OHCHR: Disrespect for international law is a matter of international peace and security

20 September 2024

Delivered by

Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

At UN Security Council

Related

Statements and speechesHuman Rights are our mainstay against unbridled power

Statements and speechesGaza: Turk pleads for end to fighting as death toll passes 40,000

Statements and speechesCall for Action: Urgent Humanitarian Response for Gaza

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

I am appalled by the breadth and impact of the attacks on 17 and 18 September in Lebanon on civilians, where the explosion of pagers, two-way radios, and other electronic devices have reportedly killed at least 37 people, including two children, and injured more than 3,400 people in Lebanon alone, leaving many with permanent disabilities and healthcare facilities struggling to cope with the magnitude of the impact on people.

These attacks represent a new development in warfare, where communication tools become weapons, simultaneously exploding across marketplaces, on street corners, and in homes as daily life unfolds. Authorities have reportedly dismantled unexploded devices in universities, banks, and hospitals.

This has unleashed widespread fear, panic, and horror among people in Lebanon, already suffering in an increasingly volatile situation since October 2023 and crumbling under a severe and longstanding economic crisis.

This cannot be the new normal.

Mr. President,

War has rules. For each and every party to this and any other armed conflict.

• Armed force – that is, violence against other human beings – can only be used where necessary to achieve a valid military objective.
• In doing so, the fundamental distinction between civilian and military targets must be front and centre.
• All feasible precautions must be taken to spare civilians. Attacks must remain proportional to the wider damage they inflict.
• Persons not exercising a continuous combat function in an armed group can only be targeted when taking a direct part in hostilities.   

At their core, these rules have the paramount aim of effectively protecting civilians.

International human rights law exists to protect the equality and dignity of every human being, even in times of war.

Law exists to defend values central to our societies, and to our world.

Simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge as to who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location, and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, as applicable, international humanitarian law.

It is difficult to conceive how, in these circumstances, such attacks could possibly conform with the key principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack, under international humanitarian law. If the attacker is unable to assess the compliance of the attack with binding rules of international law, notably the likely impact on civilians, then the attack should not be carried out.

International humanitarian law prohibits the use of booby-trap devices in the form of apparently harmless portable objects which are specifically designed and constructed to contain explosive material. 

It is a war crime to commit violence intended to spread terror among civilians.

I call, again, for an independent, thorough, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of these explosions. Those who ordered and carried out these attacks must be held to account.

Let me be clear – this method of warfare may be new and unfamiliar. But international humanitarian and human rights law apply regardless and must be upheld.

These attacks occurred amidst hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which since 8 October last year have caused civilian casualties on both sides. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health figures released in August, over 500 people have been killed, over 2,400 injured and, according to IOM, over 110,000 displaced in Lebanon. The Government of Israel reported 48 people killed in Israel and over 63,000 displaced in the context of these hostilities. The last 24 hours have seen intensified cross-border military action in Lebanon and Israel.

This tragic situation cannot be seen in isolation – it is bound up with the war in Gaza, spiralling violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territory. The heightened risk of further atrocity crimes remains. As repeatedly stated, the humanitarian situation for 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza is catastrophic.

Over 1,200 people were killed on 7 October in Israel. In Gaza, over 100 hostages are still held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Over 41,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed as a result of the intensive Israeli offensives, and over 95,500 injured in Gaza, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

I am outraged by this inconceivable toll of human suffering.

For the UN and other humanitarian responders, ongoing hostilities, access constraints, attacks on staff and facilities, and damaged infrastructure along with the deteriorating security situation, including looting and frequent Israeli-issued evacuation orders, are key factors obstructing the delivery of sufficient lifesaving aid across the Gaza Strip.

Ending the war in Gaza and averting a full-blown regional conflict is an absolute and urgent priority.

I call for an immediate ceasefire, and for continuous humanitarian access to be ensured throughout the Strip.

I urge the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held in Gaza.

The arbitrary detention by Israel of thousands of Palestinians must end.

The wider situation of illegality across the occupied Palestinian territory deriving from Israel’s policies and practices, as so clearly spelled out by the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion in July, must be comprehensively addressed.

Mr. President,

Disrespect for international law is a matter of international peace and security – the core obligation of this Council – with implications beyond these countries and this region.

States have constructed international human rights and humanitarian law precisely for moments like these – when life, dignity and our very humanity are at risk.

As such, States must not – cannot – accept blatant disregard for international law, including binding decisions of the Security Council and orders of the International Court of Justice.

They must not – cannot – allow the hollowing out of international law and its protective core. Neither in this nor in any other situation around the world.

All States, particularly those with influence, must do everything they can to ensure full respect for international law.

Just over ten days ago, in my address to the Human Rights Council in Geneva I urged the rejection of a new normal of endless, vicious military escalation and increasingly alarming technologically “advanced” methods of warfare.

The warnings from multiple actors against an all-out war in the region have been clear and consistent. It would benefit no one. Continuing on this path of inflamed war rhetoric on all sides and reckless, military escalation only leads to further devastation. I urge Israel and Hezbollah to cease hostilities immediately.

The spectre of this region’s past – the unending cycles of conflict, the human rights grievances and causes of which have been ignored and trampled on – is palpable and omnipresent.

The complexity of this moment – and the stakes for people everywhere – demand much more from the international community, to achieve an enduring peace.

This crisis requires political courage and leadership.

Thank you.