Press Release

13 September 1999

Al-Haq, the West Bank Affiliate of the International Commission of Jurists, views with grave concern the proposed opening of the "Jerusalem: the Capital of Israel" exhibit at Walt Disney World at the end of September, 1999. By emphasising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the exhibit contradicts international law regarding the status of the city as well as ignores Palestinians' right to the city.

UN Resolution 181, issued in 1947, called for the partition of Palestine into an Arab and a Jewish state. This same resolution that provided for the creation of a Jewish state, declared that Jerusalem should be an international enclave, governed by an independent United Nations body. However in 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and extended Israeli law, jurisdiction, and administration to the city. Shortly thereafter, Israel announced an expansion of the Jerusalem borders, dissolved the Arab municipal council and exiled the Arab mayor of Jerusalem. The UN Security Council rejected Israel's encroachment on the eastern part of the city, declaring its efforts to change the status of the city invalid.

On July 30, 1980, the Israeli Knesset adopted the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel, which officially declared Israel's position regarding the city. However, according to international law, this area is occupied territory. It has the same status as the rest of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The application of Israeli law, in whole or in part, to the annexed city violates several international covenants and treaties. As such, the international community has disregarded Israel's claim to Jerusalem as its capital.

Israel's unilateral annexation of East Jerusalem and its attempts to alter the ethnic composition, physical character, boundaries, and legal status of the city, violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Convention for the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Furthermore, the perpetual alterations of the ethnic composition and boundaries of East Jerusalem are contrary to the agreements signed between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the Israeli government. These agreements are clear that neither party should alter the status of issues involved, including Jerusalem, until final status can be agreed upon.

Al-Haq views with grave concern Walt Disney's endorsement of Israel's illegal claim of Jerusalem as its capital. The implications of this move must not be underestimated. Such endorsement is a flagrant disregard to international law and to Palestinians' right to the city as the capital of their future state. Moreover, by emphasising that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Walt Disney is presenting, to its visitors, a biased and skewed representation of the city.

Al-Haq calls on Walt Disney to take immediate measures to rectify the situation in order to ensure that this exhibit does not infringe upon the legitimate Palestinian right to the city.

Until these concerns are addressed, al-Haq supports the call for a boycott of Walt Disney products and recreation centres.