The Group of 77 and China must invoke the Genocide Convention and suspend Apartheid Israel from the General Assembly

On the occasion of the 45th United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the People of Palestine on 29 November 2023, we the undersigned feminist and social justice movements, organisations and individuals are calling upon all 136 members of the Group of 77 and China to urgently work together to stop the genocide being perpetrated by the State of Israel against the people of Gaza and Palestine. 

We, the peoples of the global majority are deeply dismayed by the inability of the United Nations (UN) system, both in the Security Council and the General Assembly, to fulfill their obligations under numerous international treaties, particularly the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide and the Geneva Conventions, and interevene to prevent Apartheid Israel’s genocidal and ethnic cleansing campaign to exterminate and expel the Palestinian people from their lands. This intention has been articulated multiple times by Israeli officials at the highest levels over the past weeks, including the President of Israel. It is particularly deplorable that as a majority bloc in the United Nations General Assembly, and despite its multiple declarations in support of the Palestinian right to self determination, the G77 and China have failed to unite to take effective actions to stop Israel’s crimes.

Amidst this total failure, Israel’s military aggression has killed 21,000 Palestinian men, women and children, wiped out entire bloodlines, destroyed and rendered up to 60% of homes uninhabitable, entrapped, starved, water deprived all 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza and forcibly displaced 1.7 million women, men and children, while under constant bombardment for over 50 days. Israel has demonstrated sheer contempt of International Law as it bombed neighbourhoods, schools, hospitals, refugee camps, mosques and churches, universities and other civilian infrastructure. Israeli violence, intimidation and unabated violations of International Law extends to Palestinians across the entire territory of historic Palestine as well as the Occupied Palestinian Territories of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. 

The UN General Assembly has voted for a non-binding resolution to call for a ceasefire, however, only a few Member States are currently taking appropriate actions under International Law to hold the Israeli government to account, including by referring it to the International Criminal Court. 

We are outraged that too many Member States, especially members of the Group 77 and China, have abdicated their responsibilities to uphold the UN Charter and take collective action against Israel. 

Numerous legal experts and genocide scholars have concluded that Gaza is a textbook case of Genocide while others, including UN Special Procedures Mandate Holders  have pointed to mounting evidence to “genocide in the making” in Gaza and called on governments and the UN System to mobilise to prevent genocide. The Centre for Constitutional Rights states “there is plausible and credible case that Israel is attempting to commit, if not actively committing, the crime of genocide in the occupied Palestinian territory, and specifically against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.” Furthermore, International Law experts have clearly indicated the measures UN Member States are obligated to take, for instance, the International Commission of Jurists points, in particular, to the duty to prevent genocide, noting that "[t]he Genocide Convention imposes a minimum legal obligation on States to each take reasonable action to contribute toward preventing genocide, a duty that extends extraterritorially and applies regardless of whether any one State’s actions alone are sufficient to prevent genocide." 

We recall the unilateral and collective actions of the countries of the Global South at United Nations that ended the apartheid regime of South Africa, starting with the UN General Assembly labelling Apartheid as a crime against humanity; instituting the Special Committee against Apartheid; UN Security Council adoption of a resolution on arms embargo; General Assembly Resolution on an oil embargo to South Africa, UN General Assembly resolution calling states and organisations to suspend cultural, educational, sporting and other exchanges with the racist regime as well as the suspension of South Africa from the General Assembly for its multiple violations of international law and refusal to respect UN resolutions to end the system of Apartheid. 

As a bloc, the G77 and China represents the global majority of nations and peoples who have lived histories of occupation, slavery, colonialism, racism and genocide and shed blood to gain our liberation from imperialist oppression. The G77 and China bloc cannot feign powerlessness and must take measures to hold Israel, the United States and other Western governments who are complicit accountable for their crimes. 

The UN system is seriously weakened by the failure of its Member States to use their considerable political and economic power and the multiple means that are available in the UN Charter and International Law. While it is clear that a number of states are determined to defend, protect and collude with Israel’s genocidal campaign, these countries are in a minority. With enough will and determination, the countries of the Global South can bring an end to the century-long Nakba of the Palestinian people, the long durée of rights violations, threat to life and dignity, and the multiple betrayals they have endured. 

We therefore reiterate multiple calls for the G77 and China to:

• Take collective action to invoke the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide Convention (Genocide Convention). 

• Declare that the State of Israel practises a system of Apartheid which is a crime against humanity under International Law.

• Prosecute Israel’s repeated commission of international crimes and violations under universal jurisdiction.

• Suspend the State of Israel from the General Assembly: Israel’s membership to the UN is conditional on compliance with Resolution 181 (limits to the Israeli state) and Resolution 194 (Right of return of refugees). Israel’s violation of these resolutions must result in its suspension until it ends the occupation and system of Apartheid. 

• Impose a diplomatic, military and trade embargo on the Apartheid State of Israel until it ends the occupation and system of Apartheid. 

• Consider repair for historical and ongoing harm caused, through appropriate mechanisms as set out in International Law and as defined by the sovereignty of Palestinian people, with commitments to non-repetition and restitutional forms of reparations. 

#FreePalestine! #EndtheOccupation 

Add your signature to the petition