PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Issue. 283

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

1 – 7 June 2025

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

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

Translation: Mays Abu Atwan and Maisaa Abdelqader

Editing: Widad Hussein

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 Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the Committee on the Application of Standards’ decision at the International Labour Conference to upgrade Palestine’s status within the International Labour Organization, from a “national liberation movement” to an “observer state.” The ministry urged countries that voted against the decision to reconsider their positions and uphold international law. (June 3, 2025)
• The Palestinian National Council condemned the massacre carried out by Israeli forces through the bombing of Al-Hanawi School west of Khan Younis, as well as the massacre of the Khader family in Jabalia Camp using internationally prohibited missiles. They described these acts as international crimes aimed at erasing the Palestinian people and called for urgent international protection. (June 4–7, 2025)
• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the organized attacks and crimes committed by settlers against citizens, their land, and properties, particularly the recent arson incidents in Deir Debwan and Burqin, and the assault on the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem. They stressed that the continued use of the U.S. veto to block international consensus in the Security Council endangers efforts to stop genocidal crimes and undermines global initiatives for calm and peace. (June 4–7, 2025)

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

• Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced new evacuation orders in Khan Younis Governorate and issued a warning to residents who have returned or plan to return to the areas of Beit Lahia, Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and surrounding neighborhoods. He stated that these areas are considered dangerous combat zones, where the Israeli army is operating with very intense force. (June 2/4, 2025)
• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees the country’s banking system, called for changes to policies that he said marginalize Israeli customers living in the West Bank and subject them to the consequences of European sanctions imposed over their support for settlement projects. He urged legal action against these sanctions and threatened to introduce legislation requiring banks to pay substantial compensation to affected customers. (June 5, 2025)
• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced that he has instructed authorities to begin laying the groundwork for applying Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and the Jordan Valley. He said this move would fundamentally transform the settlement landscape and confirmed that the settlements administration would develop a concrete plan to implement sovereignty. Smotrich stated they would not stop until the area achieved full legal status and is formally integrated into the State of Israel. (June 5, 2025)

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

• S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated that the United States will not participate in the international conference on the two-state solution, describing that It’s incredibly inappropriate in the midst of a war that is being waged by Israel. He suggested that if France is truly determined to see the establishment of a Palestinian state, it should “carve out a part of the French Riviera and create a Palestinian state.” (May 31, 2025)
• Italian President Sergio Mattarella emphasized that “the refusal to apply humanitarian law to the population of Gaza is unacceptable,” calling for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of the Strip to humanitarian aid. He said it is inhumane to starve an entire population, from children to the elderly, and warned that undermining Palestinian Authority territories poses a real threat to the future of the two-state solution. He affirmed that Palestinians have “the right to their homeland within recognized borders.” (June 1, 2025)
• UNRWA confirmed that aid distribution in Gaza has become a death trap, explaining that the Israeli-American plan forced thousands of desperate people to walk long distances to a distribution point in the far south of Rafah—an area nearly destroyed by Israeli bombing. The agency stressed that aid delivery and distribution must be carried out safely and at scale, which can only be achieved in Gaza through the United Nations, including UNRWA. It called on Israel to lift the blockade and allow the unrestricted entry and distribution of humanitarian aid. UNRWA also urged that international media be granted access to Gaza to independently report the truth, amid ongoing disinformation campaigns and atrocities. (June 1, 2025)
• British MP Shaukat Adam stated that Palestinians are being starved and shot while trying to reach food, while the UK government offers nothing but hollow words, continues to supply F-35 parts for bombing Gaza, and sends a trade envoy for talks. He described this as clear complicity and called for an immediate end to arms sales and what he referred to as political hypocrisy. (June 1, 2025)
• The State of Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt announced that they are continuing intensive efforts to bridge differences and resolve key points of contention in order to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, based on a proposal from U.S. President’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. The two countries are also working to quickly secure a 60-day temporary truce that would pave the way for a permanent ceasefire. (June 1, 2025)
• The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremist settlers, calling the actions provocative, unacceptable, and a blatant violation of international law and the established legal and historical status quo in Jerusalem. The ministry stressed that Israel holds no sovereignty over the Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. (June 2, 2025)
• The foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and affirmed their rejection of any attempts to displace the Strip’s residents. They also emphasized the importance of the Cairo “Palestine Summit” statement, particularly its call for deploying international protection and peacekeeping forces in Gaza and the West Bank. (June 2, 2025)
• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his shock over reports of Palestinians being killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza, stressing that it is unacceptable for Palestinians to have to risk their lives for food. He called for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable. (June 2, 2025)
• UN experts called for safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship, which is carrying medical aid, food supplies, and children’s items to Gaza. They affirmed the right of Gaza’s population to receive aid through their territorial waters, and the ship’s right to free navigation in international waters under international law. The experts also urged the UN General Assembly to authorize the deployment of peacekeeping forces to escort humanitarian convoys under the “Uniting for Peace” resolution. (June 2, 2025)
• Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced his support for the Spanish government’s proposal to impose a ban on arms sales to Israel in order to prevent the continued killing of children. He also called for a ban on the import of products produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. (June 2, 2025)
• World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the Noura Dialysis Center in northern Gaza has been reduced to rubble. He warned that the destruction of the facility puts the lives of kidney failure patients at immediate risk. He renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire and for the urgent protection of all health facilities and healthcare workers. (June 3, 2025)
• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated that deadly attacks on Palestinian civilians near aid distribution sites in Gaza, operated by the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” constitute a grave breach of international law and a war crime. He explained that Palestinians are facing a horrific choice: starve to death or risk being killed while trying to access food aid, which is distributed under an Israeli military system that violates international standards. (June 3, 2025)
• On the 58th anniversary of the June 5, 1967 setback, the Arab Parliament called on the international community and the Security Council to take urgent and immediate action to stop the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip, provide international protection for the Palestinian people, and support their struggle to establish an independent state. The League of Arab States also affirmed that the repercussions of Israeli aggression continue to worsen through colonial expansionist policies and serious violations of international law and the UN Charter. It called for the implementation of United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as well as the advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice. (June 4, 2025)
• The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said the world is witnessing horrifying scenes of Palestinians in Gaza being shot, wounded, or killed simply while trying to eat. He stressed that this is the result of a series of deliberate choices that have systematically deprived two million people of the essentials needed to survive. He emphasized that these are not isolated incidents and called for perpetrators to be held accountable, he urged the opening of all crossings, the lifting of aid restrictions, and the implementation of a ceasefire. (June 4, 2025)
• The Security Council failed to adopt a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid due to a veto by the United States, despite 14 members voting in favor. The resolution called for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the removal of all restrictions on humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The U.S. representative defended the veto, saying the resolution was “unacceptable for what it says, what it does not say, and the manner in which it was advanced,” arguing that it threatened Israel’s security and would reward Hamas. (June 4, 2025)
• The UK Permanent Representative to the UN stated that the Israeli government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and to severely restrict aid are unjustifiable, disproportionate, and counterproductive. He added that Israel’s new aid system is inhumane. (June 4, 2025)
• The U.S. Department of State announced sanctions under Executive Order 14203 against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing their “direct engagement” in efforts to investigate or prosecute American or Israeli citizens without the consent of the United States or Israel. The move reflects the U.S. position that such actions by the ICC are illegitimate. (June 5, 2025)
• The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including a Slovenian judge. Slovenia reaffirmed its opposition to any attempts to pressure judicial institutions or interfere with the independence of the courts. (June 5, 2025)
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute expressed deep dismay and concern over the new U.S. sanctions targeting four ICC judges. They condemned the move as a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial body operating with the mandate of 125 member states. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also warned that targeting judges for carrying out their legal duties stands in direct contradiction to the principles of the rule of law and equality before the law. (June 5–6, 2025)
• Belgium, together with Slovenia, called for the activation of the EU’s “Protection Law” in response to recent U.S. sanctions targeting judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), meaning the sanctions would not be enforced within Europe. The European Commission announced that it is monitoring the impact of the sanctions and may consider additional measures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa reaffirmed the EU’s full support for the ICC and the importance of safeguarding it from external pressure. (June 6, 2025)
• The International Labour Conference adopted a resolution on Palestine’s status within the International Labour Organization (ILO), granting it rights to participate in meetings. The resolution ended Palestine’s designation as a liberation movement and recognized it as a non-member observer state. Palestine will now have the right to sit among member states, be included on the speakers’ list, and submit statements, proposals, and amendments. Members of the Palestinian delegation may also be elected as rapporteurs in general sessions and committees. (June 6, 2025)
• UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated that Israeli authorities have banned international journalists from entering Gaza since the beginning of the war, an unprecedented measure in any conflict in modern history. He emphasized that this ban amounts to a ban on the truth and stressed the urgent need to lift the restrictions on international media. (June 6, 2025)
• Ynet News reported that two French diplomats confirmed to Israeli officials that France does not intend to recognize a Palestinian state during the upcoming international conference on June 17, which aims to support the two-state solution. A French diplomatic official clarified, “France’s position has been consistent and leaves no room for speculation: we are determined to recognize the State of Palestine. Such a decision shall be taken on a bilateral basis.” (June 6, 2025)
• European Council President António Costa warned that a new review of the EU–Israel Association Agreement may uncover violations of Israel’s human rights obligations under international law, leading to calls for concrete actions such as potential downgrades in trade relations and increased pressure from EU member states. Costa described the situation in Gaza as “completely unacceptable” and noted that the EU’s diplomatic service is currently assessing Israel’s compliance with international law, with negative findings expected. (June 6, 2025)

Publications of human rights NGOs

• Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) announced that dozens of Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured on June 1 while waiting for aid in Rafah and near the Nitzarim crossing. The organization described the newly introduced aid distribution system as inhumane and ineffective, leading to avoidable casualties. It stressed that humanitarian aid must be delivered solely through competent and independent humanitarian organizations. MSF warned that using aid as a weapon could amount to a crime against humanity and reiterated its call for a permanent ceasefire. (June 1, 2025)
• Kareem Jubran, Director of Field Research at the human rights organization B’Tselem, stated that the situation in the West Bank is deteriorating daily due to escalating violence by Israeli occupation forces and settler militias. He described this as part of an apartheid policy aimed at expanding ethnic cleansing and forcibly displacing Palestinians, particularly in Area C. (June 2, 2025)
• Amnesty International called for an immediate and independent investigation into the “horrific” incident in Rafah, where Israeli forces opened fire on starving Palestinians as they attempted to access food at a military-run distribution site operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The organization described the massacre as a grim reminder of the “flour massacres” of February and March 2024—a deadly pattern that must not continue. Amnesty urged states to reject Israel’s weaponized aid plan and to take concrete steps to end the genocide, including halting arms transfers to Israel. (June 2, 2025)
• Save the Children expressed shock at the situation in Gaza, stating that “there is nothing humanitarian about what we are seeing.” The organization emphasized that corralling and fencing in civilians in a single area is extremely dangerous and stressed that humanitarian aid must never be used as a means of control. Instead, it must be delivered safely, impartially, and based on need. (June 3, 2025)
• Human Rights Watch stated that gunning down people whom you are deliberately starving as they desperately search for food “shocks the conscience.” The organization urged all states to act urgently, including by imposing sanctions and an arms embargo, to pressure Israel to stop “exterminating Palestinians.” (June 3, 2025)
• The University of Geneva expressed deep indignation over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling on all parties, especially the Israeli government, to uphold human rights and international humanitarian law. The university underscored the urgent need to grant victims in Gaza unrestricted access to food and healthcare to preserve their lives. (June 3, 2025)
• J Street expressed deep concern over continued reports of chaos, shootings, and fatalities near aid distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The organization warned that Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to be using humanitarian aid as a tool to further displace and transfer civilian populations. (June 3, 2025)
• Ir Amim reported that Israeli authorities have advanced a major new settlement plan, known as “Plan No. 1181593,” for the Menachem Begin Government Complex on the northern edge of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The plan includes the construction of 1,500 housing units over 120 dunams, covering the area of the national police headquarters and several government ministries. (June 3, 2025)
• The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned the deadly attacks on civilians, including journalists, in the Gaza Strip over the past year and a half. The EFJ stated that the Israeli army has carried out an unprecedented massacre of journalists in Gaza, with nearly 200 journalists and media workers killed. The federation called on journalists worldwide to demand clear answers from political leaders about what steps they will take to end the killings in Gaza. (June 3, 2025)
• Gisha, Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, condemned the targeting of civilians at humanitarian aid distribution sites in Gaza as both unacceptable and foreseeable. The organization stated that the mechanism established by Israel and the United States compels civilians to enter areas where armed forces are present, putting them at serious risk of being subjected to lethal force. (June 4, 2025)
• Internal documents obtained by the Shomrim network reveal that the American security company Safe Reach Solutions, which is responsible for securing the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, is also conducting military intelligence operations. These activities include operating checkpoints and analyzing visual data from cameras, drones, and satellites to identify Hamas elements and militants, using intelligence information provided by the Israeli army. (June 5, 2025)
• The Palestinian National Boycott Committee has urged all Palestinian and Arab civil society organizations to boycott the “Paris Call” conference organized by the Paris Peace Forum on June 13, arguing that participation contradicts the anti-normalization principles upheld by the overwhelming majority of Palestinian society. (June 4, 2025)
• Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), stated that the International Labour Conference’s decision to recognize Palestine as an observer marks a long-overdue acknowledgment of the Palestinian people’s right to be heard and to participate in decisions affecting their lives and work. He called on all countries to recognize the State of Palestine, stressing that this recognition must now be followed by urgent international action to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. (June 7, 2025)
• The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) submitted two urgent petitions to the administrative courts of Frankfurt and Berlin, calling on German authorities to halt military shipments scheduled to depart from Frankfurt Airport to Israel. The action seeks to prevent Germany from becoming complicit in acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, apartheid, and war crimes being committed in Gaza. (June 7, 2025)

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• The Journal of East Asia and International Law published a research paper by Murad Abu Murad and others titled: “The Illegal Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Territories: An Overview based on the ICJ Advisory Opinion of July 19, 2024” (2025)
• The Jurnal Kajian Ilmu Hukum dan Syariah published a research paper by researcher Robert Home and Muhammad Siddiq Ermia titled: “Decolonising in Israel/Palestine: An Approach to the Legal History of the Middle East.” (2025)

Opinion Pieces and features

• The Palestine Chronicle published an article by Mohamed Al-Mukhtar titled: “Gaza: Bureaucratizing Genocide, Administering Hunger through Aid .” (June 1, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an opinion piece by Mansoor Malik and Salman Majid titled: “Whither Medical Ethics?: The failure of the U.S. medical establishment on Gaza .” (June 1, 2025)
• Haaretz published an opinion piece by Gideon Levy titled: “Shocked by Israelis Beating an Arab Driver, Yet Oblivious to IDF’s War Crimes in Gaza” (June 1, 2025)
• Arab News published an opinion piece by Ramzy Baroud titled: “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation a smokescreen for control.” (June 2, 2025)
• The Guardian published an opinion piece by Martin Konečný titled “The EU faces a moment of truth. Will it follow through on trade sanctions on Israel – or slide into irrelevance?” ( June 2, 2025)
• Financial Times published an op-ed by Martin Sandbu titled : “It’s in Europe’s interest to put sanctions on Israel.” ( June 2, 2025)
• Declassified UK published Jonathan Cook titled: “Why is the UK sheltering Israel’s genocide-inciting ambassador?” (June 4,2025)

Legal Achievements/Impacts for Palestine

• The Board of Trustees at Trinity College Dublin voted to cut all ties with Israeli universities and companies headquartered in Israel. This includes ending investments, commercial relationships, academic and research collaborations, and suspending Erasmus student exchange agreements with Israeli universities. Additionally, the University of Geneva announced the termination of its partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Queen’s University Belfast also confirmed that it no longer invests in Israeli companies, has no research memoranda of understanding with Israeli institutions, and does not operate any student exchange programs with Israel. (June 4–6, 2025)

Human rights conferences and events

• Fifty-six former Swiss diplomats issued strong criticism of Switzerland’s “silence and inaction” regarding the war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. They called for immediate measures against Israel, including the suspension of military, scientific, and academic cooperation that contributes to violations of international law. (June 1, 2025)
• The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) submitted an urgent legal briefing to Members of the UK Parliament titled: “Weaponizing Aid: An Urgent Legal Briefing to Parliament on Israel’s Crimes in Gaza.” (June 3, 2025)