4 March Meeting on Accountability

Forty states convened today in The Hague for the Meeting on Accountability and the Enforcement of International Law in Palestine, co-chaired by the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Colombia.

This represents the largest gathering yet of states participating in a meeting convened by The Hague Group, since its founding in January 2025.

Participants met against the backdrop of the unprecedented acceleration of Israel’s settlement policy, including the approval of the E1 project and the publication of its tender, the unlawful escalation of military operations in the West Bank, which amounts to de facto annexation of the occupied West Bank and constitutes a direct assault on the territorial contiguity required for the realization of the Palestinian right to self-determination.

Participants reaffirmed the paramount importance of the Charter of the United Nations and the international legal order as the foundation of peaceful and just relations among states and peoples. They reiterated their commitment to the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force, the right of peoples to self-determination, and the obligation of all states to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law.
In the face of continued absence of accountability for Israel’s unlawful actions, participants reaffirmed their commitment to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions.

In light of these urgent concerns, the leaders presented concrete measures, drawn from third-party state legal obligations as determined by the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion of July 2024 and the United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/24 of September 2024, to be further developed and formally tabled at an upcoming ministerial meeting, due to be announced shortly, including:

I. Ensure Accountability: No Safe Haven for Perpetrators of Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and the Crime of Aggression
Implement a disclosure requirement regarding service in the Israeli military subjecting travelers with Israeli travel documents or arriving from an origin of Tel Aviv airport to potential secondary screening at ports of entry under domestic war-crimes inadmissibility rules, and/or adjusted visa policies, as applicable; in compliance with the obligation to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, and ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.

II. Enforce Non-Recognition of Illegal Settlements
Refuse to recognize settlements as legally valid, and prohibit the import of settlement goods and prevent domestic companies from operating in settlements, ensuring that no national, company, or entity under participating states’ jurisdiction lends recognition or material support to Israel’s unlawful presence.

III. Cut Complicity: No Arms or Material Support
Prevent the transfer, transit, or carriage of arms, munitions, military fuel, and dual-use items to Israel — including through export restrictions, port controls, and flag-state responsibilities — in full compliance with international law. Conduct urgent reviews of public procurement and contracts to ensure that no public institution or public funds sustain Israel’s unlawful occupation.