Palestinian human rights organizations strongly condemn the recent military attacks carried out by the Israeli occupying forces in the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008. The attacks began at approximately 11:30 am and lasted for approximately three hours. These attacks have destroyed most of the Gaza security offices including police stations, resulting in the deaths of over 200 Palestinians. More than 350 have been injured with over 120 critically.
The number of deaths resulting from these attacks indicates a willful targeting of the civilian police forces in these locations and a clear violation of the prohibition against willful killings. Willful killings are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention under Article 147 and therefore, a War Crime. Both the time and location of these attacks also indicate a malicious intent to inflict as many casualties as possible with many of the police stations located in civilian population centres and the time of the attacks coinciding with the end of the school day resulting in the deaths of numerous children.
The ongoing siege of the Gaza Strip has left medical facilities in the Strip incapable of meeting the needs of the hundreds more who have been injured which will likely lead to an increase in the number of deaths. According to Israeli officials, these attacks are only the beginning of an open military campaign in Gaza. It is therefore imperative that the international community not stand in silence while Israel moves forward with impunity.
Despite repeated calls from the Palestinian human rights community with regard to Gaza, the international community has failed to act. We are now on the brink of an explosion of violence as result of this failure and are pushed once again to call for action.
In light of the above, Palestinian human rights organisations urge:
The UN Security Council to call an emergency session and adopt concrete measures, including the imposition of sanctions, in order to ensure Israel’s fulfilment of its obligations under international humanitarian law.
The High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfil their obligation under common Article 1 to ensure respect for the provisions of the Conventions, taking appropriate measures to compel Israel to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, in particular placing pivotal importance on the respect and protection of civilians from the effects of the hostilities.
The High Contracting Parties to fulfil their legal obligation under Article 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention to prosecute those responsible for grave breaches of the Convention.
EU institutions and member states to make effective use of the European Union Guidelines on promoting compliance with international humanitarian law (2005/C 327/04) to ensure Israel complies with international humanitarian law under paragraph 16 (b), (c) and (d) of these guidelines, including the adoption of immediate restrictive measures and sanctions, as well as cessation of all upgrade dialogue with Israel.
Al-Haq
Addameer Prisoners’ Support & Human Rights Association
Ad-Dameer Association for Human Rights
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights
Defence for Children International
Ensan Center for Democracy & Human Rights
Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR)
Jerusalem Legal Aid & Human Rights Center (JLAC)
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
Palestinian Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession - Musawa
Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies (RCHRS)
Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC)
Women’s Studies Center
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations’ Network - PNGO
Written by The Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Palestinians Throughout West Bank Protest Israel’s Bloody Attacks on Gaza Strip
Palestinians demonstrate in Hebron against the strikes in Gaza.
As of Sunday’s (28 December) early hours, at least 270 Palestinians were murdered, or more commonly considered “martyred,” and more than 700 injured as a result of Israel’s air attacks on the Gaza Strip yesterday. These attacks targeted police and security stations of the Palestinian Authority, government ministry buildings, the Al- Aqsa Satellite Building and several homes. Israel deliberately selected the time and the places to be targeted in order to maximize the number of deaths. Although Israeli officials publicly apologized for any civilian casualties, they were nevertheless aware that at the time of yesterday’s attacks the streets would be thronged, as some of the attacks occurred in city centers,. According to AIC sources in Gaza, many students were amongst those injured and killed.
In Ramallah, a large group demonstrated at the Balou’ junction to the north of the city, where the Israeli army is stationed. Clashes between protesters and soldiers continued through the Saturday evening. In Bethlehem also, there were more clashes between angry residents and Israeli soldiers, mostly near the area of Rachel’s Tomb.
All of these demonstrations occurred in what are known as ‘friction points’, or what Palestinians sometimes refer to as ‘prison gates.” These are areas from which the Israeli military (following the Oslo agreements) controls the Palestinian freedom of movement in and out of the major cities in the West Bank, while remaining removed from populated areas. Palestinian demonstrations also occurred at these friction points following the 1997 digging of tunnels under the Al Aqsa Mosque in 1997, and in September 2000 at the beginning of the Second Intifada.
Demonstrators ignored the demands of Palestinian security forces to leave these friction points, and protest slogans throughout the West Bank focused on the Israeli occupation as the main enemy. Pre-existing internal Palestinian political divisions were put aside as people called not only for national unity, but also for solidarity of Palestinians with the people of Gaza. They declared that the Palestinians are one people and that the Gaza residents are not alone.
In the West Bank, the PLO, Hamas, various national political parties, and civil society organizations declared today (28 December) a general strike throughout all of Palestine, and called for demonstrations in all towns, villages and refugee camps.
Written by Ahmad Jaradat, Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Demonstrations in Tel Aviv, East Jerusalem against Israeli Attacks on Gaza
Activists protesting in Tel Aviv against the Israeli air strikes in Gaza December 27, 2008. Israeli warplanes and helicopters pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing at least 270 people in one of the bloodiest days for the Palestinians in 60 years (photo by: Meni Berman/ Activestills.org).
Two-thousand Israeli activists demonstrated last night (27 December) in Tel Aviv against yesterday’s Israeli attacks on Gaza, which killed at least 270 Palestinians and injured some 700.
The demonstration, initiated and organized by the Israeli Coalition against the Siege on Gaza, included a march of activists through central Tel Aviv, from the Cinemateque square to the Ministry of Defence. Demonstrators called for an immediate end to Israeli military attacks and the siege on Gaza, and criticized the center-left wing political party Meretz for supporting Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
Israeli police officers were particularly harsh with demonstrators, five of whom were detained and subsequently released.
AIC Programme Director Sergio Yahni, one of the main organiser’s of the demonstration in Tel Aviv, noted that “last night’s demonstration was substantially larger than the first demonstration we organized against Israel’s 2006 war on Lebanon. People were truly horrified by Israel’s military attack on Gaza yesterday, and went out to the streets to show this.”
The Israeli Coalition against the Siege will be holding another demonstration this evening in Tel Aviv, and will be meeting tomorrow to strategically plan future actions.
Demonstrations against Israel’s assault on Gaza also occurred in Jerusalem. Demonstrators gathered in the Mount of Olives, Qalandiya, A-Ram, in Issawiya, on the main street in East Jerusalem —and in the Shuafat Refugee Camp. The demonstrators blocked roads, called out against the Israeli occupation and attacks on Gaza, and confronted Israeli soldiers who arrived to break up the demonstrations. Israeli soldiers stationed at a checkpoint in the Shuafat Refugee Camp ran away from the demonstrators. At least 3 Palestinians were injured by soldiers during the demonstrations.
Written by The Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Sunday, 28 December 2008