EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE RUSSELL TRIBUNAL

1. The fourth session of the Russell Tribunal continued its historic function of articulating civic protest and carrying the weight of insufferable conditions at a moment when the world society is facing its most incredible challenges. It should be noted that the UN Charter begins with the words “We the peoples of these United Nations,” and therefore it is not only created to protect state power.

2. The final session of the Tribunal focused on the responsibility of the United States of America (US) and the United Nations (UN) regarding the Israeli breaches of international law towards Palestine and Palestinians. There is now a situation in which Israel has achieved a status of immunity and impunity, facilitated by the US, despite its complete disregard for the norms and standards of international law.

After hearing various witnesses and experts, the Tribunal has reached the following conclusions (it should be noted that invitations were extended to the US and Israel, both of whom failed to respond).

The Russell Tribunal has no legal status but acts as a court of the people, a Tribunal of conscience, faced with injustices and violations of international law, that are not dealt with by existing international jurisdictions, or that are recognised but continue with complete impunity due to the lack of political will of the international community.

The Tribunal has been named the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. It will reaffirm the supremacy of international law as the basis for a solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. It will identify all the failings in the implementation of this right and will condemn all the parties responsible for these failings, in full view of international public opinion.

You can find the latest findings in this PDF.

Russell Tribunal

A full report will be issued by the end of this month.

A selection of great pictures of the session by Nathanael Corre is now also available on the website here.

Roger Waters’s latest video “Russell Tribunal epilogue”, is also now available by clicking here.

For updates about the New York session in French, check this great blog by Solidarite Socialiste.

Russell Tribunal on Palestine. Follow us on Facebook.

“Corporate Complicity in Israel’s Occupation” book about the London session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine is out now.