A coalition of nations has introduced at a gathering within the Colombian capital of Bogota that they’ll pursue accountability for Israeli abuses in Gaza, together with by stopping the switch of weapons to Israel.
The 2-day assembly concluded on Wednesday with two dozen international locations agreeing to 6 measures to “restrain Israel’s assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories”.
They embrace Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and South Africa.
“We consider in protagonism, not supplication,” stated Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, the chief secretary of The Hague Group, which organised the summit.
“At present marks an finish to the period of the impunity and the start of collective state motion by governments of conscience.”
Based in January, the Hague Group seeks to carry collectively international locations from the “World South” — a loosely outlined area of growing economies — to stress Israel to finish its struggle on Gaza and the occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Among the many steps introduced by the group are the denial of arms to Israel, a ban on ships transporting such arms and a overview of public contracts for attainable hyperlinks to firms that profit from the Israeli occupation.
The six measures additionally included help for “common jurisdiction mandates”, which might permit states or worldwide our bodies to prosecute severe worldwide crimes, no matter the place they happened.
“The delegates right here which were discussing these measures for 2 days are calling it essentially the most formidable, multilateral plan for the reason that starting of Israel’s struggle in Gaza 21 months in the past,” Al Jazeera correspondent Alessandro Rampietti reported from Bogota.
The 12 international locations that agreed to the measures, nonetheless, symbolize fewer than half of the 30 international locations in attendance on the Bogota summit.
And critics query how efficient smaller economies might be in dissuading Israel from its army marketing campaign, particularly given the multibillion-dollar help it receives from the US.
Israel has given little indication that worldwide outrage has slowed down its assaults on Gaza, even after specialists on the United Nations (UN) and main humanitarian organisations in contrast its ways to genocide.
Israeli forces proceed to displace Palestinians and prohibit their entry to meals, gas and water. At the least 58,573 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that struggle started in October 2023.
Whereas nearly all of the international locations at this week’s Bogota convention didn’t instantly signal on to Wednesday’s measures, the Hague Group expressed optimism that extra might take part.
In an announcement, the group set a deadline of September 20 for others to take part — a date chosen to coincide with the beginning of the UN Normal Meeting.
“Consultations with capitals the world over at the moment are ongoing,” the assertion stated.
Officers attending the summit additionally hailed the six measures as half of a bigger effort to chip away at Israeli impunity.
“Ministers, the reality is that Palestine has already triggered a revolution, and you might be a part of it,” stated Francesca Albanese, the United Nations particular rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Palestine has modified world consciousness, drawing a transparent line between those that oppose genocide and people who settle for it or are a part of it.”
Albanese was lately sanctioned by the US for her outspoken criticism of Israel’s actions.
The summit has turn out to be an emblem of the rising calls from non-Western nations for world leaders to implement worldwide legislation in Gaza, the place critics say Israel has persistently flouted human rights legislation.
Creating nations akin to South Africa and Colombia, which cohosted the convention, have been on the forefront of such accountability efforts.
South Africa, for example, filed a case in December 2023 on the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice (ICJ) alleging that Israel perpetrated genocide in Gaza. And Colombia introduced it could lower ties with Israel in Could 2024 over its army marketing campaign.
“We got here to Bogota to make historical past,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated in an announcement. “And we did.”