A seasoned Palestinian human rights advocate known for his extensive legal battles against Israel has called upon Western leaders and global institutions. His home in Gaza was obliterated by an Israeli strike, prompting him to seek asylum in Cairo after living through six imprisonments due to accusations of terrorism from the state.
Raji Sourani has spent much of his life advocating for Palestinian rights and justice within domestic courts and internationally since founding a human rights organization over two decades ago. He voiced concerns about perceived double standards in global politics, notably comparing situations across different continents like Ukraine with the plight of Gaza under Israeli influence.
Speaking from his current location outside Palestine at an Edward Said lecture recently held in London, Sourani expressed a grim outlook on the situation: “The prospects are dire,” he said starkly. He fears that without intervention to uphold international law and accountability for Israel's actions against its own people - with Gaza potentially becoming "the graveyard of global norms."
Sourani also criticized his centre’s unsuccessful attempts since 2015 at engaging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold Israeli officials accountable. He highlighted disappointment over ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan's statement about needing US approval for action, pointing out that he expected more decisive support from an institution purportedly dedicated to justice worldwide and reminding him of a previous encounter with the first prosecutor who had also refused to proceed without explicit permission.
Sourani doubts whether ICC's principle on complementarity (that it cannot take up cases unless domestic legal routes have been fully exhausted) would serve as an effective deterrent for Israel, considering his experience of systemic injustice within Israeli courts against Palestinians who sought justice.
Despite the challenges and criticism directed at him by some peers - especially regarding ICC's cautious approach – Sourani remains resolute about not giving up on asserting international law, with an unwavering belief in his cause despite understanding that real change may require more than court judgments alone. He implores Western powers and global institutions to take a firmer stance against the erosion of human rights under current circumstances for fears they will be left dealing only with remnants, rather than preventative action: “We are not aiming at replacing any political or social movements; instead we're calling upon them (western powers) to ponder on what would transpire if Gaza was rendered the grave of international norm.”
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