Former UN human rights chief receives top peace award | DW News

South African jurist Navi Pillay has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called her efforts to promote peace and international law. The 85-year-old former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights learned the news while attending a conference in Nuremberg, and said she initially thought it was a joke. Pillay chaired a UN commission of inquiry that concluded in September 2025 that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel's Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Pillay, accusing her of spreading false allegations against Israel. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Congratulations pour in for Navi Pillay 00:26 Pillay’s reaction to her 2026 Nobel Peace Prize 01:18 Statement by the Norwegian Nobel Committee 01:47 Why Pillay’s selection sparked controversy in Israel 02:20 Praise from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 02:57 How Pillay built a legal career in apartheid South Africa 04:30 Interview William Schabas 05:43 What makes Navi Pillay and her work and achievements stand out? 06:38 What type of person is Navi Pillay, and what motivates her? 08:16 Potential impact of US sanctions against the International Criminal Court #dwcurrentaffairs #southafrica #nobelprize #humanrights #peace #gaza #israel #palestinianterritories For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/ Follow DW on social media: ►Instagram:   / dwnews   ►TikTok:   / dwnews   ►Facebook:   / deutschewellenews   ►Twitter:   / dwnews   ►Reddit:   / dwnews   Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie:    / dwdeutsch   Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutsche...