The Inside Story Podcast Will a UN report accusing Israel of genocide make a difference for Gaza?
Sep 17, 2025
Mouin Rabbani, a political analyst and co-editor of Jadaliyya, and Toby Cadman, an international criminal lawyer, delve into the UN's report on alleged genocide in Gaza. They discuss the political constraints preventing meaningful action and how the report may sway international courts like the ICJ and ICC. Legal rebuttals to Israel’s self-defense claims are explored, highlighting the challenges of accountability in international law. The conversation is both insightful and sobering as they consider the potential for change amidst deep-rooted political complexities.
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Expert Consensus On Genocide
- A broad consensus of experts regards Israel's conduct in Gaza as genocide according to Jonathan Kuttab.
- Political actors resist the label to avoid legal and practical obligations under the Genocide Convention.
Commission's Influence Exceeds Formal Status
- The UN Commission doesn't speak for the entire UN but its findings carry weight among member states and legal processes.
- Mouin Rabbani says such reports expose political denials and will influence proceedings like the ICJ case.
Nonbinding Reports Still Strengthen Cases
- Toby Cadman explains that UN Commission findings are persuasive in courts like the ICJ and ICC despite being non-binding.
- The report will strengthen South Africa's ICJ case and assist ICC prosecutors and universal-jurisdiction claims.