120 organizations from the United States, Europe, Palestine and other countries, in an open letter addressed to the states parties to the Arms Trade Treaty, warned of legal consequences for those who export or import weapons to and from the occupation, as they are accomplices in the killing of Palestinian civilians.

International organizations called for the imposition of a comprehensive two-way arms embargo on the Israeli occupation, according to what the Wafa news agency reported.

“We in the global coalition of leaders from civil society, academia, art, media, business, politics, religion and people of conscience around the world call on states party to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to act decisively to end Israel’s notorious use of weapons and military equipment,” the open letter reads. by which serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights have been committed against Palestinian civilians, calling for the imposition of a comprehensive, two-way arms embargo on Israel.”

The letter referred to the crimes of the occupation in the spring of this year, when the occupation forces attacked defenseless Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the occupied interior.

She added that Palestinian civilians, while demonstrating peacefully to protest the colonization of their lands, were shot with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas.

The letter considered the recent aggression to be the fourth Israeli military aggression against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip in a decade.

Over the course of 11 days, 248 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, and thousands were injured, and the resounding effects of the use of explosive weapons on hospitals, schools, food security, water, electricity and shelter continue to affect millions.

She pointed to the systematic brutality committed during the past seven decades of Israeli colonialism, apartheid, illegal belligerent occupation, persecution and closure, caused only by the complicity of some governments and companies around the world.

She considered that the symbolic expressions of condemnation alone would not put an end to this suffering. “In accordance with the relevant rules of the Arms Trade Treaty, states parties have legal obligations to put an end to the irresponsible and often complicit trade in conventional arms that undermines international peace and security, facilitates the commission of atrocity crimes, and threatens the international legal order.”

She explained that under Article 6(3) of the Arms Trade Treaty, “States Parties undertake not to authorize any transfer of conventional arms, if they have knowledge at the time of authorization that the arms or materials will be used to commit genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious violations of law.

The letter also stated that “under Articles 7 and 11, there is a commitment not to allow any export of conventional weapons, munitions, parts and components that, among other things, would undermine peace and security or be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law.”

And it considered that arms exports to the occupation are not in line with these obligations, as “Israel” has consistently demonstrated that it uses arms to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity, as documented by countless United Nations bodies and civil society organizations around the world.

Military exports to Israel have also enabled, facilitated, and maintained the apartheid regime that Israel has imposed on the Palestinian people as a whole for decades.

The letter noted that arms imports from Israel do not fully comply with obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty.

The letter accused the occupation of using the Palestinians as a testing ground for the efficacy of its weapons.

It considered that imposing a two-way arms embargo on “Israel” is a legal and moral obligation, and states parties to the Arms Trade Treaty must immediately terminate any current transfers of conventional arms, munitions, parts and components referred to in Article 2(1), Article 3 or 4 of the Arms Trade Treaty to Israel, prohibit any future transfers to Israel from the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and fully comply with its obligations under international law.

And it asked all countries to suspend all transfers of ten equipment, aid, and ammunition to Israel, until a ban on arms imports and exports to and from Israel is imposed.

And it warned against the failure to take these measures, as this would entail a heavy responsibility as a result of the massive suffering of civilians, and more deaths and suffering.

“Thousands of Palestinian men, women and children continue to endure the brutality of a belligerent colonial occupying power, which will discredit ATT itself and make state parties complicit in internationally wrongful acts, by aiding or abetting international crimes,” she added.

The letter concluded by saying: Justice will remain elusive as long as the illegal Israeli occupation, settler colonialism, apartheid regime, oppression and institutional oppression of the Palestinian people are allowed to continue, and as long as states continue to be complicit in the crimes of the occupying power through arms trafficking.

Safa