On 14 December, QUNO New York Programme Assistants joined faith-based partners in a silent vigil outside the United States Mission to the UN. For over an hour, the group held a quiet presence to bring attention to the ongoing massacres of civilians in Gaza and the escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Participants faced the US Mission and the street, holding signs that read, “I won’t be a bystander,” and “UN experts declare: FAMINE has spread throughout Gaza.” The array of silent witnesses caught the eyes and occasional acknowledgements of passing diplomats returning from sessions at the UN headquarters or on their lunch breaks.
Francesca Albanese, an independent expert appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to follow and report on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, made her 2024 report on the theme “Genocide as colonial erasure.” She reported that since 7 October 2023, Israeli violence has killed, maimed, or buried under rubble at least 155,000 Palestinians, including 17,000 children. At her presentation to the 3rd Committee of the UN General Assembly, which focuses on human rights and social issues, in October, Albanese asserted, “These developments cement my assessment that Israel is indeed conducting a genocidal campaign against Palestinians.” According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the population of Gaza has fallen by 6% since the Israeli onslaught began, due to the ensuing mass displacement and death. Because of the near-total Israeli blockades of humanitarian aid, millions of Gazans are starving, and international monitoring organizations have declared imminent risk of famine in North Gaza.
The silent vigil outside the US Mission called attention to the United States’ crucial role in the continuation of what Albanese terms a “genocidal campaign.” Amidst horrific violence and blatant disregard for international law, the United States has continued its financial, diplomatic, and military support for Israel, allowing the slaughter of civilians to continue even on the eve of a ceasefire deal. It has used its veto power in the Security Council to halt ceasefire resolutions four times since the bombardment began. According to the ICJ advisory opinion of July 2024, the members of the international community, including the United States, have an obligation “to ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law as embodied in [the Fourth Geneva Convention].” Through silent presence and nonviolent action, the vigil was a reminder to US diplomats of the United States’ obligation under international law to limit military aid and hold its ally accountable in the case of the gravest violations of humanitarian and human rights. In the new year, QUNO will continue its engagement with partners in New York to uplift the voices of Palestinians for peace in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
