Pressure mounts for arms embargo on Israel

The UN Human Rights Council on April 5 adopted a resolution, A/HRC/55/L.30, reiterating the Security Council's call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza—and further calling for an embargo and prevention of the supply of weapons to Israel by UN Member States. HRC members approved the resolution with 28 votes in favor, six against and 13 abstentions.

The resolution called for Member States "to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, the occupying Power…to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations of abuses of human rights." Israel voted against the resolution, arguing that it was "anti-Israel" and biased.

The UN has been critical of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is becoming increasingly dire. Deputy High Commissioner Nada al-Nashif described the situation as an "ongoing Nakba" at the Conference of Civil Society Organizations working on the Question of Palestine on April 3. He drew attention to the increasing civilian causalities, including aid and humanitarian workers. He stated:

As of 20 March, at least 196 humanitarians, including at least 175 UN workers, had been killed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since October 2023… As a result of attacks on hospitals and medical personnel and the sustained interference with humanitarian assistance, Palestinians in Gaza are dying of disease and hunger, if they are not killed by bombs… Israel's bombardment has flattened entire residential areas and the large-scale destruction of critical civilian infrastructure has rendered many parts of Gaza effectively uninhabitable. (Jurist)

Also Apri 5, some 40 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives signed a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to cease arms transfers to Israel in the wake of the air-strike that killed seven humanitarian aid workers in Gaza. (Jurist)

Also Apri 5, seven human rights lawyers filed a motion in the Berlin Administrative Court to halt Germany's arms exports to Israel. In the motion, the lawyers claim that the German government has committed the crime of aiding and abetting in the genocide of the Palestinian people living in Gaza by continuing to supply Israel with arms.

The initiative was supported by the European Support Legal Center (ELSC), the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD), and Law for Palestine, under their joint Justice & Accountability for Palestine Initiative. (Jurist)

A Human Rights Watch report released on April 4 stated that an Israeli air-strike conducted on a civilian apartment building on Oct. 31, 2023, was a war crime. The report calls the attack, which resulted in 106 civilian deaths, including 54 children, "among the deadliest single incidents for civilians" since Israel's invasion of Gaza. (Jurist)

See our last report on genocide accusations against Israel.