PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.167

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

12 – 18 March 2023

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Nermin Allawh, Sophia Alisaa

Translation: Sabrin Alsheikh Ahmed and Ahmad Staitia
Editing: Rachel Marandett

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 MOFAE condemned the continuous Israeli threats to expel and displace Palestinian citizens from Masafer Yatta and other areas. The Ministry further called on the UN Security Council to halt the violations of the Israeli occupation and implement the resolutions of international legitimacy.
• During a meeting with the U.S Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs, the Palestinian PM called on pressuring Israel to halt its unilateral measures and abide by the signed agreements. On another occasion, the PM called on Italy to take the initiative and recognize the State of Palestine.
• The Palestinian National Council announced its unequivocal rejection of electing Israel in one of the International Parliament Committees “Counter-Terrorism Committee”. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• The head of the National Library of Palestine, Issa Qaraqe, calls on the international community to provide protection for the existing Palestinian cultural heritage and to return what was stolen from it. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the cancellation of the so-called “Disengagement Law” and warned of deepening settlements. It also called on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to put an end to tampering and vandalism in the conflict arena. (March 14, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Prime Minister: The killings and terrorization carried out by the occupation would not have continued with the presence of accountability. (March 16, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the massacre committed by the occupation in Jenin. The Ministry considered it an official Israeli attempt to escalate the conflict and to undermine the opportunity to achieve calm. (March 16, 2023). For further details, click here

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

• The Knesset plenum approved a scaled-back bill in the West Bank and Gaza by a majority of 40 Knesset members and 17 opponents. The bill cancels the disengagement law of the settlements of Ganim, Kadim, Homesh, and Sanur which were disengaged in 2005 as part of efforts aiming at legalizing random settlement outposts in the North of the Occupied West Bank. (March 10, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Administrative Affairs Court in Be’er Sheva approved the state’s request to extend the solitary confinement of prisoner Ahmad Manasra by six months despite his severe mental condition. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• Israel’s Foreign Ministry is trying to prevent the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell from visiting Israel, after criticism he leveled at Israel. (March 15, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Defense Minister rejected a request to release four Jewish settlers, under administrative detention, despite the fact 50 ministers and deputy ministers signed a letter demanding they be freed. (March 15, 2023). For further details, click here

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

• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the cold-blooded murder of three Palestinians in their vehicles by Israeli fire near the city of Nablus. It also called for the formation of an international commission of inquiry into such Israeli crimes. (March 12, 2023). For further details, click here
• 17 representatives of Diplomatic missions visit Palestinian families under imminent threat of forced eviction from Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah and call on Israeli authorities to reverse the decisions on the intended evictions. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory will hold a second series of public hearings from 20 to 24 March 2023, in Geneva. This will focus on the shrinking space for civil society in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• The EU High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell stressed the EU commitment to the two-state solution and reaffirmed that settlements are illegal under international law and their expansion must stop, as well as demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes. (March 14, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Tunisian FM confirmed his country’s firm and supportive position on the cause of the Palestinian people, to restore their legitimate rights and to establish an independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. (March 14, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned the latest aggression against the city of Jenin and stressed the importance of de-escalation and cessation of campaigns against the Palestinian people. (March 16, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Arabic Parliament calls for de-escalation of violations against the Palestinian people and warns of the consequences of this escalation. (March 17, 2023). For further details, click here
• European Union Delegation to the Palestinians calls for a prompt and transparent investigation and to practice utmost restraint against using lethal force. (March 17, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Committee of Six considers launching global action to support the rights of the Palestinian people and end the occupation. (March 17, 2023). For further details, click here

Publications of human rights NGOs:

• After accusations of anti-Semitism against Professor Nathan Thrall, who teaches a class on the apartheid regime in “Israel-Palestine” at the American Bard College: “Academia for Equality” considers the accusations another attempt to conflate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism and to reduce critical dealings with Israeli policies and to prevent solidarity with the Palestinians on American university campuses.(March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• Human Rights Watch submits a memorandum to the UN Committee on the rights of persons with disabilities regarding the compliance by Palestinian and Israeli authorities with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• The Palestinian Boycott National Committee (BNC) condemned the MBC Group’s signing of an agreement between its platform “Shahid” and the Israeli telecommunications company “Partner”. The BNC demanded MBC to withdraw from the agreement immediately and called for a boycott of the “Shahid” platform until it retracts its normalization activities.(March 15, 2023). For further details, click here
• Adalah: The Israeli court’s decision to extend the solitary confinement of Palestinian prisoner Ahmed Manasra for another six months demonstrates a clear intention to indefinitely continue this measure, which is classified as torture under international law. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here
• Adalah Center: The Israeli Prime Minister’s decision authorizing the Ministry of the Negev and Galilee to promote the “legalization” of settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank deepens the de facto annexation and constitutes a crime of aggression under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. (March 14, 2023). For further details, click here
• BADIL submitted its report to the Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, to inform her upcoming global study on the impact of counter-terrorism measures on civil society and civic space. (March 15, 2023). For further details, click here
• Amnesty International and Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN): Hyundai must take immediate action to prevent its products from being implicated in demolitions and war crimes in Masafer Yatta. (March 16, 2023). For further details, click here

Opinion Pieces and features

• The US Politico Journal published an article for researcher Eve Geddie entitled “EU needs to understand the realities in the West Bank”. (March 13, 2023). For further details, click here

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• Researcher Smadar Ben-Natan published a research article titled: “The One Carceral State: Mass Incarceration and Carceral Citizenship in Israel/Palestine”. To find out more, click here

Human rights conferences and events:

• The Jordanian parliament adopted a campaign entitled “For the sake of Palestine” that aims to push for world recognition of the state of Palestine as a full member of the UN and to support the cause of the Palestinian people.(March 15, 2023). For further details, click here
• Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) shared a podcast episode titled “The Cost of a Palestine Caveat: Biden Admin Chooses Politics Over Human Rights Expertise”. Their discussion explores the Biden Administration’s pitiful profile on Palestinian human rights, and an optimistic take on where the Democratic Party might be headed. For further details, click here