes. There is a clear culprit of war crimes and that is Hamas.

“Hamas have carried out war crimes and these are crimes against humanity.”

The envoy reiterated Israel’s stand to ensure Hamas never carried out war crimes again, saying peace could be sustained if the hostages were released and Hamas surrendered.

“Such are basic things any country will want and once that is done, we will be able to end this war and to build a future for Palestinians and Israelis.

“We want to see a peaceful solution, everybody wants to see a peaceful solution, peace between Israel and Palestine needs to take place without Hamas,” Freeman said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)