{"id":179369,"date":"2009-02-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T20:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=179369"},"modified":"2019-03-11T20:50:30","modified_gmt":"2019-03-11T20:50:30","slug":"auto-insert-179369","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-179369\/","title":{"rendered":"Human rights situation in Palestine and other OATs\/Forced displacement in OPT – HRC 10th session – NGO statement (Badil)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\tHUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN PALESTINE AND OTHER OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tWritten statement submitted by Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\tRefugee Rights, a non-governmental organizations in special consultative status <\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>The Secretary-General has received the following written statement which is circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996\/31.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t[11 February 2009]\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t___________\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t*<\/strong> This written statement is issued, unedited, in the language(s) received from the submitting non-governmental organization(s).\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tForced Displacement throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tDisplacement due to the recent Israeli military attacks against Gaza<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tThe recent indiscriminate and disproportionate Israeli military attacks against Gaza resulted in unprecedented forcible mass displacement. Although the total number of displaced Palestinians remains undetermined, Al Mezan Centre estimates that up to 90,000 were displaced during the hostilities (including up to 50,000 children),<\/span>1<\/sup><\/span> out of 1.5 million Gazans, most of whom  are 1948 Palestinian refugees.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tAt the height of hostilities, UNRWA operated 50 emergency-shelters for over 50,000 displaced persons.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/span> <\/sup><\/span> Thousands of others sought refuge with family members or friends.<\/span>3<\/sup><\/span> <\/sup><\/span>Many more remained in their damaged homes.<\/span>4<\/sup><\/span> <\/sup><\/span>  As of 2 February, three UNRWA shelters remained open hosting 388 displaced people. Although most people have left the shelters since the cease-fire, thousands remain homeless.<\/span>5<\/sup><\/span> <\/span> The preliminary report of the Shelter\/IDP rapid needs assessment indicates that, in surveyed localities (48 out of 61 not including refugee camps in Gaza), almost 11,000 displaced households, or over 71,000 displaced persons were staying with host families. The total number of internally displaced persons remains undetermined.<\/span>6<\/sup><\/span> <\/sup><\/span> <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tThe ICRC reported that “a number of areas, […] looked like the aftermath of a strong earthquake – entire neighbourhoods were beyond recognition. Some houses had been completely levelled”.<\/span>7<\/sup><\/span> <\/u><\/sup><\/strong><\/a> <\/sup><\/strong><\/span>According to the rapid Shelter\/NFI assessment, in surveyed localities, there are 44,306 damaged housing units, in addition to complete destruction of 4,247 residences.<\/span>8<\/sup><\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tIsrael has committed grave breaches of international humanitarian law (IHL) that amount to war crimes. That includes the extensive destruction of houses and other civilian property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly. The nature and large scope of the destruction of civilian property and displacement are also in violation of the distinction and proportionality rules, especially in area with a high civilian population density such as the Gaza Strip.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tFurthermore, the Israeli military attacks resulted in a widespread destruction of hospitals, schools, universities, water\/sewer lines, electricity generating stations greenhouses, commercial establishments, infrastructure and roads.<\/span>9<\/sup><\/span>  <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tForced displacement, loss of livelihood and the lack of access to essential necessities, has a significant adverse affect on the enjoyment of the basic rights of the Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The situation is deteriorating further by the continued blockade imposed by Israel on the Strip, which particularly limits the humanitarian aid and commercial goods required to address the humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction needs.<\/span>10<\/sup><\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\tForced Displacement throughout the OPT <\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t <\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\tThe current situation in Gaza should not overshadow the ongoing forcible internal displacement and dispossession induced by the Israeli Occupying Power against the Palestinians throughout the OPT, including the Wes Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza <\/span>on prohibited grounds of nationality, ethnicity, race and religion <\/span>since 1967.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\tApart from the present displacement in Gaza, more<\/span> <\/span>than 115,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been internally displaced during the last four decades.<\/span>11<\/sup><\/span><\/a> <\/sup><\/strong><\/span>Protracted occupation, colonisation and systematic racial discrimination are the root causes of the forcible displacement and dispossession of the indigenous Palestinian population in the OPT. <\/span>Israel’s policies and practices in the OPT aim at <\/strong><\/span>asserting control over the maximum amount of land with a minimum number of Palestinians <\/strong><\/span>. <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\tNeither the security of the population, nor military reasons justify the forcible displacement of the Palestinian population. Individual and mass population transfer in occupied territories and arbitrary displacement are prohibited regardless of their motives under IHL and international human rights law. These acts amount to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and customary international law, especially that they are carried out unlawfully and wantonly.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tThe following methods are used by the Israeli Occupying Power to attain its illegal demographic objectives:\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n