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For the last three months
Al-Haq has called upon the international community to take action in defense
of the civilian Palestinian population who continue to live under Israeli
military occupation. In explanation of their abstention from voting a
number of states voiced concern that this resolution was being considered at a
sensitive and inopportune time. With talks beginning yesterday, the day
after the vote, between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington,
they argued that it could jeopardize the peace process. Unfortunately,
the Palestinian people cannot wait upon the outcome of yet another round of
negotiations. With each passing day the situation in the Occupied
Territories worsens. To not approve an observer force is to prejudge the
outcome of negotiations in favor of the more powerful Occupation Forces.
While it is hoped that justice and peace will soon become realities, there is
no guarantee that the negotiations will lead anywhere. The approval of a
UN force to be sent to the Occupied Territories sends a strong message that
human rights must be respected, not doing so only serves to support the status
quo. It is al-Haqs opinion that even if this round of
Palestinian-Israeli negotiations succeeds in bringing about an end to the
current violence, at a minimum an observer force is needed in the Occupied
Territories. As was seen during the Oslo Peace process agreements do not
guarantee rights.
Israel continues to act in flagrant disregard of the international
humanitarian principles, treaties, conventions and covenants to which it is
subject, and the Israeli Military continues to use excessive, disproportionate
and lethal force against Palestinian protestors. This excessive use of
force has affected all people without distinction. At this time nightly
bombing, summary and arbitrary executions, religious discrimination, the use
of administrative detention and torture all persist. Civilian
Palestinians, who qualify as protected persons under international law, live
in a constant state of fear. As they are unable to protect themselves,
the responsibility for their protection falls upon the shoulders of the
occupying party and, in light of their failure to offer adequate protection,
the international community. It is in light of these facts that al-Haq
and the Palestinian people have requested that a protection force be sent to
the Occupied Territories.
Originally, the UN was requested to provide an armed protection force
consisting of 2,000 soldiers to be deployed in the Occupied Territories.
Following negotiations, this was pared down to a force of military and
police observers of unspecified size. Palestinian supporters also
agreed to change the resolution from expressly calling for the establishment
of an observer force to only stating that the UN Security Council was
expressing its determination to establish such a force. Even in
this weakened form the Security Council refused to approve the resolution,
which in effect may give legitimacy to the brutal and criminal actionsof the
Israeli Occupation Forces, including summary executions, excessive use of
force and other war crimes that have been documented by the UN. The
Israeli government saw the lack of action on the part of the Security Council
as a huge diplomatic success.
Al-Haq wishes to express its grave concern over the lack of action taken on
the part of the international community to combat human rights violations
occurring in the Occupied Territories. In light of the continuous
deterioration of the human rights situation in the Occupied Territories al-Haq
also wishes to reiterate its call for:
1.
The United Nations Security Council should take the necessary
measures to pressure the Israeli governmentto stop its excessive use of force
and aggression against Palestinian civilians.
- 2.
Immediate action by the States Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention to bear responsibility towards atrocities committed against
Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, and to fulfill their legal
obligations as High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention
under Article 1 of the Convention that states that states must act to
ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances.
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