10 july 2019
The Israeli occupation army has killed 16 Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip during the first term of 2019, Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reported on Wednesday.
The center said, in the report, that some 1,233 Palestinian children were injured while participating in the Great March of Return, and 17 others were detained.
The report stressed that Israeli occupation forces continued its systematic violations of Palestinians’ human rights in Gaza Strip, especially on the children.
According to the report, the recorded data pointed to an increase in the number of killed and injured children, as well as in the number of detentions, Al Ray further reports.
The center condemned the restrictions imposed on the people of Gaza as a part of an ongoing and illegal blockade which violates international law and the human rights of the people in Gaza.
It noted that the facts point to children as the most affected sector of direct and indirect Israeli aggressions.
The report also noted that Israel’s continued violation of international and humanitarian law is a natural reflection of the inability of the international community to carry out its moral and legal duties towards civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, and in the Gaza Strip, in particular.
The center called on the international community for an immediate step to stop these violations.
It also called for the administration of justice in the Palestinian territories, and for prosecution of all those who committed or ordered these violations, and bring them to justice.
The center said, in the report, that some 1,233 Palestinian children were injured while participating in the Great March of Return, and 17 others were detained.
The report stressed that Israeli occupation forces continued its systematic violations of Palestinians’ human rights in Gaza Strip, especially on the children.
According to the report, the recorded data pointed to an increase in the number of killed and injured children, as well as in the number of detentions, Al Ray further reports.
The center condemned the restrictions imposed on the people of Gaza as a part of an ongoing and illegal blockade which violates international law and the human rights of the people in Gaza.
It noted that the facts point to children as the most affected sector of direct and indirect Israeli aggressions.
The report also noted that Israel’s continued violation of international and humanitarian law is a natural reflection of the inability of the international community to carry out its moral and legal duties towards civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories, and in the Gaza Strip, in particular.
The center called on the international community for an immediate step to stop these violations.
It also called for the administration of justice in the Palestinian territories, and for prosecution of all those who committed or ordered these violations, and bring them to justice.
On 9 July, 33 press freedom and media development organizations met in London, in advance of the Global Media Freedom Conference to call on all participating States, to ensure the protection and safety of all journalists and media workers in compliance with their existing obligations and international standards, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) reported.
The groups, representing and working with hundreds of thousands of journalists and media workers, said new pledges will only be credible if States immediately:
The groups also demanded all States hold themselves and their counterparts accountable and show demonstrable progress. Several States attending the Conference currently have journalists in prison and unsolved murders, PNN reports.
They put forth 11 recommended commitments for States attending the Global Media Freedom Conference, hosted by the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada:
In related news. Hind Awwad, a Palestinian human rights advocate who is associated with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, has stated that Israel’s attack on Anadolu Agency’s office in the Gaza Strip earlier this year is but one of its many criminal attacks on the media.
On May 4, Israeli warplanes struck the building in Gaza where the office was located with at least five rockets following warning shots. No injuries or deaths were reported, but the building was destroyed.
“Israel’s attack on the office of Anadolu Agency in Gaza was a serious violation of international law. It is one of Israel’s many criminal attacks on journalists which aim to prevent documentation and reporting on Israel’s systematic policies of occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” she continued.
In an interview marking the BDS’ 14th anniversary, Awwad said it has always called for an extensive military embargo against Israel because of its denial of Palestinians’ rights and attacks especially on journalists in Gaza.
“We appeal to Turkey to take the lead in ending all military trade with Israel,” she said.
The groups, representing and working with hundreds of thousands of journalists and media workers, said new pledges will only be credible if States immediately:
- Release all imprisoned journalists;
- Stop killing, attacking and denigrating journalists;
- Investigate and prosecute all murders of journalists.
The groups also demanded all States hold themselves and their counterparts accountable and show demonstrable progress. Several States attending the Conference currently have journalists in prison and unsolved murders, PNN reports.
They put forth 11 recommended commitments for States attending the Global Media Freedom Conference, hosted by the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada:
- Publicly condemn acts of violence against journalists and media freedom violations whenever they occur online or offline and ensure impartial, thorough, independent, effective and transparent investigations into all such incidents;
- Immediately and unconditionally release all journalists imprisoned for their work. Set up national multi-stakeholder expert panels to review all legislation that can be used to harass, imprison, or otherwise target journalists, and bring legislation in line with international freedom of expression standards, including by providing effective safeguards against abuse;
- Investigate all murders of journalists and media workers. Ensure that investigations are sufficiently and effectively resourced, timely, and re-opened if necessary. The aim should be to substantially increase the percentage of prosecution of all those responsible for the murders of journalists and media workers;
- Refrain from targeting and denigrating the media, online or offline;
- Adopt and fund the proposal made by the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings to reinforce the capacity of the U.N. to investigate violence against journalists by establishing a standing instrument for the investigation of violent crimes against journalists and media workers targeted for their work;
- Ensure that all media workers, including newsgatherers, freelance reporters, citizen journalists, fixers, field producers, translators, and drivers, are included in any initiatives for the protection of journalists;
- Provide visas to journalists at risk to enable them to participate in safety training, and provide asylum when appropriate;
- Ban the export, sale, transfer, use, or servicing of privately developed surveillance tools, often used to target journalists, and facilitate the export and import of personal protective equipment (PPE) without military authorization;
- Expedite the implementation of effective access to information laws and practices, as agreed in target 16.10 of the Sustainable Development Goals, including by providing adequate funding and technological support and resourcing independent oversight;
- Commit to transparently expediting implementation of the U.N. Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, including through the establishment of effective national safety mechanisms and a stronger, more robust, accountable, and accessible political coordination of focal points in relevant U.N. agencies and programs;
- Support and sustain the work of the media community, civil society, and academia in the promotion and protection of media freedom, the safety of journalists, the financial and economic sustainability of media, an enabling and pluralistic media environment, and access to information, especially in time of digital disruptions.
In related news. Hind Awwad, a Palestinian human rights advocate who is associated with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, has stated that Israel’s attack on Anadolu Agency’s office in the Gaza Strip earlier this year is but one of its many criminal attacks on the media.
On May 4, Israeli warplanes struck the building in Gaza where the office was located with at least five rockets following warning shots. No injuries or deaths were reported, but the building was destroyed.
“Israel’s attack on the office of Anadolu Agency in Gaza was a serious violation of international law. It is one of Israel’s many criminal attacks on journalists which aim to prevent documentation and reporting on Israel’s systematic policies of occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” she continued.
In an interview marking the BDS’ 14th anniversary, Awwad said it has always called for an extensive military embargo against Israel because of its denial of Palestinians’ rights and attacks especially on journalists in Gaza.
“We appeal to Turkey to take the lead in ending all military trade with Israel,” she said.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR): On Tuesday, 09 July 2019, the First Instance Court issued a death sentence by hanging against J. M. (69), from Jabalia after convicting him with the murder of (A. A.) on 15 February 2018.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the ongoing use of death penalty in the Gaza Strip and calls upon the authorities to respect Palestine’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights’ Second Optional Protocol, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (Acceded in June 2018).
Since the beginning of 2019, three death sentences were issued in Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled areas. Thus, the total number of death sentences issued since 1994 reached 219: 30 in the West Bank and 189 in the Gaza Strip. Of the Gaza Strip sentences, 131 were issued after 2007.
PCHR confirms that any death sentence should not be executed without the Palestinian President’s ratification; and that any executions carried out without said ratification are considered an extra-judicial execution and those executing or issuing the sentence should be held accountable. PCHR also commends the President’s decision not to ratify any death sentence since 2005, and calls for a moratorium on the death sentence, in a prelude to its abolition from Palestinian legislations.
Since the establishment of the PA, 41 death sentences were executed: 39 in the Gaza Strip, and two in the West Bank. Of those executed in the Gaza Strip, 28 were carried out after 2007 without the ratification of the Palestinian President in violation of the Palestinian law.
PCHR emphasizes that issuing death sentences requires presence of the necessary litigation guarantees, particularly right to defense and not being subject to torture, and interrogation techniques that leads to having objective evidence-based convictions. These requirements are not available in the Gaza Strip; thus, PCHR calls upon the authorities to abstain immediately from using the death penalty.
PCHR also calls upon the Palestinian President to issue a law by decree to suspend the death penalty in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, until an elected legislative authority assumes the legislative power and abolishes it from Palestinian legislations.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the ongoing use of death penalty in the Gaza Strip and calls upon the authorities to respect Palestine’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights’ Second Optional Protocol, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty (Acceded in June 2018).
Since the beginning of 2019, three death sentences were issued in Palestinian Authority (PA) controlled areas. Thus, the total number of death sentences issued since 1994 reached 219: 30 in the West Bank and 189 in the Gaza Strip. Of the Gaza Strip sentences, 131 were issued after 2007.
PCHR confirms that any death sentence should not be executed without the Palestinian President’s ratification; and that any executions carried out without said ratification are considered an extra-judicial execution and those executing or issuing the sentence should be held accountable. PCHR also commends the President’s decision not to ratify any death sentence since 2005, and calls for a moratorium on the death sentence, in a prelude to its abolition from Palestinian legislations.
Since the establishment of the PA, 41 death sentences were executed: 39 in the Gaza Strip, and two in the West Bank. Of those executed in the Gaza Strip, 28 were carried out after 2007 without the ratification of the Palestinian President in violation of the Palestinian law.
PCHR emphasizes that issuing death sentences requires presence of the necessary litigation guarantees, particularly right to defense and not being subject to torture, and interrogation techniques that leads to having objective evidence-based convictions. These requirements are not available in the Gaza Strip; thus, PCHR calls upon the authorities to abstain immediately from using the death penalty.
PCHR also calls upon the Palestinian President to issue a law by decree to suspend the death penalty in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, until an elected legislative authority assumes the legislative power and abolishes it from Palestinian legislations.
Israeli occupation forces continue to impose a stifling maritime siege on the Gaza Strip that is hampering Palestinian maritime activities, particularly for Palestinian fishermen whose fishing activities are limited to an area between three to six nautical miles off the coast of the Gaza Strip, depending on Israeli authorities’ alternating decisions, according to a report by Al Mezan Center for Human Rights.
Palestinian fishermen have been struggling due to the constantly diminishing fishing zone since October of 2000, when they were prohibited from reaching the 20 nautical miles limit – agreed upon under the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, in 1993.
Israeli authorities imposed a new limit of 12 nautical miles, then lowered it to six and even three nautical miles, at times.
Nevertheless, Israeli authorities kept targeting Palestinian fishermen and hindering their fishing activities, even inside the Israeli-imposed fishing zone.
The Israeli authorities are practically prohibiting Palestinian fishermen from entering 85% of the fishing zone granted under the Oslo Accords and its annexes.
In addition, the navy regularly opens fire at fishermen, forcing them to undress and swim in cold seawater before arresting them, and destroy or confiscate their fishing boats and equipment.
Furthermore, Al Ray reports, the military uses heavy water canons to damage and partially submerge small fishing boats that are left unattended at night, in the sea, to catch fish.
These violations occur, most of the time, within the allocated fishing zone, i.e. within three or six nautical miles.
Due to such practices, Palestinian fishermen became one of the poorest communities in society, while other industries that are dependent on fishing
such as constructing boats and fishing equipment, and fish merchants have suffered massively as well.
Palestinian fishermen have been struggling due to the constantly diminishing fishing zone since October of 2000, when they were prohibited from reaching the 20 nautical miles limit – agreed upon under the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, in 1993.
Israeli authorities imposed a new limit of 12 nautical miles, then lowered it to six and even three nautical miles, at times.
Nevertheless, Israeli authorities kept targeting Palestinian fishermen and hindering their fishing activities, even inside the Israeli-imposed fishing zone.
The Israeli authorities are practically prohibiting Palestinian fishermen from entering 85% of the fishing zone granted under the Oslo Accords and its annexes.
In addition, the navy regularly opens fire at fishermen, forcing them to undress and swim in cold seawater before arresting them, and destroy or confiscate their fishing boats and equipment.
Furthermore, Al Ray reports, the military uses heavy water canons to damage and partially submerge small fishing boats that are left unattended at night, in the sea, to catch fish.
These violations occur, most of the time, within the allocated fishing zone, i.e. within three or six nautical miles.
Due to such practices, Palestinian fishermen became one of the poorest communities in society, while other industries that are dependent on fishing
such as constructing boats and fishing equipment, and fish merchants have suffered massively as well.
9 july 2019
Israeli occupation authorities have issued 432 administrative detention orders against Palestinians since the start of 2019, the Palestine Prisoners’ Centre for Studies (PPCS) reported yesterday. Administrative detention is the arrest and detention of individuals by the state without charge or trial, applicable on a renewable six-month term.
Riyadh Al-Ashqar, a spokesman for the PPCS, said that the number included 294 renewed orders and 138 new orders, noting that the orders ranged from between two and six months.
Al-Ashqar said that the continuous Israeli detention of Palestinian prisoners without trials is a clear violation of international laws and conventions. There are currently 500 Palestinian prisoners being held under administrative detention inside Israeli jails, including four MPs, two children and one woman. Six have launched a hunger strike in protest of their continued detention.
Al-Ashqar called for the international community to put an end to Israel’s disregard for international laws and conventions, and for the Palestinian Authority to urgently raise the issue of administrative detention inside the Israeli jails to the ICC.
There are 5,700 Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails, including 48 women, 230 children, and 700 who require medical care.
Riyadh Al-Ashqar, a spokesman for the PPCS, said that the number included 294 renewed orders and 138 new orders, noting that the orders ranged from between two and six months.
Al-Ashqar said that the continuous Israeli detention of Palestinian prisoners without trials is a clear violation of international laws and conventions. There are currently 500 Palestinian prisoners being held under administrative detention inside Israeli jails, including four MPs, two children and one woman. Six have launched a hunger strike in protest of their continued detention.
Al-Ashqar called for the international community to put an end to Israel’s disregard for international laws and conventions, and for the Palestinian Authority to urgently raise the issue of administrative detention inside the Israeli jails to the ICC.
There are 5,700 Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails, including 48 women, 230 children, and 700 who require medical care.
By overlooking Israel’s consistent refusal to comply with international law and UN resolutions, the international community is practicing double standards.
This was the message that African countries delivered on Monday at the 41st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
Speaking at a general debate on Item 7 of the UNHRC agenda (the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories), the 54 member-strong African Group, represented by Angola’s André da Conceição Domingos called on the world to act urgently to end Israel’s military occupation of Palestine and the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip. The group also called on Israel to end its construction of illegal settlements, and the imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians and other collective punishment measures against the Palestinian people.
Representing 28% of all UN members, the African Group reminded the UNHRC of its obligation to act immediately to ensure that the Palestinian people are able to realize their right to self-determination, justice and freedom.
Representatives from Western and Southern Africa also made individual submissions re-iterating the need for Israel to respect international law and co-operate with the UN.
Nigeria's representative, Muhammad S. Isa, noted with concern Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine and its lack of will to implement the resolutions adopted by the United Nations. Abuja’s representative stressed the need to avoid double standards in the implementation of international law and human rights and demanded accountability from Israel in this regard.
Namibian representative, Penda Andreas Naanda, said that by overlooking Israel’s consistent refusal to co-operate with UN mechanisms, its expansion of illegal settlements and annexation of Palestinian land, the world is sending an ambiguous message to Israel. “These are double standards that must be avoided,” said Naanda. Naanda also called on the UN to publish a database of companies operating within Israel’s illegal settlements.
Senegalese representative, Amadou Dame Sall, condemned Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement, the expansion of Israel’s colonial settlements, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, and Israel’s disproportionate use of force against Palestinian civilians. “There is no other alternative but to allow the Palestinian people to take their rightful place among the community of nations: to end the occupation,” said Sall.
“Israel’s occupation is virtually indistinguishable from annexation,” said Pretoria’s representative, Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko. Mxakato-Diseko condemned Israel’s theft of Palestinian water resources and pointed out that while Israel markets desalination and water technology to the world, it is responsible for water scarcity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Representatives from Djibouti, Mauritania and Botswana also addressed the gathering, and spoke of the need for Israel to stop the construction of illegal settlements and adhere to international law.
Source: Afro-Palestine Newswire Service
This was the message that African countries delivered on Monday at the 41st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
Speaking at a general debate on Item 7 of the UNHRC agenda (the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories), the 54 member-strong African Group, represented by Angola’s André da Conceição Domingos called on the world to act urgently to end Israel’s military occupation of Palestine and the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip. The group also called on Israel to end its construction of illegal settlements, and the imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians and other collective punishment measures against the Palestinian people.
Representing 28% of all UN members, the African Group reminded the UNHRC of its obligation to act immediately to ensure that the Palestinian people are able to realize their right to self-determination, justice and freedom.
Representatives from Western and Southern Africa also made individual submissions re-iterating the need for Israel to respect international law and co-operate with the UN.
Nigeria's representative, Muhammad S. Isa, noted with concern Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine and its lack of will to implement the resolutions adopted by the United Nations. Abuja’s representative stressed the need to avoid double standards in the implementation of international law and human rights and demanded accountability from Israel in this regard.
Namibian representative, Penda Andreas Naanda, said that by overlooking Israel’s consistent refusal to co-operate with UN mechanisms, its expansion of illegal settlements and annexation of Palestinian land, the world is sending an ambiguous message to Israel. “These are double standards that must be avoided,” said Naanda. Naanda also called on the UN to publish a database of companies operating within Israel’s illegal settlements.
Senegalese representative, Amadou Dame Sall, condemned Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian freedom of movement, the expansion of Israel’s colonial settlements, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, and Israel’s disproportionate use of force against Palestinian civilians. “There is no other alternative but to allow the Palestinian people to take their rightful place among the community of nations: to end the occupation,” said Sall.
“Israel’s occupation is virtually indistinguishable from annexation,” said Pretoria’s representative, Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko. Mxakato-Diseko condemned Israel’s theft of Palestinian water resources and pointed out that while Israel markets desalination and water technology to the world, it is responsible for water scarcity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Representatives from Djibouti, Mauritania and Botswana also addressed the gathering, and spoke of the need for Israel to stop the construction of illegal settlements and adhere to international law.
Source: Afro-Palestine Newswire Service
8 july 2019
July 8, 2019 / Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) / France, Europe
In a report [pdf] published today, the US corporate watchdog SumOfUs documented that the French insurance giant AXA is investing over $91 million in Israel’s five largest banks and Israel’s largest private arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, all companies directly involved in Israel’s war crimes against the Palestinian people.
A growing global coalition responded to the report findings today by pledging more protests, and launching an online campaign expected to deliver thousands of emails to AXA’s CEO, calling on AXA to respect international law and divest from the complicit Israeli companies.
The new SumOfUs research report, “Axa: Financing War Crimes [pdf]”, details AXA’s investments in the Israeli banks, which are the backbone of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, and in Elbit Systems, which profits from arming Israel’s military.
One AXA subsidiary, AXA IM, recently divested from Elbit Systems, but another AXA affiliate, AXA Equitable Holdings, has retained investments in Elbit. In December 2018, HSBC divested from Elbit Systems, following protests by progressive British organizations.
The SumOfUs report states:
“As long as these companies support the expansion, construction and maintenance of the illegal Israeli settlements and associated infrastructure, in addition to the unlawful use of armed force against Palestinians, AXA’s investments will make it complicit in serious violations of international law, potentially guilty of French law violation, and definitely in contradiction with its responsible investment policies.”
Imen Habib, coordinator of BDS France, a leading member of the Coalition Stop AXA Assistance to Israeli Apartheid, said:
“Israel can only maintain its regime of occupation and apartheid over the Palestinian people through support from governments and companies such as AXA. As long as AXA maintains its investments in these Israeli banks and Elbit Systems, protests by our growing global coalition will intensify. With Israel and the US, with the European Union’s complicity, plotting to undermine Palestinian rights to justice, freedom and self-determination, it’s even more vital that principled civil society coalitions hold complicit companies such as AXA to account.”
Over the last year, the Coalition to Stop AXA Assistance to Israeli Apartheid, which has grown to include groups in nine countries in Europe and the Arab world, has organized coordinated days of protest outside AXA offices, a protest outside of AXA’s annual meeting in Paris, and other actions.
Alys Samson Estapé, the Palestinian BDS National Committee’s Europe Coordinator, said:
An insurer should protect lives. Instead, AXA is profiting from the destruction of Palestinian lives and livelihoods. Palestinian civil society has called on companies to cut ties of complicity with companies directly involved in Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights.
To meet its obligations to respect international law, AXA must divest, following the lead of investors like the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Methodist Church (UMC), the Dutch pension fund PGGM and the Norwegian, Luxembourg and New Zealand governments.
The five Israeli banks that AXA invests in – Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Mizrahi Tefahot, Israel Discount Bank and First International Bank of Israel – all provide “direct and substantial” support to the maintenance and development of Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to reports by Human Rights Watch and the Israeli research organization Who Profits [pdf].
Elbit Systems has manufactured cluster munitions banned by international law, and white phosphorus shells, both used against Palestinian civilian populations. It also builds drones used to attack Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, and provides technology for Israel’s apartheid wall, ruled a violation of international law.
SumOfUs reported that AXA’s investments in the five Israeli banks and Elbit Systems increased from $66 million in 2018 to $91 million in 2019, despite AXI IM’s divestment from Elbit Systems.
In a report [pdf] published today, the US corporate watchdog SumOfUs documented that the French insurance giant AXA is investing over $91 million in Israel’s five largest banks and Israel’s largest private arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, all companies directly involved in Israel’s war crimes against the Palestinian people.
A growing global coalition responded to the report findings today by pledging more protests, and launching an online campaign expected to deliver thousands of emails to AXA’s CEO, calling on AXA to respect international law and divest from the complicit Israeli companies.
The new SumOfUs research report, “Axa: Financing War Crimes [pdf]”, details AXA’s investments in the Israeli banks, which are the backbone of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise, and in Elbit Systems, which profits from arming Israel’s military.
One AXA subsidiary, AXA IM, recently divested from Elbit Systems, but another AXA affiliate, AXA Equitable Holdings, has retained investments in Elbit. In December 2018, HSBC divested from Elbit Systems, following protests by progressive British organizations.
The SumOfUs report states:
“As long as these companies support the expansion, construction and maintenance of the illegal Israeli settlements and associated infrastructure, in addition to the unlawful use of armed force against Palestinians, AXA’s investments will make it complicit in serious violations of international law, potentially guilty of French law violation, and definitely in contradiction with its responsible investment policies.”
Imen Habib, coordinator of BDS France, a leading member of the Coalition Stop AXA Assistance to Israeli Apartheid, said:
“Israel can only maintain its regime of occupation and apartheid over the Palestinian people through support from governments and companies such as AXA. As long as AXA maintains its investments in these Israeli banks and Elbit Systems, protests by our growing global coalition will intensify. With Israel and the US, with the European Union’s complicity, plotting to undermine Palestinian rights to justice, freedom and self-determination, it’s even more vital that principled civil society coalitions hold complicit companies such as AXA to account.”
Over the last year, the Coalition to Stop AXA Assistance to Israeli Apartheid, which has grown to include groups in nine countries in Europe and the Arab world, has organized coordinated days of protest outside AXA offices, a protest outside of AXA’s annual meeting in Paris, and other actions.
Alys Samson Estapé, the Palestinian BDS National Committee’s Europe Coordinator, said:
An insurer should protect lives. Instead, AXA is profiting from the destruction of Palestinian lives and livelihoods. Palestinian civil society has called on companies to cut ties of complicity with companies directly involved in Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights.
To meet its obligations to respect international law, AXA must divest, following the lead of investors like the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Methodist Church (UMC), the Dutch pension fund PGGM and the Norwegian, Luxembourg and New Zealand governments.
The five Israeli banks that AXA invests in – Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Mizrahi Tefahot, Israel Discount Bank and First International Bank of Israel – all provide “direct and substantial” support to the maintenance and development of Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to reports by Human Rights Watch and the Israeli research organization Who Profits [pdf].
Elbit Systems has manufactured cluster munitions banned by international law, and white phosphorus shells, both used against Palestinian civilian populations. It also builds drones used to attack Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, and provides technology for Israel’s apartheid wall, ruled a violation of international law.
SumOfUs reported that AXA’s investments in the five Israeli banks and Elbit Systems increased from $66 million in 2018 to $91 million in 2019, despite AXI IM’s divestment from Elbit Systems.
High school students in Israel must pass an online test promoting racist ideology before being allowed to travel overseas for school trips, legal rights center Adalah has revealed.
Adalah said that the the course, which was created by Israeli education authorities, “requires students to watch a series of videos after which they must take a multiple-choice exam, the correct answers of which promote racist ideology”.
The test includes questions such as “how do Palestinian organisations use digital social networks?” with the correct answer being “encouraging violence”, and asks students to identify the origins of modern anti-Semitism, the correct answer to which is “Muslim organisations” and the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Students are told that “anti-Semitism in Europe increased with the immigration of Muslims to Europe… from the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan.”
“The course presents a racist ideological perspective that creates an equivalence between Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim identities and violence and terrorism,” Adalah has stated, adding that “Palestinian Arab high school students in the Israeli school system are being asked by this exam to assimilate its racist values.”
Adalah attorney Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi wrote to the Education Ministry demanding that the ministry “immediately cancel the mandatory course and exam and allow students to freely participate in overseas school trips with the start of the 2019-2020 school year”, after a school in Nazareth decided to cancel an exchange programme to Sweden instead of allowing its students sit the test which “promotes racist propaganda”.
The letter was written on behalf of Masar Association and the parents of children studying at the association’s Nazareth school.
Shehadeh-Zoabi noted, according to the PNN, that “[Palestinian Arab teenagers] are being forced to internalise humiliating statements about themselves and their families”, which is “outrageous and illegal, adding that “Adalah will take all necessary steps to abolish this course that is repugnantly offensive to Arab citizens and students.”
Adalah said that the the course, which was created by Israeli education authorities, “requires students to watch a series of videos after which they must take a multiple-choice exam, the correct answers of which promote racist ideology”.
The test includes questions such as “how do Palestinian organisations use digital social networks?” with the correct answer being “encouraging violence”, and asks students to identify the origins of modern anti-Semitism, the correct answer to which is “Muslim organisations” and the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
Students are told that “anti-Semitism in Europe increased with the immigration of Muslims to Europe… from the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan.”
“The course presents a racist ideological perspective that creates an equivalence between Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim identities and violence and terrorism,” Adalah has stated, adding that “Palestinian Arab high school students in the Israeli school system are being asked by this exam to assimilate its racist values.”
Adalah attorney Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi wrote to the Education Ministry demanding that the ministry “immediately cancel the mandatory course and exam and allow students to freely participate in overseas school trips with the start of the 2019-2020 school year”, after a school in Nazareth decided to cancel an exchange programme to Sweden instead of allowing its students sit the test which “promotes racist propaganda”.
The letter was written on behalf of Masar Association and the parents of children studying at the association’s Nazareth school.
Shehadeh-Zoabi noted, according to the PNN, that “[Palestinian Arab teenagers] are being forced to internalise humiliating statements about themselves and their families”, which is “outrageous and illegal, adding that “Adalah will take all necessary steps to abolish this course that is repugnantly offensive to Arab citizens and students.”
7 july 2019
June has witnessed a decline in the number of violations against media freedoms in Palestine, compared to May.
The Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms has monitored, during June, a total of 28 attacks against media freedoms in Palestine, 27 of which were committed by the Israeli Occupation while only one attack was committed by the Palestinian authorities.
May has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of attacks which amounted to 84, and this high rise at the time is attributed to the closure of 65 pages and accounts of journalists by the Facebook.
The number of Israeli attacks against media freedoms in Palestine increased in June compared with the previous month, jumping from 18 in May to 27 in June, five of which were committed in Gaza Strip while 22 in the West Bank.
As usual, plenty of the Israeli attacks registered in this month fall under the serious attacks threatening the lives of journalists, especially those registered in Gaza Strip, most prominently: the injury of the photojournalist Nidal Shafiq Ishataya (two metal gunshots), the injury of the freelance journalist Saleh Abedrabu Abdullah Qarmout (direct gas bomb at the head-above the ear), the injury of the volunteer journalist Ikhlas Al-Qrenawi (gunshot in her foot), the injury of Mohammad Kassab (direct gas bomb in the neck), the injury of the photojournalist Raed Yousef Abu Mathkour (gunshot in the leg), the arrest of the journalist amer Tawfiq Abu Halil upon raiding his house at dawn, breaking into the house of the freelance journalist Mohammad Sharaf Al-Shuaibe, summon and detain him under the pretext that he did not respond to a formed call by the occupation intelligence, in addition to the deliberate attack of the occupation soldiers to the gathering of journalists while they were covering a demonstration at Al-Bireh entrance by gas bombs, resulting in the injury of 17 female/male journalists with severe suffocation and vomiting.
This is in addition to issuing a traffic ticket of 1000 NIS to the photojournalist Rajai Al-Khatib deliberately claiming that he “endangered the life of a police officer” while he was covering the clashes in Issawiya in occupied Jerusalem.
In an unusual precedent, July has not witnessed any Palestinian violation against media freedoms in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by the official authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The only Palestinian violation recorded this month was the exposure of the director of investigative journalism unit of “Watan” Network, the journalist Nizar Habash, to several telephone threats following the preparation and dissemination of the investigate on a beauty salon and its practices by the Network given that these practices have caused physical and bodily harm to some women.
This is the second month that has not witnessed any violation in the West Bank in particular, which promises a positive direction for the new Palestinian government, which has declared its commitment to protect press freedoms since its establishment about three months ago.
The Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms has monitored, during June, a total of 28 attacks against media freedoms in Palestine, 27 of which were committed by the Israeli Occupation while only one attack was committed by the Palestinian authorities.
May has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of attacks which amounted to 84, and this high rise at the time is attributed to the closure of 65 pages and accounts of journalists by the Facebook.
The number of Israeli attacks against media freedoms in Palestine increased in June compared with the previous month, jumping from 18 in May to 27 in June, five of which were committed in Gaza Strip while 22 in the West Bank.
As usual, plenty of the Israeli attacks registered in this month fall under the serious attacks threatening the lives of journalists, especially those registered in Gaza Strip, most prominently: the injury of the photojournalist Nidal Shafiq Ishataya (two metal gunshots), the injury of the freelance journalist Saleh Abedrabu Abdullah Qarmout (direct gas bomb at the head-above the ear), the injury of the volunteer journalist Ikhlas Al-Qrenawi (gunshot in her foot), the injury of Mohammad Kassab (direct gas bomb in the neck), the injury of the photojournalist Raed Yousef Abu Mathkour (gunshot in the leg), the arrest of the journalist amer Tawfiq Abu Halil upon raiding his house at dawn, breaking into the house of the freelance journalist Mohammad Sharaf Al-Shuaibe, summon and detain him under the pretext that he did not respond to a formed call by the occupation intelligence, in addition to the deliberate attack of the occupation soldiers to the gathering of journalists while they were covering a demonstration at Al-Bireh entrance by gas bombs, resulting in the injury of 17 female/male journalists with severe suffocation and vomiting.
This is in addition to issuing a traffic ticket of 1000 NIS to the photojournalist Rajai Al-Khatib deliberately claiming that he “endangered the life of a police officer” while he was covering the clashes in Issawiya in occupied Jerusalem.
In an unusual precedent, July has not witnessed any Palestinian violation against media freedoms in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by the official authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The only Palestinian violation recorded this month was the exposure of the director of investigative journalism unit of “Watan” Network, the journalist Nizar Habash, to several telephone threats following the preparation and dissemination of the investigate on a beauty salon and its practices by the Network given that these practices have caused physical and bodily harm to some women.
This is the second month that has not witnessed any violation in the West Bank in particular, which promises a positive direction for the new Palestinian government, which has declared its commitment to protect press freedoms since its establishment about three months ago.
Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), today, called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to act in holding Israel accountable for violating international law; otherwise, Israeli impunity will prevail and there will be no peace in the Middle East.
“Last month marked 52 years since the beginning of the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Decades of flagrant violations [of] UN resolutions and Israeli obligations under international law have resulted in the systematic denial of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
Not only do we have the right, but the responsibility, to make use of all international forums available, including under Item 7 of the Human Rights Council, in order to exercise our basic human rights,” said Erekat in a statement on the discussions over Item 7 in the UNHRC.
“Palestine is a reminder of the negative consequences of not implementing international law and UN resolutions. This, in addition to the [US President Donald] Trump Administration’s adoption of Israel’s colonial-settlement policies, such as legitimizing the acquisition of territory by force and profiteering from the illegal settlement enterprise, threatens to set a dangerous precedent for accountability for internationally wrongful acts worldwide,” he added, according to WAFA.
The PLO official reiterated the call on the UN to release the database of companies dealing with the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“On the momentous occasion of discussions under Item 7, we reiterate our call to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to implement the mandate conferred on her office by resolution 31/36, and release the database of companies involved in the Israeli occupation. It represents a small yet concrete step in the direction of accountability; without which Israeli impunity will prevail.”
“Last month marked 52 years since the beginning of the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Decades of flagrant violations [of] UN resolutions and Israeli obligations under international law have resulted in the systematic denial of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
Not only do we have the right, but the responsibility, to make use of all international forums available, including under Item 7 of the Human Rights Council, in order to exercise our basic human rights,” said Erekat in a statement on the discussions over Item 7 in the UNHRC.
“Palestine is a reminder of the negative consequences of not implementing international law and UN resolutions. This, in addition to the [US President Donald] Trump Administration’s adoption of Israel’s colonial-settlement policies, such as legitimizing the acquisition of territory by force and profiteering from the illegal settlement enterprise, threatens to set a dangerous precedent for accountability for internationally wrongful acts worldwide,” he added, according to WAFA.
The PLO official reiterated the call on the UN to release the database of companies dealing with the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“On the momentous occasion of discussions under Item 7, we reiterate our call to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to implement the mandate conferred on her office by resolution 31/36, and release the database of companies involved in the Israeli occupation. It represents a small yet concrete step in the direction of accountability; without which Israeli impunity will prevail.”
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