Amnesty International has welcomed the recent report by UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing Balakrishnan Rajagopal, which recognized that Israel is committing apartheid against the Palestinians.
At the UN General Assembly yesterday, Special Rapporteur Balakrishnan Rajagopal presented a report on housing rights worldwide which states that the Israeli system of racial oppression and discrimination that has led to the destruction of Palestinian homes “is nothing short of apartheid”.
The report comes amid an escalation in attacks on Palestinians and their property across the occupied West Bank by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers. It also comes amid an Israeli siege on the city of Nablus and surrounding villages since 12 October, which has severely disrupted the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
“Israeli authorities’ domination and control of the Palestinian population, including through discriminatory land, planning and housing policies, is well documented, and extends to Palestinians wherever Israel has control over their rights,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
“There is growing recognition among human rights experts that Israel is committing apartheid, and the presentation of this report today could not be more timely. As well as the ongoing threat of forced eviction, demolition, and forcible transfer, there has recently been an alarming escalation in attacks on Palestinians in their homes and towns throughout the occupied West Bank.”
She added, “Military incursions, closures, state-backed settler attacks, home demolitions, and destruction of property are all manifestations of Israel’s apartheid system.”
In his report, the Special Rapporteur cites several examples of Israeli government laws and policies which are used to confiscate Palestinian land and property, such as the Absentee Property Law and land registration procedures.
Israeli occupation authorities also use the designation “firing zone” or “closed military zone” to confiscate Palestinian lands. Approximately 20% of the occupied West Bank has been designated as “firing zones”, and Palestinian presence is banned there without permission from the Israeli army, according to the report.
More than 175,000 people around the world have so far signed Amnesty International’s Demolish Apartheid Not Palestinian Homes petition, which calls on the Israeli government to immediately end home demolitions and forced evictions against Palestinians.
Source: Palestine News & Info Agency