NGO Action News – 23 June 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
23 June 2017

Global

• On 20 June, BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency & Refugee Rights shared the data published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) to mark World Refugee Day. In the United Kingdom, both the Palestinian Return Centre and Medical Aid for Palestinians issued statements.

Middle East

• Gush Shalom reported that Israeli activists will be holding protest vigils in solidarity with the people of Gaza during the ongoing electricity crisis. On June 19, the group launched 150 paper lanterns with candles to illuminate the sky near the Gaza border; further action was planned on 23 June.

• Citing unconfirmed press reports, on 22 June, Ir Amin drew attention to Deputy Mayor Turgeman’s announcement of 7,000 new housing units in occupied East Jerusalem.

• On 21 June, B’Tselem published a statement by its Executive Director Hagai El-Ad, addressing the occupation before the Danish Parliament in Copenhagen. B’Tselem earlier reported on 18 June that two of its field researchers had been detained by Israel Police while documenting movement restrictions in Hebron.

• The Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council released a joint statement on 20 June condemning the decision to restrict the amount of power provided to Gaza and warning the international community of its consequences.

• The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights released its annual report on 20 June. It also issued a press release on 19 June calling for an end to the closure of Gaza border crossings (“2 Million Palestinians Denied Traveling and Movement due to Closure of Gaza Border Crossing”).

• Peace Now reported on 19 June that data released by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics suggest a 70% increase in settlement construction between April 2016 and March 2017 compared to the same period over the previous year (April 2015 to March 2016).

• Hamoked published an update on its petition to improve the processing of Palestinians’ applications to go abroad on 18 June.

Europe

• The Palestine Solidarity Campaign reported on 22 June that it had successfully challenged an effort to prevent local councils from engaging in BDS through their pension schemes.

• On 20 June, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) published a Q&A with Michael Lynk, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 and a report on the electricity crisis in Gaza on 22 June.

North America

• On 16 June, the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights published an update on its 5-10 June week of action to mark fifty years of occupation.

• Jewish Voice for Peace issued a press release on 20 June entitled “No Peace Process While Gaza is in the Dark”. 

• Beacon Hill Friends House will host a panel discussion entitled “Racism and Human Rights in Israel/Palestine” in Boston on 24 June.

United Nations 

• The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene a two-day forum at UN Headquarters in New York on 29 and 30 June to mark fifty years of occupation. Registration has been extended to noon (EST) on 26 June. 

• On 22 June, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published its “Protection of Civilian Report” for the Occupied Palestinian Territory for the period of 13-19 June. 

• Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, briefed the Security Council on the implementation of resolution 2334 on 20 June. 

• On 12 June, UNRWA issued a statement to mark fifty years of occupation.