Only non-violence can save international law

The author contends that recent military actions by the US, Russia, and Israel signal a collapse of international law and a return to the 'law of the strongest'. The text argues that violence is a symptom of powerlessness and suggests that Europe should instead promote a 'new' paradigm based on non-violence, the UN's 2030 Agenda, and the Paris Climate Agreement to achieve sustainable peace and climate justice.

• The author asserts that recent interventions by the US in Venezuela, Russia in Ukraine, and Israel in Gaza and the West Bank demonstrate that the principles of international law established after World War II are becoming obsolete.
• The document argues that political leaders use military violence and specific terminology—such as 'special operation' or 'surgical strikes'—to mask personal failures, domestic instability, and a general state of powerlessness.
• The author proposes a shift toward a non-violent paradigm in international relations, drawing on the work of Bertrand Badie and Mahatma Gandhi, where peace is viewed as a positive global common good rather than merely the absence of war.
• The text links non-violence directly to the UN's 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement, stating that structural violence—including poverty, inequality, and gender discrimination—must be eliminated to achieve sustainable development and climate justice.
• The author calls on the European Union to act as a global champion of non-violence, law, and peace, advocating for the unequivocal condemnation of international law violations by the US, Russia, and Israel.

APA

Joyeux, B. (2026). Only non-violence can save international law. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/only-non-violence-can-save-international-law/

Chicago

Joyeux, Benjamin. Only non-violence can save international law. Green European Journal, 2026. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/only-non-violence-can-save-international-law/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Joyeux |first1=Benjamin |title=Only non-violence can save international law |publisher=Green European Journal |date=15 January 2026 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/only-non-violence-can-save-international-law/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{joyeux2026only, author = {Joyeux, Benjamin}, title = {{Only non-violence can save international law}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/only-non-violence-can-save-international-law/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }