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Accessibility & LanguagePalestine: International Law, Justice and Accountability Cluster
Palestine: International Law, Justice and Accountability Cluster
Image credit: Visualizing Palestine, “Divide & Dominate: How Israel Maintains Apartheid and Denies Palestinian Self-Determination”, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Cluster Leader:
Palestine: International Law, Justice and Accountability
The question of Palestine has stood for decades as one of the most pressing issues in international affairs, sitting at the intersection of law, settler-colonialism, apartheid, human rights, politics, and global governance. This cluster, Palestine: International Law, Justice and Accountability, is designed to bring together scholars to examine the legal frameworks, judicial mechanisms, and accountability structures that inform the struggle for justice and liberation. It looks at contemporary related issues, such as the use of new technologies, including AI, in conflicts, impact of conflict on the natural environment, and business and human rights. It also explores how principles of international law apply to the Palestinian context, how global institutions have responded to ongoing atrocities’, and what avenues exist to promote accountability for state and non-state actors alike.
At its core, international law provides the language and some structure for addressing decolonisation, sovereignty, belligerent occupation, human rights, and humanitarian obligations. For Palestine, these principles are not abstract but deeply connected to the Palestinian lived realities under the Israeli unlawful military occupation and settler-colonialism. Issues such as the illegality of settlements, the Israeli excessive use of force in Palestine, the status of Jerusalem, displacement and refugee rights, and the Israeli blockade of and genocide in Gaza, among others, all invoke questions of international law, justice, and pathways to accountability.
About the Cluster
Justice and accountability are equally central to this discussion. For Palestinians, justice is tied to recognition, redress, and the protection of fundamental rights under international law. Accountability mechanisms, meanwhile, confront the practical and political challenges of enforcement. Despite – relatively – clear legal rules, the effectiveness of international institutions has often been limited by power dynamics within the UN Security Council, the reluctance of certain states to act, and the politicization of human rights discourses.
This cluster also considers the broader implications of the Palestinian case for the international system. It raises questions about the universality and consistency of international law. Furthermore, the cluster invites reflection on other experiences of justice and accountability worldwide, from transitional justice processes in post-conflict societies to the role of international tribunals in addressing war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of genocide. By situating Palestine within these global contexts, the cluster underscores both the unique dimensions of the Palestinian struggle and its relevance to the universal pursuit of human rights and the rule of law.
Ultimately, Palestine: International Law, Justice and Accountability is not merely an academic inquiry, but an urgent exploration of how legal principles can be mobilized to confront injustice, protect human dignity, and address grievances. It provides a platform to critically engage with the challenges of applying international law in politically charged contexts and for imagining pathways toward genuine accountability and self-determination of all peoples.
