London, November 27, 2024 – The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) organized a panel discussion titled “Defending Palestinian Rights: Humanitarian and Legal Perspectives” on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at the Palace of Westminster, House of Commons. The event attracted a diverse audience of activists, academics, diplomats, and several members of Parliament. The discussion was chaired by MP Shockat Adam and featured a distinguished panel of researchers and experts addressing the challenges facing Palestinians today from legal, humanitarian, and political perspectives.

The event began with opening remarks by Shockat Adam MP, an independent representative for Leicester South, who has recently led a strong campaign within Parliament urging the government to recognize the state of Palestine. This campaign has received cross-party support. In his speech, Adam emphasized the need for the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate right to self-determination and to pave the way for a comprehensive peace.

The first speaker was Professor Avi Shlaim, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford. Shlaim critiqued Britain’s historical role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, citing the 1917 Balfour Declaration as the foundation of the Palestinian Nakba. He explained that the declaration granted national rights to Jews while denying those same rights to the Arab majority, which made up over 90% of the population.

Professor Shlaim highlighted that British policies during the Mandate period systematically suppressed Palestinian rights to self-determination and democracy. He noted that current British policies, marked by non-critical support for Israel and disregard for Palestinian rights, continue to enable Israeli occupation and settlement expansion. He described the ongoing war on Gaza as a continuation of a colonial settler project supported by Western imperialism, including Britain.

Professor Shlaim also criticized the contradictory nature of British policy, which claims to support a two-state solution while undermining it through arms sales and diplomatic backing for Israel. He denounced Britain’s failure to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza, which he described as acts of genocide. He concluded by calling for a shift in British foreign policy to align with international law and ethics, and to abandon its double standards.

Professor Penny Green, a leading scholar in international law and state crime at Queen Mary University of London, provided a critical analysis of international law’s role in addressing Israel’s violations against Palestinians. She emphasized the failure of legal frameworks to deliver justice or accountability thus far. Green argued that Israel’s actions, including apartheid and genocide, have been perpetuated by the impunity afforded by certain Western governments.

She noted that some states exploit the international legal system to serve their interests rather than curbing the crimes committed by Israel. By contrast, Green emphasized the effectiveness of civil society in rejecting and holding perpetrators accountable. She underscored the importance of grassroots movements, such as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, as powerful tools to counter Israel’s policies.

Professor Green called for strengthening community alliances to expose and reject state violence, highlighting the unique flexibility and legitimacy of civil society in addressing these crimes. She argued that civil society provides a vital framework for solidarity with oppressed communities, particularly Palestinians.

Dr. Lex Takkenberg, former Director of Operations for UNRWA in Syria and Gaza and a senior advisor with the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), focused on the critical challenges facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) amid escalating Israeli attacks.

He specifically addressed recent legislation passed by the Knesset aimed at banning UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Dr. Takkenberg explained that these moves are part of a broader settler-colonial strategy to erase Palestinian refugees’ rights and identity. He warned that such actions could disrupt essential services for millions of refugees, including education for hundreds of thousands of children, constituting a grave violation of international law.

He highlighted the resilience of UNRWA in safeguarding refugee records through digitization and protecting its database from potential destruction. Takkenberg called on the United Nations to adopt a multi-stakeholder approach to fill protection gaps and seek durable solutions, including the right of return. He urged the international community to confront Israeli colonial ambitions and ensure accountability for ongoing violations of international law, stressing the importance of protecting Palestinian refugees’ identity and rights.

Professor Ruba Salih, an anthropologist at the University of Bologna, delivered a moving speech shedding light on the immense suffering and resilience of the Palestinian people amidst ongoing genocide in Gaza. She described the brutal reality that has resulted in over 43,000 Palestinian deaths, the complete annihilation of thousands of families, and the devastating impact on education and daily life. Salih framed this violence as part of a century-long history of colonialism, apartheid, and displacement.

She criticized the double standards that disregard the suffering of Palestinian civilians, treating them as mere collateral damage. Concluding with a message of resilience, Salih celebrated the unbreakable spirit of the Palestinian people despite attempts at annihilation. She shared personal stories from Gaza that illustrated acts of humanity amidst horror, such as maintaining routines for children and fostering community bonds. These stories, Salih argued, are a powerful testament to Palestinian dignity and humanity, offering profound lessons to the world even in the darkest of times.

The event concluded with Dr. Shahad Hammouri, a lecturer in international law at the University of Kent, who addressed the pivotal findings of international legal frameworks, particularly rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Palestine. She underscored that Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories constitutes violations of key peremptory norms of international law, including the right to self-determination, the prohibition of apartheid, and the unlawful use of force. Dr. Hammouri emphasized that these violations are not solely Israel’s responsibility but also invoke obligations for all states to prevent complicity and address these breaches.

Dr. Hammouri criticized the UK for failing to fulfill its legal duty to prevent genocide and for supporting Israeli military aggression through arms trade and surveillance cooperation. She argued that the scale and nature of Israel’s military operations reflect genocidal intent and called for immediate action, including arms embargoes, sanctions, and political pressure from European and global governments to ensure accountability and compliance with international legal obligations.

This event, organized by the Palestinian Return Centre, holds immense significance, coming at a time of escalating violence in northern Gaza and the approaching International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on November 29. As the humanitarian crisis in Palestine reaches unprecedented levels, this event provided a critical platform for leading voices to discuss the political, legal, and humanitarian dimensions of the conflict, emphasizing the urgent need for justice and accountability.

With global attention increasingly focused on the Palestinian cause, this event serves as a powerful call for governments and policymakers to respond effectively to the suffering on the ground and to implement policies aimed at alleviating Palestinian pain and protecting their fundamental rights.