As the UN High-Level Conference on the Two-State Solution and Peace in the Middle East concluded this week in New York, human rights organizations are calling for immediate and concrete action to end decades of impunity for Israeli violations of international law against Palestinians.
The ministerial-level conference, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on July 28-29, 2025, brought together international leaders to address the implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion from July 2024, which declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful.
Current Human Rights Crisis
The conference takes place amid ongoing severe human rights violations in both Gaza and the West Bank. In West Bank alone, between January and June 2025, Israeli settlers carried out an average of four attacks each day, representing a 13 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Key human rights concerns highlighted include:
Gaza Humanitarian Emergency: The near-total siege of Gaza continues in violation of humanitarian law. Forced displacement orders have been issued in 86.3 percent of the territory, and 92 percent of housing has been destroyed. Hunger is being used as a weapon of war, with access to water deliberately restricted by Israeli authorities.
Educational Rights Under Attack: The UN Commission of Inquiry found that 90 percent of Gaza's schools and universities have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks. The Commission found no military necessity to justify this destruction, concluding that the intent was to restrict long-term Palestinian access to education.
Cultural Heritage Destruction: Israeli forces have damaged 53 percent of religious and cultural sites in Gaza, constituting war crimes and, in some cases, the crime against humanity of persecution.
Calls for Accountability
Human Rights Watch and other organizations are urging UN member governments to commit to concrete actions, including:
- Suspending military assistance and arms sales to Israel
- Imposing targeted sanctions on Israeli officials credibly implicated in violations
- Banning all trade and business with illegal settlements
- Supporting the International Criminal Court and execution of its warrants
International Response
Twelve countries have already committed to measures to "break the ties of complicity with Israel's campaign," including arms transfer restrictions. The UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Slovenia, and Norway have imposed targeted sanctions on Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
The European Union has found Israel in breach of human rights clauses in bilateral agreements, though EU governments remain divided on suspension measures.
As one human rights advocate stated: "Justice, accountability, and the realization of Palestinian rights can no longer be delayed."