The Third International Conference of the Human Rights Movement in the Arab World called upon the League of Arab States to take the practical measures necessary for expelling Israel from the United Nations. This is based on Israel's violation of one of the conditions for accepting its membership to the UN in 1949, that is its failure to implement the UN Resolution 194 of 1948 that requires it to allow the return of the Palestinian refugees to their homes and to pay compensations.
This was part of the recommendations of the Rabat Declaration on the Rights of the Palestinian Refugees. The Rabat Declaration was adopted by the conference organised by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights, in coordination with the Moroccan Organisation for Human Rights and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, from 10 to 12 February 2001 in Rabat, Morocco.
The conference started with keynote addresses by Mr. Muhammad Ugar, the Moroccan Minister for Human Rights, and the representatives of the organisers. The inaugural session was chaired by Mr. Khaled el-Nassery, Chairman of the Arab League's Permanent Committee for Human Rights. The conference was attended by human rights organisations from 7 Arab countries and from Palestine of 1948, Arab and foreign experts, academics, jurists, officials, in addition to representatives of international human rights organisations, the United Nations, and Arab and foreign diplomats.
The conference discussed 13 papers on five themes. Four major international human rights organisations gave statements on their positions on the Palestinian refugees issue. They were: Amnesty International, The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network, The International Federation for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch.
In its closing session, the Conference discussed the Rabat Declaration (attached) setting out the main recommendation. Moreover, the conference mad e three practical recommendations:
1- Charging the CIHRS with submitting the conference's recommendations as embodied in the Rabat Declaration to: the Secretary General of the Arab League, for presentation to the next Arab summit in March in Amman; the Secretary General of the United Nations; the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; the United Nations Human Rights Commission; Sweden, in its capacity as the president of the European Union during this period; and the international human rights organisation.
2- Calling upon the Palestinian organisations in the West Bank, Gaza and Palestine of 1948, to follow up the conference's recommendations, in coordination with the Arab networks in Europe and the United States concerned with the implementation of the right of return.
3- Calling upon the (Badil) Resource Centre for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Jerusalem, to continue its work for documenting all the information and documents pertaining to the refugees, in cooperation with the concerned organisations and networks.
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A shipment of emergency medical supplies was denied entry into
Gaza
today by the Israeli Army. After days of increased conflict, the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) attempted to
deliver
the badly needed medical items for the Palestine Red Crescent
Society
Emergency Medical and Ambulance Services, but their truck was
turned
back at the Erez Checkpoint. PRCS views this breach of
humanitarian
international humanitarian law with grave concern. We ask our
partners, national red cross/crescent societies, NGOs, and world
governments to intervene with the Israeli authorities to permit the
delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need.
Palestinian Red Crescent Society
Red Cross Medical Supplies Denied Entry to Gaza