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Al-Haq again is appealing
to the international community with a sense of urgency regarding the fate of
the Palestinian people under Israeli Military Occupation. The safety and
security of Palestinians continues to be threatened by the Israeli Occupying
Forces and their unwillingness to stop and/or prevent acts of Israeli settler
violence against Palestinian civilians.
Israeli settlers, whose presence is a violation of international law, have
been acting in the Occupied Territories individually and jointly without the
insignia of combatants or a command structure. Their actions include,
blocking roads near villages and shooting live ammunition at Palestinians
driving on by-pass roads. It appears that the Israeli military has made no
real attempt to stop settler violence. To the contrary the Israeli army
provides settlers with weapons, protection, and utterly fails in protecting
Palestinian civilians from their illegal acts in accordance with its legal
commitments under international law. Israeli settlers often take the
initiative in attacking Palestinian civilians, destroying their property, and
restricting their movement by blockading roads. In many cases the
Israeli army is aware of such actions and even provides protection to settlers
during their commission of such illegal actions. Al-Haq has extensive
documentation of such violations and of the Israeli Armys complicity in
permitting them.
During the past weeks such incidents have increased, particularly in areas
around Nablus and Hebron. Al- Haq views such incidents with grave
concern particularly since ideologically motivated settlers have, in the past,
committed serious crimes and do not operate within a responsible command
structure. Settlers seem to rely both on the protection of the Israeli
army and the tolerance of the Israeli judiciary, if they are tried at all.
The army often fails to restrain or arrest them, leaving that task to the
Israeli police who are rarely present in the Occupied Territories.
The Israeli armys failure to provide the necessary protection for
Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories is a flagrant violation of its
obligation under international humanitarian law to safeguard the welfare of
the occupied population. With the likelihood of ongoing Israeli settler
violence, and the continuing failure or unwillingness of the Israeli army to
ensure the safety and security of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories,
al-Haq calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention, to provide and/or guarantee immediate protection for Palestinians
living under Israeli military occupation.
The Israeli military must take full responsibility for the deterioration of
the respect for human rights in the Occupied Territories. |