Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices
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The Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices (SCIIP) is a United Nations body charged with monitoring "respect for and implementation of human rights" in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Special Committee is composed of three Member States: Malaysia, Senegal and Sri Lanka, which are currently represented by:
- Peter Mohan Maithri Pieris, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York (Chairperson);
- Ahmad Faisal Muhamad, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations in New York; and
- Cheikh Niang, Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations in New York
The SCIIP’s work is supported by its secretariat in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.[1]
Contents
Mandate
Established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2443 (XXIII) of 19 December 1968, the SCIIP's full name is Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.[2] The Special Committee’s mandate is extended by the General Assembly on a biannual basis.
The SCIIP is requested by the General Assembly to:
investigate Israeli policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and other Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, especially Israeli violations of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, of 12 August 1949;
consult, as appropriate, with the International Committee of the Red Cross, in order to ensure that the welfare and human rights of the peoples of the occupied territories, including prisoners and detainees, are safeguarded; and
investigate the treatment and status of Palestinian and Arab prisoners and detainees, including children, women and elected representatives, in Israeli prisons and detention centres.
In discharge of its mandate, the SCIIP seeks to carry out visits to the occupied territories and holds annual consultations with rights-holders, concerned authorities, diplomats, international and civil society organisations, independent experts, and other stakeholders. The SCIIP submits annual reports to the UN Secretary-General and presents them at the UN General Assembly.
On 20 September 2024, the SCIIP published report A/79/363, which found that Israel’s warfare in Gaza was consistent with the characteristics of genocide, with mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians there.[3] The Special Committee was not able to conduct visits to the occupied territories, but did conduct its annual consultations in Geneva and undertook a visit to Amman, and met with government officials, United Nations organisations and mechanisms, representatives of civil society organisations, youth representatives, human rights defenders, and Palestinian families.[4]
56th SCIIP report
On 14 November 2024, SCIIP Chair Mohan Peiris presented the 56th report of the UN's Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices to the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly.[5] The SCIIP report covers developments from October 2023 to July 2024 across the OPT and concludes that Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza are consistent with genocide, featuring deliberate imposition of life-threatening conditions and mass civilian casualties:
- “Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life — food, water, and fuel.”[6] Two segments of the presentation by Mohan Pieris follow:[7]
Characteristics of Genocide by Israel
"Before we delve into our report's findings, let us take a moment, I say, to take a step back and reflect on the broader picture: Under our watch, we have been permitting the clock to turn back to an era of unchecked barbarity. The very persecution we once vowed would never happen again, now permitted under the guise of technological precision, the manipulation of international law, the insidious disinformation. Our inaction is not only failing to protect innocent lives from the ravages of war, it is unraveling the international legal system itself, a framework painstakenly built to protect peace and security for all.
"So I ask the question, to what end does our silence ultimately serve?
"Surely it is serving to tear lives apart, fuel endless cycles of violence, set an entire region ablaze, and dismantle the very protections we established to safeguard humanity. All for the short term geopolitical interest of a few. As I present this report, I urge each and every one of you: Do not turn a deaf ear. History will not forgive or forget our inaction and complicity.
"Madam Chair, this year's report examines the mass civilian casualties and life threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians in Gaza. Our findings conclude that Israel's methods of war align with the characteristics of Genocide."[8]
Environmental catastrophe in Gaza
"Israel's extensive bombing campaign in Gaza has decimated essential services and unleashed an environmental catastrophe with severe long lasting health impacts.
"Since early this year, over 25,000 tonnes of explosives - equivalent to two nuclear bombs - have been dropped on Gaza, causing massive destruction, collapasing water and sanitation systems, devastating agriculture and spreading toxic pollution.
"Distinguished delegates, in doing so, the Israeli military has created a lethal mix of crises that will cause serious harm for generations to come. Hazardous debris, including carcinogenic asbestos, has poisoned Gaza's air, water and soil, exposing Palestinians to severe, long term health risks like respiratory disease and cancer. This is not a temporary crisis. It is a lasting catastrophe for the people of Gaza.
"Experts estimate that recycling even half of the staggering 39 million tons of debris could take up to 45 years with some environmental damage potentially irreversible.
"Madam Chair, our findings also reveal grave concerns over Israel's use of Artificial Intelligence enhanced targeting systems to direct its military operations. Although the Israelis claim this approach offers military precision, in reality it has been deployed with devastating consequences for civilians. Israel's use of AI assisted targeting with minimal human oversight combined with heavy bombs and home and nighttime tracking of targets shows a blatant disregard for its legal obligations to distinguish between civilians and combattants and to take adequate safeguards to prevent civilians deaths."[9]
References
- ↑ "Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories"
- ↑ "End-of-Mission Statement of the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices"
- ↑ "UN Special Committee finds Israel’s warfare methods in Gaza consistent with genocide, including use of starvation as weapon of war"
- ↑ "A/79/363: Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories"
- ↑ "Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories – Item 50 –Introductory statement, question-and-answer period and general debate"
- ↑ "UN committee warns of environmental catastrophe as Israel’s Gaza warfare shows genocide patterns"
- ↑ "Two segments of a truly compelling presentation by the Sri Lankan Ambassador and Chair of the SCIIP"
- ↑ "Our findings conclude that Israel's methods of war align with the characteristics of Genocide"
- ↑ "Israel's extensive bombing campaign in Gaza has decimated essential services and unleashed an environmental catastrophe with severe long lasting health impacts"
