26 mar 2016
The body of a Palestinian whose brutal killing was caught on film sparking international outcry is still being held by Israeli authorities, with his family demanding a Palestinian coroner partake in the autopsy.
A spokesman for the family of Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif told Ma'an, "we reject the Israeli offer that a Palestinian doctor just be present at the autopsy; we demand that he takes part in the autopsy as well.”
“The family will decide on the legal and medical procedures following the autopsy," he added.
Al-Sharif was shot alongside Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi after the two allegedly stabbed and moderately wounded an Israeli soldier at a military checkpoint on Thursday in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron.
Al-Qasrawi was killed immediately and al-Sharif -- after lying motionless on the pavement for several minutes -- was shot in the head at point-blank range by an Israeli soldier.
Al-Sharif’s body was evacuated shortly after the second shooting and is still being held in Israeli custody.
Graphic footage of al-Sharif’s killing was filmed by a rights worker and resident of the area, which has since gone viral.
The Palestinian who caught the event on film told Ma’an he received threats the following day from Israeli settlers living illegally in the area and said he now feared for his and his family’s safety.
The body of al-Qasrawi was buried in a funeral Saturday attended by hundreds of Palestinians in the Hebron neighborhood of Wadi al-Hariya.
A Palestinian coroner responsible for performing autopsies on the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces condemned in December the practice by Israeli authorities to demand Palestinian bodies be buried immediately.
Head of Al-Quds University's Institute for Forensic Medicine, Sabir al-Aloul, said Israel’s conditional handover of bodies prevents autopsies from being carried out.
A number of Palestinian families signed a letter in December demanding that families should be allotted time to request an official autopsy report on their dead, which is used in official paperwork necessary to file cases against Israeli authorities at the International Criminal Court.
According to autopsies al-Aloul has performed on Palestinians killed since Oct. 1, the coroner said that those killed were “shot in the head and the chest many times from a very close distance,” similar to incident caught on film Thursday.
Senior PLO official Saeb Erekat urged the international community on March 4 to pressure Israel to release the bodies of Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces while allegedly carrying out attacks.
He said: "Israel's collective punishments are now being carried out against the living and the dead."
A joint statement released earlier this month by rights groups Addameer and Adalah condemned Israel’s practice of withholding bodies as "a severe violation of international humanitarian law as well as international human rights law, including violations of the right to dignity, freedom of religion, and the right to practice culture."
The statement said it appeared "many" of the Palestinians whose bodies Israel was holding had been "extra-judicially executed by Israeli forces during alleged attacks against Israelis, despite posing no danger."
Al-Qasrawi and al-Sharif were among more than 200 Palestinians to be killed since a wave of unrest swept the occupied Palestinian territory in October.
The majority were killed while carrying out or attempting to carry out small-scale attacks that have left nearly 30 Israelis dead.
Palestinians in al-Khalil bid farewell to martyr Qasrawi
A spokesman for the family of Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif told Ma'an, "we reject the Israeli offer that a Palestinian doctor just be present at the autopsy; we demand that he takes part in the autopsy as well.”
“The family will decide on the legal and medical procedures following the autopsy," he added.
Al-Sharif was shot alongside Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi after the two allegedly stabbed and moderately wounded an Israeli soldier at a military checkpoint on Thursday in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron.
Al-Qasrawi was killed immediately and al-Sharif -- after lying motionless on the pavement for several minutes -- was shot in the head at point-blank range by an Israeli soldier.
Al-Sharif’s body was evacuated shortly after the second shooting and is still being held in Israeli custody.
Graphic footage of al-Sharif’s killing was filmed by a rights worker and resident of the area, which has since gone viral.
The Palestinian who caught the event on film told Ma’an he received threats the following day from Israeli settlers living illegally in the area and said he now feared for his and his family’s safety.
The body of al-Qasrawi was buried in a funeral Saturday attended by hundreds of Palestinians in the Hebron neighborhood of Wadi al-Hariya.
A Palestinian coroner responsible for performing autopsies on the bodies of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces condemned in December the practice by Israeli authorities to demand Palestinian bodies be buried immediately.
Head of Al-Quds University's Institute for Forensic Medicine, Sabir al-Aloul, said Israel’s conditional handover of bodies prevents autopsies from being carried out.
A number of Palestinian families signed a letter in December demanding that families should be allotted time to request an official autopsy report on their dead, which is used in official paperwork necessary to file cases against Israeli authorities at the International Criminal Court.
According to autopsies al-Aloul has performed on Palestinians killed since Oct. 1, the coroner said that those killed were “shot in the head and the chest many times from a very close distance,” similar to incident caught on film Thursday.
Senior PLO official Saeb Erekat urged the international community on March 4 to pressure Israel to release the bodies of Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces while allegedly carrying out attacks.
He said: "Israel's collective punishments are now being carried out against the living and the dead."
A joint statement released earlier this month by rights groups Addameer and Adalah condemned Israel’s practice of withholding bodies as "a severe violation of international humanitarian law as well as international human rights law, including violations of the right to dignity, freedom of religion, and the right to practice culture."
The statement said it appeared "many" of the Palestinians whose bodies Israel was holding had been "extra-judicially executed by Israeli forces during alleged attacks against Israelis, despite posing no danger."
Al-Qasrawi and al-Sharif were among more than 200 Palestinians to be killed since a wave of unrest swept the occupied Palestinian territory in October.
The majority were killed while carrying out or attempting to carry out small-scale attacks that have left nearly 30 Israelis dead.
Palestinians in al-Khalil bid farewell to martyr Qasrawi
Hundreds of Palestinians in al-Khalil city bade farewell at noon Saturday to martyr Ramzi al-Qasrawi who was killed by Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
Representatives of Palestinian factions, societies and institutions in addition to national figures and people of the city participated in the funeral and waved Palestinian flags.
Martyr Qasrawi was murdered last Thursday along with his friend Abdullfatah al-Sharif at a military checkpoints in Tel al-Rumaidah district for alleged stabbing attempt.
The IOF delivered the body of martyr Qasrawi to his family, but kept the body of the other martyr, Sharif, for autopsy purposes.
Representatives of Palestinian factions, societies and institutions in addition to national figures and people of the city participated in the funeral and waved Palestinian flags.
Martyr Qasrawi was murdered last Thursday along with his friend Abdullfatah al-Sharif at a military checkpoints in Tel al-Rumaidah district for alleged stabbing attempt.
The IOF delivered the body of martyr Qasrawi to his family, but kept the body of the other martyr, Sharif, for autopsy purposes.
Israel has redeployed the Iron Dome missile interception system in settlements close to the border with the Gaza Strip. Israeli sources said the measure comes in the aftermath of the death of two Palestinians, in Hebron, especially the one who was executed after he was already shot and severely injured.
Israeli TV Channel 2 said that following videotaped execution of the wounded Palestinian, the army deployed Iron Dome systems in Ashdod and Nativot. The extra-judicially executed Palestinian has been identified as Abdul-Fattah Yosri Sharif; another Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz Qasrawi, was shot and instantly killed.
The “Jewish Press” agency said the Iron Dome system has been redeployed in many areas, south of the country, especially near Sderot and Nativot, close to the border with the Gaza Strip.
It claimed that the motive for the redeployment "remains unclear," especially since Tel Aviv did not reveal whether it was related to a "credible threat," or merely a "routine move."
The execution of the Palestinian in Hebron would have gone unnoticed, similar to many previous incidents, but the fact that it was captured on film, and went spiral on the Internet, pushed Israel to, and its Prime Minister, to denounce it.
There have been a few instances where similar executions were caught on tape, including the case of Hadeel Wajeeh ‘Awwad, 16, who was executed in occupied Jerusalem, after she was shot and seriously injured, following what appears to be an attempted stabbing attack.
Another case was the fatal shooting of Mahdi Mohammad Ramadan al-Mohtasib, 23 years of age, who was shot near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
Another case is the killing of Mohammad Abu Khalaf, 20, who was first shot by the soldiers in Jerusalem, and fell onto the ground bleeding and incapacitated, when six of the militarized police officers fired more than 50 rounds at him, killing him instantly.
Israeli TV Channel 2 said that following videotaped execution of the wounded Palestinian, the army deployed Iron Dome systems in Ashdod and Nativot. The extra-judicially executed Palestinian has been identified as Abdul-Fattah Yosri Sharif; another Palestinian, Ramzi Aziz Qasrawi, was shot and instantly killed.
The “Jewish Press” agency said the Iron Dome system has been redeployed in many areas, south of the country, especially near Sderot and Nativot, close to the border with the Gaza Strip.
It claimed that the motive for the redeployment "remains unclear," especially since Tel Aviv did not reveal whether it was related to a "credible threat," or merely a "routine move."
The execution of the Palestinian in Hebron would have gone unnoticed, similar to many previous incidents, but the fact that it was captured on film, and went spiral on the Internet, pushed Israel to, and its Prime Minister, to denounce it.
There have been a few instances where similar executions were caught on tape, including the case of Hadeel Wajeeh ‘Awwad, 16, who was executed in occupied Jerusalem, after she was shot and seriously injured, following what appears to be an attempted stabbing attack.
Another case was the fatal shooting of Mahdi Mohammad Ramadan al-Mohtasib, 23 years of age, who was shot near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
Another case is the killing of Mohammad Abu Khalaf, 20, who was first shot by the soldiers in Jerusalem, and fell onto the ground bleeding and incapacitated, when six of the militarized police officers fired more than 50 rounds at him, killing him instantly.
25 mar 2016
A UN official on Friday condemned in the strongest terms the brutal "extrajudicial execution" of a wounded Palestinian by an Israeli soldier that was captured on camera in Hebron the day before.
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said he strongly condemned the apparent "extrajudicial execution" of the Palestinian, who was shot in the head at point-blank range despite having already been shot to the ground, where he lay wounded for several minutes, after allegedly stabbing an Israeli soldier.
"This was a gruesome, immoral, and unjust act that can only fuel more violence and escalate an already volatile situation," Mladenov said.
He welcomed the condemnation of the execution by Israel’s Minister of Defense, Moshe Yaalon, and called on the Israeli authorities to "swiftly bring to justice" the Israeli soldier responsible.
The UN official went on: "It is time to stop the negative spiral of violence and to begin positive steps towards ending the occupation and bringing long overdue peace and security to the people of Israel and Palestine."
Israel has repeatedly been accused by rights groups, international leaders, and Palestinian officials of enacting a policy of "extrajudicial executions" against Palestinians since a wave of unrest swept the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel last October.
However, the rare video footage of Thursday's incident -- captured by a staff member with Israeli human rights group B’Tselem -- brought a barrage of condemnations from the Israeli leadership and led Israel's army to detain the soldier responsible and launch an investigation.
Palestinian residents of Hebron Abed al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif and Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, both 21 years old, were shot down Thursday after allegedly stabbing and moderately wounding an Israeli soldier near a military checkpoint in Hebron’s Old City.
Al-Qasrawi was killed instantly, while the graphic video footage showed al-Sharif lying on the ground for several minutes -- moving his head slightly but posing no threat -- before an Israeli soldier walked up to him and shot him in the head.
The soldier has since claimed he killed al-Sharif out of fear the incapacitated man was going to detonate a suicide bomb vest, according to Israeli media reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response the soldier's conduct did not represent the values of the Israeli army, which he said "expects its soldiers to behave level-headedly and in accordance with the rules of engagement."
Defense Minister Yaalon for his part said: "Even as we are forced to fight our enemies and overcome them in battle, we are equally obligated to uphold our mores. To be human."
The statements come despite the fact that both officials have been accused by Palestinians and rights groups of incitement against Palestinians and advocating a "shoot-to-kill" policy against Palestinians who carry out attacks.
Palestinian member of Knesset Ayman Odeh, who has been a vocal opponent of past incitement, said: "Israel has become a place where public executions are carried out with the cheers of the crowd, the price of security and moral deterioration is being paid by both peoples."
The MK called for Netanyahu to be tried with the soldier responsible for Thursday's execution, alongside other Israeli officials responsible for incitement against Palestinians.
Soldier who shot neutralized terrorist is suspected of murder
IDF to question officers at scene of shooting of neutralized terrorist
Soldier says terrorist moved, could have set off a bomb
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said he strongly condemned the apparent "extrajudicial execution" of the Palestinian, who was shot in the head at point-blank range despite having already been shot to the ground, where he lay wounded for several minutes, after allegedly stabbing an Israeli soldier.
"This was a gruesome, immoral, and unjust act that can only fuel more violence and escalate an already volatile situation," Mladenov said.
He welcomed the condemnation of the execution by Israel’s Minister of Defense, Moshe Yaalon, and called on the Israeli authorities to "swiftly bring to justice" the Israeli soldier responsible.
The UN official went on: "It is time to stop the negative spiral of violence and to begin positive steps towards ending the occupation and bringing long overdue peace and security to the people of Israel and Palestine."
Israel has repeatedly been accused by rights groups, international leaders, and Palestinian officials of enacting a policy of "extrajudicial executions" against Palestinians since a wave of unrest swept the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel last October.
However, the rare video footage of Thursday's incident -- captured by a staff member with Israeli human rights group B’Tselem -- brought a barrage of condemnations from the Israeli leadership and led Israel's army to detain the soldier responsible and launch an investigation.
Palestinian residents of Hebron Abed al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif and Ramzi Aziz al-Qasrawi, both 21 years old, were shot down Thursday after allegedly stabbing and moderately wounding an Israeli soldier near a military checkpoint in Hebron’s Old City.
Al-Qasrawi was killed instantly, while the graphic video footage showed al-Sharif lying on the ground for several minutes -- moving his head slightly but posing no threat -- before an Israeli soldier walked up to him and shot him in the head.
The soldier has since claimed he killed al-Sharif out of fear the incapacitated man was going to detonate a suicide bomb vest, according to Israeli media reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response the soldier's conduct did not represent the values of the Israeli army, which he said "expects its soldiers to behave level-headedly and in accordance with the rules of engagement."
Defense Minister Yaalon for his part said: "Even as we are forced to fight our enemies and overcome them in battle, we are equally obligated to uphold our mores. To be human."
The statements come despite the fact that both officials have been accused by Palestinians and rights groups of incitement against Palestinians and advocating a "shoot-to-kill" policy against Palestinians who carry out attacks.
Palestinian member of Knesset Ayman Odeh, who has been a vocal opponent of past incitement, said: "Israel has become a place where public executions are carried out with the cheers of the crowd, the price of security and moral deterioration is being paid by both peoples."
The MK called for Netanyahu to be tried with the soldier responsible for Thursday's execution, alongside other Israeli officials responsible for incitement against Palestinians.
Soldier who shot neutralized terrorist is suspected of murder
IDF to question officers at scene of shooting of neutralized terrorist
Soldier says terrorist moved, could have set off a bomb
The Israeli Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, issued a statement on Thursday criticizing the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling it an “anti-Israel circus”. The statement followed the passage of a measure calling for a listing of companies invested in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
These settlements are considered illegal under international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits occupying powers from transferring civilians into territory occupied by the military.
The Israeli Prime Minister criticized the Council's measure for “singling out Israel”, and claimed that the UN body failed to issue similar condemnations against human rights abuses in Iran, Syria and North Korea.
But the UN Human Rights Council has in fact issued multiple condemnations against all three of those countries, as well as dozens of others, in the ten years since its creation, for a litany of human rights violations.
The Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, accused the Council of acting “obsessively” and compared it to Europe in the lead-up to the Holocaust.
Danon said the measure was similar to “a dark period in Europe when Jewish businesses were singled out. Whoever supported today's decision should be ashamed.”
Netanyahu called on nations around the world to disregard the measure by the UN Council.
The measure passed by the Council on Thursday called for the creation of a list of businesses based in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
During its session on Thursday, the UN Human Rights Council also appointed a replacement for special rapporteur Makarim Wibisono, who resigned in January saying that Israeli officials refused to cooperate with him.
These settlements are considered illegal under international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits occupying powers from transferring civilians into territory occupied by the military.
The Israeli Prime Minister criticized the Council's measure for “singling out Israel”, and claimed that the UN body failed to issue similar condemnations against human rights abuses in Iran, Syria and North Korea.
But the UN Human Rights Council has in fact issued multiple condemnations against all three of those countries, as well as dozens of others, in the ten years since its creation, for a litany of human rights violations.
The Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, accused the Council of acting “obsessively” and compared it to Europe in the lead-up to the Holocaust.
Danon said the measure was similar to “a dark period in Europe when Jewish businesses were singled out. Whoever supported today's decision should be ashamed.”
Netanyahu called on nations around the world to disregard the measure by the UN Council.
The measure passed by the Council on Thursday called for the creation of a list of businesses based in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
During its session on Thursday, the UN Human Rights Council also appointed a replacement for special rapporteur Makarim Wibisono, who resigned in January saying that Israeli officials refused to cooperate with him.
Nicholai Mladinov, the United Nations Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace Process, denounced earlier on Friday the Israeli military execution of a young Palestinian man, after the soldiers already shot and seriously wounded him, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Mladinov said the conduct of the Israeli army constitutes an extra-judicial execution, especially since the slain Palestinian, Abdul-Fattah Sharif, 21, was already incapacitated due to his very serious injury, when the soldier decided to shoot him in the head.
The execution was caught on tape by Emad Abu Shamsiyya, a resident of Tal Romeida neighborhood of Hebron city, and was published by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem).
"I strongly condemn the extra-judicial execution of the young Palestinian man in Hebron." Mladinov said in a statement released by his office, "This is an immoral crime, an act that will just lead to further violence and escalation in the already volatile region."
He called on Israel to conduct a serious investigation into the crime, and prosecute the murderer, and added that “the time has come to end this cycle of violence, and initiate positive steps that would lead to ending the Israeli occupation, and achieving the long-awaited peace.”
On Thursday at night, Mladinov said during a Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East, that world leaders and countries must provide the positive atmosphere for the resumption of direct Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, and end the deadly escalation.
"Israel needs to understand that building more walls, restrictions on movement, collective punishment and the destruction of property, will just lead to more anger and more violence," he added, "The people are angered by the ongoing humiliation, discrimination and collective punishment."
Mladinov said the conduct of the Israeli army constitutes an extra-judicial execution, especially since the slain Palestinian, Abdul-Fattah Sharif, 21, was already incapacitated due to his very serious injury, when the soldier decided to shoot him in the head.
The execution was caught on tape by Emad Abu Shamsiyya, a resident of Tal Romeida neighborhood of Hebron city, and was published by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem).
"I strongly condemn the extra-judicial execution of the young Palestinian man in Hebron." Mladinov said in a statement released by his office, "This is an immoral crime, an act that will just lead to further violence and escalation in the already volatile region."
He called on Israel to conduct a serious investigation into the crime, and prosecute the murderer, and added that “the time has come to end this cycle of violence, and initiate positive steps that would lead to ending the Israeli occupation, and achieving the long-awaited peace.”
On Thursday at night, Mladinov said during a Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East, that world leaders and countries must provide the positive atmosphere for the resumption of direct Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, and end the deadly escalation.
"Israel needs to understand that building more walls, restrictions on movement, collective punishment and the destruction of property, will just lead to more anger and more violence," he added, "The people are angered by the ongoing humiliation, discrimination and collective punishment."
61 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) at several military checkpoints pitched across the occupied West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem since the start of the anti-occupation uprising in early October, Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday.
EuroMed expressed its concern over the striking surge in Israel’s extrajudicial executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they attempted to attack Israeli soldiers while in reality they posed no threat. EuroMed kept record of two deadly attacks carried out by the IOF on Thursday against 21-year-olds Abdul Fatah al-Sherif and Ramzi Qasrawi at a military checkpoint in Tel Rumeida, in al-Khalil.
The occupation troops fired at least 10 bullets on the youths and left them bleeding on the ground before another Israeli soldier moved towards Abdul Fatah and hit him with more bullets from a very close range, killing him right on the spot. Israeli ambulance crews were, meanwhile, providing medical assistance to an Israeli soldier who sustained light wounds in an alleged anti-occupation stabbing while they paid no heed to the injured Palestinians, in a serious contravention to international medical laws.
Half an hour later, the Israeli soldiers wrapped the two casualties in a black cover and dragged them to an unidentified destination. EuroMed legal adviser Ihsan Adel said the fact that Israeli murderers are not brought before courts and that serious probes into executions of Palestinians are not launched give Israel green light to kill more Palestinians.
EuroMed spoke out against the remarkable surge in Israeli violations of international humanitarian law, particularly Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. At least 209 Palestinians were murdered by IOF since the start of the anti-occupation uprising, it added.
EuroMed called on the U.N. special rapporteurs on extrajudicial executions to pop in the occupied territories and launch an investigation into such crimes. EuroMed urged the Israeli occupation to cease arbitrary executions of Palestinians and to launch a transparent investigation into the extra-judicial killings.
EuroMed expressed its concern over the striking surge in Israel’s extrajudicial executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they attempted to attack Israeli soldiers while in reality they posed no threat. EuroMed kept record of two deadly attacks carried out by the IOF on Thursday against 21-year-olds Abdul Fatah al-Sherif and Ramzi Qasrawi at a military checkpoint in Tel Rumeida, in al-Khalil.
The occupation troops fired at least 10 bullets on the youths and left them bleeding on the ground before another Israeli soldier moved towards Abdul Fatah and hit him with more bullets from a very close range, killing him right on the spot. Israeli ambulance crews were, meanwhile, providing medical assistance to an Israeli soldier who sustained light wounds in an alleged anti-occupation stabbing while they paid no heed to the injured Palestinians, in a serious contravention to international medical laws.
Half an hour later, the Israeli soldiers wrapped the two casualties in a black cover and dragged them to an unidentified destination. EuroMed legal adviser Ihsan Adel said the fact that Israeli murderers are not brought before courts and that serious probes into executions of Palestinians are not launched give Israel green light to kill more Palestinians.
EuroMed spoke out against the remarkable surge in Israeli violations of international humanitarian law, particularly Article 27 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. At least 209 Palestinians were murdered by IOF since the start of the anti-occupation uprising, it added.
EuroMed called on the U.N. special rapporteurs on extrajudicial executions to pop in the occupied territories and launch an investigation into such crimes. EuroMed urged the Israeli occupation to cease arbitrary executions of Palestinians and to launch a transparent investigation into the extra-judicial killings.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri on Thursday evening slammed the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for equating the Palestinian resistance with terrorism.
Abu Zuhri said in a press statement that Israel will forever remain the world’s "most notorious terrorist entity" due to the crimes and mass-executions perpetrated against the Palestinian people.
Abu Zuhri’s remarks came in response to a statement by Netanyahu addressing AIPAC meeting in Washington D.C. via satellite feed, in which he dubbed Palestinian anti-occupation resistance an act of terrorism.
Abu Zuhri said in a press statement that Israel will forever remain the world’s "most notorious terrorist entity" due to the crimes and mass-executions perpetrated against the Palestinian people.
Abu Zuhri’s remarks came in response to a statement by Netanyahu addressing AIPAC meeting in Washington D.C. via satellite feed, in which he dubbed Palestinian anti-occupation resistance an act of terrorism.
Special Rapporteur to the occupied Palestinian territory Makarim Wibisono.
In a landmark victory for Palestinian leadership, the UN Human Rights Council, Thursday, passed four resolutions pertaining to the occupied Palestinian territories, one of which will draw up a “blacklist” of companies who do business in illegal Israeli settlements.
The PLO Negotiations Affairs Department said in addition to the resolution regarding settlements -- which passed 32 to 0 -- a resolution was adopted for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self determination.
A resolution based on Palestinian human rights passed by the council addressed closures by the Israeli military in areas under occupation, as well as home demolitions, violations of religious sites, and extrajudicial killings carried out by Israeli forces.
Another resolution drafted to enact proper investigative systems to ensure accountability for violations carried out by Israel in occupied Palestinian territory was also passed by the council.
The resolution proposed by Palestinian leadership obliging the UN Human Rights Council to form a database of all actors conducting business, in areas under Israeli military occupation, received major push back from US and the EU, prior to Thursday’s vote, according to reports by The Guardian.
The Western leaders reportedly warned that pushing the resolution could come at the detriment to aid given to the Palestinian Authority.
The resolution echoes a recent EU decision to label products made in illegal Israeli settlements, a victory for the BDS movement which attempts to use boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel to end the decades-long military occupation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media following Thursday's vote referred to the UN Human Rights Council an “anti-Israel circus.”
The PM called on “responsible governments not to honor the decisions of the Council that discriminate against Israel.”
Palestinian Envoy to the UN Human Rights Council Ibrahim Khreisheh called Thursday’s vote a “message of hope” for the Palestinian people.
Khreisheh called on all countries to respect the resolutions, pointing to past failures of the international community to act on UN measures regarding Israel.
“As the belligerent occupying power, Israel continues to systematically violate the inalienable rights of the Palestinians while enjoying impunity from the international community, despite numerous UN resolutions demanding an equitable and just end to the occupation,” Khreisheh said.
He continued: “We ask countries opposed to the implementation of international law in the occupied State of Palestine to consider the impact their disregard for international law has within the international legal sphere and the Israeli violations they are perpetuating against the Palestinian people.”
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday Special Rapporteur to the occupied Palestinian territory Makarim Wibisono gave a particularly scathing report of Israeli violations during his term.
Wibisono said that since he took up his post, in June of 2014, Israel had not allowed him direct access to victims in parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, despite repeated requests.
The human rights expert emphasized the "desperate need" for effective protection of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation, and castigated Israel for its many failures as an occupying power and the international community for offering no protection.
"I have been struck by the abundance of information documenting violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and the seeming inability of the international community to match what is known of the situation with more effective protection of Palestinians.” Wibisono said.
Palestinian leadership has, in recent years, made moves on the international level in effort to end harmful policies that result from the Israeli military occupation, after decades of failed peace negotiations to bring about an independent Palestinian state.
In a landmark victory for Palestinian leadership, the UN Human Rights Council, Thursday, passed four resolutions pertaining to the occupied Palestinian territories, one of which will draw up a “blacklist” of companies who do business in illegal Israeli settlements.
The PLO Negotiations Affairs Department said in addition to the resolution regarding settlements -- which passed 32 to 0 -- a resolution was adopted for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self determination.
A resolution based on Palestinian human rights passed by the council addressed closures by the Israeli military in areas under occupation, as well as home demolitions, violations of religious sites, and extrajudicial killings carried out by Israeli forces.
Another resolution drafted to enact proper investigative systems to ensure accountability for violations carried out by Israel in occupied Palestinian territory was also passed by the council.
The resolution proposed by Palestinian leadership obliging the UN Human Rights Council to form a database of all actors conducting business, in areas under Israeli military occupation, received major push back from US and the EU, prior to Thursday’s vote, according to reports by The Guardian.
The Western leaders reportedly warned that pushing the resolution could come at the detriment to aid given to the Palestinian Authority.
The resolution echoes a recent EU decision to label products made in illegal Israeli settlements, a victory for the BDS movement which attempts to use boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel to end the decades-long military occupation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media following Thursday's vote referred to the UN Human Rights Council an “anti-Israel circus.”
The PM called on “responsible governments not to honor the decisions of the Council that discriminate against Israel.”
Palestinian Envoy to the UN Human Rights Council Ibrahim Khreisheh called Thursday’s vote a “message of hope” for the Palestinian people.
Khreisheh called on all countries to respect the resolutions, pointing to past failures of the international community to act on UN measures regarding Israel.
“As the belligerent occupying power, Israel continues to systematically violate the inalienable rights of the Palestinians while enjoying impunity from the international community, despite numerous UN resolutions demanding an equitable and just end to the occupation,” Khreisheh said.
He continued: “We ask countries opposed to the implementation of international law in the occupied State of Palestine to consider the impact their disregard for international law has within the international legal sphere and the Israeli violations they are perpetuating against the Palestinian people.”
Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday Special Rapporteur to the occupied Palestinian territory Makarim Wibisono gave a particularly scathing report of Israeli violations during his term.
Wibisono said that since he took up his post, in June of 2014, Israel had not allowed him direct access to victims in parts of the occupied Palestinian territory, despite repeated requests.
The human rights expert emphasized the "desperate need" for effective protection of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation, and castigated Israel for its many failures as an occupying power and the international community for offering no protection.
"I have been struck by the abundance of information documenting violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and the seeming inability of the international community to match what is known of the situation with more effective protection of Palestinians.” Wibisono said.
Palestinian leadership has, in recent years, made moves on the international level in effort to end harmful policies that result from the Israeli military occupation, after decades of failed peace negotiations to bring about an independent Palestinian state.