This fact sheet highlights the main violations monitored and documented by youth human rights defenders in the Gaza Strip in the 2020-2021 period. It includes facts and figures that point to a general systematic Israeli policy to intentionally violate rights and freedoms - especially the right to health and right to work - in the Gaza Strip (buffer zone).
Young human rights defenders monitored and documented hundreds of violations committed in the Gaza Strip, especially in the buffer zone, in 2020-2021.
This paper summarizes the main findings of this documentation through comprehensive data, facts and figures of the perpetrated violations in the areas of operation.
Violation of the right to work and right to health in the buffer zone in the Gaza Strip
Violating the Right to Work in the Gaza Strip (Buffer Zone)
- Israeli occupation authorities imposed an access-restricted zone that extends up to 1,500 meters in some areas along the Gaza separation fence. Israel intentionally attacks and bulldozes agricultural lands in this area, along with destroying all residential, agricultural, and industrial establishments within a range of 500 meters and bulldozing 75% of establishments within a range of 1,000 meters. Israel also deliberately disrupts the movement of Palestinians in these areas, as well as destroying their properties.
- Israeli soldiers directly target Palestinian agricultural and industrial workers in the area surrounding the separation fence, especially farmers, bird hunters, shepherds, and firewood and scrap material collectors. These attacks are carried out by using different types of machine guns and heavy weaponry (including artillery and rockets) and the shooting of fire from watchtowers and military vehicles. These attacks lead to substantial human and material losses and usually prevent labourers from completing their work, thus losing their livelihoods.
- Since 2014, Israel has been regularly spraying chemical herbicides on Palestinian agricultural lands in the access-restricted areas. Their pretext is that these operations are conducted for security motives and that they aim to remove harmful weeds in the areas adjacent to the separation fence to enable the monitoring of all movement in the access-restricted areas. The spraying of chemical herbicides has long-term negative effects on crops, the environment, health, soil quality, and all creatures (biota) in Palestinian agricultural lands within the access-restricted areas.
Multiple Violations resulting from the Spraying of Chemical Herbicides:
The spraying of toxic chemical herbicides leads to multiple violations against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip buffer zone. These violations include the following:
- Violation of the Right to Life: The chemical herbicides used by Israeli occupation authorities pose a serious threat to residents’ lives, as these substances are highly cancerous and may lead to death. The right to life is among the most sacred rights guaranteed by international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international criminal law. Therefore, Israel should be held accountable for using these dangerous chemical substances, which are considered a violation of the right to life, similar to other grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention. In fact, this violation can be classified as a crime against humanity and a war crime.
- Violation of the Right to Health: Chemical herbicides used by Israeli authorities threaten the health of Palestinians living in the buffer zone, as they cause chronic and cancerous diseases/tumors. This is a contravention of the international human rights law, which highlights the right of all persons to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical health.
- Violation of the Right to a Clean Environment: The spraying of toxic chemical herbicides has catastrophic environmental effects on the soil and agricultural crops. This is because they contain toxic substances that lead to long-term damages to crops, the environment, health, and soil quality. This action is inconsistent with international human rights law, especially Article (12) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which stipulates the commitment of States Parties to improve all aspects of environmental hygiene.
- Violation of the Right to Work: Israel’s spraying of toxic chemical herbicides is a violation of the right to work due to the curtailing of job opportunities, thus leading to higher unemployment rates. This is because the sprayed chemical herbicides seriously harm the soil, in a way that prevents the growth of plants for long periods of time, thus reducing employment opportunities for agricultural workers.[1] These practices are in clear breach of international law, especially the international human rights law. For example, Article (23) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work.[2] These actions are also in contravention of Articles (6) and (7) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which oblige States Parties to recognize the right to work and the right of everyone to enjoy just and favourable work conditions.
The following table includes statistical data on the violations committed by Israeli authorities in Gaza’s access-restricted area by land in 2020:
|
Category |
Number of incidents |
|
Shooting and shelling on farmers and agricultural lands |
612 |
|
Bird hunters |
6 |
|
Shepherds |
39 |
|
Arrests |
15 |
|
Bombardment of empty lands |
25 |
- Between January 2005 and the end of June 2020, there were 1,092 incidents of gunfire shooting on farmers in the access-restricted area.
- In 2020, Israeli occupation forces reduced the permitted fishing areas for Palestinian fishermen to a distance of 6 nautical miles in the governorates of Gaza and Northern Gaza, and around 9-15 nautical miles in the governorates of Al-Wusta, Khan Younis and Rafah (south of the Gaza Strip). Also, Palestinian maritime activity is completely forbidden in some cases.
- In addition to the imposed restrictions, there were cases of Israel’s killing, arresting, and torturing of Palestinian fishermen and confiscating and destroying their boats and equipment. This emanated from the current Israeli policy against Palestinian fisherman and fishing sector, which aims to disrupt their livelihoods.
The following table includes data about the violations perpetrated by Israeli forces against Gaza’s fishermen in 2020:
|
Type of Violation |
Number of Violations in 2020 |
|
Cases of gunfire shooting |
308 |
|
Number of detainees |
10 |
|
Number of injuries |
12 |
|
Number of confiscated boats |
4 |
|
Number of cases of sabotaging fishing boats |
12 |
The Israeli attacks on agricultural, industrial, and fishing sector workers have led to the following violations:
- Violation of the Right to Life, in contravention of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
- Violation of the Right to Freedom and the Practice of Torture, whereas the right to freedom is considered one of the most vital rights highlighted by international human rights conventions. There were also many cases in which Israel arrested Palestinian residents in the buffer zone (especially farmers and fishermen) and subjected them to torture.
The Israeli authorities’ practice of torture against Palestinians living in the buffer zone – especially farmers and fishermen – is a flagrant violation of international law, including international human rights law, which highlights the duties of States Parties towards all persons under their control. These actions also violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (especially Article (7) of this Covenant) and the United Nations Convention against Torture.
The aforementioned Israeli practices also violate the international humanitarian law, which is concerned with the duties of the occupying power vis-à-vis the residents of occupied territories. Within this framework, the said Israeli actions violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, especially Article (3)(1)(a). Furthermore, Article (147) of the Fourth Geneva Convention considers torture among the “grave breaches” that entail the activation of universal jurisdiction and the undertaking of effective penal measures in accordance with Article (146) of the said convention.
The aforementioned Israeli practices are also inconsistent with the Rome Statute, whose seventh article tackles the subject of crimes against humanity.
Violation of the Right to Work:
The various measures implemented by Israeli authorities against Palestinian residents inside the buffer zone (especially farmers) seriously affect the right to work and increase the unemployment rate. This constitutes a blatant violation of international law, especially the international human rights law. For example, Article (23) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that “everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work”. Israeli actions are also inconsistent with Article (25) of the said Declaration, which states that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family”. Additionally, Articles (6) and (7) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights oblige countries to recognize the right to work and the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favorable conditions of work.
Violation of the Right to Health:
- Gaza Strip patients are continuously suffering from unjust restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities, which prevent them from going to hospital to receive treatment in light of the difficult permit system. This suffering is exacerbated by the great shortage in medicines and medical supplies in the Gaza Strip due to Israel’s ongoing siege on Gaza. For example, the imposed siege has prevented the Ministry of Health from fixing 350 medical devices due to their inability to import spare parts for medical devices, leading to the deterioration of health conditions and seriously threatening people’s lives.
- Other violations are committed by Israel in addition to the imposed siege and restrictions on the entry of medicines and medical supplies into Gaza. Examples include targeting the Palestinian health sector - in clear breach of international humanitarian law - by bombing hospitals, medical workers, health care centers, and ambulances. This significantly weakened the [Palestinian] health sector and prevented the accommodation of patients, especially severe health cases that need special care. MIFTAH organization monitored and detected 418 violations of the right to health in 2020.
- The above-mentioned Israeli practices are inconsistent with international law, especially international human rights law. For example, Article (25) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stresses the right of everyone to receive medical care in the event of sickness. These Israeli actions also violate Article (12) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which stipulates that everyone has the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical health. This article also obligates States Parties to create conditions that would assure medical service and medical attention to all persons in the event of sickness.
***
[1] The multiple violations resulting from the spraying of toxic chemical herbicides – including the violation of the right to life and right to work – will be discussed in further detail in the next section, within the context of addressing the violations against agricultural, industrial, and fishing sector workers.
[2] See Article (23) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
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Factsheet - Fair Tax Monitor 2019-2024
Date posted: February 20, 2025
By MIFTAH
Introduction
The tax system is a financial and economic policy tool through which society's goals and objectives are realized based on its intellectual philosophy and ideology. Thus, the tax system is based on certain economic, social, and political pillars and foundations that differ from one society to another, from one country to another, and in the same country from one stage to another. Taxation has become not only a source of revenue for the state, but also a social and economic function, in addition to its traditional financial function, by becoming one of the economic tools through which economic development can be achieved, addressing inflation and stagnation, redistributing incomes, and raising the standard of living of citizens to advance the national economy in general .
The analytical review of the philosophy of tax systems shows that it is based on social, financial, and economic foundations. Its social function is to redistribute wealth to ensure social justice in the state, and to use tax revenues to achieve social stability and provide social services, and social protection for marginalized, vulnerable, and poor groups. Its financial function is to secure revenues for the state treasury to cover public expenditures, while its economic function is represented by the fact that it is a major tool of the state's fiscal policy, which it uses in order to stimulate economic growth, reduce inflation levels, protect the national economy, or stimulate some economic sectors, by imposing certain taxes, tax cuts, and others.
Based on these foundations and principles, the Palestinian tax system must achieve the philosophy of taxation by maximizing revenues, protecting the national economy, and, most importantly, achieving and enforcing social justice for all social groups . And responding to gender issues.
In 2024, the FairTax Monitor-FTM in the Palestinian Territories was updated, complementing the previous monitor’s data, which was published in 2018. The current update focuses on the years 2019-2024 and presents a set of conclusions and facts, the most important of which are:
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Factsheet on the status of Palestinian digital rights for CSOs and consequences of the genocide
Date posted: January 15, 2025
By MIFTAH
As part of its work in the field of public and digital diplomacy to expand global communication outreach in support of the Palestinian cause, MIFTAH conducted an assessment survey on the cognitive capabilities of civil society organizations (CSO) in the West Bank, including Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, on digital rights and its implementation.
This survey reflects the complex reality of digital rights in occupied Palestine and assesses how prepared CSOs are in dealing with growing digital challenges, especially after the 2023 genocide. The survey sheds light on the gaps in digital knowledge and the infrastructure for digital security, which is a particular challenge, hampering the ability of institutions to protect their data and effectively carry out their role.
The survey is based on the descriptive methodology, including questionnaires from 55 institutions in the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip, in addition to in-depth interviews with six digital rights, women’s and other institutions working in the Gaza Strip. The qualitative data was analyzed using advanced tools such as Nvivo and SPSS.
Overview
According to the outcomes of the survey, CSOs target various sectors, with women being the most targeted sector at 43.6%, followed by children, at 16.4%, the elderly at 12.7% and youth at 10.9%. Meanwhile, persons with disabilities were targeted at 9.1% and media persons at 7.3%. Furthermore, the results of the survey showed that 34.5% of CSOs target all sectors indiscriminately, thus reflecting the comprehensiveness of the sample.
The scope of the work of Palestinian institutions is distributed within the districts as follows: Ramallah, at 50.9% of institutions, Hebron, at 40%, Jerusalem at 34.5% and Nablus at 38.2%. It also extends to the Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarm and Salfeet governorates at 29.1% each and the northern Jordan Valley at 32.7%, Jericho and the Jordan Valley at 27.3% and Qalqilya at 25.5%.
In the Gaza Strip, the work of CSOs in northern Gaza stood at 40%, Khan Younis at 29.1% Gaza City at 40%, Rafah at 25.5% and Deir Al Balah at 27.3%.
The locations of Palestinian CSO included in the survey were distributed among cities, camps and villages, with the majority of CSOs concentrated in cities, at 74.5%. Villages were the headquarters of 16.4% of the institutions while only 9.1% were based on camps. This distribution reflects the urban concentration of CSOs and highlights the need for increased presence in rural areas and in camps, to promote inclusiveness and access to marginalized and vulnerable sectors.
The size of Palestinian CSOs participating in this survey varied in terms of the number of employees. The survey showed that 27.3% of institutions include from one to 10 employees, while 16.4% have 11 to 15 employees. The largest majority of CSOs, 41.8% had between 16 and 30 employees while only 14.5% of institutions had over 31 employees. This distribution reflects the variety in size of CSOs, with most institutions either small or medium size, which is compatible with the survey sample.
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Sexual violence as a weapon of genocide
Date posted: October 09, 2024
By MIFTAH
Background
Since the beginning of its illegal occupation in 1967, Israel has detained over 1 million Palestinians, who are tried in Israeli military courts with a conviction rate close to 100%. Israel also detains Palestinians with no charge or trial for an indefinite period under so-called “administrative detention”. This policy of mass arbitrary arrest is one of the tools used to maintain Israel's illegal occupation, apartheid regime and settler-colonial project.
To date, over 10,400 Palestinians have been arbitrarily arrested since October, 2023. The conditions of Palestinian prisoners have significantly deteriorated since the beginning of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and imprisoned Palestinians are being subjected to torture, starvation, violent cell raids, including with tear gas, deliberate medical negligence, denial of food, water, sanitary pads and sanitation, as well as denial of lawyers and family visits.
Despite the absolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment under international law, Israeli occupation forces and prison authorities employ various torture and ill-treatment techniques against almost all Palestinian political prisoners and detainees, including women and children, leaving grave physical and psychological damage. Israeli prison authorities, occupation forces and interrogators feel emboldened to commit such acts of torture with full impunity, knowing that neither the complicit Israeli legal system nor the international community will hold them accountable.
While sexual violence against Palestinian women and men has long been a tactic of torture at Israeli military checkpoints, during raids on their own homes and inside prisons, it has rapidly increased since the start of the genocide in Gaza. Palestinian women are often hesitant to share such stories, in fear of the associated social stigma, something which Israel exploits, and also due to the belief that Israel’s crimes will go unpunished.
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