International law expert Ralph Janik from the Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna analyses the legal and humanitarian aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a krone.tv interview with Jürgen Winterleitner and highlights the challenges for the international community.
A devastating terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, plunged Israel into an ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Janik says: “There must always be proportionality between civilian casualties and civilian damage on the one hand and the resulting military advantage.”
The current humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is of course fatal, Janik said. “This war has a completely different dimension because Hamas deliberately uses the civilian population as a protective shield.” This leads to Israel “acting downright brutally,” because civilian areas in Gaza are often used as launch pads for rockets. This results in a breakdown of the norms that should actually apply in war.
Prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza with aid supplies
Despite the enormous humanitarian need in the Gaza Strip, Janik says there are insufficient aid measures. “The sad thing is that there will always be too little,” he emphasizes. Israel controls access to the Gaza Strip, which increases international criticism. “The accusation that Israel acts as an occupying power, even though it is not physically present there, stems precisely from this.”
The line between safety and retaliation has been crossed
Janik calls for the creation of protective zones where there is no fighting, in order to guarantee the supply of civilians. “In the gray theory, you should establish protective zones here where there is no fighting,” he explains. However, this is extremely difficult during an armed conflict. Israel’s efforts in this direction are also questionable, as evidenced by the rhetoric of individual members of the Israeli government who say: ‘We are turning off the tap now, otherwise we will make it more difficult for the entire civilian population.’ And that is where the line is crossed between security obligations and retaliation. And that is exactly where the international criticism comes from,” says Janik.
These insights into the legal and humanitarian challenges of the ongoing conflict reveal the complexity and devastation of the situation in Gaza. The international community faces major challenges in alleviating civilian suffering and finding a long-term solution.
Trump’s Empty Promise
Solutions that politicians like former US President Donald Trump do not have. “I will prevent World War III,” Trump promised in response to the Iranian attack on Israel. That is exactly where the power of people like Trump comes from, says Janik. “That they promise something, but then they will not carry it out because they cannot carry it out.” And further: “The security of Israel, even in the time under Donald Trump, was ultimately – we saw that on October 7 and above all: the Israeli people must learn in a tragic way – an illusion in that form.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
