Human Rights

Today, the situation continues to deteriorate in a cycle where violence begets violence and where no viable prospects for peace are apparent. Given the fact that the situation continues to worsen, OMCT wonders how far conditions must deteriorate before the International Community reacts with all the urgency that the situation requires.

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) notes with great concern the Israeli Government’s systematic negative attitude towards decisions made by the United Nations Security Council concerning the prevailing situation in the Middle East.

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) is deeply concerned by a growing trend within the Israeli Government of systematically denying Palestinian nationals the protection of both international and national law.

In reaction to the latest house demolitions in Gaza, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has addressed an urgent request to the Israeli authorities urging them to put an end immediately to house demolitions, which have become a systematic policy.

The FIDH urgently appeals for a protection force to be sent to Israel and the Occupied Territories. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli armed forces and free access to victims. We call on all States to declare the Occupied Territories a humanitarian disaster zone.

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) urges the Israeli authorities to withdraw its army from Nablus, where the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) made a new incursion today 3rd May, at 4 a.m., with tanks and helicopters, after Nablus was declared “closed military zone” again yesterday morning.

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) strongly condemns the attack committed by the Israeli army on Monday, July 22, in which an F-16 dropped a missile onto a densely populated area of Gaza City, thereby causing the death of 15 people and severely injuring many others.

Today, B’Tselem hosted a press conference to release its new report, Land Grab: Israel’s Settlement Policy in the West Bank. B’Tselem’s researcher, Yehezkel Lein, presented the report and the accompanying map which details the built-up areas and the land reserved for future development of West Bank settlements.

On Sunday, March 31 2002, at the beginning of ‘Operation Defensive Shield’, IDF soldiers detained 17-year old Murad ‘Awaisa. He and some neighbors were detained in an apartment in ‘Awaisa’s building, and were supervised by soldiers. The next morning, his body was taken from the building with two bullets in it; one near his heart and one in the knee.

Today the Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee approved the proposed law denying compensation to persons injured by Israeli security forces in the Occupied Territories. The proposed law will soon be submitted to the Knesset for second and third readings, and thus pass into law.