1_March 2019, Ramallah – On the occasion of the International Women’s Day (8 March), a week-long joint campaign “My Rights, Our Power” was launched today in Palestine to raise awareness on women’s fundamental human rights. The joint effort, with participation from over 30 national and international partners from civil society organizations, media outlets, and international development agencies, targets youth, women, and men in various geographic areas in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza to promote women’s human rights in Palestine.

The campaign comes at a crucial moment when the anticipated adoption of the Family Protection Bill is at a standstill, raising concerns among national and international stakeholders about the consequences of such delay on safeguarding women’s fundamental human rights in Palestine. According to the Palestine report of the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), nearly one in five Palestinian men (17 percent) surveyed said they had perpetrated act of physical intimate partner violence against female partners, while 21 per cent of women surveyed reported having experienced such violence.

“Family violence, usually committed by a family member who has social or economic power over others in the family, causes enormous pain and suffering to all members of the family, especially the women and children,” said a spokesperson from civil society, which has vigorously initiated the development of the Family Protection Bill (FPB), and has strongly pushed its adoption since 2004.

“The violation of women’s human rights manifests in various levels and should be also understood from economic, cultural, and social aspects,” the spokesperson added, highlighting the lack of opportunities and freedom of choice, as well as limited access to justice and services that women in Palestine still experience.

The joint campaign aims to raise awareness of the general public, especially youth, women, and men on women’s fundamental rights in line with international standards and embedded in the Family Protection Bill draft endorsed by the previous Cabinet at the end of December 2018. Five key messages, addressing women’s right to a life free of violence, right to achieve justice and seek help in case of violation of such life, as well as the right to equal opportunities and right to make one’s own choices, will be distributed through various channels such as radio, social media, helpline (121), outreach activities, and on-site events. The closing event of the joint campaign will take place on 8 March in Jerusalem and will celebrate women’s achievements using TED-style talks, followed by art performances.

“My Rights, Our Power” joint campaign is part of the global International Women’s Day 2019 campaign under the theme of “Think equal, build smart, innovate for change”. The theme focuses on innovative ways in which we can advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, particularly in the areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure, echoing the theme of the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 63) taking place in New York on 11-22 March 2019.

The participating organizations of the “My Rights, Our Power” are (in alphabetical order): 17 Palestinian women’s organizations represented by Al-Muntada (coalition), British Consulate-General, Business Women Forum, CARE International, Consulate General of Sweden, Consulate General of Belgium, EUPOL COPPS, EU Representative Office, FAO, General Union of Palestinian Women, Government of Japan, CowaterSogema/GROW Project, International Labour Organization, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Ma’an TV, MIFTAH, Netherlands Representative Office, Nisaa FM, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development, Palestinian Family Planning and Protection Association, Representative Office of Canada, Representative Office of Denmark, SAWA, Sawasya II, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, Sports for Life, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Representative Office of Norway, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS, UN Women, Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling, Women’s Studies Center.

For more information, please contact Eunjin Jeong at UN Women via eunjin.jeong@unwomen.org or 059 2321 308, Majd Beltaji at UNESCO via m.beltaji@unesco.org or 059 4501 506.

Mr. President,

We thank France for organizing this important meeting and extend our appreciation to the Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary General, the Executive Director of UN Women, the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security and the Secretary-General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie for their efforts and important briefings.

The issue before us is of relevance not only for half the planet, but to all, given the role and contribution of women in the fields of peace and security and the untapped potential that could be unleashed by mainstreaming their participation. Since the adoption by consensus of resolution 1325 by this Council, a lot has happened, and yet we are still far from the goal of full and equal participation, including in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building, and from ensuring the protection and empowerment of women. Gender equality and non-discrimination remain prerequisites for the fulfilment of the purposes and principles of this organization and all of our lofty, collective commitments, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The State of Palestine welcomes the Secretary General’s report and his commitment to implementing the women and peace and security agenda, including by placing gender at the centre of his prevention platform and surge in diplomacy. We appreciate all efforts by the UN in this regard, including by UN Women, OHCHR and UNDP, notably in the field of human rights, capacity building, employment and rule of law. We urge UN bodies, notably those operating in Palestine, including the Special Representative, to intensify their engagement and collaboration with women organizations.

Mr. President,

I wish to highlight some of Palestine’s own important efforts in this regard. The Palestinian women’s movement is one of the oldest and strongest in the region and beyond, with institutional and representative structures established as early as the 19th century. Within the PLO, the General Union of Palestinian Women was among the first unions to be established. A coordination of women frameworks within PLO political parties and other organizations has also been established as the “Women’s Affairs Technical Committee” in the aftermath of the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference.

There have been many achievements thereafter. Among them: In 2012, Palestine inaugurated a High-Level National Committee for the implementation of resolution 1325, led by the Ministry of Women Affairs in partnership with relevant Ministries and NGOs. In 2016, the State of Palestine was among the 68 countries and areas that adopted a National Action Plan on women, peace and security.

This Action Plan (2017-2019), adopted by both the Government and civil society organizations, identifies three primary objectives: 1. ensuring protection for women and girls both domestically and in the face of the Israeli occupation; 2. ensuring accountability through national and international mechanisms, with a particular focus on crimes and violations committed by the occupation; and 3. furthering women’s political participation in decision making at the national and international level. The State of Palestine also joined core IHL and human rights instruments, including CEDAW, without reservations. Women’s participation and empowerment are also important and cross-cutting objectives in the context of the National Policy Agenda (2017-2022).

We are, however, conscious that, despite all these efforts, much more work remains to be done. Only in 2009 was a women elected to the highest executive body of the PLO. Quotas are still decisive in allowing women’s election to Parliament and local councils. And while women organizations were among the strongest advocates of national reconciliation, they have been unfairly absent from reconciliation talks. The relevant legislative framework applicable in Palestine is also outdated and must be revised to ensure consistency with Palestine’s international commitments and obligations and avail women the protection and rights they are entitled to and the opportunities they deserve.

Mr. President,

The Palestinian women’s movement since its establishment over a century ago pursued the struggle on two fronts – the struggle for the independence of Palestine and the struggle for women’s rights and empowerment – a dual struggle the movement continues to pursue to this day. The Israeli occupation remains the main source of the violations of our women’s rights and their vulnerability and violence against their person. We have repeatedly called for protection of the Palestinian people, especially women and children. We have also called for accountability, a key element of resolution 1325, the first resolution to address the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women, as the only way to put an end to violations and crimes.

While Palestine stands ready to do its part to advance women rights and the role of women in the fields of peace and security, it is clear that the enjoyment of these rights in our country necessitates ending the Israeli occupation. We will thus continue to work for an end of the occupation and true progress on the path to independence, justice and peace, with the equal and full involvement of women, leading to an independent State of Palestine ensuring human rights for all its citizens without discrimination.

On the occasion of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office to Palestine, the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325, which consists of twelve different Palestinian women’s organisations, is urging the Prosecutor’s Office to take concrete actions towards investigating war crimes committed against Palestinians. The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom remains deeply concerned with the complete impunity of Israeli war crimes and firmly supports the Coalition’s call for a just accountability mechanism for Palestinian victims. WILPF also calls on the international community to recognise and fully support Palestinian women’s organisations substantial role in paving the paths to justice, accountability and peace. Read the statement of the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325 below.

We, the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325,welcome the visit of the delegation of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office as a step in the right direction. But we are deeply disappointed that the purpose of this visit was restricted to preliminary examination, while Palestinian victims of Israeli war crimes, including women, continue to suffer and urgently await justice and an end to Israel impunity.

We do not understand the decision to exclude the Gaza Strip from this visit, when Gaza has been the site of the most war crimes and where women have been most systematically impacted by Israeli collective punishment policies; a prolonged imposed siege and a severe humanitarian deterioration resulting from Israeli military aggressions .

We are further disappointed that women who have been systematically impacted, and their women’s organisations, have been excluded from the delegation’s agenda.

We call upon all future delegations of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office to include on their agenda meetings with women’s organisations and women who have experienced direct and indirect impacts of Israeli crimes.

We, the Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325, have seen in UNSCR 1325, 2242, and other UN Resolutions a commitment to hold the Israeli perpetrators accountable for their war crimes.

We look to the ICC as the most important mechanism to end impunity for all war crimes committed, finally bringing justice for the Palestinian people. Yet, we are very concerned that the preliminary examinations will be an endless process.

Therefore, we urge, Ms. Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor of the ICC, to conclude the preliminary examination and move to investigations into Israeli war crimes, bringing justice to Palestinians.

We have paid the price of non-accountability and impunity of Israeli war crimes for too long. “Delaying justice is justice denied.”

Palestinian Women Coalition of UNSCR 1325: The General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW), the Women’s Affairs Technical Committee (WATC), Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD), MIFTAH, Filastinyat, Women Media and Development (TAM), Women Stu Dies Center, Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WACLAC), the National, YWCA of Palestine, Center for Women’s Legal Research and Consulting (CWLRC), the Culture and Free thought Association(CWLRC) and Women’s Affairs Center (GWAC).

Occupied Palestine

October 11, 2016

It was the stormiest demonstration in Bil'in for some time. Clouds of tear gas, salvoes of stun grenades were showered on the 300 demonstrators - Palestinians, Israelis and internationals - who marched again to protest against the wall in this village, as they have done every Friday for than 20 months.

The army was ready. From early morning, all the roads to the village were blocked. Yet all the demonstrators succeeded in reaching the village, some on foot, some over paths known to the experienced Palestinians. At the appointed time, the procession started on its way.

The creative abilities of the organizers, people of the village and "Anarchists against Fences", who invent every week a new symbol for the demonstration, did not disappoint this time either. At the head of the procession, ladders were carried, with flags affixed with nails to both sides, like flowers on moving flower-beds. Marching in front were Palestinian leaders and Israeli public figures, including Knesset Members Dov Chinin (Hadash), Gamal Zakhalkeh (Balad) and former Knesset Member Uri Avnery (Gush Shalom).

It was obvious that the army had decided in advance on harsh treatment. When the protesters were just approaching the fence, they were stopped by rows of Border Police behind barbed wire. When the demonstrators broke through and put the ladders to the wall, the first salvo of stun grenades and tear gas was shot at them. Within minutes, the whole area was covered by the stinging and choking gas.

For an hour, the confrontation went on, with the demonstrators shouting at the soldiers - "Soldiers go home!" "No, no to the fence!" - and the soldiers shooting grenades from time to time. The protesters retreated, choking and coughing, but returned at once. Dozens of them knocked with stones on an iron fence, a noise that could be heard for miles along the wadis. Others entered into arguments with the soldiers.

Several times, stones were thrown from the crowds towards the fence. There is a strong suspicion that this was done by undercover agents, disguised as Arabs, in order to provide the army with a pretext to shoot at the demonstrators. (This has happened several times before and has been documented on camera.)

After about an hour, the soldiers started to shoot concentrated salvoes of stun and gas grenades in all directions. The organizers of the demonstration requested the protesters to retreat towards the village - and then the soldiers started to shoot tear gas wildly. The grenades exploded in front of the protesters, behind them, on both sides and in the middle of the retreating crowd, so that there was no escape.

Several demonstrators were wounded. One was hit by a stun grenade on his face and suffered deep cuts, another was hit by a gas canister on his leg, a third was dragged by the soldiers on the rocks.

The army stated that two of its men were also wounded. No one of the demonstrators had seen that. The joke went around that the army has two soldiers, whose regular job it is to pretend to be wounded, and who go from one demonstration to the next.

Gush-shalom is the Israeli "Peace Block".

Ariel Sharon did not need the official report of attorney Talia Sassoon in order to know that all the offices of the government and the Zionist organization are part of the ongoing effort to build ”illegal” settlements. After all, Sharon himself invented the system.

If he wanted to put an end to the building of settlements, he would know how to do it. But that his not his intention – his real objective is to annex great parts of the West Bank while “disengaging” from the Gaza Strip.

All this cost us tens of billion.

Everybody who supports Sharon unconditionally is an accomplice to the crime.

Gush Shalom (the Israeli Peace Bloc) calls upon the Government of Israel to cease its efforts to impose by force unilateral solutions, and start immediate negotiations for a comprehensive cease-fire with the Palestinians and cessation of all belligerent acts between Israel and the Palestinians. The murderous suicide bombing at Be'er Sheba, which deserves all condemnation, proves once again that there are no military solutions. It highlights the futility of those who claim to "burn the fact of defeat into Palestinian consciousness", "reach the bottom of the barrel of terrorism" and other arrogant statement by the heads of the army and security services. Nor can unilaterally imposed solutions bring us peace or quiet.

Withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the dismantling of the settlements there, could have been constituted an enormous measure for building up confidence between Israelis and Palestinians - had it been decided upon in negotiations, as a first step towards a comprehensive solution and the end of the oppressive Israeli rule in all the territories occupied in 1967. When the same withdrawal from Gaza is undertaken as a unilateral Israeli act, aimed explicitly at intensifying and deepening the occupation on the West Bank, it serves only to increase distrust and fan higher the flames of conflict.

Should the Government of Israel ever liberate itself from the false mantra that "there is no partner" and from the constant demonization of Yasser Arafat, it will find that a Palestinian partner does exist - a partner willing to go back to the political process; that among the Palestinian public there is considerable longing for new, non-violent means of action, as was manifested last week at the mass Israeli- Palestinian rally at Abu-Dis addressed by Dr. Arun Gandhi.

[Translation from Hebrew]

The assassination of Rantisi in Gaza is another act of lethal provocation. It might impress the 200 000 registered members of the Likud Party whose votes Sharon needs, but it endangers the Israeli people to who Sharon leaves a legacy of hatred and bloodshed which might last many years after his own career comes to an end.

With another prime minister, whithdrawal from the Gaza Strip and dismantling the settlements in it could have been an enormous goodwill gesture, opening a new page in the relations between the two peoples and giving momentum to a renewed peace process.

As enacted by Ariel Sharon, even if he would really go through with it, which is not at all to be taken for granted, it is just one more manifestation of the arrogance of power.

Today's unscrupled assassination is but the latest of the daily killings which accompany the hollow words about withdrawal. And Sharon also uses naked force on the diplomatic level. The Palestinians are not addressed, but with ultimatums and dictates. Sharon seems to be doing everything to convince the Palestinians that they have no options left other than suicidal forms of revenge, deepening the hatred and thus making sure that the giving up of territory will not bring about peace, condemning his people to an existence of suspicion and fear.