When rights-based systems apply only to some people, double standards are reinforced and impunity increases.
The world is moving towards a dangerous situation where selective government outrage and the “a la carte'' application of international law become the norm. The consequences are already dire, with a crisis of credibility and declining trust in international institutions and governments putting the rules-based world order at risk.
As heads of Amnesty International and the Center for Civilian Conflict, the world's most prominent organizations for the protection of human rights and civilians, we make a simple request to the world leaders gathered on Friday for the 2024 Munich Security Conference: doing. : Uphold international humanitarian law and international human rights law as the best means of protecting civilians in times of conflict, and end the creation of exceptions that weaken rights protections and endanger global security and stability.
Unfortunately, in 2023, world leaders have responded unevenly to the countless violations of international humanitarian and human rights law that we have witnessed in various conflicts around the world. They expressed outrage at crimes committed by some belligerent parties and offered diplomatic protection to others. In many cases, they also turned a blind eye to the plight of civilians suffering in the conflict.
Civilians suffer alarming levels of harm in conflict zones around the world, from Iraq to Syria, Ethiopia to Yemen, Ukraine to Sudan, to name just a few, while international peace and security are threatened. The countries with primary responsibility for maintaining it are doing little. To correct course.
Recently, we have been particularly struck by the intensity and scale of civilian killings and destruction caused by Israel's military operations in Gaza. This was achieved with the support of several countries, despite a series of violations of international law, including the complete siege of the Gaza population and the use of starvation of civilians as a weapon of war.
The horrific attack carried out by Palestinian militants on October 7th cannot be tolerated. Their perpetrators should be held accountable and all civilians taken hostage by armed groups that day should be released immediately. However, in responding to these attacks, Israel and its allies also have an obligation to abide by the rules of war and international human rights law.
Instead, countries like the U.S., despite the fact that they could be used to harm civilians in violation of the Biden administration's own conventional arms transfer policy and numerous provisions of U.S. law. Increased arms transfers to Israel.
Similarly, several Western countries have stopped funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), without conducting an independent investigation into the claims made by Israel, and have stopped all civilians in the dire situation in the Gaza Strip. are collectively punished. Condition requiring life-saving assistance.
In Gaza and other conflict zones, world leaders appear to be selective about which civilians to protect and which to abandon to their fate, based on politics and existing alliances. This is unacceptable.
World leaders are failing to uphold fundamental human values such as human rights, freedom and equality for all and must urgently reassess their actions. When world leaders act contrary to the very values they claim to represent and uphold, the world's citizens begin to question the integrity of the international legal system. When rights-based systems apply only to some people, double standards are reinforced and impunity increases.
We call upon the world leaders gathered in Munich to not only reflect on the current and future security challenges facing their countries and the entire international community, but also to reflect on their role in addressing them. I strongly urge you to do so. We urge you to recognize that the selective application of international law and the weakening of international institutions and legal frameworks are the greatest threats to global security. We urge you to commit to complying with international law in a fair and impartial manner that respects the inherent dignity and human rights of all people without discrimination.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.