END ASSAULTS ON RIGHTS OF PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

With world attention focused on other issues, Israel is engaged in atrocities on multiple fronts against Palestinians and the situation cannot be allowed to continue anymore. The international community needs to take up responsibility and expeditiously make Israel accountable for its vicious actions. On one front, the Israeli security forces continue to mercilessly kill or wound Palestinian protesters, including children, while on the other, Israel is continuing to insult the world community by approving more illegal settler homes.

The Palestinian demonstrations at the border fence against Israel’s longstanding blockade and the deteriorating living conditions in Gaza started on March 30. Since then, more than 160 have been killed by the Israeli security forces and more than 10,000 demonstrators have been wounded, over half by live ire. Some of the victims have now been left with devastating and life-long injuries.

The protesters are being shot and killed even when they hold peaceful rallies and do not pose any credible threat to the Israeli forces.

What Israel conveniently forgets is that international law imposes strict obligations on the use of such brutal force by law enforcement oficials.

UN Special Rapporteur Michael Lynk earlier this month made it clear that killing and wounding of demonstrators, in the absence of any strictly-measured justification, and within the context of occupation, may amount to willful killing, which is both a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and a war crime. It is also a serious violation of international human rights law and its protections for the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

Israel is also guilty of letting loose violent settlers who ruthlessly killed a Palestinian woman at the occupied West Bank by throwing stones at the car she was travelling in. The 48-year-old mother of eight died in hospital from a head injury sustained in the attack. The perpetrators need to be brought to justice.

The Israeli government’s approval to expand an illegal settlement inside the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron is another major issue that the world community needs to question Israel on.

Peace Now organisation has stated that the land on which the settler homes will be built legally belongs to the Palestinian municipality of Hebron.

Israeli settlements are a violation of international law and major stumbling blocks to peace efforts. The blind support being extended by the Donald Trump administration in Washington has also encouraged the occupation forces to ignore even basic rules of humanity. ■■■