Mick Wallace: Condemns Selective Application of International Law
Mick Wallace spoke about war crimes and the selective application of international law, arguing that condemnation is applied unevenly across conflicts. He criticised the parliament for condemning Russian actions in Ukraine while ignoring other alleged occupations and attacks.
Main argument
Wallace said war is a crime and wars create war crimes. He argued that the parliament rightly condemns war crimes in Ukraine but does very little to stop the war and applies international law selectively.
Specific allegations
He listed other conflicts and occupations he says receive little attention, mentioning the occupation of Palestine, occupations in Syria, and the high death toll in Yemen from targeted destruction of food, water and health infrastructure.
Call for broader investigations
Wallace asked that while investigations proceed into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine, similar scrutiny should be applied to alleged actions by France in Mali; Saudi, UAE, French, U.S. and UK actions in Yemen; Israeli actions in Palestine; U.S. actions in Iraq and Syria; and NATO actions in Afghanistan and Libya.
Critique of international law
He warned that applying international law selectively "makes a mockery of international law," stressing that equal application is necessary to avoid hypocrisy and to address abuses consistently.
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War is a crime, and wars create war crimes. The parliament rightly condemns war crimes in Ukraine, but does very little to stop the war. The parliament condemns the illegal invasion and occupation of Ukraine by Russia, but says nothing about the illegal occupation of Palestine by the Israelis, or the illegal occupation of Syria by Israel, U.S. and Turkey. The parliament condemns the indiscriminate shelling of Ukrainian towns and cities, and rightly so, but doesn't want to talk about the 400,000 that have been killed in Yemen by the targeted destruction of food, water and health infrastructure by U.S. and EU-made bombs, bombs that are dropping as we speak. While we are investigating Russian war crimes in Ukraine, can we also investigate French war crimes in Mali, Saudi, UAE, French, U.S. and UK war crimes in Yemen, Israeli war crimes in Palestine, U.S. war crimes in Iraq and Syria, and NATO war crimes in Afghanistan and Libya. International law selectively applied makes a mockery of international law. International law civil war crimes in Syria.
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