PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.149

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

6 – 12 Nov t 2022

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 (3 minutes read)

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

• Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns Israel’s killing of 18-year-old MosaabNafal and causing of serious injuries to another Palestinian. The MOFA also condemns the extrajudicial killingof RaafatIssa, renewing calls for an active international and US stance that forces the occupying state to end its violations, crimes and occupation of Palestine. The Ministry also calls on the ICC to start an immediate investigation into the Israeli occupation’s crimes.(November 6 & 9, 2022).For further details, click here
• Palestine Foreign Ministry calls for implementing the recommendations of the Investigative Committee on the crimes of the occupation.(November 8, 2022).For further details, click here
• The Minister of Justice of Palestine and his counterpart in Turkey have agreed on arranging the actions necessary for holding an international conference for Palestine emphasizing the rights of Palestinians and the violations they face.(November 8, 2022). For further details, click here
• Palestinian PresidentMahmoud Abbas rejects a U.S. request to reconsider pushing for a UN resolution that asks the International Court of Justice to issue a legal opinion on whether the Israeli occupation of the West Bank constitutes a de facto annexation.(November 9, 2022). For further details, click here

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

• Israel Gives Elad Association 28 Million Shekels to support its settlement projects in the valley of Rababa, Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.(November 7, 2022).For further details, click here

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

• The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expresses grave concern over the deteriorating health of cancer-diagnosed prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid. The OIC also calls on human rights organizations to help release him and other prisoners, especially the sick, the elderly, and those under administrative detention.(November 6, 2022).For further details, click here
• Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General for UNRWA, presented his annual report on the Agency’s work to the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly. He expressed his hope to renew the Agency’s mandate for an additional three years, stating that the Palestinian refugees are anxiously anticipating the international community’s support and solidarity as voiced in the General Assembly. MrLazzarini also appealed to the UN Committee to continue its strong support until a just and lasting solution to Palestinian refugees’ plight is reached.(November 7, 2022).For further details, clickhere
• US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, attempted to discourage the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, from pursuing the ICJ to consider the Israeli occupation a de facto annexation.(November 7, 2022). For further details, click here
• Speakers today at the General Assembly Session No. 77 condemned the unprecedented levels of violence by Israeli security forces and settlers against Palestinians. They called for accountability and an immediate halt of this settlement activity.(November 9, 2022). For further details, click here
• US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides declares that the White House would push back against any attempts by the expected incoming Israeli government to annex all or parts of the West Bank.(November 10, 2022). For further details, click here
• The Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the General Assembly approved two resolutions. The first calls on Israel to stop the exploitation, damage, depletion and endangerment of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The second relates to the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people.(November 10, 2022).For further details, click here
• Several country delegates to the UN General Assembly’s Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) endorsed the General Assembly’s support for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.(November 10, 2022).For further details, click here
• The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the UN General Assembly approved a draft resolution, by a vote of 98 to 17, under which the United Nations General Assembly would request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territories.(November 11, 2022).For further details, click here

Academic research and studies

• New scholarly journal named Palestine/Israel Review announces its first issue to be published in November 2024 and calls for paper submissions. For more details, click here

Publications of human rights NGOs

• The Palestinian Center for Human Rights condemns the killing of the Palestinian child MusaabNafal and reiterated their call on the international community to act immediately to halt Israel’s crimes and the double standard policy in the implementation of the International Law. It particularly called the Attorney-General of the ICC to work seriously on the Palestinian situation.(November 6, 2022).For further details, click here
• J Street issued a statement expressing concern about the impact of recent Israeli elections on regional peace, noting that the Israeli political parties likely to form the next ruling coalition have a radical agenda as well as urging the US government to oppose de facto annexation more forcefully and insist on protecting Palestinians under occupation. (November 7, 2022).For further details, click here
• A panel discussion on “Holocaust, Nakba and German Remembrance Culture” taking place at the Goethe-Institut in Tel Aviv was postponed by several days after sparking criticism from both Israeli and international Jewish organizations for comparing the Palestinian Nakba and the Jewish Holocaust.(November 8, 2022). For further details, click here
• US-based All Saints Church called on members of the US Congress to exert pressure for the release of Palestinian children from administrative detention, including ShadiKhoury who was arrested and assaulted by Israeli occupation soldiers on October 18.(November 11, 2022).For further details, click here

Human rights conferences and events

• On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, the Palestinian Return Center hosted a panel discussion in Belfast, Ireland titled “105 Years of Balfour: Britain in Palestine & Ireland”.(November 6, 2022). For further details, clickhere
• In collaboration with ARDD, Law for Palestine organised a symposium titled “UN SR Milestone Report on Palestine: Resuming Rights-Based Discourse on Palestine.” Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Palestine, along with four international experts on Palestine and international law and politics, spoke at the webinar. (November 8, 2022).For further details, click here
• The Undergraduate Student Council (USG) at Case Western Reserve University voted with an overwhelming majority on a bill calling on their University to divest from Apartheid Israel.(November 11, 2022).For further details, click here

Announcements regarding upcoming human rights activities and opportunities

• The Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) announces a webinar titled “Funding Freedom: Philanthropy and the Palestinian Freedom Movement.” The session will address new research by Rebecca Wilcomerson that identifies barriers and opportunities to address the critical need to create conditions for individual donors, foundations, and funding networks to increase sustained giving in support of Palestinian freedom. The symposium will take place on November 16th. For further details, click here