Brussels, November 18th, 2022 – European Coalition for Israel marked the 100th anniversary of the Mandate for Palestine by a special lecture by renowned legal scholar Dr Jacques Gauthier on Wednesday evening in the European Parliament in Brussels.
By reminding the members of European Parliament in attendance of commitments made to the Jewish people under international law in the Balfour Declaration in 1917, the San Remo Resolution of 1920 and the Mandate for Palestine in 1922 Dr Gauthier urged the international community not to dismiss their obligations under international law. The lecture took place just days after a recent vote in the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), supported by a majority of the member states, asked for an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on what they refer to as “the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, including the Old City of Jerusalem.”
“Neither the UN General Assembly nor the International Court of Justice can create international law but only give recommendations,” Dr Gauthier clarified. He added, “Still, flawed resolutions of the UNGA and politicised advisory opinions of the ICJ are often misused and misrepresented by political activists and others who want to delegitimize the Jewish state. This is why it is so important to remind the international community of crucial treaties and binding commitments under international law, such as the Mandate for Palestine, which gives the Jewish people legal rights to their ancestral homeland Israel.”
Both conference hosts MEP Charlie Weimers and MEP Lukas Mandl agreed that the lecture contributed to giving members of the European Parliament a better understanding of the legal foundation of the State of Israel in an environment which is often hostile towards the Jewish people.
“The nations clearly have a Jewish problem as they consistently neglect rights given to the Jewish people and continue to push Israel in a corner. Jews in Israel are no trespassers or colonisers in a foreign country but are in the land as of right”, Dr Gauthier concluded.
The 100th anniversary lecture was followed by a festive reception in the European Parliament, and on Thursday Dr Gauthier returned to the European parliament building for a recording of the European Report, moderated by ECI’s Tomas Sandell and hosted by MEP Charlie Weimers. In the 27-minute program Dr Gauthier summarised his message from the previous evening.
Watch the European Report here.
Dr Gauthier will continue his speaking tour in the coming days with two events in Geneva. For more information please contact info@ec4i.org