Question of the Violation of Human Rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine

Oral Statement by the Society for Threatened Peoples
The Society for Threatened Peoples (Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker / GfbV) is extremely concerned at the current human rights situation in the Israeli-occupied areas of the West Bank of the Jordan and the Gaza Strip and the autonomous areas under Palestinian rule.

Between 29 September 2000 and 17 March 2001 329 Palestinians were killed. The great majority of these (282) have been Palestinian civilians, including 90 youths under 18 years of age. Thousands more have been injured. There have been 47 victims on the Israeli side - 20 members of the security forces and 27 civilians/settlers.

The STP condemns all violations of human rights:

 

• The Israeli security forces have reacted to the Palestinians' demonstrations with excessive force. In most cases the Palestinian demonstrators were throwing stones at well-protected Israeli soldiers. It is an exaggeration to argue that the soldiers' lives were threatened. They responded immediately by firing rubber-coated bullets and live ammunition, both of which are potentially lethal. No attempt was made to disperse the demonstrations using other means. People not participating in the demonstrations but simply caught up in events were also killed. Medical personnel were fired upon and killed.

• The Israeli security forces have targeted and executed Palestinians whom they accuse of having been responsible for the violence. This policy of extra judicial executions violates Israeli and international law.

• Israel has restricted the freedom of movement of the Palestinian population by closing the border with Israel and sealing off Palestinian towns. People have been unable to travel to their places of work and unemployment has increased dramatically.

• In a number of cases both the Israeli and the Palestinian security forces have prevented medical services from reaching the wounded and have obstructed the free passage of ambulances. Several deaths have occurred as a result.

• The Palestinian authorities have permitted two alleged collaborators to be executed after being sentenced to death by court martial.

   

The Society for Threatened Peoples requests the Commission on Human Rights:

 

• to work for an end to the use of disproportionate force against the Palestinians by the Israeli Army. Israel must find alternative, non-lethal, methods of dispersing demonstrations. In particular the Israeli Army must cease using live ammunition against stone-throwing children.

• to call on the Israeli government, as occupying power, scrupulously to abide by its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949, pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1322 of 7.10.2000.

• to call on the Israeli government to protect Palestinians from attacks by settlers. All violent attacks must be investigated and those responsible brought to justice.

• to call on the Israeli government to approve no more new settlements on the West Bank and to end immediately the collective punishment of the Palestinian population by restrictions on their freedom of movement.

• to condemn the policy of extra judicial executions by the Israeli Army and call on the government to ensure their immediate cessation. The Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority (PA) should ensure that all persons suspected of responsibility for unlawful killings are brought to trial in a manner consistent with international standards of justice.

• to call on the PA to halt the execution of suspected collaborators.

• to call on the PA to seek to ensure that armed civilians do not fire on Israeli settlers or attack Israeli civilians from residential areas.