Palestinian civil society organizations urgently call on the President of the European Commission, Ursula von Der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the European Union’s (EU) leadership to demand Israel to comply with its obligations under international law, to stop its deliberate targeted attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including with white phosphorus, to end all forms of collective punishment, to lift the 16-year-long illegal closure and blockade on Gaza, and to rescind the evacuation orders to over one million Palestinians. As a bare minimum, the EU must pressure Israel to facilitate the free passage of humanitarian consignments into Gaza for the immediate delivery of basic supplies necessary for the survival of the population, including food, water and medicine. The EU’s double standards and support of Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people must end now.

On 7 October 2023, Israel launched a full-fledged military offensive on the Gaza Strip, aimed at erasing and reducing the territory to rubble. Under international humanitarian law, “the only legitimate object which States should endeavor to accomplish during war is to weaken the military forces of the enemy”. In pursuing this aim, “the right of the Parties to the conflict to choose methods or means of warfare is not unlimited”.

The resounding silence of the EU leadership on Israeli atrocities committed in Gaza and their blind support for Israel signals that the EU is green-lighting, enabling and encouraging Israel’s military actions, which already may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and incitement to commit genocide.

During a meeting of the Israeli government held on Saturday, 7th of October 2023, May Golan, Israel’s Minister for the Advancement of the Status of Women, announced that: “All of Gaza’s infrastructures must be destroyed to its foundation and their electricity cut off immediately. The war is not against Hamas but against the state of Gaza.” Later that evening, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu declared: “I say to the residents of Gaza: get out of there now, because we will act everywhere and with all the strength.”

These statements unequivocally underlie the intention—turned into action—to carpet bomb Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, treating the entirety of the territory as one single military objective in breach of sacrosanct principles of international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians, including one million children, are trapped in Gaza, with no shelter, no food, no water, no electricity, and crippled infrastructure which may collapse at any moment.

And yet, despite blatant evidence of Israel’s intention to perpetrate serious international crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the response of the EU and the majority of its Member States has been one-sided—to the point of complicity in Israel’s international crimes. An unremitting international blind eye has been turned to the 2,215 Palestinians, including at least 724 children and 458 women, killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza, and to another 8,714 wounded with various injuries, including at least 2,450 children and 1,536 women. Entire Palestinian families have been wiped out. Dozens of bodies are still under the rubble and Israel has turned Gaza from an open-air prison into an open-air morgue.

President von der Leyen shared images of the Berlaymont building, which houses the headquarters of the European Commission, lit up with the colors of the Israeli flag, while announcing her support for the right of Israel to defend itself- “today and in the days to come” and that “[t]he European Union stands with Israel”. At the time of writing, President von der Leyen has not written a single statement calling on Israel to comply with its international legal obligations or denouncing the blatant international crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. Similar unilateral support was shown by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola and by several EU Member States.

On 9 October 2023, Yoav Gallant, Israel’s Minister of Defense, stated: "We are imposing a complete siege on [Gaza]. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel – everything is closed. We are fighting human animals, and we act accordingly”. This statement, which includes genocidal language dehumanizing the Palestinian people as “human animals”, should put the international community on notice of Israel’s incitement to commit acts of genocide, and trigger a strong EU response in terms of its international law duty to prevent.

On 19 October 2022, while addressing the European Parliament, von der Leyen said: “Russia’s attacks against civilian infrastructure, especially electricity, are war crimes. Targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure, with the clear aim of cutting off men, women, children of water, electricity and heating with winter coming—these are acts of pure terror. And we have to call it as such”. No similar declarations were made with respect to Israel’s cutting off electricity, food, water, fuel, and medicine to Gaza. This stark disparity underscores the European leadership’s shameful double standards, which seemingly regards Palestinian lives as second-class, entrenching the apartheid reality.

On 13 October 2023—the same day Israel demanded over one million civilians in northern Gaza evacuate their homes towards areas south of Wadi Gaza—Ursula von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola met with the Israeli leadership. As thousands of Palestinians were forced to leave their homes, in what is the largest forced displacement since the 1948 Nakba, the EU leadership were photographed shaking hands with Israeli President, Isaac Herzog.

We recall that earlier this year, Ursula von der Leyen celebrated Israel’s independence day using racist tropes, denying the Palestinian Nakba, the mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians which paved the foundation for the State of Israel. Yet again, as a present-day Nakba unfolds before our eyes, President von der Leyen is not just ignoring it, but facilitating it through her statements and presence in the region.

For decades, our organizations have called on the EU to impose sanctions against Israel, pursuant to the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, for its for its accumulating crime against Palestinians, including wilful killing, arbitrary mass arrests, administrative detentions without due process, property appropriation, destruction, forcible transfer, settler transfer in, collective punishment, persecution, and apartheid amongst others. All our calls remain unheeded. Yet, less than 48 hours after the beginning of Israel’s onslaught in Gaza, EU Commissioner Varhelyi unilaterally and arbitrarily announced that the European Commission intended to cut its aid to the Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This statement was later retracted by HRVP Borrell. However, other EU Member States have individually decided to cut, review, or suspend aid—including Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria.

We demand that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von Der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, fully denounce Israel’s indiscriminate military reprisals against Palestinian civilians and civilian objects in Gaza, and intervene to protect the Palestinian people against Israel’s incitement to genocide.

European leaders must firmly pressure Israel, the Occupying Power, to respect its obligations under international law, including ensuring the vital supply of water, gas, fuel, electricity and basic supplies to Palestinians in Gaza, and to cease any attack on civilians and civilian facilities. European leaders also have a duty to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and collective punishment against civilians, including by publicly and unconditionally supporting the current investigation carried out by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

For violence to end, European leaders must address and eradicate the root causes of the ongoing violence, namely, Israel’s seven-decade long settler-colonial enterprise and oppression of the Palestinian people. The Israeli military must fully, unconditionally, and immediately withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territory, as mandated under numerous UN Security Council and UN General Assembly resolutions. The EU must intervene to ensure that Israel dismantles its discriminatory apartheid regime, including by rescinding all discriminatory laws and facilitating the right of return and to self-determination of the Palestinian people.

Signatories:

• Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
• The Palestinian Institute for Public Diplomacy (PIPD)
• The BDS (Boycotts, Divestment, Sanction) movement
• Bisan Center for Research and Development
• The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH
• Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man
• Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
• Health Work Committees (HWC)
• Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
• Defense for Children International – Palestine
• The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
• The Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium:
• The Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre (JLAC)
• The Land Research Centre (LRC)
• The Society of Saint Yves
• The Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)

On June 19th, 2023, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH held a side event as part of the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, highlighting the situation of Palestinian women and girls across historical Palestine and in exile under Israel’s military occupation, apartheid regime and settler-colonial project.

MIFTAH’s Joharah Baker briefed the audience on the varying Israeli crimes and human rights violations committed against Palestinian women and girls based on the imposed geographical fragmentation. In the occupied West Bank, Joharah discussed MIFTAH’s documentation of Israeli state-sponsored settler terrorism, systematic home demolitions and army night raids and their impact on women physically and psychologically. Regarding occupied Jerusalem, she explained that Palestinian Jerusalemite women continue to be isolated from their natural surroundings due to the annexation wall and numerous military checkpoints, talking about her own experience in this regard.

While discussing the situation of Palestinian women in the besieged Gaza Strip, Joharah mentioned that in addition to the dire conditions following a 16-year-long suffocating land, air, and sea blockade and closure, frequent Israeli aggressions on Gaza have made it almost impossible for women to seek proper medical healthcare inside Gaza or to seek medical referrals outside the besieged Strip, particularly female cancer patients as recently documented by MIFTAH.

MIFTAH also highlighted that deliberate Israeli police negligence in Palestinian areas inside Israel has led to a record increase in femicide, leading to the killing of 12 Palestinian last year alone. Palestinians there also face over 65 discriminatory laws, namely the family reunification law, which prevents mothers, wives and daughters from living with their families under one roof, leading to a denial of rights.

The speaker also explained that Palestinian women refugees residing in overcrowded camps and still denied their right of return, are denied access to basic services like access to water and electricity, which in turn leads to increased gender-based violence.

Joharah also touched on MIFTAH’s efforts domestically to push for the Family Protection Bill to be passed into law, in order to guarantee rights and protection for Palestinian women and girls, citing the predominantly patriarchal society in Palestine as a major source of discrimination against them.

The second panelist, Carrie Shelver from the Sexual Rights Initiative, talked about the importance of intersectional solidarity when it comes to Palestine and gender-related struggles. She also emphasized the need to have a progressive feminist discourse using an anti-colonial lens and including input from the global South. Finally, she discussed Israeli pinkwashing attempts that aim to obscure its crimes by promoting itself as a protector of women and depicting Palestinians as regressive.

Finally, Palestinian activist Nada Awad informed the audience of the responsibility and obligations of the international community to end Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes and human rights violations. She also laid out the various available tools and mechanisms for accountability, including the Commission of Inquiry, UN Special Rapporteurs, the International Criminal Court and the Convention of Ending All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

The panelists concluded the event with a set of recommendations for the international community:

• Ending Israel’s impunity and holding it accountable with effective and concrete steps

• Political and Financial support for the UN Commission of Inquiry in light of baseless attacks

• Support for the UN Special Rapporteur to the oPt in light of smear campaigns

• Support the International Criminal Court investigation into Israeli war crimes

• Support for the upcoming ICJ advisory opinion on the illegality of Israel’s occupation

The undersigned Palestinian civil society organizations vehemently denounce and reject the shameful statement made by the EU Commission President, in which she celebrated Israel’s “Independence” day by using racist anti-Palestinian tropes and denying Palestinian history and the atrocities of the Nakba. These remarks depart from basic political and diplomatic principles and shamelessly favor the occupying power, which engages in persecution, aggression, and state terrorism against the Palestinian people.

In her speech, Ursula von der Leyen claimed that Israel has made “the desert bloom”, utilizing a colonial remark that greenwashes Israel’s settler-colonial project, and its displacement of the indigenous Palestinian people and the illegal confiscation of their land. We further reject Ms. von der Leyen’s use of biblical references that align with the Israeli occupier’s narrative that erases the Palestinian people and denies their deep roots in the land and their inalienable right to self-determination. This forms the foundation for the racist so-called “Nation State Law” that Israel is now using to entrench colonization and complete annexation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem.

The horrific events of the Palestinian Nakba which paved the way for the foundation of Israel; including displacing over 750,000 Palestinians and rendering them refugees to this day, razing hundreds of Palestinian villages and towns, and committing dozens of massacres, continue to manifest today through different ways yet with the same overall aim of displacing the indigenous Palestinian people and replacing them with Jewish Israelis across historical Palestine through ethnic cleansing.

The European Union’s failure to hold Israel accountable for its countless crimes and human rights violations, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, fuels the culture of impunity that Israel enjoys as it escalates its aggression against the Palestinian people and their land, especially in light of the new extremist Israeli government. Instead of contributing to ending Israeli violations and delivering long-awaited justice to Palestine, the EU continues to reward Israel, the occupying power, with more political, economic, and technological support and cooperation.

We urge the European Union to assume its responsibility, by refraining from such inflammatory and objectionable language as well as from employing double standards in dealing with issues related to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, as guaranteed by all relevant international laws and agreements. We call on elected European officials to muster the courage and political will to pressure Israel into abiding by international law by holding it accountable with concrete and effective measures that align with existing European Union laws and international obligations and principles.

Finally, we thank our friends and allies across Europe for speaking out and rejecting this overt anti-Palestinian racism and urge them to hold their officials accountable. Like all other forms of hate and discrimination, anti-Palestinianism must not be tolerated.

Signatories:

1. Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
2. The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO)
3. AMAN Coalition
4. Al-Haq, Law in the service of man
5. The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH
6. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza (PCHR)
7. Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights
8. Abdel ـ Shafi Community Health Association (ACHA)
9. Adam association for the development of family society
10. Addameer – Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
11. AFKAR Organization for Educational and Cultural Development
12. Agricultural Development Society
13. Aisha Association for Woman & Child Protection
14. Al Adham for Development
15. Al Ataa' Charitable Society
16. Al Awda Health and Community Association
17. Al Nahda Association for Development and Growth (NADG)
18. Al Najda Social Association
19. AL RAAFA ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIALLY DEVELOPMENT & HANDICAPPED CARE
20. Al Sattar Garbee Association for Developing Countryside and Farmer
21. AL-Foukhary Association For Development and Culture
22. Almanal Society for Developing the Rural Women
23. Alnajda Developmental Forum
24. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society
25. Altaghreed Association For Culture And Development
26. Al-Tawasol Forum Society
27. Alternatives Forum - Palestine
28. Amwaj Association for Community Development and Improvement
29. Arab center for Agricultural Development (ACAD) /Ramallah – Gaza
30. Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor (Al Marsad)
31. Association for Visually Impaired Graduate League
32. Basma Society for Culture and Arts
33. Beit Lahia Youth Center Association
34. Bisan Center for Research and Development
35. Brilliant Tomorrow for Homes Sons Society
36. Center for Defense of Liberties & Civil Rights “Hurryyat”
37. Center of Women's Legal Research, Counseling and Protection
38. Central Blood Bank Society
39. Centre for Culture and Development
40. Charitable Family Development Association
41. Community Action Center / Al-Quds University
42. Community Media Center
43. Defense for Children International – Palestine
44. Disability Representative Body Network
45. Dr. Haidar Abdelshafi Centre for Culture and Development
46. El Amal Rehabilitation Society - Rafah
47. El-Braem Development Society
48. Faisal Husseini Foundation
49. Federation of Woman Action Committee
50. Filastiniyat
51. Future Association for Development and Environment
52. Future Charity Association
53. Gaza Community Mental Health Programme - GCMHP
54. Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP) | Gaza, Palestine
55. General Union of Cultural Centers
56. Ghassan Kanafani Development
57. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
58. Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium (JHRC)
59. Jerusalem Legal Aid Center (JLAC)
60. Khuzaa permaculture association center
61. LABOR RESOURCES CENTER - LRC
62. Land Research Center (LRC)
63. Local Association For Social Services
64. MA'AN Development Center
65. Mabarret Palestine Society for Caring (MPC)
66. Milad Association for Youth Development
67. Mothers School Society
68. National Center for Rural Development Association
69. National Society for Rehabilitation
70. Nawa for Culture and Arts Association
71. Palestine Amputee Football Association
72. Palestinian Agricultural Development Association
73. Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)
74. Palestinian Center of Organic Agriculture
75. Palestinian Crescent Society for Relief and Development
76. Palestinian Developmental Women Studies Association
77. Palestinian Farmers’ Union
78. Palestinian Health Work Committees (HWC)
79. Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
80. Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
81. Palestinian Non–Governmental Organization against Domestic Violence against Women (Al Muntada)
82. Palestinian Social Forum (PSF)
83. Palestinian Youth Union
84. PALTEAM Association for Community Development
85. Public Aid Society - Gaza
86. Remedial Education Center - REC
87. Rural Women Development Society (RWDS)
88. Science and Culture Center
89. Teacher Creativity Center
90. The Assembly Benevolent Of Operation
91. The Civil Commission for the Independence of Judiciary and Rule of Law “Istqlal”
92. The Culture and Free Thought Association
93. The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development-REFORM
94. The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession MUSAWA
95. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza (PCHR)
96. The Palestinian Development Women Studies Association
97. The Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development PICD
98. The Palestinian Women’s Coalition for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325
99. The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)
100. The Palestinian Youth Association for Leadership and Rights Activation- PYALARA
101. The Society of Women Graduates in Gaza Strip
102. The Women’s Studies Centre
103. Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
104. Union of Health Care Committees (UHCC)
105. Union of Palestinian Women Committees (UPWC)
106. Wasel Center for Youth Development
107. WEFAQ Society for Women and Child Care
108. Women Media and Development
109. Women’s Affairs Technical Committee
110. Women’s Studies Centre
111. Women's Action Association for Rehabilitation Women & the Child
112. Women's Affairs Center /Gaza
113. Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)
114. Youth Development Association
115. YWCA of Palestine
116. Zeina Women's Society

The Israelian crimes against Palestinian children are condemned. The Israeli occupation authorities continue their violations against Palestinian children represented in arresting and abusing them during the arrest process without respecting the child’s protection treaties and the Convention on the Rights of the Child . These crimes are carried out under displacement, murder and intimidation. the highest percentage was after April/October (119), and at the end of October there are 160 children distributed in Megiddo Ofer Damon prison of them About (4) children in administrative detention and (12) children under (12) years old are also detained . According to the testimonies provided by the prisoners and the reports issued by the prisoners’ institutions, they are subjected to the cruelty to which adult prisoners are subjected to torture, unfair trials and inhumane treatment that violates their basic rights and threatens their future is lost. This is against the terms of the Child Agreement ،especially Article 16, which states:

No arbitrary or unlawful interference with a child's private life, family, home, or correspondence, or any lawful prejudice to his honor or reputation.

Which also states:

“The child has the right to be protected by law from this exposure and prejudice.” The occupation does not take into account the young age of children when they are brought to court, and a special court is not formed for them, and the age of the child is set for less than (16) years based on Military Order No. (132). this is a clear violation of Article No. (1) of the Child Convention, which defines a child as “every human being under the age of eighteen.”

The Israeli occupation authorities deprive the child prisoners of the most basic rights granted to them by international conventions that they are entitled to regardless of their religion, nationality. These include the right not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest .it includes:

• The right to know the reason for the arrest.
• The right to obtain a lawyer.
• The family’s right to know the reason for the arrest, and the location of the arrest.
• The right to appear before a judge.
• The right to object and challenge the accusation.
• The right to communicate with the outside world.
• The right to humane treatment that preserves the dignity of the detained child.

Child prisoners in Israeli prisons suffer from harsh and inhumane conditions of detention that lack international standards for children's rights. The prisoners suffer from lack of food and poor quality, lack of hygiene, and the spread of insects Child prisoners are deprived of health care and appropriate medical treatment, and painkillers are usually the treatment for various types of diseases. According to the testimonies of child prisoners, the prison administration refuses to transfer patients from them to prison clinics, and if they transfer them, they are subjected to beatings, insults, and harassment, even from doctors and nurses. Likewise, there is no permanent doctor available in the prison clinic. The occupation is still procrastinating and sometimes refusing to perform surgeries on children who need immediate operations, and this is contrary to international laws that explicitly stipulate the need for medical care for prisoners. Articles (91-92) of the Fourth Geneva Convention stated: “Every prisoner must have a clinic". An event supervised by a qualified doctor, and that the detainees receive the medical care they need, as well as the installation of any medical devices necessary to maintain their health in good condition, free of charge. Free medical examinations must be conducted for the detainees at least once a month, and their purpose is to monitor the health and psychological condition, general nutrition, and hygiene, as well as the detection of infectious diseases. Israeli prisons do not comply with this.

And if we examine the sentences issued unjustly and aggressively, we find that they are high, as one child was sentenced to life imprisonment, three children were sentenced to 15 years in prison, and four other children were sentenced between 5 and 9 years, and often the verdict is accompanied by financial fines (1000-6000 shekels).

The Israeli occupation state is the only country in the world that tries children before military courts. Based on the foregoing, we, the undersigned organizations, demand:

First: The international community to put pressure on the Israeli occupation state and oblige it to implement international agreements on prisoners and detainees, especially child prisoners, and to work for their release.

Second: All international human rights organizations, especially those working in the field of children, such as UNICEF & Dcl, to launch an international campaign to shed light on the suffering of child prisoners in Israeli prisons, and to work for their release.

The signatories to the statement

1. Tunisian General Labor Union
2. Coordination for Maghreb Human Rights Organizations (include 26 HR organizations from Morocco, Mauretania, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya)
3. The Moroccan Coalition for Human Rights Bodies (includes 23 Moroccan human rights organizations)
4. Sudanese Women's Union
5. The Jordan Federation of the independent Trade Unions
6. Union of Palestinian Working Women's Committees
7. Tunisian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
8. The Human Rights Coalition to Stop the Aggression, Lift the Siege, and Build Peace in Yemen (includes 10 organizations from ten Arab countries)
9. Egyptian Coalition for Child Rights (includes 100 institutions)
10. The National Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Yemen
11. The Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN)/Palestine
12. The Palestinian Doctors Association in Europe
13. The Academic Assembly for the support of Palestine-Lebanon
14. Women’s Cultural Assembly for Democracy / Iraq
15. Cultural Rally for Democracy / Iraq
16. NGOs Platform (Tajamoh)(includes 50 organizations)/Lebanon
17. Syrian Coalition Against the Death Penalty (SCODP)
18. Iraqi Coalition Against the Death Penalty
19. The Iraqi Alliance for Human Rights Organizations (includes 55 organizations)
20. The Arab Coalition against the Death Penalty (includes 9 coalitions in 8 countries)
21. Syrian Feminist Alliance to activate Security Council Resolution 1325
22. Yemeni Coalition Against the Death Penalty
23. Acting for change and democracy in Algeria (ACDA)
24. The Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine and Against Normalization(18 organizations(
25. Ibn Rushd Association for Development and Democracy / Iraq
26. The Jordan Society for Human Rights
27. Bahrain Human Rights Society
28. Baraem Association for Social Work/Lebanon
29. The Palestinian National Heritage Society in Lebanon
30. Civil Solidarity Association / Tunis
31. Lebanese Palestinian Communication Association
32. Tunisian Association for the Defense of Individual Liberties
33. Tunisian Association of Democratic Women
34. l'Association des tunisiens en France
35. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society- Aida refugee camp-Bethlehem -Palestine
36. Oak Society/Jordan
37. Working Women's Association/Jordan
38. Association of the International Cultural Network for Palestine
39. Palestinian Diaspora Association / Sweden
40. Palestinian Martyr Association / Lebanon
41. Palestinian Society for Social Communication Ajyal/Lebanon
42. Al-Quds Cultural and Social Association / Lebanon
43. Lebanese Association for Boycott Support
44. Lebanese Association of Democratic Jurists
45. Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development PWWSD”
46. Women’s Association for Women’s Development and Development/ Yemen
47. Association for the Development Center for Palestinian Women / Palestine
48. Moroccan Association in France
49. Moroccan Association for Human Rights
50. The Moroccan Association for Women Progressive
51. Moroccan Association for the Elimination of Violence against Women
52. University Cultural Forum Association / Lebanon
53. Association of the Economic and Social Forum for Women / Jordan
54. Mauritanian Association for the Promotion of Rights
55. Mauritanian Association for Human Rights
56. Arab Women Organization-Jordan
57. I am a Human Soceity for Rights of Persons with Disability
58. Rural Women Development Association / Palestine
59. Jothor Society for Human Rights-Jordan
60. Citizenship Bridges Association/Tunisia
61. Rasid Association for Human Rights/ Lebanon
62. Roaa Women Association-Jordan
63. Women's Network Society for Women Support/ Jordan
64. Chamoua Association for Equality/Morocco
65. Association of the Jordanian Women's Solidarity Institute
66. Orient Forum Association for Freedom and Peace
67. Amman Forum for Human Rights Association/Jordan
68. Women's Association for Jerusalem / Lebanon
69. Protecting human rights defenders around the Arab world/ France
70. The International Campaign to End the Siege on Yemen
71. Boycott campaign / Palestine
72. Tunisian League for Tolerance
73. The Algerian League for Defense Human Rights
74. Association of Women Heads of Families from Mauritania
75. Iraqi League for Human Rights Trainers
76. Freedom Pioneers for Integrity and Human Rights Training / Jordan
77. The Jordanian Network for Human Rights (includes 11 human rights organizations)
78. The Moroccan Democratic Network for Solidarity with the Peoples(includes 38 Commission)
79. The Arab Human Rights Trainers Network
80. Women’s Peace and Security Network (Yemen)
81. Volunteers Network for Development and Human Rights/Egypt
82. The Syrian National Network for Civil Peace and Community Safety.
83. Moroccan space for human rights
84. Filastiniyat / Palestine
85. Federation of Tunisians for citizenship between the two banks
86. The Syrian Federation of Human Rights Organizations and Bodies
87. Moroccan Federation for Human Rights
88. Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria (LDH)
89. Work committees in the camps / Lebanon
90. Committee on Public Liberties and Human Rights / Palestinian Bar Association
91. Syrian Medical Committee/Paris
92. Arab Commission for Human Rights
93. The Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria (Al Rased).
94. The Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia
95. European initiative for the rights of Palestinian prisoners / the Netherlands
96. Palestinian Initiative to Deepen Global Dialogue and Democracy-MIFTAH
97. Egyptian Women Lawyers Initiative
98. World Council for Rights and Freedoms
99. Council on International Relations / Palestine
100. Lawyers for Justice /Yemen
101. Lawyers Without Borders/Yemen
102. Democratic School/Yemen
103. International Observatory for Documentation of Human Rights Violations/ Argentina
104. The Arab Observatory for Human Rights and Citizenship/ Lebanon
105. French Observatory for Human Rights/Paris
106. Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS"/Palestine
107. Africa Center for Studies and Media Services / Mauritania
108. Bahrain Center Against Torture / Bahrain
109. Al-Badeel Center for Studies and Research/Jordan
110. Arab House Center for Research and Studies/Egypt
111. Women’s Studies Center/ Palestine
112. Center for the Defense of Freedoms and Civil Rights "Hurriyat" / Palestine
113. The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Advocates "Musawa"
114. Palestinian Centre for Peace and Democracy PCPD
115. Phenix Center for Economics & Informatics Studies/Jordan
116. Center for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights/Yemen
117. Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights/Palestine
118. Strategic Initiative Center Palestine/Malaysia
119. Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling/Palestine
120. The Dutch Yemeni Center for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms
121. Jothor Center for Human Rights/Jordan
122. Human Rights Center for Memory and Archives/Morocco
123. Center for the Protection and Freedom of Journalists/ Jordan
124. Damascus Center for Theoretical and Civil Studies
125. Adalah Center for Human Rights Studies/Jordan
126. Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS)
127. Eye of Humanity Center for Rights and Development / Yemen
128. Metro Center for Defending the Rights of Journalists/ Iraq
129. Scandinavian Institute of Human Rights/Geneva
130. International Institute for Peace, Justice and Human Rights/Geneva
131. Dialogue Forum for Development and Human Rights / Egypt
132. The Palestinian Democratic Forum in Europe
133. The Cultural and Legal Youth Forum at the Arab Observatory / Lebanon
134. Houran Forum for Citizenship/Syria
135. Economic and Social Forum for Women/Jordan
136. Bahrain Forum for Human Rights
137. Renewal Forum for Citizen and Democratic Thought / Tunisia
138. Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights (Yemen)
139. Sudanese National Civil Forum(includes 54 civil society organizations) / Sudan
140. Moroccan Forum for Truth and Equity
141. Organization of Persons with Dual Disabilities/Yemen
142. African Organization for Human Rights Monitoring/Morocco
143. Libyan Academic Organization
144. The Tunisian Organization against Torture
145. Gender Studies and Information Organization / Iraq
146. Organization for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscience in Syria -Rawanga
147. International Organization for Human Rights and International Law / Norway
148. The Arab Organization for Human Rights in Syria
149. The Kurdish Organization for Human Rights in Syria (DAD)
150. Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
151. National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
152. Yemeni Organization for Dialogue of Religions and Cultures
153. Yemeni Organization for Humanitarian Action / Yemen
154. Freedom House Organization to defend human rights and combat slavery and its remnants/ Mauritania
155. ORGANIZATION FOR FREEDOM OF MEDIAS AND EXPRESSION OFME- HATIM / MOROCCO
156. Human Rights Organization in Syria- Maf
157. Desert Youth Organization for Development and Human Rights / Libya
158. Freedom Martyr Nabil Barakati Organization: Memory and Wafa/ Tunisia
159. Yemeni Organization for Defense Rights and Democratic Freedoms/Yemen
160. Al-Haq Foundation for Freedom of Opinion and Expression and Human Rights/Egypt
161. The Middle East Foundation for Development and Human Rights (Yemen)
162. Addameer Foundation for Human Rights/ Palestine
163. Addameer Foundation for Prisoners Care and Human Rights /Palestine
164. The Arab Foundation to support Civil Society and Human Rights/Egypt
165. The Egyptian Foundation for the Advancement of Childhood Conditions/Egypt
166. National Foundation to Combat Human Trafficking/Yemen
167. Youth Foundation for Community Development / Yemen
168. Future Partners Foundation for Development and Human Rights - Yemen
169. Mada Foundation for Human Rights / Iraq
170. The Coordination Committee for Yemeni NGOs for Children's Rights / Yemen
171. Moroccan Commission for Human Rights
172. The Moroccan Commission for the Support of the Nation's Issue

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In light of the escalating rate of femicide in the Arab world, which recently claimed the lives of university student Naira Ashraf and TV broadcaster Shaima Gamal in Egypt, Iman Arsheed from Jordan, Palestinian engineer in the UAE Lubna Mansour, among many others, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy "MIFTAH" announces its unwavering support for all feminist movements, coalitions and activities calling for a general strike by women across the Arab world on 6/7/2022 and calls on Palestinian women to participate and express their opinion in rejecting violence committed against women.

For decades, Palestinian women have been subjected to the most heinous types of crimes and violations under Israel’s regime of settler-colonialism, occupation and apartheid. They continue to be exposed to various risks due to the ongoing Israeli policies of demolishing their homes and displacing their families, nightly home raids that terrorize them and their children, and willful killings of women at Israeli military checkpoints.

Despite this large-scale injustice inflicted daily, Palestinian women are not exempted from the patriarchal culture and its violent and oppressive manifestations that are prevalent in our society and across the world. It treats them as second-class citizens, de-prioritizes their needs and legitimizes various forms of discrimination and violence against them.

Since the beginning of 2022, six Palestinian women have been murdered inside Israel, followed by the killing of two Palestinian girls in Nablus and Tubas. The perpetrator often evades accountability, as the local society provides cover and legitimizes such crimes. Every year, Palestinian women renew their call on decision-makers to put an end to the horrific series of killings against them. However, many laws that guarantee the protection of the dignity and rights of Palestinian women and their families are still shelved by the government under the pretext of the public mood rejecting them.

Here we are today, joining our voices to all feminist voices, along with all the oppressed groups in our Arab societies, to say enough is enough. It is time for us to stand united against this great injustice, and to combat all practices that rob Arab women of the right to life, devalue them, or justify their oppression. We reject all inherited cultural traits that perpetuate patriarchal authority to control the fate and decisions of Arab women and limit their independence and permit forms of violence and discrimination.

We call upon the authorities throughout the Arab world to stop disregarding women’s issues and to take the necessary measures to protect women from violence, by enacting a system of laws that guarantees safety for women and preserves their dignity and their right to equal participation in various political, economic and social fields, and by underpinning the principles of democracy and equality, the fight against all forms of discrimination as well as the criminalization of its practices.

We also call on Palestinian women to express their rejection of all forms of crimes and violence perpetrated against them, in the manner they find appropriate, whether through demonstrations and vigils in the streets and public spaces, on social media platforms, or a strike on paid or house work, in order to demonstrate the extent of societal rejection of all discriminatory and violent practices against women and to highlight the role of women in building societies and states.

The undersigned human rights organizations strongly condemn the assassination of the journalist, Al-Jazeera correspondent, Shireen Abu Aqleh, after she was targeted by the forces of the occupation and apartheid state with a bullet in the head, and the journalist Ali Al-Samoudi was shot in the back, while covering the storming of the Jenin refugee camp Wednesday morning, 11 5/2022, thus increasing the number of Palestinian journalists and media professionals who were killed by the occupation bullets to (83) journalists since the beginning of 1972.

The signatories affirm that the crime of the occupation that targeted the journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh is a deliberate and premeditated act and a full-fledged assassination operation. The martyr Shireen Abu Aqleh is a direct victim of organized state terrorism, which behaves with the mentality of criminal gangs. This crime came as a result of the systematic incitement against Palestinian journalists by the occupying state against them for their professional role in revealing the truth and exposing its crimes. This is in addition to the international society's silence on the crimes of the occupation committed against the Palestinian people because of their double standards.

The signatories stress that the Israeli occupation forces, by their heinous act, want to obscure the truth and cover up their heinous crimes against the Palestinian people. In addition, the occupation, by its heinous act, wants to scare and intimidate journalists to prevent the transmission of the truth to the world.

The signatories call for the opening of a neutral, independent, and transparent international investigation under the supervision of the International Criminal Court to find out the crime of targeting journalist Abu Aqleh by the occupation forces, and the need to launch an international campaign by the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, the International Federation of Journalists, international non-governmental organizations and Palestinian human rights institutions to hold Israeli war criminals accountable, to prevent impunity for perpetrators, and to bring a legal human rights case regarding this crime before the International Criminal Court, to prosecute Israeli leaders and politicians who publicly incite the killing of Palestinian civilians, including journalists. They are calling on the United Nations and the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to provide the necessary protection for journalists and media crews working in the occupied territories. Likewise, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights considers targeting journalists while covering armed conflicts and wars a war crime, similar to targeting ambulance crews.

The signatories recall that journalists and media workers enjoy special protection under the provisions of international humanitarian law, just like civilians in times of armed conflict, especially Articles (51 and 79) of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, where Article (51) paragraph (2) provides for the protection of the civilian population (the civilian population as such and the civilian population shall not be the object of attack). Article (79) of the same states that “Journalists who undertake dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict are civilians... and they must be protected in this capacity in accordance with the provisions of the conventions.” The crime committed by the occupation forces against journalist Abu Aqleh is a flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists, which the Council issued in May 2015.

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We, the undersigned national figures and civil society organizations, vehemently condemn the Israeli occupation forces’ criminal assault on Birzeit University on 10 January 2022. The Israeli forces raided - namely, the Birzeit University campus, firing live ammunition, injuring students, and abducting and detaining several of them. We hold the occupation authorities fully responsible for the safety of the incarcerated students and demand their immediate release.

This abhorrent crime requires immediate international intervention to provide protection for the Palestinan people as well as Palestinian academic and cultural institutions. It also requires that all Palestinians, individuals and organizations, to rally to the defense of Birzeit University, a distinguished national and academic institution. Birzeit University prides itself on its established and rich history of political and intellectual diversity and inclusion, while practicing and defending participatory democracy, making it a cornerstone in Palestinian resilience as well as the resistance to the occupation. In this context, we call for focusing our collective efforts and energies on confronting the Israeli aggression and denying the occupier the opportunity to undermine and weaken our institutions or meddle in our internal affairs.

We also urge for continued internal dialogue within the university and in a manner that guarantees the resolution of any internal disputes and allows for the prompt resumption of academic life on campus.

• Hanan Ashrawi
• Azmi Al-Shuaibi
• Mamdouh Al-Aker
• Hani Al-Masri
• Abdelqader Al-Husseini
• Shawan Jabarin
• Ammar Dweik
• Issam Arouri
• Majida Al-Masri
• Mohamed Al-Aboushi
• Muhram Al-Barghouthi
• Sami Khader
• Mahmoud Al-Ifranji
• Abdallah Jarrar
• Ubai Aboudi
• Tahrir Al-Araj
• Abdelfattah Abu Surour
• Amjad Al-Shawa
• Hilmi Al-Araj
• Sanaa Shubeita
• Mohamad Salameh
• Khaled Kuzmar
• Fadwa Al-Husseini
• Munjed Abu Jeish
• Fuad Abu Seif
• Mohamad Al-Hasasneh
• Sahar Francis
• Issam Younis
• Alaa Skafi
• Lily Feidy
• Honaisa Ghanem
• Palestinian NGO Network
• Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council

Since the political division in 2007, the Palestinian political system has suffered from the absence of a peaceful transition of power and marginalization of whole generations from their right to political participation, guaranteed in the Palestinian basic law and human rights agreements to which Palestine is a signatory. Hence, elections constitute one of these rights and are a gateway for the values of integrity, transparency and the transition of power as the foundation of good governance. Despite the shortcomings that have wracked the local council electoral system over the years, including tribalism, the sidelining of the role of youth and the diminishing role of women in local councils, still the demand for local elections in all areas in accordance with the Local Authorities Law, is agreed on by all CSOs, including political parties and forces, unions and institutions. They view elections as a democratic tool for change to preserve civic peace and contribute to the institutionalization of the Palestinian political system.

CSOs and civic movements have exerted efforts over the past few months to hold local elections in all local councils in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip on the same day as stipulated in the Local Authorities Law. Most political factions and forces and CSOs agree on the need not to fragment the elections, which contravenes with the stipulations of the law and national interests. It also goes against the premise that local elections are an entryway for laying the ground to hold PNC, PLC and presidential elections in addition to the premise that they should be held in one phase that includes all districts based on a national debate around them.

The Cabinet decision to hold local elections in two stages, the first on 11/12/2021 in the West Bank’s Category (C) village and town councils and the second on 26/3/2021 in West Bank local councils in Categories (A and B) and in the Gaza Strip districts categorized (A.B and C), is in violation of the Local Authorities law and its amendments, which necessitate a plausible reason for holding elections in stages. CSOs believe the government’s continued insistence to hold elections in two stages, with a date for the second stage already set, is an expression of political bias towards one specific faction and far -removed from national interests and the exercise of true political participation and elections on the basis of good governance and the peaceful transition of power.

CSOs reiterate the importance of providing a sound electoral climate in which citizens can exercise their right to candidacy, voting and expression of opinions and can hold all elections-related activities with absolute freedom as stipulated by the Basic Law. They find the current atmosphere as being rife with incitement and mobilization, with continued political arrests and summons of activists by PA security forces on the back of union work and political activity. This, they maintain, has made for an unhealthy elections atmosphere, which can adversely influence the course of the electoral process and results.

CSOs still consider the CEC as a main guarantor for the integrity of the electoral process in terms of its legal procedures for registration, candidacy and voting. They also maintain that the CEC continues to enjoy the respect and trust of the majority of Palestinian society given its role over the years, which has been neutral, transparent and open to civil society and factions alike. This has rendered it a focal point at all stages in the Palestinian democratic process and is imperative for it to continue with the same approach in all stages of this process.

Civil society institutions thus confirm their position regarding the need to hold local council elections in accordance with the requirements of the law. They believe the government, political factions and forces still have time to stop the first phase and prevent the fragmentation of the elections, thereby holding them on one day in all districts. In this way, the date set for the second phase of elections would become the day for all local council elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Prior to this date, a dialogue would be held between all political and social forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip regarding these one-time elections, with CSOs continuing their efforts to reach this goal.

CSO’s reaffirm that the right to vote and run for elections is a basic right, which must have the respect of all parties involved in the electoral process, including electoral lists, regardless of whether they belong to political parties or are independent. This also includes law enforcers who, by law, must not interfere in any stage of the electoral process. The CSOs also reaffirm the need for political parties to respect the law and not interfere in the electoral process in any shape or form and to provide a climate in which citizens can exercise all rights and freedoms guaranteed to them by law. Furthermore, the CSO’s reaffirm the right of all civil society institutions to choose the appropriate manner in which to follow and monitor local elections in all their stages.

The latest crackdown on Palestinians in ‘48, the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and Gaza clearly demonstrates Israel’s institutionalized policy aimed at maintaining its settler colonial and apartheid regime over the Palestinian people as a whole.

Palestinians have been resisting forced displacement, dispossession, and ethnic cleansing in various cities and neighborhoods since 1948. Today, families in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah and in Silwan are fighting to save their homes from being stolen by the occupation and Israeli settlers. In Sheik Jarrah and Silwan, around 7,850 Palestinians remain under threat of forced displacement from their homes and land. Forcible transfer of the occupied population is prohibited under international humanitarian law and constitutes a war crime according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Nahalat Shimon International, a settler organization based in the United States, filed lawsuits to seize the homes of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah using inherently discriminatory laws, such as the Legal and Administrative Matter Laws and the Absentee Property Law of 1950, to forcibly displace Palestinians and confiscate their land or property and transfer their land to Israeli settlers with the support of the Israeli authorities and the judicial system.

Israeli forces systematically deploy disproportionate and unlawful force to disperse protesters during violent raids on Al Aqsa mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulcher and carry out attacks on peaceful protestors in Sheikh Jarrah and other neighborhoods around Jerusalem. After 30 days of repression, 1,000 Palestinians were injured and more than 600 Palestinians were arrested in Jerusalem alone. The total number of arrests is 2650 including Jerusalem, 1948 territories and the West Bank.

We call on the Council to adopt the resolution establishing the Commission of Inquiry addressing the root causes of Israel’s settler colonialism and apartheid as a first step to accountability and justice.

Signatories:

• The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy- MIFTAH
• Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling
• Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
• Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies (RCHRS)
• The Community Action Center
• Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

On 22 April 2021, representatives of 28 Palestinian families constituting approximately 500 Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, and 191 endorsing organisations, sent a letter to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling to urgently include the imminent forced displacement of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah as part of the open investigation within the Situation in the State of Palestine. Specifically, the families called on her Office to include as part of the investigation the related war crimes and crimes against humanity, including forcible transfer, appropriation of property, persecution, apartheid, and other inhumane acts causing great suffering or serious injury to inter alia mental health arising from their forced evictions.

The letter outlines that following the ruling of Israeli courts in favour of eviction lawsuits undertaken by a settler organisation, 87 Palestinians in the neighbourhood are at imminent risk of forced eviction including four families by 2 May 2021 and three other families by 1 August 2021.

Outlining how the current forced evictions would constitute their second or third forced displacement, the Sheikh Jarrah families highlighted their forcible displacement from their homes in Palestinian towns, cities, and villages, during the Nakba, and their ongoing denial of their inalienable right to return to their homes and properties since 1948. They further underscored the coercive environment they are subject to in Jerusalem, which is designed to transform the city’s demographic composition to secure Israeli-Jewish control over Jerusalem and drive ongoing Palestinian displacement.

The Sheikh Jarrah families continue to endure a lengthy, exhausting, and unaffordable legal battle since 1972 in order to confront the eviction lawsuits brought against them by a settler organization before Israeli courts, which unlawfully apply Israeli discriminatory domestic law to the occupied territory. The families are now pursuing accountability before the ICC.

In their letter, the Sheikh Jarrah families called on the Office of the Prosecutor to publicly condemn the imminent forced evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and urgently investigate this case within the Situation of Palestine and intervene to forestall the displacement of these Palestinian families from their homes. The families are supported in their call by 191 organisations, including Palestinian, Israeli, regional and international human rights organisations; Palestinian coalitions representing over 140 Palestinian civil society organisations; solidarity groups for Palestine; faith-based groups; indigenous groups; racial justice groups; and student groups, including Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, American Muslim Bar Association, the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, Arab Organization for Human Rights, B’Tselem - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Grassroots Jerusalem, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), ICAHD (The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions), Jewish Voice for Peace, the National Lawyers Guild, Norwegian People’s Aid, Pax Christi International, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Palestinian NGOs Network, Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC), The Red Nation, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and War on Want.

To access the letter and the list of endorsing organisations, please click here.