How to Stand with Palestinian Human Rights Defenders Under Attack

On September 4, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on three Palestinian human rights organizations—Al Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)—for their role in petitioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Israeli officials for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

This unprecedented move is more than a bureaucratic penalty. It is a direct attack on international justice and an effort to criminalize those who dare to document atrocities. It demonstrates the lengths to which the U.S. government will go to shield Israel from accountability, even as evidence mounts that its actions may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

What Happened: Why the U.S. Sanctioned Palestinian Rights Groups

Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR are not fringe organizations. They are internationally recognized for their rigorous documentation of human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Their reports have been cited by the United Nations, international courts, and independent commissions of inquiry.

In November 2023, these groups submitted evidence to the ICC detailing:

• Airstrikes on densely populated civilian areas
• Forced displacement of Gaza’s population
• Use of toxic gas and chemical weapons
• Denial of food, water, and medical supplies as tools of war

They urged the court to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

One year later, in November 2024, the ICC acted. Arrest warrants were issued against Netanyahu and Gallant, citing “starvation as a method of warfare” and crimes against humanity. A separate warrant was issued for senior Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who Israel claimed to have killed in an airstrike.

Instead of respecting the independence of the court, the United States retaliated—by targeting the very groups that pushed for accountability.

How the U.S. Has Undermined International Law for Decades

The sanctions are not an isolated act. They build on a long pattern of U.S. hostility toward international accountability mechanisms when they threaten allies—or the U.S. itself.

• Rome Statute Rejection (2000s): The United States never ratified the ICC’s founding treaty, arguing it could subject U.S. military personnel to prosecution.
• Visa Bans and Sanctions (2019–2020): Under the Trump administration, the U.S. sanctioned ICC officials, including Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, for investigating alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.
• Pressure Campaigns: Both Democratic and Republican administrations have lobbied aggressively to shield Israel from scrutiny, from blocking UN resolutions to defunding international investigations.

By sanctioning Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, the Biden and Trump administrations alike have sent the same message: the U.S. will not only refuse ICC jurisdiction, it will punish those who embrace it.

What’s at Stake: Genocide, War Crimes, and Global Accountability

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the sanctions by claiming the ICC was guilty of “illegitimate targeting of Israel” and “disregard for sovereignty.”

But this framing distorts reality. In 2015, Palestinian leaders formally acceded to the Rome Statute, granting the ICC jurisdiction over Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The court reaffirmed this jurisdiction in 2021 and again this year, despite Israel’s objections.

The real conflict is not between sovereignty and overreach—it is between state power and international human rights.

The Genocide Question

The timing of the sanctions is striking. Just days earlier, a coalition of the world’s most prominent genocide scholars declared that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. Their findings included:

• Systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure
• Starvation as a weapon of war
• Mass killings and displacement

Israel has rejected these charges as a “campaign of lies,” but the ICC’s arrest warrants give them serious legal weight. By punishing the groups that brought this evidence forward, the U.S. is effectively choosing impunity over justice.

Why Criminalizing Human Rights Work Threatens Us All

The joint statement by Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR called the sanctions “immoral, illegal and undemocratic.” Amnesty International echoed this, describing them as a “shameful assault on human rights and the global pursuit of justice.”

These condemnations underscore a dangerous trend: human rights work itself is being criminalized. Documentation of war crimes—traditionally seen as a cornerstone of justice—is being reframed as a threat to U.S. foreign policy.

If human rights defenders in Gaza can be sanctioned for pursuing justice, what precedent does this set for others working under authoritarian regimes or conflict conditions?

Why This Matters for Peace

At the Peace Economy Project, we see these sanctions as part of a broader effort to dismantle systems of accountability that challenge militarism. Just as U.S. weapons fuel conflicts abroad, U.S. policy is now dismantling the very tools designed to hold perpetrators accountable.

This moment reminds us that militarism is not only about bombs and bullets—it is about power structures that silence victims and protect aggressors.

How This Connects to U.S. Militarism and the Peace Economy

The choice before us is clear: we can continue to invest in endless wars and alliances built on impunity, or we can invest in structures of peace, justice, and accountability.

To move toward a true peace economy, we must:

• End U.S. sanctions on Palestinian human rights groups.
• Support international accountability mechanisms, including the ICC and International Court of Justice.
• Challenge U.S. complicity in shielding Israel from consequences for its actions.
• Invest in peacebuilding institutions that prioritize human dignity over state militarism.

How You Can Act Now: Standing in Solidarity

The Peace Economy Project stands in solidarity with Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, and with all human rights defenders facing retaliation for pursuing justice.

We urge our supporters to:

• Share this story widely to counter misinformation.
• Contact members of Congress and demand an end to these sanctions.
• Support independent human rights groups working in Palestine and beyond.
• Join us in building a movement that insists: peace is impossible without accountability.

✨ Justice should never be a crime. Yet in sanctioning Palestinian human rights defenders, the U.S. has chosen to criminalize justice itself. The Peace Economy Project rejects this dangerous path and reaffirms its commitment to dismantling militarism in all its forms.