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

On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall - which truly epitomized the Cold War in Europe and, therefore, became the symbol of shame of the politics of division of the 20th century - was torn down.

Now, a new wall must fall!

Let's make the coming 9th of November a worldwide Protest Day against the new 'Berlin' Wall currently being erected by Israel across the West Bank. Such construction, now commonly known as Separation Wall or Apartheid Wall has become Israel's new stranglehold of Palestine and the latest assault by the Occupation: land confiscation, water confiscation, destruction of lives and livelihoods of Palestinians, all in a new drive to expand truly colonialist measures under the usual pretenses in order to achieve long-standing goals in a frightening fashion similar of 1948's events.

Join those who share a belief that the absurdity of this medieval concept must soon succumb. The Palestine Monitor and the GIPP - Grass Roots International protection for Palestinian People movement - urge you to participate in this effort by organizing pickets, demonstrations, lectures, and related activities to raise awareness in your community about the impact and meaning of this new wall.

We are urging people to come up with anything they think they can do in their own communities.

It could be: pickets, demonstrations, vigils, lectures/conferences/debates, artistic events/fairs/festivals/theatric performances, convoys or marches, and/or any related activities to raise awareness in your community about the impact and meaning of this new wall.

Some people who live in administrative capitals are choosing to demonstrate in front of Israeli Embassies, other are choosing to stage demos on public squares, others in community centers, churches, etc. It all depends on the expertise of those who are sponsoring the events (some events will be very loosely organized, some more formally thought through). Some are thinking about media advanced work. Some plan to erect a paper or plastic walls across roads or parks and then make the wall fall. Some are printing leaflets. Some are organizing boots and stands with info about the humanitarian impact of the wall (which can be easily downloaded from many websites). So, whatever you might propose must come out of your perceived capabilities.

The ones who know better a community are the ones who live in it, so what works for a place may not be as productive for other setting or environment. So people at various places can come up with the best solution about what could mobilize their peers, their communities, their media outlets, etc. Any good idea or effort are welcomed, so we invite you to invite others to debate, share ideas and think of what would work for your community.

After you had sorted out what you want to carry on, we would appreciate if you could let us know about more specific details: description of planned activities, meeting points, schedules, people to contact and their contact details, etc. This is because we want to post a list of everything that will be going on everywhere at our website, so people can look for what will be going on in their own places and then join the activities!!!

Provisional list of activities on the initiative for a global demonstration on November 9th against the Israeli Apartheid Wall:

IN ITALY :

. Action for Peace Coalition in ITALY already started the campaign against the wall and are planning activities for the 9th of November. They are now trying to enlarge the group of organizers.

Contact: Alessandra Mecozzi
internazionale@fiom.cgil.it

. Youth organizations who are already active organizing meetings and having direct experience in Israel and Palestine are also planning activities to be held across the country.

Contact: Alda Radaelli
mixarazz@mixa-razzismo.it

IN THE UK:

. Middle East Children's Alliance along with Voices in the Wilderness, Al-Awda and Affiliates of ISM have launched a national bus tour calling for the end to the Occupation of Palestine and Iraq. Part of the travelling infomation will be a replica of the Wall that our office built, as well as facts and info from PENGON . Wherever the Bus is on November 9, it will have an action specifically oriented to the Wall and its implications.

Soon to follow more info on the Wheels of Justice Tour and the Wall actions.

Contact: Uda Walker
Education and Action Coordinator
Middle East Children's Alliance
901 Parker Street, Berkeley 94710
Tel:510-548-0542
Fax:510-548-0542
uda@mecaforpeace.org

. London: A possible action/demonstration in front of the Israeli Embassy Details to follow.

. Other activities also under consideration.

Contact: The Palestinian Solidarity campaign
info@palestinecampaign.org

IN THE USA:

Los Angeles - WOMEN IN BLACK , together with Palestine AID SOCIETY, are organizing a huge demonstration for November 9th. They are hoping to erect a large wall at Venice or Santa Monica Beach, with lots of publicity and many other groups and individuals joining.

Contact: Mary

Iowa City - Events are being planned for Iowa City , and they hope on a much broader basis across the country.

Contact: Margaret Kiekhaefer
gerernst@avalon.net

IN GERMANY:

Under discussion, an international conference to be held in Berlin. Also, organizations from neighboring countries started considering a trip towards Berlin, raising awareness along the way.

IN NORWAY:

The Nablus Society, an NGO from the city of Stavanger in Norway (which has twinned with the city of Nablus), is currently planning for activities on November 9th. They want to have a demonstration with music, theater and information.

Contact: Turid طygard
turid@hesbynett.no

IN the NETHERLANDS

Activities are in the process of being organized.

Contact: Hajo G. Meyer
til.mey@inter.nl.net

Following some requests from Jewish groups that another anniversary should also be brought to the fore (Kristallnatch, the "Night of Broken Glass" 09 Nov 1938), Mr. Hajo Meyer declared: "I speak as one of the few people still living and active, who, -as a fourteen year old lived through the 9th november pogrome in Germany, and who also -survived 10 months of Auschwitz and who also -survived for full 12 years the worst antisemitim ever, and I feel justified to comment : There cannot be a better day to demonstrate under the devise 'let the wall fall' than precisely the 9th of November.

Only this date and Jewish participation at the demonstrations can make clear to the world that we are matured, wise and ethically- sane enough to realise that we, the Jews are not the only and eternal victim. That also we have become perpetrators of terrible crimes against humanity. Only if we show this to the world, all those who did not survive, have not died in vain. Only then their death can be given a positive meaning.

That is what the German Jewish philosopher Theodor Lessing, who was already murdered by the Nazis in the early thirties, meant when he coined the phrase: 'Sinngebung des Sinnlosen' i.e. attributing sense and meaning to events which do not have any intrinsic sense."

IN SWITZERLAND:

An Association working for Palestinian Rights in the Lausanee area is discussing a series of activities.

Contact: Tatiana Honegger , near Lausanne, Switzerland
tatiana.honegger@hispeed.ch

. Zurich:

Contact: Shraga Elam
elams@dplanet.ch

ACROSS EUROPE:

European Jews for a Just Peace - EJJP, have manifested interest in organizing activities.

Contact: Sveva Haertter
shaertter@yahoo.com

IN BAHRAIN:

A new Bahraini society called Women for Jerusalem is working to organize a lot of activities on Nov 9th in Bahrain.

Contact: Naela Al Waary
naelafayez2@msn.com

. So far, we also have received manifestations of interest (but no clear programs ) from Prague, Czech Republic , from Vienna, Austria, and from Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Please, let us know about any planned activity:

Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi- +972 (0)59 254 218
The Palestine Monitor Team: or +972 (0)59 387 087
giullianna@hdip.org
www.palestinemonitor.org

This morning, having invaded and imposed a curfew on the Palestinian village of Al-Walaja, Israeli armed forces proceeded to the northern side of the village where they demolished six Palestinian homes they claimed had been built without permission.

Situated 6.5km north west of Bethlehem the village of Al-walaja comes under the municipality of Bethlehem. Infrastructure and all health and social services to the community are provided by the Palestinian Authority, - who in the last few months have built new roads in the village. Despite the fact that there are no services provided by Israel, Israeli opinion is that the area should be considered part of a "greater" Jerusalem.

Mustafa Abu al-Tin, the head of Al-Walaja's town council, said that the forces invaded and imposed a curfew before going directly to the area where they intended to demolish the houses. In his opinion the aim of such demolitions in this area is to free up more land that can be added to the "greater" Jerusalem district.

Journalists attempting to monitor and bear witness to the demolitions were prevented from doing so by threats from the Israeli forces to confiscate IDs and equipment.

Also today 50 Palestinian inmates of the Israeli Ber Sheva prison were found to have been poisoned as a result of eating rotten food given to them by prison officers. According to Issa Qaraqie, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, five of these 50 prisoners remain in a serious condition yet the Israeli Prison authorities have refused to transfer them to hospital. Issa Qaraqie also made clear that this is not the first time that Palestinian prisoners have become ill, in some cases fatally, due to carelessness in Israeli prisons.

Israel seems to be using a system of "creeping curfew" to escalate its control over Palestinians in the West Bank without drawing the attention of the international media and community, civil society organizations based in the West Bank and Gaza Strip said today.

Today marks the fifth day of 24-hour curfew in Hebron; the fourth day of curfew in Yabad, near Jenin; and the third day of curfew in Qalqilya. Fears are that the curfews will gradually expand to cover the entire West Bank, while international attention is diverted to the US war against Iraq.

Furthermore, repressive Israeli operations are continuing in Nablus, including Balata refugee camp, without much attention from the international media. According to sources, twenty Palestinians have been arbitrarily arrested in the area in the last few hours.

As part of the World Social Forum (WSF) in Palestine calendar of activities, three busloads of international non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives from all over the world yesterday attended a WSF morning session in Gaza City, hosted by 40 Palestinian NGOs operating in Gaza. One of the main speakers was Dr. Haidar Abdel-Shafi, a leader of the Palestinian National Initiative and head of the Red Crescent Society in Gaza. After the session the international delegates, along with local Palestinians, demonstrated peacefully in front of the venue before participating in a field trip around the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza visit was the closing event of the World Social Forum in Palestine. The Forum consisted of a meeting of NGOs and individuals from all around the world to discuss how they can respond to the needs of Palestinians in their current situation of poverty and occupation, and how support may be needed in different scenarios in the future. The underlying assumption for the discussion was that of a two-state solution, with self-determination for the Palestinian people as the framework for a just and lasting peace.

During their visit to Gaza, international delegates had the opportunity to witness:

·The unprecedented grabbing of land and resources in the Gaza Strip (42% of the total area has been seized for settlements, "buffer zones", "security" zones or border zones);
·The imposition of a specific Gazan curfew (the "sea curfew" by which fishermen are prevented from fishing, which began with the shrinkage of fishing rights from 20 miles [under Oslo Agreements] to 10 miles, and then down to 5 miles and now includes the bombing of Palestinian fishing boats by Israeli patrols);
·The plight of refugees in the camps (75% of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip live in 12 refugee camps);
·The overall destruction of the Strip (the remains of the Gaza International Sea Port, the remains of Gaza International Airport, the widespread remains of unremitting house demolitions);
·The rapidly increasing levels of poverty and dispossession;
·The daily impact of the illegal Israeli settlements on local Palestinians residents, including untreated raw sewage of the Netzarim settlement (where approximately 15 Jewish families live, served by numerous Chinese and Thai workers) running into the Gaza Sea with its related negative environmental and health impacts;
·The unrelenting arbitrary closures by Israeli soldiers of roads and intersections (in particular around the Abu Gholi Checkpoint) for hours, in order for settlers to have exclusive access and free passage.

Besides these more visible scars of the Israeli occupation, delegates were also briefed on facts and figures, including the fact that 45% of school-aged children have been diagnosed as suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorders), while their mothers are unable to provide proper care for them as 39% of mothers living in the Gaza Strip have also been diagnosed with PTSD symptoms.

After visiting the Khan Yunis refugee camp, home to more than 80,000 Palestinians, the delegates stopped at the Mawassi area, which is surrounded by the Gush Katif settlement complex (Naved Galin and Ganital settlements). Despite the fact that it used to produce the best agricultural produce in the Gaza Strip and holds the best aquifiers, the Mawassi area (both Mawassi Khan Yunis and Mawassi Rafah) now suffers greatly due to draconian Israeli military measures (a military check point has cut off the area from the rest of the world; international agencies are prevented from entering the area; agricultural goods cannot be transported).

The international delegates then staged a demonstration at the Mawassi checkpoint, where they attempted to intervene with the soldiers manning the barrier to allow women, children and the elderly to cross. Holding banners and singing, "All we are saying, please, give peace a chance," the internationals were joined by locals from Mawassi and the nearby camp. After some time, soldiers in an armored jeep approached to hear the requests of international delegates, who were holding white flags and asking for negotiations. After some unfruitful dialogue with a team of representatives from several different countries, the jeep suddenly careered at a high speed towards the crowd of internationals mingled with Palestinians. After further talks, the soldiers declared they would be willing to let one vehicle pass (not the women and children, as was first demanded by the demonstrators), under the condition that all demonstrators retreat to a spot behind the metal barrier of the checkpoint. After the delegates retreated, the soldiers still refused to allow the car to pass (later, they opened the crossing for few minutes only and closed it again after the delegates had left to visit other areas of the Strip).

The next stop was Block J of Rafah refugee camp, where delegates organized a demonstration near the Egyptian border, on the site of homes recently demolished by Israeli troops. Sewage runs freely around the borders of the camp, due to constant pipe breakage and leaking caused by Israeli tanks and APCs. Some minutes after the start of the demonstration, a tank started to roll into areas of the camp again.

On their way back to Gaza City, due to a new unexpected closure of the Abu Gholi checkpoint, the three buses transporting the delegations, along with scores of other vehicles were backed up for several kilometers and were delayed for hours.

The delegates then witnessed a house being demolished by two tanks and a giant Caterpillar bulldozer at a "buffer zone" around a settlement. More than 200 homes were destroyed in Gaza alone during 2002.

Delegates also met Mohammad, a 12-year-old who attends school in the mornings but who has also created a new job for himself: he distributes his mobile phone number to cars queuing to cross so that next time the customer will, in a bid to try avoid ending up delayed in traffic, call him in advance to ask whether the check point is open or closed. In exchange for the courtesy of the information, the customer will give one or two shekels to Mohammed when crossing the checkpoint. Mohammad is not the only child with a job -- international delegates realized the appalling extent of child labor in Gaza during the evening, when the sight of children selling all sorts of refreshments near the checkpoint is too common a feature.

A PRESS CONFERENCE will be held at 12.00 on January 2nd at the Palestine Media Center in Ramallah. Journalists will receive an update on international solidarity activities and will also have an opportunity to question international delegates and members of Palestinian civil society organizations.

For more information contact: The Palestine Monitor
+972 (0)2 298 5372 or +972 (0)59 254 218
www.palestinemonitor.org