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Palestinian cry inside walls of seclusion and silence
Human rights organizations appeal the Egyptian government to intervene immediately to lift the siege on Gaza strip
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22/1/2008
The Egyptian human rights organizations condemn the continued Israeli siege of Gaza Strip which caused the martyrdom and injury for many unarmed Palestinians at the occupied territories .The Egyptian organizations calls adjure the Egyptian government to intervene for the immediate lifting of the siege .
The siege imposed on Gaza Strip comes in the light of Israeli inhuman practices against Palestinian people like mass arrests, targeting innocent women, children and old men, starvation, and random shelling of cities and villages, besides, the construction of the racist separation wall, as well as assassinations and killing the elements of Palestinian resistance ... etc
Three years have passed since the recent Israeli escalation in Gaza strip as the occupation forces paralyze potential economic and social life within the sector where inhabits with 600 million citizens. The rate of unemployment has raised and the number of people who are under poverty line has increased besides, the spread of epidemics and diseases . Food ,medicines and energy were cut off in Gaza strip where it became like " animal farm"!!
Human rights organizations confirm that Israeli crimes in Gaza strip became just like war crimes according to the main provisions of Rome Law of The International Criminal Court which confirmed that war crimes means : "intentionally directing attacks against civilians or against individuals who are not taking a direct part in hostilities" as well as "intentionally directing attacks against civilian targets."
On the other hand, the Israeli blockade of Gaza Strip is considered a clear violation against the international covenants on human rights, as the occupation forces cut off the supply of food ,medicines and energy as it forms a violation of the right to food (Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and cultural), and the right to enjoyment of the highest standard of physical and mental health (Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) and the right to appropriate education (Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights),and the right to live in a healthy environment.
Also, Israeli crimes in Gaza strip are considered a form of collective punishment imposed on the population of the entire sector which constitutes a flagrant violation against the international humanitarian law particularly the protection of the Fourth Geneva Convention (Articles 33, 146 and 147) and Lahaye Regulations regarding to the traditions of war and occupation.
In this concern, the organizations of human rights condemn Arabian and international silence concerning Israeli crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gazastrip and the occupied territories, calling upon the following:
1- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has to go immediately to the occupied territories and Gaza Strip to inspect the Israeli crimes against Palestinian civilians, especially women and children and the elderly men, and the need for taking immediate action concerning the issue.
2- Arab League and the Egyptian government by virtue of its geographical location and regional weight and responsibility of the historic sector has to hold an emergency Arab summit aimed at elaborating a unified Arab attitude extend denunciation and condemnation to an effective deterrent attitude against Israel to stop its crimes against the Palestinian people and ensure the preservation of their rights, especially in Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and pushed in the direction of lifting the siege on the sector.
3- Calling Egyptian government for giving Palestinian civilians the freedom of movement between Gaza strip and Egypt, as it did with Palestinians pilgrims, and this claim comes as Egypt is one of the High Contracting Parties of Geneva agreement.
4- Calling the international society to put an end of the continued violations against Palestinians human rights by Israeli occupation forces, and to take immediate action in order to protect the victims of Palestinians in Gaza Strip, and the need to provide international protection for Palestinian civilians in Gaza under the supervision of the United Nations.
5- The necessary for civil society to perform pressure on the Israeli government to respect its international commitments stated in the Geneva Convention relative to respect the rights of civilians in Time of War, as well as respect for the international conventions on human rights that guarantee the right to get adequate food and healthy environment .
6- Security Council has to establish an international commission for inquiring into war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and performing investigation into the crimes committed by leaders of Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people and the Lebanese as well as the right of Egyptian prisoners of war(POWs) in 1956.1967
7- Take a positive steps by the European Union to halt the partnership with the Israeli government, pursuant to Article 2 of the Convention on the European - Israeli Partnership which admitted Israel's respect for human rights.
8- American administration has to abandon its explicit bias to Israel, which was not consistent with the role that is supposed to be played by USA in the peace process in the world , which must be neutral and impartial, and is based mainly to the international legitimacy decisions (194, 181, 242) that calling for the Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territories and granting the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people.
Signatories :
1- ARABIC PROGRAM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
2- THE EGYPTIAN ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ENHANCEMENT
3- ARAB CENTER FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF JUDICIARY AND LEGAL PROFESSION
4- GROUP FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
5- HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION FOR ASSISTANCE OF PRISONERS
6- THE EGYPTIAN INITIATIVE FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS
7- THE EGYPTIAN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION
8- THE EGYPTIAN INSTITUTION FOR TRAINING AND HUMAN RIGHTS
9- ARAB PENAL REFORM ORGANIZATION
10- THE EGYPTIAN ORGANIZATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
11- THE GROUP OF LEGAL AID FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
12- LAND CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
13- CAIRO CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS STUDIES
14- SAWASIA CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
15- SHUMU CENTER FOR DISABLED ASSISTANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
16- ANDALUS CENTER FOR TOLERANCE AND ANTI-VIOLENCE STUDIES
17- HISHAM MUBARAK CENTER FOR LEGAL PROFESSION
18- THE INSTITUTION OF LAND SONS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
19- THE EGYPTIAN CENTER FOR WOMEN RIGHTS
20- CENTER FOR TRADE UNION AND WORKERS’ SERVICES
21- ARABIC NETWORK FOR HUMAN RIGHTS INFORMATION
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