Legal Practitioners in Canary Islands to Protest Against Israeli State Policy
Legal professionals in the Canary Islands have announced a protest to vehemently condemn Israeli state policy in Gaza. They are referring to systematic actions, supported by both national and international reports, that they believe amount to genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Judges, lawyers, civil servants, social graduates, procurators, academics, and law students have signed a statement acknowledging “the gravity of these violations, particularly since 7 October 2023, and the international responsibility that follows.”
Demands for Urgent Measures
The signatories, who have called for a protest on the 18th before the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, demand “urgent measures to prevent further harm: a cessation of hostilities, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for the civilian population, access for national and international media across the territory, protection of critical civilian infrastructure, and special attention to vulnerable populations.”
They assert that the reported actions constitute “genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, according to the Rome Statute, the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, customary international humanitarian law, and principles of international human rights law.”
Calls for Accountability
In light of this, they are calling for “full accountability and complete restitution for the damage caused, through national and international mechanisms, at all levels of authority; compliance with relevant judicial orders (ICJ, ICC); and individual and state sanctions against those who have participated in or are participating in the reported crimes.”
Further, they urge “political condemnations” from the Spanish state, the European Union, and other governments, accompanied by consistent economic policies, including the monitoring of investments, pension funds, asset managers, or other financial entities with stakes in companies linked to the production of armaments, military infrastructure, or activities facilitating the occupation.”
Obligations Under International Law
The Canary Islands legal practitioners maintain that states “are obliged under international law to prevent, punish, and remedy war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity; cooperate with the International Criminal Court; refrain from recognising illegal facts such as illegal occupation or settlements; and ensure that their domestic legislation contains sanctions against actors financing or facilitating such crimes.”
Therefore, they demand that the Spanish state establish “a legal framework requiring banks, investment funds, insurers, and other financial entities to publicly disclose their positions in companies involved in the production of armaments or military technology used in the occupation.” They also propose the creation of “an independent oversight body with sanctioning powers to assess the due diligence in human rights practices. Public aid and state contracting should be conditional upon severing ties with companies collaborating in the occupation or violating international law.” Immediate termination of “diplomatic, commercial, and financial relations consistent with political condemnation, including an arms embargo and restrictions on products from illegal settlements” is also required.
European Union’s Role
The demands extend to the European Union, with Canary Islands legal practitioners urging it to harmonise sanctions among member states and prevent companies from exploiting legal loopholes. They call for restrictive measures against political and military leaders responsible for Israel’s actions, as identified by international bodies and courts safeguarding human rights, who are suspected of committing crimes against the Palestinian people. They also advocate for the suspension of trade, scientific, and cultural agreements with Israel while the occupation and severe human rights violations persist, and call for compliance with the 2018 ruling of the European Court of Justice mandating clear identification of products from the settlements.
Action by Private Entities
Finally, they ask that companies and private actors “immediately” cease activities contributing to illegal occupation or human rights violations by applying “enhanced human rights due diligence” and disconnecting from “contracts and commercial relationships with those involved in crimes against humanity.” Additionally, universities are urged to review their agreements with Israeli counterparts, intensify cooperation with Palestinian institutions, promote training programmes in International Humanitarian Law, International Criminal Law, and Human Rights, and ensure that there are no acts of antisemitism, Islamophobia, or Palestinianophobia within academic environments.
Jurists for Palestine have organised a protest on the 18th at 14:00 outside the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC). They have requested that legal practitioners attend wearing their robes.
