Consul General
EU Representative Office
Dear Madam or Sir,
MIFTAH (The Palestinian Initiative for Global Dialogue and Democracy), LAW (The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights & The Environment), and PCHR (The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights) are appalled by the ongoing silence and lack of effective action of the international community, in particular of the EU, in the face of the recent escalation by the Israeli occupying forces attacks. These assaults are targeting the the Palestinian civilian population in key Palestinian cities and adjacent refugee camps in the last few days, including within and near Tulkarem, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Ramallah, Al Bireh, Qalqilya, Hebron and within the Gaza Strip. Refugees and other civilians are being terrorised by brutal and deliberate campaigns of violence and incursions.
The military incursion, siege and invasion at Balata refugee camp in Nablus starting 28 February 2002, marked a new phase of cruelty and even more extreme Israeli methods of attacking civilians, that has been subsequently followed in the other refugee camps (including Tulkarem Nur al Shams; Jenin refugee camp; Aaza, Aida and Deheisha in Bethlehem; Al Arrob in Hebron; Khan Younis, Rafah and Jabalya in Gaza) and other civilian residential areas throughout the West Bank and Gaza. As we write, Amari and Qaddura refugee camps in Ramallah and Khan Younis in Gaza are currently under siege and attack. These tactics are an enactment of Sharon's stated 'new' policy for the Israeli occupation, on 6 March 2002 that "the Palestinians must be hit and it must be very painful. We must cause them losses, victims, so that they feel the heavy price…."
The military tactics include:
- use of heavy weaponry in intensive strikes against the mass civilian population in densely populated residential areas, including ground missiles launched from tanks, tank shells, missiles from helicopter gunships and F-16 warplanes, deployment of tanks, armoured personnel carriers and heavily armed paratroopers, live ammunition;
- high numbers of civilian casualties and fatalities (at least 113 killed and 368 injured between 28 February 2002 to 10 March 2002) as a result of the disproportionate and lethal use of force in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Since September 2000 to date at least 1,160 Palestinians have been killed and 18,307 injured in the West Bank and Gaza. ;
- assassinations of targeted individuals carried out during these operations where arrests or other means of restraint could have been used (at least 70 have been assassinated and at least 20 bystanders (including 5 children) since November 2000 to 11 March 2002);
- mass arbitrary arrests of all those male Palestinians between 14 and 48 years. Initial reports indicate that these detainees, including children, are being arbitrarily arrested, and held in detention camps outside their areas before it is determined whether they should be held or even questioned for suspected 'terrorist' activity. This contravenes their rights against arbitrary arrest and detention. Since 28 February 2002, it is estimated that about 2,200 Palestinians have been arbitrarily arrested and detained. Cruel, inhuman and degrading methods used during these mass arrests have included blindfolding, hand-cuffing, strip-searching with removal of upper clothing; and numbers written on their arms (reported in BBC and Ha'aretz, 12 March 2002);
- extensive unnecessary destruction of property including of civilian homes, workplaces, hospitals, ambulances, fieldclinics, schools, universities, churches and mosques; and key infrastructure including water supplies and electricity lines. The new methods used since Balata includes the destruction of all the walls between adjoining homes, as soldiers move from home to home. Family homes have also been blown up by Israeli forces in situations where they state that 'suspects' have been in those homes rather than attempting to enter and arrest the purported suspects.
- Access to vital services and supplies, such as electricity, water and food, have been restricted or denied altogether, exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis in all these areas - in violation of international humanitarian law.
Israeli occupying forces have also intensified their deliberate attacks on paramedics, medical staff and patients in ambulances; and hospitals and field clinics. Since September 2000 to about 1 March 2002 the PRCS estimate that about 165 of their ambulances have been attacked with damage to 69 vehicles (c. 68% of their fleet); and about 122 PRCS emergency medical personnel have been injured. LAW estimates that since September 2000 to 6 March 2002 about 17 medical staff have been killed by Israeli forces. It is estimated that since 28 February 2002 to date, about 6 paramedics have been killed, 12 injured and 5 ambulances totally destroyed, 10 partially damaged). Those constituting wilful killings or wilfully caused serious injuries amount to a grave breach of article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention; and under Article 85(2) of Protocol 1 as wilful killings or wilfully caused serious injuries committed against the wounded or sick, "or against those medical or religious personnel, medical units or medical transports which are under the control of the adverse Party…." The attacks and denial of access to humanitarian assistance and medical treatment are also in violation of other international humanitarian law.
Human Rights Watch has reiterated that such deliberate attacks are grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions (namely war crimes) and have called for investigations into all these incidents of firing on medical personnel. The International Committee of the Red Cross and PRCS have publicly stated that all ambulances were clearly marked and were coordinating their movements closely with the Israeli authorities. 9 March 2002, the Israeli NGO, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel lodged a second petition in the High Court on the issue of these Israeli attacks on ambulances and prevention of evacuation.
These military attacks and methods, have been 'justified' on the flimsy pretext of rooting out 'terrorists' and 'terrorist bases'. However, these methods have been in effect punishing the entire, defenceless population. Furthermore, no so-called security or military purposes can justify the methods employed in particular the grave breaches, (war crimes) and other serious violations of international humanitarian law currently being perpetrated by the Israeli occupying forces. These massive attacks against Palestinian civilians in densely populated areas, deliberate impoverishment and starvations polices include the following grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, pursuant to article 85, Protocol 1 to the Conventions: namely, "making of the civilian population the object of attack", in particular the launch of "indiscriminate attacks affecting the civilian population or civilian objects in the knowledge that such attacks will cause excessive loss of life, injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects", "making non-defended localities and demilitarised zones the object of attack", making persons the "object of attack in the knowledge that [they are] hors de combat"; and "making the clearly-recognised historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples and to which special protection has been given…the object of attack….".
In addition, Israeli occupation forces under political and military orders have perpetrated grave breaches of article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention (namely, war crimes) including wilful killings of purported 'suspected terrorists' as well as clearly marked paramedics and medical staff in ambulances during the course of their work, "wilfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial", disproportionate use of force intended to "great suffering or serious injury to body or health"; as well as "extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly."
LAW, MIFTAH and PCHR urge the international community, in particular the EU, to immediately intervene by:
- undertaking an unequivocal denunciation of these brutal actions, in particular the grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention (i.e. war crimes);
- ensuring the Israeli occupying power's respect of its obligations by taking effective measures, in particular economic sanctions such as the immediate suspension of the EU-Association agreement and other key trade agreements;
- ending these grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention (war crimes) and other serious violations of international humanitarian law by immediately sending an independent, effective international protection presence to the area;
- providing an alternative that is capable of dealing with the core of the problem and ending the Israeli occupation, illegal settlement policies and providing refugee rights of return.
- complying with their own obligations by:
- investigating, and bringing the perpetrators of such war crimes to trial, and by establishing a War Crimes Tribunal to prosecute such war criminals; and
- ending all aid used to perpetrate such crimes in particular by ending the supply of all arms used against the Palestinian civilian population.
| Hanan Ashrawi Secretary General MIFTAH |
Khader Shkirat Director General LAW |
Raji Sourani Director General PCHR |
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!
