The Concept of individual criminal responsibility in International Humanitarian Law and Arab-Israeli Conflict in 2002

The international community has been witnessing the killing of innocent civilian people, destruction of public and private property, arbitrary arrest and detention, attacking of medical units and personnel etc. in the recent and ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict. There is no doubt that such acts clearly constitute a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law. Unfortunately, the international community has not been able to bring those responsible to justice. This article examines the rules of international humanitarian and human rights law by establishing the individual criminal responsibility of Israeli officials with regard to the possible crimes committed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A discussion of possibilities for UN action follows.