Genocide Must Never Be Normalized

When international law is violated so gravely and openly, the world cannot respond with caution, delay or selective concern.

More than a year ago, Cooperation Canada denounced the genocide in Gaza. Since then, conditions across Palestine have worsened. In Gaza, Palestinians continue to be killed, injured, forcibly displaced and deprived of the essentials required for survival. In the occupied West Bank, settlement expansion and violence continue to drive displacement, strip Palestinians of their rights and push a just and lasting peace further out of reach.

We now mark three years since the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, including the killing of civilians and taking of hostages, where grave violations of human rights and international law took place.

But those crimes cannot justify genocide and the collective punishment of Palestinians. International law must apply to everyone, equally.

History is clear about the consequences of silence and inaction in the face of genocide and mass atrocities. From the Holocaust and the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda to Srebrenica and other atrocities, the international community has repeatedly learned the devastating cost of hesitation, indifference and failure to act.

These failures give rise to a simple commitment: never again must mean never again for everyone.

That commitment loses its meaning when it is applied selectively. Normalizing genocide and crimes against humanity signals that power matters more than principle and that some people can be placed outside the protection of international law. Palestinians have effectively been abandoned by those with the power to act. That failure weakens the system of international law and accountability on which vulnerable communities depend.

Our collective response must meet this moment. Canada’s recognition of the State of Palestine, its continued engagement in support of a viable two-state solution, its commitment to restrict trade in goods from illegal Israeli settlements, and its increased support for Palestinians are important steps. They must now be matched by sustained action to stop genocide and crimes against humanity, ensure accountability and uphold international law.

The question is: what are we prepared to do to stop atrocities, uphold human dignity and offer a credible path to justice, safety and hope?

History shows that ending atrocities can require engagement with those responsible. But engagement is not normalization, negotiation is not absolution, and diplomacy cannot shield perpetrators from accountability. Where credible international bodies have found responsibility for genocide and other grave crimes, Canada must act.

Those responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity must be held accountable, and states must use the diplomatic, economic and legal tools available to prevent further atrocities and uphold international law.

These are not abstract principles. When the most basic protections of human dignity are violated with impunity, the consequences extend far beyond Palestine. They erode the rules intended to protect us all and sow the conditions for greater violence and insecurity.

History will judge not only those who commit atrocities, but also those who excuse them, enable them or choose silence. Canada and the international community must act with the urgency and consistency this moment demands.

Signatures

Cooperation Canada 

Human Concern International 

Oxfam-Québec

Oxfam Canada 

Mennonite Central Committee Canada 

Doctors of the World Canada

Notes to Editors

• Cooperation Canada is the national voice for Canadian international development and humanitarian organizations. Representing over 100 organizations, we convene, coordinate and advocate for effective, inclusive and accountable international cooperation that contributes to a fairer, safer and more sustainable world.
• For reference, please see our previous statement on Palestine “Genocide in Gaza”.

Media Contact

Gabriel Karasz-Perriau, Senior Communications Manager
gkaraszperriau@cooperation.ca
(514) 945-0309