A group of United Nations experts, including several Special Rapporteurs, issued a stern warning on Thursday to arms and ammunition manufacturers involved in supplying Israel, cautioning them about potential complicity in human rights abuses and violations of international law.
The statement, endorsed by 30 UN experts, urged arms manufacturers to cease their transfers of war materiel to Israeli forces, even if such transfers are conducted under existing export licenses. According to the experts, these companies risk becoming complicit in serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by continuing to supply weapons, parts, components, and ammunition to Israel.
Israel, in response to these allegations, has consistently denied accusations of human rights abuses during its military operations in Gaza. The Israeli government maintains that its actions are defensive measures aimed at countering Hamas militants rather than targeting the Palestinian civilian population.
The warning from the UN experts comes in the wake of an emergency ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering Israel to cease its military offensive in Rafah, located in the southern Gaza Strip. The ICJ’s ruling followed a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide, a charge vehemently denied by Israeli authorities as false and misleading.
The experts emphasized that the risk to arms firms has escalated amid these legal and ethical considerations. They highlighted that continued arms transfers to Israel could be construed as providing assistance for operations that violate international human rights and humanitarian laws, potentially leading to financial gains from such transactions.
Recent reports from the UN human rights office have suggested that Israeli forces may have repeatedly breached the laws of war, failing to distinguish between civilians and combatants during the Gaza conflict. Israeli officials have disputed these findings, dismissing them as flawed assessments.
According to health authorities in the Palestinian territory, Israel’s air and ground offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 37,400 individuals. The assault was launched following an incursion by Hamas fighters into southern Israel, which resulted in casualties on both sides.
The situation remains complex and contentious, with ongoing debates over the legality and morality of arms transfers amidst escalating tensions in the region.
