On 21 July 2025, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, ESCR-Net, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, Law for Palestine, and the ETO Consortium organized a webinar focussing on global strategic litigation and accountability regarding Palestine.
The Background: Over four months have passed since Israel imposed a near-total blockade on humanitarian aid and life-saving assistance to Gaza, placing the lives of over 2 million people in grave danger. This marks the most violent phase of the 77 year long Nakba. These actions further compound the existing illegality of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory as reaffirmed by the 2024 ICJ Advisory Opinion, and are part of a broader genocidal campaign against Palestinians that has persisted for over 20 months.
In light of the obligations arising from the ICJ Advisory Opinion, the three provisional measures ordered in the South Africa v Israel, and the ICJ order in Nicaragua v. Germany, civil society groups have engaged in strategic litigation efforts to seek justice and accountability for the ongoing atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The convergence of growing legal momentum at the international legal level, alongside escalating violations on the ground, has amplified the urgent need for targeted legal actions against perpetrators of crimes, third states that enable them or fail to uphold their international obligations, complicit corporations, and individuals responsible for grave breaches of international law..
Strategic litigation, also known as impact litigation, is a legal strategy used to promote human rights, enforce international law, and bring about broader social change through policy, legislation and practice. This kind of litigation aims to clarify, protect, and fulfill rights, and can have a broader and lasting impact at the national, regional or international level.
Civil society organizations such as the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), Al-Haq, European Legal Support Center (ELSC), and others have filed cases worldwide, including efforts to suspend arms sales to Israel, and establish corporate and criminal liability against those complicit in international crimes. The Justice and Accountability for Palestine Initiative has supported litigation in multiple jurisdictions in collaboration with local legal actors. Similarly, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) recently launched “Global 195”, a worldwide legal coalition dedicated to holding Israeli nationals and dual citizens accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. The Hind Rajab Foundation has also filed war crimes complaints and cases in multiple jurisdictions, including Belgium, Argentina, Brazil, and the Netherlands, targeting Israeli officials and soldiers for violations of international law.