After reviewing reports by independent groups including the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR), Habitat International, BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, LAW and the Association of 40, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights declared that it was "deeply concerned by accounts that Israel’s recent actions in the occupied territories had resulted in the widespread and gross violations of Palestinians’ economic, social and cultural rights."
Furthermore, the Committee called for Israel to appear at its next session in May 2001 to discuss reported rights violations in the Occupied Territories (OT). The Committee’s decision follows recent condemnations of Israeli human rights violations throughout the UN system. The Security Council, Commission on Human Rights, Special Rapporteur to the OT and High Commissioner for Human Rights have all censured Israel for violations of humanitarian and human rights law during the current crisis.
In November 1998 the Committee rejected Israel’s claim that due to the Oslo peace process it is no longer responsible for human rights in the OT, and requested information on Israeli actions in the OT. Israel’s failure to do so in time for the recent session in Geneva led the Committee to note "that in light of the current crisis in Israel and the occupied territories, it was particularly unfortunate that Israel had not provided the additional information by the time requested."
The Committee expressed "grave concern" over the escalating pattern of Israeli violations reported by CESR and other groups, including:
- Israeli military and security forces both inside Israel and in the OT have prevented medical aid and personnel from reaching Palestinians and have attacked clearly marked medical vehicles and personnel in violation of international humanitarian law;
- Widespread restrictions have been imposed by Israeli authorities on the movement of persons and goods, including medicines, food and essential fuel;
- Palestinian children traveling to and from school have come under Israeli fire and many schools in the OT have been forced to close;
- The Israeli army has destroyed many acres of Palestinian agricultural land in the OT;
- Unemployment in the OT has tripled during the crisis, causing severe economic hardship, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in the population; and
- The incidence of house demolition and land confiscation in the OT has increased, including the destruction of civilian homes through the use of heavy weapons.
Roger Normand, Executive Director of CESR says, "this shows that Israel’s economic warfare through closure, land confiscation and increasing settlements violates international law in the same way as Israel’s use of torture and excessive force. The Committee’s concern with these violations should be a signal to the entire international community to demand full Israeli respect for all human rights – a necessary pre-condition for any resumed peace talks."
For More Information Contact: Lucy Mair; LMAIR@cesr.org; 718-237-9145