On 7 February 2022, prior to the convening of the Human Rights Council 49th session (28 February – 01 April 2022), Al-Haq and partner organizations submitted a written statement to the Council under item 3 on the promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, warning against the intensified Israeli colonial settler violence against Palestinians on both sides of the Green Line. The statement concludes that the high surge in Israeli colonial settler violence is a result of Israel’s apartheid policies and practices exercised through the coercive environment imposed over the Palestinian people, and reinforced by the expansion in Israel’s settlement enterprise and Israel’s systematic failure of law enforcement against Israeli settler perpetrators, leading to a climate of institutionalized impunity. The statement highlighted the heightened Israeli colonial settler violence especially in light of the violent Israeli authorities’ repression against Palestinians during the Unity Uprising in May 2021 on both sides of the Green Line, as well as attacks carried out as part of settlers’ ‘price tag’ policy. Recent incidents of Israeli settler violence have taken place in Beita, South Hebron Hills, Burqa and Qaryout villages.
The statement called on member states of the Council to recognize settler violence exercised in coercive environment as part of Israel’s apartheid; to urge Israel to dismantle all existing settlements and their infrastructure and withdraw Israeli settlers, and to take immediate action against Israel’s settlement enterprise, including by imposing sanctions on Israel, instituting a ban on settlement imports and supporting the UN Database of business enterprises involved with settlements; cooperate with the commission of inquiry to investigate the underlying root causes of systematic discrimination and repression in historic Palestine and ensure its sufficient funding; and support the investigation of the International Criminal Court into the Situation in the State of Palestine, including into the commission of the crime of apartheid.
This statement was endorsed by: Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies, Habitat International Coalition, Human Rights & Democratic Participation Center “SHAMS”, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH), Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling, Palestinian NGOs Network, Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, DCI - Defense for Children International – Palestine, Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center, Aldameer Association for Human Rights, Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies, Hurryyat - Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights, The Independent Commission for Human Rights (Ombudsman Office), Muwatin Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, Community Action Center/Al-Quds University.
For the full written statement, please see here.
