International Law Series: The Right to Self Defense
The right to self-defense is a cornerstone of international law, enshrined in the UN Charter (Article 51) and numerous Security Council Resolutions. In order to delegitimize Israels self-defensive measures, many NGOs have issued statements distorting international law. Al Haq and PCHR falsely claim that Israel cannot invoke self-defense in response to attacks from non-state actors in occupied territory. Human Rights Watch and BTselem allege without any evidentiary basis that Israels exercise of self-defense is merely a pretext for punishing the Palestinians. Other groups pay lip service to Israeli self-defense.
