PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.185

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

16- 22 July 2023

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Nermin Allawh, Joman Al Khateeb

Translation: Mays Abu Atwan and Ahmad Staitia
Editing: Nardeen Khalid

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 Issue of Palestine’s Legal Scene, please click here (5 minutes read)

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

• The Commission of Detainees Affairs has published its semi-annual report on Israeli arrests, which reveals that during the first half of 2023, nearly 3,860 Palestinians were detained, including 568 children and 72 women. (July 16, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Prime Minister called upon UNESCO to fulfill its obligations under international law, safeguarding Palestinian historical and cultural sites from any attempts to judaize or extend control over them. (July 16, 2023). For further details, click here
• On the occasion of the Rome Statute’s 25th anniversary, the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, Riyad Mansour, stated: “The path towards achieving the Rome Statute still has a long way to go, Palestinian victims are still denied justice and Israel is pursuing its crimes.” (July 17, 2023). For further details, click here
• According to Omar Awadallah, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Nations and its agencies, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will soon launch an online platform where people can file complaints and provide visual evidence of war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory. (July 18, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Minister of Justice called on citizens, individuals and institutions to submit complaints and reports on the crimes of the Israeli occupation through the electronic platform that is supposed to be launched by the International Criminal Court (ICC). (July 19, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs held the Israeli occupation government fully accountable for the well-being of Abdel Basset Maatan (50 years old), a cancer-sick prisoner whose condition is reported to be critical and continuously deteriorating. Despite his health condition, the Israeli court decided to renew his administrative detention for the third time, extending it for another 6 months. (July 19, 2023). For further details, click here
• Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki called on Australia to recognize the State of Palestine during his meeting with the Australian parliamentary delegation in Ramallah. He also emphasized the significance of holding Israel accountable for its ongoing violations (July 20, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls for an international investigation into the “heinous execution crime” committed by the occupation forces in the town of Sebastia, Nablus. The incident resulted in the death of the 17 year-old boy, Fawzi Makhalfah. (July 22, 2023). For further details, click here

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

• Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Department, revealed his efforts to devise a plan enabling Israel to demolish buildings considered “national security threats” in areas A and B of the West Bank. As these areas are under Palestinian Authority (PA) control, such a move represents a clear defiance of the Oslo Accords.(July 19, 2023). For further details, click here
• Knesset advances bill banning Palestinian flags on university campuses, even after being temporarily shelved following condemnations by universities and rights groups. (July 22, 2023). For further details, click here

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

• The Human Rights Council adopted a resolution requesting the Secretary-General to allocate the necessary financial and human resources for the full implementation of its resolution to create a database encompassing all business enterprises engaged in activities related to Israeli settlements. (July 14, 2023). For further details, click here
• Pramila Jayapal, the leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, initially criticized Israel as a racist state, cautioning activists about opposition to progressive critics of Israel’s policy towards the Palestinians. However, she later retracted her statement, saying that the perceived far-right administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its policies, which she considered to be overtly discriminatory. (July 14, 2023). For further details, click here
• Due to Israel’s lack of cooperation, a Spanish judge investigating the alleged hacking of ministers’ phones with Pegasus spyware has decided to shelve the investigation. (July 18, 2023). For further details, click here
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns of the continued shortage of electricity supplies in the Gaza Strip, which has a significant impact on the region’s basic services and economy. (July 18, 2023). For further details, click here
• The French Foreign Minister expressed her concern about the tensions in Israel and the Palestinian territories, condemning terrorism and calling on Israel to halt unilateral measures and settlement activities in order to achieve a two-state solution. (July 19, 2023). For further details, click here
• Israel condemned the paragliding of the EU envoy to Palestine, Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff, off the coast of the Gaza Strip under the slogan “Free Palestine ”; to warn of the blockade imposed on the Strip. Israel also considered the act provocative and accused him of promoting the Palestinian narrative (July 19, 2023). For further details, click here
• Israel and the U.S. have signed an agreement that brings Israel closer to joining the Visa Waiver Program. The program, which will take effect starting Thursday on July 20, will allow Israelis to enter America without the need for a visa, and in return any American citizen will be allowed to enter Israel, including dual-national Palestinians residing in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip (July 19, 2023). For further details, click here
• The United Kingdom calls for a rapid and transparent investigation as well as restraint in Israel’s use of live ammunition, following the death of 17 year-old Mohammed Fouad al-Bayed, who was shot dead by Israeli security forces. (July 21, 2023). For further details, click here
• Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese, calls for input on “Human rights impact of business enterprises in the occupied Palestinian territory”. (July 22, 2023). For further details, click here

Publications of human rights NGOs

• Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, Head of the Security Lab at Amnesty Tech stated that the reported lack of Israeli cooperation with the Spanish investigation into NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware targeting Spain’s Prime Minister reflects the impunity surrounding cyber-surveillance technology misuse. (July, 2023). For further details, click here
• Gisha and Adalah legal centers to Israel’s Maritime Court: Israeli restrictions in Gaza’s sea space are illegal. Israel has no legal authority to seize boats in Gaza, let alone to permanently confiscate them. (July 17, 2023). For further details, click here
• PeaceNow Organisation publishes a report on a new settlement being established in Hebron after settlers entered a Palestinian house, affirming that the entry of settlers into the house indicates that the government and the army allow and support the establishment of this new settlement. (July 17, 2023). For further details, click here
• Al-Haq welcomes UNHRC resolution to ensure the full implementation of the UN database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the OPT. (July 19, 2023). For further details, click here

Opinion Pieces and features

• Journal of Palestine Studies publishes a new issue containing several articles, including ones on “Sovereignty of Indigenous Palestinians,” “The Palestinian Prisoners Movement: Resistance and Disobedience,” “Israeli Settlers’ Violence and International Law,” and “Dispossessing Palestinians in Silwan through the Use of Israeli Laws and Settler Organizations.” (July 18, 2023). For further details, click here
• Researcher Alaa Tartir publishes an article on The Middle East Eye titled: Palestine: How western aid enables Israel’s colonialism. (July 21, 2023). For further details, click here
• Michael Lynk, the previous United Nations Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, publishes an article on Democracy for the Arab World Now titled: Settlements are the Engine of Israel’s ‘Forever Occupation’—and a War Crime. (July 21, 2023). For further details, click here

Human rights conferences and events

• In collaboration with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People held its fifth annual conference on Jerusalem. The conference focused on the impact of Israeli settlement policies on the Palestinian population in Jerusalem and the demographic changes resulting from settlement expansion. (July 20, 2023). For further details, click here