NGO Action News – 22 June 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
22 June 2018

Middle East

• On 21 June, Al Mezan Center For Human Rights issued a statement condemning the assault on protesting ex-detainees and ex-prisoners, by individuals, reportedly from local security forces on 18 June in Al Saraya, Gaza City. The protesters had assembled peacefully to demand an end to the internal Palestinian political division and the punitive measures implemented by the Palestinian Authority on Gaza Strip.

• On 20 June 2018, The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a statement calling for an independent Commission of inquiry to investigate conditions of detention facilities in Gaza, and determine if they meet the generally recognized international standards of detention, mainly the 1977 United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

United Nations

• On 21 June, UN human rights experts backed calls for a large-scale international response to the overwhelming health care needs of people living in Gaza and reminded Israel, of its obligation to protect the population of Gaza. While more than $US6 million has been raised to meet some of the immediate needs, there is still a shortfall of almost $US13 million to deploy emergency medical teams, ensure pre-hospital care, purchase medicines and enhance the rehabilitative services for post-operative casualties.

• On 21 June, ACLED reported that following international criticism of Israel’s use of force against demonstrators, Israeli forces have resorted to strategic airstrikes targeting Hamas infrastructure as a means of pressuring the group to better control border demonstrations. Despite the recent spike in airstrikes in Gaza, less than 10 fatalities were reported in April and none in May or June thus far, a significant drop compared to previous years.

• The night between 19 and 20 June, according to OCHA, witnessed an escalation in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and Palestinian rocket fire at southern Israel. Palestinians in Gaza launched paper kites and gas balloons loaded with flammable materials towards southern Israel, setting agricultural fields and forests on fire. The Israeli Air Force carried out a series of airstrikes targeting military sites, open areas and an empty vehicle in Gaza, resulting in two injuries.

• On 18-19 June, the Advisory Commission of UNRWA, met in Jordan to discuss support for the Agency’s efforts to meet the needs of Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip and West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. While progress is being made to address UNRWA’s needs in 2018, the Agency was very explicit with the Commission about the severity of the risks ahead with more than $250 million additional support required to preserve UNRWA’s core and emergency assistance the second half of the year.

• The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will jointly convene an international conference under the theme “The Question of Jerusalem after 50 years of Occupation and 25 years of the Oslo Accords” in Rabat, Morocco, on 26-28 June 2018.