Romanian civil society organisations and hundreds of citizens ask Romania’s Government to support a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip

Romanian civil society organisations and hundreds of citizens ask Romania’s Government, in an open letter, to take immediate concrete measures for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip

Today, 29 February 2024, more than 40 national and local organisations and groups from Romanian civil society sent an open letter to Romania’s Government expressing deep concern about the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip and asking the Government to take every measure within its power to avoid participating in the commission of a plausible crime of genocide, in accordance with the decision and measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.[1] They are joined by over 900 citizens who signed the online petition initiated by Solidaritate România-Palestina and Palestine Solidarity Cluj-Napoca, entitled “Romania, stop complicity in the genocide in Gaza!” [2]

In the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has lasted more than 140 days, Palestinian casualties have reached over 38,000, including more than 13,000 children. Over 70,000 people are injured and more than 2,000,000 Palestinians have been displaced. In addition, over 75,000 homes, 223 hospitals and medical facilities, 328 schools and 379 places of worship have been destroyed in recent months in the Gaza Strip, according to Euro-Med Monitor.

More than 40 organisations and groups active in various fields of society, with extensive experience in human rights, environmental protection and climate change, gender equality, education and schooling, housing rights, culture, workers’ rights and representation, responded to the call by Solidaritate România-Palestina and Palestine Solidarity Cluj-Napoca to sign the open letter addressed to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and the relevant ministries.

The signatories remind the executive that, as a contracting party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Romania has undertaken to prevent and punish genocide, whether committed by other states, leaders, officials or other individuals.

On 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice decided, in the case brought by South Africa against Israel [3], to launch an investigation into Israel’s commission of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, on the basis of clear evidence, and instituted provisional measures with immediate effect against Israel and for the protection of Palestinians in Gaza:

1. The State of Israel shall take all measures to prevent the commission of genocide in Gaza;
2. The State of Israel shall ensure that its military does not commit any act of genocide;
3. Israel shall take all measures to punish all public incitement to genocide;
4. Israel shall take immediate and effective measures to address adverse conditions of life in the Gaza Strip;
5. Israel shall take effective measures to preserve evidence of actions affecting the Genocide Convention;
6. Israel shall submit to the Court a report on all measures taken to comply with its orders, within one month of the measures being instituted.

ICJ decisions are final, binding and not subject to appeal. All states, including Romania, must comply with their legal obligations and take every available measure, unilaterally or collectively, to ensure immediately and definitively that Israel complies with the Court’s decision and fully implements the provisional measures without delay.

Accordingly, the organisations signing the open letter state that, by taking note of and understanding the International Court of Justice’s decision to launch an investigation into Israel’s commission of genocide against the population of the Gaza Strip, Romania thus undertakes not to participate in Israel’s actions, and they call for the following steps:

1. Withdraw unconditional support for the Israeli state and adopt a motion supporting an end to the attack on the Gaza Strip.
2. Support a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip in the UN plenary, and support South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ.
3. Suspend military cooperation with the Israeli state until the ICJ issues a final judgment in the investigation in which Israel is accused of genocide.
4. Use diplomatic relations with the Israeli state to facilitate humanitarian assistance reaching the Gaza Strip.
5. Support international fact-finding missions in the Gaza Strip to investigate allegations of genocide against Israel.

The organisations’ appeal is reinforced by the signatures of over 900 citizens on the online petition “Roimânia, stop complicity in the genocide in Gaza”, which ran from 26 January to 29 February on the European platform OpenPetition.eu.

As civil society organisations, public figures and Romanian citizens and others, we want Romania to assume a role promoting peace and dialogue in the region!

The full letter and the signatories’ names are available here: http://tinyurl.com/mryjmz2x

For further information, contact:

• Vlad Mureșan, Palestine Solidarity Cluj-Napoca member, tel. 0748.339.253, email: pscj.campaign@gmail.com
• Raluca Dan, Palestine Solidarity Cluj-Napoca member, tel. 0728.357.367, email: pscj.campaign@gmail.com

[1] Summary of the International Court of Justice’s decision, 26 January 2024: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20240126-sum-01-00-en.pdf

[2] https://www.openpetition.eu/ro/petition/online/romania-stop-complicitatii-in-genocidul-din-gaza

[3] On 29 December 2023, South Africa opened a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa accuses Israel of violating the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide through attacks committed, tolerated and encouraged against the civilian population of the Gaza Strip and through failure to prevent the ongoing genocide: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/192/192-20231228-app-01-00-en.pdf

Signatories to the open letter:
1. Solidaritate România-Palestina
2. Palestine Solidarity Cluj-Napoca
3. Queer Sisterhood Cluj Hilltop ORG
4. Colectiva frACTalia
5. Căși Sociale ACUM!
6. grupul h.arta
7. Centrul Social Iedera
8. Asociația CARE
9. Grupul de inițiativă civică Absorbante pentru toate
10. Fridays For Future Romania
11. Colectiva CUTRA
12. Colectiva Urzica
13. Compania de teatru Giuvlipen
14. Asociația TransCore
15. Colectivul ARARA
16. Asociația Untold Stories
17. Asociația eQuiVox
18. Colectivul Gastivists Romania
19. Asociația Politeia
20. Intuition Production
21. Connection Production
22. Comunitatea Vegană Queer
23. Asociația Producție în Artă
24. Asociația Sociolink
25. Asociația Her Time Ro
26. F-SIDES Cineclub
27. Asociația Centrul de Acțiune pentru Egalitate și Drepturile Omului (ACTEDO)
28. Asociația AGENT GREEN
29. Asociația Front
30. Girl Up România
31. Asociaţia Culturală Româno-Arabă Ierusalim
32. Asociația Mai Bine
33. Asociația Iele-Sânziene
34. Centrul FILIA
35. JUNK BUSTERS
36. Ecologic Design & Gardening
37. Asociația ADO
38. Cenaclul X
39. Frontul Comun pentru Dreptul la Locuire
40. Clujul Sustenabil
41. GAS – Grupul de Acțiune Socialistă
42. Federația Sindicală Hermes
43. Platforma civică politică L.E.F.T. – Libertate Egalitate Fraternitate Toleranță