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

This afternoon, Wednesday 6 August 2003, over 300 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released from Israeli prisons and military detention camps. However, exact numbers of those released are as of yet not available. At the time of writing, at least 5 sentenced prisoners slated for release remained in prison as a result of petitions filed against their release.

***Correction: In our press release of 5 August 2003, 'Selection of Palestinian Detainees to be Released Solely Reflects Israeli Criteria', a typing error was made. In the release, it was stated that '32 detainees will have served their entire detention period in 2005'. This should read '3 detainees will have served their entire detention period in 2005'. We apologize for the error. ***

On the morning of Sunday 11 May 2003, the Israeli authorities released 62 Palestinian administrative detainees from the Ketziot Military Camp. The next day, Monday 12 May, another 90 Palestinian prisoners were released. However, after reviewing the files of all those released, Addameer has observed that the vast majority of those released on Sunday were to end their administrative detention orders within a few days, and the remainder were to be released by 30 May 2003. All 90 prisoners released the next day were criminal prisoners, the majority of whom were arrested and imprisoned because of entering Israel without a permit. This 'good will gesture', as Israel has deemed it, is simply a superficial act that aims to convince the world that Israel is releasing Palestinian detainees.

There are approximately 5,200 Palestinian and Arab prisoners currently being held in Israeli prisons. Of that number, 70 are women, and over 1,150 are administrative detainees, held without charge or trial. The majority of Palestinian administrative detainees are being held at Ketziot Military Camp in the Negev Desert, and the remainder at Ofer Military Camp near Ramallah.

Israel's use of administrative detention is a form of arbitrary detention, in that it detains individuals for extended periods of time, sometimes years, without charge or fair trial, arrests are based on a secret file which neither the detainee nor his/her lawyer have access to, in violation of international law and conventions. Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "no individual shall be detained, imprisoned or deported arbitrarily." Israel has consistently violated international standards of detention in its systematic use of administrative detention.

To address the Palestinian prisoners issue in the context of good will gestures and confidence building measures sentences any political negotiations or peace process to failure. Israel's arrest and imprisonment of Palestinians over the decades of Israeli occupation is an issue that has affected and continues to affect every Palestinian. Since the beginning of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in 1967, over 650,000 Palestinians have been arrested by Israel. This forms 20 percent of the total Palestinian population. When one considers that the majority of those arrested or detained are male, this number jumps to over 40 percent of the male population. Any negotiations or processes aimed at resolving the conflict must address this basic issue at its root, and ensure the unconditional release of all Palestinian prisoners.

Addameer Press Release:

Special Report on the Occasion of Palestinian Prisoners Day As we mark Palestinian Prisoners Day this Thursday, 17 April, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are being subjected to harsh and repressive conditions within central prisons, detention centers and military camps run by both the Israeli Prisons Authority and the Israeli military, while Palestinians outside prisons continue to suffer from repeated violations of their basic human rights by Israeli occupying forces. Over the years, the Palestinian prisoners movement has achieved much in its struggle to ensure minimum standards of detention, many times at the cost of their lives. However, these accomplishments have all but disappeared since the beginning of the current Intifada in September 2000, as conditions of detention have reached unparalleled levels of deterioration, as prisoners are forced to live in inhuman conditions, are offered inadequate food, prevented from having family visits, prevented from recreational activities and subject to severe restrictions on leaving their cells for fresh air, insufficient medical attention, amongst many other problems.

Since the beginning of the current Intifada in September 2000 until 8 April 2003, over 28,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel. There are currently 5123 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, in addition to 66 female detainees. Arrest campaigns conducted by Israel have, in particular during this past year, targeted Palestinian political leaders and leaders within the community, effectively imprisoning leaders of Palestinian society and negatively effecting the development of the community.

During the Israeli invasion and reoccupation of the majority of cities in the West Bank in April 2002, many Palestinians were subjected to acts of terror during the process of arrest by Israeli occupying forces, including physical and psychological threats, attempted murder, and injuries as a result of indiscriminate attacks. Numerous injured Palestinians were arrested without any medical attention given to them while detained. Families of those who were arrested were subjected to similar attacks, including the destruction of personal property and, in some cases, destroying the house itself, threatening the lives of children and women by taking them hostage and placing them in rooms within their house for extended periods of time, often not allowing families to obtain food or water and preventing them from using the toilet.

Addameer, similar to many local Palestinian institutions and NGOs during this time, has tried to offer support and services to Palestinian prisoners despite the difficult circumstances it finds itself in, ensuring contact between prisoners and lawyers and the outside world, continuing visits to prisons, detention centers and military detention camps and attempting to minimize the double isolation imposed on Palestinian prisoners during this past year as a result of prevention of family visits and the difficulties faced by lawyers in reaching prisons and gaining access to detainees.

Based on visits by lawyers to detention centers, prisons and military detention camps and affidavits from released detainees, the following conditions offer an overview of the current situation of Palestinian detainees held by Israel:

1. Detention/holding centers: there are 7 detention/holding centers located throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip in which Palestinian detainees are being held in extremely harsh conditions. For example, at Beit El Detention Center, detainees are held in small, filthy cells that lack basic amenities. Toilets are located outside of the cells, with permission often denied to use the toilets as a form of punishment. Detainees at Huwara and Kadumim Detention Centers recently declared a hunger strike in protest of their conditions of detention, in particular the fact that they have been prohibited from leaving their cells and walking outside for fresh air (fora) and prevented from using the toilet more than twice a day, lack of medical attention and adequate food both in quantity and quality. One detainee informed Addameer's lawyer that they were allowed only one apple a week that is shared with 8 detainees and every other day they are offered a cup of tea. The detainees are held in cramped cells, with ten detainees in a cell that accommodates 4 and are restricted in the amount of time they can spend in other sections. The circumstances of detention for the majority of detainees have led to serious medical conditions, in addition to putting at risk the lives of detainees on a daily basis. In mid-February, 3 female Palestinian detainees declared a hunger strike in protest of their conditions of detention at Beit El, where they were prevented from using the toilet and changing their clothing.

2. Central Prisons: 40 percent of Palestinian prisoners are detained within 9 Israeli Central Prisons, including Telmond for minors, and Ramleh prison for female detainees. The majority of them are serving long-term sentences, including life sentences. There has been a significant increase in the passing of long sentences since the beginning of the current Intifada. For the first time, Palestinian prisoners have begun a protest campaign against the unjust system of military courts and have declared a boycott of all military courts, stating that they are illegal and do not conform to minimum standards of fair trial

There has been a clear deterioration in the living conditions and treatment of Palestinian prisoners held in the central prisons, in clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The most distressing of these violations is the prevention of family visits to prisoners for the past two years, which Israel claims has been necessary because of the security situation. In March, family visits were resumed for 3 districts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, many families who applied through the ICRC for visit permits were rejected for 'security reasons', leaving only a few family members allowed to visit. There is no reason other than 'security' offered to families who apply for the rarely obtained permits. In one instance, a father of a detainee was informed that he was not allowed a permit to visit because there was no relation between him and the detainee. The conditions of the visits are also distressing and have resulted in further protests from detainees. For example, at Ofer Military Detention Camp, families were made to wait for hours before they were allowed near the prison, were subjected to complete searches and items they had been told were allowed, such as food, were confiscated. Families were behind a wire fence, more than 15 meters away from another wire fence that separated the detainees. They were allowed only five minutes to visit with the detainees, and many were not able to identify their children because of the distance. In protest, detainees held in Ofer have refused to come out for any other family visits until the circumstances of the visits are changed.

Other punitive measures within Israeli prisons include severely restricting the time detainees are allowed out of their cells for fresh air, restricting detainees from visiting other sections of detainees, and preventing Prisoners Representatives from regularly following up with prisons issues in different sections.

The health conditions within prisons has also deteriorated, with extreme delays in medical services by the Prisons Authority, delays in transferring serious cases to hospital and for further examinations, in addition to offering inadequate medical attention within the prisons themselves. The Prisons Authority continues to place obstacles before detainees who are registered students at Israeli Open Universities, the only opportunity for prisoners to study, by restricting the required courses they are allowed to take. Clothing for prisoners is restricted; with the Prisons Authority allowing changes of clothing in only twice a year, on the condition that prisoners return the clothing they currently have in exchange for a new set of clothes brought by their families. Hygiene supplies are extremely limited, and in the past month, the Prisons Authority has decided to no longer provide toilet paper to prisoners.

3. Military Detention Camps: In addition to Megiddo, the Israeli Military Commander of the region reopened last year both Ofer Military Detention Camp in Ramallah and the Ketziot Military Detention Camp in the Negev Desert. All of these military detention camps were originally opened during the first Intifada, with Ofer and Ketziot closed down shortly after the Oslo process began.

The situation in Israeli military detention camps is particularly worrying, with detainees held in old tents in extreme weather conditions, subject to inhumane living conditions, including lack of adequate food both in quantity and quality, prevention of family visits, prevented from receiving items such as books, clothing, except on very rare occasions when items are allowed in coordination with lawyers.

Detainees are often subjected to attacks within the military detention camps, with tear gas thrown into tents or being sprayed with high-pressure water hoses. A great number of the detainees suffer from medical conditions, in particular those who were injured during their arrest in the Israeli invasions of April 2002. Many have yet to receive medical attention, and those who have had medical treatment have had to wait for a very long time, with the treatment often inadequate.

There are currently approximately 3000 Palestinian detainees being held in these military detention camps, over 1000 of who are being held under administrative detention, detention without charge or trial.

The issue of Palestinian Prisoners is not a new one. Since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in 1967, over 650,000 Palestinian have been detained by Israel. This forms approximately 20% of total Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Considering the fact that the majority of those detained are male, the number of Palestinian detainees forms approximately 40% of the total male Palestinian population in the OPT.

Addameer stresses that the recent deterioration of prison conditions are a direct result of Israeli policies and arbitrary measures that threaten the stability of the situation within prisons and will lead to an increase in acts of protest within prisons. Israeli authorities must abide by international standards and laws in the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, and respect treaties and agreements to which it is a signatory. The systematic use of administrative detention against Palestinian detainees as a form of collective punishment, illegal under international law, must also come to an end. Addameer calls on international and local human rights organizations and individuals to work towards ensuring the protection of Palestinian and Arab prisoners, and to bring to an end the policy of political detention, and the terror it entails.

Addameer Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association welcomes the release of Mrs. 'Abla Sa'adat, arrested on her way to the World Social Forum on 21 January 2003 and subsequently given a 4 month administrative detention order. She was released on the morning of 7 March 2003 and, just as her arrest, was not given a reason for her early release. However, as we also commemorate International Women's Day today, we also remember the remaining 65 Palestinian female detainees currently being held by Israel in the Neveh Terzah section of Ramleh Prison.

Of the 65 Palestinian women being detained, 10 are Palestinian minors under the age of 18, held in conditions that contravene international standards of detention and contrary to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which stipulates that all individuals under the age of 18 are considered children, must not be submitted to forms of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, nor should they be deprived of their liberty except as a last resort. The youngest of the detainees, Zainab Al Shouly and 'Aisha Abeyat, both turned 15 whilst in prison.

6 Palestinian women are currently being held under administrative detention orders, imprisoned without charge or trial. One woman, Tahani Al Titi, has been serving continuously renewed administrative detention orders since 13 June 2002. The use of administrative detention for Palestinian women has dramatically increased in the past two months, paralleling similar use during the first Palestinian Intifada.

Detainees also include mothers of young children, including Mervat Taha, who was arrested on 13 June 2002 while she was pregnant. She recently gave birth to her child whilst in prison and serving a 20 month sentence.

An apparent pattern has developed in which Palestinian women are now being detained in order to place pressure on relations who may be 'wanted' by Israel, or under interrogation. This was evident in the case of 'Abla Sa'adaat, wife of PFLP General Secretary Ahmad Sa'aadat, as well as Asma Abu Al Hayjah, the wife of Jamal Abu Al Hayjah, who is detained by Israel. Al Hayjah also suffers from severe medical problems, as she was diagnosed some time ago with a cancerous brain tumour which was operated on twice, and was waiting for a third operation before she was detained.

The conditions of detention in which Palestinian women are held are inhumane. Female Palestinian detainees are held in two separate sections, with contact between the two sections banned by the Prisons Authorities. Female detainees are subjected to individual and collective punishment, including the prevention of family visits, being placed in solitary confinement for varying periods of time, and banning canteen privileges, meaning that women are not able to obtain supplementary food or hygiene supplies. Surprise searches are conducted regularly of the women's cells, and personal belongings are often confiscated or destroyed, such as mixing clothing with food and confiscating canteen supplies, personal items and clothing. Hot water and electricity to the cells are often cut off as a form of punishment.

Food provided to the detainees is not adequate in terms of quantity and quality and does not meet basic nutritional requirements. This has caused and will cause vitamin deficient diseases and other health problems amongst detainees in the long term.

The current health situation of female detainees is of grave concern. There is clear neglect towards Palestinian detainees in the provision of health services, and a clear discrimination in the form of services offered between Palestinian detainees and Israeli Jewish detainees held in the same facility. There are often delays in medical treatment when needed, and those in need of hospital care are often not taken to hospital or are offered pain killers for any illness.

Any attempt from female detainees to protest their conditions of detention is met by collective punishment. For example, in July 2002 female detainees began a hunger strike in protest of these conditions. In response, the Prisons Authorities threw tear gas canisters into the women's small cells, causing numerous injuries amongst the detainees. Four of the female detainees were transferred to other prisons and placed in isolation.

As a result of the fact that family visits have been prevented for over a year, female detainees do not have enough clothing or supplies that are normally provided by families. For over a year, permits for families of female detainees to travel from the West Bank to Ramleh Prison in Israel, where Palestinian female detainees are held in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention, have not been issued. Residents of Jerusalem who carry different ID cards than West Bank residents and are normally able to travel and allowed visits, are often denied family visits as a form of punishment.

Lawyers attempting to visit the detainees are often met with harassment and humiliation from the Prisons Authorities. They are forced to wait for long periods of time before the detainee is brought to them, sometimes up to four hours. The delay means that lawyers are often not able to see all the detainees requested, as lawyer visits are set for a limited period of time. On 4 February 2003, Addameer's lawyer Adv. Mahmoud Hassan was locked in the prison's family visit center at Neveh Terzah for 3 hours before his client was brought to see him, with no reason given for the delay or for his being detained in the visit room.

These are but some examples of the situation of Palestinian female detainees currently being held in Israeli prisons. 'Abla Sa'aadat's early release is a welcome development, and offers hope in the face of Israel's policy of arbitrary arrest and detention. Pressure, in the form of letter writing, awareness activities, lobbying local representatives and other activities, does work. At a time when the world is on the brink of war, allegedly for the sake of human rights and democracy, Addameer thanks all those who have worked diligently towards ensuring basic human rights in the only way these rights can be secured: through grassroots pressure and public awareness. Change can only come from people and not through war. On International Women's Day, Addameer stands in solidarity with Palestinian female detainees who remain firm in the face of oppression, and asks the international community for its continued support of these women.