The Urgent Call to End Genocide in Gaza
“There is something sick and rotten about states and societies that not only support and enable mass killings but also make money off of them.” —Pankaj Mishra, January 30, 2025
President Trump’s Announced Plans for Gaza
At a February 4, 2025, press conference in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced the U.S. intention to transform the Gaza Strip into a “Riviera of the Middle East.”
The Violation of International Law
However, transforming Gaza and annexing Palestinian territories violates international law. Forcibly transferring people from their land is a crime against humanity, and annexation infringes on the fundamental right to self-determination.
International Condemnation and Responsibilities
The international community vigorously condemned Trump’s statement, emphasizing his disregard for international law. According to international law, all member states of the UN General Assembly must abstain from actions that enable Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories. This includes halting weapons shipments to Israel.
The U.S. Role in Gaza
The U.S., one of the largest arms suppliers to Israel, has sent billions of dollars worth of weapons, including bombs, rifles, and Caterpillar bulldozers, despite international condemnation. Recently, President Joe Biden continued this practice with a $18 billion arms sale to Israel in June 2025, enabling widespread destruction in Gaza.
Activism Against Arms Sales
Pankaj Mishra, an Indian essayist and novelist, highlighted the moral and legal implications of supporting mass killings through arms sales. Mishra’s statement underscores the ethical decay of enabling and profiting from violence.
Around the world, grassroots movements fight for justice. In Ireland, activists stage weekly demonstrations, demanding Ireland cease using Shannon Airport for the transportation of weapons to Israel. A flier for an upcoming action at Shannon Airport on February 9, 2025, calls for protests against Israeli military operations, citing that more than 47,000 Palestinians have died, including 17,000 children, with over 100,000 injured, since 2024.
The European Union and Palestinian Rights
European human rights activists stress that the European Union remains Israel’s largest trade partner, accounting for 28.8% of its goods in 2022. In light of this, a coalition of over 160 human rights organizations and civil society groups demands that the European Commission ban all trade and business with Israeli illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
The Role of the International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion in July 2024, reaffirming that third parties must immediately stop aiding or assisting the unlawful occupation, halting arms transfers to Israel, and ceasing trade with illegal settlements.
Human Rights Violations in the West Bank
Robert Jereski of Code Pink and his coalition of activists point out that Israel’s offensives in the West Bank mark a shift towards intensified tactics of genocide. Since January 2025, Israel’s renewed offensives have displaced 26,000 Palestinians in Jenin, with ongoing arrests, restrictions, and settlement expansions.
The U.S. and the UN Human Rights Council
President Trump’s withdrawal of the U.S. from the UN Human Rights Council underscores the need for immediate UN General Assembly intervention. It is crucial for the UNGA to assess whether the U.S. fails to act impartially and instead supports genocide in Gaza, and consider suspending U.S. veto power at the Security Council concerning Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The Path Forward
In light of Pankaj Mishra’s observations, it is imperative to continue pushing for international legal compliance and an end to enablement of mass killings. The global community must uphold UN principles and strive for peace.
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