Raji Sourani, Palestine

Nobody can defeat the power of an idea when it is just and fair. That is why no one can defeat us, because as human rights defenders we stand for just, fair and noble ideas. At this moment, we find ourselves at the brink of an unprecedented conflict between two opposing ideas: One force is pulling us towards the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights and the other is moving towards the globalization of chaos and fear. We, as human rights defenders, must insist on the promotion of the rule of law, human rights and democracy and we must strive for the recognition and adoption of international law, in particular, international humanitarian law.

Recently, this deep division was brought into focus when Sergio Vieira de Mello and a number of his colleagues, passed away at the hands of those who desire anarchy and chaos to prevail. Vieira de Mello was targeted for what he represented as the UN Secretary General’s representative to Iraq, as well as his role as the High Commissioner for Human Rights, where international humanitarian law was located at the very heart of his mandate. The attack targeted the rule of law and human rights and with Vieira de Mello’s death and the deaths of his colleagues the world has lost some of the best and brightest advocates of the universality of human rights. However, despite the loss to our community and the world at large, I remain confident that human rights defenders will not allow the intentions of these criminal elements to prevail. I am confident that we will remain focused in our bid to fearlessly defend international law, human rights and world order.

It is a great honour to be here in Ireland and especially in Dublin, enjoying Guinness, good food and hospitality. I feel especially privileged to be here with the wonderful Mary Lawlor. Mary, her staff and Frontline Defenders are doing fantastic work and should all take immense pride from their accomplishments as human rights defenders. However, unfortunately I must cut my stay here in Dublin short and return back to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, due to the developing emergency situation there. It is wonderful to be here, but it is also important to be on the ground at this crucial moment to give voice to the victims of the horrendous crimes that are being perpetrated against the Palestinian people. As you are all well aware, under the guise of security measures and in the name of peace, Israel has created a state of de facto apartheid in the OPT. The belligerent Israeli occupation has lead to the social and economic suffocation of the Palestinian people and the situation has deteriorated rapidly in the last three years since the beginning of the current Intifada. During this time Israel has intensified its aggression in the OPT, carrying out willful killings; extra-judicial assassinations; house demolitions; sieges of cities, villages and refugee camps; widespread land leveling and uprooting of trees; and they have attacked and killed journalists, medical personnel and human rights activists. Israel has committed systematic war crimes against the Palestinian people and is now going even further with their use of Apache helicopters and F16 fighter jets as conventional weapons.

The most recent phase is the construction of the ‘apartheid wall,’ or ‘security fence’ as Israel refers to it, which is not being built along the 1967 border, or Green Line, but inside the West Bank. The wall will eventually annex approximately 56% of the West Bank to Israel, leaving the OPT carved up into isolated Bantustans and effectively creating a new border. Along with the continued expansion of Israeli settlements, this consolidation of facts on the ground is aimed at ruling out any possibility of a viable Palestinian state in the future and it is becoming increasingly evident that Israel’s long term goal is the “voluntary” transfer of the Palestinian people, which will lead to another nakhba, or catastrophe. Meanwhile, despite the continuation of the violence and destruction, the demands of the Palestinians remain plain and simple: an end to the belligerent Israeli occupation and the implementation of international humanitarian law in the OPT.

Yet the international community remains largely silent and Palestinians continue to be portrayed by Israel and the United States as the aggressors in the conflict. This manipulation of the facts does little but increase feelings of bitterness towards the international community. Portraying the belligerent Israeli occupation as the innocent victim is an unacceptable and dangerous situation. When you consider these absurd realities, the conflict takes on almost Kafkaesque proportions.

Palestinians civilians do not need to distort the facts to know that they are the real victims of this lopsided conflict and the only way forward is the full implementation of international humanitarian law. Ignoring international law is a reckless precedent to set in the current global situation, and will benefit no one in the long term. We have tried on two occasions to convene a conference of the High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention, but both attempts failed totally because of the conspiracy of silence adopted by much of Europe and the legal and political immunity that the United States provides for Israel. The double standards that are imposed on the Arab-Israeli conflict are becoming increasingly evident as the years go on and this does little but serve to confirm to the developing world that Western democracies do not have the moral authority to impose their form of democracy on the rest of the world. Of course we as human rights defenders are against corporate globalization, but we are definitely in favor of grassroots globalization in defense of human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

Of course not all European and Western states fit this mould; Ireland and France being two exceptions to the rule. But we need more support to recognize that international humanitarian law does not exist to be discussed solely in legal and academic circles; to be pondered over as abstract legislation. It is not the domain of intellectuals; rather it is there to be implemented. This notion is clearly enshrined in article 1, which states that it is the obligation of the High Contracting Parties to ensure respect for and implementation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Palestinians want the full implementation of international humanitarian law, the success of which would make this world more just and legal. No one can deny the Palestinian civilians’ right to international protection and it is important at this point to also stress that the targeting of civilians cannot be justified to advance any cause. We must consider all civilian blood holy; regardless of race, religion or creed.

Due to the latest developments in the region, I have to admit that with the conspiracy of silence and the legal and political immunity and support that the United States provides for Israel, Sharon and his government will continue to commit war crimes and we should only expect a further escalation of conflict in the future. Although our outlook for the immediate future is bleak, black and bloody, we as Palestinians, will not lose hope. We will not give in to acts of aggression committed against us and we will not abandon our call for the implementation of international humanitarian law. We will not allow another nakhba to occur and we will continue our strategic struggle for our right to self-determination and independence.

Dear friends and comrades, our struggle is just and fair. Thus, it is at this pivotal moment that we must intensify our efforts towards a better, more just world, where the rule of law, democracy and human rights prevail. We need to make the decisive choice between living in a world governed by the rule of law, or the rule of the jungle.

Thank you