Israel tacitly accepts war crimes by asking soldiers to cover faces: UN

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has criticised Israel for instructing its soldiers to "cover or blur their faces before posting videos," calling the directive a tacit acceptance of potential war crimes.

"Instead of advising its soldiers not to commit crimes, what Israel is saying is 'cover your faces or blur your face before posting videos or try to get lawyers,'" Albanese told Anadolu, describing the Israeli army’s approach as "shocking."

"This is first of all an admission that Israeli soldiers might commit crimes," she added.

Albanese highlighted the importance of universal jurisdiction, in response to an Israeli soldier's recent escape to Argentina while facing imminent arrest in Brazil.

"Universal jurisdiction is a powerful tool to bring justice where everywhere, everything else has failed," she underlined.

"And it's still retributive justice, which is necessary because it signals to those who exercise power and force that they are not immune from the application of the law."

'Greater Israel project'

The UN Special Rapporteur has said Israel violated the non-derogable rules of international laws, including the prohibition of aggression, the annexation of territory by force, and imposing a regime of racial discrimination, apartheid, torture, and genocide.

Pointing out the talk of an expanding "Greater Israel" among Israeli leaders and figures in society, she warned Arab nations and neighbouring states in the region.

"Now they are openly talking of southern Lebanon belonging to them and part of Syria, looking into Jordan," Albanese said.

"This hubris will stop where the international community draws a line," she highlighted.

"Go back to where you belong, because we recognise the state of Israel and this is it. You cannot exercise self-determination on land inhabited by others."

"Impunity breeds impunity and it's a very contagious disease," she underlined.

Albanese noted that empathy and humanity are lacking among many leaders, particularly Western leaders who "preach about human rights and universal values every other day and simply do not see the Palestinians as human."

"I have heard statements, particularly by American and German politicians, (that) frankly seem not to belong to the 21st century," she noted.

The special rapporteur said the US does not view the rest of the world as equals, including its closest Western allies, some of whom have pledged to uphold ICC jurisdiction and arrest anyone with an ICC warrant on their soil.

Albanese criticised some ICC members' refusal to enforce the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, calling it "shameful."

"I wish Poland was alone, there is Hungary and France, they have had similar statements," she added.