Damning report: On Justice Muralidhar’s report on Israeli atrocities
The Hindu - Editorial · Published 5 November 2026 · Last updated
A UN Commission report chaired by Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar concludes that Israeli security forces continue to commit war crimes and genocide using AI targeting, highlighting international enforcement gaps and India's diplomatic balancing act.
Key points
- Retired Indian judge Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar briefed the UN General Assembly (UNGA) as chairperson of the International Commission of Inquiry on the situation in Israel and Palestinian territories.
- The Commission's report concluded that Israeli security forces continue to commit war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of genocide a year after the October 2025 ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S.
- The report documents killings, bodily and mental harm predominantly by Israeli security forces, drawing on medical records, satellite imagery, forensic analysis, witness testimony, and videos posted by Israeli soldiers.
- Investigators found that soldiers targeted Palestinian civilians, including infants, by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify and execute targets with impunity, supported by statements from top Israeli officials.
- Justice Muralidhar stated that more than 75,000 Palestinians, including 21,500 children and 11,000 women, have been killed across Palestinian territories since 2023, with little to no action taken by member-states.
- The report calls on UN members to employ all means to prevent genocide, investigate and prosecute suspects, establish clear rules for AI use in conflicts, and halt military transfers to Israel.
- The UN Security Council lacks consensus to implement resolutions due to U.S. support for Israel, and Justice Muralidhar was unable to present the report in person after the U.S. withheld a visa.
- India has abstained from UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire or action against Israel while continuing to supply it with arms, ammunition, ordnance, and drone parts.
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has neither directly criticized Israel's actions nor commented on the findings of reports by the UN commission chaired by Justice Muralidhar and his predecessor Navanethem Pillay.
Background
- October 7, 2023: The conflict escalated sharply, leading to the establishment of UN investigative bodies to monitor human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territory.
- Prior UN Actions: The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry previously called on members to halt military transfers, pass sanctions against child abuses, and cooperate with the International Criminal Court.
- October 2025: A U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement was reached in Gaza, though systemic violence and military operations continued, particularly in the occupied West Bank.
- Recent Leadership: The Commission was previously chaired by Navanethem Pillay, a 2026 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, before Justice Srinivasan Muralidhar assumed the role.
UPSC relevance, Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: The Hindu - Editorial