As the Global Sumud Flotilla, launched toward Gaza on April 12, continues its voyage, the Global Sumud Parliamentarians Congress convened in Brussels on Wednesday, urging state action and warning of mounting concerns under international law.
The gathering brought together parliamentarians, diplomats, government officials, and public figures from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Participants adopted the “Brussels Declaration on State Responsibility and the Realization of Palestinian Self-Determination,” outlining legal and political positions on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The declaration said the situation represents “a direct challenge to the integrity of international law” and warned that failure to respond to alleged violations undermines the broader multilateral system.
“The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory constitutes a direct challenge to the integrity of international law and to the binding force of the multilateral system. Failure to act in the face of grave breaches undermines not only the rights of those affected, but the legal order itself,” it said.
It cited findings by the International Court of Justice, including a July 2024 advisory opinion deeming the continued occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful, and highlighted obligations on states not to recognize or support such a situation.
The document also referred to provisional measures under the Genocide Convention, noting a “plausible risk of irreparable harm” to civilians in Gaza, as well as ongoing proceedings at the International Criminal Court related to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It warned that inaction by states could amount to a failure to uphold international legal obligations.
“Where serious breaches of international law persist, and collective mechanisms fail to ensure compliance, the obligations of States do not diminish; they intensify. In such circumstances, States and international actors must act, individually and jointly, through lawful, practical, and coordinated measures to restore rights, protect civilian populations, and bring unlawful situations to an end,” the declaration said.
The declaration also called for alternative channels, including a maritime corridor to Gaza, to ensure delivery of essential goods where land routes are restricted.