NGO Action News – 09 February 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.

NGO Action News
09 February 2018

Middle East

• Al Mezan Center for Human Rights published on 8 February a paper on the effects of unemployment on human rights in the Gaza Strip by examining samples of unemployed university graduates. The paper warns of continued de-development with serious socioeconomic consequences as well as repercussions on the surrounding political sphere.

• On 8 February, Adalah reported that the Israeli government approved the construction of a new settlement in the occupied West Bank. The organization wrote an urgent letter to the Israeli Government as well as to the Legislative Committee and the Attorney-General concerning the illegality of the decision.

• On 6 February, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights concluded its project on “Promoting Media Freedom” funded by the Canadian Government. The closing ceremony took place in Gaza and was attended by representatives of Canada to the Palestinian Authority as well as civil society organizations, journalists, activists and lawyers.

• On 5 February, Addameer launched a campaign to release French-Palestinian activist Salah Hamouri, who has been held for almost six months in Israeli detention.

• On 4 February, Physicians for Human Rights published a report on the situation of the Gaza Health System. Despite the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas in October the situation has not improved. Low medical supply and medicines, poor infrastructure, power supply, human resources and non-paid wages are among the key issues.

• On 1 February, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights presented its 2017 documentation in a new report that looks at the impact of Israel’s complex movement restrictions on medical patients in the Gaza Strip.

• On 31 January, Al-Haq organized an event and presented its two latest reports on Israel’s policies in the Jordan Valley, on the legal mechanisms used to establish settlements in the area and the gender dimension of human rights violations.

Europe

• On 5 February, UK-based international humanitarian aid organization Islamic Relief launched the Children of Palestine campaign. The appeal aims at supporting 500 Palestinian orphans in addition to the 8,000 orphans in the West Bank and Gaza the organization already assists.

North America

• On 13 February, the Columbia University Center for Palestine Studies is organizing a talk on “Israeli law after 70 years of the Nakba”. The speakers include Hassan Jabareen, founder of Adalah, and Katherine Franke, Professor of Law at Columbia.

United Nations

• UNRWA launched a USD 800 million emergency appeal for Syria, Gaza and the West Bank; approximately USD 400 million each for Syria and the OPT. The appeal also covers some 50,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria who have fled to Lebanon and Jordan. UNRWA Commissioner-General stressed that supporting the emergency appeals is not a substitute for an urgently needed political solution to the underlying conflict.

• On 5 February, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held its 388th meeting and the first meeting for the current. In a session presided over by the Secretary-General, the Committee conducted the annual election to its Bureau and approved its 2018 Program of Work.