This policy brief examines states’ international obligation, the double standards in applying international law, and the inability of its organisations and instruments to serve their purpose, advancing peace, and safeguarding internationally established norms, particularly as Israel is persistent in committing grave violations to international law. Furthermore, it seeks to influence advocates, activists, scholars, national and international organizations, solidarity movements; third-party states to the Genocide Convention, and legal groups to promote civil space and social initiatives, to influence their governments to adhere to their international obligations towards international conflicts, in particular, the ongoing genocide in Palestine. It provides examples of possible and needed actions to make that possible. The policy highlights initiatives' vital role in supporting an emancipatory understanding of human rights, international law instruments, and the importance of national and global initiatives, also, legal action for peace-building.
The first section of this policy brief discussed some of the international efforts to end the genocide in Gaza, followed by exploring some of the global efforts at the national level and the obligations of third states concerned with preventing and stopping mass atrocities against Palestinians. In the second section, it addressed the question of the future of international law in light of the failure to stop the genocide in Gaza, and how this can be an opportunity to reshape the world order and introduce an emancipatory approach to international law. It addresses ways to challenge double standards in the application of international law. Finally, it concludes with recommendations to legal groups, activists, scholars, solidarity movements, social initiatives, Palestinian universities, national and regional organizations, and Palestinian public institutions, on how they can contribute as actors of change to promote an emancipatory understanding and application of international law, to support Palestinian people and to contribute to efforts aimed to end the genocide in Gaza.