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:
- Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
- The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO)
- AMAN Coalition
- Al-Haq, Law in the service of man
- The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH
- Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza (PCHR)
- Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights
- Abdel ـ Shafi Community Health Association (ACHA)
- Adam association for the development of family society
- Addameer – Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
- AFKAR Organization for Educational and Cultural Development
- Agricultural Development Society
- Aisha Association for Woman & Child Protection
- Al Adham for Development
- Al Ataa' Charitable Society
- Al Awda Health and Community Association
- Al Nahda Association for Development and Growth (NADG)
- Al Najda Social Association
- AL RAAFA ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIALLY DEVELOPMENT & HANDICAPPED CARE
- Al Sattar Garbee Association for Developing Countryside and Farmer
- AL-Foukhary Association For Development and Culture
- Almanal Society for Developing the Rural Women
- Alnajda Developmental Forum
- Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society
- Altaghreed Association For Culture And Development
- Al-Tawasol Forum Society
- Alternatives Forum - Palestine
- Amwaj Association for Community Development and Improvement
- Arab center for Agricultural Development (ACAD) /Ramallah – Gaza
- Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor (Al Marsad)
- Association for Visually Impaired Graduate League
- Basma Society for Culture and Arts
- Beit Lahia Youth Center Association
- Bisan Center for Research and Development
- Brilliant Tomorrow for Homes Sons Society
- Center for Defense of Liberties & Civil Rights “Hurryyat”
- Center of Women's Legal Research, Counseling and Protection
- Central Blood Bank Society
- Centre for Culture and Development
- Charitable Family Development Association
- Community Action Center / Al-Quds University
- Community Media Center
- Defense for Children International – Palestine
- Disability Representative Body Network
- Dr. Haidar Abdelshafi Centre for Culture and Development
- El Amal Rehabilitation Society - Rafah
- El-Braem Development Society
- Faisal Husseini Foundation
- Federation of Woman Action Committee
- Filastiniyat
- Future Association for Development and Environment
- Future Charity Association
- Gaza Community Mental Health Programme - GCMHP
- Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP) | Gaza, Palestine
- General Union of Cultural Centers
- Ghassan Kanafani Development
- Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
- Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium (JHRC)
- Jerusalem Legal Aid Center (JLAC)
- Khuzaa permaculture association center
- LABOR RESOURCES CENTER - LRC
- Land Research Center (LRC)
- Local Association For Social Services
- MA'AN Development Center
- Mabarret Palestine Society for Caring (MPC)
- Milad Association for Youth Development
- Mothers School Society
- National Center for Rural Development Association
- National Society for Rehabilitation
- Nawa for Culture and Arts Association
- Palestine Amputee Football Association
- Palestinian Agricultural Development Association
- Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)
- Palestinian Center of Organic Agriculture
- Palestinian Crescent Society for Relief and Development
- Palestinian Developmental Women Studies Association
- Palestinian Farmers’ Union
- Palestinian Health Work Committees (HWC)
- Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
- Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
- Palestinian Non–Governmental Organization against Domestic Violence against Women (Al Muntada)
- Palestinian Social Forum (PSF)
- Palestinian Youth Union
- PALTEAM Association for Community Development
- Public Aid Society - Gaza
- Remedial Education Center - REC
- Rural Women Development Society (RWDS)
- Science and Culture Center
- Teacher Creativity Center
- The Assembly Benevolent Of Operation
- The Civil Commission for the Independence of Judiciary and Rule of Law “Istqlal”
- The Culture and Free Thought Association
- The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development-REFORM
- The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession MUSAWA
- The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza (PCHR)
- The Palestinian Development Women Studies Association
- The Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development PICD
- The Palestinian Women’s Coalition for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325
- The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)
- The Palestinian Youth Association for Leadership and Rights Activation- PYALARA
- The Society of Women Graduates in Gaza Strip
- The Women’s Studies Centre
- Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
- Union of Health Care Committees (UHCC)
- Union of Palestinian Women Committees (UPWC)
- Wasel Center for Youth Development
- WEFAQ Society for Women and Child Care
- Women Media and Development
- Women’s Affairs Technical Committee
- Women’s Studies Centre
- Women's Action Association for Rehabilitation Women & the Child
- Women's Affairs Center /Gaza
- Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)
- Youth Development Association
- YWCA of Palestine
- Zeina Women's Society
Palestinian civil society condemns Poland’s double standards and failure to uphold international law by granting immunity to Israeli leadership
Date posted: January 15, 2025
By MIFTAH
The undersigned Palestinian civil society organizations condemn the resolution passed by the Polish government and signed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stating that the highest level of the Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, can enter Poland freely. This comes despite the fact that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu (another arrest warrant has been issued for the former Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant).
Being a signatory to the Rome Statute, the founding document of the International Criminal Court, Poland is legally obligated to respect and abide by the Court’s decisions, including to carry out the arrest warrants for Israeli officials on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The double standards with respect to the ongoing genocide in Gaza are clear as Poland recently protested Mongolia’s decision not to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Respect and ensuring respect of international law and treaties is not a matter of political will. Adherence to the Rome Statute concerns fundamental obligations that must be respected by all State parties. Choosing to politicize international courts and cherry-picking which legal obligations to follow renders international law meaningless and poses a serious threat to the international law-based order.
We call on Poland to reverse this decision to fully comply with its obligations under the Rome Statute, implement the arrest warrants issued by the ICC, and abide by the ICJ Advisory Opinion calling on all States to not recognize Israel’s unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and to not render aid or assistance in maintaining Israel’s illegal occupation, as well as as well as decisions and orders by other international courts and UN resolutions. We further call on the international community as a whole to support the ICC, the ICJ, and uphold the integrity of the international legal system by abiding by their rulings.
Signatories:
- The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH
- Al-Haq
- Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
- The Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC)
- Defence for Children International - Palestine
- Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
- Bisan Center for Research and Development
- Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
- Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
Urgent Appeal to stop the ongoing Israeli Genocide and Sexual Violence in Gaza
Date posted: March 26, 2024
By MIFTAH
This is an urgent and repeated appeal to the world to immediately intervene, in light of the recent stories of rape and sexual violence against Palestinian women by Israeli occupation forces during Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Palestinian women are being displaced, tortured, killed and forcibly disappeared, while the world sits idle. Silence and inaction in the wake of these horrifying crimes amount to complicity.
Over the past few days, more horrifying testimonies and stories have emerged from Gaza of sadistic acts by Israeli soldiers, including torture, rape, and mass field executions at hospitals where civilians are seeking shelter, medical treatment and refuge.
Palestinian civil society and UN experts have sounded the alarm multiple times and reported cases of rape and sexual violence before and during this genocide. These reports continue to be deliberately and inexcusably ignored, including by prominent and otherwise vocal feminist organizations and figures.
The deafening silence of “Western” feminists and mainstream media in particular is deliberate and inexcusable, as opposed to their earlier outrage over Israeli allegations and misinformation, used to justify this genocide.
Many Palestinian women and girls who are survivors of rape and sexual violence are hesitant to come forward, due to the social stigma in a conservative society and the belief that Israel will not be held accountable for such crimes.
Israel is committing the most horrific war crimes, and weaponizing rape and sexual violence against Palestinians as part of its genocide in Gaza and assault on the Palestinian people as a whole, throughout all of Palestine. This is the result of decades of impunity, preferential treatment and lack of international accountability by the international community. Words are not enough to describe or stop this horror; action is needed.
We conclude this SOS appeal by reminding our sisters and allies around the world that our rights, our dignity, and our humanity are indivisible. Forsaking Palestinian victims now for political convenience would be an unforgivable betrayal to decades of sacrifice and feminist struggle.
We call for:
- The international community must employ all available tools of international accountability, including political and economic sanctions, to bring an immediate and lasting ceasefire and provision of unconditional humanitarian aid.
- States must immediately impose an arms embargo on Israel and honor their moral and legal obligations, including those pronounced in the Genocide Convention.
- States need to investigate and prosecute Israeli soldiers with dual citizenship implicated in these atrocities.
- The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict must honor her mandate and launch an immediate investigation into the ongoing atrocities.
- Feminists around the world must sound the alarm globally on the unspeakable human rights violations taking place in Gaza, namely the sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian women and girls.
- Journalists and media outlets must do their due diligence in reporting on these stories through fair and unbiased coverage.
Signatories:
- American Federation of Ramallah Palestine
- Association of women’s Action
- AWMR Italia - Donne della Regione Mediterranea
- Bisan Center for Research and Development
- Community Development and Media Center
- Cultura è libertà una campagna per la Palestina
- Enjaz Foundation for development
- Filastiniyat
- Human Rights and Democracy Media Center SHAMS
- Institute of Women's Studies
- Not to forget women society
- Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
- Palestinian Women's Action committee
- Rete Femminista Marche Molto+di194
- Rural Women Development Society
- Sinal do Vale
- Singola
- Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice
- The center for defense of liberties and civil rights “Hurryyat”
- The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy - MIFTAH
- The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development-PWWSD
- The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in Southwest Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)
- Union of Palestinian Women Committees
- Wattan media network
- Women Media and Development
- Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
- رابطة المرأة العراقية
- شبكة المستقبل الديمقراطية العراقية
Where are the rights of Palestinian Women on International Women’s Day?
Date posted: March 07, 2024
By Palestinian NGO Forum to Combat Violence against Women
We, at the Palestinian NGO Forum to Combat Violence against Women and all Arab women’s and rights organizations raise our voices loud and clear on the eve of March 8, to say: “Stop the onslaught and crimes against women and children in Gaza. Stop the crime of genocide, the crime of starvation and forced displacement”. So far, this aggression has resulted in the killing of 31,000 Palestinians, over 70% of whom are women and children. Two women are killed every hour , in addition to many others still under the rubble. There are women whose fate is unknown, after being taken away by occupation forces.
Who will restore normalcy for us Palestinian women after these atrocities?
We have always held activities on March 8. We had a long list of rights we demanded and others we were able to achieve. However today, as the women of Gaza are being annihilated, we stand the length and breadth of our homeland and our Arab nations, angry, in a state of revolution and in deep mourning. Our demand today is to halt the genocide in the Gaza Strip and to halt the reproductive genocide against our women. We declare this day the day of Palestinian women, as they stand hungry in long queues, waiting for insufficient aid, terrified of the skies above them, filled with missiles of death. This is for the women whose bodies are exhausted, in camps for the displaced and in shelter centers, for those raped in prison and for their naked bodies stripped at checkpoints. It is for the menstruating women who cannot find sanitary products and for those with high-risk pregnancies who are starving, displaced and bombed. It is for the women whose wombs may be removed for the simplest of medical complications and those whose privacy has been violated because of overcrowded tents and displacement. It is for the mothers who could die at any moment and for all women whose Palestinianism has crucified humanity at the altar, amid deafening Arab silence, boundless American support and the complicity of several European countries.
Nevertheless, we continue to appreciate all forms of Arab and international support and solidarity with the Palestinian cause, which shows respect for our people’s dignity. Widening this solidarity will further reaffirm the justness of our cause. Hence, we await more action and movements in solidarity of our right to demand an immediate end to the genocide in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem, to forge our way forward towards freedom, self-determination and the establishment of an independent and fully-sovereign Palestinian state.
Today, we Palestinian and Arab women, reaffirm the following on March 8 and every day forward:
- To put pressure on Israel to immediately halt its aggression and to hold its leaders accountable for their crimes in violation of international law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and all international laws and treaties, towards delegitimizing this occupying entity.
- To open the Rafah Crossing and all crossings to allow aid in and the wounded out for treatment
- To dismantle the land corridor linking Israel with some Arab countries supplying it with goods
Long Live Palestinian Women, who stand steadfast and resistant in the face of the Zionist aggression We speak in the voices of Gaza’s women and say:
Halt the genocide…halt the onslaught immediately!
