Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and discrimination against the Palestinian population are ‘main causes’ of recurring tensions and instability, says a commission of inquiry mandated by the UN Human Rights Council .
“The conclusions and recommendations related to the root causes [de ce conflit] overwhelmingly point to Israel, which we analyze as an indicator of the asymmetrical nature of the conflict and the reality of one state occupying another,” writes the chair of this commission, the South African and former senior Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem Pillay.
“Ending the occupation of territories by Israel, in full compliance with Security Council resolutions, remains crucial to ending the persistent cycle of violence,” reads this first report by this commission.
“What has become a situation of perpetual occupation has been cited by Palestinian and Israeli stakeholders as one of the roots of recurring tensions, instability and protracted conflict both in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, than in Israel,” the report continues.
He specifies that the 18-page document was submitted before publication to the Palestinian and Israeli authorities. The latter did not follow up, the Jewish state having indicated in February that it would not cooperate with the commission. He accuses M.me Pillay for being “an anti-Israel activist” and the commission for having the goal of “demonizing Israel”.
The international commission was mandated last year by the Human Rights Council to investigate alleged human rights violations committed in the Palestinian Territories and Israel since April 13, 2021.
“Recommendations largely ignored”
This followed the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas in May 2021, during which 260 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes on Gaza, including fighters, according to local authorities.
In Israel, rocket fire from Gaza killed 13 people, including a soldier, according to the police and the army.
For the time being, the commission has reviewed the numerous recommendations and resolutions that already exist, but it has stressed that it should carry out its own investigation.
However, M.me Pillay believes that these past recommendations “have been largely ignored, including calls for Israel to be held accountable for violations of humanitarian and human rights law, as well as indiscriminate rocket fire against Israel. by Palestinian armed groups”, writes Mr.me Pillay.
“It is this lack of implementation coupled with a sense of impunity, together with the very clear evidence that Israel has no intention of ending the occupation and the continued discrimination against Palestinians that are at the heart of these repeated violations both in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel,” accuses the President.
To denounce the publication of the report, about twenty students and reservists of the Israeli army demonstrated on Tuesday in front of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva.
To better mark the spirits, the demonstrators had disguised themselves for some as members of the Palestinian armed movement Hamas, their faces concealed by black balaclavas, and wearing military fatigues.
“We are killing civilians and the UN is protecting us,” they chanted, as others wore masks bearing the likeness of Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar.