Controversy Erupts Over 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for Maria Corina Machado
By Rifat Odeh Kassis
The recent decision by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee to award the 2025 prize to Venezuelan politician María Corina Machado has ignited a significant ethical and legal debate, casting a shadow over the integrity of the award. Critics argue that the selection is a major misstep for the committee and an "insult" to the laureate, necessitating a deep discussion on the award's principles.
The Core of the Contradiction
While some acknowledge Machado's prominent struggle for democracy in Venezuela, her repeated public statements in praise of Israel and its leadership have raised serious concerns. This comes at a time when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has affirmed "plausible" evidence that Israel may be committing genocide in Gaza.
In its 2024 interim ruling on South Africa's case against Israel, the ICJ concluded that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute a potential violation of the Genocide Prevention Treaty. The court mandated Israel to take immediate measures to prevent genocide and ensure humanitarian aid access. Furthermore, the Court reaffirmed the necessity of ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with international law and UN resolutions.
A Conflict with the Prize's Moral Foundation : Against this backdrop, Machado's expressions of solidarity with Israel, her pledge to move the Venezuelan embassy to Jerusalem, and her political cooperation with Israeli parties cannot be dismissed as mere personal opinions or diplomatic courtesies. Instead, they are seen as political stances that support an occupying force currently under international investigation for potentially committing the most serious of crimes.
Critics contend that these attitudes directly contradict the moral foundation established by Alfred Nobel for the Peace Prize, which was intended to honor those who work to promote brotherhood among peoples, disarmament, and the reconciliation of conflicts by peaceful means. Supporting policies rooted in occupation, appropriation, and systematic violence is viewed as fundamentally opposed to these core principles.
Calls for Accountability and Review : The committee's decision, according to commentators, exposes a deep inconsistency that should concern previous prize holders and provoke a critical review of the prize's concept. An honoree openly aligning with parties accused of genocide and land grabbing threatens to undermine the award's credibility as a moral authority on peace matters. The perceived message is that one can champion democracy in their own country while simultaneously supporting oppression elsewhere.
The issue, proponents of this view stress, is not one of political disagreement but of moral consistency. A true defender of peace, they argue, cannot be selective; the same standards for human dignity, justice, and non-violence must be applied universally—in Caracas, in Gaza, in Oslo, and in Jerusalem.
Demands for a Committee Response: Believers in the sanctity of life and the universality of human rights are calling upon the Nobel Committee to clarify how it reconciled Machado's public support for an existing military occupation with the award's mandate to promote peace.
If the committee cannot provide a satisfactory explanation, critics demand that the prize be withdrawn, or that Machado be required to publicly retract her statements supporting the occupation and declare her adherence to international law and diplomacy. Silence or an insufficient justification, they warn, will only reinforce the impression that political considerations have overridden ethical principles, adding "another big nail to the trophy's coffin."
As one commentator put it: "Peace is not divisible. You cannot call for freedom in one land, and slavery in another."
News Whisperer : 2025.10.15
About the author
Rifat Odeh Kassis is a prominent Palestinian Christian human rights and political activist, author, and speaker. He has a long history of work dedicated to human rights, particularly focusing on the rights of children and the struggle to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. He is an author of several articles and research papers, and his published books include: Palestine: A Bleeding Wound in the World's Conscience (2006) and Kairos for Palestine (2011)
In short, Rifat Odeh Kassis has dedicated his life to non-violent resistance and advocacy on the national and international stage, championing human rights and the cause of Palestinian self-determination.
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