AA / Londres / Zuhal Demirci
Academics, intellectuals, human rights defenders, media representatives and non-governmental organizations, gathered to investigate Israel’s war crimes in Gaza, launched the “Gaza Court” initiative in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. They held various meetings attended by nearly 100 people over two days.
The project is led by Richard Falk, former UN special rapporteur on Palestine, and includes former UN special rapporteurs Michael Lynk and Hilal Elver, as well as academics Noura Erakat, Susan Akram, Ahmet Koroglu, John Reynolds, Diana Buttu, Cemil Aydin and Penny Green.
The “tribunal members”, an important component of the project, include many personalities from different parts of the world and from different backgrounds. Ilan Pappe, Jeff Halper, Ussama Makdisi, Ayhan Citil, Cornell West, Avi Shlaim, Naomi Klein, Asli Bali, Mahmood Mamdani, Craig Mokhiber, Hatem Bazian, Mehmet Karlı, Sami Al Arian, Farank Barat, Hassan Jabareen, Willy Mutunga, Victor Kattan and Victoria Brittain were among those attending the London meeting.
On the first day of the meeting in London, a special session was also organized with representatives of Palestinian civil society and rights organizations who will have an important role to play for the Tribunal. Participating civil society organizations included Law for Palestine, the Palestinian Network of Environmental NGOs, the Arab Network for Food Sovereignty (APN), the Legal Center for the Protection of the Rights of Arab Minorities in Israel (Adalah), BADIL, the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR).
– The first preparatory meetings held in London
It was in London, where the first preparatory meetings for the Gaza Tribunal were held, that the logistical processes, the establishment of the organizational structure of the tribunal and the working principles were defined. During these meetings, issues such as the basic principles of the court’s functioning, executive and communication strategies were also discussed in detail.
The second phase of the court, which is based on public awareness, is expected to be held in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in May 2025, and the third and final phase in Istanbul in October 2025.
During the session to be held in Sarajevo, the reports, testimonies and the draft declaration will be presented to the public. People affected by the situation in Gaza, as well as representatives of civil society and expert witnesses from the region will participate in the meeting.
– The main hearing will be held in Istanbul in October 2025
At the main hearing in Istanbul in October 2025, one of the most important stages of the Gaza Tribunal, a panel of experts in the fields of law, culture, politics and civil society will listen to the testimonies of victims and witnesses, and will announce a draft final judgment. Additionally, special warrant decisions and recommendations will be announced based on the latest developments in the Gaza Tribunal process.
The Gaza Tribunal was established primarily to investigate and assess allegations of serious human rights violations and international crimes, including genocide, committed by Israel after October 7.
The Tribunal is an initiative organized by human rights defenders, international legal experts and international and regional non-governmental organizations concerned with human rights violations in Gaza.
Established as an independent initiative, the Tribunal aims to draw the attention of the international community to the serious human rights violations committed against the Palestinian people.
The discussions will focus on the dimensions of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the lack of accountability for war crimes committed by Israel and the testimony of individuals and civil society organizations affected by the crisis. Israel will be tried in absentia for genocide and war crimes in Gaza.
The expected Tribunal will have to carry out its work in complete transparency, operate in complete independence and without being constrained by international circles of power, and carry out its mandate within a feasible time frame.
The Gaza Tribunal aims to provide an alternative framework for human rights violations that international judicial institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are unable to address. to deal with due to political influence or too long a time to close cases. In this regard, the Gaza Tribunal, which does not replace the ICC and the ICJ, but supports them, aims to produce legally reliable results and raise awareness among global public opinion.
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