Enforcement of international laws

By observing the last few months devastating condition along with the death toll in Palestine, Syria and other middle east states and the silence or absence of any action against these unjustified attacks on innocent civilians and non-combatants, it has become quite clear that all international rules and laws are being violated and promises to the humanity has been denied to be implemented.

Within states, municipal laws are followed to avoid punishment and to protect the rights of the citizen. When law comes under a global shed, states follow the international law considering it as custom or norm to maintain the relationship between states. States discharges its conduct with other states through international law and also maintain its relation with each other under the terms and conditions of international law.

However, states are not the only subjects of international law but the international organizations as well. Moreover,  non state actors have also been considered as the legitimate subject of international law. Among all the international organisations, United Nation is the mastermind to regulate the international relations among its member states and maintain peace and security.

After the disastrous ending of the Second World War the United Nation was established with a view to keep check on the security and maintains peace in world community. According to Article 34 of the charter of UN “the security council may investigate any dispute or any situation lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger international peace and security”. The Security Council has been given extensive power and authority in pen and paper to control the dispute between states.

Then what comment shall we pass when we see the current situation between Israel and Palestine. So far 2016 people have been killed in Gaza(Palestine) by Israel armed force among them 542 were children and 250 were women and 95 were elderly men and almost 10000 people are injured and fighting with death(Cihan News Agency, Turkey).

Moreover, Ayelet Shaked, the Honorable member of Israeli Parliament has passed a comment on a social networking page stating, “Behind every terrorist stand dozens of men and women, without whom he could not engage in terrorism. They are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on their heads”. These types of racial statement legalised the unstopped attacks and ceasefire of Israel on Palestine. The saddest part is still no steps has been taken so far by the United Nation to stop this mass killing.

The reason behind this could be the passing of a motion by the United Nations' General Assembly changing Palestine's “entity” status to “non-member observer state” on 29th November 2012.  Since 11th may of 1949, Israel is the member state of United Nations. Then isn't it the duty of this members state to maintain the agenda of the United Nation which starts with the vow of maintaining peace and international security worldwide?

Eshita Tasmin
Associate, S.K. Siddique & Co.

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