NGO Action News – 06 April 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
06 April 2018

Middle East

• On 5 April, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stated its concern over the human toll caused by the violence on the Gaza border with Israel and the high number of casualties and reiterated its full support to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) operating in Gaza.

• On 5 April, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said they had increased their medical response for the wounded in Gaza, and fear more wounded will need care in the days to come.

• On 5 April, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) launched an emergency call for donations to its Emergency Response in Gaza. MAP is concerned with the type of wounds reported by hospital staff after the “Great March of Return”. Approximately 758 Palestinians were reported to have suffered gunshot wounds, with the majority having been shot in the legs and requiring complex treatment.

• On 5 April, B’Tselem launched the campaign “Sorry Commander, I cannot shoot.” The campaign will include newspaper advertisements to inform soldiers on the need to refuse to open fire on unarmed demonstrators.

• On 5 April, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and Adalah sent an urgent letter to the Israeli Attorney General and the Chief Military Advocate General addressing Israeli military violations of both international and Israeli law on the use of deadly live fire on civilians.

• On 4 April, Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) published its 2017 annual report in Gaza. The organization’s 22nd annual report seeks to address human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

• On 1 April, Peace Now and other organizations held a protest in Tel Aviv and issued a statement calling on the Israeli government to refrain from any act leading to the escalation of violence.

North America

• On 13 April, the Foundation for Middle East Peace is holding a talk in Washington, D.C., on “Jerusalem: Annexation, the impact on human rights, and the US Embassy move”. Speakers include Raed Jarrar, Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International USA, and Zena Agha and Yara Hawari, both Policy Fellows of Al-Shabaka. The speakers will discuss to what extent US policy reflects the “recognition of reality” on the grounds.

• On 12 April, New America is organizing a panel with Al-Shabaka political analysts Zena Agha, Yara Hawari, Nadia Hijab and New America Middle East fellow Zaha Hassan to discuss “Palestine in Political Limbo – what the loss of the two-state framework means for Palestinians”.

• On 12 April, Columbia University Center for Palestine Studies will be hosting a talk on “The Right to have rights: Partition, statehood, and self-determination,” with Leila Farsakh, chair and associate professor at UMass, Boston. The talk will re-examine the quest for self-determination by Palestinian national groups and how it can be protected in view of present regional and international developments.

• On 10 April, the Jerusalem Fund is hosting an event on “Re-framing the Narrative for Palestinian Rights and Justice” with Nadia Hijab, Executive Director of Al-Shabaka, and Zena Agha and Yara Hawari, Policy fellows of Al-Shabaka.

• On 6 April, the Institute for Palestine Studies, in partnership with the Palestine Center, organised a presentation by IPS senior fellow Brian Barber “Gaza from Inside”.

Europe

• On 4 April, EuroMed Rights issued a press release deploring Israel’s illegal use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators and called for a strong European reaction to allow for an international investigation into Gaza incidents.

Latin America

• On 8 April, over 400 people will run the International Marathon of Santiago in Chile in support of Palestinian children. The campaign is organized by the Fundación Palestina Belén 2000.

United Nations 

• On 5 April, the UN Secretary-General issued a statement on the situation in Gaza, reiterating his call “on all concerned to refrain from any act that could lead to further violence” and stressed “the urgency to accelerate efforts to return to meaningful negotiations” for the two-state solution.