Special Reports |
AL-HAQ
URGENT APPEAL6 August 1997
Al-Haq is deeply alarmed by the continued tight military siege imposed on the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) since 30 July 1997, and by the racially motivated policies of the Israeli government that have had a detrimental impact on the public life of 2.4 million Palestinians. Al-Haq demands that the Israeli military authorities immediately lift this siege which jeopardizes the medical. economic, educational, social, and, in certain cases, even the lives of Palestinians living in the OPT.
On 30 July 1997 a suicidal bombing took place at Mahaneh Yehuda market in West Jerusalem. The Israeli army immediately closed off the entire Occupied Palestinian Territories. Israel sealed off all cities and towns located within the Palestinian autonomous areas, forbidding anyone to enter or leave.
In Al-Haq’s view, since 1967, the Israeli occupation has been based on racial discrimination and segregation between Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews. This racial discrimination against the Palestinians had taken different forms such as deportation, demolition of houses, spatial restriction, expropriation of land and water resources, denial of family reunification, destruction of property, uprooting of trees, double legal standards for Palestinians and Israeli settlers, curfews, mass arrests, administrative detention, and the establishment of racially segregated colonial settlements on Palestinian-owned land. The recent military siege is another manifestation of this racist policy. At the same time, the Israeli government facilitates the Israeli settlers: to build and live on expropriated Palestinian land, to exploit OPT arable land and consume its water resources, and to enjoy army protection and economic prosperity inside the OPT. And when the settlers murder Palestinian civilians, or destroy Palestinian property, they go unpunished. No collective punishment has ever been implemented against the community of Israeli settlers.
At a time when the identities of the two individuals who carried out the suicidal bombing is still unknown, the Israeli government took advantage of the impact of the bombing on world public opinion, in order to justify further racist measures against the Palestinian residents of the OPT.
For the seventh consecutive day, the tight siege continues to be imposed in a racial manner over the entire occupied Palestinian territories. The imposition of the tight military siege led to the disruption of Palestinian community life, fracturing the occupied Palestinian territories into isolated enclaves.
The economic and social lives of 2.4 million Palestinians are adversely affected. In addition.
Palestinians are denied the ability to practice basic rights and obtain access to vital services. These military measures caused inter alia :
Restriction on Freedom of Movement: At a time when Israeli settlers move freely inside the OPT. Palestinians are barred from: moving freely inside the occupied West Bank, entering Israeli settlements and the industrial zones set up along the 1949 borders (The "Green Line") and traveling outside the OPT. According to al-Haq’s information, the border crossings from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and from the West Bank to Jordan have sealed off, forcing at least 500 Palestinians to be stranded on the Egyptian side of the border, and preventing at least 8.000 Palestinian visitors to the OPT from traveling abroad.
Obstruction of Access to Medical Treatment: For the last six days, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and all other health personnel have been denied access to their work locations. At least two directors of hospitals were delayed for a number of hours at military checkpoints in Hebron. Patients heading to West Bank hospitals for medication and treatment are prevented from reaching their destinations, even when there were strong humanitarian grounds, such as the case of the wounded child Mohammed Atta Abu-Asab who died at al-Jisr checkpoint after being denied access to a hospital. Family members have also been denied permits to visit patients in hospitals in East Jerusalem and Israel. In Addition, kidney, heart and cancer patients coming from the Gaza Strip to West Bank. East Jerusalem, and Israeli hospitals for treatment and health services are denied access to these hospitals and confined to the Gaza Strip. Such a situation shall certainly endanger the lives of many patients, the majority of which are children and old people. For the last six days, all West Bank hospitals have not been given access to the basic and vital supplies of food, medical appliances and medications, particularly since the main sources of pharmaceuticals are located in the main towns of the West Bank.
Losses to Economy and Agriculture: The siege has severely affected the fragile Palestinian economy and has severely disrupted normal life in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The agricultural sector is suffering since many farmers and their workers are not able to reach their fields that are located outside the military closed enclaves. This is expected to have serious effects on crops that are in season. The siege also prevents farmers from marketing their produce outside their own place of residence, causing them economic losses. Workers are also generally not able to reach their places of work inside the West Bank. In addition more than 50,000 Palestinians are prevented from reaching their places of work in Israel. Since 31 July 1997, the Israeli military authorities have prohibited Palestinian fishermen in Rafah, and Khan Younis from having access to the sea.
The economic disruption caused by the tight siege has resulted in direct losses to the Palestinian economy. According to the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR), as a result of the siege, the Palestinian economy has sustained daily losses of $8,419,160, Daily imports from Israel to the Gaza Strip of vital commodities such as food-stuff , pharmaceuticals, construction materials, raw materials, and gasoline - have all been completely halted in the past three days. The Gaza Strip - which imports from Israel 8.000 tons of flour per month, and 8 tons per day of foodstuffs such as sugar, rice, meat, and edible oils - has received nothing in the past three days. Around 800 Israeli trucks entered the Gaza Strip, on a daily basis, prior to the imposition of the tight siege.
Obstruction of Access to Educational Institutions: All universities in the West Bank have been severely affected as many students and staff have not been able to reach the campuses. Students have been barred from attending summer courses or sitting for their final exams.
Mass Arrests: The Israeli security forces have carried out mass arrests of Palestinians suspected of affiliation with Hamas and other Palestinian political groups and arbitrary arrests of others. At least 340 persons have been arrested in the last few days. No specific charges have been brought against most of those incarcerated.
Denial of Family Visits to Prisoners: Family visits to the more than 3.500 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and detention centers are also canceled now until further notice because of the siege.
Disruption of the Work of the Palestinian Courts and Lawyers: Normal internal legal proceedings in the West Bank are paralyzed. The military siege has prevented court employees, including members of the judiciary, from reaching their places of work in Area A. In Addition lawyers cannot reach their clients or represent them in the courts.
Other Violations: In addition to the above, the tight military siege was accompanied by additional violations such as: closure of two institutions in Jerusalem, demolition of three houses in East Jerusalem, destruction of private property, expropriations of private vehicles, severe beating of journalists and detainees, barring West Bank press from entering the Gaza Strip, raids on mosques raids on villages, paving of roads by Israeli settlers on Palestinian-owned land. Killing by settlers of a Palestinian shepherd, delay of patients at military checkpoints and death of a wounded child as a result.
The Israeli authorities justify this extraordinary move as necessary for security needs following the 30 June 1997 suicidal bombing at Mahaneh Yehuda market in West Jerusalem. In al-Haq’s view, the current tight military siege and the closing off of Palestinian cities and towns are disproportionate to any legitimate security concern on the part of the Israeli occupation authorities. Under international law, the right of the Israeli government, as a belligerent occupant, to take measures essential for its security must be balanced by Israel’s obligation to maintain and ensure the public life and security of the Palestinian community under its occupation. In breach of this international obligation, Israel has imposed a disproportionate measure through which the entire Palestinian population is being collectively punished, socially, culturally, and economically (Article 43 of the Hague Regulations of 1907).
The recent Israeli measures that were taken by the Netanyahu led government and directed against 2.4 million Palestinians stem also from deep-seeded racism. At the time where Israeli settlers are free to move inside the OPT. Palestinians are forced to be confined to their houses and are not allowed to travel either internally or externally. They are racially segregated in a fashion similar to the past apartheid system in South Africa. Their basic human rights are being illegally denied under the pretext of "security". In short, the Israeli government has decided to collectively punish an entire people.
In Al-Haq’s view, the current situation is extremely serious and it clearly demonstrates Israel’s racist policies, its failure and insistent refusal to meet its international legal obligations under international law. We, therefore appeal to your good offices, to do all in your power to prevent further deterioration of the current situation. We strongly believe that the international community is also responsible for ensuring the full protection and security of Palestinian civilians in the current situation. We ask that your respected governments send their diplomatic representatives to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in order to monitor the situation. We also request that you urge your respected governments to bring all possible pressure to bear upon the Israeli authorities.
Al-Haq, also, calls on the international community of states to: