5 dec 2019
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2437.jpg?1575615281)
Bensouda also probes ‘pay for slay’ as possible war crime.
International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said on Thursday that she is concerned about potential Israeli moves to annex the Jordan Valley. Bensouda made the comment in a key section of her annual report reviewing a range of conflict areas around the world that she is probing.
Her final decision could have a massive impact on Israel legally, diplomatically, and in terms of the country’s international image.
Like her 2018 annual report, Bensouda once again said that she was close to a broader decision on whether to delve deeper into the war crimes debate relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Bensouda’s term expires in mid-2021, which means that the fall 2020 report will be her last major chance to issue a decision on the conflict.
Though Bensouda’s 2018 report hinted that a decision might come down by mid-2019, her decision may have been pushed off by analyzing the ongoing Gaza border conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Some have suggested that the ICC slowed its push on the Israel-Palestine file due to threats against it by the Trump administration.
But that would seem to be belied by the ICC Prosecution being adamant this week to pursue a case against the US for alleged torture of detainees in Afghanistan, even after an ICC Pretrial Chamber tried to get Bensouda to drop the case.
In any event, the ICC Prosecution was not willing to reveal more signs about whether the final decision will come out in the coming weeks or around 18 months from now.
The three main issues Bensouda is probing are alleged war crimes related to the 2014 Gaza War, the settlement enterprise, and the March 2018-present Gaza border conflict.
In a new section of the report, Bensouda also probes the Palestinian Authority for torturing its own civilians and for so-called pay-for-slay payments.
Regarding the 2014 Gaza war, Bensouda wrote, “With respect to crimes allegedly committed by members of the IDF, the Office has collected information on and evaluated relevant investigative activities at the national level within the IDF military justice system.
“With respect to crimes allegedly committed” by Palestinian fighters in Gaza, “the Office has been unable to identify any relevant national proceedings,” said the ICC Prosecutor.
She also noted that reviewing whether “any of the identified potential cases meet the gravity” requirement for the ICC, which states that the prosecutor only looks into large scale war crimes.
These statements do not mean that the IDF is off the hook for alleged war crimes relating to 2,100 killed Palestinians (between 50% and 80% civilians) from that war.
The ICC could decide the IDF probes were insufficient, or that they did not probe senior commanders and only looked at junior soldiers.
But the statement continues a trend from the 2018 report suggesting the ICC may give Israel a broad pass on the 2014 war by deciding to recognize the IDF probes as precluding an ICC probe.
If so, it would be a stunning turnaround from a 2015 UN Human Rights Council report that condemned the IDF as having systematically perpetrated war crimes.
The report also continued a trend from the 2018 report suggesting that the ICC views Hamas as having failed to probe war crimes committed by its fighters.Such a criminal investigation against Hamas would be a first.
Regarding the settlement enterprise, the report had fewer statistics and updates than in previous reports, yet it had a key line appearing to threaten Israel, stating that “The Office has also followed with concern proposals advanced during the recent electoral process, to be tabled to the Knesset, for Israel to annex the Jordan Valley in the West Bank.
”This line followed a trend of sending deterrent messages to Israel regarding certain changes on the ground in disputed areas, including a previous statement from the ICC that got Israel to back-off from a change of the status quo in the E-1 area between Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Besides that statement and noting the number of Israeli settlements and outposts in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Bensouda did not tip her hand, neutrally summarizing the Israeli-Palestinian dispute over certain areas.
Past reports explicitly attacked the settlements as violating international law and seemed to dismiss the Israeli High Court of Justice by saying that it had declined to rule on whether the settlements policy is a judicial issue.
While recognizing that the High Court has ruled on a range of specific settlements, past reports appeared to set up a scenario where the ICC could declare the settlement enterprise a war crime, and then only drop certain settlements from the probe if the High Court happened to deal with them.
Another major issue the report focused on was the Gaza border conflict since March 2018.
Though overall Bensouda adopted the Palestinian narrative that most Palestinians near the border fence have been nonviolent, she acknowledged that some were violent and had used fire kites and balloons to attack Israel.
In addition, the report noted allegations that Gaza fighters “made use of civilians as shields and of child soldiers during the demonstrations.
”One significant new point was that the ICC report mentioned the May 2018 Israeli Supreme Court decision probing and endorsing the IDF’s rules of engagement regarding the demonstrations.
It was unclear if mentioning the Israeli Supreme Court decision – after the 2018 report ignored that decision – meant a greater acknowledgment of the Israeli justice system, or was merely a technical addition.
Bensouda’s report also mentioned IDF probes of the deaths of 11 demonstrators and the October 28, 2019, conviction of an IDF soldier “in relation to the killing of a teenager who took part in the demonstrations.
”For the first time, Bensouda went into detail about her analyzing whether the PA has violated war crimes by torturing its own civilians, and through financial incentives to some of its people to perpetrate violence against Israel.
“The Office has also received allegations that: (i) Palestinian security and intelligence services in the West Bank have committed the crime against humanity of torture and related acts against civilians…and (ii) the PA have encouraged and provided financial incentives for the commission of violence through their provision of payments to the families of Palestinians…involved…in carrying out attacks against Israeli citizens.
“The payment of such stipends may give rise to Rome Statute crimes,” the report said.
International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said on Thursday that she is concerned about potential Israeli moves to annex the Jordan Valley. Bensouda made the comment in a key section of her annual report reviewing a range of conflict areas around the world that she is probing.
Her final decision could have a massive impact on Israel legally, diplomatically, and in terms of the country’s international image.
Like her 2018 annual report, Bensouda once again said that she was close to a broader decision on whether to delve deeper into the war crimes debate relating to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Bensouda’s term expires in mid-2021, which means that the fall 2020 report will be her last major chance to issue a decision on the conflict.
Though Bensouda’s 2018 report hinted that a decision might come down by mid-2019, her decision may have been pushed off by analyzing the ongoing Gaza border conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Some have suggested that the ICC slowed its push on the Israel-Palestine file due to threats against it by the Trump administration.
But that would seem to be belied by the ICC Prosecution being adamant this week to pursue a case against the US for alleged torture of detainees in Afghanistan, even after an ICC Pretrial Chamber tried to get Bensouda to drop the case.
In any event, the ICC Prosecution was not willing to reveal more signs about whether the final decision will come out in the coming weeks or around 18 months from now.
The three main issues Bensouda is probing are alleged war crimes related to the 2014 Gaza War, the settlement enterprise, and the March 2018-present Gaza border conflict.
In a new section of the report, Bensouda also probes the Palestinian Authority for torturing its own civilians and for so-called pay-for-slay payments.
Regarding the 2014 Gaza war, Bensouda wrote, “With respect to crimes allegedly committed by members of the IDF, the Office has collected information on and evaluated relevant investigative activities at the national level within the IDF military justice system.
“With respect to crimes allegedly committed” by Palestinian fighters in Gaza, “the Office has been unable to identify any relevant national proceedings,” said the ICC Prosecutor.
She also noted that reviewing whether “any of the identified potential cases meet the gravity” requirement for the ICC, which states that the prosecutor only looks into large scale war crimes.
These statements do not mean that the IDF is off the hook for alleged war crimes relating to 2,100 killed Palestinians (between 50% and 80% civilians) from that war.
The ICC could decide the IDF probes were insufficient, or that they did not probe senior commanders and only looked at junior soldiers.
But the statement continues a trend from the 2018 report suggesting the ICC may give Israel a broad pass on the 2014 war by deciding to recognize the IDF probes as precluding an ICC probe.
If so, it would be a stunning turnaround from a 2015 UN Human Rights Council report that condemned the IDF as having systematically perpetrated war crimes.
The report also continued a trend from the 2018 report suggesting that the ICC views Hamas as having failed to probe war crimes committed by its fighters.Such a criminal investigation against Hamas would be a first.
Regarding the settlement enterprise, the report had fewer statistics and updates than in previous reports, yet it had a key line appearing to threaten Israel, stating that “The Office has also followed with concern proposals advanced during the recent electoral process, to be tabled to the Knesset, for Israel to annex the Jordan Valley in the West Bank.
”This line followed a trend of sending deterrent messages to Israel regarding certain changes on the ground in disputed areas, including a previous statement from the ICC that got Israel to back-off from a change of the status quo in the E-1 area between Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Besides that statement and noting the number of Israeli settlements and outposts in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, Bensouda did not tip her hand, neutrally summarizing the Israeli-Palestinian dispute over certain areas.
Past reports explicitly attacked the settlements as violating international law and seemed to dismiss the Israeli High Court of Justice by saying that it had declined to rule on whether the settlements policy is a judicial issue.
While recognizing that the High Court has ruled on a range of specific settlements, past reports appeared to set up a scenario where the ICC could declare the settlement enterprise a war crime, and then only drop certain settlements from the probe if the High Court happened to deal with them.
Another major issue the report focused on was the Gaza border conflict since March 2018.
Though overall Bensouda adopted the Palestinian narrative that most Palestinians near the border fence have been nonviolent, she acknowledged that some were violent and had used fire kites and balloons to attack Israel.
In addition, the report noted allegations that Gaza fighters “made use of civilians as shields and of child soldiers during the demonstrations.
”One significant new point was that the ICC report mentioned the May 2018 Israeli Supreme Court decision probing and endorsing the IDF’s rules of engagement regarding the demonstrations.
It was unclear if mentioning the Israeli Supreme Court decision – after the 2018 report ignored that decision – meant a greater acknowledgment of the Israeli justice system, or was merely a technical addition.
Bensouda’s report also mentioned IDF probes of the deaths of 11 demonstrators and the October 28, 2019, conviction of an IDF soldier “in relation to the killing of a teenager who took part in the demonstrations.
”For the first time, Bensouda went into detail about her analyzing whether the PA has violated war crimes by torturing its own civilians, and through financial incentives to some of its people to perpetrate violence against Israel.
“The Office has also received allegations that: (i) Palestinian security and intelligence services in the West Bank have committed the crime against humanity of torture and related acts against civilians…and (ii) the PA have encouraged and provided financial incentives for the commission of violence through their provision of payments to the families of Palestinians…involved…in carrying out attacks against Israeli citizens.
“The payment of such stipends may give rise to Rome Statute crimes,” the report said.
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2433.jpg?1575613659)
Secretary of State Pompeo and Prime Minister Netanyahu
Netanyahu adds that during his meeting with Secretary of State Pompeo in Lisbon, the two agreed to move forward with plans for a joint defense treaty; PM also denies reports of him agreeing to serve only 6 months as premier as part of the rotation agreement with Blue and White
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country has the "full right" to annex the Jordan Valley.
Netanyahu said his proposal to annex the strategic part of the West Bank was discussed during a late-night meeting in Lisbon, Portugal with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
In a report Thursday, the ICC's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said her office was following "with concern" the Israeli proposal. But Netanyahu told reporters it was Israel's "full right to do so, if we choose so."
Netanyahu also said they agreed to move forward with plans for a joint defense treaty.
Israeli defense officials, including Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, have expressed concern that such a pact could limit Israel's freedom to operate militarily. Netanyahu said he was aware of the reservations but assured that it was a "historic opportunity" and Israel would not be limited to act against archenemy Iran.
The Trump administration has already delivered a number of landmark victories to Netanyahu, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.
Netanyahu, beleaguered by a corruption indictment and political instability at home, is promoting the two initiatives as a rationale for his staying in office.
When asked about reports that he'd agreed to serve only six months as premier in a unity government as part of a rotation deal with the Blue and White party, Netanyahu said, "I don't want six months, I want two years."
Israel’s leader then addressed a possible long-term ceasefire arrangement with Hamas, saying Gaza’s rulers have been “seeking the agreement for a long time."
"There is a possibility to promote the arrangement,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they would recognize us, and we would recognize them, but I think it is possible to reach the deal. We are working on it at this very moment.
Netanyahu adds that during his meeting with Secretary of State Pompeo in Lisbon, the two agreed to move forward with plans for a joint defense treaty; PM also denies reports of him agreeing to serve only 6 months as premier as part of the rotation agreement with Blue and White
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country has the "full right" to annex the Jordan Valley.
Netanyahu said his proposal to annex the strategic part of the West Bank was discussed during a late-night meeting in Lisbon, Portugal with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
In a report Thursday, the ICC's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said her office was following "with concern" the Israeli proposal. But Netanyahu told reporters it was Israel's "full right to do so, if we choose so."
Netanyahu also said they agreed to move forward with plans for a joint defense treaty.
Israeli defense officials, including Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, have expressed concern that such a pact could limit Israel's freedom to operate militarily. Netanyahu said he was aware of the reservations but assured that it was a "historic opportunity" and Israel would not be limited to act against archenemy Iran.
The Trump administration has already delivered a number of landmark victories to Netanyahu, recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and recognizing Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.
Netanyahu, beleaguered by a corruption indictment and political instability at home, is promoting the two initiatives as a rationale for his staying in office.
When asked about reports that he'd agreed to serve only six months as premier in a unity government as part of a rotation deal with the Blue and White party, Netanyahu said, "I don't want six months, I want two years."
Israel’s leader then addressed a possible long-term ceasefire arrangement with Hamas, saying Gaza’s rulers have been “seeking the agreement for a long time."
"There is a possibility to promote the arrangement,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they would recognize us, and we would recognize them, but I think it is possible to reach the deal. We are working on it at this very moment.
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1c_169.jpg?1575572832)
European Union (EU) countries’ are taking steps towards boycotting the Israeli apartheid system, using its legal, legislative and parliamentary institutions to oppose the occupation, Palestine News Network reported.
The EU condemned the Trump administration’s positions and policies carried out in the Palestinian Territories, occupied by Israel since 1967, especially in Jerusalem regarding the Israeli settlements, and the two-state solution.
Within this context, the EU’s Supreme Court has approved labeling Israeli goods produced in settlements built in the Palestinian territories, and exported to the EU. It should also be noted that the EU always asserts that settlements are “illegal, and are an obstacle for achieving peace.”
At the international level, events and activities highlighted the growing international determination to end the Israeli occupation, condemning its ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, as well as its denial of their legitimate rights recognized by many UN resolutions.
Within the framework, Harvard Law School students left a conference hall in New York soon after the Israeli Consul, Danny Dayan, started his speech about the legality of the Israeli settlements.
A video was aired showing the students leaving the hall, but the students went on their stand of solidarity outside the hall, holding up banners that read “Israeli settlements are illegal”, and “settlements are war crimes.”
In Canada, scores of students and demonstrators, in solidarity with Palestinian, protested at the York University Campus in Toronto, as it hosted Israeli Occupation Army’s reservist soldiers, who came to talk about their experiences while serving in the Army. They also organized campaign anti-hosting such soldiers, and chanted slogans such as “no for hosting killers,” and “Free Palestine.”
In Switzerland, the Algerian National Deaf Team withdrew from the International Futsal Championship, held in Switzerland vis-a-vis the Israeli Occupation National Team, stressing that Algerians reject normalization of relations with Israel.
In Turkey, former UN rapporteur in Palestine, Richard Falk announced the formation of an international coalition to encounter and dismantle the Israeli apartheid system in the Palestinian Territories, using all possible legal means, including boycott activities.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch government announced in Parliament that it would continue to carry out the European policy of labeling the Israeli settlements’ goods, in line with the Luxemburg Court of Justice’s resolution.
In Sweden, the new Foreign Minister, Anne Linda, said that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a legitimate movement, and that her country’s government “doesn’t see a similarity between its activities and any other activities of anti-Semitism.” Stating that BDS is a non-violent movement concerned with human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, and ending occupation.
In the US, 107 lawmakers of the democratic members at the US House of Representatives signed a petition calling on Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo to reverse the decision to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The petition came days after Pompeo’s announcement that his country no longer considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to violate the International Law.
Lawmakers expressed their strong rejection of the State Department’s decision.
Within the same context, 5 EU countries rejected the new American position on Israeli settlements; France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Poland in a joint statement, made it clear that “every settlement activity is illegal under international law, undermining the possibility of a two-state solution, and the prospect of lasting peace. Thus, we call on Israel to ban all settlement activities.”
Moreover, a recent poll on the BDS movement showed that, most democrats view it as a legitimate movement, with aims to pressure Israel to comply with international resolutions and laws, to stop settlements and end the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Israeli Authorities deported director of Human Rights Watch, Omar Shaker from Israel and the Palestinian territories, claiming that he is pro-BDS and participates in its anti-Israel activities.
In Palestine, the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution to label Israeli settlements’ goods, was considered to be a victory to be added to a series of moral attitudes that support the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and dismiss the Israeli claims.
In its weekly report, the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlements welcomed the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution on the legality of the labeling Israeli settlements’ goods, which were established in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967.
The Bureau described the resolutions as a long-awaited moral victory, as a result of hard-work and formidable efforts, led by BDS in the EU countries to isolate the Israeli apartheid system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Likewise, the Palestinian National Boycott Committee and BDS’ leadership worldwide welcomed the decision approved by the newly elected Oslo City’s Council led by the Socialist Left Party -SV- and the Labor and Green parties, to ban Israeli settlement goods and services.
The EU condemned the Trump administration’s positions and policies carried out in the Palestinian Territories, occupied by Israel since 1967, especially in Jerusalem regarding the Israeli settlements, and the two-state solution.
Within this context, the EU’s Supreme Court has approved labeling Israeli goods produced in settlements built in the Palestinian territories, and exported to the EU. It should also be noted that the EU always asserts that settlements are “illegal, and are an obstacle for achieving peace.”
At the international level, events and activities highlighted the growing international determination to end the Israeli occupation, condemning its ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, as well as its denial of their legitimate rights recognized by many UN resolutions.
Within the framework, Harvard Law School students left a conference hall in New York soon after the Israeli Consul, Danny Dayan, started his speech about the legality of the Israeli settlements.
A video was aired showing the students leaving the hall, but the students went on their stand of solidarity outside the hall, holding up banners that read “Israeli settlements are illegal”, and “settlements are war crimes.”
In Canada, scores of students and demonstrators, in solidarity with Palestinian, protested at the York University Campus in Toronto, as it hosted Israeli Occupation Army’s reservist soldiers, who came to talk about their experiences while serving in the Army. They also organized campaign anti-hosting such soldiers, and chanted slogans such as “no for hosting killers,” and “Free Palestine.”
In Switzerland, the Algerian National Deaf Team withdrew from the International Futsal Championship, held in Switzerland vis-a-vis the Israeli Occupation National Team, stressing that Algerians reject normalization of relations with Israel.
In Turkey, former UN rapporteur in Palestine, Richard Falk announced the formation of an international coalition to encounter and dismantle the Israeli apartheid system in the Palestinian Territories, using all possible legal means, including boycott activities.
In the Netherlands, the Dutch government announced in Parliament that it would continue to carry out the European policy of labeling the Israeli settlements’ goods, in line with the Luxemburg Court of Justice’s resolution.
In Sweden, the new Foreign Minister, Anne Linda, said that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a legitimate movement, and that her country’s government “doesn’t see a similarity between its activities and any other activities of anti-Semitism.” Stating that BDS is a non-violent movement concerned with human rights, democracy, freedom of expression, and ending occupation.
In the US, 107 lawmakers of the democratic members at the US House of Representatives signed a petition calling on Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo to reverse the decision to legalize Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The petition came days after Pompeo’s announcement that his country no longer considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to violate the International Law.
Lawmakers expressed their strong rejection of the State Department’s decision.
Within the same context, 5 EU countries rejected the new American position on Israeli settlements; France, Germany, Britain, Belgium and Poland in a joint statement, made it clear that “every settlement activity is illegal under international law, undermining the possibility of a two-state solution, and the prospect of lasting peace. Thus, we call on Israel to ban all settlement activities.”
Moreover, a recent poll on the BDS movement showed that, most democrats view it as a legitimate movement, with aims to pressure Israel to comply with international resolutions and laws, to stop settlements and end the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Israeli Authorities deported director of Human Rights Watch, Omar Shaker from Israel and the Palestinian territories, claiming that he is pro-BDS and participates in its anti-Israel activities.
In Palestine, the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution to label Israeli settlements’ goods, was considered to be a victory to be added to a series of moral attitudes that support the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, and dismiss the Israeli claims.
In its weekly report, the National Bureau for Defending the Land and Resisting Settlements welcomed the Luxembourg Court of Justice’s resolution on the legality of the labeling Israeli settlements’ goods, which were established in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967.
The Bureau described the resolutions as a long-awaited moral victory, as a result of hard-work and formidable efforts, led by BDS in the EU countries to isolate the Israeli apartheid system in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Likewise, the Palestinian National Boycott Committee and BDS’ leadership worldwide welcomed the decision approved by the newly elected Oslo City’s Council led by the Socialist Left Party -SV- and the Labor and Green parties, to ban Israeli settlement goods and services.
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2408.jpg?1575537389)
The UN General Assembly last Tuesday adopted four pro-Palestine resolutions, which defended the pre-1967 borders between Palestine and Israel and renewed the mandates of two UN Palestine bodies.
After member states debated on the question of Palestine, the assembly voted on the four draft resolutions one by one. All documents were passed, two approved by an overwhelming majority.
"Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine," the resolution that won the most support (147 votes in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions), called upon all states not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.
It urged all states not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities by Israel in its occupied Palestinian territory, and to ensure accountability consistent with international law.
The resolution entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" requested the UN committee to redouble international efforts aimed at establishing an expanded multilateral framework for the revitalization of efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.
It invited all governments and organizations to extend their cooperation to the committee to perform its tasks.
The two other resolutions, "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" and "Special information program on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications," respectively renewed the mandates of the two UN bodies their titles referred to.
At the beginning of Tuesday's debate, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People presented its report to the General Assembly.
The committee underscored “the responsibility of states and private entities not to contribute to violations of Palestinian human rights, in particular with respect to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.”
The committee called unilateral decisions by UN member states to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “null and void.”
"It calls upon the member states to rescind those decisions and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and to preserve the legal, demographic and historical multi-cultural and multi-religious status of the city," Adela Raz, rapporteur of the committee, who read the report, said.
The report made these recommendations in an apparent refutation to the United States' recent shift of position to no longer viewing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
The recommendations also echoed the General Assembly's resolution that asked nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, adopted in 2017 after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
After member states debated on the question of Palestine, the assembly voted on the four draft resolutions one by one. All documents were passed, two approved by an overwhelming majority.
"Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine," the resolution that won the most support (147 votes in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions), called upon all states not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.
It urged all states not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities by Israel in its occupied Palestinian territory, and to ensure accountability consistent with international law.
The resolution entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" requested the UN committee to redouble international efforts aimed at establishing an expanded multilateral framework for the revitalization of efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.
It invited all governments and organizations to extend their cooperation to the committee to perform its tasks.
The two other resolutions, "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" and "Special information program on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications," respectively renewed the mandates of the two UN bodies their titles referred to.
At the beginning of Tuesday's debate, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People presented its report to the General Assembly.
The committee underscored “the responsibility of states and private entities not to contribute to violations of Palestinian human rights, in particular with respect to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.”
The committee called unilateral decisions by UN member states to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “null and void.”
"It calls upon the member states to rescind those decisions and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and to preserve the legal, demographic and historical multi-cultural and multi-religious status of the city," Adela Raz, rapporteur of the committee, who read the report, said.
The report made these recommendations in an apparent refutation to the United States' recent shift of position to no longer viewing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
The recommendations also echoed the General Assembly's resolution that asked nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, adopted in 2017 after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
4 dec 2019
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2394.jpg?1575496351)
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Riad al-Malki, discussed with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, the developments of ICC’s preliminary examinations in light of US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo declaration on settlements, warning against Israel’s exploitation of this declaration by taking illegal actions to speed up the annexation of the Jordan Valley.
Al-Malki also spoke about the Israeli authorities’ policy of deliberate and systematic medical negligence against Palestinian prisoners, citing the case of cancer-stricken prisoner, Sami Abu Diak, who died a few days ago following severe deterioration on his health, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
This came on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) currently held in Hague, Netherlands.
Al-Malki stressed the need to open an immediate and urgent criminal investigation in light of the continued Israeli occupations’ crimes against the Palestinian people. He stated that the US declaration that they no longer consider the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as violating international law, is in utter contempt of international law and United Nations resolutions.
Al-Malki also spoke about the Israeli authorities’ policy of deliberate and systematic medical negligence against Palestinian prisoners, citing the case of cancer-stricken prisoner, Sami Abu Diak, who died a few days ago following severe deterioration on his health, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
This came on the sidelines of the 18th session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) currently held in Hague, Netherlands.
Al-Malki stressed the need to open an immediate and urgent criminal investigation in light of the continued Israeli occupations’ crimes against the Palestinian people. He stated that the US declaration that they no longer consider the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as violating international law, is in utter contempt of international law and United Nations resolutions.
3 dec 2019
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2329.jpg?1575367491)
Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, on Monday, expressed his government’s grave concern about the planned American and Israeli projects in the besieged Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
“The government views with great concern and follows the news coming from the Gaza Strip about projects and plans in the framework of the implementation of the deal of the century, and corresponds to the plans announced by (US president’s senior advisor) Jared Kushner at the Manama workshop last June,” said PM Shtayyeh, speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting held in Ramallah.
“The American hospital declared to be implemented on the borders of Gaza, industrial cities, ports and floating islands embody the American plan that refuses to deal with the political demands and the national rights of the Palestinian people,” he added.
“These projects and schemes, which are an outcome of the deal of the century, aim at eliminating the Palestinian national project,” he said.
Shtayyeh stressed his government’s rejection of all Israeli settlement plans, especially in the cities of Jerusalem and Hebron, and called upon the international community to take immediate measures against such plans.
“The new settlement project in Hebron’s wholesale market confirms Israel’s insistence on direct collision as it implements a destructive scheme with broad political objectives,” he said, pointing out that these plans come while settlers are escalating their violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank under Israeli army protection and command.
He pointed out that “the timing of these projects coincides with talk about elections and the restoration of national unity, and comes while Gaza is under siege and under the slogan of improving conditions, but the fact remains that these projects perpetuate the status quo in the Gaza Strip, deviate the compass from national unity and strike at the foundations of the Palestinian national project.”
Shtayyeh stressed the need to end the intra-Palestinian division by holding the general elections.
“The government views with great concern and follows the news coming from the Gaza Strip about projects and plans in the framework of the implementation of the deal of the century, and corresponds to the plans announced by (US president’s senior advisor) Jared Kushner at the Manama workshop last June,” said PM Shtayyeh, speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting held in Ramallah.
“The American hospital declared to be implemented on the borders of Gaza, industrial cities, ports and floating islands embody the American plan that refuses to deal with the political demands and the national rights of the Palestinian people,” he added.
“These projects and schemes, which are an outcome of the deal of the century, aim at eliminating the Palestinian national project,” he said.
Shtayyeh stressed his government’s rejection of all Israeli settlement plans, especially in the cities of Jerusalem and Hebron, and called upon the international community to take immediate measures against such plans.
“The new settlement project in Hebron’s wholesale market confirms Israel’s insistence on direct collision as it implements a destructive scheme with broad political objectives,” he said, pointing out that these plans come while settlers are escalating their violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank under Israeli army protection and command.
He pointed out that “the timing of these projects coincides with talk about elections and the restoration of national unity, and comes while Gaza is under siege and under the slogan of improving conditions, but the fact remains that these projects perpetuate the status quo in the Gaza Strip, deviate the compass from national unity and strike at the foundations of the Palestinian national project.”
Shtayyeh stressed the need to end the intra-Palestinian division by holding the general elections.
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2326.jpg?1575366629)
Azzam al-Ahmad, member of Fatah Central Committee and the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said that plans to establish an American field hospital in the Gaza Strip is part of the Zionist-American schemes to isolate Gaza and establish a micro-state there.
Al-Ahmad said that this plan is part of the [Israeli] occupation forces’ plans to provide all the factors of survival for the de-facto authority in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
In an interview with voice of Palestine radio, al-Ahmad said that the conspiracy against the Palestinian cause has long existed, but has intensified since the internal division 13 years ago, pointing out that this division is not merely Palestinian, but rather an Arab, regional, and international division.
Al-Ahmad said that Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that it is important to keep the division to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, stressing that Hamas is well aware of the risks and is going along with it, noting that direct contacts with Hamas movement have been cut off since 2017.
He reiterated the leadership’s rejection of these liquidating projects, stressing that no one has the right to transfer anything to the Palestinian territory without the consent of the legitimate leadership of the Palestinian people, the PLO; the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
Al-Ahmad said that this plan is part of the [Israeli] occupation forces’ plans to provide all the factors of survival for the de-facto authority in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
In an interview with voice of Palestine radio, al-Ahmad said that the conspiracy against the Palestinian cause has long existed, but has intensified since the internal division 13 years ago, pointing out that this division is not merely Palestinian, but rather an Arab, regional, and international division.
Al-Ahmad said that Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that it is important to keep the division to prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, stressing that Hamas is well aware of the risks and is going along with it, noting that direct contacts with Hamas movement have been cut off since 2017.
He reiterated the leadership’s rejection of these liquidating projects, stressing that no one has the right to transfer anything to the Palestinian territory without the consent of the legitimate leadership of the Palestinian people, the PLO; the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
2 dec 2019
![Picture](/uploads/1/6/1/7/16170628/published/1a1_2324.jpg?1575366388)
Palestinian Minister of Health, Mai al-Kaila, vehemently criticized and rejected the establishment of a US field military hospital in the northern Gaza Strip under the sponsorship of Hamas and the Israeli occupation, the Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported.
Speaking on ‘Voice of Palestine’ radio, al-Kaila stated that the ministry knows nothing about this hospital except for what was circulated through media; that it is a field military hospital that used to operate in Syria and is now being moved to the northern Gaza Strip.
All national factions oppose this plan, and consider the plan is a suspicious move with political intentions, rather than therapeutic goals. “We reject the establishment of this hospital, which falls within the framework of the “deal of the century,” said the health minister.
She stressed that the ministry does not know who will run the hospital, which she slammed as an advanced US-Israeli military fortress inside the Gaza Strip.
“The media blackout about the construction of this hospital raises many big questions about its real goals.” – Palestinian Health Minister, Mai al-Kaila.
She said that nothing justifies the establishment of the military field hospital, especially that all the population of the Gaza Strip enjoy a free health insurance entitling them to all of the Ministry’s services, including referrals to hospitals in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Egypt.
“Every year, the Ministry [of Health] sends medications and medical supplies worth 60 million shekels to the Gaza Strip.
Therefore, there is no need for this US military hospital, where US military and not doctors will be working,” al-Kaila added.
“If America wants to help our people in the Gaza Strip, it should have supported UNRWA, rather than cutting aid to this international institution. There is a big question mark about this hospital, which is in line with the deal of the century.” – Palestinian Health Minister, Mai al-Kaila
Al-Kaila called upon the Palestinian factions and people in the Gaza Strip to unite efforts to thwart the construction of this military field hospital, stressing that the ministry will not leave the health of its people in Gaza in any hands.
Speaking on ‘Voice of Palestine’ radio, al-Kaila stated that the ministry knows nothing about this hospital except for what was circulated through media; that it is a field military hospital that used to operate in Syria and is now being moved to the northern Gaza Strip.
All national factions oppose this plan, and consider the plan is a suspicious move with political intentions, rather than therapeutic goals. “We reject the establishment of this hospital, which falls within the framework of the “deal of the century,” said the health minister.
She stressed that the ministry does not know who will run the hospital, which she slammed as an advanced US-Israeli military fortress inside the Gaza Strip.
“The media blackout about the construction of this hospital raises many big questions about its real goals.” – Palestinian Health Minister, Mai al-Kaila.
She said that nothing justifies the establishment of the military field hospital, especially that all the population of the Gaza Strip enjoy a free health insurance entitling them to all of the Ministry’s services, including referrals to hospitals in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Egypt.
“Every year, the Ministry [of Health] sends medications and medical supplies worth 60 million shekels to the Gaza Strip.
Therefore, there is no need for this US military hospital, where US military and not doctors will be working,” al-Kaila added.
“If America wants to help our people in the Gaza Strip, it should have supported UNRWA, rather than cutting aid to this international institution. There is a big question mark about this hospital, which is in line with the deal of the century.” – Palestinian Health Minister, Mai al-Kaila
Al-Kaila called upon the Palestinian factions and people in the Gaza Strip to unite efforts to thwart the construction of this military field hospital, stressing that the ministry will not leave the health of its people in Gaza in any hands.
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