We see with concern how international law is being set aside by many states. Had it been followed, there would not have been bloody conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Sudan, Israel, in and around Gaza and many other places. We believe that Norway can do more to strengthen compliance with it.
In line with the Helsinki Committee’s strong commitment to international law, we want to promote an active Norwegian effort to fight impunity in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Norway already supports The International Criminal Court (ICC), which investigates whether international crimes have been committed in the conflict and has urged Israel and other states to follow the orders of the International Court of Justice to prevent genocide.
In the letter, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee requests that the Norwegian authorities also start their investigation. It will not stop the war but will be an important contribution to legitimizing and strengthening international law. The politicians can point out violations of international law and finance the legal settlement against them. However, it is professional investigators and lawyers who can get individuals competently investigated and ultimately convicted if the evidence is good enough.
In our opinion, it is a key to increasing the impact of international law and the protection of civilians.
Letter to the national prosecutor’s office (Norw.)