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Israel

René Cassin work to promote and protect universal human rights. Any disregard for, or breach of, human rights is a concern regardless of where the offence occurs and by whom the offence is committed. However, from a practical and operational standpoint, we focus our advocacy and mobilisation efforts on the important human rights issues and developments taking place in the UK such as protecting the UK’s human rights frameworks. Therefore, René Cassin historically did not have a ‘policy on Israel’ or any other country.

As a Jewish human rights organisation that draws on Jewish values and Jewish history, we feel strongly about the responsibility we hold as ‘speakers by experience’ and therefore as champions of minority rights and the fundamental values of tolerance, compassion and justice, as reiterated again in September 2023, when the risk increased for the understanding of Judaism and Jews as being a tolerant, compassionate and inclusive people and faith.

Since the horrific attacks by Hamas on 7 October and the escalation of the war in Gaza, René Cassin has made several interventions in response to the human rights implications both in Israel and in Gaza, including:  

  1. A statement issued the week after the attacks Israel: A Statement from René Cassin – René Cassin (renecassin.org)
  2. A message to our supporters in October reiterating our commitment to protecting human rights What happens when the Jewish voice for human rights finds itself speechless? – René Cassin (renecassin.org)
  3. An online event with Professor Yuval Shany on the applications of human rights law in international armed conflicts with the two case studies being the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza
  4. A second statement six months into the war and the increasing humanitarian crisis in Gaza Israel/Gaza Statement – René Cassin (renecassin.org)

As the scale of the atrocities committed on October 7th continue to unfold, as Israeli hostages continue to be held in Gaza, and as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to affect thousands of civilians, René Cassin aims to be source of excellent legal analysis on recent developments from an international humanitarian and human rights law perspective, the dilemmas that arise from them and the legal implications.

International Law

  1. Israel-Hamas War Archives – Just Security
  2. Wanted – with special guest Yuval Shany – Unholy: Two Jews on the News | Podcast on Spotify (on the International Criminal Court and the May arrest warrants).
  3. Diakonia – International Humanitarian Law Centre  
  4. Yuval Shany: The Application of Human Rights Law in International Armed Conflicts (youtube.com) (René Cassin event, February 2024)
  5. Gisha – Legal Centre for Freedom of Movement –  Legal Opinion: Israel’s status in the north of the Gaza Strip – Gisha
  6. In honour of Yoram Dinstein – Co- application of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law: Some takeaways from the Ukraine and Gaza wars

Sexual Violence in Conflict

  1. #Me_Too_Unless_UR_A_Jew
  2. Mission Report – Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict (February 2024)
  3. How Hamas Weaponised Sexualised Violence on Oct. 7 – The New York Times
  4. Testimony from Israeli hostage held by Hamas – Israeli Hostage says she was sexually assaulted and tortured in Gaza – New York Times

UK Jewish Community Response

  1. Our Jewish Values I Responding to this Conflict
  2. Yachad
  3. New Israel Fund UK
  4. UK Lawyers for Israel – Briefing Notes on the War in Gaza
  5. Office of the Chief Rabbi
  6. Standing Together