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GUEST COMMENTARY - Winston Churchill long supported the virtues of colonialism. He resisted granting independence to colonized people, stating, “We must not allow the native to gain the upper hand, for he is as yet in his childhood.” Churchill dismissed Mahatma Gandhi as “[a] seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir of a type well known in the East, striding half-naked up the steps of the Viceregal Palace.” Churchill remained a steadfast supporter of colonialism in a century marked by rapid decolonization. As such, his extraordinary leadership during World War II has been overshadowed by his steadfast allegiance to racist policies of colonial rule. In the end, Churchill remained an isolated evangelist for a colonial system that history has discredited.
If Churchill were a nation, he would be Israel. Israel has achieved remarkable accomplishments in its short existence, making strides in medicine, computer science, technology, and many other vital areas. These achievements have been significantly supported by the United States, which, in 2024, provided approximately $870 per capita in aid to Israel—a sum greater than the entire GDP per capita of multiple sovereign states. While U.S. support has facilitated Israeli advancements in various fields, Israel has also used portions of these funds to sustain policies that undermine international legal norms.
In an era celebrated for decolonization, Israel has pursued territorial expansion through colonialism and settlement policies that have perpetuated conflict and restricted Palestinian self-determination. The post-World War II international order, designed to prevent wars of aggression and uphold human rights, sought to replace the historical "might makes right" doctrine with principles of international law. Israel, envisioned as a democratic state aligned with Western values, held promise to embody these ideals in a region where democratic governance remained limited. However, Israel’s ongoing colonialism through settlement expansion and military occupation have increasingly distanced it from these principles.
Today, Israel is led by an individual facing indictment for crimes against humanity. The country is under international investigation for alleged crimes against humanity, including accusations of genocide and other war crimes in Gaza. This is not unprecedented: Ariel Sharon narrowly avoided indictment in Belgium for the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre due to jurisdictional technicalities. Recent Israeli violence in Gaza have prompted key allies such as Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Italy, and Germany to suspend weapons shipments to Israel.
Israel is not the first state to face accusations of severe human rights violations post-World War II. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia indicted Slobodan Milošević in 1999 for crimes against humanity. The Special Court for Sierra Leone convicted Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, for aiding and abetting war crimes. The International Criminal Court (ICC) indicted Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, while Radovan Karadžić was convicted in 2016. However, Israel’s case stands out due to its close alliance with the United States, which has historically shielded it from legal consequences.
The pursuit of accountability in Israel’s case reinforces confidence in a system that resists political and military pressures. Recent threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to sanction ICC judges underscore the challenges of enforcing international law against powerful nations and their allies. Nonetheless, international law must remain impartial to maintain legitimacy. Indeed, the ICC’s response that any such action by Mr. Trump would constitute and obstruction of justice underscores the determination for the ICC’s pursuit of justice and resilience to international pressures.
Israel’s continued expansion of settlements and forced displacement of Palestinians further contradicts modern legal and ethical standards. The Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits an occupying power from transferring its population into occupied territories. Yet, Israeli settlements continue to expand, reducing the land available for Palestinian self-governance. Presently, only 18% of the West Bank remains under full Palestinian administrative control. Israel has unilaterally annexed the Golan Heights, a move unrecognized by nearly all nations, and voices within Israeli leadership have openly discussed further territorial consolidation and expulsion of indigenous people.
Israeli defiance of international law, supported by the United States, threatens more than just the Palestinian people. These actions represent a fundamental challenge to the post-World War II commitment to upholding global norms against territorial aggression and war crimes. The international order, built on institutions such as the United Nations, the Geneva Conventions, and the ICC, was established to prevent conflicts and protect civilian populations. Selective enforcement of these laws—exempting allies while prosecuting adversaries—undermines their credibility and makes a mockery of the global legal framework.
While Israel's actions presently harm Palestinians, the broader implication is the erosion of a rules-based international order that threaten all people. If legal norms can be ignored for strategic or political convenience, then many nations, such as Israel, Russia and China, may feel emboldened to act similarly, and nations or people unable to militarily withstand these nations may fall victim to future aggressions. The international community must ensure that accountability applies universally, lest the foundational principles of international law be rendered moot.
(J. George Mansour was born and raised in Missouri and has long been a student of political science and international relations. Mr. Mansour is now based in Austin Texas, where he remains an active investor in a variety of businesses.)
