From the Editor's Desk

Dr. S. Muralidhar, former Chief Justice of the Odisha High Court and Senior Advocate, has been appointed as the Chair of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

With the appointment, Dr. Muralidhar will lead the three-member Commission set up by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the region. He succeeds Brazilian legal expert Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro of Brazil, who completed his tenure as Chair.

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The Commission is mandated to examine all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of international human rights law, identify those responsible, and issue recommendations to ensure accountability and justice for victims.

The other Commission members include Florence Mumba of Zambia and Chris Sidoti of Australia. Mr. Sidoti, who previously served on the Commission, has been reappointed. He had earlier been part of the panel and will continue as one of its members in the renewed term.

The Commission was created in 2021 through Human Rights Council Resolution S-30/1, which called for the urgent establishment of an ongoing, independent inquiry into all alleged violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel since 13 April 2021.

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Beyond documenting specific incidents, the Commission was also directed to investigate the root causes of recurring tensions, prolonged instability, and the extended nature of the conflict. This includes examining patterns of systematic discrimination and repression based on national, ethnic, racial or religious identity.

The Commission reports annually to both the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. In 2024, the Human Rights Council expanded its requests, directing the Commission to present additional reports on settlers and arms sales, including weapons used during Israeli military operations in Gaza since 7 October 2023. In its report released in September 2025, the Commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.