On 27 March 2024, Al-Haq delivered an oral intervention under Item 7 during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, underscoring Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and its simultaneous escalation of colonial violence against Palestinians elsewhere, including through militray attacks, destruction of civilian properties and infrastructure and expediting its settlement enterprise. The statement addressed the failure of several Third States to hold Israel accountable for international crimes, and their decision to impose sanctions against individual settlers, instead of addressing the root issue of Israel’s colonial settlement enterprise as a state policy.

Reminding States that international law is universal, and that justice cannot be selective, Al-Haq called on States to enact an immediate ceasefire, recognise Israel’s settler-colonialism and apartheid, prohibit the import, marketing, and sale of settlement goods and services within their jurisdictions, and support accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court and the UN Database on Businesses involved in Israel’s colonial settlement enterprise.

On 5 April 2024, the Human Rights Council passed Resolution A/HRC/55/L.28, which called on States to “not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in these territories, including by taking steps to cease the importation of any products originating in settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, consistent with their obligations under international law”.

Al-Haq’s full statement reads as follows:

Mr. Vice President,

While Israel continues, unabated, its ongoing genocide in Gaza, its colonial violence against the Palestinian people elsewhere escalates.

This includes aggressive military attacks and daily raids, employing snipers, D9 bulldozers, and airstrikes, resorting to extrajudicial killings and deliberately destroying civilian infrastructure – turning Palestinian homes, refugee camps and even hospitals into crime scenes –– while expediting its settlement enterprise.

While failing to hold Israel accountable for international crimes and supporting Israel with arms, several Third States have opted for imposing sanctions against individual settlers, instead of addressing the root issue of Israel’s colonial settlement enterprise as a state policy.

Mr. Vice President,

We remind States that international law is universal, and that justice cannot be selective.

States must take concrete measures to enact a ceasefire; acknowledge Israel’s settler-colonialism and apartheid; ensure that the import, marketing, and sale of settlement goods and services is prohibited within their jurisdiction; push for the reconstitution of the UN Centre Against Apartheid and the UN Special Committee against Apartheid; and support and ensure the appropriate funding of accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, the UN Commission of Inquiry on the root causes of the Palestinian plight, and the UN Database on Businesses involved in Israel’s colonial settlement enterprise.

Thank you.