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ISRAEL MUST REMOVE ALL JEWISH SETTLERS FROM OCCUPIED WEST BANK - UN INQUIRY
By RT
February 01, 2013 "RT" -- A UN human rights inquiry has called on
Israel to remove all Jewish settlers from the West Bank and cease
expansion. The report said the settlements violate international law,
and are an attempt to drive out Palestinians through intimidation.
"Israel must, in compliance with article 49 of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, cease all settlement activities without preconditions,"
the report read, adding that Israel must immediately begin to withdraw
all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT).
The inquiry prompted a strong reaction from Israel who slammed the
report as biased.
"The Human Rights Council has sadly distinguished itself by its
systematically one-sided and biased approach towards Israel. This
latest report is yet another unfortunate reminder of that," said
spokesman Yigal Palmor in a statement.
The 1949 Geneva Convention prohibits the transfer of a civilian
population into an occupied area - such an act could constitute war
crimes if brought before the International Criminal Court. Following
the UN's de facto recognition of Palestine last December, Israel
announced plans to build thousands of homes in the OPT.
In response, Palestine wrote to the UN warning that Israel's planned
expansion into the occupied territorieswould lead to more war crimes
being committed.
The UN investigators interviewed over 50 people who were driven from
their homes. They described how their livelihoods were destroyed and
their land was confiscated, and how they were subjected to continuous
violence from Jewish settlers.
Israeli security forces apprehend a Palestinian demonstrator during a
protest in Anin village in the West Bank near Jenin city, on January
26, 2013. (AFP Photo / Saif Dahlan)
"The mission believes that the motivation behind this violence and the
intimidation against the Palestinians as well as their properties is
to drive the local populations away from their lands and allow the
settlements to expand," said the report.
The report has the potential to significantly worsen the UN's
already-strained relationship with Israel, particularly after Israeli
representatives failed to appear at a UN human rights review two days
ago.
The Israeli government has repeatedly ignored international
condemnations of its settlements in the occupied territories, and
continues to bar the entry of a Human Rights Council probe to assess
the impact of the settlements. Israel has insisted that the
organization is biased in favor of the Palestinians, and claimed that
historic and biblical ties justify its claim to the territories.
From: A. Papazian
By RT
February 01, 2013 "RT" -- A UN human rights inquiry has called on
Israel to remove all Jewish settlers from the West Bank and cease
expansion. The report said the settlements violate international law,
and are an attempt to drive out Palestinians through intimidation.
"Israel must, in compliance with article 49 of the Fourth Geneva
Convention, cease all settlement activities without preconditions,"
the report read, adding that Israel must immediately begin to withdraw
all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT).
The inquiry prompted a strong reaction from Israel who slammed the
report as biased.
"The Human Rights Council has sadly distinguished itself by its
systematically one-sided and biased approach towards Israel. This
latest report is yet another unfortunate reminder of that," said
spokesman Yigal Palmor in a statement.
The 1949 Geneva Convention prohibits the transfer of a civilian
population into an occupied area - such an act could constitute war
crimes if brought before the International Criminal Court. Following
the UN's de facto recognition of Palestine last December, Israel
announced plans to build thousands of homes in the OPT.
In response, Palestine wrote to the UN warning that Israel's planned
expansion into the occupied territorieswould lead to more war crimes
being committed.
The UN investigators interviewed over 50 people who were driven from
their homes. They described how their livelihoods were destroyed and
their land was confiscated, and how they were subjected to continuous
violence from Jewish settlers.
Israeli security forces apprehend a Palestinian demonstrator during a
protest in Anin village in the West Bank near Jenin city, on January
26, 2013. (AFP Photo / Saif Dahlan)
"The mission believes that the motivation behind this violence and the
intimidation against the Palestinians as well as their properties is
to drive the local populations away from their lands and allow the
settlements to expand," said the report.
The report has the potential to significantly worsen the UN's
already-strained relationship with Israel, particularly after Israeli
representatives failed to appear at a UN human rights review two days
ago.
The Israeli government has repeatedly ignored international
condemnations of its settlements in the occupied territories, and
continues to bar the entry of a Human Rights Council probe to assess
the impact of the settlements. Israel has insisted that the
organization is biased in favor of the Palestinians, and claimed that
historic and biblical ties justify its claim to the territories.
From: A. Papazian