Gate 48 (2)

Gaza: Justice or Just Aid? Wednesday 8 October, 18:15, ISS the Hague. Thursday 9 October, 20:00, CREA Amsterdam. A discussion about the responsibilities of the Netherlands to ensure accountability as a basis for justice and sustainable peace; to bring justice and not just aid to the people of Gaza. Speakers: Sarit Michaeli, the Spokesperson of the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem Nada Kiswanson van Hooydonk, EU Advocacy Officer and Legal Researcher at the Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq Dr. Marloes van Noorloos, Department of Criminal Law at Tilburg Law School, and President of the Dutch section of the International Commission of Jurists. Dr. Jeff Handmaker, Senior lecturer in law, human rights and development at the International Institute of Social Studies in the Hague, which is part of Erasmus University. In July and August of this year the Israeli army bombed Gaza for 50 days. During those 50 days, according to The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at least 2,116 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, among them 1484 civilians, of whom 495 were children, and 89 Palestinian families were completely wiped out. On the Israeli side 72 people were killed, among them 7 civilians, including one child. In Gaza 17,000 houses were completely destroyed and 100,000 people were rendered homeless. For 50 days, the international community of states, international organisations and civil society organisations failed to put an end to Israel’s massive and disproportional attack, which caused extensive destruction and killing of civilians in Gaza, which remains a territory under occupation by Israel, as it has been for nearly half a century. The discussions at CREA and ISS will unravel the situation in Gaza, both during and after the war, based on data collected by the renowned Palestinian and Israeli human rights organisations Al-Haq and B’Tselem. The speakers will talk about the mandate and task of the UN International Independent Commission of Inquiry and the challenges that lay ahead. They will also address the responsibilities of  international organisations and states – including the Netherlands – to ensure accountability as a basis for justice and sustainable peace. These discussions are organized by gate48, Palestine link, and FFIPP in co-operation with, CREA and staff members of the ISS.