March 24, 2002
PCHR Urges UN Human Rights Commission to Uphold Universal Standards
PCHR Urges UN Human Rights Commission to Uphold Universal Standards

 

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Press release

 

PCHR Urges UN Human Rights Commission to Uphold Universal Standards

 

Date: 24 March 2002

Ref: 46/2002

 

PCHR urges the UN Human Rights Commission, whose 58th session opened last week, to uphold universal standards and call upon states to take concrete steps to end war crimes and other systematic violations of international humanitarian law perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) against Palestinian civilians.

 

The 53 member states of the Commission are debating a number of issues pertinent to the human rights situation in the OPT during the six-week session. PCHR, which holds Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council, is entitled to participate in sessions of the Commission through submission of both written and oral interventions. Last week, PCHR made two oral interventions, on self-determination (agenda item 5) and racism (agenda item 6).

 

PCHR will also make a statement on the question of violations of human rights in the OPT (agenda item 8), which is to be discussed either tomorrow or Tuesday. PCHR has been informed that EU member states have yet to formulate their positions on item 8, due to US diplomatic activities in the region. PCHR affirms the necessity of holding states accountable to their obligations and reiterates that sacrificing human rights standards for political expediency is conducive neither to peace nor respect for human rights.

 

On 20 March, Victoria Metcalfe, PCHR’s International Legal Officer, delivered a statement during the Commission’s debate on self-determination, emphasising the illegal nature of Israel’s 35-year occupation of the West Bank (including east Jerusalem) and Gaza strip, a point made recently as well by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his statement to the Security Council on 12 March. Moreover, Metcalfe observed that, over time, the colonial nature of the occupation has become more apparent in light of the constant expansion of illegal settler colonies in the OPT throughout periods of both negotiation and conflict. Israeli settlements in the OPT are a violation of Article 49(6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a war crime under Article 84/4(a) of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions.

 

The next day, Metcalfe made a statement to the Commission during its discussion of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and all forms of discrimination. Metcalfe emphasised that holding Israel accountable for its violations of international human rights standards and of international humanitarian law cannot be viewed as anti-semitic and affirmed the importance and legitimacy of the Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the NGO Forum at the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. The NGO Forum Declaration and Programme of Action, which condemned Israel’s apartheid practices in the OPT and called upon states to sanction Israel, was approved by an overwhelming majority of the 3000 non-governmental organisations present.

 

PCHR staff in Geneva have also met with some of the organisation’s international civil society partners, including the Fédération Internationale des Ligues des Droits de l’Homme (FIDH), the International Commission of Jurists, the World Council of Churches, and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network. PCHR and other human rights organisations are preparing additional coordinated activities regarding the work of the Commission.

 

PCHR urges the UN Human Rights Commission to:

  1. Condemn war crimes and other violations of international humanitarian law perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces in the OPT against Palestinian civilians

  2. Reaffirm the illegality of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank (including east Jerusalem) and the Gaza strip and to call for an immediate and full withdrawal, including the dismantling of illegal settlements

  3. Recognise and affirm the colonialist nature of Israel’s occupation and settlement policies and to condemn the system of de facto apartheid in the OPT

  4. Call upon the international community to take immediate and practical steps, including sanctions, to secure Israel’s respect for the Fourth Geneva Convention in the OPT, and to provide international protection to Palestinian civilians in the OPT

  5. To endorse the Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the WCAR NGO Forum and urge states to implement its recommendations with regard to ending Israel’s apartheid practices in the OPT

 

 

 

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