3 mar 2017
In its Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the week of 23 February – 01 March 2017, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) found that Israeli forces continued systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories. During the past week, a Palestinian civilian was killed by Israeli settlers, south of Hebron.
6 civilians, including 3 children and a young woman, were wounded in the West Bank while a child was wounded in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli settlement activities:
In the West Bank, On 01 March 2017, Sa’di Qaysiyah (25) from al-Thaheriyah village, south of Hebron were killed after an Israeli setter from “Havat Mor” settlement outpost, west of the aforementioned village, opened fire at him.
The Israeli media claimed that Sa’di attempted to stab a settler, who said that “he heard noise in the back of his house. When he went out to see where the noise is coming from, Sa’di who had a knife chased him. The settler then returned inside his house to bring his gun, but Sa’di chased him inside and stabbed him before the settler could shoot him.” There were no local eyewitnesses to confirm or deny the Israeli claim because the crime happened in the abovementioned settlement outpost. Moreover, the Israeli forces took Sa’di’s corpse to an unknown destination.
Shortly after the death of Qaisiyah, Israeli forces closed the southern and western side of al-Thaheriyah village and established checkpoints on all the roads leading and linking this village with other villages. They also carried out a wide-scale search campaign under the pretext of searching for a person, who was with Sa’di. An infantry unit surrounded Kherbet Zanouta and al-Khalil Valley area as they prevented the residents from leaving their residential tents.
At approximately 19:00, an Israeli force accompanied with 14 military jeeps moved into al-Deir area. They raided and searched the house of Sa’di’s family, detained them and destroyed the house contents. In the meantime, dozens of young men gathered and threw stones at the soldiers, who immediately fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them and the houses in response. Half an hour later, the Israeli forces withdrew from the vicinity of Sa’di’s house after they arrested his cousin Amjad Qaisiyah (24).
When the infantry unit arrived at the center of the village near the central market, the unit stopped and its soldiers deployed between streets amidst firing sound bombs and tear gas canisters between the shops. They also detained and kicked a number of workers in some restaurants. According to PCHR’s follow-up, a large number of the infantry units deployed in the center of the village after closing the main road with the military vehciles amidst firing sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the civilians and shops. Furthermore, they forced the shops’ owners to close under threat.
On Thursday, 23 February 2017, at approximately 01:00 am, Israeli forces moved into Nablus and stationed in the vicinity of “Joseph Tomb” in the eastern side of the village, to secure the entry of dozens of buses carrying settlers to the abovementioned area in order to perform their religious rituals. The buses moved from Beit Furik checkpoint, east of the city, towards al Hesbah Street to Balata village. After that, dozens of young men gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at the settlers and buses. The soldiers immediately fired metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the young men and chased them in response. The Israeli soldiers then arrested Mustafa Bilal Abu Shanab (18) and Adam Hasan Abu Jamilah (19).
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 24 February 2017, a 16-year-old child from al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip was hit with a bullet to the left leg when Israeli forces opened fire at a protest organized in the north-eastern side of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip. his condition was described as moderate.
As part of the aerial bombardment, on 27 February 2017, Israeli warplanes carried out 8 airstrikes. During those airstrikes, 23 missiles were launched at Hiteen military site belonging to al-Quds Brigades; Ajnadin training site for the Palestinian Mujahidin Movement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip; training site in al-Nussairat; observation point for the Interior Ministry officers in al-Shokah village, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and agricultural and vacant lands. As a result, 3 officers were wounded while a civilian was moderately wounded. Moreover, those sites sustained damages while a mosque and six houses sustained minor damages.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea, on 26 February 2017, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats and chased them On 27 February 2017.
Those gunboats heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats off Khan Younis Sea in the southern Gaza Strip. On 01 March 2017, Israeli gunboats heavily opened fire at Paeltinian fishing boats, west of al-Soundiyah, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Neither casualties nor damages to the boats were reported.
In the context of targeting the border areas, on 25 February 2017, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Kahn Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at the agricultural lands, east of al-Farahin area, west of the abovementioned fence.
On 27 February 2017, Israeli forces fired 4 artillery shells at an observation point belonging to the Gaza Military Interior in al-Shokah village, east of Rafah City in the southern Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israeli forces fired two artillery shells at a vacant land, east of al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, east of Gaza City.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 66 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank . 47 civilians, including 4 children and 3 young women, were arrested in the West Bank. 6 of them, including 3 young women, were arrested during a protest organized by the Birzeit university students in the vicinity of ‘Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah.
During the reporting period, Israeli settlers killed a Palestinian civilian, south of Hebron. Meanwhile, the Israeli forces wounded 11 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and a woman. Six of them and a woman were wounded in the West Bank while 5 others, including a child, were wounded in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli forces continued to chase Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea and open fire at farmers in the border areas in addition to carrying out many airstrikes targeting training sites belonging to the Palestinian armed groups and civilian objects.
On 24 February 2017, an 11-year-old child was wounded with a rubber-coated bullet to the neck while a 26-year-old man was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left leg when Israeli forces opened fire at the Kafr Qaddoum weekly protest, northeast of Qalqilya.
On 24 February 2017, a child from Zowaydin village, southeast of Yata, south of Hebron, sustained severe burns after an object from the Israeli remnants exploded near the abovementioned village school. The child was grazing sheep.
On 27 February 2017, Israeli soldiers stationed at Qalendia checkpoint at the northern entrance to occupied Jerusalem opened fire at Manar Mojahed (28) from Kafr ‘Aqab village, north of the city when she was near the aforementioned checkpoint. As a result, she was wounded and then arrested.
On the same day, ‘Abdullah ‘Anati (14) from Sho’afat refugee camp, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, was seriously wounded after being hit with a metal bullet when he was on his way back home from school along with his family.
On 28 February, Israeli forces stationed at Howarah checkpoint at the southern entrance to Nablus opened fire at a Palestinian civilian, who already suffers from a mental disorder. As a result, he was hit with two bullets to the thighs.
Israeli forces continued their efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
A residential building in al-‘Issawiyah was demolished, rendering 14 individuals, including 4 children, homeless.
Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re-established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians. 7 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and girl, were arrested at military checkpoints.
Israeli attacks against non-violent demonstrations:
Israeli troops engaged in the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall, including shooting an 11-year old boy in the neck and a 16-year old boy in the foot.
At approximately 12:45 on Friday, 24 February 2017, Palestinian civilians and International activists organized a protest in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya, and then made their way to the eastern entrance of the village in protest against closing that entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. When the protesters approached the entrance, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them.
As a result, Mohammed Helmi Jameel Shtaiwi (11) sustained a metal bullet wound to the neck and a 26-year-old man was hit with a metal bullet to the left leg.
Following the Friday prayer on 24 February 2017, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized demonstrations in Bil’in and Nil’in villages, west of Ramallah and al-Nabi Saleh, northwest of the city; at the entrance to al-Jaalzone refugee camp, north of the city; and in Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, protesting against the annexation wall and settlement activities. Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests, firing live and metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also chased the protesters into olive fields and between houses.
As a result, many of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by the Israeli soldiers.
On the same Friday afternoon, the national factions and Defense Committee of Hebron organized a protest titled “Lift up the closure of Hebron…dismantle the Ghetto” on the 23rd anniversary of al-Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre perpetrated by Baruch Goldstein on 25 February 1994 against Muslim worshippers in the abovementioned mosque, killing 29 civilians and wounding 150 others. The soldiers fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protestors while they were praying. Moreover, a protest moved from Ali al-Bakkaa’ Mosque towards the settlement outpost known as “Beit Romano” established by the Israeli forces on the rubbles of Osama Bin Monqeth School. Dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and International peace activists, raising the Palestinian flags, participated in the protest. Before they approached the area, the soldiers directly fired sound bombs at them.
As a result, many civilians sustained tear gas inhalation and were transferred to the hospitals in the city. The soldiers also attacked and beat the activists, so they sustained bruises throughout their bodies, but no arrests were reported. The Israeli forces then announced the area as a closed military zone.
Also on Friday, 24 February 2017, a number of young men gathered and made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, northeast of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza strip. They threw stones at the Israeli soldiers. The Israeli soldiers who were behind sand barriers immediately fired live bullets at the protestors. As a result, Mohammed Eyad Mohammed al-Taweel (16), from al-Maghazi, sustained a live bullet wound to the left foot. A PRCS ambulance the transferred him to al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. His wounds were classified as moderate.
At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 28 February 2017, dozens of students from Birzeit University organized a protest in solidarity with the prisoners on hunger strike in ‘Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah. When the protestors approached the Prisons’ gates, the soldiers fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. They chased them and then arrested 6 civilians, including 3 young women. The arrested civilians were identified as Mohammed Eyad Zakarnah (23), Bayan Safi (22), Zainab al-Barguthi (22), Meran Daghrah (23), Ahmed Husam Khader (23), Hasan Abdul Karim Daraghmah (23).
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendation to the international community, Among these were a recommendation that the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions fulfil their obligations to ensure the application of the Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed.
In addition, PCHR calls upon States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals.
For the full text of the report click here.
6 civilians, including 3 children and a young woman, were wounded in the West Bank while a child was wounded in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli settlement activities:
In the West Bank, On 01 March 2017, Sa’di Qaysiyah (25) from al-Thaheriyah village, south of Hebron were killed after an Israeli setter from “Havat Mor” settlement outpost, west of the aforementioned village, opened fire at him.
The Israeli media claimed that Sa’di attempted to stab a settler, who said that “he heard noise in the back of his house. When he went out to see where the noise is coming from, Sa’di who had a knife chased him. The settler then returned inside his house to bring his gun, but Sa’di chased him inside and stabbed him before the settler could shoot him.” There were no local eyewitnesses to confirm or deny the Israeli claim because the crime happened in the abovementioned settlement outpost. Moreover, the Israeli forces took Sa’di’s corpse to an unknown destination.
Shortly after the death of Qaisiyah, Israeli forces closed the southern and western side of al-Thaheriyah village and established checkpoints on all the roads leading and linking this village with other villages. They also carried out a wide-scale search campaign under the pretext of searching for a person, who was with Sa’di. An infantry unit surrounded Kherbet Zanouta and al-Khalil Valley area as they prevented the residents from leaving their residential tents.
At approximately 19:00, an Israeli force accompanied with 14 military jeeps moved into al-Deir area. They raided and searched the house of Sa’di’s family, detained them and destroyed the house contents. In the meantime, dozens of young men gathered and threw stones at the soldiers, who immediately fired sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them and the houses in response. Half an hour later, the Israeli forces withdrew from the vicinity of Sa’di’s house after they arrested his cousin Amjad Qaisiyah (24).
When the infantry unit arrived at the center of the village near the central market, the unit stopped and its soldiers deployed between streets amidst firing sound bombs and tear gas canisters between the shops. They also detained and kicked a number of workers in some restaurants. According to PCHR’s follow-up, a large number of the infantry units deployed in the center of the village after closing the main road with the military vehciles amidst firing sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the civilians and shops. Furthermore, they forced the shops’ owners to close under threat.
On Thursday, 23 February 2017, at approximately 01:00 am, Israeli forces moved into Nablus and stationed in the vicinity of “Joseph Tomb” in the eastern side of the village, to secure the entry of dozens of buses carrying settlers to the abovementioned area in order to perform their religious rituals. The buses moved from Beit Furik checkpoint, east of the city, towards al Hesbah Street to Balata village. After that, dozens of young men gathered and threw stones and empty bottles at the settlers and buses. The soldiers immediately fired metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the young men and chased them in response. The Israeli soldiers then arrested Mustafa Bilal Abu Shanab (18) and Adam Hasan Abu Jamilah (19).
Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:
In the Gaza Strip, on 24 February 2017, a 16-year-old child from al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip was hit with a bullet to the left leg when Israeli forces opened fire at a protest organized in the north-eastern side of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip. his condition was described as moderate.
As part of the aerial bombardment, on 27 February 2017, Israeli warplanes carried out 8 airstrikes. During those airstrikes, 23 missiles were launched at Hiteen military site belonging to al-Quds Brigades; Ajnadin training site for the Palestinian Mujahidin Movement, north of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip; training site in al-Nussairat; observation point for the Interior Ministry officers in al-Shokah village, east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip and agricultural and vacant lands. As a result, 3 officers were wounded while a civilian was moderately wounded. Moreover, those sites sustained damages while a mosque and six houses sustained minor damages.
In the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea, on 26 February 2017, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats and chased them On 27 February 2017.
Those gunboats heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats off Khan Younis Sea in the southern Gaza Strip. On 01 March 2017, Israeli gunboats heavily opened fire at Paeltinian fishing boats, west of al-Soundiyah, west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. Neither casualties nor damages to the boats were reported.
In the context of targeting the border areas, on 25 February 2017, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of Kahn Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at the agricultural lands, east of al-Farahin area, west of the abovementioned fence.
On 27 February 2017, Israeli forces fired 4 artillery shells at an observation point belonging to the Gaza Military Interior in al-Shokah village, east of Rafah City in the southern Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israeli forces fired two artillery shells at a vacant land, east of al-Zaytoun neighbourhood, east of Gaza City.
Israeli attacks in the West Bank:
Israeli forces conducted 66 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank . 47 civilians, including 4 children and 3 young women, were arrested in the West Bank. 6 of them, including 3 young women, were arrested during a protest organized by the Birzeit university students in the vicinity of ‘Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah.
During the reporting period, Israeli settlers killed a Palestinian civilian, south of Hebron. Meanwhile, the Israeli forces wounded 11 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and a woman. Six of them and a woman were wounded in the West Bank while 5 others, including a child, were wounded in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli forces continued to chase Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Sea and open fire at farmers in the border areas in addition to carrying out many airstrikes targeting training sites belonging to the Palestinian armed groups and civilian objects.
On 24 February 2017, an 11-year-old child was wounded with a rubber-coated bullet to the neck while a 26-year-old man was wounded with a rubber-coated metal bullet to the left leg when Israeli forces opened fire at the Kafr Qaddoum weekly protest, northeast of Qalqilya.
On 24 February 2017, a child from Zowaydin village, southeast of Yata, south of Hebron, sustained severe burns after an object from the Israeli remnants exploded near the abovementioned village school. The child was grazing sheep.
On 27 February 2017, Israeli soldiers stationed at Qalendia checkpoint at the northern entrance to occupied Jerusalem opened fire at Manar Mojahed (28) from Kafr ‘Aqab village, north of the city when she was near the aforementioned checkpoint. As a result, she was wounded and then arrested.
On the same day, ‘Abdullah ‘Anati (14) from Sho’afat refugee camp, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, was seriously wounded after being hit with a metal bullet when he was on his way back home from school along with his family.
On 28 February, Israeli forces stationed at Howarah checkpoint at the southern entrance to Nablus opened fire at a Palestinian civilian, who already suffers from a mental disorder. As a result, he was hit with two bullets to the thighs.
Israeli forces continued their efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
A residential building in al-‘Issawiyah was demolished, rendering 14 individuals, including 4 children, homeless.
Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re-established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians. 7 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children and girl, were arrested at military checkpoints.
Israeli attacks against non-violent demonstrations:
Israeli troops engaged in the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall, including shooting an 11-year old boy in the neck and a 16-year old boy in the foot.
At approximately 12:45 on Friday, 24 February 2017, Palestinian civilians and International activists organized a protest in the center of Kufor Qaddoum village, northeast of Qalqiliya, and then made their way to the eastern entrance of the village in protest against closing that entrance since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada with an iron gate. When the protesters approached the entrance, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs at them.
As a result, Mohammed Helmi Jameel Shtaiwi (11) sustained a metal bullet wound to the neck and a 26-year-old man was hit with a metal bullet to the left leg.
Following the Friday prayer on 24 February 2017, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized demonstrations in Bil’in and Nil’in villages, west of Ramallah and al-Nabi Saleh, northwest of the city; at the entrance to al-Jaalzone refugee camp, north of the city; and in Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, protesting against the annexation wall and settlement activities. Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests, firing live and metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also chased the protesters into olive fields and between houses.
As a result, many of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises due to being beaten up by the Israeli soldiers.
On the same Friday afternoon, the national factions and Defense Committee of Hebron organized a protest titled “Lift up the closure of Hebron…dismantle the Ghetto” on the 23rd anniversary of al-Ibrahimi Mosque Massacre perpetrated by Baruch Goldstein on 25 February 1994 against Muslim worshippers in the abovementioned mosque, killing 29 civilians and wounding 150 others. The soldiers fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the protestors while they were praying. Moreover, a protest moved from Ali al-Bakkaa’ Mosque towards the settlement outpost known as “Beit Romano” established by the Israeli forces on the rubbles of Osama Bin Monqeth School. Dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and International peace activists, raising the Palestinian flags, participated in the protest. Before they approached the area, the soldiers directly fired sound bombs at them.
As a result, many civilians sustained tear gas inhalation and were transferred to the hospitals in the city. The soldiers also attacked and beat the activists, so they sustained bruises throughout their bodies, but no arrests were reported. The Israeli forces then announced the area as a closed military zone.
Also on Friday, 24 February 2017, a number of young men gathered and made their way to the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, northeast of al-Maghazi in the central Gaza strip. They threw stones at the Israeli soldiers. The Israeli soldiers who were behind sand barriers immediately fired live bullets at the protestors. As a result, Mohammed Eyad Mohammed al-Taweel (16), from al-Maghazi, sustained a live bullet wound to the left foot. A PRCS ambulance the transferred him to al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. His wounds were classified as moderate.
At approximately 14:00 on Thursday, 28 February 2017, dozens of students from Birzeit University organized a protest in solidarity with the prisoners on hunger strike in ‘Ofer Prison, west of Ramallah. When the protestors approached the Prisons’ gates, the soldiers fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at them. They chased them and then arrested 6 civilians, including 3 young women. The arrested civilians were identified as Mohammed Eyad Zakarnah (23), Bayan Safi (22), Zainab al-Barguthi (22), Meran Daghrah (23), Ahmed Husam Khader (23), Hasan Abdul Karim Daraghmah (23).
Recommendations to the international community:
Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the PCHR made several recommendation to the international community, Among these were a recommendation that the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions fulfil their obligations to ensure the application of the Conventions, including extending the scope of their jurisdiction in order to prosecute suspected war criminals, regardless of the nationality of the perpetrator and the place of a crime, to pave the way for prosecuting suspected Israeli war criminals and end the longstanding impunity they have enjoyed.
In addition, PCHR calls upon States that apply the principle of universal jurisdiction not to surrender to Israeli pressure to limit universal jurisdiction to perpetuate the impunity enjoyed by suspected Israeli war criminals.
For the full text of the report click here.
2 mar 2017
New findings highlight failure of Canadian government and Israel lobby groups to demonize Palestine solidarity movement. (Denis Hébert)
Four in five Canadians expressing an opinion believe the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) on Israel is reasonable, a national survey released Wednesday suggests.
More than half of Canadians polled who expressed an opinion also oppose their parliament’s condemnation of the BDS campaign, which aims to pressure Israel to respect Palestinian rights and international law, and two-thirds say government sanctions on Israel would be reasonable.
These results are remarkable evidence that efforts by the Canadian government, backed by Israel and its surrogates, to demonize the Palestine solidarity movement are failing.
The poll, conducted by EKOS Research Associates from 25 January to 2 February, was commissioned by Independent Jewish Voices, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East and journalists Dimitri Lascaris and Murray Dobbin.
Partial results released last month found that large numbers of Canadians see Israel’s government negatively, and Canadians almost unanimously reject the view that criticizing Israel is anti-Semitic.
Backing for BDS
According to the newly released findings, 78 percent of respondents expressing an opinion say BDS is reasonable, but that shoots up to 88 percent among those who identify with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party.
Favorable views of BDS surge even higher among supporters of Canada’s other left of center parties – the New Democratic Party, Greens and Bloc Québécois.
Even supporters of the staunchly pro-Israel Conservative Party are evenly split: 49 percent say the BDS call is reasonable, while 51 percent say it is not – a difference that is within the poll’s margin of error.
Between 14-22 percent of respondents did not express an opinion on the questions about BDS and sanctions, according to the pollsters.
Out of step
These findings provide another stark indication of how out of step Canada’s political elites are with public views on Palestine.
In February 2016, Canada’s parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion condemning BDS.
But Canadians feel very differently from their representatives. More than half of those surveyed say they oppose the parliamentary motion, while just a quarter support it.
Opposition to the condemnation of BDS was strong among backers of all the left of center parties – ranging from 55 percent among Liberals to 78 percent among Greens.
Only among Conservatives did more people support the motion (46 percent) than oppose it (33 percent).
Consistent with generational trends seen in the United States, younger Canadians appear more sympathetic to Palestinian rights. Two-thirds of respondents aged 18-34 expressing an opinion opposed the parliamentary condemnation of BDS, a number that drops to 46 percent among those aged over 65.
Similarly, 84 percent of the 18-34 age group said the BDS call is reasonable, a number that fell to a still impressive 72 percent for those aged over 65.
Sanctions on Israel
Overall, 91 percent of respondents expressing an opinion agreed that in general sanctions are a reasonable way for Canada to censure countries for violations of international law or human rights.
Two-thirds agreed that sanctions specifically targeting Israel over its construction of settlements on occupied Palestinian land in violation of international law would be reasonable, with one-third indicating opposition.
Three-quarters of respondents who identify with Trudeau’s Liberals support sanctions. That support rises as high as 94 percent among backers of Canada’s other left of center parties.
Among Conservatives support for sanctions plummets to 30 percent – highlighting a sharp partisan divide over Israel also seen in the United States.
“Fanaticism”
“These numbers are breathtaking,” Lascaris, a lawyer, journalist and former justice spokesperson for the Green Party, told The Electronic Intifada.
“Our government’s support for Israel is not just immoral and unjust, it’s irrational, because it’s not a vote winner to be pro-Israel – the opposite is true,” Lascaris added.
Lascaris said he suspects that major pro-Israel groups have conducted private polling on Canadian attitudes toward Israel, but have never published the results. “That’s a suspicion,” he said, “but the conventional wisdom – absent any scientific poll to back it up – is that there is strong public support for the Canadian government’s pro-Israel leanings. This poll explodes that myth.”
Lascaris asserted that the poll reveals the “misapprehension of the Canadian political class,” whose unquestioning support for Israel borders on “fanaticism.”
He added that it also contravenes Canada’s treaty obligations and policy under the Fourth Geneva Convention to take reasonable measures to halt Israel’s violations, including its construction of settlements.
But Lascaris hopes that the results will serve as a tool for activists and lawmakers who are sympathetic to Palestinian rights to push their parties in the right direction.
“There’s overwhelming public support for Palestinian rights and bringing an end to Israel’s egregious, decades-long violations carried out with impunity,” Lascaris said. “That’s what the Canadian public wants.”
Note: this article has been updated since initial publication with links to the full survey, and information about respondents who did not provide an opinion.
Four in five Canadians expressing an opinion believe the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) on Israel is reasonable, a national survey released Wednesday suggests.
More than half of Canadians polled who expressed an opinion also oppose their parliament’s condemnation of the BDS campaign, which aims to pressure Israel to respect Palestinian rights and international law, and two-thirds say government sanctions on Israel would be reasonable.
These results are remarkable evidence that efforts by the Canadian government, backed by Israel and its surrogates, to demonize the Palestine solidarity movement are failing.
The poll, conducted by EKOS Research Associates from 25 January to 2 February, was commissioned by Independent Jewish Voices, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East and journalists Dimitri Lascaris and Murray Dobbin.
Partial results released last month found that large numbers of Canadians see Israel’s government negatively, and Canadians almost unanimously reject the view that criticizing Israel is anti-Semitic.
Backing for BDS
According to the newly released findings, 78 percent of respondents expressing an opinion say BDS is reasonable, but that shoots up to 88 percent among those who identify with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party.
Favorable views of BDS surge even higher among supporters of Canada’s other left of center parties – the New Democratic Party, Greens and Bloc Québécois.
Even supporters of the staunchly pro-Israel Conservative Party are evenly split: 49 percent say the BDS call is reasonable, while 51 percent say it is not – a difference that is within the poll’s margin of error.
Between 14-22 percent of respondents did not express an opinion on the questions about BDS and sanctions, according to the pollsters.
Out of step
These findings provide another stark indication of how out of step Canada’s political elites are with public views on Palestine.
In February 2016, Canada’s parliament overwhelmingly passed a motion condemning BDS.
But Canadians feel very differently from their representatives. More than half of those surveyed say they oppose the parliamentary motion, while just a quarter support it.
Opposition to the condemnation of BDS was strong among backers of all the left of center parties – ranging from 55 percent among Liberals to 78 percent among Greens.
Only among Conservatives did more people support the motion (46 percent) than oppose it (33 percent).
Consistent with generational trends seen in the United States, younger Canadians appear more sympathetic to Palestinian rights. Two-thirds of respondents aged 18-34 expressing an opinion opposed the parliamentary condemnation of BDS, a number that drops to 46 percent among those aged over 65.
Similarly, 84 percent of the 18-34 age group said the BDS call is reasonable, a number that fell to a still impressive 72 percent for those aged over 65.
Sanctions on Israel
Overall, 91 percent of respondents expressing an opinion agreed that in general sanctions are a reasonable way for Canada to censure countries for violations of international law or human rights.
Two-thirds agreed that sanctions specifically targeting Israel over its construction of settlements on occupied Palestinian land in violation of international law would be reasonable, with one-third indicating opposition.
Three-quarters of respondents who identify with Trudeau’s Liberals support sanctions. That support rises as high as 94 percent among backers of Canada’s other left of center parties.
Among Conservatives support for sanctions plummets to 30 percent – highlighting a sharp partisan divide over Israel also seen in the United States.
“Fanaticism”
“These numbers are breathtaking,” Lascaris, a lawyer, journalist and former justice spokesperson for the Green Party, told The Electronic Intifada.
“Our government’s support for Israel is not just immoral and unjust, it’s irrational, because it’s not a vote winner to be pro-Israel – the opposite is true,” Lascaris added.
Lascaris said he suspects that major pro-Israel groups have conducted private polling on Canadian attitudes toward Israel, but have never published the results. “That’s a suspicion,” he said, “but the conventional wisdom – absent any scientific poll to back it up – is that there is strong public support for the Canadian government’s pro-Israel leanings. This poll explodes that myth.”
Lascaris asserted that the poll reveals the “misapprehension of the Canadian political class,” whose unquestioning support for Israel borders on “fanaticism.”
He added that it also contravenes Canada’s treaty obligations and policy under the Fourth Geneva Convention to take reasonable measures to halt Israel’s violations, including its construction of settlements.
But Lascaris hopes that the results will serve as a tool for activists and lawmakers who are sympathetic to Palestinian rights to push their parties in the right direction.
“There’s overwhelming public support for Palestinian rights and bringing an end to Israel’s egregious, decades-long violations carried out with impunity,” Lascaris said. “That’s what the Canadian public wants.”
Note: this article has been updated since initial publication with links to the full survey, and information about respondents who did not provide an opinion.
The U.S. presidential administration of Donald Trump is reviewing its participation in the top United Nations human rights body, with an eye to reform a balanced agenda that ends the forum’s “obsession with Israel”, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, according to Haaretz.
“In order for this Council to have any credibility, let alone success, it must move away from its unbalanced and unproductive positions,” Erin Barclay, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, told the UN Human Rights Council.
“As we consider our future engagements, my government will be considering the Council’s actions with an eye toward reform to more fully achieve the Council’s mission to protect and promote human rights.”
Two days ago. PNN further reports, PA president Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech in front of the council in Geneva, where he called on states to defend a two-state solution for the future of a Palestinian state.
Abbas asserted that Israel is moving towards the creation of an apartheid state with the passing of the new Israeli law legalizing dozens of Jewish outposts built on private Palestinian land.
In addition, he warned from moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The United States is currently an elected member of the 47-state Geneva forum where its three-year term ends in 2019.
“In order for this Council to have any credibility, let alone success, it must move away from its unbalanced and unproductive positions,” Erin Barclay, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, told the UN Human Rights Council.
“As we consider our future engagements, my government will be considering the Council’s actions with an eye toward reform to more fully achieve the Council’s mission to protect and promote human rights.”
Two days ago. PNN further reports, PA president Mahmoud Abbas gave a speech in front of the council in Geneva, where he called on states to defend a two-state solution for the future of a Palestinian state.
Abbas asserted that Israel is moving towards the creation of an apartheid state with the passing of the new Israeli law legalizing dozens of Jewish outposts built on private Palestinian land.
In addition, he warned from moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The United States is currently an elected member of the 47-state Geneva forum where its three-year term ends in 2019.
28 feb 2017
The Palestinian Education Ministry documented Israeli violations against 89,799 Palestinian learners and 5,528 teaching staff members in 2016.
According to a Tuesday report by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, 26 Palestinian learners were killed by the Israeli occupation forces while 1,810 others and 101 instructors and employees were left wounded.
At the same time, 198 learners and teaching staff members were arrested by the Israeli forces.
The report further documented Israeli attacks against 162 Palestinian schools. The attacks were carried out using live ammunition, teargas canisters or/and rubber bullets. As a result several schools have been partially or totally put out of operation.
Crackdowns at Israeli-run checkpoints led to the suspension of 4,878 classes.
Seven learners enrolled at Jerusalem schools, along with a staff member, were, meanwhile, subjected to house confinement.
60 schools had also been subjected to aggressive assaults by the Israeli army using teargas grenades and bullet fire. Cases of heavy beating against schoolchildren and tutors had also been recorded during those attacks.
Nine demolition or stop construction orders were also handed out to a number of Palestinian schools across the occupied territories.
The Education Ministry appealed to all human rights institutions to take urgent action vis-à-vis such Israeli aggressions and to expose Israel’s incessant violations of international law and of Palestinians’ right to free and safe education.
According to a Tuesday report by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, 26 Palestinian learners were killed by the Israeli occupation forces while 1,810 others and 101 instructors and employees were left wounded.
At the same time, 198 learners and teaching staff members were arrested by the Israeli forces.
The report further documented Israeli attacks against 162 Palestinian schools. The attacks were carried out using live ammunition, teargas canisters or/and rubber bullets. As a result several schools have been partially or totally put out of operation.
Crackdowns at Israeli-run checkpoints led to the suspension of 4,878 classes.
Seven learners enrolled at Jerusalem schools, along with a staff member, were, meanwhile, subjected to house confinement.
60 schools had also been subjected to aggressive assaults by the Israeli army using teargas grenades and bullet fire. Cases of heavy beating against schoolchildren and tutors had also been recorded during those attacks.
Nine demolition or stop construction orders were also handed out to a number of Palestinian schools across the occupied territories.
The Education Ministry appealed to all human rights institutions to take urgent action vis-à-vis such Israeli aggressions and to expose Israel’s incessant violations of international law and of Palestinians’ right to free and safe education.
27 feb 2017
A report titled “Land Takeover Practices Employed by Israel in the West Bank” and published by Yesh Din unearths some of the methods used by various Israeli bodies to take over land in the occupied West Bank.
A survey of the proceedings in which Yesh Din represented Palestinian residents of the West Bank before the courts and various Civil Administration committees provides an overall picture of the practices and maneuvers the Israeli authorities use in order to increase the reservoir of land meant to serve Israeli interests in the West Bank.
According to Yesh Din, International law prohibits the exploitation of the occupied territory to serve the needs of the occupier. Therefore, increasing the amount of land Israel builds on requires either legal acrobatics designed to create the appearance of the rule of law, or brazen defiance of the law while law enforcement authorities turn a blind eye.
“The legal proceedings led by Yesh Din, and others, have challenged the state, especially with respect to unauthorized outposts in the OPT. These proceedings have forced Israel to expose its policy regarding the issue,” the report read.
“One example is that after many years of claiming that any illegal construction must be removed, regardless of the status of the land, more recently, Israel’s official position has been that illegal construction on privately owned Palestinian land must be removed, but, any illegal construction on public land would be retroactively authorized,” it added.
“As a result of the new position presented by Israel, illegal construction on privately owned Palestinian land has stopped almost completely. However, there is a trend of declaring land in the West Bank as public land, or as it is commonly referred to, state land,” Yesh Din further stated. “Though public land is meant to serve the needs of the local population of the occupied territory – in practice, the Civil Administration allocates public land almost exclusively for the use of the settlements.”
Yesh Din NGO also noted that in order to implement this new policy, all authorities and Civil Administration bodies have been mobilized to favor offenders and find administrative and procedural solutions that would allow to retroactively authorize structures or communities, instead of fulfilling their duty to enforce the law and protect the property of the local population in the occupied territory, as required under international law and according to the rulings of Israel’s High Court of Justice.
Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights – is an Israeli organization registered as a non-profit in Israel. Yesh Din is subject to Israeli law and is served by a volunteer corps and by a professional staff.
Yesh Din views the occupation as a main source of the violation of the human rights of the Palestinian population and therefore seeks to end it.
At the core of Yesh Din’s work is collecting and disseminating reliable and updated information regarding systematic human rights violations in the OPT; conducting public and legal advocacy in order to pressure Israel’s authorities to cease violations; and raising public awareness to human rights violations in the OPT.
A survey of the proceedings in which Yesh Din represented Palestinian residents of the West Bank before the courts and various Civil Administration committees provides an overall picture of the practices and maneuvers the Israeli authorities use in order to increase the reservoir of land meant to serve Israeli interests in the West Bank.
According to Yesh Din, International law prohibits the exploitation of the occupied territory to serve the needs of the occupier. Therefore, increasing the amount of land Israel builds on requires either legal acrobatics designed to create the appearance of the rule of law, or brazen defiance of the law while law enforcement authorities turn a blind eye.
“The legal proceedings led by Yesh Din, and others, have challenged the state, especially with respect to unauthorized outposts in the OPT. These proceedings have forced Israel to expose its policy regarding the issue,” the report read.
“One example is that after many years of claiming that any illegal construction must be removed, regardless of the status of the land, more recently, Israel’s official position has been that illegal construction on privately owned Palestinian land must be removed, but, any illegal construction on public land would be retroactively authorized,” it added.
“As a result of the new position presented by Israel, illegal construction on privately owned Palestinian land has stopped almost completely. However, there is a trend of declaring land in the West Bank as public land, or as it is commonly referred to, state land,” Yesh Din further stated. “Though public land is meant to serve the needs of the local population of the occupied territory – in practice, the Civil Administration allocates public land almost exclusively for the use of the settlements.”
Yesh Din NGO also noted that in order to implement this new policy, all authorities and Civil Administration bodies have been mobilized to favor offenders and find administrative and procedural solutions that would allow to retroactively authorize structures or communities, instead of fulfilling their duty to enforce the law and protect the property of the local population in the occupied territory, as required under international law and according to the rulings of Israel’s High Court of Justice.
Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights – is an Israeli organization registered as a non-profit in Israel. Yesh Din is subject to Israeli law and is served by a volunteer corps and by a professional staff.
Yesh Din views the occupation as a main source of the violation of the human rights of the Palestinian population and therefore seeks to end it.
At the core of Yesh Din’s work is collecting and disseminating reliable and updated information regarding systematic human rights violations in the OPT; conducting public and legal advocacy in order to pressure Israel’s authorities to cease violations; and raising public awareness to human rights violations in the OPT.
25 feb 2017
21 Human rights groups have strongly condemned in a joined statement issued Friday the Israel’s ban on Human Rights Watch (HRW) entry into the occupied Palestinian territories.
We, human rights organizations from Israel, consider Israel’s refusal to allow Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch (HRW) to enter the country a cause of grave concern. We stand in solidarity with him and our colleagues at HRW, the statement said.
Israel seeks to portray itself as a card-carrying member of the club of democratic countries. Yet what is democracy without free speech, robust public debate and open criticism? A state that defines itself as democratic cannot turn its border control into a thought police, according to the statement.
Neither closing Israel’s borders to human rights organizations and activists nor other measures by the Israeli government against organizations that criticize the occupation will deter us from continuing to report human rights violations in the territories controlled by Israel. Attempts to silence the messenger will not suppress our message, the statement included.
The 21 human rights groups include Adalah Center, Akevot, Amnesty International Israel, Bimkom, Breaking the Silence, B’Tselem, Coalition of Women for Peace, Emek Shaveh, Gisha, Hamoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, Haqel-Jews and Arabs in Defense of Human Rights, Human Rights Defenders Fund, Machsom Watch, Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Yesh Din.
We, human rights organizations from Israel, consider Israel’s refusal to allow Omar Shakir of Human Rights Watch (HRW) to enter the country a cause of grave concern. We stand in solidarity with him and our colleagues at HRW, the statement said.
Israel seeks to portray itself as a card-carrying member of the club of democratic countries. Yet what is democracy without free speech, robust public debate and open criticism? A state that defines itself as democratic cannot turn its border control into a thought police, according to the statement.
Neither closing Israel’s borders to human rights organizations and activists nor other measures by the Israeli government against organizations that criticize the occupation will deter us from continuing to report human rights violations in the territories controlled by Israel. Attempts to silence the messenger will not suppress our message, the statement included.
The 21 human rights groups include Adalah Center, Akevot, Amnesty International Israel, Bimkom, Breaking the Silence, B’Tselem, Coalition of Women for Peace, Emek Shaveh, Gisha, Hamoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual, Haqel-Jews and Arabs in Defense of Human Rights, Human Rights Defenders Fund, Machsom Watch, Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Yesh Din.