Press Release

Israeli Occupation Forces Prevent Palestinian Civilians from Carrying out the Pilgrimage

Date: 2 March 2000

Ref: 32/2000

The Israeli occupation forces continue to implement a closure policy on the Palestinian Territories and to restrict the right of civilians to freedom of movement. These include restrictions on trade and the movement of individuals between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, in addition to restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians abroad.

In the latest measure adopted by the Israeli occupation forces, 19 Gazans were prevented from leaving the Gaza Strip through Gaza International Airport in order to make pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia. This is a grave violation of the right of individuals to freedom of movement and of the right to freedom of religion.

Flights to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage began on 26 February 2000, and the last flight left today, 2 March 2000. Throughout this period Palestinian authorities made numerous unsuccessful attempts to secure the rights of these 19 pilgrims to leave to Saudi Arabia. As usual, the justification given by Israeli authorities for these restrictions was security reasons, as defined by Israel, and as usual no details were given.

This morning Palestinian journalists organised a peaceful rally in Gaza City, protesting the Israeli occupation forces’ imposition of strict restrictions on the movement of Palestinian citizens, including journalists. A press release published by the Palestinian Journalists Association asked the PNA to prevent Israeli journalists from entering the Palestinian Authority controlled areas, and to adopt against them the same measures adopted by the Israeli authorities against Palestinian journalists.

The restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on the movement of Palestinians, are grave violations of the right to freedom of movement. Accordingly, and in the context of other grave and ongoing violations by Israeli occupation forces in the OPTs, PCHR calls on the international community to pressure Israel to end its violations of international law and human rights conventions. Moreover, PCHR repeats its call to the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to meet their commitments under the Convention, and to intervene to secure the application of the Convention in the OPTs, and to ensure the safety and security of Palestinian civilians.