PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Vol. 55

Your weekly survey of the most important publications and activities related to Palestine and law, from local and international sources

17 – 23 January 2021

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

This weekly report reviews the legal dynamics of the Palestine question, and everything related to international law and Palestine. The report includes an account of the most important publications, activities and conferences related to Palestine at the local, regional, international levels. The report further covers decisions, decrees, and judicial orders affecting the Palestinian cause, whether made at the official, academic or public levels. The report aims to be a reference for monitoring, documenting and archiving the latest human rights developments related to Palestine, and to present them to individuals, researchers, study centers, and official, academic and legal institutions concerned.

To view this Volume of Palestine’s Legal Scene, please click here (4 minutes read)

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Palestinian bodies

• The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs calls on international institutions to take action to allow visits to prisoners in Israeli prisons and to assess their conditions, especially after rainwater leaked to the prison. (Jan 17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates: The Israeli official supports settlers terror against Palestinians. (Jan18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh: We demand an end to settler terror and to stop the settlement expansion which undermines the two-state solution. (Jan18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Education calls on international institutions to curb the Israeli occupation’s violations of the right to education, following the settlers’ assault on a girl in Madama and notifying a school of the demolition in Masafer Yatta. (Jan 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates pledges to legally pursue the US ambassador to Israel Friedman. (Jan 19, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Palestinian presidency: The new settlement decisions are a challenge to the international community, and we call on the new US administration to take a position on it. (Jan20, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh calls on the international community to protect the Palestinian people from settler attacks on the roads in the West Bank. (Jan 22, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The permanent representative of the State of Palestine to the UN; Riyad Mansour, sends identical UN letters about settlement expansion and calls on the international community to confront it. (Jan23, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Palestinian PM Muhammad Shtayyeh: We are open to any political process under the auspices of the Quartet, and we call on the UN to work to enable Jerusalemites to participate in the upcoming Palestinian elections. (Jan 23, 2021). To check the news, click here

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by official Israeli bodies

• Israel Prisons Service: We will start vaccinating prisoners, including Palestinian security prisoners, this week. (Jan17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Israeli Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee issues a new permit approving the construction of 792 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank. (Jan17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Israeli Minister of Education bans human rights organizations that describe Israel as an apartheid state from lecturing at Israeli schools. (Jan 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Israel agrees to build 2,600 new settlement units as Trump leaves office. (Jan20, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to build 6 new settlements in the West Bank. (Jan20, 2021). To check the news, click here

Judicial decrees, decisions, positions, and orders issued by Arab, European, and international bodies

• Participants in the virtual international conference of parliaments defending Palestine in Iran stress the need to confront the US-Israeli intrigues that would liquidate the Palestinian issue. (Jan17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Egypt and Jordan condemn Israel’s decision to approve the construction of 780 new settlement units. (January 17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Irish Foreign Minister: Israeli settlement activities are illegal and undermine the two-state solution. (Jan 17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The UK and a lead Spokesperson for the European Union: Israel’s decision to build new settlement units is contrary to international law. (Jan 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Syria renews its support for the Palestinian issue under international resolutions, after sparking rumours about its normalization with Israel. (Jan18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo: The two-state solution is the only way to achieve peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis. (January 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States in a speech to the Security Council: The Palestinian issue is still without a settlement, and it has become more distant. (Jan 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Italy calls on the Israeli authorities to reconsider the construction of 800 new settlement units in the West Bank, as it violates international law. (Jan18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres: The establishment of new settlement units in the West Bank is illegal and a flagrant violation under international law. (Jan 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Jordanian king and the Egyptian president affirm their country’s clear stance on the Palestinian issue and the achievement of peace based on the two-state solution. (Jan18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Speaker of Kuwait National Assembly confirms his country’s position in support of the Palestinian cause and rejecting normalization. (Jan 19, 2021). To check the news, click here
• President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly: Israel’s decision to advance settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is extremely concerning. (Jan19, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Antony Blinken, a nominee for the post of US Secretary of State, states that his country’s embassy will remain in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. (Jan 19, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Jordan, France and Turkey condemn Israel’s decision to build new settlement units. (Jan 20, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The ambassadors of Oman and Egypt affirm their countries’ position in support of the Palestinian cause and ending the occupation. (Jan21, 2021). To check the news, click here
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States condemn the occupation’s decision to build 2,572 new settlement units. (Jan 21, 2021). To check the news, click here
• US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib: Israel is a racist state that prevents Palestinians from getting COVID-19 vaccines. (Jan21, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem call on the international community to hold Israel accountable and make COVID-19 vaccines accessible to Palestinians (Jan22, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi affirms his country’s commitment to defending just issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian issue. (Jan20, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Spain acquits 8 BDS activists of hate crimes against US Jewish singer Matisyahu. (Jan21, 2021). To check the news, click here

Publications of human rights NGOs

• The Palestinian Prisoner’s Club calls on international organizations to establish an impartial medical committee to monitor the conditions of prisoners, given the high number of Coronavirus infections. (Jan17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Human Rights Watch: Israel has the obligation under international law to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinians under occupation. (Jan17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Al-Haq reminds Pfizer of its international obligations regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and calls for support for non-discrimination. (Jan 17, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS): We recorded 490 Israeli violations against journalists in 2020 and filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court. (Jan18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Palestinian NGOs express in a joint statement their concern about the racist Israeli policy and Institutionalised discrimination in the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine (Jan 18, 2021). To check the news, click here
• Peace Now Movement: The publication of tenders to build 2,572 settlement units on the eve of the change in the US governments indicates that Netanyahu is not seriously considering resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. (Jan 20, 2021).” To check the news, click here

Human rights conferences and events

• Israa University concludes its fourteenth international scientific conference “Palestine and the Justice of the International Criminal Court in Light of Prosecution and Equity.” (Jan20, 2021). To check the Conference details, click here