Opportunity for Israeli Palestinian Peace \221Slipping Away\222, Fourth Committee Hears During Consideration of Special Committ

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Opportunity for Israeli Palestinian Peace \221Slipping Away\222, Fourth Committee Hears During Consideration of Special Committ 4 November 2011 General Assembly GA/SPD/497 Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York Sixty-sixth General Assembly Fourth Committee 21 st Meeting (AM) OPPORTUNITY FOR ISRAELI ‑‑‑PALESTINIAN PEACE ‘SLIPPING AWAY’, FOURTH COMMITTEE HEARS DURING CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES Palestinian Observer Says ‘Occupying Power’ ‘Makes Mockery’ of International Law; Israel Highlights ‘Glaring Omissions’ in Special Committee’s ‘One ‑‑‑Sided Narrative’ The opportunity for Israeli ‑Palestinian peace was “slipping away” and all efforts must be exerted to achieve a final peace settlement, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as it began its consideration of the work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. For its report, the Special Committee, which was established by the General Assembly in 1968, had carried out its first ever mission to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically to the Gaza Strip, by crossing Egypt’s border with Gaza. It also convened meetings in Jordan, and engaged with interlocutors in the occupied Syrian Golan via videoconferences. In the course of its mission, the Special Committee collected testimony from 53 individuals. During the morning’s debate, the observer for Palestine said that while Israeli officials had made statements in the media and at the United Nations about their commitment to realizing peace, according to the Special Committee’s report, during the reporting period more than 91 persons had been killed at the hands of Israeli occupying forces and more than 750 Palestinians in the West Bank had been displaced after their homes were demolished. In the past month alone, amid serious diplomatic efforts by all concerned parties, Israel had announced the construction of nearly 6,000 more settlement units in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, where its settlement expansion remained the most prevalent, she said. At the same time, Israel’s expansionist wall continued unabated. “The occupying Power”, she said, had chosen to make a mockery of the international legal system by continuing to deliberately engage in the violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, by committing systematic human rights violations against the Palestinian people, including “countless acts constituting war crimes and State terrorism”. She stressed that the international community must be unanimous in demanding that Israel fully lift the blockade and allow for the rehabilitation of a society that had been “decimated by this vicious form of collective punishment”. Egypt’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Non ‑Aligned Movement, said the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, continued to deteriorate severely. That infringed on their human rights, including their rights to self ‑determination, to freedom of movement, to education, to property, to development, to worship and even to life. He said the Movement was extremely concerned about the Israeli measures aimed at the displacement or transfer of the Palestinian civilian population from strategic areas in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, through illegal practices, which included the continuing aggressive settlement campaign, the construction of the wall, forced evictions, home demolitions, and the revocation of Palestinian residency rights. He urged the international community to act to prevent a total collapse of the peace process after so many years of efforts, and to remain united in its demand that Israel respect its legal obligations as an occupying Power and cease all violations. There was unanimous conviction that such respect was imperative for achieving the two ‑State solution that was mutually agreeable. The representative of the European Union delegation said that recent events had shown the necessity of heeding the legitimate aspirations of people in the region, including those of Palestinians for statehood and of Israelis for security. He reiterated an appeal to the parties to resume negotiations under the terms and within the timelines indicated in the Quartet statement of 23 September, and underlined the Quartet’s crucial role in facilitating the resumption of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians. He condemned the indiscriminate targeting of civilians everywhere, including through the renewed exchange of fire in the Gaza Strip and the south of Israel. Israel’s representative said that to describe the reports of the Special Committee as “blind” would be charitable. Year after year, the glaring omissions, findings presented out of context, and blatant distortions made a mockery of the fact ‑finding process and undermined the credibility of the Fourth Committee. That made it impossible to accurately or impartially reflect on the situation on the ground. While the reports offered harsh and wide ‑ranging criticism of Israel, Hamas’s brutal repression of Palestinians in Gaza was ignored. He said that thousands of Israelis who had been killed and widowed by acts of Palestinian terror remained unmentioned, and the continued incitement in Palestinian schools, mosques, and media was not discussed. He said the report contained “pages and pages bashing Israel” following the Special Committee’s July visit. He said that when the Special Committee was on the ground, terrorists in Gaza fired 19 rockets and mortars at Israeli civilians. Those attacked were conveniently omitted from the report, as were the more than 9,000 rockets that had been launched in southern Israel over the past 10 years. Advancing a one ‑sided narrative, the Special Committee suggested that settlements were the core cause of the Israeli ‑Palestinian conflict, he said. That was an interesting assertion, considering that the conflict had bee raging for nearly half a century, before a single settlement had sprung up in the West Bank. Like any country, Israel had the right to defend its citizens, he said. Today, the Palestinian leadership was calling for an independent Palestinian State, but insisted that its people “return to the Jewish State”. That proposition was unacceptable to anyone who believed in the right of Israel to exist, because the so ‑called “right of return” would mean the destruction of the State of Israel. At the start of the meeting, General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz al ‑ Nasser, spoke. Reports were introduced by Palitha Kohona (Sri Lanka) and Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary ‑General for Human Rights. Also speaking in the debate were the representatives of Senegal, Malaysia, Venezuela, Indonesia, Sudan, Syria, Kuwait, Namibia and the United Arab Emirates. The Fourth Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 7 November, to continue this debate. Background The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met today to begin its consideration of Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, for which it had before it several reports. The Committee had before it a note by the Secretary‑General transmitting the forty ‑third report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (resolution 65/102) (document A/66/370 ). The report reflects information gathered during the Special Committee’s mission to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically the Gaza Strip, as well as from a meeting convened in Jordan. The report emphasizes the situation of children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the situation of Palestinians detained by Israel, and Israel’s blockade of Gaza. It also addresses continuing concerns throughout the occupied territories, such as land confiscations, demolitions, settlement expansion and restrictions on movement. The report states that owing to the continuing practice of non ‑recognition of and non ‑cooperation with the Special Committee by the Government of Israel, the Special Committee’s annual mission to the region was not able to directly access all of the occupied territories within its mandate, or to hold consultations with relevant Israeli authorities. However, the Special Committee was able to carry out its first ever visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically to the Gaza Strip, by crossing Egypt’s border with Gaza. The Special Committee sought a wide range of views regarding Israeli practices affecting the human rights situation in the occupied territories, the report states. Invitations were extended to Palestinian, Israeli and Syrian victims, witnesses and non ‑governmental organizations, and support was made available to facilitate their appearance before the Committee. The report contains sections on the urgent need to reconstruct Gaza, Israeli ‑enforced restrictions on freedom of movement in Gaza, land confiscation, demolition, displacement and settlements, and other issues. The Committee also had before it a report of the Secretary ‑General on the Work of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (document A/66/373 ). This report also draws attention to the Special Committee’s first ever mission to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, specifically
Recommended publications
  • Campaign to Delegitimize Israel
    The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center June 1, 2011 Anti-Israeli organizations examine implementing propaganda displays based on flying large numbers of activists to Ben-Gurion Airport on commercial flights. They seek to express solidarity with the Palestinians, embarrass Israel and impress the "right of return" on international public opinion. Hamas urged "Palestinian refugees" to fly to Israel's airports for Naksa Day. Announcement issued by a group of anti-Israeli organizations and activists from the territories and around the globe calling for people to arrive at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport on July 8, 2011, and from there to go to Judea and Samaria for a week of solidarity with the Palestinians. It reads "Welcome to Palestine. Join us or help us? How to contribute?" and an email address (From the bienvenuepalestine.com website). קל 118-11 2 Overview 1. Anti-Israeli Palestinian and Western organizations participating in the campaign to delegitimize Israel are apparently preparing various types of anti-Israeli propaganda displays, using Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport as their stage. Their objectives are to show solidarity with the Palestinians, embarrass Israel and raise international public consciousness for the so-called "right of return." The various groups and networks regard the displays as an alternative and counterweight to the flotilla currently being organized, whose goal ("lifting the siege of the Gaza Strip") they regard as "too narrow" (their goals is "lifting the siege from all Palestine"). 2. A call was recently posted on Hamas' main website for "Palestinian refugees" to take regular commercial flights to Israel's airports (referred to as the airports of "Palestine occupied since 1948") on June 4 or 5 as part of the events of Naksa Day (the day commemorating the Arab defeat in the Six Day War) (Palestine-info website, May 28, 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Renewed Possibility of Violence Against Israel
    Planning Directorate// Israel Defense Forces Strategic Division// International Military Cooperation Department Military Strategic Information Section 3 June 2011 Six Day War Commemoration: Renewed Possibility of Violence Against Israel 1 | Unclassified For Official Use Only Planning Directorate// Israel Defense Forces Strategic Division// International Military Cooperation Department The “Naksa Day” Military Strategic Information Section The Event “an-Naksa” is Arabic for “The Setback”. The event marks the failure of the regional Arab countries to defeat the IDF and destroy the State of Israel. Because this is the first year of its commemoration, it is impossible to predict the exact nature of the demonstrations. However, Israel expects the event to be modeled after the May 2011 “Nakba Day” protests, which were extremely violent and widespread. Israel calls on its neighboring countries to keep the peace and to secure the borders against attempted breaches of Israeli sovereign territory. For all of the events, Israel expects protests at the borders 3 June- “Friday of Loyalty” and at Israeli embassies. In 5 June- “Sunday of the Fallen” addition, Israel anticipates a 7 June- “Tuesday of Jerusalem” march on Al-Aqsa on 7 June. 2 | Unclassified For Official Use Only Planning Directorate// Israel Defense Forces Strategic Division// International Military Cooperation Department Current Context Military Strategic Information Section A number of regional factors influence the tone and scale of the planned “Naksa Day” events: - The PA’s current political strategy: The Palestinian governments plan to unilaterally declare statehood and procure international recognition in September. - Political unrest in the Arab world: Uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, etc. demanding democratic reform provide an opportunity for “Naksa Day” Tahrir Square protestors to draw false comparisons between Israel and Arab dictatorships.
    [Show full text]
  • Palestine History Timeline and Campaigns Calendar the History
    Palestine History Timeline and Campaigns Calendar The History Timeline lays out major events in Palestinian history which student groups can choose to build educational events around, or commemorate in other ways, to build the knowledge base of their group and wider university student body. We would be available for advice on possible speakers and would love to hear what events you choose to commemorate and educate on - please let us know! We are planning to hold Palestinian historical / political webinars during the year where broad topics can be delved into and discussed more fully with experts, so keep an eye out for those! The Campaigns Calendar maps out existing international days of solidarity with Palestine. There will be events happening around the globe as thousands of people of conscience express their support for the Palestinian people on these days. By being aware of global solidarity actions we can build on integrating youth solidarity for Palestine here in the UK with its global counterparts. You might want to plan an action for your divestment campaign or maybe post a message on social media. Again, let us know what you’re planning and we can spread the word to inspire others. Over 100 Years of Palestinian History and Resistance Palestine and the Colonial Predicament, 1917-1947 Signing of the Balfour Declaration - 2 November 1917 British Mandate – 29 September 1923 – 14 May 1948 Palestinian ‘Great Revolt’ - 19 April 1936-39 UN decides to partition Palestine – 29 November 1947 ‘From Refugees to Revolutionaries’, 1948-1982
    [Show full text]
  • Palestinians in Syria and the Syrian Uprising
    CASE ANALYSIS Palestinians in Syria and the Syrian Uprising Salah Hassan | October 2012 Palestinians in Syria and the Syrian Uprising Series: Case Analysis Salah Hassan | October 2012 Copyright © 2012 Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. All Rights Reserved. ____________________________ The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies is an independent research institute and think tank for the study of history and social sciences, with particular emphasis on the applied social sciences. The Center's paramount concern is the advancement of Arab societies and states, their cooperation with one another and issues concerning the Arab nation in general. To that end, it seeks to examine and diagnose the situation in the Arab world - states and communities- to analyze social, economic and cultural policies and to provide political analysis, from an Arab perspective. The Center publishes in both Arabic and English in order to make its work accessible to both Arab and non-Arab researchers. Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies PO Box 10277 Street No. 826, Zone 66 Doha, Qatar Tel.: +974 44199777 | Fax: +974 44831651 www.dohainstitute.org Table of Contents Introduction 1 The Palestinian National Movement in Syria 2 The Syrian Uprising: March 2011 5 Palestinians and the Syrian Uprising 6 The Palestinian Public’s Solidarity with the Uprising 16 Conclusion 21 PALESTINIANS IN SYRIA Introduction1 At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were no borders between Palestine and Syria; prior to that time, there was economic and social integration between the Palestinian and Syrian peoples. The Syrians took part in the Palestinian revolution of 1936 and contributed in attempts to repel Israel’s colonizing attack on Palestine’s territories in 1948, resulting in the Nakba.
    [Show full text]
  • The Naksa Day Events
    The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center June 7, 2011 Following the Naksa Day events, there was strong internal Palestinian criticism of Ahmed Jibril's organization (PFLP-GC), affiliated with the Syrian regime, and of other pro-Syrian organizations. They were blamed for cynically sending young Palestinians to their deaths to serve the interests of the Syrian and other regimes (possibly Iran). PFLP-GC and PFLP-Habash operatives were attacked by relatives of the slain Palestinians during funerals held in Al-Yarmukh refugee camp near Damascus. The PFLP-GC headquarters were torched. Palestinians in Al-Yarmukh refugee camp watch as the PFLP-GC headquarters go up in flames (electronic-intifada.net website, June 6, 2011). קל 128-11 2 Overview 1. The Naksa Day events, which ended (according to the Syrian media) with the deaths of 24 demonstrators, caused serious internal criticism among the refugees in Syria. The criticism was directed at the pro-Syrian Palestinian organizations based in Damascus, accusing them of responsibility for sending Palestinian youths to demonstrate in the Golan Heights, even though they knew of the IDF's preparations for preventing attempted invasions of Israeli territory. 2. The criticism focused on Ahmed Jibril's organization, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, which is affiliated with the Syrian regime and promotes its interests, collaborating with it for decades. Other operatives of pro- Syrian organizations, among them George Habash's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP-Habash), were also targeted and attacked by relatives of the dead youths. Al- Jazeera TV reported that during clashes in Al-Yarmukh refugee camp a number of Palestinians were killed and 20 were injured.
    [Show full text]
  • July August Handful 12 Pages
    1 Handful of Salt Volume XXXVXXXV,, Number 444 JulyJuly----August,August, 2011 Let’s re- engaging young people to increase their ignite the involvement in PJALS and to support youth-led torch: efforts. We will a 7-month leadership development program for young activists (ages Re-starting 16-22), from student groups, faith communities, our young and community groups as well as new PJALS activist members. We’ll offer a series of workshops on topics including corporate power, racial justice, leaders nonviolence and militarism, campaign planning, program! project coordination, conversations to move someone to take action, and effective meetings. By Liz Moore, PJALS Director Every month, program participants will volunteer with a group of their choice (including Since the early 80’s, PJALS’ vibrant youth PJALS of course!). program helped countless young people get a We want to provide a gathering place for taste for social justice. I started coming to the young people to ask questions, to educate each youth program (then called Youth for World other, and to explore social justice work Awareness) in 1991—I felt I’d found an oasis together. We can create a program unique for its of like-minded people from different high focus on hands-on organizing skills and we can schools, encouraging each other to ask help grow a vibrant network of young people questions and to educate ourselves about issues committed to social justice. we cared about in our world. I remember We need your help in two ways: impassioned conversations, making signs for 1. Will you donate now to help re-start this protests, and a fundraising concert.
    [Show full text]
  • Conditional Return, Yarmuk's Displaced
    RECONSTRUCTION BY OTHER MEANS? THE CONDITIONAL RETURN OF YARMUK’S DISPLACED SITUATION REPORT 19 OCTOBER 2020 CONTENTS Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3 Analysis .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Damascus seemingly bows to popular anger over reconstruction plans................. 4 Another U-turn? Changing HLP policies in South Damascus ...................................... 5 Yasser Qashlaq to invest in reconstruction efforts? ....................................................... 7 What’s behind pro-government property purchases? ................................................... 8 Forecasting ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Government-linked business interests coalescing around reconstruction ............ 9 Marota city ............................................................................................................................ 10 Qaboun ................................................................................................................................... 10 Humanitarian impacts ................................................................................................................ 11 MERCY CORPS HUMANITARIAN ACCESS THE CONDITIONAL RETURN OF YARMUK’S DISPLACED 1 KEY POINTS
    [Show full text]
  • Statement by H.E. Amb. Hussein Haniff, Permanent
    Malaysia Permanent Mission to the United Nations STATEMENT BY H.E. AMB. HUSSEIN HANIFF, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS ON AGENDA ITEM 53: “REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE ISRAELI PRACTICES AFFECTING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND OTHER ARABS OF THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES” AT THE FOURTH COMMITTEE OF THE 66 TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 4 NOVEMBER 2011 Madam Chair, I would like to thank the Chairman of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories for his statement and for presenting the Report of the Special Committee. My delegation also aligned itself with the statement made by Egypt speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. Madam Chair, 2. The Report of the Special Committee illustrates the flagrant violations of the inalienable human rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs by Israel in the territories it has illegally occupied for so long. 3. As a member of this Special Committee, I wish to reiterate the Special Committee’s appreciation to the Government of Egypt and Jordan for their kind cooperation extended to the Special Committee’s field mission to investigate Israeli practices. I also wish to commend the Government of Egypt for facilitating the Special Committee’s first ever visit to Gaza since its establishment in 1968. The Special Committee had a substantive programme, which enabled the Committee to witness first-hand the situation on the ground as well as to meet and conduct interviews with Palestinians living in this coastal strip.
    [Show full text]
  • The Palestinians in Syria Anaheed Al-Hardan
    A Year On: The Palestinians in Syria Anaheed Al-Hardan As Syria witnesses what has evolved into an armed insurrection,1 and as the regime has shifted from a security to a full-scale military response,2 the specter of the mayhem and destruction that engulfed Iraq following the US invasion haunts the country.3 One of the resultant and looming threats that hovers over Syria is an impending, if not already extant, civil war, spelling disaster for the Syrian people and the people of the region as a whole. 4 The recent shifts in the positions of key international players could see the ongoing turmoil in Syria evolve into an altogether unforeseen direction.5 During these times of uncertainty, what is certain is that, a year later, it is the Syrian people and their demands for a better future that have been and continue to be the real losers of the entanglement of their aspirations with conflicting regional and international geo-political interests. Against this backdrop, the Palestinians in Syria are in a particularly precarious position given their refugee status in the country. If this status is threatened within the context of increased instability or the descent of Syria into anarchy, which would have far reaching consequences for all segments of Syrian society, the fate of the Palestinians could potentially, in the worst case scenario, echo some facets of the fate of the approximately 30,000 Palestinian refugees from Iraq following the US occupation of that country.6 This article examines how the events in Syria over the past year have impacted the Palestinians in the country and assesses the possible implications of the ongoing upheaval and uncertainty for this particular community.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gaza Spring Offensive: Hamas Hybrid Warfare Threat and Israel's Response
    The Gaza Spring Offensive: Hamas Hybrid Warfare Threat and Israel’s Response Brigadier General (R.) Assaf Orion Paper No. 48 29 June 2018 Friends of Israel Initiative The Gaza Spring Offensive: Hamas Hybrid Warfare Threat and Israel’s Response Bottom Line Up Front Since March 30 Hamas has launched multiple hybrid mass-crowd / armed terror attack against Israel’s border with the Gaza strip. The Israel Defense Forces successfully thwarted these attempts with a multi-tier defense combining information operations, non-lethal means, and finally selective live fire. The Palestinian death toll so far unfortunately exceeded 130, arousing vocal criticism in the West, accusing Israel of disproportionate and unjustified use of lethal force against unarmed and peaceful civilian protesters. Against this backdrop, this report analyses the occurrences from the strategic, operational and tactical levels, from both political and military aspects, and sets the unfolding events in a wide context. A thorough look into the parties’ options, choices and actions arrives at a clear conclusion: while the Gaza Strip under Hamas is indeed in dire conditions, the Gaza terror government sought to forcefully coerce Israel into concessions, helping Hamas out of its straits. This was to be achieved through armed terror attacks, seeking mass killing and hostage taking on Israeli soil. The military punch was to be veiled by so called “Marches of Return”, seemingly “peaceful, unarmed, popular parades and free speech demonstrations”. At a close look, the IDF response was indeed proportionate, controlled, and professional, applying lethal force as a last resort, and so avoiding much more severe consequences. The high numbers of casualties result from the Hamas’s numerous attacks on the border defenses, unrelenting despite non-lethal measured used against it, the recurring friction it sought, its intentional use of human shields, virtually embedding its terrorists among mass civilian crowds, and putting Palestinian women, children, elderly and handicapped persons in harm’s way.
    [Show full text]
  • News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (May 16-22, 2018)
    רמה כ ז מל ו תשר מה ו ד י ע י ן ה ש ל מ ( למ מ" ) News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (May 16-22, 2018) Overview The "return marches" continue, also after the events of May 14, 2018. However, this past Friday (May 18) there was a decline in the number of rioters (a few thousand) and in the level of violence. The events ended without fatalities. In Judea and Samaria there has still been a poor response to Hamas' calls to join the marches and the violence that accompanies them, even after the beginning of the Muslim religious month of Ramadan. Senior Hamas figures encourage the demonstrators to continue holding demonstrations and riots and even to die as shaheeds. Yahya al-Sinwar, head of Hamas' political bureau in the Gaza Strip, said that in addition to the "routine" Friday marches there would be special events for Naksa Day (June 5, the day that marks the defeat of the Arab countries in the Six Day War) and Jerusalem Day (June 8, declared by Iran for the last Friday of Ramadan). On May 18, 2018, the UN Human Rights Council voted in favor of appointing a commission of inquiry to investigate Israel's actions during the recent events in the Gaza Strip. The commission will be appointed by the UN commissioner for human rights, and is expected to submit its report by March 2019. Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestinian Authority (PA), was hospitalized in Ramallah. According to reports from people close to him, he is suffering from pneumonia, but according to rumors on the Palestinian street the real information is being kept hidden from the public.
    [Show full text]
  • Amnesty International Public Statement
    AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT 1 March 2012 AI Index: MDE 15/009/2012 Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Israeli authorities should revoke Palestinian human rights defender’s travel ban Having decided to permit Palestinian human rights defender Shawan Jabarin to travel abroad from the West Bank for the first time in six years, Israel should now revoke his travel ban, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. On 22 February, Israel’s State Prosecutor agreed to a “temporary exception” to the ban, allowing Shawan Jabarin to travel to Geneva at the invitation of the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The two organizations said that the Israeli authorities had never produced any evidence to justify banning Shawan Jabarin from travelling, and should follow this belated “exception” by lifting the arbitrary ban entirely. According to international human rights standards, any restrictions on travel should be issued in only exceptional circumstances, for reasons stated clearly and publicly, and be open to legal challenge. The refusal of the Israeli authorities to make public any evidence to substantiate the reasons for the travel ban means that Shawan Jabarin has been denied a meaningful opportunity to challenge the ban in court. Shawan Jabarin’s lawyer had filed a petition on 16 February asking the Israeli Supreme Court to overturn the ban. It is the first time he has been allowed to leave the West Bank since he became the director of Al-Haq, a leading Palestinian human rights organization, in March 2006. Israel recently refused to allow Shawan Jabarin to travel abroad to receive human rights awards, including the Geuzen Medal in the Netherlands in 2010, and the Prize for Freedom in Denmark in 2011.
    [Show full text]