UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned of a growing erosion of international legal standards amid a record number of global conflicts, while expressing concern that the suffering of Palestinians is often overlooked in European political debates.
Addressing members of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels on Thursday, Turk said the world is currently facing more than 60 conflicts, many of which receive little public attention despite their devastating humanitarian consequences.
"There's one thing that all these conflicts have in common: it is the disregard, and I would say the blatant disrespect of international humanitarian law and international human rights law," he said.
He warned that accepting civilian casualties that are disproportionate to military objectives risks creating a dangerous precedent.
"If one accepts civilian casualties in a way that is no longer in any way proportionate to any military objectives that are being pursued, you create a new normal and a new normal that could be used by others who are waging war," he said.
‘Some countries act with impunity’
Turk also warned that growing impunity and the perception that international law is optional pose risks far beyond individual conflicts.
"We see that the erosion of international legal standards, that some countries act with impunity, that the law is seen as optional, creates grave risks for all of us. We cannot afford that erosion," he said.
He cautioned against language and imagery that dehumanise individuals and communities and stressed that political leaders have a responsibility not to inflame tensions or turn groups into scapegoats.
Turning to the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Turk said discussions in Europe often fail to acknowledge the human suffering experienced by Palestinians sufficiently.
"The pain of the Palestinians is not seen and is also not seen sometimes in the debate here in Europe, and there is a dehumanisation that goes along with it," he said.
Turk underlined that international law must remain the guiding principle in responding to conflicts, arguing that its universal application prevents selective approaches.
"International law, that is, often the best guarantee to avoid double standards or selectivity," he added.
