Im Bericht werden einige der in Israel teils seit Jahrzehnten gängigen Folterpraktiken aufgezählt: die Opfer werden oft tage- oder wochenlanger Isolationshaft ausgesetzt, sie werden in käfigähnlichen Einrichtungen festgehalten, über längere Zeit nackt ausgezogen und müssen Windeln tragen. Zudem werden ihre Augen verbunden und der Entzug von Nahrung, Wasser, Schlaf und medizinischer Behandlung sind an der Tagesordnung. Hinzukommt Folter mit elektrischen Schocks, dem Verbrennen mit Zigaretten, mit Waterboarding (simuliertem Ertrinken) und dem Aufhängen an den Händen oder Füßen an der Decke. Die Rede ist außerdem von Hunden, die auf Gefangene losgelassen wurden – und immer wieder auch von sexueller und geschlechtsspezifischer Gewalt. Inzwischen existieren mehrere Berichte, dass Hunde für die sexuelle Folter Gefangener eingesetzt wurden.[4] Anlässlich der Veröffentlichung des Berichts sprach der UN-Menschenrechtsbauftragte Volker Türk, der zugleich auch die palästinensische Autonomiebehörde wegen willkürlicher Verhaftungen, Folter und Misshandlungen kritisierte und bewaffnete palästinensische Gruppen wegen des 7.Oktober verurteilte, von eklatanten Verletzungen der internationalen Menschenrechtsnormen und des humanitären Völkerrechts seitens Israel.
Archiv: Völkerrecht / internationales Recht / international law
UN General Assembly adopts resolution affirming Palestinian right to self-determination
The adoption of the resolution reflects an international stance rejecting Israel’s occupation measures and colonial settlement practices that obstruct the Palestinian people’s ability to exercise their right to self-determination and to live in dignity in their independent state. It also notes the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian land is unlawful and must end as soon as possible, given its serious repercussions on the Palestinian people’s ability to exercise their right to self-determination, as guaranteed under the UN Charter and international law.
Palestine’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, welcomed the resolution and the overwhelming support it received, thanking the countries that voted in favor and underscoring the broad international consensus on the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
USA wants clarity on deal by Christmas – Zelenskyy
„There were no specific ultimatum dates. The fact that everyone wants to finish as soon as possible is a fact. The United States wants to finish faster – we hear that from them. I think they really wanted, or maybe want to have a full understanding of where we are with this agreement by Christmas,“ Zelenskyy said during a meeting with journalists on Thursday.
Opinion: Rand Paul demands vote on war in Venezuela: ‚I‘m old-fashioned‘
“I’m reminded of what my mother would tell me when I was a kid, ‘Ten wrongs don’t make a right,’ so the fact that 10 presidents have done it doesn’t make it right. Our Founding Fathers were united to a person — all those who signed, all those who debated over the Constitution, the Federalist Papers — were unanimous that Congress should declare war, no president should on his own. Now we have disobeyed that, but we do have the ability, if Congress rose up in a clear two-thirds majority and said ‘no,’ we could overturn any veto.”
Lawmakers react to US seizure of Venezuelan oil tanker
Last week, Paul and Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine (Va.), Adam Schiff (Ca.) and Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) filed a war powers resolution to prevent the administration from engaging Venezuela in conflict without congressional approval.
The Kentucky Republican reiterated he and his colleagues’ push on Wednesday, saying that “if you want war, the president should come to Congress, like the Constitution dictates, and he should ask Congress for a declaration of war.
“That’s what should be going on right now.”
US seizes oil tanker off Venezuelan coast
President Trump did not offer any detailed explanation for the move, saying only that the vessel was seized “for very good reason.” Asked what would happen to the oil the tanker was transporting, Trump said, “We keep it, I guess.”
The seizure occurred in international waters, a senior US official said, and proceeded without incident or casualties either among the US personnel or the tanker’s crew.
The ship, which was headed to Cuba, was ultimately destined for Asia after being brokered through Cuban sellers, the senior official said, adding that additional seizures are possible in the coming weeks as the US applies pressure on Maduro.
Israel is a rogue nation. It should be removed from the United Nations
(October 15, 2024)
Over the past year, Israel has launched attacks on multiple countries and occupied territories: the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran.
Yet countries and territories aside, Israel has also targeted one specific organization with a series of unprecedented rhetorical and violent attacks.
Yes, the United Nations. We have all witnessed Israel, in effect, declare war on the UN.
A Movement to Suspend Israel From the UN Needs a Country to Take the Lead
(August 28, 2024)
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) is leading the drive for Israel’s suspension, Maren Mantovani, the international outreach coordinator of the Stop the Wall campaign, told PassBlue. The organization is based in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
“There is an ongoing, concerted effort by Palestinian civil society to push the UN to uphold its mission . . . and to define and enact the precise modalities to end Israel’s crimes and violations,” Mantovani said.
Saleh Hijazi, a BNC adviser on apartheid-free policy, said he expected calls for Israel’s suspension to intensify next month with the opening of the 79th session of the General Assembly. UNGA, as it is known, begins on Sept. 10.
(The Palestinian delegation at the UN said on Aug. 22 that it was also planning to soon initiate an “actionable resolution” in the General Assembly, “demanding within a time frame the end of this illegal occupation and all other issues contained” in the ICJ advisory opinion.)
“I have been in a number of international forums over the past few months, including a joint meeting between the Organization of Islamic Co-operation and the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, where sanctions, including diplomatic [measures] and suspending Israel from UNGA, were a big part of the discussion,” Hijazi said by email.
OBLIGATIONS OF ISRAEL IN RELATION TO THE PRESENCE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS, OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THIRD STATES IN AND IN RELATION TO THEOCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
(October 22, 2025)
164. The Court recalls that, on 29 November 1948, referring to General Assembly resolution 181 (II) on the future government of Palestine, Israel applied for admission to membership of the United Nations, formally declaring that it “hereby unreservedly accepts the obligations of the United Nations Charter and undertakes to honour them from the day when it becomes a Member of the United Nations” (letter dated 29 November 1948 from Israel’s Foreign Minister to the United Nations Secretary-General concerning Israel’s Application for Admission to Membership of the United Nations and Declaration Accepting Obligations under the Charter, UN doc. S/1093). On 11 May 1949, the General Assembly took note of this declaration when it admitted Israel as a Member of the United Nations (General Assembly resolution 273 (III)).
165. For the purpose of responding to the question posed by the General Assembly, the Court will not examine all the obligations that Israel has undertaken as a Member of the United Nations under the Charter with regard to the question of Palestine. It will limit its analysis to those obligations concerning the presence and activities of the United Nations, including its entities, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
(…)
223. For these reasons,
THE COURT ,
(1) Unanimously,
Finds that it has jurisdiction to give the advisory opinion requested;
(2) Unanimously,
Decides to comply with the request for an advisory opinion;
(3) Is of the opinion that the State of Israel, as an occupying Power, is required to fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law. These obligations include the following:
(a) Unanimously,
to ensure that the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory has the essential supplies of daily life, including food, water, clothing, bedding, shelter, fuel, medical supplies and services;
(b) By ten votes to one,
to agree to and facilitate by all means at its disposal relief schemes on behalf of the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory so long as that population is inadequately supplied, as has been the case in the Gaza Strip, including relief provided by the United Nations and its entities, in particular the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, other international organizations and third States, and not to impede such relief;
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde;
(c) Unanimously,
to respect and protect all relief and medical personnel and facilities;
(d) Unanimously,
to respect the prohibition on forcible transfer and deportation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
(e) Unanimously,
to respect the right of protected persons from the Occupied Palestinian Territory who are detained by the State of Israel to be visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross; and
(f) Unanimously,
to respect the prohibition on the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare;
(4) By ten votes to one,
Is of the opinion that, as an occupying Power, the State of Israel has an obligation under
international human rights law to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including through the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde;
(5) By ten votes to one,
Is of the opinion that the State of Israel has an obligation to co-operate in good faith with the United Nations by providing every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde;
(6) By ten votes to one,
Is of the opinion that the State of Israel has an obligation under Article 105 of the Charter of the United Nations to ensure full respect for the privileges and immunities accorded to the United Nations, including its agencies and bodies, and its officials, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory;
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde;
(7) By ten votes to one,
Is of the opinion that the State of Israel has an obligation under Article II of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations to ensure full respect for the inviolability of the premises of the United Nations, including those of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and for the immunity of the property and assets of the Organization from any form of interference;
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde;
(8) By ten votes to one,
Is of the opinion that the State of Israel has an obligation under Articles V, VI and VII of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations to ensure full respect for the privileges and immunities accorded to the officials and experts on mission of the United Nations, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
IN FAVOUR: President Iwasawa; Judges Tomka, Abraham, Xue, Nolte, Charlesworth, Brant,
Gómez Robledo, Cleveland, Tladi;
AGAINST: Vice-President Sebutinde.
CONVENTION ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 February 1946
SECTION 3. The premises of the United Nations shall be inviolable. The property and assets of the United Nations, wherever located and by whom soever held, shall be immune from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation and any other form of interference, whether by executive, administrative, judicial or legislative action.
(…)
SECTION 30. All differences arising out of the interpretation or application of the present convention shall be referred to the International Court of Justice, unless in any case it is agreed by the parties to have recourse to another mode of settlement. If a difference arises between the United Nations on the one hand and a Member on the other hand, a request shall be made for an advisory opinion on any legal question involved in accordance with Article 96 of the Charter and Article 65 of the Statute of the Court. The opinion given by the Court shall be accepted as decisive by the parties.
Israel, Russia, and the United States Are Testing the Boundaries of Global Order
(September 12, 2025)
As I’ve discussed at length recently, we have already witnessed the death of the global trading system as we have known it. But this slide away from the rules-based system isn’t limited to trade. It is evident in the use of military force as well.
Three examples of unilateral military action over the past couple weeks are particularly instructive:
(…)
That is the real Hobbesian peril. Each of these actions can be seen as an isolated instance, but if one or two or three countries take kinetic action unilaterally, it risks creating a permission structure where others feel there are no guardrails to constrain them.
The US bulldozed the prospect of Uniting for Peace in Palestine
(December 2, 2025)
Calls for international protection are not new, Aboudi told The Electronic Intifada.
In April 2025, “we called for international protection and we called for international forces to come, forcefully impose a ceasefire and guarantee the opening of all crossings to Gaza for the flow of humanitarian aid and personnel to save the population of Gaza,” Aboudi said.
Following a PNGO statement in August, specifically calling on the UNGA to adopt the Uniting for Peace resolution, Colombia wanted to push the idea forward.
“We already had a draft proposal by the Colombian government,” Víctor de Currea-Lugo, Middle East advisor to Colombia’s President Petro, told The Electronic Intifada. That proposal was “ready to be presented” in the General Assembly.
“We organized a strategy to visit different countries and to mobilize our embassies, our consulates and our mission before the United Nations [meet] in New York. The problem was, at that moment, Trump presented his plan for the pacification of Gaza,” de Currea-Lugo said.
Adding to the obstacles, according to Aboudi, “the Palestinian Authority weren’t really pushing for it.”
“They still were betting on US intervention and involvement: that it would end the genocide, that it would give them the path for a Palestinian state and for the recognition of Palestinian rights. This gamble did not pay off,” he said.
US pressure derailed Colombia’s ‚Uniting for Peace‘ push for Gaza at UN: Report
(December 2, 2025)
According to Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Washington acted out of “unhappiness” over the possibility of Uniting for Peace, adding that heavy pressure was exerted on member states.
He described the arrangement as “perverse,” noting that “the perpetrator of genocide and its principal supporter are rewarded by presiding over a supposed peace process.”
Shipwrecked or Not, All These Bombings are Murder
(December 5, 2025)
“Intercepting purported drug boats is a law enforcement operation, subject to policing standards derived from international human rights law, which holds that all people have the rights to life and a fair trial and only allows states to use lethal force when an imminent threat to life exists and less extreme means, like capture, are insufficient.
“A state intentionally killing someone outside those circumstances is committing an extrajudicial execution, a form of murder, no matter what crime the person is alleged to have committed.”
‘All of Them Constitute Murder,’ Amnesty Says of Trump Boat Bombings
Human rights organization Amnesty International is cautioning critics of the Trump administration’s boat-bombing spree against getting bogged down in the precise details of each individual strike if it means losing sight of the bigger picture.
Daphne Eviatar, director for security and human rights for Amnesty International USA, said on Friday that it would be a mistake to merely condemn the Trump administration for launching a double-tap strike aimed at killing shipwrecked survivors of an initial attack, because the entire campaign of bombing vessels based on the suspicion that they are carrying illegal narcotics is unlawful.
Zelenskyy: Today, the best gift for all of Ukraine would be just peace
(December 6, 2025)
Zelenskyy emphasized that these years have changed Ukrainians. „And Ukrainians are a nation of believers. We strongly believe in God and hope for His help. We turn to Him in prayer,“ the president said.
At the same time, he added that Ukraine must rely on itself, its Armed Forces, its partners, particularly Europe and the United States, and the „adequate civilized world,“ which knows that Russia has long violated international law, „the laws of common sense, and absolutely all of God’s callings.“
„Therefore, we fight on the battlefield, in the diplomatic arena, we fight against the despondency within us. We know we are not alone, and we believe that together we will defend our rights. And we have them—the just right to life, our God-given land. We will definitely defend our future and a just peace,“ the head of state noted.
US airstrike in Caribbean draws complaint before human rights watchdog
The commission has long been a way to challenge human rights abuses in the Western Hemisphere, but the U.S. hasn’t ratified the enforcement treaty and does not consider its findings legally binding. Still, an adverse finding is an embarrassment to a nation that has customarily been seen as an advocate for the rule of law.
Colombian family files first known formal complaint over deadly US strike in Caribbean
The family of a Colombian man believed to have been killed in a US strike in the Caribbean has filed what’s believed to be the first complaint against such attacks with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
The petition, filed Tuesday by US human rights attorney Dan Kovalik, alleges that Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza was killed when the US struck his boat off the coast of Colombia on September 15.
Family of Colombian fisherman killed in US boat strike files complaint alleging he was murdered
The family of a Colombian fisherman who died in a U.S. military boat strike in September has filed a formal complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights alleging the U.S. government illegally killed him.
Alejandro Carranza was killed in a strike in the Caribbean on Sept. 15, according to the petition, filed on Tuesday.
Ukraine‘s top negotiators to again meet Trump‘s envoys after Moscow talks, Zelensky says
After their visit to Brussels, the two Ukrainian officials will begin preparations for talks with Trump‘s envoys, Zelensky said, without providing additional details.
Donald Trump Faces Growing Republican Backlash Over Foreign Policy Moves
Some conservative and libertarian-minded Republicans have broken with Trump over his approach to Venezuela. Many Republicans have embraced an “America First” view of foreign policy and oppose regime change in other countries if they do not believe it benefits Americans.
(…)
Trump’s proposal for a peace deal on the Russia-Ukraine war has also drawn scrutiny. Critics have raised concerns that the deal may be too favorable to Russia, pointing to proposals that Ukraine would give up the eastern Donbas region and shrink its army to end a war started by Russia more than three years ago.
European Commission presents solutions to support Ukraine‘s financial needs: EU borrowing, ‚reparation loan‘
The document notes that as Russia „continues to show no signs of readiness to commit to a just and sustainable peace, the pressure on Ukraine‘s resources continues to grow, making continued EU support even more important.“
EU unveils 2 options for getting $90 billion to Ukraine in coming years
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled two options for financing Ukraine over the next two years, as Kyiv approaches an existential cash crunch.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels, von der Leyen said that under the first option, European countries would jointly borrow and lend the money to Ukraine. All 27 member states would have to be on board for the plan to go ahead.
Maduro rejects a ‘slave’s peace’ for Venezuela as US ramps up pressure
(December 02, 2025)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeated calls for peace and pledged “absolute loyalty” to his people at a rally attended by thousands in Caracas, as tensions escalate over potential military action by the United States.
The rally on Monday came as US President Donald Trump met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the “next steps” on Venezuela, according to media reports.
‘You must leave the country now’: Trump delivers blunt ultimatum to Maduro on call; US-Venezuela tensions flare
(December 1, 2025)
US President Donald Trump delivered a blunt ultimatum to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a recent phone call, telling him, “You can save yourself and those closest to you, but you must leave the country now,” according to the Miami Herald.
Secretary-General‘s message on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
I repeat my call for an end to the unlawful occupation of the Palestinian Territory — as affirmed by the International Court of Justice and the General Assembly — and for irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security within their secure and recognized borders, on the basis of pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States.
On this International Day of Solidarity, let us draw inspiration from the Palestinian people themselves, whose resilience and hope are a testament to the human spirit. Let us stand in solidarity with their rights to dignity, justice and self-determination — and work together to build a peaceful future for all.
LIVE BLOG: Israel Continues to Kill Palestinians in Gaza as West Bank Raids Continue – Day 785
Israeli airstrikes and artillery attacks continued across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, causing new casualties amid ongoing destruction and displacement.
At the same time, Israeli occupation forces expanded ground raids and arrests in the occupied West Bank, with reports of intensified military deployment.
Venezuelan boat strikes lack legal justification, Democrats say
There is no U.S. law that explicitly authorizes the U.S. Navy to attack or sink ships at sea outside of a congressionally authorized war or valid self-defense situation, legal experts and Democratic lawmakers say.
The strikes began in September, but Trump administration discussions about them began soon after Trump moved back into the White House in January
Trump says land strikes in Venezuela will ‚start very soon‘
Amid a buildup of U.S. military forces near Venezuela and strikes on alleged drug boats, President Donald Trump told U.S. troops on Thanksgiving that the military operation will soon include strikes on land.
“In recent weeks, you’ve been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers,“ Trump said during a call with military service members that alluded to the boat strikes, adding: „We’ll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but that’s going to start very soon.“
Trump says airspace above and around Venezuela should be considered closed
Venezuela‘s communications ministry, which handles all press inquiries for the government, did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Trump‘s post.
The U.S. Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.