Armed Conflicts: Environmental Destruction and the Limits of International Law

This article explores how armed conflicts recently starts in the Middle East can cause serious environmental damage and require the examination on the role of international law in addressing these impacts. Despite the existence of legal principles and treaties aimed at protecting the environment during war, environmental destruction continues to occur in conflict zones. This is doctrinal research. The results of research derive from literature review on available primary data and online contribution and availability of access. The objective of this article looks at the overview of the relationship between the relevancy of international law and the destruction of environment in zone of conflict recently activated by the act of USA, Isreal and other supporting States upon Iran and Palestine and it’s allied around the Middle East. At the end, the article manages to shows; The impact from the conduct of military operations causing direct and indirect environmental harm and severely weaken the protection of environment which were built by treaties as early as 1945. Furthermore, the United Nations specific organ of International Court of Justice, in its Advisory capacity has determined that the act of States of Israel defending itself under self-defense, which starts the armed conflict is illegal. Furthermore, Israel’s policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) according to ICJ decision in 2024, violate jus in bello. The armed conflict in the Middle East joined by US, UK and some European Union States, and that armed conflict witness by all independence States around the world, is actually based on illegal act in International Law. In the conclusion the impact of armed conflict, which the United Nation Organization, identifies to begins in 2022 causing destruction which felt worst on environment, and its degrading civilians’ life and crushed peace, safety and harmony on what is understood as modern civilizations.

Armed Conflict, International Law, Environmental Destruction, Impact of Harm

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