FiMED Follow-ups

South African judge and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Navi Pillay has affirmed her conviction that Israel committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, calling on Israelis to confront what is being done in their name and to side with what she described as «the right side of history».

In an interview with the Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz" , Pillay said the crimes committed in Gaza require action and accountability, and she addressed a direct message to Israelis: «Crimes are being committed in your name. Please, stand on the right side of history».

Pillay's conviction rests on the findings of the independent UN international commission of inquiry she chaired, whose report issued in September 2025 concluded that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, based on evidence relating to the killing of Palestinians, inflicting severe physical and mental harm on them, and imposing living conditions aimed at their total or partial destruction.

Pillay stressed that the commission adopted a rigorous investigative methodology, including verifying evidence, testimonies, facts and statements issued by Israeli officials, emphasizing that its conclusions were not merely a political opinion but the result of an investigation based on evidence that was examined and verified.

In previous interviews, Pillay had called for Israeli officials to be held accountable before national courts or the International Criminal Court, considering that the continued absence of accountability threatens the international justice system and undermines respect for international law.

Her remarks come amid Israel's rejection of the commission's findings and its accusation that it is biased, while Pillay adheres to the report's conclusions and demands that the commission's critics discuss the evidence and facts on which it was based instead of directing personal attacks at its members.