PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE –Issue.256

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

24 – 30 Nov . 2024

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Arwa Abdel Moniam, Kamal Abdulkarim

 Translation: Mays Abu Atwan and Ferdous Abdul Hamid

Editing: Haneen Shaath

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.

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

• On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Palestine National Council issued a statement condemning the systematic crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian women. It called for urgent international action to provide the necessary protection for Palestinian women. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates emphasized that ending the illegal Israeli occupation is fundamental to eliminating violence against Palestinian women, stressing their right to legal protection from genocidal crimes. The ministry called on international committees to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the forms of violence practiced against Palestinian women. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society stated that the occupation forces have arrested more than 435 women since the start of the genocidal war, in the West Bank and the 1948 occupied territories, while the number of detainees from the Gaza Strip remains unknown. (November 24-25, 2024)
• During his participation in the 16th session of the Arab Ministerial Water Council, Palestinian Water Authority Chairman Ziad Mimi emphasized the necessity of international and Arab support to provide water to the people of Gaza in light of Israeli crimes that use water as a weapon against civilians. He noted that the Israeli occupation has suspended basic services, including water, as a form of collective punishment. (November 27, 2024)
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the mass killings committed by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip over the past 420 days, including the most recent massacre in Beit Lahia. It also denounced the attacks and incursions by occupation forces into Palestinian cities and camps, as well as the settler terrorism supported by the Israeli government. The Ministry called on the international community to take bold and immediate action to end the war and the ongoing acts of genocide. (November 29, 2024)
• The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society warned of the escalating systematic crimes against thousands of prisoners and detainees in Israeli occupation prisons and camps, including torture, starvation, deprivation, medical neglect, and sexual assaults. It stressed that prisoners and detainees are facing another form of genocide. The Society noted that 45 prisoners have died since the start of the war on Gaza and emphasized the need to hold the leaders of the occupation accountable. (November 29, 2024)

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

• The Israeli government decided to impose sanctions on Haaretz newspaper, including cutting all ties and pulling advertising, due to its publisher Amos Schocken’s statement, in which he criticized the Israeli government and expressed support for the Palestinian freedom fighters, whom the Israeli government labels as (November 24, 2024)
• The Israeli Cabinet unanimously approved the appointment of Yechiel Leiter as Israel’s new ambassador to the United States. Leiter is an activist in the settlement movement and was previously Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff during his time as finance minister. He is known for his opposition to the Oslo Accords and his support for the annexation of the West Bank. (November 24, 2024)
• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that Israel should occupy Gaza and “encourage” half of the Strip’s 2.2 million Palestinians to emigrate within two years, stressing that “it won’t cost too much money,” and that “occupying Gaza is not a dirty word.” He noted that the success of this plan in Gaza would allow its application in the West Bank, where approximately 3 million Palestinians live. Smotrich considered that the “voluntary migration” is the only way to defeat Hamas, with the possibility of Israel taking over the administration Palestinian civil affairs. (November 26, 2024)
• The Israeli Defense Ministry announced that it started carrying out work to establish a fence along the entire border with Jordan to prevent infiltrations into the country. (November 26, 2024)
• The Israeli Knesset approved in a preliminary reading an amendment to a law that aims to expand the criteria for disqualifying Arab candidates from municipal elections if they show support, either through statements or actions, for an armed action by an enemy state or terrorist organisation against Israel. (November 27, 2024)

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

• The Council of the Arab League held a meeting on garnering international support to confront Israeli measures, condemning the crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and continuous violations against UN institutions by Israel. The council also denounced the US veto for the fourth time in the Security Council against a draft resolution calling for a permanent, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, calling on the US administration to review its biased policies towards Israel. It welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants against the Prime Minister of the Israeli occupation and former Defense Minister, and called for an emergency session in the Security Council forcing Israel to put a halt to its violent practices. (November 24, 2024)
• Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed that his country respects the ICC’s decisions and will arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant if they visit Colombia. He also noted that Colombia faced pressure from lobbying groups, especially the banking lobby, and was accused of anti-Semitism after severing its relations with Israel, pointing out that Palestinians and Arabs are Semites. (November 23, 2024)
• The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stated that 2024 was the deadliest year ever for humanitarian  aid workers, with 281 aid workers killed this year so far. UNRWA noted that the war in Gaza has driven the surge in casualties, with at least 333 humanitarian personnel killed since October 7, 2023. The majority of the victims were UNRWA staff members, numbering at least 247. The Agency called for a ceasefire. (November 24, 2024)
• EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on EU member states to comply with the ICC’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant. He flatly dismissed Israel’s assertion that the court’s decision was ‘anti-Semitic’, stressing the need to respect international legal obligations by all Member States. (November 24, 2024)
• The spokesperson for the ICC, Fadi El Abdallah, confirmed that the arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant represent the beginning of the preliminary phase of the case. He clarified that trials are not conducted in absentia. He also stated that the ICC Prosecutor continues to explore additional avenues that could lead to new arrest warrant requests, emphasizing the Prosecutor’s rejection of external pressures and the Office’s commitment to conducting independent and impartial investigations. He added that opening an ICC office in the Middle East, similar to its office in Ukraine, depends on practical developments in the case. (November 25, 2024)
• UNRWA stated that the people in Gaza face a constant risk of drought and disease as a result of the water wells stopping working due to the lack of fuel that prevents them from working. The Agency warned that this fuel shortage prevents the operations of water wells, leaving about 70,000 people in the besieged north of Gaza struggling to obtain clean water. (November 25, 2024)
• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock confirmed during a meeting of G7 foreign ministers that Germany is working hard to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, noting that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is “disastrous”. She further explained that current efforts are focused on ensuring that more humanitarian aid supplies reach the suffering population. (November 25, 2024)
• British foreign minister David Lammy stated that if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the UK, Britain would follow due process. He emphasized, “We are signatories to the Rome Statute, we have always been committed to our obligations under international law and international humanitarian law.” (November 26, 2024) 
• UNRWA spokesperson in Gaza, Louise Wateridge, said that the situation in the Gaza Strip is as worse as it’s ever been, with residents suffering from severe food shortages, with a bag of flour costing over US $200, as well as an inability to access clean water. She noted that relentless bombing continue exacerbating the suffering of the population day after day and hour after hour. (November 25, 2024)
• During the Special Session of the UNESCO Executive Board, UNRWA Director of Education Julia Decum stated that education for Palestinian refugees in the occupied Palestinian territories is facing a severe crisis, particularly in Gaza, where schools have been closed for an entire year. She emphasized that UNRWA, in collaboration with UNESCO, is making strenuous efforts to sustain education despite the dire conditions, including famine and health crises. Decum called on member states to support the recommendations of the Colonna Report to enhance education programs and uphold the educational rights of Palestinian children. Meanwhile, the European Union reaffirmed its continuous support for UNRWA and its vital role in providing essential humanitarian services to Palestinian refugees wherever they are. The EU condemned any attempt to undermine the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA or obstruct the agency’s ability to carry out its mandate. (November 25, 2024)
• UN experts called on the Israeli authorities to facilitate without further delay the medical evacuation of Al Jazeera journalist Fadi Al-Wahidi, who was critically injured while covering the conflict in Gaza. The experts stressed that “Al-Wahidi has the right to receive urgent medical care and Israel has an obligation under international law to facilitate that right.” They considered that the denial of medical evacuation or delays in approving requests seem to be part of the overall pattern of persecution against journalists. (November 25, 2024)
• In his brief to the Security Council, the Deputy Coordinator for the United Nations Middle East Peace Process, Muhannad Hadi, warned that “if the forces seeking to undermine the two-State solution are successful, the collapse of the relevant principles and institutional structures will have a ripple effect that could spread far beyond the Middle East.” He called on the international community to create the enabling conditions for a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  (November 25, 2024)
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned the ongoing attacks on the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, where there are still 65 adult patients with injuries, 13 child patients, and eight patients in the intensive care unit.
He stressed that the attacks on the hospital “must stop immediately,” and safe passage for a humanitarian mission must be ensured, calling for an immediate ceasefire. (November 25, 2024)
• On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) called on the international community to take decisive action to end the Israeli occupation, hold perpetrators accountable, achieve justice for the victims, and support the long-overdue legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The Committee’s Chair and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations, Ambassador Cheikh Niang, emphasized that continuing to deprive the Palestinian people of their rights is a betrayal of the principles of humanity and justice. He also noted that the ongoing suffering in Gaza has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe since World War II. (November 26, 2024)
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that the United Nations attempted 41 humanitarian missions to reach Palestinians in the besieged areas of northern Gaza with life-saving assistance this month, but Israeli authorities blocked 37 of the attempts. The four missions that were approved, were impeded on the ground and accomplished only partially. UN Deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said that parts of northern Gaza have been besieged for more than 50 days and that civilians in the area are being subjected to intense bombardment. (November 27, 2024)
• UN human rights’ experts urged full compliance with the arrest warrants issued by the ICC regarding the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the situation in Palestine. The experts expressed that this decision “marks a historic step towards justice and accountability, offering hope for ending decades of impunity for long-standing serious violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).” They also emphasized that “the protracted lack of accountability, especially of the State of Israel, has been an enabling factor to the increasing and untenable violence in the region, affecting the lives and futures of both Palestinians and Israelis.” (November 26, 2024)
• King Abdullah II of Jordan and King Mohammed VI of Morocco sent letters to the Chair of the CEIRPP on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. In their letters, they emphasized the need for unified international efforts to enhance the humanitarian response to the situation in Gaza, ensure an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and call on the international community to restore stability and enable Palestinians to attain their legitimate rights. (November 26, 2024)
• The foreign ministers of the G7 issued a statement emphasizing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. They expressed support for the implementation of UNSC resolution 2735 (2024) and President Biden’s plan for achieving a ceasefire, releasing hostages, increasing the flow of humanitarian assistance, and securing a pathway to a two-state solution. The statement underscored support for UNRWA to ensure aid reaches the most vulnerable groups, condemned settler violence in the West Bank, and called for an end to settlement expansion and actions undermining the two-state solution. It also highlighted the importance of unifying the West Bank and Gaza under the Palestinian Authority. (November 26, 2024)
• During the G7 ministerial meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the Arab League stated that the Secretary-General stressed that Israel is not above the law and must be held accountable. He welcomed the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. He emphasized that the only way for the international community to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza is to adopt stronger measures against Israel, including an arms embargo, to pressure it to end the massacres. (November 26, 2024)
• During its 220th session, UNESCO’s Executive Board adopted resolutions condemning the significant civilian losses resulting from the armed conflict in Gaza, including the targeting of educational, cultural, media infrastructure, and cultural heritage sites. The Board expressed regret over the ongoing Israeli violations, such as excavations and illegal projects in East Jerusalem. It reiterated its request to appoint a permanent UNESCO representative in East Jerusalem to ensure regular reporting. It also emphasized the urgent need to dispatch a reactive monitoring mission to the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls. The Board also adopted, during its 8th extraordinary session, a resolution supporting the continuation of educational activities provided by UNRWA in the occupied Palestinian territories. It condemned recent Israeli legislation that threatens UNRWA’s operations. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the resolution, stating that it reflects a commitment to protecting the educational rights of Palestinian refugees in the face of Israel’s attempts to undermine these rights. The Ministry called on countries that did not support the resolution, such as the United States, to reconsider their positions. (November 25–26, 2024)
• The UNRWA Commissioner-General stated that winter in Gaza is exacerbating the humanitarian tragedy, as people have been constantly displaced to escape death for over 14 months. He highlighted the severe shortages of safe shelters, blankets, warm clothing, and heating, leading people to burn plastic to stay warm and resulting in increased fatalities among the most vulnerable. He stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire and a standard flow of basic supplies. (November 26, 2024)
• UNRWA Director of Communications Juliette Touma confirmed that the “reports circulating in some media that UNRWA is evacuating its premises in occupied East Jerusalem are grossly inaccurate.” She also stressed that “UNRWA maintains its operations in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem and in the Gaza Strip for the benefit of Palestine Refugees.” (November 26, 2024)
• Speaking on behalf of EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, expressed the European Union’s concern over Israeli laws that hinder UNRWA’s work. She warned of the impact these laws could have on the provision of education and health services to more than one million people. Ferreira reiterated that there is no alternative to UNRWA and called on Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue carrying out its crucial work in line with its mandate adopted by the UN General Assembly. She also called for strengthened efforts to protect the two-state solution, noting an upcoming meeting of the Global Alliance in Brussels to support the solution. (November 26, 2024)
• During a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, Italy expressed that there are “many doubts” about the ICC arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying it is not feasible to arrest him as long as he remained in charge of the government. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who tried to forge a common G7 position on the issue, said that clarity was needed on whether high state officials had immunity from the arrest while performing their official duties. (November 26, 2024)
• Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, expressed his shock at the unbearable plight of Palestinian civilians trapped in North Gaza. He noted that the situation in the north is witnessing harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction. Dujarric stated that “repeated efforts to deliver humanitarian supplies essential to survive – food, medicine and shelter – continue to be denied by the Israeli authorities, with few exceptions, putting countless lives in peril.” He also added that the postponement of the final phase of the polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is putting the lives of thousands of children at risk. (November 27, 2024)
• France announced it will comply with its international obligations under the Rome Statute, which demands full cooperation with the ICC and also stipulates that a State cannot be required to act inconsistently with its obligations under international law concerning the immunities of States not party to the ICC. France noted that these immunities apply to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the other ministers concerned and stated that it will take them into account if the ICC requests their arrest and surrender. (November 27, 2024)
• UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that the ongoing military operation in northern Gaza for the past seven weeks has uprooted 130,000 people. He mentioned that there are around 50,000 pregnant women and 4,000 deliveries expected next month across Gaza. He highlighted that with weakened immune systems, pregnant and breastfeeding women struggle to survive amid piles of rubbish and sewage. Lazzarini called for an immediate ceasefire and the need to ensure a standard and regular flow of supplies including lifesaving hygiene material. (November 28, 2024)
• The World Food Programme (WFP) announced the closure of all bakeries in central Gaza due to a severe shortage of supplies. It emphasized that bread often served as the sole source of food for families in Gaza, but even this option is now unavailable. The program called for ensuring the urgent delivery of essential humanitarian aid to Gaza. (November 27, 2024)
• MP Sarah Champion, Chair of the International Development Committee in the British Parliament, sent a letter to the UK Foreign Secretary expressing concern about the impact of Israeli Knesset laws banning UNRWA. She highlighted that such measures could constitute violations of several international humanitarian laws and the Geneva Conventions, including the UN Charter, and could disrupt the provision of essential humanitarian services in the occupied Palestinian territories. Champion urged the UK government to provide an assessment of the impact of these laws and to take appropriate measures to ensure compliance with international law and the continuation of basic services for Palestinians in the event this ban is implemented. (November 27, 2024)
• During the meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated that “it is the moment” to implement this solution. He added that while some people avoid discussing implementation despite supporting the idea, Israeli society is currently suffering from the impact of internal colonization by violent extremists, posing a threat to Israeli democracy. Borrell emphasized the importance of making the establishment of a Palestinian state a tangible goal through financial, political, and practical contributions from the international community. (November 28, 2024)
• A joint statement was issued at the 4th edition of the Jordanian-Cypriot-Greek trilateral summit, in which the leaders expressed their condemnation of the ongoing violence and the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza, as well as the high number of civilian casualties. They also reaffirmed their rejection of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians and reiterated their support for the two-state solution. (November 28, 2024)
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories reported that between 19 and 25 November, Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians in the West Bank, including one child. The office highlighted a significant increase in severe human rights violations over the past months and noted that attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have tripled during the olive harvest season. (November 28, 2024)
• The spokesperson for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stated that 2,500 children in the Gaza Strip are in urgent need of medical travel permits, noting that 30% of children in the Strip are suffering from severe malnutrition. He also reported that 95% of the schools being used as shelters for displaced persons in Gaza have been completely destroyed. He emphasized that the continued closure of crossings is subjecting children to what he described as a slow death. (November 28, 2024)
• British Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated before the Foreign Affairs Committee in the British Parliament that the UK’s recognition of the State of Palestine could be linked to a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel. He expressed hope that such an agreement could pave the way for achieving a two-state solution. Lammy added that the United Kingdom supports the two-state solution and emphasized that there is no room for Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories in violation of international law. (November 28, 2024)
• Based on the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the illegal situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, more than 60 members of the British Parliament have sent a letter to the UK Foreign Secretary, urging the government to impose sanctions on Israel to pressure it to cease its violations of international law. They emphasized that the British government has a legal and moral obligation to take effective action. (November 28, 2024)
• On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed the UN’s full solidarity with the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights to live in peace, security, and dignity. He emphasized that “nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini also highlighted the plight of Palestinian refugees and stressed the urgent need for a just political solution. (November 29, 2024)
• On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reaffirmed his full support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders. Tunisia, Qatar, and the Arab Parliament also emphasized the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, the need to end the occupation, and to hold those responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people accountable. Tunisia stressed that the crime of aggression and the seizure of land is a violation of international law and its jus cogens. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed India’s ongoing support for the Palestinian people. (November 26–29, 2024)
• Ajith Sunghay, Director of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, stated that the risk of death from hunger, disease, or bombardment has become a harsh reality. He added that the United Nations is unable to deliver any humanitarian aid to northern Gaza due to repeated obstacles or outright refusal by Israeli authorities to allow aid convoys through. Sunghay emphasized the urgent need for substantial humanitarian assistance to be allowed entry. (November 29, 2024)
• Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed that there could be options for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the Netherlands without being arrested, despite the ICC arrest warrant against him. He clarified that there are scenarios within the Netherlands’ duties towards the ICC in which Netanyahu would not be arrested, depending on the reason for his visit. (November 29, 2024)
• S Senator Lindsey Graham stated that President-elect Trump wants to see a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza before he assumes office on January 20. He confirmed that “Trump is more determined than ever to release the hostages and supports a ceasefire,” urging the current U.S. administration to work together during the transition period to achieve this goal. (November 29, 2024)

Publications of human rights NGOs:

• Haaretz released a report revealing the widespread destruction of the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, which is believed to be the largest camp in the Strip. Satellite photos showed that the refugee camp has become uninhabitable, with thousands of homes and essential infrastructure either destroyed or severely damaged. Schools, medical centres, water and electricity facilities, as well as UNRWA-run centers, were also destroyed. Local sources reported that hundreds, possibly thousands, of victims have been buried under the rubble. (November 24, 2024)
• The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reported that, despite the arrest warrants issued by the ICC, Israeli forces have escalated their deliberate attacks on medical personnel and health facilities in Gaza, targeting Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya. The center called on the international community to take decisive action to end Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, lift the siege, ensure the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, provide essential medical equipment to the destroyed hospitals, and ensure the release of arbitrarily detained medical staff. (November 24, 2024)
• Haaretz reported that a quarter of Palestinian prisoners in Israel have been infected with scabies in recent months. The report stated that in response to a petition filed by human rights organizations, the Prison Service admitted that the scabies outbreak resulted in some prisoners’ meetings with their lawyers being cancelled and court hearings being postponed . (November 25, 2024)
• The World Council of Churches (WCC) expressed its deep concern over the ongoing and widespread Israeli attacks on civilians and infrastructure in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law. (November 25, 2024)
• On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and with the launch of the United Nations initiative of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a statement addressing the suffering of women in Gaza, who face the risk of arbitrary detention, and gender-based physical and psychological abuses. The statement also highlighted that at least 11,979 women have been killed in Gaza during over a year of relentless Israeli military attacks. (November 25, 2024)
• On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the International Commission to Support Palestinians rights (ICSPR) urged the international community to work diligently to compel the Israeli  occupation government to halt its crimes against Palestinian women, provide them with protection, and hold those responsible for these crimes accountable. (November 25, 2024)
• Badil – Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights released an action plan to face Israeli crimes, calling for states, UN bodies, international organizations, and companies to take effective measures against the Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip. The plan includes imposing comprehensive sanctions on Israel, including banning arms sales and technologies that contribute to improving Israeli military capabilities, and criminalising companies that collaborate with the occupation. The plan also called for freezing financial assets related to the Israeli government and associated entities, and halting any political or economic support for Israel. (November 2024)
• Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action) called for a unified ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza, criticizingS. complicity in undermining peace. (November 26, 2024)
• An updated research by a coalition of European and Palestinian organisations has revealed the involvement of European financial institutions with companies complicit in the annexation of Palestinian land. The research found that 822 European financial institutions provided $211 billion in loans and underwriting and $182 billion in stocks and bonds to 58 companies. (November 26, 2024)
• group of Palestinian plaintiffs has filed a legal complaint against the major German media publishing group “Axel Springer S.E.” for violating German law on corporate due diligence obligations. The complaint accuses Axel Springer S.E. of contributing to land grabbing and human rights abuses in Palestine through its Israeli subsidiary, which manages the classified ads platform “Yad2.” (November 27, 2024)
• Save the Children published a report titled “Missing Futures: The Urgent Need To Protect Gaza’s Children & Safeguard Their Futures.” The organization called for international accountability mechanisms to investigate potential war crimes and ensure the protection of civilians. (November 28, 2024)
• The Cradle published a report stating that Israel is considering a “pilot program” to replace the Israeli army with US private security firms, such as “Constellis” and “Orbis,” to accompany food and medicine convoys for Palestinians in northern Gaza, aiming to prevent Hamas or other groups from taking over the aid trucks. The report noted that the program faces legal difficulties related to the definition of occupation based on international law, with discussions about its potential funding from external sources. The report also revealed Israeli-German cooperation to recruit asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Libya, and Syria as mercenaries, amid Israel’s recruitment crisis. (November 28, 2024)

Opinion Pieces and features:

• Haaretz published an article titled “Israel’s New Defense Chief Has Decided: It’s Officially Apartheid.” (November 24, 2024)
• Al Jazeera published an opinion piece by Patrick Gathara titled “The West, the ICC, and ‘mtu wetu’ in Israel.” (November 24, 2024)
• The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies published a situation assessment titled “Implications of the ICC Arrest Warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.” (November 25, 2024)
• The Nation published an article by Adam Johnson and Othman Ali titled “How the US Media Helped the Biden Administration Distance Itself From the Horrors of Gaza.” (November 25, 2024)
• The Guardian published an opinion piece by Omar Barghouti titled “The UN has failed us on Gaza. We need to decolonize and radically reform it.” (November 25, 2024)
• Mondoweiss published an opinion piece by Abdaljawad Omar titled “The ICC warrants: Palestinian skepticism and the glimpse of justice.” (November 25, 2024)
• Policy Exchange published a report titled “The International Criminal Court Act 2001 and State or Diplomatic Immunity – The Case of the Prime Minister of Israel.” (November 25, 2024)
• The Guardian published an opinion piece by Kenneth Roth titled “The ICC arrest warrants for top Israeli officials are a step toward justice.” (November 26, 2024)
• Haaretz published an opinion piece by Chris Gunness titled “Israel Scored an Own Goal by Banning UNRWA.” (November 26, 2024)
• Al Jazeera published an opinion piece by Christopher Gunness titled “Israel’s UNRWA ban is a spectacular own goal.” (November 26, 2024)
• Truthout published an analytical article by Marjorie Cohn titled “US Response to ICC Netanyahu Warrant Could Deal Death Blow to International Law.” (November 26, 2024)
• The Guardian published an article titled “The Guardian view on the Lebanon ceasefire: a lasting regional peace must go through Gaza.” (November 27, 2024)
• The New Arab published an opinion piece by Sara Troian titled “The decolonisation of Palestine requires international law to exorcise its colonial demons.” (November 29, 2024)
• Middle East Eye published an opinion piece by Mandy Turner titled “How Palestinian popular resistance became a global movement.” (November 29, 2024)

Legal Achievements/Impacts for Palestine:

• The Oxford Union voted by a majority of 278 to 59 in favor of a motion declaring that Israel is an “apartheid state responsible for genocide.” The Union’s president denounced Israel’s war on Gaza as a “holocaust.” (November 29, 20204)
• The Advocate General of the Dutch Supreme Court has issued a recommendation to uphold the ruling of the Court of Appeal in The Hague, which obliges the Dutch state to halt the export of F-35 aircraft components to Israel. The Advocate General affirmed that there is a clear risk of these aircraft being used in serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, requiring the Dutch government, under international law, to prohibit the export of military goods in such circumstances. The Supreme Court is expected to issue its final decision on the matter. (November 29, 2024)

Human rights conferences and events:

• On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate launched the campaign “#Women_Journalists_in_Wartime” to shed light on the injustice and violations that Palestinian female journalists are subjected to by the Israeli occupation. (November 24, 2024)
• During a media symposium on a study prepared by journalist Ahmed Fayyad titled “More than a year after the war, the eyes of the international media have not seen Gaza,” the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the continued Israeli occupation’s prevention of foreign and Arab journalists from entering Gaza to cover the genocide. The Syndicate called for the formation of an international coalition to protect journalists and ensure access of media professionals to Gaza. (November 24, 2024)
• The Palestine-Global Mental Health Network, in cooperation with international partners, launched an international petition demanding that world governments hold Israel accountable in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (November 2024)
• Union Juive Française pour la paix/The French Jewish Union for Peace (UJFP) and a French-Palestinian woman, whose 13 family members are in Gaza, filed a first-of-its-kind complaint in France accusing Israeli-French individuals of complicity in genocide and incitement to commit genocide in Gaza before the ICC in Paris. The complaint is based on actions of Israelis-French related to the blockade of humanitarian aid. (November 28, 2024)
• Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) participated in Palestinian solidarity event in the UK Parliament, highlighting how the Question of Palestine was “made in” Britain. The event pointed out that successive British governments have never acknowledged responsibility for the injustices inflicted to the Palestinian People. It also focused on addressing the Palestinian struggle for justice, the significant role of civil society in driving accountability, and the issue of protecting Palestinian refugees amid Israel’s ban on UNRWA. (November 29, 2024)

Upcoming human rights opportunities and activities:

• The Foreign Affairs Committee in the UK Parliament has called for written evidence regarding the role of the United Kingdom and its international partners in achieving a ceasefire and establishing a lasting peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The deadline for submitting the evidence is set for December 31, 2024. The key areas of focus include how to achieve a ceasefire in collaboration with partners, what can be learned from the record of UK Government policies, and how can the UK ensure the resilience of efforts to bring about lasting peace amid international changes. (November 2024)