9 may 2019
“As Israel celebrates Independence Day, the US and European Union are complicit in the whitewash of war crimes against Palestinian civilians,” according to a statement by ActionAid International, on Thursday.
The statement stated, “Today, 9 May, as Israel celebrates Independence Day, latest figures totaling damages incurred during airstrikes earlier this week show Israeli warplanes killed 27 Palestinians in two days and injured 154 more, including three women, two of them pregnant, and two babies.
130 houses were completely destroyed, with 700 more partially damaged. 780 Palestinians are now displaced as a result of this recent escalation of targeted attacks against civilians, 44% of whom are children. One mosque, four medical facilities, five media houses and ten civil institutions were also damaged or destroyed.”
“Deliberately targeting journalists, health workers, women, children and infants is a war crime. The recent UN Commission of Inquiry report has already established that the killing of unarmed civilians during weekly demonstrations at the border over the last year likely constitutes war crimes.”
“While Israel prepares numerous festivities for both today’s Independence Day and next week’s Eurovision Song Contest, world leaders continue to turn a blind eye to Israel’s unlawful occupation, protracted blockade and persistent breaches of international law.”
Both the US and EU have publicly supported Israel’s right to ‘defend itself’ this week, demonstrating dangerous bias and deliberate obfuscation in their positions on the war:
• Federica Mogherini, the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief, called for "indiscriminate rocket attacks" from Gaza to stop, but failed to call on Israel to stop its aggression towards civilians in Gaza.
• United States President Trump weighed in on Twitter, "Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100% in its defense of its citizens” following the weekends’ response by Palestinian groups to the airstrikes, before the latest ceasefire kicked in on Monday.
The statement added, Ibrahim Ibraigheth, ActionAid Palestine’s Country Director, said, “Mr. Netanyahu is currently negotiating the formation of a new government following last month's election, so now is the time for world leaders to make sure the new Government of Israel respects international law. War crimes, including the targeted killing of women, children, journalists and health workers cannot continue in broad daylight, unremarked on by countries which claim to represent freedom and justice.”
“The catastrophic living conditions in the Gaza Strip are unbearable. The Israeli blockade of health and sanitation supplies constitutes punishment policy and also clearly violates international law. The UN must step up and hold Israel to account for its flagrant violation of global agreements, otherwise hopes for this latest truce to hold are probably naive.”
In the recent Commission of Inquiry by UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk in March 2019, on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt) , Israel was found to be in non-compliance with more than 40 resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and more than 100 resolutions of the General Assembly.
As an occupying power, Israel is accountable and must respect and uphold the rights of Palestinian people, including the right to freedom of movement, decent life, protection, education, work and self-determination.
Yet ActionAid has once again had to pause its programs in Gaza, because of the danger of airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure. The charity enables life-saving services to reach the worst affected communities in Gaza, where 97% of water is undrinkable and tainted by raw sewage, unfit for humans. Israel controls the flow of fuel and supplies needed in Gaza to make the water safe.
Ibraigheth continued, “ActionAid supports partners, living and working in Gaza, by providing diesel to help pump clean water and ensure sewage can be treated. Being forced to stop this work is incredibly dangerous and could spell an outbreak of deadly diseases such as cholera.”
“While Israel celebrates Independence and the world tunes into Eurovision, we’ll continue assisting Palestinian communities, despite conditions being dire and unnecessarily dangerous,” Ibraigheth stressed.
Israel’s blockade policy and targeting of civilians destroys lives and prevents progress. Hence, ActionAid called on the European Union and all signatories of UN Geneva Convention to apply all possible diplomatic pressure on Israel to fulfill its commitments under international law.
The statement stated, “Today, 9 May, as Israel celebrates Independence Day, latest figures totaling damages incurred during airstrikes earlier this week show Israeli warplanes killed 27 Palestinians in two days and injured 154 more, including three women, two of them pregnant, and two babies.
130 houses were completely destroyed, with 700 more partially damaged. 780 Palestinians are now displaced as a result of this recent escalation of targeted attacks against civilians, 44% of whom are children. One mosque, four medical facilities, five media houses and ten civil institutions were also damaged or destroyed.”
“Deliberately targeting journalists, health workers, women, children and infants is a war crime. The recent UN Commission of Inquiry report has already established that the killing of unarmed civilians during weekly demonstrations at the border over the last year likely constitutes war crimes.”
“While Israel prepares numerous festivities for both today’s Independence Day and next week’s Eurovision Song Contest, world leaders continue to turn a blind eye to Israel’s unlawful occupation, protracted blockade and persistent breaches of international law.”
Both the US and EU have publicly supported Israel’s right to ‘defend itself’ this week, demonstrating dangerous bias and deliberate obfuscation in their positions on the war:
• Federica Mogherini, the EU’s Foreign Policy Chief, called for "indiscriminate rocket attacks" from Gaza to stop, but failed to call on Israel to stop its aggression towards civilians in Gaza.
• United States President Trump weighed in on Twitter, "Once again, Israel faces a barrage of deadly rocket attacks by terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad. We support Israel 100% in its defense of its citizens” following the weekends’ response by Palestinian groups to the airstrikes, before the latest ceasefire kicked in on Monday.
The statement added, Ibrahim Ibraigheth, ActionAid Palestine’s Country Director, said, “Mr. Netanyahu is currently negotiating the formation of a new government following last month's election, so now is the time for world leaders to make sure the new Government of Israel respects international law. War crimes, including the targeted killing of women, children, journalists and health workers cannot continue in broad daylight, unremarked on by countries which claim to represent freedom and justice.”
“The catastrophic living conditions in the Gaza Strip are unbearable. The Israeli blockade of health and sanitation supplies constitutes punishment policy and also clearly violates international law. The UN must step up and hold Israel to account for its flagrant violation of global agreements, otherwise hopes for this latest truce to hold are probably naive.”
In the recent Commission of Inquiry by UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk in March 2019, on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt) , Israel was found to be in non-compliance with more than 40 resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and more than 100 resolutions of the General Assembly.
As an occupying power, Israel is accountable and must respect and uphold the rights of Palestinian people, including the right to freedom of movement, decent life, protection, education, work and self-determination.
Yet ActionAid has once again had to pause its programs in Gaza, because of the danger of airstrikes targeting civilian infrastructure. The charity enables life-saving services to reach the worst affected communities in Gaza, where 97% of water is undrinkable and tainted by raw sewage, unfit for humans. Israel controls the flow of fuel and supplies needed in Gaza to make the water safe.
Ibraigheth continued, “ActionAid supports partners, living and working in Gaza, by providing diesel to help pump clean water and ensure sewage can be treated. Being forced to stop this work is incredibly dangerous and could spell an outbreak of deadly diseases such as cholera.”
“While Israel celebrates Independence and the world tunes into Eurovision, we’ll continue assisting Palestinian communities, despite conditions being dire and unnecessarily dangerous,” Ibraigheth stressed.
Israel’s blockade policy and targeting of civilians destroys lives and prevents progress. Hence, ActionAid called on the European Union and all signatories of UN Geneva Convention to apply all possible diplomatic pressure on Israel to fulfill its commitments under international law.
14 apr 2019
US President Donald Trump has warned the International Criminal Court (ICC) of “swift and vigorous response” if the Hague-based tribunal investigates Americans and Israelis for war crimes.
Trump issued the warning on Friday, after ICC judges rejected a request by the court’s prosecutor to probe atrocities committed by US forces in Afghanistan.
Trump hailed the unusual ruling as a “major international victory,” claiming that the Americans and Israelis should be immune from ICC prosecution.
“Since the creation of the ICC, the United States has consistently declined to join the court because of its broad, unaccountable prosecutorial powers; the threat it poses to American national sovereignty; and other deficiencies that render it illegitimate,” he said.
“Any attempt to target American, Israeli, or allied personnel for prosecution will be met with a swift and vigorous response,” he added.
Amnesty International denounced the ICC’s decision as a “shocking abandonment of victims” that would “weaken the court’s already questionable credibility.”
Biraj Patnaik, South Asia Director at Amnesty International, stressed that the ruling would be seen as a “craven capitulation to Washington’s bullying.”
Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US would withdraw or revoke visas for ICC staff who prosecute American troops in Afghanistan, as well as their allied personnel, including Israelis.
He also warned about potential economic sanctions “if the ICC does not change its course.”
US National Security Adviser John Bolton had also threatened to revoke the visas of ICC personnel if the court pursued charges against members of the US military over crimes in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, the US revoked ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s visa as part of a crackdown on the ICC.
The ICC has been examining abuses committed by all parties in the Afghan war for more than a decade.
In November 2017, Bensouda sought authorization to open an inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, including in states where the CIA held prisoners.
The ICC is also investigating Israeli atrocities in the West Bank and Gaza, including the demolition of Palestinian property and eviction of the Palestinians from the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
Neither the US nor Israel are ICC members.
The United States has revoked the entry visa of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, who is looking into the US military’s possible war crimes in Afghanistan.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced, last month, that the United States would withdraw or deny visas for the ICC personnel probing the war crimes allegations against American forces.
United Nations human rights experts denounced Washington’s “improper interference” in the work of the court, which has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.
The US denial of visa to the ICC prosecutor also drew criticism from within the European Union.
“We can confirm that the U.S. authorities have revoked the prosecutor’s visa for entry into the US,” Bensouda’s office told the Reuters news agency in an e-mail, on Thursday.
Last month, the US secretary of state also declared that Washington was ready to take additional steps, including economic sanctions, if the world body failed to change its course.
The United States has refused to cooperate with international investigators over their probe into possible war crimes of US military personnel in Afghanistan, claiming they violate US sovereignty.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has previously rebuked and questioned the International Criminal Court. One of National Security Adviser John Bolton’s first speeches was about the ICC, condemning its investigation into US personnel.
The US invaded Afghanistan, in October of 2001, and overthrew a Taliban regime in power at the time. But, US forces have remained bogged down, there, through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and, now, Donald Trump.
Obama announced, in 2013, that he was pulling out all US troops from the Arab country. However, the US troops returned to Iraq a year later, under the pretext of fighting the Daesh (ISIS) terrorist group.
Trump had also pledged, during his election campaign, to end the US military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, he has changed his mind, since entering office, and prolonged the US military presence in both countries.
The ICC has repeatedly highlighted alleged abuses of detainees, by American troops between 2003 and 2005, that it believes have not been adequately addressed by the US government.
Washington insists that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over American citizens because the US never ratified the Rome Statute that established the court in the first place, PNN reports.
Trump issued the warning on Friday, after ICC judges rejected a request by the court’s prosecutor to probe atrocities committed by US forces in Afghanistan.
Trump hailed the unusual ruling as a “major international victory,” claiming that the Americans and Israelis should be immune from ICC prosecution.
“Since the creation of the ICC, the United States has consistently declined to join the court because of its broad, unaccountable prosecutorial powers; the threat it poses to American national sovereignty; and other deficiencies that render it illegitimate,” he said.
“Any attempt to target American, Israeli, or allied personnel for prosecution will be met with a swift and vigorous response,” he added.
Amnesty International denounced the ICC’s decision as a “shocking abandonment of victims” that would “weaken the court’s already questionable credibility.”
Biraj Patnaik, South Asia Director at Amnesty International, stressed that the ruling would be seen as a “craven capitulation to Washington’s bullying.”
Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US would withdraw or revoke visas for ICC staff who prosecute American troops in Afghanistan, as well as their allied personnel, including Israelis.
He also warned about potential economic sanctions “if the ICC does not change its course.”
US National Security Adviser John Bolton had also threatened to revoke the visas of ICC personnel if the court pursued charges against members of the US military over crimes in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, the US revoked ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s visa as part of a crackdown on the ICC.
The ICC has been examining abuses committed by all parties in the Afghan war for more than a decade.
In November 2017, Bensouda sought authorization to open an inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, including in states where the CIA held prisoners.
The ICC is also investigating Israeli atrocities in the West Bank and Gaza, including the demolition of Palestinian property and eviction of the Palestinians from the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
Neither the US nor Israel are ICC members.
The United States has revoked the entry visa of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, who is looking into the US military’s possible war crimes in Afghanistan.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced, last month, that the United States would withdraw or deny visas for the ICC personnel probing the war crimes allegations against American forces.
United Nations human rights experts denounced Washington’s “improper interference” in the work of the court, which has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.
The US denial of visa to the ICC prosecutor also drew criticism from within the European Union.
“We can confirm that the U.S. authorities have revoked the prosecutor’s visa for entry into the US,” Bensouda’s office told the Reuters news agency in an e-mail, on Thursday.
Last month, the US secretary of state also declared that Washington was ready to take additional steps, including economic sanctions, if the world body failed to change its course.
The United States has refused to cooperate with international investigators over their probe into possible war crimes of US military personnel in Afghanistan, claiming they violate US sovereignty.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has previously rebuked and questioned the International Criminal Court. One of National Security Adviser John Bolton’s first speeches was about the ICC, condemning its investigation into US personnel.
The US invaded Afghanistan, in October of 2001, and overthrew a Taliban regime in power at the time. But, US forces have remained bogged down, there, through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and, now, Donald Trump.
Obama announced, in 2013, that he was pulling out all US troops from the Arab country. However, the US troops returned to Iraq a year later, under the pretext of fighting the Daesh (ISIS) terrorist group.
Trump had also pledged, during his election campaign, to end the US military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, he has changed his mind, since entering office, and prolonged the US military presence in both countries.
The ICC has repeatedly highlighted alleged abuses of detainees, by American troops between 2003 and 2005, that it believes have not been adequately addressed by the US government.
Washington insists that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over American citizens because the US never ratified the Rome Statute that established the court in the first place, PNN reports.
22 mar 2019
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a draft resolution to strengthen the UN presence in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory, on Friday afternoon.
The UNHRC requested "the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to strengthen the field presence of the Office of the High Commissioner in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip."
The Council requested the deployment of "personnel and expertise necessary to monitor and document the ongoing violations of international law" in the occupied territories.
It condemned Israel's "apparent intentional use of unlawful lethal and other excessive force" against civilian protesters, including children, journalists and health workers, in Gaza.
The resolution was adopted with 23 states in favor, 8 against, and 15 abstentions.
The votes against the resolution were given by Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Hungary, and Ukraine.
UNHRC mentioned that it was "gravely concerned" by the findings of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry's probe, which warned of possible war crimes committed by Israeli forces during the “The Great March of Return” protests.
The UN probe said that Israeli security forces may have committed war crimes killing scores of Palestinians and wounding more than 6,100 suppressing weekly protests in Gaza over the past year.
The Council also stressed "the urgency of achieving without delay an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, and affirming that this is necessary in order to uphold human rights and international law."
The UNHRC requested "the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to strengthen the field presence of the Office of the High Commissioner in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in the besieged Gaza Strip."
The Council requested the deployment of "personnel and expertise necessary to monitor and document the ongoing violations of international law" in the occupied territories.
It condemned Israel's "apparent intentional use of unlawful lethal and other excessive force" against civilian protesters, including children, journalists and health workers, in Gaza.
The resolution was adopted with 23 states in favor, 8 against, and 15 abstentions.
The votes against the resolution were given by Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Fiji, Hungary, and Ukraine.
UNHRC mentioned that it was "gravely concerned" by the findings of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry's probe, which warned of possible war crimes committed by Israeli forces during the “The Great March of Return” protests.
The UN probe said that Israeli security forces may have committed war crimes killing scores of Palestinians and wounding more than 6,100 suppressing weekly protests in Gaza over the past year.
The Council also stressed "the urgency of achieving without delay an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, and affirming that this is necessary in order to uphold human rights and international law."
21 mar 2019
The UN Human Rights Council voted, on March 15, to conduct an investigation into the Israeli army’s killing of peaceful Palestinian protesters along the eastern parts of Gaza, near the Israeli separation fence.
The council voted 29 in favor and two against, while 14 countries abstained. Australia and the US were the two countries in opposition to the decision. The council condemned “the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians.”
Tomorrow, Thursday, March 21, the UN High Commission for Human Rights will vote on the report of the UN investigation committee, which confirmed Israeli violations against the protesters in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to Days of Palestine, Palestinian victims hope that the countries who vote will stand with justice and raise the issue, in order to adopt the report in criminalizing the Israeli occupation before international courts.
Since the beginning of the Great March of Return, Israel used deadly weapons to kill peaceful participants in the marches, claiming that they do so to defend themselves, while human rights organizations affirmed that participants of the marches were unarmed.
The council voted 29 in favor and two against, while 14 countries abstained. Australia and the US were the two countries in opposition to the decision. The council condemned “the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians.”
Tomorrow, Thursday, March 21, the UN High Commission for Human Rights will vote on the report of the UN investigation committee, which confirmed Israeli violations against the protesters in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to Days of Palestine, Palestinian victims hope that the countries who vote will stand with justice and raise the issue, in order to adopt the report in criminalizing the Israeli occupation before international courts.
Since the beginning of the Great March of Return, Israel used deadly weapons to kill peaceful participants in the marches, claiming that they do so to defend themselves, while human rights organizations affirmed that participants of the marches were unarmed.
17 mar 2019
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Malki, today, criticized attempts by the United States administration to bully and intimidate the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) and obstruct justice.
“Today, the Secretary of State of the United States, acting on a threat delivered in September by US National Security Adviser John Bolton, stated that it will bar entry to International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel,” Malki said in a statement.
“The State of Palestine deplores the renewed outrageous attempts of bullying, intimidation, coercion and obstruction of justice. The ICC was established under a rules-based international order to ensure accountability for the most serious of crimes.
As a result of its independence and integrity, no amount of punitive measures against the Court, its officials and those cooperating with it could impede the course of justice for victims,” he added, according to WAFA.
“The State of Palestine remains undeterred in its commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute and to preserve its integrity.
“The State of Palestine reaffirms its support for the Court and stands united with its fellow States Parties in its resolve to fight impunity, and ensure that the ICC is able to fulfill its mandate in service of justice.”
“Today, the Secretary of State of the United States, acting on a threat delivered in September by US National Security Adviser John Bolton, stated that it will bar entry to International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel,” Malki said in a statement.
“The State of Palestine deplores the renewed outrageous attempts of bullying, intimidation, coercion and obstruction of justice. The ICC was established under a rules-based international order to ensure accountability for the most serious of crimes.
As a result of its independence and integrity, no amount of punitive measures against the Court, its officials and those cooperating with it could impede the course of justice for victims,” he added, according to WAFA.
“The State of Palestine remains undeterred in its commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute and to preserve its integrity.
“The State of Palestine reaffirms its support for the Court and stands united with its fellow States Parties in its resolve to fight impunity, and ensure that the ICC is able to fulfill its mandate in service of justice.”
4 mar 2019
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to speed up its investigation of Israeli crimes against Palestinians, the latest one was the killing of two Palestinian youths and injuring another near the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, on Monday.
Israeli forces shot and killed two killed Palestinians as Amir Mahmoud Jumaa Darraj, 20, from the Kharbatha al-Misbah village, and Youssef Raed Mahmoud Anqawi, 20, from Beit Sira, while on their way to their workplace.
The ministry issued a statement describing the killing as “a heinous crime committed in cold blood” and as an “extrajudicial execution.”
The ministry also called for holding accountable Israeli officials, who gave orders to soldiers to open fire and kill Palestinians at will.
The statement stressed, “Failure to hold Israeli officials accountable for their crimes and grave violations of international and humanitarian law leads the occupation army to persist in disregarding the life of Palestinians, their land, property, holy places, homes and their national and humanitarian presence in their homeland.”
The statement added that it was following up on these crimes with the ICC, calling upon it to speed up starting an official investigation “into these crimes to hold accountable and prosecute the Israeli war criminals.”
Israeli forces shot and killed two killed Palestinians as Amir Mahmoud Jumaa Darraj, 20, from the Kharbatha al-Misbah village, and Youssef Raed Mahmoud Anqawi, 20, from Beit Sira, while on their way to their workplace.
The ministry issued a statement describing the killing as “a heinous crime committed in cold blood” and as an “extrajudicial execution.”
The ministry also called for holding accountable Israeli officials, who gave orders to soldiers to open fire and kill Palestinians at will.
The statement stressed, “Failure to hold Israeli officials accountable for their crimes and grave violations of international and humanitarian law leads the occupation army to persist in disregarding the life of Palestinians, their land, property, holy places, homes and their national and humanitarian presence in their homeland.”
The statement added that it was following up on these crimes with the ICC, calling upon it to speed up starting an official investigation “into these crimes to hold accountable and prosecute the Israeli war criminals.”
