Wrapping up a visit to the Middle East, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said today that Palestinian and Israeli civilians were the primary victims of the alarming deprivation of human rights in the region. Speaking at the end of a five-day visit to the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, the High Commissioner said her talks with both civilians on both sides affected by the violence made apparent “their profound sense of frustration and abandonment, including a perception that the international community is not doing enough to protect them.” Read more about Civilians bear brunt of abuses, UN rights chief says
During the reported period, IOF killed 17 Palestinians, including 5 children, two women and an old man. Two other Palestinians died from previous wounds in the Gaza Strip. In addition, IOF wounded 92 Palestinians, including 41 children. In the Gaza Strip, IOF killed 13 Palestinians, including 7 civilians. The victims include 3 children, two women and an old man. Two Palestinians also died from previous wounds. On 18 November 2006, IOF moved into the northern Gaza Strip. IOF military vehicles and helicopter gunships opened fire, killing 3 Palestinian civilians, including two children, and wounding 5 Palestinians, including two children and two members of the Palestinian resistance. Read more about Weekly Report of Human Rights Violations
All foreign passports of spouses and children of Palestinian ID-holders who had applied for visa extensions were marked recently as “last permit” by the Israeli authorities. 105 passport holders are required to exit from Israeli controlled entry/exit points before the end of the year. The Israeli Ministry of Interior (MoI) office at Beit El began returning the passports on November 19 after a six-week strike by Israeli MoI employees. Those who overstay their allotted time will be considered “illegal” and are subject to immediate deportation from the Israeli occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). Read more about Israel issues last permits to foreigners, splitting families
The top United Nations human rights official said today that “massive” violations against civilians had taken place in the Gaza Strip as she began a five-day tour of the region following Israel’s deadly assault on the occupied Palestinian territory earlier this month. Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, toured the northern Gazan town of Beit Hanoun, where 19 Palestinians were killed and some 60 others injured earlier this month when the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) shelled a residential area. Arbour told journalists that an independent, credible and thorough inquiry was needed to determine where responsibility lies for the deaths in Beit Hanoun. Read more about In Gaza Strip, UN human rights chief decries ‘massive’ violations against civilians
This Saturday afternoon two schoolchildren were shot and wounded inside UNRWA’s Beit Lahia Elementary School in the northern Gaza Strip. At 15:10 hrs, while sitting at his desk in a first grade classroom, Ahmed Isam Abdel-Aziz, seven years old, was struck by a bullet to the head. The bullet, which first bounced off a window ledge, penetrated 3-5 millimeters into Ahmed’s skull. Five minutes later, Rewa Khalid Al-Mabhouh, 12 years old, was shot in the leg. She had just entered the school’s eastern corridor to pick up her younger brother, since evacuation of the school was underway. Read more about Two children shot inside UNRWA school
Today, PLO Head of Mission to the United Nations Riyadh Mansour announced that the UN Register of Damage will be re-raised with the General Assembly on 5 December 2006 (BBC Radio-Arabic). Palestinians have many good reasons for doing so; not only is the proposed mechanism for registration seriously flawed, but Palestinians will also be left again without an effective forum for raising claims for restitution and compensation. On 9 July 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel should dismantle the illegal Wall under construction in occupied Palestinian territory, return confiscated Palestinian properties and provide compensation for damages. Read more about What's the problem with the UN Register of Damage caused by Israel's wall?
On Thursday 16th November 2006, Al Mezan delivered a letter to the distinguished representatives of the European Union (EU) calling upon them to intervene and bring a halt to Israel’s continued violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the Gaza Strip. In its letter to the EU, Al Mezan brought special attention to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) violations of human rights in its most recent incursion into Beit Hanoun, in the continued Israeli siege of the entire Gaza Strip, and in the Israeli government’s almost complete denial of Palestinian’s right to free movement. Read more about Al Mezan requests urgent intervention from the EU
The protection of civilians during armed conflict and the entitlement of Palestinians and Israelis equally to enjoy all fundamental freedoms will top the agenda as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour visits Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 19 to 24 November. This first visit as High Commissioner will give Ms. Arbour an opportunity to examine developments on the ground first-hand and discuss the situation with people affected by the violence, authorities, civil society and non-governmental organizations and UN partners. Read more about UN Human Rights Chief to visit Palestine
On the eve of the UN General Assembly’s resumed special session to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Amnesty International urges all UN member states to put human rights at the top of the agenda and agree concrete action to protect the human rights of all people living in the areas affected by the ongoing crisis. Such concrete action should include independent monitoring of abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law throughout the Occupied Territories and Israel. Read more about Governments at General Assembly must now put civilians before politics
On 8 November 2006, Adalah wrote, for the second time, to “Mifal Hapayis,” the Israeli Lottery, demanding the cancellation of a plan to award 1,000 scholarships to students who serve in the Israeli army, on the grounds that it discriminates against Arab students, who are exempt from serving in the army, and generally do not do so. Adalah sent the letter after receiving a response from Mifal Hapayis, in which it claimed that placing the criterion of military service in the given context does not constitute discrimination against Arab students. Read more about Israeli Lottery offering 1,000 Scholarships Conditioned on Military Service Discriminates against Arab Students
