PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Issue. 280

Your weekly survey of the most important publications and activities related to Palestine and law, from local and international sources

11 – 17 May 2025

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Arwa Abdel Moniam, Kamal Abdulkarim, Murad Abu Murad

Translation: Mai Shaheen and Ferdous Abdul Hamid

Editing: Widad Hussein

This weekly report reviews the legal dynamics of the Palestine question, and everything related to international law and Palestine. The report includes an account of the most important publications, activities and conferences related to Palestine at the local, regional, international levels. The report further covers decisions, decrees, and judicial orders affecting the Palestinian cause, whether made at the official, academic or public levels. The report aims to be a reference for monitoring, documenting and archiving the latest human rights developments related to Palestine, and to present them to individuals, researchers, study centers, and official, academic and legal institutions concerned.

To view this Issue of Palestine’s Legal Scene, please click here (5 minutes read)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Palestinian bodies

• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned of the consequences of the Israeli occupation government’s approval of the “land settlement” decision in Area C of the occupied West Bank. It described the move as part of an ongoing campaign of genocide and forced displacement against the Palestinian people, and as a repeated affront to international legitimacy, its resolutions, and the global consensus in support of the two-state solution. The Ministry called on the international community to address these decisions with the utmost seriousness. (13 May 2025)
• The Palestinian National Council held the Israeli occupation responsible for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing the bombing of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis and the killing of several patients and civilians, including journalist Hassan Eslayeh, as a complex war crime. Council President Rawhi Fattouh stated that the horrific massacre carried out by occupation forces in the Jabalia Camp and town in the northern Gaza Strip—along with the bombing of tents, displacement shelters, and homes, resulting in the deaths of more than 45 civilians—constitutes a dangerous escalation in the policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing. (May 13–14, 2025)
• The Palestinian National Library condemned the plan to Judaize the archaeological site of Sebastia, north of Nablus, considering it as one of the most dangerous attempts to erase Palestinian cultural and historical identity. It highlighted the Israeli occupation’s initiation of the so-called “Samaria National Park” and excavations carried out under the pretext of restoration based on fabricated biblical claims. The Library characterized the move as part of a broader policy of cultural replacement aimed at erasing the Palestinian narrative in favor of a false colonial one. It called on UNESCO and the international community to take urgent action to protect the site. (15 May 2025)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies

• The Israeli government has approved a land registration process in Area C of the West Bank, initiated by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. He described the move as part of a plan to expand settlements, assert de facto sovereignty, and eventually annex the territory. The resolution also invalidates any land registration by the Palestinian Authority and directs Israeli security forces to block such efforts. Smotrich said the plan aims to bring one million new settlers to the West Bank to bolster Israel’s control and prevent a Palestinian state. (May 13, 2025)
• The right –wing Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that “ “Just as we destroyed Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza, we must destroy Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik.” In the West Bank. He added, “Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik should look like Shujaiya and Tel al-Sultan in the Gaza Strip.” (May 15, 2025)
• The Israeli military has announced the launch of the initial stages of a major offensive in the Gaza Strip, named “Gideon’s Chariots.” Over the past 24 hours, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes and mobilized forces to seize strategic areas in Gaza, marking a significant escalation of its military campaign. According to Israeli officials, the operation’s stated objectives include securing the release of hostages and defeating Hamas. They also indicated that the offensive will involve the occupation of Gaza, the forcible relocation of Palestinian civilians to the south, and efforts to prevent Hamas from accessing humanitarian aid supplies. (May 16, 2025)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by Arab, European, and international bodies

• UNRWA confirmed that after more than nine weeks of siege on Gaza, Israel continues to block the entry of all humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and commercial goods. The agency warned that the ongoing blockade is causing irreversible harm to countless lives. It noted that thousands of trucks are ready to enter Gaza and that its teams on the ground are prepared to scale up distribution. UNRWA described the deliberate and politically motivated starvation in Gaza as an act of absolute cruelty. (May 11, 2025)
• German Foreign Minister Johann Vadewohl affirmed that the conflict in Gaza cannot be resolved through military means, calling for a return to serious negotiations toward a ceasefire. He stressed that the disarmament of Hamas is an urgent necessity and that the reconstruction of Gaza must proceed without the group, reaffirming that Gaza is Palestinian territory. He reiterated that a two-state solution remains “the best chance for Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security, and dignity.” However, he added that this solution “must not be hindered either by the advancement of illegal settlement construction [by Israel] or by the premature recognition of a Palestinian state.” (May 11, 2025)
• The Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, stated during a meeting with the families of hostages that “the United States wants to bring the hostages home, but Israel is not willing to end the war,” noting that Israel is prolonging the conflict despite the need for an agreement. He added that there is currently a window of opportunity that he hopes Israel and all mediators will seize, emphasizing that Washington is pressuring all parties involved to make it happen. (May 11, 2025)
• The Arab League renewed its condemnation of the Israeli occupation authorities’ continued crackdown on Palestinian media, marking the International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian Media. The League reiterated its call on the international community to support Palestinian media in the face of ongoing Israeli violations, noting that by the end of April 2025, 212 journalists had been killed and 400 others injured. It stressed the urgent need to enforce international standards for the protection of journalists in armed conflict zones. (May 11, 2025)
• The President of the Arab Parliament, H.E. Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, sent urgent messages to United Nations officials, UN high commissioner of Human Rights, and UNICEF calling for immediate action to save Gaza’s children from starvation. He warned that they are facing systematic starvation and deliberate deprivation of food, water, and medical care—constituting a clear violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity. (May 11, 2025)
• Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Harris, stated that the EU-Israel Association Agreement requires that relations be grounded in respect for human rights. He called for a review of the agreement, emphasizing that “these words must have real meaning,” and confirmed his intention to raise the issue with his European counterparts. The French Foreign Minister expressed support for reviewing the agreement and affirmed the legitimacy of the Netherlands’ request for an urgent review. (May 11–12, 2025)
• UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler stated: “Calling something as ‘humanitarian’ does not necessarily mean it aligns with the core principles of international humanitarian law.” He added: “There is a global system in place to provide aid. This [supply scheme proposed by Israel] would unplug international humanitarian law.” (May 12, 2025)
• The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued an analysis titled “Gaza Strip: Acute Food Insecurity Situation for 1 April – 10 May 2025 and Projection for 11 May – 30 September 2025”, warning of an imminent risk of famine in the Gaza Strip. The report estimates that one in five people will face famine conditions between May and September 2025. It also projects that approximately 71,000 children under the age of five will suffer from acute malnutrition. The IPC stressed that the situation is likely to deteriorate further as military operations persist, significantly increasing the likelihood of famine. (12 May 2025)
• Following the analysis issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that the population of Gaza is at risk of famine due to the ongoing blockade and the lack of humanitarian aid. The organizations urged all parties to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to ensure that the basic needs of civilians in Gaza are met. (12 May 2025)
• The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist groups and one of their attempts to desecrate it by bringing a sacrificial offering into one of its courtyards. The Ministry described the act as a dangerous precedent and a continued violation of the historical and legal status quo, carried out under the protection of Israeli occupation police. It warned of the consequences of such ongoing provocations and called on Israel to halt these practices, which aim to impose a temporal and spatial division of the mosque. (May 12, 2025)
• Barcelona’s Investigative Court has summoned the captains of two vessels operated by the Danish shipping company Maersk—the Nexo Maersk and the Maersk Detroit—to testify as suspects in an investigation into the company’s involvement in arms shipments to Israel via Spanish ports. The court opened a preliminary inquiry following complaints from the campaign “Stop Arms Trade with Israel,” which said that the vessels were transporting military equipment to the Israeli army, potentially contributing to what the group described as a “genocide in Palestine.” (May 12, 2025)
• Member of the European Parliament Lynn Boylan, Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Palestine, condemned the potential escalation of Israeli operations in Gaza, the reported approval of a new system for delivering humanitarian aid, and the possible further forced displacement of Palestinians. She stated that such actions would worsen the humanitarian crisis and undermine efforts toward achieving lasting peace. Boylan called on the European Union and its member states to intensify diplomatic efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire and ensure the full resumption of humanitarian aid delivery. (12 May 2025)
• UN Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher told the Security Council that Israel is “deliberately and shamelessly imposing inhumane conditions” on civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, emphasizing that all 2.1 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are at risk of starvation. He stated that the United Nations has “strict mechanisms to ensure our aid reaches civilians, but Israel is denying us access, putting its goal of depopulating Gaza before the lives of civilians.” (May 13, 2025)
• During the Security Council session, the United Kingdom called on Israel to lift the blockade on humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, warning of the imminent risk of famine threatening the population. (May 13, 2025)
• Roland Friedrich, Director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank including East Jerusalem, reported that UNRWA schools in Jerusalem remain closed and empty since their forced shutdown by Israeli security forces. He stated that around 800 boys and girls have been denied their right to education, stressing that “the criminalization of education in UN schools in East Jerusalem by Israeli authorities is condemnable on all levels.” (May 13, 2025)
• The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates affirmed its rejection and condemnation of Israel’s decision to resume the so-called “settlement of land and property rights” process, particularly in Area “C” of the occupied West Bank, describing the move as a blatant violation of international law. The Ministry called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities by compelling Israel to immediately halt its aggression on Gaza and its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank as well as to provide the necessary protection for the Palestinian people. (May 11, 2025)
• UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that Israel’s use of humanitarian aid—particularly food—as a tool to achieve political or military objectives in Gaza constitutes the “weaponization of humanitarian aid.” He affirmed: “There is absolutely no doubt that what we have witnessed over the past 19 months, especially in the last two, that’s a war crime.” When asked whether the situation could amount to genocide, he replied: It could end up to genocide. There are many elements which could go in this direction.” (May 13, 2025)
• Members of the majority coalition in Belgium’s federal parliament reached an agreement on a draft resolution regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolution calls for the immediate release of hostages and the unobstructed access to humanitarian aid. It also supports the conditional recognition of the State of Palestine within the framework of a two-state solution, urges the government to back an international conference for mutual recognition of Israel and Palestine, endorses support to the International Criminal Court—including the implementation of arrest warrants—and calls for stricter measures against West Bank settlers as well as a “critical reassessment” of EU-Israel relations. (May 13, 2025)
• The UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory expressed deep concern over the Israeli Security Cabinet’s decision to resume land registration procedures in Area C of the occupied West Bank—a process that had been suspended since 1968. The Office stated that the move constitutes an illegal exercise of sovereignty in occupied territory and aims to consolidate land ownership in favor of Israeli settlers. It warned that such actions lead to the confiscation of Palestinian land and property and further entrench the policy of forcibly transferring the Palestinian population. (13 May 2025)
• Germany’s new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, urged all parties to avert a “famine” in Gaza, stating before parliament that while Germany stands with Israel, it also expects increased efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the population in Gaza. He expressed hope for “successful negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages,” including German nationals. (14 May 2025)
• Canada’s new Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, stated that Israel is using food as a political tool in its operations in Gaza, calling the practice “completely unacceptable.” She noted that over 50,000 people have been killed “as a result of the aggression caused against Palestinians” and called for renewed efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. (14 May 2025)
• British Minister of State for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, said that Israel’s denial of aid is “appalling”, pointing to tonnes of food are currently sitting rotting at the Gaza-Israel border, blocked from reaching people who are starving. He further noted statements by Israeli Ministers who admitted that Israel’s decision to block aid is a pressure lever, describing this behavior as “cruel and indefensible”. Falconer added that the United Kingdom, in cooperation with its allies, demands that the aid ban be lifted immediately. (May 14, 2025)
• The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a report on the latest developments in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, confirming the continuation of displacement orders and ongoing shelling, including bombings targeting tents, hospitals, and schools. These actions have led to rising numbers of casualties, widespread displacement, and extreme levels of deprivation across the Gaza Strip. In a briefing to the Security Council, the head of UN relief operations, Tom Fletcher, called for decisive action to prevent genocide in Gaza. (14 May 2025
• French President Emmanuel Macron described the shortage of water and medicine and the obstruction of medical evacuations in Gaza as “terrible.” He stated that Israel’s announcement of a large-scale operation aimed at the permanent occupation of Gaza falls entirely outside the bounds of international law. Macron also indicated the possibility of reconsidering the EU-Israel Association Agreement and voiced his support for the Dutch proposal in this regard. (May 14, 2025)
• The Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed grave concern over the humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip and the escalating risk of famine. It stressed that Israel must immediately lift the blockade and allow the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, in line with international humanitarian law and established humanitarian principles. The Ministry reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages. (May 15, 2025)
• The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces’ continued military escalation against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip, including the targeting of the European Hospital in Khan Yunis. The Ministry affirmed its unequivocal rejection of what it described as ongoing genocidal crimes committed by Israel. The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also condemned the targeting and complete shutdown of the European Hospital, describing it as a flagrant violation of international law. (May 15, 2025)
• UNRWA stated that 77 years after the 1948 Nakba—which led to the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians from their towns and villages—Palestinians continue to face the same fate of forced displacement. The agency noted that since the start of the war in Gaza, approximately 90% of the population has been uprooted from their homes, with many forced to flee more than ten times. This, UNRWA said, paints a tragic picture of continued Palestinian suffering, generation after generation.
• The Arab League strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinian people, which intensified on the 77th anniversary of the Nakba. The League stressed that the killing, displacement, and systematic destruction of infrastructure facing Palestinians today is a continuation of the same catastrophe, unfolding under the eyes of the international community, amid troubling silence and the complicity of some major powers. (May 15, 2025)
• World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that the European Gaza Hospital is no longer operational following a severe attack on May 13, which left the facility heavily damaged and inaccessible. He stated that an international emergency medical team had arrived shortly after the attack and transferred its operations to Nasser Medical Complex, which continued functioning despite the ongoing attack. Tedros noted that a strike occurred near the hospital just prior to the team’s arrival, posing a serious threat to their safety. (May 15, 2025)
• Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza, said that the closure of all crossings into the Gaza Strip for over two and a half months has had a devastating effect on the population. She condemned the total blockade as completely unacceptable, deliberate, and in urgent need of an end. (May 15, 2025)
• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that the sharp escalation in Gaza, including Israeli airstrikes on hospitals, has further exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis. He stated that the recent bombings appear to be part of a broader effort to bring about a permanent demographic shift in Gaza—an act that defies international law and may amount to ethnic cleansing. Türk emphasized that attacks on medical facilities, including those on the Nasser Medical Complex and the European Gaza Hospital, constitute grave violations. He reiterated that international humanitarian law mandates the protection of hospitals, even if they are used for military purposes. (May 16, 2025)
• The European leaders of Spain, Norway, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and Slovenia issued a joint statement stating: “We will not be silent in front of the man-made humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place before our eyes in Gaza.” They called on the Israeli government to immediately reverse its current policies and urged all parties to urgently and sincerely engage in ceasefire negotiations and the release of all hostages. The leaders also strongly condemned the escalating violence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including settler attacks, settlement illegal expansion, and intensified military operations. They firmly rejected any form of forced displacement or expulsion, emphasizing that such acts are violations of international law. The leaders declared their collective responsibility to act to halt the ongoing devastation. (May 16, 2025).
• UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, reported that at least 45 children have been killed in Gaza over the past two days. He highlighted the immense suffering of children in the territory, who face starvation and indiscriminate attacks. Beigbeder stressed that the rights of children in Gaza are being gravely violated daily and called for strict adherence to international humanitarian law and the urgent, unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. (May 16, 2025)

Publications of human rights NGOs

• In recognition of the third anniversary of the martyrdom of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqla, the Human Rights and Democracy Media Center (SHAMS) stressed that her assassination represents a full-fledged crime and pointed to the occupation’s policy of impunity, as evidenced by its rejection of independent and transparent investigations. The Centre called on the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into her assassination. (May 11, 2025)
• Save the Children stated that more than 93% of children in Gaza—around 930,000—are at critical risk of famine due to the comprehensive Israeli siege and renewed fighting. The organization noted that families have been forced to take unimaginable measures to survive, including eating animal feed, expired flour, and flour mixed with sand. It stressed that starvation as a method of warfare is strictly prohibited under international law and constitutes a war crime, holding the occupation responsible for the escalating humanitarian catastrophe. (May 12, 2025)
• The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, affirmed that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels. She called for the immediate and unhindered passage of humanitarian aid in accordance with international humanitarian law. The ICRC also renewed its call to be granted access to Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. (May 12, 2025)
• The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a report documenting Israel’s systematic use of torture and inhumane treatment against Palestinian detainees from the Gaza Strip since the onset of the genocidal war on October 7, 2023. The report highlights arbitrary mass arrests from homes, hospitals, and shelters, as well as the detention of civilians under inhumane conditions, including brutal beatings, electric shocks, and sexual violence. PCHR called on states to enforce international law, investigate crimes of genocide and torture under universal jurisdiction, and demand unhindered international access to places of detention, along with the release of those arbitrarily detained. (May 12, 2025)
• The Israeli NGO “Peace Now” stated that the Israeli government’s decision to register land in Area C of the West Bank constitutes a massive land grab from Palestinians. The registration process would result in transferring ownership of the vast majority of Area C to the state, effectively depriving Palestinians of their land rights. The organization emphasized that international law prohibits land registration in occupied territories, and that Israel itself had banned such registration after 1967. Peace Now warned that this move represents a step toward the full annexation of the West Bank. (May 12, 2025)
• Amnesty International stated that Israel must immediately lift its devastating siege on the Gaza Strip, stressing that the blockade constitutes an act of genocide and collective punishment. The organization emphasized that the situation in Gaza reflects a deliberate intent to harm the population by depriving them of food, water, and medicine. (May 13, 2025)
• Gerry Liston, Founder and Legal Officer at the Global Legal Action Network, testified before the UK High Court that Gaza is experiencing an ongoing genocide. He urged the UK government to halt arms exports to Israel, emphasizing that by providing military support, the UK is complicit in the crime of genocide. (13 May 2025)
• Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) warned that the US-Israel proposal to control the distribution of supplies in Gaza, under the guise of humanitarian aid, raises serious humanitarian, ethical, security, and legal concerns. Making aid conditional on forced displacement and population vetting, the organization stated, is yet another tool in the ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people. MSF firmly rejects and condemns any plan that further limits the availability of aid and subjugates it to Israeli military objectives. The organization stressed that obstructing humanitarian aid is a direct violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2720, which mandates the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians. (May 14, 2025)
• In an interview published by NRC Journal, seven renowned genocide scholars from six countries unanimously described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” or “genocidal violence.” They stated that nearly all of their colleagues agree, and noted that the International Court of Justice has acknowledged this as “plausible.” The researchers—including Holocaust scholar Uğur Ümit Üngör from the University of Amsterdam and the National Institute for Genocide Studies—emphasized that Israeli policies such as indiscriminate bombing, systematic deprivation of food, water, and medicine, destruction of hospitals and homes, and forced displacement collectively meet the criteria of “intent” as defined in the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. (May 14, 2025)
• The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the killing of journalist Ahmad Anwar Al-Helou, a correspondent for Quds News Network, and his brother Mohammad Al-Helou, in a brutal airstrike that targeted northwest Khan Younis. The Syndicate affirmed that the continued targeting and cold-blooded killing of journalists reflects a systematic policy aimed at silencing the truth and erasing the Palestinian narrative. It called on international organizations, the United Nations, and both the Arab and International Federations of Journalists to take urgent and decisive action to halt the ongoing massacres against journalists. (May 15, 2025)
• The Commission of Detainees Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners Society, and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association held the Israeli occupation fully responsible under international law for the deaths of three detainees from the Gaza Strip. They affirmed that this crime is part of a broader pattern of genocide, torture, starvation, medical negligence, and sexual assault—acts that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The organizations called on international human rights bodies to launch an impartial investigation into the killings of prisoners and detainees. (May 15, 2025)
• Human Rights Watch stated that the Israeli government’s plan to demolish what remains of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure and forcibly concentrate the Palestinian population into a confined area amounts to a grave escalation of its ongoing crimes—namely, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. The organization urged major world powers—particularly the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the European Union—to halt weapons sales, military assistance, and diplomatic support to Israel. It also called for targeted sanctions against Israeli officials and a review of bilateral agreements. (May 15, 2025)
• Marking the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, Amnesty International stated that for over seven decades, Israel has denied Palestinians their right to return home, in blatant violation of international law and UN resolutions. The organization emphasized that the Nakba has not ended, but continues to this day, and called for an end to the genocide in Gaza and the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. (May 15, 2025)
• The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced that it will begin aid distribution operations in the enclave by the end of May 2025, following Israel’s agreement to temporarily lift the blockade and allow transitional aid to enter through existing mechanisms. This arrangement will remain in place until the Foundation completes the establishment of safe distribution sites throughout the Strip, expanding beyond the current four southern locations. The Foundation stated that it aims to secure 300 million meals within the first 90 days. (May 15, 2025)

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• The International Law Review: An Academic Journal has published a research paper by scholars Mahshid Ajeli Lahiji and Mahnaz Rashidi titled “From the Right to Self-Determination to Statehood of Palestine: The Approaches of the 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice.” (2025).

Opinion Pieces and features 

• Archit Mehta published an article titled: “Israeli Officials’ October 2023 Rhetoric Exhibits Genocidal Intent, Findings from my independent study at Georgetown University.”
• The Guardian published an editorial titled: “The Guardian view on Israel and Gaza: Trump can stop this horror. The alternative is unthinkable” (May 11, 2025)
• Arab News published an opinion article by Ramzy Baroud titled: “How Israel’s narrative collides with the carnage in Gaza .” (May 12, 2025)
• Consortium News published an analytical article by Joe Lauria titled: “Medhurst Case: Test of a Turning Tide on Gaza .” (May 12, 2025)
• PassBlue published an article by Jessica Le Masurier and Damilola Banjo titled: “Weaponizing Aid’: New Plan Calls for Private Contractors to Take Over From UN in Gaza” (12 May 2025)
• BNNVARA published an opinion article by Jaap Hamburger titled: “Holocaust Denial Is Punishable, Nakba Denial Is Not: Why?” (May 13, 2025)
• Arab News published an op-ed by Osama Al-Sharif titled: “Netanyahu has become Israel’s biggest liability.” (May 14, 2025)
• Anadolu Ajansi Published an op-ed by Mutaz M. Qafisheh and Manal Radaydeh titled:” Starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.” (May 14, 2025)
• Haaretz published an op-ed by Gideon Levy titled: “Israel’s New Gaza Operation Should Be Called ‘Chariots of Genocide.” (May 14, 2025)
• The New Republic published an article by Yousef Munayyer titled: “Trump Has Big Mideast Goals, and He Knows the Obstacle Is Netanyahu.” (May 14, 2025)
• The Guardian published an op-ed by Ahmad Ibsais titled: “Israel is annihilating Palestinian children. Amer Rabea was one of them.” (May 14, 2025)
• Middle East Eye published an opinion piece by Soumaya Ghannoushi titled: “As Trump basks in Gulf Arab applause, Israel massacres children in Gaza.” (14 May 2025)
• The Guardian published an analytical article by Jason Burke titled: “Israel’s ‘no hunger in Gaza’ narrative flies in face of obvious evidence.” (May 14, 2025)
• The Guardian published an opinion article by Sandra L. Babcock, Susan M. Akram, Thomas Becker, and James Cavallaro titled: “We are human rights lawyers. Our new report is clear: Israel perpetrates apartheid.” (May 15, 2025)

Legal Achievements/Impacts for Palestine

• Norway’s sovereign wealth fund announced that it has divested all of its shares in Israel’s Paz Retail and Energy (PAZ.TA) due to the company’s ownership and operation of infrastructure supplying fuel to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The decision follows the fund’s Ethics Board adoption in August of stricter ethical standards concerning companies involved in Israeli operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. (May 12, 2025)

Human rights conferences and events

• AL-Haq Organization announced the launch of its Genocide Legal Brief Series, aimed at examining different elements of the crime of genocide as a legal toolkit for practitioners working on Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people. The first brief in the series is titled Legal Brief I: Special Intent (Dolus Specialis) Required to Classify Acts as Genocide. (May 12, 2025)
• More than 500 Palestinian and international human rights organizations, including Law for Palestine, have launched an urgent and unified appeal to confront the famine in Gaza. They called for the immediate organization and launch of a global humanitarian diplomatic convoy to Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The organizations stressed the necessity for countries to join the effort by sending official diplomatic missions to accompany the aid trucks, and affirmed their rejection of Israel’s politicization of humanitarian aid. They called for coordination with the United Nations and the Egyptian government to facilitate the convoy’s entry, and urged international media to accompany it. They warned that failure to act will lead to mass deaths and further undermine the international legal system. (May 12, 2025)
• A number of international lawyers and legal scholars and practitioners issued an Urgent Legal Call to support the launch of a diplomatic humanitarian convoy to break the siege of Gaza. The signatories considered the situation a one of forced deprivation, collective punishment, and the weaponization of humanitarian aid.
• The United Nations commemorated the 77th anniversary of the Nakba at its headquarters in New York. The Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari emphasized that the suffering of the Palestinian people, caused by generations of displacement and dispossession, serves as a stark reminder that the root causes of the conflict remain unresolved. He stressed the urgent need for action to end the occupation and achieve a two-state solution. (15 May 2025)