The following media round up on international and foreign policy issues from around the world for the period of 16 December to 23 December 2024. Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates from the International Criminal Court, European Court of Human Rights, United Nations, European Union and other sources. Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.
20 December 2024
UN General Assembly adopts Resolution requesting Advisory Opinion from ICJ on the obligations of Israel regarding the provision of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution requesting an Advisory Opinion on Israel’s obligations to assist Palestinians. The ICJ has been asked to consider what Israel is obliged to do to “ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population”, taking into account, amongst others, the rules and principles of international law, the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and privileges and immunities applicable under international law for international organizations and States.
Amid accusations the Israeli government systematically hinders Gaza aid, the Court will be tasked with answering the following question: “What are the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and as a member of the United Nations, in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, including its agencies and bodies, other international organizations and third States, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population as well as of basic services and humanitarian and development assistance, for the benefit of the Palestinian civilian population, and in support of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination?”
19 December 2024
UNESCO and ICCROM release training guide for post-conflict heritage recovery with the support of the United Arab Emirates
The publication of the UNESCO and ICCROM publication guide follows a two-year capacity-building program in Mosul, Iraq, aimed at developing local expertise for heritage recovery. This initiative targeted 49 young graduates from local universities in the fields of engineering and architecture, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to become heritage recovery experts.
The guide outlines key objectives, such as empowering local institutions, equipping professionals with tools to tackle post-conflict challenges, and providing a roadmap for recovery projects that emphasize community engagement, sustainability, and peacebuilding. It serves to offer a universal framework for cultural heritage recovery in conflict zones.
19 December 2024
UN Secretary-General urges the Security Council to act decisively to establish international guardrails for artificial intelligence (AI)
The UN Secretary-General warned that delays in establishing international guardrails for AI heighten risks to global peace and security. Addressing ministers and ambassadors, António Guterres warned that rapid developments in AI are outpacing humanity’s ability to govern it, raising important questions about accountability, equality, safety and human oversight in decision-making.
In his address, Mr. Guterres highlighted the dual-edged nature of AI, noting its potential to predict displacements caused by climate change or detect landmines. However, its integration into military systems and its misuse in digital security poses great risks. “Recent conflicts have become testing grounds for AI military applications,” he said, citing AI use in autonomous surveillance, predictive policing and even reported life-and-death decisions. Particularly alarming, he underscored, is the potential integration of AI with nuclear weapons and the advent of quantum-AI systems that could destabilize global security.
18 December 2024
Tensions rising over Western Sahara
Tensions are again rising over Western Sahara, a long-disputed territory on the northwest coast of Africa that has seen decades of conflict launched by local pro-independence forces against the Moroccan government. Sovereignty over Western Sahara, a mostly desert territory on the west coast of Africa, is heavily contested. Morocco controls more than three-quarters of the region, which Rabat refers to as the “Moroccan Sahara.” The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), a self-declared state representing the Indigenous Sahrawi people, also claims sovereignty over Western Sahara, considering it occupied territory. The UN does not recognise Morocco’s sovereignty claims, instead considering the area to be a non-self-governing territory and drawing on a 1975 international court ruling that found neither Morocco nor neighbouring Mauritania had legitimate historical claims to the region. The African Union recognizes the SADR as a member.
Diplomatic pressure could be building for an end to the conflict. Morocco’s plan would grant autonomy for Western Sahara while keeping it under Moroccan control. This idea gained international backing, including support from many Western nations such as the United States, France, and Spain, while support for the SADR has weakened.
18 December 2024
Heir of Jewish art collector calls for restitution from Germany
German experts have long agreed that Michael Hulton, the sole surviving heir to an illustrious Jewish art collector forced to flee the Nazis, has a strong case for restitution. However, while Hulton has appealed successfully to German institutions for the return of works in Flechtheim’s collection in the past, the most valuable of the contested pieces are tied up in an increasingly baroque reform process that threatens to delay a ruling indefinitely. Stuart Eizenstat, the US secretary of state’s special adviser on Holocaust issues, has called Germany a “laggard” in art restitution.
This March, the federal government and 16 states approved reforms aimed at helping the descendants of Jewish collectors recover property, including the introduction of binding arbitration for deadlocked claims to replace an advisory commission often dismissed as toothless. In its 21 years of existence, the commission has issued just over 20 recommendations of restitution, falling far short of Germany’s international commitments. Part of the problem is if one party refuses to go before the commission, there is no access for plaintiffs. Once they are established, the specially appointed courts of arbitration can be appealed to by one party alone for a definitive judgment. While organisations such as the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany have welcomed the drive for reform in principle, opponents say it has become mired in German federalism.
18 December 2024
UN Member States move closer to rejecting death penalty as lawful punishment under international law
In a landmark vote, more than two thirds of the UN membership have supported the UN call for the establishment of a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty. The vote took place at a UN General Assembly plenary session on 17 December 2024.
Following the announcement, Chiara Sangiorgio, Amnesty International’s expert on the death penalty, said: “This vote marks a major turning point for countries around the world and proves that UN member states are steadily moving closer to rejecting the death penalty as a lawful punishment under international human rights law. The support from states for the death penalty looks very different from when international treaties allowing for its retention were first adopted. The unprecedented support for this resolution shows that the global journey towards abolition is unstoppable.