Dangerous Precedent

Following a flurry of announcements at last month’s United Nations General Assembly, more than 150 countries ~ including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, and Portugal —now recognize Palestine as a state.

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With this move, world leaders are expressing their outrage over Israel’s conduct in its war with Gaza following Hamas’ attack on 7 October, 2023. Their outrage is justified: the Israeli government has repeatedly violated international humanitarian law, particularly in its systematic attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system.

But offering symbolic support for Palestinian sovereignty is not enough to hold Israel to account. Similarly, diplomatic pressure alone will not end Israel's flagrant violations of international law. Governments must address Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system. Failure to do so would create a dangerous precedent for future conflicts.

The rules of war are clear: hospitals are to be protected. The Geneva Convention IV, to which Israel is a party, stipulates that “[c]ivilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.” There are similar protections for vehicles and other conveyances transporting civilian patients.