PALESTINE’S LEGAL SCENE – Issue. 287

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

29 June – 5 July 2025

Issued every Sunday by Law for Palestine

Prepared by: Razwan Issa, Nour Kharouf, Murad Abu Murad, Ahmad Al-Rjoub

Translation: Asma Louzon and Mays Abu Atwan

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.

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

• The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the international community to uphold its responsibilities under international law and relevant UN resolutions by putting an end to the violence carried out by settlers against unarmed Palestinian civilians. In a statement, the Ministry stressed the urgent need for concrete deterrent measures to stop the attacks and to address the terrorist elements operating in coordination with the occupying forces. It also voiced deep concern over recent notices issued by Israeli authorities to confiscate hundreds of dunams in Masafer Yatta, denouncing the move as a dangerous escalation in settlement activity aimed at displacing the area’s original inhabitants. (June 29, 2025)
• The Palestinian Presidency has condemned Israeli ministerial calls to impose so-called Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank. It reiterated its complete rejection of these declarations, asserting that they contradict international law and legitimacy, both of which underscore the urgent need to end the occupation. (July 2, 2025)
• The Jerusalem Governorate has warned of a serious and systematic escalation targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque, stating that the attacks have become increasingly aggressive and organized. According to the Governorate, these actions are being led by extremist Temple groups with official backing from the Israeli government and its security forces. (July 3, 2025)

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

• The Israeli army has acknowledged killing and injuring Palestinian civilians near aid distribution sites in Gaza, including through artillery fire. It claimed that live ammunition was used only in response to perceived threats, such as individuals approaching outside designated routes or operating hours, incidents that reportedly resulted in casualties. (June 30, 2025)
• Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that he would oppose “with all his heart” any agreement that involves ending the war in Gaza. He said he had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and does not believe Netanyahu is moving in that direction. Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir asserted that he would not allow Hamas to remain in power in Gaza in exchange for expanding the Abraham Accords, stressing the need to “solve the Gaza problem” by encouraging emigration. (June 30, 2025)
• Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has recommended that the Interior Ministry impose entry bans on 50 individuals and five human rights organizations from 17 countries. This marks the first implementation of a newly expanded entry ban law, which now includes those who “accuse IDF soldiers of war crimes or promote claims of genocide and apartheid.” (June 30, 2025)
• Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin affirmed that “the time has come to annex the West Bank” and to apply Israeli sovereignty over it. He emphasized that his position is firm and clear, stating that the issue should be a top priority and describing annexation as a “realistic and possible” step. (July 2, 2025)
• The Israeli High Court of Justice has issued an interim injunction freezing mass demolition orders in the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The court gave the state until September 2 to respond to a petition filed by Adalah on behalf of 11 residents and their families, calling for the cancellation of demolition orders targeting 104 civilian buildings, housing approximately 400 residential units and around 2,000 Palestinian refugees. Adalah stressed that the demolitions constitute forcible transfer and represent a grave violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, particularly given the lack of any genuine legal remedy for those affected. (July 3, 2025)

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

• French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that France is determined to recognize the State of Palestine, describing the loss of Palestinian lives in Gaza during food distribution as a disgrace and an affront to human dignity. He affirmed that France and Europe are ready to help ensure the delivery of food in Gaza. (June 28, 2025)
• Egyptian Foreign Minister and Minister of Migration Badr Abdelatty stressed the need to expand efforts toward international recognition of Palestine and the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling it the only viable path to lasting peace, security, and stability in the region. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also reaffirmed that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without the creation of an independent Palestinian state. (June 29–30, 2025)
• During a session of the UN Security Council, UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari stated that the expansion of Israeli settlements is fueling rising violence in the occupied territories. He condemned the use of collective punishment against Palestinians and denounced the ongoing violence in the West Bank. Khiari also called on Israel to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. (June 30, 2025)
• The UK Supreme Court has supported the British government’s decision to export parts for F-35 aircraft to Israel, rejecting a legal challenge brought by the Palestinian Al-Haq organization and other human rights groups. The court ruled that it lacked jurisdiction in the matter, stating that it pertains to national security and international defense cooperation, which falls within the executive’s authority rather than the judiciary’s. (June 30, 2025)
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the escalating acts of genocide, starvation, and destruction committed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza, describing the massacres as extensions of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The OIC also warned against the organized terrorism being carried out by extremist settlers in the West Bank. (June 30, 2025)
• United Nations experts have urged the United Kingdom not to designate the group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, raising concerns over what they described as the “unjustified” classification of a political protest movement. The experts noted that under international standards, acts of protest that cause property damage without intent to harm individuals should not be considered terrorism. They warned that banning the group could criminalize membership and support, potentially leading to 14-year prison sentences, and would endanger fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly, while undermining human rights advocacy related to Palestine. (July 1, 2025)
• James Risch, Republican chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a strong warning accusing Ireland of harboring anti-Semitism. He threatened possible economic repercussions if the Irish government moves forward with new legislation targeting Israeli trade, specifically referencing a proposed ban on settlement goods. (July 1, 2025)
• The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned of continued civilian casualties in Gaza, where residents are struggling to access food amid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis caused by months of blockade. The agency criticized the new Israeli-American aid mechanism, describing it as having effectively turned Gaza into a “death field.” (July 1, 2025)
• In light of its latest report, the US Mission to the United Nations has reiterated its “grave concern” over the continued tenure of Francesca Albanese as the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967. The mission called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to denounce her actions and advocate for her removal, warning that failure to do so would require decisive action. (July 1, 2025)
• The Swiss Federal Department of the Interior announced that the federal government has decided to dissolve the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ASF) confirmed that the foundation lost its legal connection to Switzerland after abandoning its address and legal representative in Geneva, without taking steps to rectify the situation. (July 2, 2025)
• The UK Parliament has adopted an amendment to the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organizations Order) 2025, officially adding Palestine Action to the list of proscribed groups, labeling it as “concerned with terrorism.” The amendment passed with the support of 385 MPs, while 26 voted against. (July 2, 2025)
• Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israeli statements calling for the imposition of sovereignty over the occupied West Bank, the latest of which was by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin, in violation of international law. The Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC, and the Arab Parliament also condemned these statements. (July 2, 2025)
• France has condemned the Israeli airstrike on a densely populated area in central Gaza, which killed two NGO workers on June 26. The French government called for a swift investigation into the circumstances of the attack and for those responsible to be held accountable. (July 2, 2025)
• On the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, Brazilian parliament member Padre Guado emphasized the historical rights of the Palestinian people to return. He urged the Brazilian government to reconsider trade and diplomatic ties with Israel. (July 2, 2025)
• Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, presented a new report to the Human Rights Council titled “From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide.” The report argues that a global corporate apparatus is sustaining Israel’s settler-colonial project of displacement and replacement of Palestinians in the occupied territory. It states that companies across multiple countries are deeply involved in supporting the occupation and apartheid, thereby making ongoing violations financially viable. The report includes an extensive list of companies that directly or indirectly enable this system. Albanese remarked, “This report makes clear why Israeli genocide continues: because it is lucrative for many”. (July 3, 2025)
• The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, Simon Harris, has announced a €4 million funding package to support children in Palestine. The package includes €3 million for education, €700,000 for organizations working in the field of human rights, and €300,000 to support public services and vulnerable families. (July 3, 2025)
• A Spanish citizen aboard the humanitarian vessel Madleen, has filed a criminal complaint with Spain’s National Court following the Israeli navy’s interception of the ship in international waters. (July 5, 2025)

Publications of human rights NGOs:

• More than 170 humanitarian and human rights organizations, including Oxfam, have called for an end to Israel’s distribution scheme in Gaza, including the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. They urged a return to the existing UN-led coordination mechanisms and the lifting of the blockade on aid and commercial supplies. The organizations warned against the continued normalization of suffering in Gaza. (June 30, 2025)
• In response to the UK Supreme Court ruling in the case brought by Al-Haq and others against the UK government over its continued licensing of F-35 parts into the global supply chain reaching Israel (a case the Court did not uphold), Al-Haq stated that the ruling raises serious questions over who government is accountable to in matters of international law. (June 30, 2025)
• The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organizations have filed a civil party complaint before the War Crimes Unit of the Paris Tribunal against two French-Israeli soldiers, Sasha A. and Gabriel B., on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Gaza. The complaint concerns their involvement in summary executions as part of an Israeli sniper unit referred to as the “Ghost Unit.” The case is based on documented evidence, victim testimonies, and open-source investigations. FIDH emphasized that France is legally obligated to prosecute its nationals implicated in international crimes. Similar complaints are expected to be filed soon in Italy and other European countries. (July 1, 2025)
• DAWN has criticized a new Israeli directive that bans its employees, along with staff from other respected human rights and legal advocacy organizations, from entering Israel. The organization described the measure as an attempt to punish and suppress efforts to hold Israel accountable for war crimes, apartheid, and genocide. DAWN Executive Director Sarah Leah Whitson called the decision the latest sign of Israel’s growing isolation within the international community. (July 1, 2025)
• An investigative report by Drop Site has revealed that the UK’s Labour government secretly permitted Israeli military planes involved in the bombing of Gaza to land at RAF Brize Norton in Britain, despite previous promises to review arms exports to Israel. The investigation documented at least three landings of KC-707 “Re’em” aerial refueling aircraft, which are used to support Israeli F-35 fighter jets, during the plumbing of Gaza on nine occasions between September 2024 and June 2025. One of the planes was tracked flying over Gaza at the time of a bombing in Beit Lahiya that killed 73 civilians. (July 1, 2025)
• The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has affirmed that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) are committing a fully-fledged crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip, marked by forced displacement, mass killings, and the systematic destruction of cities. PCHR described these actions as part of a broader plan to demographically depopulate the Strip. (July 1, 2025)
• Diakonia published a paper titled “Q&A: Legal Issues Surrounding Aid Delivery to Gaza”. (July 1, 2025)
• The Guardian has reported that the Israeli military used a U.S.-made MK-82 bomb, weighing 230 kg, in an airstrike that hit the Al-Baqa family café overlooking the Gaza City seafront. The attack killed between 24 and 36 civilians and injured dozens more. The café had not been issued an evacuation order, raising concerns that the strike may constitute a war crime. (July 2, 2025)
• World Vision released a report titled “The Unseen Crisis: Childhoods Shaped by Conflict and Poverty in the West Bank,” highlighting the deep and lasting impact of occupation, violence, and poverty on Palestinian children. The report details widespread denial of access to education, healthcare, and basic protections. (July 2, 2025)
• The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has warned that the systematic destruction of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip is a key manifestation of the crime of genocide. The center emphasized that denying patients access to treatment, destroying hospitals, blocking fuel entry, and allowing disease to spread are part of a deliberate policy aimed at eroding Palestinian existence. (July 2, 2025)
• The Associated Press has published a report revealing that American contractors guarding aid distribution sites in Gaza have been using live ammunition, stun grenades, and pepper spray to disperse Palestinians, based on eyewitness accounts and video evidence. Two contractors expressed concern over what they described as dangerous and irresponsible practices, noting that they had filed complaints. They added that many security personnel appeared unqualified and operated with virtually no oversight. (July 3, 2025)
• The Palestinian NGO Network has renewed its strong condemnation of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s decision to designate Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association as a “terrorist” organization. The network called on the Palestinian Authority and relevant institutions to take immediate action to overturn the designation. (July 3, 2025)
• SOMO stated that the latest report by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese presents groundbreaking findings on the role of the private sector in the commission of international crimes in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). The report highlights the involvement of arms manufacturers, tech companies, extractive industries, and agribusinesses in sustaining the occupation. SOMO called on national authorities to investigate and urged the use of anti-money laundering legislation to confront this systemic pattern of impunity. (July 3, 2025)

Research and academic studies (in Arabic and English):

• Sage Journals published a research paper by Arturo Ezquerro and others titled: “Israel–Palestine: Unresolved group trauma is an obstacle for peace” . (2025)
• Malmö University published the bachelor’s thesis by Maya E. Grünenberg-Kebbell titled: “The Question of Genocide in Gaza A legal analysis of the events in the Gaza Strip post-2023”. (2025)
• KIU Interdisciplinary Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences published a research paper by Godswill Owoche Antai titled: “THE POLITICS IN ENFORCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW: ISRAEL-GAZA IN PERSPECTIVE” . (2025)

Opinion Pieces and features:

• EJIL:Talk! published an article by Enzo Cannizzaro titled “A Humanitarian Action by the UN General Assembly in Gaza?”. (June 17, 2025)
• EJIL:Talk! published an article by Michelle Burgis-Kasthala titled “The Gaza Tribunal in Sarajevo: Globalising Genocide Accountability and Activism”. (June 27, 2025)
• Haaretz published an article by David Issacharoff titled: “Israeli Settler Violence in the West Bank: Inside a Parallel Universe of Impunity”. (June 29, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an opinion article by John Klopotowsky titled: “Denying the genocides of the past enables those who carry out the genocides of today”. (June 29, 2025)
• Al Jazeera published an opinion piece by Taqwa Ahmad Al-Wawi titled: “In Gaza, the Israelis are staging Hunger Games”. (June 29, 2025)
• EJIL:Talk! published an article by Christiane Ahlborn and Inji Mammadli titled “Protecting Gaza’s Marine Environment in Armed Conflict: Shared or Exclusive International Responsibility?” . (June 30, 2025)
• Al-Araby Al-Jadeed published an opinion piece by Daoud Kuttab titled: “Europe’s Aid to the Palestinians”. (June 30, 2025)
• Haaretz published an editorial titled: “Quiet, West Bank Pogrom in Progress”. (June 30, 2025)
• Haaretz published an opinion article by Anton Goodman titled: “How Israel’s Violent West Bank Settlers Place Minors in the Line of Fire”. (June 30, 2025)
• Declassified UK published an article by John McEVOY titled : “UK withheld evidence from court in Israel arms export case”. (June 30, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an op-ed by Aaron Kreuter titled : “1,500 Israeli soldiers will attend Jewish summer camps in North America this year, we must oppose this normalization of genocide”. (June 30, 2025)
• Al Jazeera published an opinion piece by Andrea Teti titled: “By sacrificing Palestine, Europe betrays itself ”. (July 1, 2025)
• 972 MAGAZINE published an op-ed by Dikla Taylor-Sheinman titled: “It comes with the territory’: How Israel’s archaeologists legitimize annexation”. (July 1, 2025)
• Middle East Eye published an op-ed by Jonathan Cook titled: “The real crimes are taking place in Gaza, not at Glastonbury or Brize Norton”. (July 2, 2025)
• Mondoweiss published an opinion piece by Mohammed Hisham Hurani titled: “Israel is trying to expel us from Masafer Yatta. We refuse to leave our homes”. (July 2, 2025)
• Haaretz published an article by Ofri Ilany titled: “Will Israelis Ever Reckon With Gaza’s Devastation?”. (July 3, 2025)
• Trouthout published an article by Stephen Brager and Common dreams titled “Latest Potential Israeli War Crime in Gaza Used US-Supplied 500-Pound Bomb”. (July 3, 2025)
• Palestine Chronicle published an opinion piece by Iqbal Jassat titled: “Impunity and Defiance: Has Slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza Become ‘Normalized’?”. (July 3, 2025)
• The Irish Times published an opinion piece by Niall McCann titled “Why is the United Nations not doing more to stop the starvation in Gaza?”. (July 3, 2025)
• Lalit published an opinion article by Lindsey Collen titled “Some Ideas on the Law of War or International Humanitarian Law”. (July 4, 2025)

Legal Achievements/Impacts for Palestine:

• The Executive Committee of the International Sociological Association (ISA) has decided to suspend the collective membership of the Israeli Sociological Society (ISS) due to its failure to take a clear stance condemning the situation in Gaza. The ISA reaffirmed that, in line with its public position against the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, it maintains no institutional ties with Israeli public institutions. (June 29, 2025)
• The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, has announced the blacklisting of several companies supplying the Israeli occupation army, citing their involvement in providing weapons used in the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip. The fund stated that its decision was based on a United Nations report warning that such supply chains could expose companies to the risk of complicity in war crimes. In addition, KLP and the KLP Funds announced the exclusion of Oshkosh Corporation (USA) and ThyssenKrupp (Germany) from their investment portfolios for supplying weapons used by the Israeli military in Gaza. (June 30, 2025)

Human rights conferences and events:

• More than 400 media and arts figures, including 111 journalists from the BBC, have signed a letter calling on the corporation’s board to dismiss Robbie Gibb, a board member and member of the Editorial Standards Committee, citing a “conflict of interest” in the BBC’s coverage of Palestinian issues. The signatories highlighted Gibb’s close ties to The Jewish Chronicle and argued that editorial decisions related to Palestine are marked by “ambiguity” and “censorship.” The letter also referenced the BBC’s decision to cancel the broadcast of its own documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack as evidence of the corporation’s failure to maintain neutrality in its reporting on Israel. (July 2, 2025)
• Psychotherapists and researchers have issued an open letter calling for a boycott of the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR), accusing it of complicity in Israel’s occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Palestine. The letter stated that SPR whitewashes Israel’s crimes by promoting research from Israeli universities structurally embedded in the settler-colonial system. It also noted that nearly 25% of the association’s recent annual conference program was allocated to Israeli contributions. (July 3, 2025)

Upcoming human rights opportunities and events:

• The organization Global Jews for Palestine has announced an upcoming event titled “We Will Not Be Silenced: Embracing Palestinian Liberation and Building Anti-Zionist Jewish Community,” scheduled to take place online on Thursday, July 24, 2025. The event aims to amplify a global Jewish voice in support of Palestinian rights and will feature speakers from Jewish organizations based in Canada, Germany, Argentina, and New Zealand. (2025)