Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay has received worldwide praise amid derision from Israel and the US. The Australian government remains silent. Stuart Rees reports.
The Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize committee awarded this year’s prize to Navi Pillay for her lifelong commitment to human rights, justice and accountability. Following a long and distinguished career as a human rights-focused jurist, South African-born Pillay was appointed chair of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory in 2021.
Quite predictably, within hours of the announcement, President Trump said he should have won eight Noble (sic) prizes, that the decision was an indelible stain on Norway and he would impose fresh sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) established to prosecute individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Happy to do his master’s bidding, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would punish the choice of Pillay by ‘dismantling the ICC brick by brick, … we will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate.’
In lockstep with his US patron, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared the choice of Pillay ‘a gross weaponisation of the Nobel Peace Prize… If there was an award for lies, hatred and blood libel, Navi Pillay wouldn’t just be a contender, she’d be a front runner.’
Meanwhile, the Australian government has said nothing. Despite repeated claims to respect international law, a fearful silence is the best Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong can offer, a tactic suggesting a
cowardly sheltering behind the diatribes from Trump and Netanyahu.
A champion of human rights
In complete contrast to the Netanyahu criminality invective, Judge Pillay has promoted universal human rights, advocated respect for humanitarian law and, through her kindness and generosity, has represented the ideals of a common humanity.
Citations explaining Navi Pillay’s record explain why she is regarded as a champion of peace with justice and why so much is at stake in this controversy over her Nobel Prize.
The Nobel Committee explained their choice : ‘For her efforts to promote peace and international law.’ … ‘History has shown that a world operating without the rule of law is unjust, unwise, and inhumane.’
A year earlier, Navi Pillay received the Sydney Peace Prize whose citation included reference to ‘a lifetime of advocating for the fundamental human rights of women’, due recognition of Judge Pillay’s campaigns to abolish female genital mutilation and forced child marriages.
Where is the gratitude?
Navi’s lifetime work has included a period as a judge on the ICC, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chair of the UN Commission inquiring into war crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Ever since her appointment as the first coloured, female judge to be appointed to the South African High Court, Navi Pillay has spoken and acted courageously.
Such a virtue has prompted ire from Israel and silence from Australia.
In her report to the UN, Judge Pillay concluded, ‘The State of Israel bears responsibility for the failure to prevent genocide, the commission of genocide and the failure to punish genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.’
Reference to Australian human rights abuses
Judge Pillay has also condemned Australia’s mandatory detention policy, repeatedly criticised offshore processing arrangements and the Northern Territory’s ‘imperialist, discriminatory attitude towards Indigenous communities.’
To tolerate criticism and still manage to act generously usually requires a touch of courage. In which case Prime Minister Albanese and Foreign Minister Wong still have a chance to congratulate Navi Pillay, if only because they regard themselves as champions of international humanitarian law.
Penny Wong’s silence is particularly notable, given her support for Venezuelan 2025 Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who handed her prize to Donald Trump.
An Australian government statement of support for the UN, for the Nobel Committee and for Navi Pillay’s humanity-saving achievements would still be invaluable.
But support for the Nobel choice of Navi Pillay cannot be expressed by silence.
Stuart Rees AM is Professor Emeritus, University of Sydney & recipient, Jerusalem (Al Quds ) Peace Prize