The 51st Session of the Human Rights Council

12 September 2022 – 7 October 2022

Item 7: General Debate of Human Rights Situation in Palestine and other Occupied Arab Territories 

30 September 2022

Statement of the International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (EAFORD) and Geneva International Centre for Justice

Delivered by Loïc Dorthe / GICJ

Thank you, president,

We wish to raise the grave situation of collective punishment by Israel against Palestinians, which is an exceptionally serious violation of the principles and rules of international law.

Since 1967, the Israeli army has been continuously demolishing Palestinian homes to deter individuals declared as so-called "terrorists" from repeating their actions. The army destroys to the ground hundreds of properties, houses, and buildings in which these people live with their families, including children.

By having their homes demolished, these Palestinians are being deprived of everything they own and thrown out onto the street. They are subjected to an obvious form of collective punishment, in clear violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

In addition, since May of this year, the restriction of access to certain areas, including occupied Jerusalem, has been extended to second-degree relatives of suspected terrorists. Let us be clear. It was already a violation of humanitarian law to punish parents and siblings who did not commit any crime, but in the face of the international community's lack of reaction, nothing prevented Israel from taking this additional step. 

Finally, to prevent Israel from taking, again, an additional step, and violating further humanitarian law and human rights, EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice call on the international community to put an end to the Israeli occupation, end impunity and bring justice to the Palestinian people.

I thank you.