PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.152

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

27 Nov- 3 Dec 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:

• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs decried the occupation authorities’ seizure of 360 dunums of Palestinian citizens’ land in Salfit’s Dahr Sobh neighborhood, as well as the continued violence in Hebron. (November 27, 2022). For further details, click here

• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the incursions of settlers and extremist Jews into Al-Aqsa mosque, saying they were illegal and part of the occupying power’s attempts to divide the mosque and construct another structure in its place. (November 27, 2022). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticised the Hebrew media for its coverage of the Israeli government’s expansionist settlement plans to commence building 9,000 dwellings and commercial units on the Kalandia airport’s site in occupied Jerusalem. (November 28, 2022). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the field execution of brothers Jawad and ThaferRimawi (22 and 21 years old) from Beit Rima, who were shot by Israeli occupying forces in KafrAyn, north-west of Ramallah, as well as the execution of young man Mufeed Mohammad Mahmoud Ekhlil (44) from Beit Omar in Hebron.  (November 28, 2022). For further details, click here
• President Mahmoud Abbas called on the European Union and its member states not to deal with any Israeli government that does not recognize the two-state solution on the basis of international legitimacy and signed agreements and does not renounce violence and terrorism.(November 30, 2022).For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemns the ongoing violations the Israeli forces and colonial militia are committing against the Palestinian people in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, at the instigation of Ben Gvir and Smotrich. Also, the PFM condemns the unjust siege and abuses against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity (December 1, 2022). For further details, click here
• The US State Department has warned of the Netanyahu-Smotrich deal that completes the creeping annexation of the West Bank, stressing the real dangers it poses. (December 2, 2022). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Presidency confirmed that the Israeli occupation’s cold-blooded execution of young man AmmarMufleh in the town of Hawara, south of Nablus, is a horrific act in a long line of crimes against the Palestinian people. (December 2, 2022). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Prime Minister urged the UN to present to the Security Council a Middle East peace initiative and to employ the presence of UN institutions in border areas to hinder attacks by the occupation army and its settlers. (December 2, 2022). For further details, click here
• The Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the United Nations emphasised the need for international protection for the Palestinian people in letters to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, citing a series of field executions and ongoing crimes against them. (December 3, 2022).For further details, click here

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

• An agreement between Likud and OtzmaYehudit on the roles of the far-right party in the new government would see Itamar Ben Gvir in the newly established office of National Security Minister, which includes control of the national police and border police in the West Bank.  (November 27, 2022). For further details, click here
• Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu granted far-right leader BezalelSmotrich extensive powers over Israeli settlements and Palestinian construction in the West Bank as part of a coalition agreement signed between the two parties. (December 2, 2022). For further details, click here

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

• Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has denounced Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Palestinian land, as well as the murders of brothers Jawad and ThaferRimawi and MufidEkhlil. (November 29, 2022). For further details, click here
• In a letter to the chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the King of Jordan emphasized that the Palestinian struggle has been and will continue to be the major concern in the area. He believes that the right to self-determination belongs to every person, is protected by the United Nations, and cannot be denied to Palestinians. (November 29, 2022). For further details, click here
• On the International Day of Solidarity with Palestine, the UN affirms the rights of Palestinians to self-determination and the right of refugees to return to their homes.(November 29, 2022). For further details, click here
• On the International Day of Solidarity with Palestine, the Arab Parliament affirms its support of Palestinians retaining their legitimate and inalienable rights.(November 30, 2022). For further details, click here
• The League of Arab States condemned the Israeli escalatory campaign in the West Bank and warned against the consequences of targeting and killing Palestinians in cold blood. It calls on the international community to protect Palestinian civilians.(November 30, 2022).For further details, click here
• The UN General Assembly adopts four resolutions concerning Palestine, including the commemoration of the Palestinian catastrophe (Nakba), the Palestinian-related information program, and the condemnation of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’smurder .(November 30, 2022).For further details, click here
• In its fourth water conference, the League of Arab States stated, “We call on the international community to compel Israel to stop violating Palestinian water resources.”.(November 30, 2022). For further details, click here
• The French Foreign Ministry expressed deep concern about the multiple clashes that erupted on November 29 in various areas of the West Bank, killing five Palestinians and urged Israeli authorities to stop its acts of violence against Palestinians.  (December 2, 2022).For further details, click here
• According to two UN experts, Israel’s deportation of Palestinian-French human rights activist Salah Hammouri may amount to a war crime. (December2, 2022).For further details, click here
• Tor Wiensland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, condemned the killing of a Palestinian in Huwwara, south of Nablus, and called for an immediate and proper investigation, emphasising the importance of holding those responsible accountable.  (December 3, 2022). For further details, click here
• The European Union demanded an investigation into Israel’s use of lethal force against Palestinian civilians, citing the example of the recent killing of ten Palestinians in 72 hours. (December 3, 2022). For further details, click here
• The European Union condemned Israel’s deportation of Jerusalemite Salah Hammouri, a Palestinian-French lawyer and human rights defender whose Jerusalem residency had been revoked. (December 3, 2022).For further details, click here

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• Scholar John Quigley publishes a book titled: “Britain and its Mandate Over Palestine: Legal Chicanery on a World Stage.” (September, 2022). To find out more, click
• Researcher Richard McAlexander publishes a new article titled: “How do International Borders affect conflict processes? Evidence from the end of Mandate Palestine.” (October 18, 2022). To find out more, click

Publications of human rights NGOs

•  198 Palestinian and international organization sent an open letter to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan calling on him to publically condemn and call for the rescinding of Israel’s designations of Palestinian CSOs as “terrorist organizations.” They asked him to urgently expedite the investigation into the Israeli military attack on Gaza in 2022 and crimes of apartheid as well as arrange an urgent visit to the occupied Palestinian territories (November 28, 2022). For further details, click here
• Al-Mezan Centre for Human Rights condemns the Israeli Navi’s arrest of six Palestinian fishermen from Gaza and calls on the international community to expedite their intervention in order to release them based on compliance with legal commitments (November 28, 2022). For further details, click here 
• The BDS Arabic: Qatari, Tunisian, Moroccan, and Saudi audiences announce their zero tolerance policy of normalization with Israel, and decide to make use of all forums to highlight the Palestinian cause (November 28, 2022). For further details, click here 
• On the international Day of Solidarity with Palestinians, the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights called on the international community to end Israel’s settler-colonial occupation and guarantee the right of Palestinians to self-determination (November 29, 2022). For further details, click here  
• The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemned the killing of 3 Palestinian civilians, including 2 brothers, and the injury of two other children shot by the occupation forces in the West Bank. It called on the international community to expedite its intervention and end double standards while applying international law (November 29, 2022). For further details, click here
• General Amnesty said that solidarity with Palestinians means ending all support for the apartheid regime (November 29, 2022). For further details, click here
• Al-Haq Foundation launches a prominent joint Palestinian report entitled “Israeli Apartheid: Tool of Zionist Settler Colonialism,” which aims to expand the current international discourse on apartheid. (November 29, 2022). For further details, click here
• Amnesty International said that the deportation of French-Palestinian human rights defender Salah Hammouri, who has had his Jerusalem residency status revoked, amounts to a war crime. (December 2, 2022). For further details, click here

Upcoming human rights opportunities and events:

• The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development will organize a symposium entitled “International Protection for the Palestinian People.”)December 9, 2022.(.For more details, click here
• Al-Haq announces its invitation to those interested to attend a side event at the twenty-first session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties, entitled “Countering the Global Crackdown on Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society: What Role for the ICC and States Parties?”. For further details, click here
• The “Don’t Buy Into Occupation” coalition has announced a joint symposium on “Exposing the financial flows into colonization” with 24 Palestinian and international organizations. For further details, click here
• The Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development announced its international conference and annual workshop for the year 2022 of the global network concerned with the Palestinian issue, entitled “Rethinking the Question of Palestine Policy Options in an Age of Transition”. For further details, click here