South African rights activist Navi Pillay, recipient of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, called on the international community to exert public and economic pressure to end Israeli violations against Palestinians. Pillay emphasized in statements to Anadolu that international attention and support would mean a great deal to Palestinians who have been struggling for their freedom for over 90 years.
UN Security Council Tools
Pillay, former judge at the International Criminal Court, noted that the UN Security Council has several tools to respond to Israeli violations, including peacekeeping operations, investigation commissions, mediation, and economic sanctions. She called for international cooperation and condemnation of violations and massacres against Palestinians at the same level of action the world took against the apartheid system in South Africa.
Responsibility to Prevent Genocide
Pillay stressed that the only unacceptable thing is doing nothing, adding that Palestinians are aware of the importance of economic boycotts. She affirmed that the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide is clear, and that the responsibility to prevent genocide lies with every state, noting that the primary goal is to prevent the total or partial destruction of any group.
Criticism of the International System
Pillay welcomed the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice in 2024 regarding the illegality of the Israeli presence in occupied Palestinian territories, but acknowledged that legal procedures do not alleviate the suffering of the population urgently. She also described the system within the United Nations as unjust due to the dominance of governments and the limited space available for civil society.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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