Geneva: United Nations experts on Friday emphasized that any peace plan must ensure the human rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination. They stated that imposing peace without regard for law and justice could lead to further violence and instability. This announcement was made in a press statement issued in Geneva by more than 30 UN experts and Special Rapporteurs, including Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, and Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the UN experts expressed support for certain elements of the peace plan announced by the United States, such as the permanent ceasefire, the rapid release of unlawfully detained persons, humanitarian aid entering under UN supervision, no forced displacement from the Strip, withdrawal of occupation forces, and non-annexation of land. They noted that these measures are already mandated by international law, irrespective of any formal peace plan.
However, the experts raised concerns that critical aspects of the plan contradict international law and the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, which called for an end to the Israeli occupation's unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. They highlighted issues such as the failure to ensure the Palestinian people's right to self-determination through an independent state, making it conditional on Gaza's reconstruction, reform of the Palestinian Authority, and dialogue with Israeli occupation.
The experts pointed out that the proposed "temporary transitional government" does not represent Palestinians, excludes the Palestinian Authority, and lacks standards and a timetable for genuine representative governance. They also criticized the oversight of a "Peace Council" chaired by the US President, noting that the United States is not a neutral mediator but a partisan supporter of Israeli occupation.
Further warnings were issued regarding the proposed "International Stabilisation Force," which would not be under Palestinian or UN control, effectively replacing Israeli occupation with a US-led occupation. The experts rejected the idea of an indefinite Israeli "security cordon" inside Gaza and cautioned against the open-ended demilitarization of Gaza without similar measures for Israel, despite its international crimes against Palestinians and aggression against other states.
The plan's focus on Gaza in isolation from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was another concern, as the experts stressed that these areas constitute a single Palestinian territory. They also criticized "economic development" schemes and a "special economic zone" that could exploit Palestinian resources without their consent.
Additionally, the experts denounced the plan for offering full release for Israeli captives in exchange for only partial release of arbitrarily detained Palestinians and for lacking accountability for Israeli crimes against Palestinians. They noted the absence of transitional justice, truth-telling, or reconciliation, as well as ignoring fundamental issues such as illegal settlements, borders, and refugees.
The experts underscored the importance of the United Nations and its agencies, particularly UNRWA, in protecting and assisting Palestinians. They stressed that Palestine's future should be determined by Palestinians themselves, without external conditions on their right to self-determination. They called for the immediate, unconditional end of Israeli occupation and full reparations for Palestinians.
Finally, they reminded that the International Court of Justice identified the United Nations, not Israeli occupation or its allies, as the legitimate authority to oversee the end of the occupation and the transition towards a political solution ensuring full Palestinian rights.