International law permits terror, but prohibits Israel from killing terrorists during attacks, claims Palestinian professor of public law

Al-Azhar University – Gaza Assistant Professor of Public Law Dr. Muhammad Shbair: "The Geneva Convention gives legal protection to civilians and to combatants…The protection that was provided to me as a Palestinian by international law is that it imposed obligations on the occupying authority and banned killing the residents of the occupied land, whether they are individuals or a group, even while carrying out an action against the occupation. Every action against the occupation is legal according to the conventions of international law and the concepts of international law, as long as it is done in the context of rejecting the occupation."

UN Charter Article 51 - PA leaders and officials have legitimized Palestinian violence by citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. However, Article 51 merely ensures "the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security." Given that the PA is not a member state of the UN, and that Palestinian terrorism is not "self-defense" in response to an armed attack against a UN member state, this claim is baseless. Furthermore, the UN Charter prohibits targeting civilians, even in war. Chapter 1, Article 1, opens by saying that "international disputes" should be resolved "by peaceful means."

UN Resolution 3236 - PA leaders and officials have legitimized Palestinian violence by quoting UN resolution 3236 which "recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to regain its rights by all means." The PA interprets "all means" as including violence against civilians, but has chosen to ignore the continuation of the resolution which states that the use of "all means" should be "in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations..." The UN Charter prohibits targeting civilians, even in war. Chapter 1, Article 1, opens by saying that "international disputes" should be resolved "by peaceful means."