Sarajevo: The Sarajevo Declaration of the Gaza Tribunal, a 'people's tribunal' established as an independent initiative to investigate Israel's ongoing war crimes in Gaza, condemned the Israeli "regime" and its actions on Thursday. Over the last three days, sessions were held at the International University of Sarajevo on the political economy of genocide and Gaza's destruction, the crime of starvation, the role of the international system in the age of genocide, people's tribunals, and the criminalization of student protests.
According to Anadolu Agency, Israel has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has leveled almost the entire territory and led to shortages of food and other basic necessities, increasing the risk of famine.
The Sarajevo Declaration expressed its 'collective moral outrage at the continuing genocide in Palestine' while committing 'working with partners across global civil society to end the genocide and to ensure accountability for perpetrators and enablers' for a 'free Palestine.' The declaration condemned a wide range of actions by Israel, including policies of settler colonialism, apartheid, mass detention, and forced starvation.
The declaration rejected "the destructive ideology of Zionism" and called for "decolonization across the land" and a new dispensation based on equal human rights for all. The demands included an immediate cessation of Israeli military actions and withdrawal of military forces, along with putting a stop to settlement activities and the siege of Gaza.
The Gaza Tribunal also criticized the complicity of various governments and media corporations in facilitating or ignoring the crimes. It emphasized the non-negotiable right of Palestinians to self-determination and demanded unrestricted humanitarian aid and military withdrawals from occupied territories.
The statement urged governments and international organizations to act urgently to end the assault on Palestine and uphold international law. It recognized efforts by UN bodies in defending Palestinian rights and announced plans for a final hearing session in Istanbul, where a Jury of Conscience will present a draft of the tribunal's findings.
The Gaza Tribunal was launched in London in November 2024 by a coalition of academics, intellectuals, and human rights advocates in response to the perceived failure of the international community to enforce international law in Gaza.