"UN Experts Call for Action to Prevent Israel's Annexation of Palestinian Territories and Warn of Violations of International Law
Today, Wednesday, UN experts stated that the international community must take steps to prevent Israel's annexation of the occupied Palestinian territories or risk legitimizing the Israeli government's deliberate violation of international law.
In a statement, the experts said, "Israel's ongoing annexation of parts of the occupied Palestinian land, with the recent focus on extensive areas of the West Bank following the illegal annexation of East Jerusalem, suggests that concrete efforts might be made towards annexing the entire occupied Palestinian territory, violating international law."
They explained that in 2020, 46 UN experts urged the international community to firmly oppose Israel's plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, but their call was not heeded then, and silence cannot be maintained now.
The experts highlighted that in February, "the ruling coalition in Israel transferred most governing powers in the West Bank to the Defense Minister, effectively appointing him the civilian ruler of the occupied West Bank. This move strengthened Israel's annexation of the occupied territories."
They asserted that "land annexation or seizure by force or threat is unequivocally prohibited under international law, constitutes an act of aggression, and a crime falling under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, posing a threat to international peace and security."
The experts emphasized that "Israel has persistently sought to annex significant parts of the occupied Palestinian land and, over the past five decades, seized or approved the seizure of Palestinian lands and resources, resulting in over 750 settlements with 750,000 Israeli settlers."
They pointed out that "while Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories enjoy civil and political rights, Palestinians are subject to military rule, and the consolidation of a system of apartheid is an inevitable consequence of such a regime."
The experts further stated, "The vast majority of UN member states unambiguously condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its annexation of parts of eastern Ukraine as an act of aggression, and they imposed sanctions on Russia to encourage the cessation of this international violation. In contrast, Israel's annexation of territories is met with political discourse, discussions, and negotiations that are ultimately based on double standards."
They added, "This special enforcement offer of international law undermines the foundations of the United Nations Charter and the promise of universal human rights after 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."
The experts expressed deep concern about the escalating and brutal violence perpetrated against Palestinians, including men, women, and children, highlighting that the violation of the right to life intensifies with annexation. They called on Israel to immediately end these violations.
They feared that the cycle of violence will persist unless the primacy of international law is restored as the basis for peace and security, urging UN member states to utilize the available legal means to put an end to these unlawful acts.
The experts stressed the necessity of achieving justice and respecting international law without double standards to end this cycle of violence and secure a just and lasting peace.
The experts include: Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967, Fransiska Albanese; Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes, and consequences, Reem Al-Salem; Special Rapporteur on the right to water and sanitation, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo; Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter; Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Syria Dief; Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand De Varennes; Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, Isha Dyfan; Chair of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, Dorothy Estrada-Tanck, and its members Ivana Radačić, Elizabeth Broderick, Meskerem Geset Techane, and Melissa Upreti; Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Michael Fakhri; Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, Iain Fry; Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, E. Tendayi Achiume; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor; Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Tlaleng Mofokeng; Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity, Obiora C. Okafor; Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard.
Also, the Working Group on the use of mercenaries, represented by its Chair, Jelena Aparac, and members Bena De Costa, Dominic Dyer, Rinaldo Depagne, and (Chair-rapporteur) Ravindran Daniel; and the Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt, Attye Warris."
