“Give us what we need and let us get this done quickly.”
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made this statement to the US Congress, it was more than just a call for military support from the West. Rather, it emphasized the need for political support from international actors, or at least a call not to hinder Israel’s actions.
Western governments and much of the international community have long ignored Israel’s violations of international law, effectively granting it impunity. This perceived immunity has allowed Israel to routinely violate international norms with increasing confidence, and has made such violations standard state policy since its founding.
Israel’s most blatant violations of international law include state-sanctioned genocide and other war crimes. Such serious violations would normally raise concerns among the international community and judicial bodies. However, the international community’s support for Israel has encouraged it to commit these violations more openly and brazenly, challenging the global liberal order.
A lawless black hole: Sde Teiman Prison
A particularly notable example of Israel’s violations of international norms is the revelation of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners in Sde Teiman prison, part of the military complex where Palestinians from Gaza have been held since October 7.
Recent reports highlight serious abuse and torture, including the gang rape of a prisoner by nine soldiers. This incident has drawn renewed attention to the prison, but the abuse has continued since the beginning of the Gaza conflict.
A May 11 CNN investigative report based on testimony from Israeli whistleblowers and former prisoners detailed widespread abuses at Sde Teiman, including physical restraints, beatings, medical neglect and degrading treatment. UN reports have documented other torture methods, such as electric shocks and waterboarding. These practices have led to the deaths of some 36 Palestinians in prison.
Sde Teiman’s practices violate international standards against torture and degrading treatment and make Israel liable under international law. As a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), Israel is obligated to uphold the prohibition of such acts. Furthermore, under the Rome Statute and customary international humanitarian law, these acts are considered war crimes that warrant prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Consequently, the State of Israel, along with all Israeli officials involved or complicit in these criminal acts, are legally responsible for these violations.
Israel’s incessant war crimes
The assassination of Hamas Politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was a gruesome example of the number of targeted killings Israel has carried out in other countries. This act, which targeted a prominent figure involved in ceasefire and peace talks, not only demonstrated Tel Aviv’s unwillingness to seek a political solution, but also violated international legal norms.
The attack on Haniyeh in Iran is classified as a “crime of aggression,” which is a war crime under international law. This crime is defined as the use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state, in violation of the UN Charter. Such acts are prohibited by the UN Charter and are recognized as war crimes under the Rome Statute and customary international law.
This incident violated Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity because it was directed against a guest under diplomatic protection and took place on Iranian soil. The crime of aggression specifically concerns the unlawful initiation of a conflict, rather than actions within an existing conflict. In this case, Tel Aviv’s provocative move, which appeared to be aimed at provoking a confrontation with Iran, meets the criteria for the crime of aggression.
On the other hand, Israel cannot justify this action as self-defense, which applies only when a state is actively attacked and the response is proportionate to repel that attack. The assassination was not aimed at averting an imminent threat to Israel. Moreover, Israel’s claim that the attack was not carried out from the air does not mitigate or eliminate the crime of aggression. International law does not require a specific method of attack to be considered aggression; any attack on another sovereign state is considered a violation, regardless of the means used.
Therefore, Israel must be held accountable under international law for this politically motivated murder, which was carried out through a direct attack on Iranian soil.
It is time to curb Israel’s aggression
The impunity enjoyed by Israel has reached dangerous levels and increasingly threatens the very pillars of the liberal international order. The West, led by the United States, turns a blind eye to the political fantasies of the far-right Israeli government, which are driven by theocratic motives.
The international community’s response to Tel Aviv’s attempts to escalate the conflict in the region has so far been nothing more than ineffective warnings that the region is on the brink of all-out war and that actors should proceed with caution. However, international actors are aware that unless political, legal and even military measures are taken through the UN Security Council to contain Israel’s aggression, the flames ravaging the Middle East will spread to other parts of the world and further destabilize the already fragile liberal international order.
Therefore, it is an indispensable historical responsibility for every actor committed to maintaining world peace to stop encouraging war criminals through loud applause and to take concrete steps against their war against basic human values. Finally, it must be recognized that the threat in the region is not directed against Israel, but that Israel poses a threat to other regional actors and, ultimately, to world peace.
It is time to put an end to Israel’s impunity. Otherwise, the Jewish state’s hubris, its genocide and its recurring provocations will become a powder keg whose first victim will be the international liberal order, which is already becoming less liberal, less global and definitely less orderly.
