When Palestine isn’t making headlines…

January 4, 2012

 

… this is what happens there, on a daily basis.

Watch the 3-minute video summary of 2011, by the ever-remarkable Israeli Human Rights organization B’Tselem. It’s a short window about life in Palestine. I also urge you to click on the links in the video.

Update: Jerusalem police detain seven (7) years child old for hours. Here’s another unreported yet terrifying story…

http://eldahshan.com/2012/01/04/btselem-palestine-video/

Land Expropriation and Settlements in the International Law

The establishment of settlements in the West Bank violates international humanitarian law which establishes principles that apply during war and occupation. Moreover, the settlements lead to the infringement of international human rights law.

The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits an occupying power from transferring citizens from its own territory to the occupied territory (Article 49). The Hague Regulations prohibit an occupying power from undertaking permanent changes in the occupied area unless these are due to military needs in the narrow sense of the term, or unless they are undertaken for the benefit of the local population.

The establishment of settlements results in the violation of the rights of Palestinians as enshrined in international human rights law. Among other violations, the settlements infringe the right to self-determination, equality, property, an adequate standard of living, and freedom of movement.

The illegality of the settlements under international humanitarian law does not affect the status of the settlers. The settlers constitute a civilian population by any standard, and include children, who are entitled to special protection. Although some of the settlers are part of the security forces, this fact has absolutely no bearing on the status of the other residents of the settlements.

http://www.btselem.org/settlements/international_law

B'Tselem: Extremists Jews Should be Dealt with as Criminals

Date : 14/12/2011   Time : 19:37

TEL AVIV, December 14, 2011 (WAFA) – B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territory, stated that the phenomenon of violence by Israeli citizens in the Occupied Territory must be dealt with through the criminal justice system, Wednesday said a press release published on the Center’s website.

In response to media reports that the Israeli government is considering declaring extreme rightwing Israeli activists to be a terrorist organization, B'Tselem stated that this is an illegitimate way to deal with the phenomenon of violence by Israeli citizens in the Occupied Territory, the release said.

It added that “the violence toward the military, which we have witnessed in recent days, is the result of Israel's long-standing policy of lax law-enforcement toward settlers who harm Palestinians and their property.”

This policy is manifest at all levels, beginning with the soldiers on the ground, who do not prevent settlers from harming Palestinians and their property, and continuing with the Israel Police, who do not properly investigate such incidents, the release said.

It stated that before draconian measures are taken, soldiers should intervene to prevent attacks when they happen, detain perpetrators and give their testimony to the Police; investigators of the Shai Police Department should conduct basic investigative actions when Palestinians file complaints.

F.R.

http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=18368&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed