Justice S. Muralidhar named chair of UN inquiry into Israeli–Palestinian violations

The president of the United Nations Human Rights Council, ambassador Jürg Lauber, has appointed former Odisha High Court chief justice S. Muralidhar as chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

Bar and Bench reported that the decision announced on 26–27 November 2025, the appointment places an Indian jurist at the head of one of the UN’s most scrutinised investigative panels amid the ongoing Israel–Palestine conflict.

Justice Muralidhar succeeds Brazilian expert Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro as head of the three-member commission, which is tasked with examining alleged violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses dating back to April 2021.

Established under UNHRC Resolution S-30/1 in 2021, the commission investigates the root causes of the conflict, including discrimination on the basis of identity, ethnicity, race or religion. Its mandate extends to identifying individuals responsible for violations, recommending accountability mechanisms, and presenting annual reports to both the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.

In 2024, the commission’s scope was expanded to include scrutiny of Israeli settlers and the role of arms transfers used in Gaza after the events of 7 October 2023. A report published in September 2025 concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, drawing significant global attention.

Justice Muralidhar brings broad judicial experience and long-standing human rights expertise to the role. He served as a judge of the Delhi High Court from 2006 to 2020, later becoming Chief Justice of the Odisha High Court between 2021 and 2023, and currently practises as a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court of India. He has also previously served as counsel to the National Human Rights Commission.

He will work alongside the two continuing members of the panel: Justice Florence Mumba of Zambia, a former vice-president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia known for her contribution to establishing rape as a war crime; and Chris Sidoti of Australia, a veteran human rights lawyer, former Australian Human Rights Commissioner and long-standing UN adviser.

The renewed three-member panel is expected to continue its investigations into alleged violations across the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel, with its next report scheduled for submission to the Human Rights Council in 2026.