Amnesty International’s Israeli section has disagreed with the findings of the global body’s Thursday report, which accused Israel of committing genocide during its conflict with Hamas in Gaza. In a statement released on Thursday, Amnesty Israel distanced itself from the report, arguing that the claim of genocide was not sufficiently substantiated.
Genocide Allegations Insufficiently Proven
While Amnesty Israel acknowledges the high civilian death toll in Gaza and the potential for widespread international law violations, including crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, it emphasized that the evidence did not meet the rigorous standard required to prove genocide. The definition of genocide demands evidence of specific intent to destroy a particular group, either in whole or in part.
“Based on our analysis, conducted in consultation with external experts, many of us have doubts regarding the possibility of proving unequivocally, and beyond any reasonable alternative explanation, the element of intent,” said the Israeli section of Amnesty International.
Amnesty Israel Points Out Violations
Amnesty Israel also pointed to violations of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, particularly Israel’s failure to address public incitement to genocide. These concerns were based on statements by public figures calling for collective punishment of Gaza’s civilian population in response to the October 7 Hamas massacre.
Despite these concerns, a minority within the Amnesty Israel team believed there was sufficient evidence to support the claim of genocide in Gaza.
Amnesty Israel also rejected the operational recommendations made in the global report, “You Feel Like You Are Subhuman: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza.” These included calls for a halt to arms trade with Israel, sanctions against Israeli and Hamas officials by the UN Security Council, and the addition of genocide charges to arrest warrants for Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Amnesty Israel Issues Recommendations
Instead, Amnesty Israel issued its own set of recommendations. These included pressing for a ceasefire, the return of Israeli hostages, the release of Palestinians detained without due process, and the protection of civilians from both sides’ actions. The group also called for comprehensive investigations into war crimes committed by all parties and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Amnesty Israel stressed that the root causes of the violence must be addressed, which they believe includes the dismantling of Israel’s apartheid system in the disputed territories and an end to the involvement of external armed actors, such as Iran and Hezbollah.
The group also noted that Hamas had been accused of genocide and emphasized the need for an impartial investigation into these claims, ensuring that the standard for proving genocidal intent is applied consistently.
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