media release
Edited by: CFJ
Geneva – January 11, 2024
UN experts condemned Israel for the alleged extrajudicial killings of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri and six others in Lebanon last week. The experts expressed concerns over threats by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials to target Hamas leaders globally, emphasizing that all states are prohibited from arbitrarily depriving individuals of their right to life in foreign military or security operations, even when countering terrorism.
The experts asserted that the killings in Lebanon were arbitrary and not justified under international law, as Israel failed to demonstrate that the victims posed an armed threat from Lebanese territory. According to the experts, Israel’s actions constituted a breach of Article 51 of the UN Charter, as they provided no legal justification for the strike and failed to report it to the Security Council.
Israel’s history of alleged assassinations of suspected terrorists abroad, including the 2010 killing of a Hamas member in the UAE and numerous preventive strikes on Hezbollah in Syria, was highlighted. The experts urged Israeli authorities to bring those involved in these alleged murders to justice.
UN experts underscored that the Israeli strike posed a dangerous regional escalation, violated Lebanon’s sovereignty, and constituted a prohibited use of military force against Lebanese territory, violating Article 2(4) of the UN Charter. They emphasized that states must respect international law in countering terrorism, and the Security Council, General Assembly, and Human Rights Council have repeatedly stressed this obligation.
Highlighting terrorism as a threat to human rights, the experts called on Lebanon to prevent its territory’s use for terrorist acts against Israeli civilians and to adhere to human rights law in investigating, arresting, and prosecuting or extraditing suspects involved in terrorism. Other states, including Iran and Syria, were reminded of their obligations not to support terrorist preparations in Lebanon or Palestine against Israeli civilians.
The experts urged the Security Council to fulfill its responsibility in responding effectively to states in the region whose actions jeopardize international peace and security. The statement strongly condemned Israel’s actions and called for accountability within the framework of international law.
