By Dr. İdris Kardaş
The tribunal founded by British philosopher Bertrand Russell was originally convened to expose the war crimes committed by the United States in Vietnam and to record all testimonies, documents, and information related to them.
Among the members of the Russell Tribunal were many well-known figures: Bertrand Russell, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Günther Anders, and other globally renowned names. Mehmet Ali Aybar from Turkey was also invited. In fact, a debate on the Armenian issue occurred between Sartre and Aybar. Aybar managed to have the section referring to the Armenian issue as “genocide” removed from the final judgment text.
On Sunday, once again in Istanbul, exactly 20 years after the World Tribunal on Iraq, the city hosted the final session of the International Gaza Tribunal. I had the opportunity to attend this tribunal as an observer. What I witnessed was a struggle similar to the one waged against the war crimes committed during the Iraq War — testimonies, documents, evidence, investigations, and the meticulous work of the jury of conscience.
Their aim was not to determine whether Israel had committed genocide. Their goal was to try and convict Israel in the court of conscience for committing the crime of genocide. The testimonies, evidence, and documents left the jury of conscience with no other possible verdict.
If the atrocities in Gaza — Israel’s crimes of genocide, starvation, and massacres — are not prosecuted and if no one is held accountable, all of this will demonstrate that we, as humanity, no longer have any red lines left. If we cannot find Israel guilty and bring justice, then a future full of brutality without any moral boundaries awaits us.
That is precisely why we cannot, and must not, let go of Gaza, of what has happened there, and of Israel’s responsibility. The moment we do, we will be endorsing Israel’s brutality. We cannot allow that.
The words of Taha Ayhan, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, who coordinated the Istanbul session of the Gaza Tribunal, summarize exactly what I want to say:
“This Tribunal should not be seen as an end. With today’s final session, where we have reached the final verdict of the Gaza Tribunal, the real task now begins. We now have a judgment; with this judgment, we must convince decision-makers, lawmakers, and judges around the world. We have a duty to bring the perpetrators of genocide, their collaborators, and their defenders to justice. Until justice is served, we must unite our voices and continue to demand justice together.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s international resistance, moral stance, and outcry over Gaza have led Istanbul — a city he represents — to host this tribunal of conscience established by leading intellectuals, thinkers, and politicians for Gaza.
How fortunate we are to possess such a conscience.
Source: haberturk.com
