As conflicts rage worldwide and international institutions continue to neglect to put an end to abuses and war crimes, Pope Leo XIV has lamented what he has described as the rise of blunt power over the rules of international law.
The pontiff stated in a Thursday social media post that it is depressing to see that the strength of international law and humanitarian law have vanished.
For humanity and the leaders of other countries, this is unworthy and shameful.
Leo’s statement comes as more people are calling for the end to the Israeli assault on Gaza, which prominent rights activists and UN experts have characterized as a genocide, but he did not go into more detail.
During its conflict with Palestinians, Israel has been the target of growing accusations that it broke international humanitarian law, a set of guidelines meant to protect civilians in conflict.
According to health officials, the Israeli military, supported by the United States, has nearly displaced almost all of Gaza’s population and killed at least 56,156 people.
Former US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller, who spearheaded Washington’s defense of Israel’s conduct under the Joe Biden administration, acknowledged earlier this month that the Israeli military has “without a doubt” committed war crimes in Gaza.
Israel defies several international resolutions, including those that the top UN tribunal, the International Criminal Court, has issued in regards to the Israeli blockade and the killings in Gaza.
The ICJ also called for Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, to end “as soon as possible” last year.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant have been subject to an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Gaza, including using starvation as a means of combat.
Despite the allegations, the majority of the ICC members, especially those in Europe, continue to have close military and trade ties to Israel.
Leo pleaded for the end of Gaza’s war after succeeding the late Pope Francis in May as the first US pontiff.
Leo, the most revered spiritual authority among the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, declared in May, “Ceasefire now.”
We are constantly forced to move around in search of a little food and water and safer shelter from bombardments because of the cries of mothers and fathers who clutch the lifeless bodies of their children.
Source: Aljazeera
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