"General Debate Item 7: Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories"

Statement by : International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms Of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD)

30 September 2020

Thank you, President.

Israel’s illegal occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and its violation of the Palestinian peoples’ human rights, including that of self-determination, has persisted for decades. We ask this Council, when will it end?

Israel has blatantly and persistently violated the United Nations Charter, through its ongoing human rights violations and illegal occupation. Under this Agenda Item 7, the hope has always been that through a concerted and coordinated effort, States will pressure Israel to do what is right by finally putting an end to its illegal occupation and persistent human rights violations.

But what have we seen instead? Certain Member States of this Council have flaunted the misguided notion that this Agenda Item 7 singles out Israel and is biased, as a basis for voting against resolutions concerning the human rights situation in Palestine. They totally obscure and blind themselves to the real and persistent violations that occur in Palestine on a daily basis.

To these Member States, you have failed to protect the Palestinian people from the violation of their human rights. Violations have been documented on a mountain of evidence, even corroborated by the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the situation in Palestine.

EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice call on this Council to recognise the reality of Israel’s illegal occupation and human rights violations, which will persist as long as this Council fails to unite under this Agenda Item 7 in solidarity.

Thank you.

Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice