General Debate Under Item 7: Human Rights Situation in Palestine and Other Occupied Arab territories

Thank you, Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice.

Our organizations would like to express our serious concern about the human rights violations that daily occur against the Palestinian people.

69 years have passed since the occupation. Many reports show evidence of Israeli expansion through illegal settlement activities for the last 50 years. As a result, millions of Palestinians have fled their lands or are internally displaced.

We are also concerned about the discriminatory laws, racial oppression and segregation of the Palestinian population living under the constant threat of evictions, confiscation of their lands, restrictions on their freedom of movement, and deprivation of access to basic resources.

We urge this Council and all member states,

•    To take immediate measures to pressure the Israeli government to fulfil its obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law;

•    And to enable the Palestinian people to exert their right to self-determination; as well as the right to return home, for all displaced Palestinians.

Moreover, we urge this Council to call on the State of Israel,

•    to terminate all settlement activities;

•    Stop institutionalized discrimination against Palestinians;

•    And to exert all efforts to implement UN resolutions that guarantee the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people.  

Thank you.