This video features a discussion with human rights lawyer Craig Mokhiber regarding the newly launched Gaza Tribunal and the broader landscape of international efforts to address alleged genocide and war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. The Gaza Tribunal, a "people's tribunal" established by international legal and human rights experts, held its inaugural public session in Sarajevo, symbolizing a commitment to accountability and justice in the face of ongoing atrocities. Mokhiber critically assesses the global response, arguing that international law has not failed, but its enforcement has due to political complicity and deliberate obstruction by powerful states like the U.S. He also denounces the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" as a deceptive mechanism to facilitate ethnic cleansing rather than provide genuine aid. Emphasizing that moral leadership and effective change will not come from official institutions, Mokhiber calls upon global civil society and grassroots movements to intensify pressure through boycotts, protests, and visible acts of solidarity, advocating for sustained public outcry against complicity and silencing campaigns.
Summarizing the International Response to the Gaza Conflict
0:00 Gaza Tribunal Launch: The "Electronic Intifada Live Stream" hosts Ali Abunimah and Nora Barrows-Friedman announce the opening public session of the Gaza Tribunal in Sarajevo, Bosnia, a location chosen for its powerful resonance as a site of past genocide. This tribunal, formed by international legal and human rights experts, aims to investigate Israel's alleged genocide and war crimes in Gaza.
0:52 Sarajevo Declaration's Principles: Penny Green, a Professor of Law, reads the Sarajevo Declaration of the Gaza Tribunal, expressing outrage at the ongoing genocide in Palestine. It outlines a commitment to accountability for perpetrators and enablers, redress for victims, and the establishment of a just international order leading to a free Palestine. It explicitly condemns Israeli occupation, siege, apartheid, and genocide, demanding an immediate end to these actions and freedom for Palestinian prisoners.
2:30 Craig Mokhiber's Perspective: Craig Mokhiber, a human rights lawyer and steering committee member of the Gaza Tribunal, joins the discussion, noting his resignation from the UN over its inaction regarding Israel's actions.
3:16 States' Inaction Despite Criticism: Mokhiber observes an uptick in rhetorical criticism against Israel from some Western allies (e.g., France, UK, Canada, Ireland), but a lack of concrete actions. He suggests these are largely efforts to placate public outrage rather than fundamental shifts in policy.
4:20 Failure of Enforcement, Not Law: Mokhiber argues that international law itself has consistently sided with Palestine and called for accountability. The true failure lies in the enforcement mechanisms of international institutions and states, which he attributes to deliberate design, political obstruction, and abdication of responsibility by key actors like the UN Secretary-General and Arab governments.
8:03 People-Led Enforcement: He stresses that effective enforcement now rests with global civil society through actions like boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS), legal initiatives, civil disobedience, and widespread protests, drawing parallels to historical movements against apartheid and the Vietnam War.
9:12 Obstruction of Justice at ICJ & ICC: Mokhiber details a "multi-layered campaign of obstruction of justice" targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), involving threats, bribery, sanctions (from the U.S. government against the ICC), freezing of accounts, and smear campaigns, which he believes influenced the ICC prosecutor's recent leave.
13:14 ICJ's Slow but Certain Path: While the ICJ's genocide case against Israel is slow (expected to take years), Mokhiber believes a finding of genocide and accountability is "guaranteed" based on legal and factual merit, provided widespread obstruction does not ultimately succeed.
14:52 Denunciation of "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation": Mokhiber strongly condemns the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" (GHF) as a "cynical ruse" and a "joint genocidal effort" by the U.S. and Israel. He describes it as a front for intelligence operatives and mercenaries, designed to serve as a smokescreen, sideline UNRWA, and facilitate the concentration of Palestinians for "easy departure or death."
19:01 GHF Aid Traps: He elaborates on the GHF's distribution points as "aid traps" where starving Palestinians face risks of abduction, injury, or death by Israeli forces while attempting to access meager, insufficient food parcels.
21:19 Ongoing Official Complicity: Mokhiber highlights the continued U.S. blocking of UN Security Council ceasefire resolutions and criticizes the "scandalous" election of Annalena Baerbock of Germany (seen as complicit in the genocide) as the next General Assembly president.
23:47 Gaza Tribunal's Moral Imperative: The Gaza Tribunal is presented as a non-official "People's Tribunal" that serves as a collective "witness" to atrocities. Its purpose is to unite humanity for justice and fill the "moral gap" left by the failure of official institutions, unconstrained by political correctness or gag orders.
27:42 Directly Addressing Root Causes: The tribunal explicitly rejects the "destructive ideology of Zionism," settler colonialism, and ethnonationalist supremacy, calling for decolonization and a future based on equal human rights for all religious groups in historic Palestine.
29:15 Affirming Right to Resistance: The declaration also affirms the Palestinian people's internationally recognized right to resist occupation, colonial domination, apartheid, and aggression, including through armed struggle.
33:29 Public Archive of Evidence: The tribunal is compiling a public archive of evidence, including victim, witness, and expert testimony, to support its findings and be accessible to other legal and activist initiatives pursuing accountability.
34:57 Transparency and Public Participation: The tribunal operates with full transparency, holding public hearings and making information widely available online, encouraging broad participation.
36:10 Call for Sustained Global Uprising: Mokhiber urges people to remain active, mobilized, and inspired despite the ongoing horrors. He emphasizes that global uprisings (e.g., freedom flotillas, protests, shifts in public opinion) are creating "glimmers of light" and that sustained public pressure is crucial to erode the complicity of governments and institutions.
40:16 Moral Leadership from the People: He reiterates that true moral leadership will come from individuals and movements, not corrupted governments or cowed institutions. Activism is the only way to chip away at the impunity of the Israeli regime.
42:47 Speak Out Against Silencing: Mokhiber calls for louder and more frequent public speaking, especially in the face of widespread silencing campaigns against human rights defenders in the West, stressing that resistance to fear and silence is paramount.
43:52 Importance of Visible Solidarity: Ali and Craig conclude by advocating for visible signs of solidarity (e.g., flags, keffiyehs) to comfort Palestinians, normalize support, and encourage others to speak out, asserting that "nothing is too little."