From International Law to the Rules-Based International Order – Professor Glenn Diesen¹• Strengthen International Law, a declaration of peace, February 8th-9th 2025

1. I recently presented at the “Stop the Wars – Strengthen International Law” conference, discussing the transition from international law to the more ambiguous concept of a “rules-based international order”.

The “rules-based international order” is presented as international law plus humanitarian law, while ignoring that this introduced contradictory principles. So who decides which rules apply in terms of, for example, territorial integrity versus self-determination? While international law is based on the principle of sovereign equality, the “rules-based international order” is based on sovereign inequality. The “rules-based international order” does not contain specific rules, it is not internationally accepted, and it does not deliver order

Stop the Wars –

Strengthen International Law

February 8th-9th 2025 brought together

an international group of experts, activists and journalists,

to speak, question, and discuss the current situation in Palestine

and to propose a new way forward

The concluding statement of the conference

was a declaration of peace

Oslo, 9th February 2025

Declaration of Peace

adopted by the conference

STOP THE WARS – STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL LAW

Gaza is the site of a live-streamed genocide that undermines our collective humanity. If urgent measures are not taken, it will also become the graveyard of international law. The preservation of human rights and international law is fundamental to a peaceful global community.

Today, we are gathered here to stand in solidarity with Palestinians and to oppose the settler-colonial project in historical Palestine. We are also here to save our collective humanity through reviving our shared commitment to international law.

In the name of humanity, we demand that concrete actions be taken immediately to decisively end the genocide in Gaza and the annexation of the West Bank and Jerusalem by Israel.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has given a definitive ruling on the illegality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. We recognise the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. We support Palestinian self-determination. We vehemently oppose all plans of displacing the indigenous Palestinian population.

We know that time and again, it is the military-industrial complex and the guardians of colonialism who benefit from perpetual war and oppression. But what is particularly diabolical about the settler-colonial occupation of Palestine is that many of the facilitators and enablers of this genocide of the Palestinians are the very same who created the settler-colonial state of Israel by using land stolen from the Palestinians, to atone for Europe´s crimes during the Holocaust. It is so-called ´rule of law´ states that support and enable genocide while silencing any criticism of their complicity in this new Holocaust in Palestine.

We know that despite the courage of Palestinian journalists who continue to risk their lives documenting the genocide, Western media coverage of the genocide has been largely lopsided and weak. We encourage all people to demand accountability from their own governments and to pressure the media to hold power to account.

We urge the global community to take seriously the calls from Palestine to boycott, divest and sanction those associated with the ongoing genocidal endeavour.

Now is also time for the United Nations to shoulder responsibility for its role in the creation of Israel.

The United Nations created Israel seventy-seven years ago but Israel to this day, shamelessly violates international law and persistently ignores its duties as a UN member state. In the light of grave and systematic crimes against humanity, we urge the UN and the international community to suspend Israel´s rights and privileges at the UN and in other international institutions. As long as Israel systematically disrespects its obligations under international law, it should be excluded. This is a vital deterrent and safeguards international law.

The whole world is being militarised on a scale never seen before. US and NATO military bases are being overtly and covertly established all over the world without any meaningful public discourse or consent. We urge the public to wake up and actively resist this militarisation which does not secure deterrence or national security but instead escalates global tensions and precipitates war.

We salute all medical, legal and other humanitarian organisations, such as UNRWA and all professionals operating across different spheres in Palestine and beyond to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.

We hereby initiate a Peoples´ tribunal to map out systematically the atrocities that have taken place in Gaza and the West Bank in the past year and a half, convict those responsible and make them answer for their crimes.

THE END

Saturday 8th February 2025

Stop the War on Palestine – Stop the Killing of Journalists

Evening event outside the Norwegian Parliament, Eidsvolds plass

Sunday 9th February 2025

Stop the Wars –

Strengthen International Law

Morning Session

7 videos

Ingvild Sandnes on Cello

7:04

Setting the Scene

– John Y Jones

– Peter Eisenstein

2:04

Reports from the Ground:

The Genocide

– Ramzi Rabah

– Robert Lipton

22:00

Reports from the Ground:

Not in Our Name – Silencing Solidarity

– Prof Haim Bresheeth

20:07

My Journey

– Marielle Leraand

8:22

The Complicity of Professionals:

Boycott of medics engaging in torture and genocide

– Dr Mads Gilbert

– Dr Derek Summerfield

24:23

Responses and Questions

– Ögmundur Jonasson

– Dr Deepa Driver

39:05

Ingvild Sandnes on Cello

Pablo Casals “Song of the Birds”

A personal arrangement of the Palestinian folk song:Yamma Mawil al-Hawa – “O my song of longing”

Afternoon Session

7 videos

Root Cause Analysis

Follow the Pipeline

– Prof Ola Tunander, read by Peter Eisenstein