International Conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People (New York, Sept. 2004) – Plan of Action

  

UNITED NATIONS

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CIVIL SOCIETY

IN SUPPORT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

United Nations Headquarters, New York

13 and 14 September 2004

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END ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE 

International Coordinating Network on Palestine

2004-2005 PLAN FOR ACTION TO SUPPORT PALESTINIAN RIGHTS

THROUGH INTERNATIONAL LAW & THE UNITED NATIONS

We meet today, non-governmental and civil society organizations, to reaffirm our commitment to ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territory, and to realizing the full national and human rights of the Palestinian people. Our work is based on human rights and international law including the United Nations Charter and resolutions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions. We believe in the central role of the United Nations in upholding international law.  We believe that these tools provide the only potential basis for achieving the end of occupation and a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.

We stand committed to mobilize a broad people’s movement, working together with Governments, parliaments, multinational organizations, religious organizations and especially the United Nations itself – to end the Israeli occupation. Throughout 2004-2005 we will build internationally coordinated actions designed to escalate pressure to end the Israeli occupation and realize Palestinian rights.

To that end, we commit ourselves to the following actions:

 

IMPLEMENT THE ICJ OPINION

We will work to educate people in all of our countries, and to pressure Israel and our own Governments to move towards strict enforcement of the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ and the resolutions of the General Assembly that call for self-determination of the Palestinian people, stopping and reversing Israeli settlements and dismantling the Wall.

 

INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION

We will work towards the realization of the international community's responsibility to provide serious protection for Palestinians forced to live under Israeli occupation, refugees and exiles, in particular the most vulnerable such as children and women. We insist on implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) mandating the full participation of women in all international peace and justice efforts regarding Palestinian rights. We will work to highlight the important role of those Israeli refuseniks facing imprisonment for their refusal to violate the Geneva Conventions. We will continue to demand full access of humanitarian and relief organizations to the entire population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as required by the Fourth Geneva Convention.

 

EMPOWERING THE UNITED NATIONS 

We will pressure our Governments and mobilize our populations in support of a greater United Nations role in diplomacy regarding Palestine. That includes such campaigns as demanding a General Assembly, as well as a Secretariat role in diplomacy regarding Palestine, and supporting efforts by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to organize fact-finding missions of UN diplomats to the Occupied Territory.

We recognize that these demands reflect the need to uphold international law. We as civil society will encourage divestment and targeted sanctions against the Occupying Power, and we will urge our Governments to impose restrictions including arms bans, withdrawal of economic privileges including bans against items produced by settlements, travel restrictions on violators of the Geneva Conventions and other instruments of international law.

COORDINATED INTERNATIONAL ACTIONS TO SUPPORT PALESTINIAN RIGHTS THROUGH INTERNATIONAL LAW & THE UNITED NATIONS

We have identified three important dates for global mobilization, advocacy and education campaigns to end the Israeli occupation. These dates reflect week-long periods of mobilization chosen by Palestinian NGOs to coordinate civil society actions throughout 2004-2005.

November 29, 2004– International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

We will focus on the Wall and enforcing the ICJ Opinion. To enable this work, we will encourage civil society groups to utilize the expertise of lawyers and other experts in explaining the significance of the Court’s ruling.

April 17, 2005 – Palestinian Prisoners Day

We will focus on international protection for Palestinians

June 5, 2005 – Anniversary of the 1967 occupation   

We will focus on the violations of the Geneva Conventions such as settlement expansion, construction of the Wall, land seizures, house demolitions, arbitrary arrest and detention, refugee rights, imprisonment of children, targeted assassinations, closures and curfews and more.

We also urge international civil society and national and regional NGO coalitions to consider support for other actions in support of Palestinian rights. These may include:

Tribunals to examine cases of violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem;

Convening an international civil society conference to take up broader issues involved in defending Palestinian rights;

Continue campaigns providing direct support for Palestinians in the Occupied Territory including international solidarity delegations, rebuilding demolished houses, replanting olive trees, etc.

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