The United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Occupation Practices expressed, today, Monday, its deep concern about the continued deterioration in the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a statement, the committee said it was concerned about the damage to 38 medical facilities in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli attacks on the Strip, and the repercussions of the recent escalation on Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
She explained that she had organized a series of virtual meetings with United Nations agencies, ministries, Palestinian institutions and civil society organizations due to the restrictions imposed by the “Corona” pandemic, noting that she had received reports on the impact of the Israeli escalation last May on Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. And it received briefings from human rights organizations that documented the martyrdom of 256 Palestinians in Gaza, including 66 children, and the injury of 1,291 people, and the displacement of more than 60,000 as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Strip.
She indicated that she had also received worrying information about the recent wave of arrests of journalists and activists, especially those who cover and support events about the possible eviction of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem, indicating that she followed with concern the information she received about the support of the Israeli judiciary in Most of the cases are settler property claims at the expense of the Palestinians.
It noted that it had heard specific concerns regarding access to health services for Palestinians, including prisoners, that were exacerbated by the pandemic, and that it had followed with increasing concern the continued lack of accountability over allegations of human rights violations by the Israeli occupation army and settlers.
She confirmed that she will dedicate part of her next report to the General Assembly on the issue of the right to health, where she will present her report during the 76th session of the General Assembly next November.
It is noteworthy that the United Nations Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and the Arab Population in the Occupied Territories was formed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1968 to examine the human rights situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the occupied Syrian Golan. One of the ambassadors accredited to the United Nations for Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Senegal.
