Declaration of an international popular document to criminalize genocide in Gaza and prosecute its perpetrators

Participants from more than thirty countries announced the adoption of a new popular document entitled "Covenant to Stop and Criminalize Zionist Genocide in Gaza and Prosecute Its Perpetrators," in a step aimed at unifying popular, legal, and media efforts to stop the crimes committed against the residents of the sector and prosecute those responsible before various international bodies.

This announcement came during a seminar entitled "Towards Renewing the Nation's Will in the Face of Liquidation and Genocide," which was held as part of the activities of the "Covenant for Jerusalem" conference, where the organizers affirmed that the document will be open to the accession of bodies and individuals wishing to participate in the implementation of its various provisions.

The text of the document was presented by the head of the Jordanian Bar Association, Yahya Abu Abboud, explaining that it is based on the fact that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been subjected for nearly two years to a full-fledged genocide, which the occupation carried out through widespread bombing and a tight siege that led to starvation and prevention of treatment, in addition to the comprehensive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the commission of documented violations against women, children, and prisoners. He affirmed that these crimes were committed publicly and in full view of the world, making their genocidal motives clear and direct.

The document reviewed, in a legal and political form, a set of UN and international reports that documented the nature of the crimes committed by the occupation in Gaza, considering that global recognition of the reality of genocide has become firmly established, and that the current moment requires moving from diagnosis to criminalization and prosecution of everyone who was involved, participated, or supported directly or indirectly.

The document called for escalating popular action to put Gaza back at the top of the international community's priorities, and strengthening initiatives aimed at breaking the siege and operating maritime and land convoys until it is completely ended. It also stressed the importance of expanding documentation and media pressure campaigns to expose the crime and strip the occupation of legitimacy, in parallel with confronting the discourse of denial of genocide promoted by some Israeli and Western parties.

The document included a clear direction towards activating international legal tracks, by supporting lawsuits filed before the competent courts to hold Israeli political and military leaders accountable, and prosecuting countries and companies complicit in the crimes committed.

The document also presents its vision for criminalizing the Zionist colonial ideology as the intellectual driver of genocidal policies, and emphasizes the need to strengthen civil and economic boycotts as a means of isolating the occupation and curbing its external support.

The document also stipulated the formation of a joint coordination mechanism between the signatory parties, concerned with following up on the implementation of commitments and accumulating efforts in one path, in order to ensure the continuation of popular and institutional momentum until the goals of the covenant are achieved.

The document concluded by affirming that stopping genocide is a shared moral, humanitarian, and legal responsibility, calling on peoples and institutions around the world to engage in a collective effort aimed at deterring the occupation, doing justice to the victims, and holding the criminals accountable.

The city of Istanbul is witnessing the participation of about 300 figures from more than thirty countries as part of the activities of the "Covenant for Jerusalem" conference, which hosted the announcement of the document, in a broader effort to reunite the Arab and Islamic will in the face of the liquidation and crimes committed against the Palestinians.