A United Nations(UN) expert has leveled serious accusations against Israel, alleging that the country has been using the Gaza Strip as a testing ground for new weapons and military technologies.
According to Francesca Albanese, the UN expert who presented a report to the Human Rights Council, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have resulted in unprecedented devastation, with 85,000 tonnes of explosives unleashed on the territory, equivalent to six times the power of the Hiroshima bomb.
Albanese’s report highlights the stark contrast between the economic gains made by Israeli companies and the devastating impact on the Palestinian population. “One people enriched, one people erased,” she said, pointing to the gains made on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since October 2023. The report also accuses arms companies of turning near-record profits by equipping Israel with cutting-edge weaponry.
The UN expert’s allegations are serious, and her report names 48 corporate actors, including arms manufacturers, banks, tech companies, energy giants, and academic institutions, alleging that they are directly linked to a broader “economy of occupation, sustaining the Israeli state’s actions.” Albanese warned that Palestine’s defencelessness has made it “an ideal laboratory for the Israeli military-industrial complex.”
“Weapons and data systems brutalize and surveil Palestinians,” Albanese said. “Colonies spread – financed by banks and insurers, powered by fossil fuels, and normalized by tourism platforms, supermarket chains, and academic institutions.”
She emphasized that under international law, even a minimal connection to this system carries clear responsibility. “There is a prima facie responsibility on every state and corporate entity to completely abstain from or end their relationships with this economy of occupation.”
In a direct appeal to states, Albanese called for bold steps to address the situation. “Member states must impose a full arms embargo on Israel, suspend all trade agreements and investment relations, and enforce accountability, ensuring that corporate entities face legal consequences for their involvement in serious violations of international law.”
The UN expert’s report and allegations highlight the need for the international community to take action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to ensure that those responsible for human rights abuses are held accountable.