On June 19th, 2023, the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH held a side event as part of the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, highlighting the situation of Palestinian women and girls across historical Palestine and in exile under Israel’s military occupation, apartheid regime and settler-colonial project.

MIFTAH’s Joharah Baker briefed the audience on the varying Israeli crimes and human rights violations committed against Palestinian women and girls based on the imposed geographical fragmentation. In the occupied West Bank, Joharah discussed MIFTAH’s documentation of Israeli state-sponsored settler terrorism, systematic home demolitions and army night raids and their impact on women physically and psychologically. Regarding occupied Jerusalem, she explained that Palestinian Jerusalemite women continue to be isolated from their natural surroundings due to the annexation wall and numerous military checkpoints, talking about her own experience in this regard.

While discussing the situation of Palestinian women in the besieged Gaza Strip, Joharah mentioned that in addition to the dire conditions following a 16-year-long suffocating land, air, and sea blockade and closure, frequent Israeli aggressions on Gaza have made it almost impossible for women to seek proper medical healthcare inside Gaza or to seek medical referrals outside the besieged Strip, particularly female cancer patients as recently documented by MIFTAH.

MIFTAH also highlighted that deliberate Israeli police negligence in Palestinian areas inside Israel has led to a record increase in femicide, leading to the killing of 12 Palestinian last year alone. Palestinians there also face over 65 discriminatory laws, namely the family reunification law, which prevents mothers, wives and daughters from living with their families under one roof, leading to a denial of rights.

The speaker also explained that Palestinian women refugees residing in overcrowded camps and still denied their right of return, are denied access to basic services like access to water and electricity, which in turn leads to increased gender-based violence.

Joharah also touched on MIFTAH’s efforts domestically to push for the Family Protection Bill to be passed into law, in order to guarantee rights and protection for Palestinian women and girls, citing the predominantly patriarchal society in Palestine as a major source of discrimination against them.

The second panelist, Carrie Shelver from the Sexual Rights Initiative, talked about the importance of intersectional solidarity when it comes to Palestine and gender-related struggles. She also emphasized the need to have a progressive feminist discourse using an anti-colonial lens and including input from the global South. Finally, she discussed Israeli pinkwashing attempts that aim to obscure its crimes by promoting itself as a protector of women and depicting Palestinians as regressive.

Finally, Palestinian activist Nada Awad informed the audience of the responsibility and obligations of the international community to end Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes and human rights violations. She also laid out the various available tools and mechanisms for accountability, including the Commission of Inquiry, UN Special Rapporteurs, the International Criminal Court and the Convention of Ending All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

The panelists concluded the event with a set of recommendations for the international community:

• Ending Israel’s impunity and holding it accountable with effective and concrete steps

• Political and Financial support for the UN Commission of Inquiry in light of baseless attacks

• Support for the UN Special Rapporteur to the oPt in light of smear campaigns

• Support the International Criminal Court investigation into Israeli war crimes

• Support for the upcoming ICJ advisory opinion on the illegality of Israel’s occupation

The undersigned Palestinian civil society organizations vehemently denounce and reject the shameful statement made by the EU Commission President, in which she celebrated Israel’s “Independence” day by using racist anti-Palestinian tropes and denying Palestinian history and the atrocities of the Nakba. These remarks depart from basic political and diplomatic principles and shamelessly favor the occupying power, which engages in persecution, aggression, and state terrorism against the Palestinian people.

In her speech, Ursula von der Leyen claimed that Israel has made “the desert bloom”, utilizing a colonial remark that greenwashes Israel’s settler-colonial project, and its displacement of the indigenous Palestinian people and the illegal confiscation of their land. We further reject Ms. von der Leyen’s use of biblical references that align with the Israeli occupier’s narrative that erases the Palestinian people and denies their deep roots in the land and their inalienable right to self-determination. This forms the foundation for the racist so-called “Nation State Law” that Israel is now using to entrench colonization and complete annexation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem.

The horrific events of the Palestinian Nakba which paved the way for the foundation of Israel; including displacing over 750,000 Palestinians and rendering them refugees to this day, razing hundreds of Palestinian villages and towns, and committing dozens of massacres, continue to manifest today through different ways yet with the same overall aim of displacing the indigenous Palestinian people and replacing them with Jewish Israelis across historical Palestine through ethnic cleansing.

The European Union’s failure to hold Israel accountable for its countless crimes and human rights violations, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, fuels the culture of impunity that Israel enjoys as it escalates its aggression against the Palestinian people and their land, especially in light of the new extremist Israeli government. Instead of contributing to ending Israeli violations and delivering long-awaited justice to Palestine, the EU continues to reward Israel, the occupying power, with more political, economic, and technological support and cooperation.

We urge the European Union to assume its responsibility, by refraining from such inflammatory and objectionable language as well as from employing double standards in dealing with issues related to the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, as guaranteed by all relevant international laws and agreements. We call on elected European officials to muster the courage and political will to pressure Israel into abiding by international law by holding it accountable with concrete and effective measures that align with existing European Union laws and international obligations and principles.

Finally, we thank our friends and allies across Europe for speaking out and rejecting this overt anti-Palestinian racism and urge them to hold their officials accountable. Like all other forms of hate and discrimination, anti-Palestinianism must not be tolerated.

Signatories:

1. Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
2. The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO)
3. AMAN Coalition
4. Al-Haq, Law in the service of man
5. The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH
6. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza (PCHR)
7. Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights
8. Abdel ـ Shafi Community Health Association (ACHA)
9. Adam association for the development of family society
10. Addameer – Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
11. AFKAR Organization for Educational and Cultural Development
12. Agricultural Development Society
13. Aisha Association for Woman & Child Protection
14. Al Adham for Development
15. Al Ataa' Charitable Society
16. Al Awda Health and Community Association
17. Al Nahda Association for Development and Growth (NADG)
18. Al Najda Social Association
19. AL RAAFA ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIALLY DEVELOPMENT & HANDICAPPED CARE
20. Al Sattar Garbee Association for Developing Countryside and Farmer
21. AL-Foukhary Association For Development and Culture
22. Almanal Society for Developing the Rural Women
23. Alnajda Developmental Forum
24. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society
25. Altaghreed Association For Culture And Development
26. Al-Tawasol Forum Society
27. Alternatives Forum - Palestine
28. Amwaj Association for Community Development and Improvement
29. Arab center for Agricultural Development (ACAD) /Ramallah – Gaza
30. Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor (Al Marsad)
31. Association for Visually Impaired Graduate League
32. Basma Society for Culture and Arts
33. Beit Lahia Youth Center Association
34. Bisan Center for Research and Development
35. Brilliant Tomorrow for Homes Sons Society
36. Center for Defense of Liberties & Civil Rights “Hurryyat”
37. Center of Women's Legal Research, Counseling and Protection
38. Central Blood Bank Society
39. Centre for Culture and Development
40. Charitable Family Development Association
41. Community Action Center / Al-Quds University
42. Community Media Center
43. Defense for Children International – Palestine
44. Disability Representative Body Network
45. Dr. Haidar Abdelshafi Centre for Culture and Development
46. El Amal Rehabilitation Society - Rafah
47. El-Braem Development Society
48. Faisal Husseini Foundation
49. Federation of Woman Action Committee
50. Filastiniyat
51. Future Association for Development and Environment
52. Future Charity Association
53. Gaza Community Mental Health Programme - GCMHP
54. Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP) | Gaza, Palestine
55. General Union of Cultural Centers
56. Ghassan Kanafani Development
57. Human Rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
58. Jerusalem Human Rights Consortium (JHRC)
59. Jerusalem Legal Aid Center (JLAC)
60. Khuzaa permaculture association center
61. LABOR RESOURCES CENTER - LRC
62. Land Research Center (LRC)
63. Local Association For Social Services
64. MA'AN Development Center
65. Mabarret Palestine Society for Caring (MPC)
66. Milad Association for Youth Development
67. Mothers School Society
68. National Center for Rural Development Association
69. National Society for Rehabilitation
70. Nawa for Culture and Arts Association
71. Palestine Amputee Football Association
72. Palestinian Agricultural Development Association
73. Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)
74. Palestinian Center of Organic Agriculture
75. Palestinian Crescent Society for Relief and Development
76. Palestinian Developmental Women Studies Association
77. Palestinian Farmers’ Union
78. Palestinian Health Work Committees (HWC)
79. Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
80. Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS)
81. Palestinian Non–Governmental Organization against Domestic Violence against Women (Al Muntada)
82. Palestinian Social Forum (PSF)
83. Palestinian Youth Union
84. PALTEAM Association for Community Development
85. Public Aid Society - Gaza
86. Remedial Education Center - REC
87. Rural Women Development Society (RWDS)
88. Science and Culture Center
89. Teacher Creativity Center
90. The Assembly Benevolent Of Operation
91. The Civil Commission for the Independence of Judiciary and Rule of Law “Istqlal”
92. The Culture and Free Thought Association
93. The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development-REFORM
94. The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession MUSAWA
95. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza (PCHR)
96. The Palestinian Development Women Studies Association
97. The Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development PICD
98. The Palestinian Women’s Coalition for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325
99. The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)
100. The Palestinian Youth Association for Leadership and Rights Activation- PYALARA
101. The Society of Women Graduates in Gaza Strip
102. The Women’s Studies Centre
103. Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
104. Union of Health Care Committees (UHCC)
105. Union of Palestinian Women Committees (UPWC)
106. Wasel Center for Youth Development
107. WEFAQ Society for Women and Child Care
108. Women Media and Development
109. Women’s Affairs Technical Committee
110. Women’s Studies Centre
111. Women's Action Association for Rehabilitation Women & the Child
112. Women's Affairs Center /Gaza
113. Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC)
114. Youth Development Association
115. YWCA of Palestine
116. Zeina Women's Society

The Israelian crimes against Palestinian children are condemned. The Israeli occupation authorities continue their violations against Palestinian children represented in arresting and abusing them during the arrest process without respecting the child’s protection treaties and the Convention on the Rights of the Child . These crimes are carried out under displacement, murder and intimidation. the highest percentage was after April/October (119), and at the end of October there are 160 children distributed in Megiddo Ofer Damon prison of them About (4) children in administrative detention and (12) children under (12) years old are also detained . According to the testimonies provided by the prisoners and the reports issued by the prisoners’ institutions, they are subjected to the cruelty to which adult prisoners are subjected to torture, unfair trials and inhumane treatment that violates their basic rights and threatens their future is lost. This is against the terms of the Child Agreement ،especially Article 16, which states:

No arbitrary or unlawful interference with a child's private life, family, home, or correspondence, or any lawful prejudice to his honor or reputation.

Which also states:

“The child has the right to be protected by law from this exposure and prejudice.” The occupation does not take into account the young age of children when they are brought to court, and a special court is not formed for them, and the age of the child is set for less than (16) years based on Military Order No. (132). this is a clear violation of Article No. (1) of the Child Convention, which defines a child as “every human being under the age of eighteen.”

The Israeli occupation authorities deprive the child prisoners of the most basic rights granted to them by international conventions that they are entitled to regardless of their religion, nationality. These include the right not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest .it includes:

• The right to know the reason for the arrest.
• The right to obtain a lawyer.
• The family’s right to know the reason for the arrest, and the location of the arrest.
• The right to appear before a judge.
• The right to object and challenge the accusation.
• The right to communicate with the outside world.
• The right to humane treatment that preserves the dignity of the detained child.

Child prisoners in Israeli prisons suffer from harsh and inhumane conditions of detention that lack international standards for children's rights. The prisoners suffer from lack of food and poor quality, lack of hygiene, and the spread of insects Child prisoners are deprived of health care and appropriate medical treatment, and painkillers are usually the treatment for various types of diseases. According to the testimonies of child prisoners, the prison administration refuses to transfer patients from them to prison clinics, and if they transfer them, they are subjected to beatings, insults, and harassment, even from doctors and nurses. Likewise, there is no permanent doctor available in the prison clinic. The occupation is still procrastinating and sometimes refusing to perform surgeries on children who need immediate operations, and this is contrary to international laws that explicitly stipulate the need for medical care for prisoners. Articles (91-92) of the Fourth Geneva Convention stated: “Every prisoner must have a clinic". An event supervised by a qualified doctor, and that the detainees receive the medical care they need, as well as the installation of any medical devices necessary to maintain their health in good condition, free of charge. Free medical examinations must be conducted for the detainees at least once a month, and their purpose is to monitor the health and psychological condition, general nutrition, and hygiene, as well as the detection of infectious diseases. Israeli prisons do not comply with this.

And if we examine the sentences issued unjustly and aggressively, we find that they are high, as one child was sentenced to life imprisonment, three children were sentenced to 15 years in prison, and four other children were sentenced between 5 and 9 years, and often the verdict is accompanied by financial fines (1000-6000 shekels).

The Israeli occupation state is the only country in the world that tries children before military courts. Based on the foregoing, we, the undersigned organizations, demand:

First: The international community to put pressure on the Israeli occupation state and oblige it to implement international agreements on prisoners and detainees, especially child prisoners, and to work for their release.

Second: All international human rights organizations, especially those working in the field of children, such as UNICEF & Dcl, to launch an international campaign to shed light on the suffering of child prisoners in Israeli prisons, and to work for their release.

The signatories to the statement

1. Tunisian General Labor Union
2. Coordination for Maghreb Human Rights Organizations (include 26 HR organizations from Morocco, Mauretania, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya)
3. The Moroccan Coalition for Human Rights Bodies (includes 23 Moroccan human rights organizations)
4. Sudanese Women's Union
5. The Jordan Federation of the independent Trade Unions
6. Union of Palestinian Working Women's Committees
7. Tunisian Coalition Against the Death Penalty
8. The Human Rights Coalition to Stop the Aggression, Lift the Siege, and Build Peace in Yemen (includes 10 organizations from ten Arab countries)
9. Egyptian Coalition for Child Rights (includes 100 institutions)
10. The National Coalition of Civil Society Organizations in Yemen
11. The Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN)/Palestine
12. The Palestinian Doctors Association in Europe
13. The Academic Assembly for the support of Palestine-Lebanon
14. Women’s Cultural Assembly for Democracy / Iraq
15. Cultural Rally for Democracy / Iraq
16. NGOs Platform (Tajamoh)(includes 50 organizations)/Lebanon
17. Syrian Coalition Against the Death Penalty (SCODP)
18. Iraqi Coalition Against the Death Penalty
19. The Iraqi Alliance for Human Rights Organizations (includes 55 organizations)
20. The Arab Coalition against the Death Penalty (includes 9 coalitions in 8 countries)
21. Syrian Feminist Alliance to activate Security Council Resolution 1325
22. Yemeni Coalition Against the Death Penalty
23. Acting for change and democracy in Algeria (ACDA)
24. The Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine and Against Normalization(18 organizations(
25. Ibn Rushd Association for Development and Democracy / Iraq
26. The Jordan Society for Human Rights
27. Bahrain Human Rights Society
28. Baraem Association for Social Work/Lebanon
29. The Palestinian National Heritage Society in Lebanon
30. Civil Solidarity Association / Tunis
31. Lebanese Palestinian Communication Association
32. Tunisian Association for the Defense of Individual Liberties
33. Tunisian Association of Democratic Women
34. l'Association des tunisiens en France
35. Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society- Aida refugee camp-Bethlehem -Palestine
36. Oak Society/Jordan
37. Working Women's Association/Jordan
38. Association of the International Cultural Network for Palestine
39. Palestinian Diaspora Association / Sweden
40. Palestinian Martyr Association / Lebanon
41. Palestinian Society for Social Communication Ajyal/Lebanon
42. Al-Quds Cultural and Social Association / Lebanon
43. Lebanese Association for Boycott Support
44. Lebanese Association of Democratic Jurists
45. Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development PWWSD”
46. Women’s Association for Women’s Development and Development/ Yemen
47. Association for the Development Center for Palestinian Women / Palestine
48. Moroccan Association in France
49. Moroccan Association for Human Rights
50. The Moroccan Association for Women Progressive
51. Moroccan Association for the Elimination of Violence against Women
52. University Cultural Forum Association / Lebanon
53. Association of the Economic and Social Forum for Women / Jordan
54. Mauritanian Association for the Promotion of Rights
55. Mauritanian Association for Human Rights
56. Arab Women Organization-Jordan
57. I am a Human Soceity for Rights of Persons with Disability
58. Rural Women Development Association / Palestine
59. Jothor Society for Human Rights-Jordan
60. Citizenship Bridges Association/Tunisia
61. Rasid Association for Human Rights/ Lebanon
62. Roaa Women Association-Jordan
63. Women's Network Society for Women Support/ Jordan
64. Chamoua Association for Equality/Morocco
65. Association of the Jordanian Women's Solidarity Institute
66. Orient Forum Association for Freedom and Peace
67. Amman Forum for Human Rights Association/Jordan
68. Women's Association for Jerusalem / Lebanon
69. Protecting human rights defenders around the Arab world/ France
70. The International Campaign to End the Siege on Yemen
71. Boycott campaign / Palestine
72. Tunisian League for Tolerance
73. The Algerian League for Defense Human Rights
74. Association of Women Heads of Families from Mauritania
75. Iraqi League for Human Rights Trainers
76. Freedom Pioneers for Integrity and Human Rights Training / Jordan
77. The Jordanian Network for Human Rights (includes 11 human rights organizations)
78. The Moroccan Democratic Network for Solidarity with the Peoples(includes 38 Commission)
79. The Arab Human Rights Trainers Network
80. Women’s Peace and Security Network (Yemen)
81. Volunteers Network for Development and Human Rights/Egypt
82. The Syrian National Network for Civil Peace and Community Safety.
83. Moroccan space for human rights
84. Filastiniyat / Palestine
85. Federation of Tunisians for citizenship between the two banks
86. The Syrian Federation of Human Rights Organizations and Bodies
87. Moroccan Federation for Human Rights
88. Committees for the Defense of Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights in Syria (LDH)
89. Work committees in the camps / Lebanon
90. Committee on Public Liberties and Human Rights / Palestinian Bar Association
91. Syrian Medical Committee/Paris
92. Arab Commission for Human Rights
93. The Kurdish Committee for Human Rights in Syria (Al Rased).
94. The Committee for the Respect of Freedoms and Human Rights in Tunisia
95. European initiative for the rights of Palestinian prisoners / the Netherlands
96. Palestinian Initiative to Deepen Global Dialogue and Democracy-MIFTAH
97. Egyptian Women Lawyers Initiative
98. World Council for Rights and Freedoms
99. Council on International Relations / Palestine
100. Lawyers for Justice /Yemen
101. Lawyers Without Borders/Yemen
102. Democratic School/Yemen
103. International Observatory for Documentation of Human Rights Violations/ Argentina
104. The Arab Observatory for Human Rights and Citizenship/ Lebanon
105. French Observatory for Human Rights/Paris
106. Human Rights & Democracy Media Center “SHAMS"/Palestine
107. Africa Center for Studies and Media Services / Mauritania
108. Bahrain Center Against Torture / Bahrain
109. Al-Badeel Center for Studies and Research/Jordan
110. Arab House Center for Research and Studies/Egypt
111. Women’s Studies Center/ Palestine
112. Center for the Defense of Freedoms and Civil Rights "Hurriyat" / Palestine
113. The Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Advocates "Musawa"
114. Palestinian Centre for Peace and Democracy PCPD
115. Phenix Center for Economics & Informatics Studies/Jordan
116. Center for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights/Yemen
117. Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights/Palestine
118. Strategic Initiative Center Palestine/Malaysia
119. Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counselling/Palestine
120. The Dutch Yemeni Center for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms
121. Jothor Center for Human Rights/Jordan
122. Human Rights Center for Memory and Archives/Morocco
123. Center for the Protection and Freedom of Journalists/ Jordan
124. Damascus Center for Theoretical and Civil Studies
125. Adalah Center for Human Rights Studies/Jordan
126. Amman Center for Human Rights Studies (ACHRS)
127. Eye of Humanity Center for Rights and Development / Yemen
128. Metro Center for Defending the Rights of Journalists/ Iraq
129. Scandinavian Institute of Human Rights/Geneva
130. International Institute for Peace, Justice and Human Rights/Geneva
131. Dialogue Forum for Development and Human Rights / Egypt
132. The Palestinian Democratic Forum in Europe
133. The Cultural and Legal Youth Forum at the Arab Observatory / Lebanon
134. Houran Forum for Citizenship/Syria
135. Economic and Social Forum for Women/Jordan
136. Bahrain Forum for Human Rights
137. Renewal Forum for Citizen and Democratic Thought / Tunisia
138. Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights (Yemen)
139. Sudanese National Civil Forum(includes 54 civil society organizations) / Sudan
140. Moroccan Forum for Truth and Equity
141. Organization of Persons with Dual Disabilities/Yemen
142. African Organization for Human Rights Monitoring/Morocco
143. Libyan Academic Organization
144. The Tunisian Organization against Torture
145. Gender Studies and Information Organization / Iraq
146. Organization for the Defense of Prisoners of Conscience in Syria -Rawanga
147. International Organization for Human Rights and International Law / Norway
148. The Arab Organization for Human Rights in Syria
149. The Kurdish Organization for Human Rights in Syria (DAD)
150. Egyptian Organization for Human Rights
151. National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
152. Yemeni Organization for Dialogue of Religions and Cultures
153. Yemeni Organization for Humanitarian Action / Yemen
154. Freedom House Organization to defend human rights and combat slavery and its remnants/ Mauritania
155. ORGANIZATION FOR FREEDOM OF MEDIAS AND EXPRESSION OFME- HATIM / MOROCCO
156. Human Rights Organization in Syria- Maf
157. Desert Youth Organization for Development and Human Rights / Libya
158. Freedom Martyr Nabil Barakati Organization: Memory and Wafa/ Tunisia
159. Yemeni Organization for Defense Rights and Democratic Freedoms/Yemen
160. Al-Haq Foundation for Freedom of Opinion and Expression and Human Rights/Egypt
161. The Middle East Foundation for Development and Human Rights (Yemen)
162. Addameer Foundation for Human Rights/ Palestine
163. Addameer Foundation for Prisoners Care and Human Rights /Palestine
164. The Arab Foundation to support Civil Society and Human Rights/Egypt
165. The Egyptian Foundation for the Advancement of Childhood Conditions/Egypt
166. National Foundation to Combat Human Trafficking/Yemen
167. Youth Foundation for Community Development / Yemen
168. Future Partners Foundation for Development and Human Rights - Yemen
169. Mada Foundation for Human Rights / Iraq
170. The Coordination Committee for Yemeni NGOs for Children's Rights / Yemen
171. Moroccan Commission for Human Rights
172. The Moroccan Commission for the Support of the Nation's Issue

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