Ref: 38/2009
Date: 6 August 2009
PCHR Testifies before the United Nation Committee to Investigate the Israeli Practices Affecting the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories
On Tuesday, 4 August 2008, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) testified before the United Nation Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices affecting the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.
The committee, which Israeli has refused to officially receive, started its works in Cairo on 4 August, and will conclude proceedings on 6 August 2008. Mr. Iyad al-Almi, Director of PCHR’s Legal Aid Unit, and Mr. Hamdi Shaqura, Director of the Democratic Development Unit were due to represent PCHR before the committee. However, due to the tightened restrictions and the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip, including the closure of Rafah International Crossing Point, they were not able to travel to Egypt to give their testimony. Instead, Mr. Hamdi Shagoura, Director of PCHR Democratic Development Unit, gave his testimony via a telephone call.
During his intervention, Mr. Shaqura reviewed violations of Palestinian human rights perpetrated by Israeli Forces, indicating that some of them amount to war crimes. He focused on the Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip during the period from 27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009 (Operation Cast Lead), and other crimes committed against civilians.
In his testimony, Mr. Shaqura pointed out that the majority of those who were killed in the latest offensive against the Gaza Strip were civilians. The number of civilians who were killed was 1,167, about 82.2% of the total number of victims, which were 1,419. These civilian victims, included 318 children, about 22.4% of the total number of victims and about 34.6% of the civilian victims. These figures, and PCHR’s investigations, indicate that Israel targeted civilians and used excessive force indiscriminately and disproportionately in violations of international standards.
Mr. Shaqura asserts that the military operations in the Gaza Strip were accompanied by a severe humanitarian crisis at two levels. First, the Israeli military operations targeted all civilians throughout the Gaza Strip and no area was excluded; there was no safe place. Second, the consequences of these military actions, exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation, particularly as a result of targeting infrastructure such as water, electricity and communications networks. Medical and food supplies were also cut off, and medical, educational and other facilities were targeted.
Mr. Shaqura also highlighted the tightened closure a form of collective punishment imposed on the Palestinian people.
Finally, Mr. Shaqura talked about the challenges that resulted from the consequences of the Israeli offensive, including forcible displacement of thousands of Palestinian families whose houses were demolished during the offensive. He called for an immediate intervention to end the collective punishment, especially as winter is close and thousands of families are still living in tents and under disastrous humanitarian conditions.
