Geneva – The executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), Ms. Tirana Hassan, called on November 8 for Western nations to cease arms sales to Israel, citing the use of these weapons in ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon as evidence of international law violations. She emphasized that countries such as the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom could leverage their influence on Israel by halting military support.
“If there continues to be military support to the Israeli Defence Force and they (Western governments) know that these weapons are being used in the commission of war crimes, then that should be enough for weapons sales and transfers to stop,” Hassan told Reuters.
Hassan pointed out that, while Israel asserts it operates in self-defense and aims to minimize civilian casualties, the realities of combat in densely populated areas make civilian harm unavoidable. HRW argues that Western states undermining their own calls for human rights and adherence to international law by continuing arms transfers sets a dangerous precedent. This double standard, she noted, is seized upon by countries such as Russia and China to challenge the credibility of Western nations on the global stage.
“This sends a message that these rules apply differently to us and our allies than they do to others, which has serious consequences,” Hassan stated. She added that this contradiction weakens Western advocacy for accountability, as seen in their response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The call for action came as the United Nations rights office reported that nearly 70% of verified deaths in the Israel-Hamas Gaza conflict were women and children. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas-led attacks killing 1,200 Israelis and capturing 250, has resulted in over 43,500 Palestinian fatalities over the past 13 months, according to Palestinian authorities.
Hassan emphasized the urgent need for global intervention, stating, “There is really no justification for the killing of children.” She also addressed Washington’s October ultimatum for Israel to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis or face potential restrictions on U.S. military aid.
Regarding the potential re-election of Donald Trump, Hassan expressed concern over his past disregard for international law and recent campaign rhetoric, noting, “Now we have seen in some of the statements on the campaign trail threats of mass deportation of millions of people, and this sends a very worrying message.”