NGO Action News – 07 September 2018

This newsletter informs about recent and upcoming activities of Civil Society Organizations affiliated with the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. The Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariat provide the information “as is” without warranty of any kind, and do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in the websites linked in the newsletter.

UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable
Rights of the Palestinian People

NGO Action News
07 September 2018

 Middle East

• On 6 September, HaMoked reported thatthe military accepted an objection it submitted against a punitive demolition order of a home of a suspected assailant in a stabbing attack which took place on 18 March in Jerusalem which resulted in the death of an Israeli citizen. The suspected assailant was also killed leaving his parents, three siblings, wife and three minor children in the home slated for demolition by the military as punishment for the attack incident.

• On 4 September, BADIL condemned the US decision to end financial assistance to UNRWA. BADIL accused the United States and Israel of trying to eliminate UNRWA by financially crippling the agency. BADIL called on the UN and Member States to safeguard UNRWA’s financial and institutional sustainability and to reaffirm the internationally recognized definition of refugee, including the expansion of UNRWA’s definition of ‘Palestine refugee’ that is currently based on need rather than displacement or persecution status as enshrined in international law.

• On 2 September, ICAHD-USA reported that at least 23 structures were demolished in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, in the month of August, displacing 14 persons and affecting 111 others. In Southern Israel, the unrecognised Bedouin village Al-Arakib was demolished for the 132nd time. All the demolitions and confiscations reportedly occurred on the grounds that they lacked an Israeli-issued building permit and most of them supported agricultural, herding and commercial livelihoods.

• On 2 September, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) noted in a statement that Israeli Naval forces had escalated their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip. According to PCHR on, 1 September, Israeli Naval forces stationed off Deir al-Balah Shore in the central Gaza Strip arrested six fishermen and confiscated their fishing boat. PCHR condemned the incident and called on the international community, to stop all Israeli violations against Palestinian fishermen.

United Nations

• On 4 September the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People adopted its annual report for the year 2018 covering its work and relevant developments since 6 September 2017. The Committee also approved its upcoming activities including a meeting in mid‑November to consider draft resolutions on the question of Palestine prior to a General Assembly meeting on 29 November; a visit to Brussels and Berlin from 15 to 20 October to enhance political and diplomatic support for a two‑State solution, recognition of the State of Palestine, and to re-engage civil society organizations and Palestinian solidarity movements across Europe. 

• On 4 September, the Director of UNRWA New York Office, briefed the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the impact of UNRWA’s funding crisis that UNRWA and regretted that the United States decision to cut funding appeared to be linked to political considerations. He stated that “it was not the responsibility of UNRWA to find a political solution and UNRWA should not become a bargaining chip in political negotiations.” UNRWA has a US$200 million shortfall for the remainder of 2018 and funding for much of its critical work will run out at the end of this month.