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What does World Humanitarian Day mean to the Palestinians?

Monday, 21 August 2017 13:08

State of Palestine

Palestine Liberation Organization

Negotiations Affairs Department

 World Humanitarian Day

What does World Humanitarian Day mean to the Palestinians?

 19 August 2017

 

Around  the  Globe,  people  are  caught  in  perpetuated  conflicts  caused  by  wars,  poverty, economic inequalities, political instability and others; causing millions of civilians to flee their homes and countries. Similarly, and since 1948 Palestinians continue  to endure persistent dispossession, fragmentation, and military occupation. This year, the United Nations launched a campaign that highlighted the situation of the Peoples under conflict like Palestine, demanding the international community to do everything in their ‘power to protect civilians in conflict’. According to the United Nations, since 2003 World Humanitarian Day  (WHD)  is  held  annually  on  August  19th to  ‘pay  tribute  to  aid workers who  risk  their  lives  in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world’. 

 

The Assassination of Count Bernadotte – UN’s First Mediator 

The UN  Mediator  in  Palestine,  Count  Folke  Bernadotte  was  appointed  by  the United Nations on 20th May 1948 in the context of the Palestine question. A devoted humanitarian worker, Count Bernadotte arrived in Palestine after having chaired the Swedish Red Cross, where he had heroically rescued over 20,000 people from the horrors  of  the Holocaust,  including  thousands  of  Jews. 

In September 1948, during  the Palestinian Nakba, he wrote several reports, one stated: 

“The  exodus  of  Palestinian  Arabs  resulted  from  panic  created  by  fighting  in  their community, by rumors concerning real or alleged acts of terrorism, or expulsion. It would be an offence against  the principles of elemental  justice  if  these  innocent victims of  the conflict were denied the right to return to their homes, while Jewish immigrants flow into Palestine,  and,  indeed,  at  least  offer  the  threat  of  permanent replacement of  the Arab refugees, who have been rooted in the land for centuries.” 

The last significant action taken by Count Bernadotte was to secure a truce during the 1948 War. But his life was ended when an Israeli  terrorist  group called the  ‘Stern Gang’, commanded by Yitzhak Shamir, who later became Israel’s Prime Minister, assassinated him  in  Jerusalem  on  September  17th  1948,  one day  after  Count  Bernadotte’s  report was  finalized.  Despite  his  assassination,  his  reports  served  as the  basis  for UNGA Resolution 194 (11th December 1948) reaffirming the right of return and reparations for Palestinian refugees. The impunity granted to Israel over the assassination of Count Bernadotte has marked decades of Israeli indiscriminate attacks against civilians and UN personnel.

 

Israel’s Disregard for its Responsibilities under International Humanitarian Law 

Israel systematically violates its obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL), including  the protection of the civilian population Israel occupies. Israel’s settlement industrial- complex, including its illegal settlements, annexation wall, movement restrictions, and settlement enterprise continue to violate Palestine’s sovereignty and the Palestinian right to self-determination, in contravention of the UN Charter and numerous UN resolutions on  the matter. 

Such Israeli policies have severely disturbed and hindered the invaluable humanitarian work conducted by the UN, international organizations, the European Union, civil society, and other States. This is not only the case in Gaza, which is under an illegal siege and occupation, but also  in and around Occupied East  Jerusalem where vulnerable populations in so-called Area C, equivalent to 61% of the Occupied West Bank reside. Aid workers suffer from constant harassment from Israeli occupying forces and illegal settlers. Over  the past  few  years  this  situation  has worsened with  an  increase  in  policies  of  forcible displacement, mainly through home demolitions and confiscation of humanitarian aid.

 

Israeli Attacks Against Palestine Refugees and UN Shelters in Lebanon 

When Israel   occupied   Lebanon   in   1982,   it   allowed   for   the   barbaric  massacre of thousands of Palestinian civilians in two refugee camps, Sabra and Shatila, administered by UNRWA (United Nations Relief  and Works Agency  for  Palestine Refugees  in  the Near East). This was  one  of  several  crimes committed by Israel during its  occupation  of  Lebanon.  In  1996,  Israeli  occupying  forces  deliberately attacked  a  UN  shelter  in  the  southern  Lebanon  locality  of  Qana’,  killing  106  civilians  under  UN protection and severely injuring another 116, including 4 UN Peacemakers. Israel was never  sanctioned for  any  of  its  crimes  against  civilians  committed  in  Lebanon.

 

Israeli Attacks against Gaza  

During its latest major attack on Gaza in 2014, Israel deliberately attacked Palestinian hospitals and UN infrastructure,  including  schools  that  were  being  used  as  shelters. In  almost  50  days  of  systematic attacks, Israel killed 2,145 Palestinians, including 581 children. In reference  to  the attacks on UN shelters, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon stated, “It is a matter of the utmost gravity that those who looked to them for protection and who  sought and were granted  shelter  there had  their hopes  and trust denied”.

Almost 70,000 civilian buildings in Gaza were either damaged partially or totally destroyed. Seventeen hospitals were damaged, 34 health clinics closed, 50 health clinics  were  damaged  and  16  ambulances came under attack. There were at  least 136 UNRWA schools that were damaged, including 3 massacres committed by Israeli bombardments of UN shelters. Though the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry concluded that there was evidence of war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, no action has been  taken since  then  to hold Israel accountable.

 

Incitement Against UN workers and Civil Society 

The Government of Israel continues to incite against the role of the United Nations, including personal attacks  and  smearing  campaigns  on UN  officials,  from UNRWA spokespeople  to  the Humanitarian Coordinator. Such attacks include, attempts to dismantle  UNRWA,  which  provides  humanitarian  aid and other services  to millions of Palestinian refugees, banning entrance of UN officials conducting fact-finding missions from entering the country, one being the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, among other UN officials. 

Such  smear  campaigns,  have  also  targeted  Palestinian,  Israeli,  and  international  civil society organizations  that work  in  the fields of humanitarian aid and human rights. Internationally recognized groups  such as Al Haq, Amnesty  International, B’Tselem, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam,  and  the World Council of Churches, have been targeted by such campaigns. In the context of such attacks, there are reported death threats against human rights defenders, in addition to the regular obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation to their work, including denials of entry into Occupied Palestine  and  confiscation of  humanitarian  aid.

 

Attacking Aid Workers with Full Impunity 

Israel’s utter disrespect for its obligations under international humanitarian law have been consistent with the culture of  impunity  it has been granted by  the  international community. Since  the assassination of Count Bernadotte in 1948, Israeli attacks against civilian populations under occupation and aid workers have only increased. Incitement against  the humanitarian work of  these organizations are a staple of Israeli diplomacy and policies. 

Despite  its systematic and ongoing violations of  the UN Charter, Israel has not only been  treated with impunity, but has been  rewarded: Outrageously,  Israel  chairs  the Sixth Committee of  the UN  (Legal matters) and is seeking a seat at the UN Security Council. 

Meanwhile,  the Palestinian people continue  to demand  their  rights as a protected people and  to  fully exercise their inalienable rights as recognized by the United Nations. This demand was emphasized during the recent events that took place in Jerusalem, which were the result of ongoing unlawful practices by Israel. All of which calls on the International Community to take immediate and active steps towards securing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian People.