Breaking down narratives harmful to the ICRC’s work in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory

2023-12-20 17:30:00

Is the ICRC “complicit” because it does not publicly condemn the parties to the conflict?

Not at all. The ICRC, as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, is a neutral humanitarian organization. We do not participate in politics. Our concern is exclusively humanitarian: our objective is to save lives and alleviate or prevent the suffering of people caught in armed conflict.

To be able to act in conflict zones, the ICRC builds trust with all parties through confidential dialogue with the aim of alleviating the suffering of affected people.

This allows us to do a vital part of our work: reminding both sides of their obligations under international humanitarian law – which we also do publicly – and raising, directly and openly, our concerns regarding the conduct of the hostilities. The ICRC does not comment publicly on the content of these confidential conversations.

If we publicly denounce any of the parties in conflict or reveal the content of that confidential dialogue, we may jeopardize the trust we have built and affect the direct access and space we so need to talk to all parties about the need to protect to civilians during hostilities. Our ability to provide life-saving assistance to people who need it could also be put at risk.

There are those who think that we do not speak publicly as much as we should. However, based on decades of experience, we believe that the most effective approach is to continually and discreetly intercede with those we want to influence.

We are fully aware that it is not always easy to understand our neutrality and our principles, especially in situations of great emotional intensity. However, our neutrality and impartiality are essential to be able to act in any context. We continue to work to communicate to everyone, including the parties to the conflict, what the ICRC can and cannot do within the framework of its mission and principles.

For more information on why we “keep silent”, we recommend watching this short video(in English).