On 2 July 2018, Human Rights Now gave an oral statement on the recent violence in Gaza at the 38th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. In the statement, we strongly protested the disproportionate use of force by Israel’s IDF against protesters in Gaza, requested the HRC to pass a resolution calling for accountability, and called for Israel to respect the rights of Palestinians and to lift its blockade of Gaza.
The video and transcript of the statement are available below.
The full text of the statement can be downloaded here.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Since March, the IDF has met mass Palestinian demonstrations in Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territory, with disproportionate force including live fire, killing over 100 and injuring more than 12,000, including renewed violence and air strikes last week. This is the worst scale of human rights violations since the 2014 operation.
The use of firearms by the IDF against demonstrators armed with only kites or balloons is patently disproportionate and violates Israel’s duties to respect the rights to life and peaceful assembly. It may also violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and constitute crimes under the Rome Statute.
Mr. President,
HRN strongly protests these actions and calls on Israel’s government to cease and prevent disproportionate use of force against protestors and to investigate all incidents resulting in death or injury of Palestinian protesters. The international community should no longer tolerate multiple violations of international law committed by Israel authorities. The Israel government ignores most Council resolutions and has failed to implement the 2009 Fact Finding Mission and 2014 Commission of Inquiry recommendations to respect the fundamental human rights Palestinians. HRN requests the Council to adopt a resolution to end impunity and ensure accountability over these gross human rights violations and strongly demands Israel lift Gaza’s blockade.