Urgent action

Requesting UK government action pursuant to the ‘UK Support for Human Rights Defenders’ to protect Laith Abu Zeyad

Date

8th June 2020

Recipient

Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP, Foreign Secretary

View Letter

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From our blog

Israeli Supreme Court strikes down the ‘Land Regularisation’ Law but fails to condemn illegal settlements and their expansion
9th July 2020

On 9 June 2020 the Israeli Supreme Court struck down a law passed in 2017 that provided for the expropriation of private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. The ruling, HCJ 1308/17, Silwad Municipality, et al. v. The Knesset, et. al (petition accepted 9 June 2020) (joined by the court with HCJ 2055/17, The Head of Ein Yabrud Village v. The Knesset ), held that the law disproportionately violates Palestinians’ rights to property, equality and dignity.

While a welcome relief against a particularly offensive law that would justify further expropriation of Palestinian land, the judgment is made on a narrow basis that fails to recognise either the underlying illegality of settlements or to be clear on the inappropriateness of the Israeli state passing and reviewing legislation to apply to the occupied West Bank. Before addressing the judgment and its limitations in more detail, a brief history of the Regularisation Law will be provided. (more…)
Abuse and violence against children in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Al-Issawiya in East Jerusalem
3rd July 2020

LPHR remain extremely concerned at the ongoing police campaign of abuse and violence against children in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Al-Issawiya in occupied East Jerusalem. Over the past year, LPHR has monitored and reported a sharp increase in the number of children injured as a result of violent police activity in the neighbourhood, with injuries sustained through the use of rubber-coated steel bullets, black sponge rounds and tear-gas. Since the Israeli police launched their operation in Al-Issawiya in April 2019, there has also been a high number of child arrests in the neighbourhood (many carried out during terrifying night-time raids of family homes) and a systemic violation of children’s legal rights during arrests and detention. B’Tselem reports that during the period of April 2019 – April 2020, more than 850 residents of Al-Issawiya have been arrested: the majority of them minors. This blog elaborates upon these serious child rights issues.

(more…)
COVID-19 pandemic: Vulnerable population groups in the occupied Palestinian territory and the legal duty to apply ‘all necessary preventative means available’
31st March 2020

While many parts of the world transition to mandatory lockdown, Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory face uncertainty about how they will be protected from the spread of COVID-19. This blog will focus on the circumstances of three particularly vulnerable population groups: i) the population of Gaza, ii) child and adult detainees in Israeli prisons and detention facilities, and iii) families and individuals displaced by home demolitions.

(more…)
Children from Gaza receiving medical treatment whilst separated from parents due to Israel’s permit regime
26th March 2020

Physicians for Human Rights Israel and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz recently reported that a 10-year-old girl from Gaza, Miral Abu Amsha, died of cancer on 28 February without having seen her father since December, after her family struggled to obtain Israeli-issued permits to accompany her to hospital. Miral’s mother had also initially been denied permission to accompany Miral to hospital in Nablus to undergo chemotherapy due to “incorrect details” on her application form. She was eventually allowed to visit Miral in hospital, reportedly following publicity around the case. Miral’s father didn’t apply for permission to accompany her as it is generally the case that only one accompanier is allowed per patient, including for children. (more…)

Twitter

RT @lioramihai Today @YeshDin released a new legal opinion by leading human rights lawyer @sfardm claiming that the crime against humanity of apartheid is being committed against Palestinians in the West Bank, even without any new steps toward annexation. bit.ly/3feZiKz

About 12 hours ago

Almost immediately after the Regularisation Law was passed, it was subject to two legal challenges. The Israeli Attorney General refused to defend the law, calling it unconstitutional, but the basis of the refusal was flawed lphr.org.uk/blog/israeli-a…

About 16 hours ago

RT @benabyad Israeli occupation forces arrested 18 Palestinians in pre-dawn raids today, including yet another university student. english.wafa.ps/page.aspx?id=… twitter.com/JalalAK_jojo/s…

About 16 hours ago

Both settlements & outposts are unlawful under international criminal, humanitarian and human rights law. The Regularisation Law was deeply concerning as a means of adding to the settlement enterprise by formalising the expropriation of land settled without authorisation.

Yesterday

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Urgent Actions

Requesting the UK government closely monitors Israeli authorities investigation into the killing without lawful justification of Eyad Hallaq, an autistic Palestinian man with mild learning disability, which necessitates legal accountability and justice
18th June 2020
View Letter
Urging the UK government to ensure respect for international law and human rights in response to the release of the ‘Peace to Prosperity’ Plan by the US
27th February 2020
View Letter