Israel/Palestine, & Human RightsMunir Nuseibah

PhD candidate, University of WestminsterCoordinator of Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Complicated Problem?

• Academic Example: “The Israeli-Palestinian conflict stems from ideological, historical, religious and political differences whose roots go back to antiquity.”

• Statements I’ve frequently heard: “I can’t give my opinion, it is too complicated”

• Or “It is not black and white”

Human Rights are now a universal language

• Human Rights: Rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled by virtue of being human.

• Human Rights are part of international law- treaties and customs.

International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law tools• International bill of human

rights: – Universal Declaration of

Human Rights (1948)– International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights– International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Other Treaties: Convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, Convention on the Rights of the Child, and others

• International Humanitarian Law (for armed conflict and occupation situations): – Hague Regulations– Geneva Conventions – Customary IHL.

Background

1948: Right to Self Determination denied

ICCPR art 1: All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

Since 1948, Israeli motives behind Human Rights and IHL Violations

1. Changing facts in Palestine (From Native Arab to Settler Jewish)

2. Controlling the Palestinian population

First: Creating Facts of displacement

Building Settlements While displacing Palestinians

Biggest Displacement: 1948

Several others successful and unsuccessful

Ex. Of unsuccessful: 1956 Kufur Qasem

Ex. Of successful one: Jerusalem after 1967 war

It is continuous TODAY

In Israel’s sovereign territory• Home Demolition• Family reunification issue• Land confiscation from

Arabs (citizens of Israel) for Jewish benefit

• Non-recognized villages in the Naqab Dessrt

• Discrimination

Occupied Palestinian Territory (West Bank (including east Jerusalem and Gaza)

• Residency withdrawals• Displacement by the power

of Israeli laws and military orders

• Building restrictions on Palestinians

• Jewish only settlements and roads

• Many other policies

Second: Human Rights Violations aiming at Controlling the Palestinian

Population

War Crimes and crimes against humanity during an armed crusade

Movement Restrictions

Torture

Extra-judicial killings and “collateral damage”

Collective Punishment

• Gaza Totally closed• Israel has control over

every essential need for Palestinian life

Many other violations to control the population

It is a priority to STOP and REVERSE