Diplomatic Brief: Emboldening Full Annexation: Three Months Since Trump's Declaration on Jerusalem

• Date: 2018-03-07

Seven Palestinian human rights organizations (St. Yves- Catholic Center for Human Rights, Al-Haq, Badil, Community Action Center- Al Quds University, Jerusalem Legal Aid Center, CCPRJ and Addameer) held a diplomatic briefing entitled "Emboldening Full Annexation: Three Months Since Trump's Declaration on Jerusalem" on March 7th, 2018, at Yabous Cultural Center in Jerusalem.

 

The Briefing aimed at warning against the recent "bills marathon" at the Israeli parliament, which comes as a result of the US President Trump's declaration on Jerusalem as capital of Israel, contrary to the city's status under international law, a step which was interpreted by the Israeli government as a "green light" to accelerate its annexation plans.

 

The briefing addressed the alarming legaslative trends (newly-adopted laws and bills) which seek to fully annex occupied Palestinian territory and expadite the tranfer of Palestinians from Jerusalem.

The seven participating organizations, noting that the Israeli judicial system allows for unlawful policies and practices to take place with impunity and complete disregard of international law,  Accordingly, demanded that the international community immediately address Israeli violations, urging third states to:  

 

- Exert pressure on Israel‟s Minister of Interior to cease all current procedures of punitive residency revocation, put an end to the illegal demand of allegiance imposed on Palestinians from Jerusalem in order to keep their residency, and reinstate all revoked residency statuses.

- Exert pressure on the Israeli government to reject the newly proposed bill, which would allow for residency revocation on the ground of "breach of loyalty".

- Condemn Israeli policies aimed at forcibly transferring Palestinians in the OPT, specifically East Jerusalem.

- Cooperate with the ICC in its preliminary examination into the situation in Palestine - Respect obligations under the Geneva Conventions by:

 

o Activating universal jurisdiction mechanisms to provide effective penal sanctions, including prosecuting current and previous Ministers of Interior of Israel, and all others responsible for planning and executing the forcible transfer of Palestinians from East Jerusalem, before their own national courts;

 

o Take practical measures to stop providing assistance or support to Israel until it complies with its obligations under international law.