NGO Action News – 22 September 2017

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 September 2017

Global

• Oxfam International is implementing a new EU-funded project “Strength Humanitarian and Protection Assistance for Vulnerable Populations in the Gaza Strip”, which will address the needs of female-headed households and large families without regular incomes in the Gaza Strip.

Middle East

• On 20 September, four Palestinian human rights organizations (Aldameer, Al Haq, Al Mezan and PCHR) jointly submitted their fourth substantive communication to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), providing evidence on crimes allegedly committed in the West Bank including East Jerusalem, and requesting that a full investigation into the situation in the OPT be urgently opened in order to end the culture of impunity and secure peace in the region.

• Following the workshop “Legal Review of 2017 Electronic Crimes Law in light of International Standards on Freedom of Expression”, attended by members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), journalists, academics and civil society representatives, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) issued on 20 September a position paper on the topic with recommendations.

• On 19 September, Addamer reported the renewal of the Israeli administrative detention order against French-Palestinian human rights defender Salah Hamouri for a period of six months. The NGO issued a call for action, asking EU citizens to raise with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) the issue of administrative detention by Israel.

• On 18 September, the Geneva Initiative, in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, hosted in Jerusalem the conference “Lessons from Other Conflicts” with the participation of former Israeli Minister of Justice Yossi Beilin and experts on the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Cyprus.

• To mark the International Day of Peace, Gush Shalom organized on 16 September a march in solidarity with the West Bank village of Wallajeh, calling for bridges rather than walls and protesting house demolitions and the annexation of land.

• On 14 September, B’Tselem reported that the Israeli authorities had signalled their intent to move forward with plans to forcibly transfer the entire community of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem.

• A joint submission by the Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counselling (WCLAC) and three other Palestinian NGOs for the Universal Period Review (UPR) of Israel in January 2018, which focuses on the specific impact of the occupation on women under the title “Palestinian Women under Prolonged Israeli Occupation”, is available online.

North America

• In a webinar organized by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) Lara Friedman has a conversation with CMEP Executive Director Mae Cannon, in which she criticizes the Israel Anti-Boycott Act introduced in the US Congress in March.

Europe

• The UK-based Palestinian Return Centre, in cooperation with the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, has issued new publications on the impact of World War I on Palestine, Palestinian refugees in the Arab World, Palestinian IDPs inside Israel and the

United Nations

• The theme of the International Day of Peace, marked around the world on 21 September, this year is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All” and focuses on engaging and mobilizing people throughout the world to show support for refugees and migrants.

• In relation to the crisis in the Gaza Strip, OCHA posted on 20 September a chart featuring an overview of early warning indicators for the month of August 2017.