Alongside the genocidal war
in Gaza, the Israeli occupation authorities continue to enforce policies and
measures designed to tighten control over the occupied Palestinian territories
and expand their settlement project, in blatant violation of international law
and UN resolutions. In this context, Israel is advancing new legislation and
on-the-ground practices to effectively annex the West Bank, expand settler
control, and enforce demographic changes in Gaza. This occurs alongside
military escalation in the West Bank, targeting infrastructure, and imposing
new realities that serve the occupation’s strategic objectives. These
developments are accompanied by controversial international proposals aimed at
reshaping the Palestinian situation, necessitating a firm Palestinian, Arab,
and international stance to confront these plans.
This report explores the
new legislation enacted by the Israeli occupation authorities and its role in
advancing the annexation of the West Bank, the military campaign in the West
Bank, including the destruction of Jenin refugee camp, and the U.S. plan proposed
by President Trump to displace Palestinians from Gaza, along with the positions
of Egypt and Jordan on the issue.
The importance of this
report lies in providing a comprehensive legal document that advocates for
international pressure to confront Israel's expansionist policies, which pose a
threat to both the West Bank and Gaza. Furthermore, the report contributes to
raising global awareness of the Palestinian cause and documenting the crimes
committed against the Palestinian people, thereby reinforcing political and
legal advocacy on the international stage.
Conclusions
·Accelerated Annexation and Settlement
Expansion
oIsrael is advancing legal measures to
consolidate its control over the West Bank, including legislation facilitating
settler land appropriation.
oPolicies include annexing Palestinian
heritage sites, change the West Bank to "Judea and Samaria," and
complicating future withdrawal efforts.
oThese actions constitute clear
violations of international law, imposing a new settlement reality at the
expense of Palestinian rights.
·Military Escalation and Forced
Displacement in the West Bank
oIsrael's intensified military
operations, particularly in Jenin, have displaced thousands and caused
extensive infrastructure destruction.
oEvidence suggests these actions extend
beyond military objectives, aiming to depopulate Palestinian areas and alter
demographics.
oSuch violations amount to war crimes
under international law, notably Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention,
which prohibits forced population transfers.
·The U.S. Plan to Reshape Palestinian
Reality
oGrowing concerns over disguised
displacement efforts through development projects designed to alter Gaza’s
demographic composition.
oPlans for Palestinian resettlement in
neighboring countries face firm Arab rejection, particularly from Jordan and
Egypt.
oThese initiatives align with Israeli
policies seeking to erase the Palestinian issue by depopulating Gaza and
annexing the West Bank.
Recommendations
In
light of the above, we at the Palestinian Association for Human Rights
(Witness) call for the following:
1. Intensifying
Legal and Diplomatic Efforts
oMobilizing pressure on international
bodies, particularly the UN Security Council and General Assembly, to take
concrete legal actions against Israel’s policies of annexation and forced
displacement.
2. Raising Global Awareness and Strengthening
Media Advocacy
oLaunching large-scale media campaigns
to expose the dangers of annexation and forced displacement, highlighting them
as war crimes and violations of international law.
oDocumenting testimonies of displaced
individuals and publishing field reports that illustrate the devastating
humanitarian impact of these practices.
3. Escalating Political and Economic Pressure
oStrengthening international calls for
economic sanctions against Israel and corporations complicit in settlement
expansion.
oIntensifying diplomatic efforts to
prevent any recognition of Israel’s annexation of the West Bank.
4. Supporting
Palestinian Resilience and Legal Empowerment
oProviding legal and financial aid to
communities at risk of displacement, ensuring their ability to remain on their
land.
oExpanding legal education initiatives
to equip Palestinians with knowledge of their rights and international legal
protections.
5. Safeguarding
Reconstruction and the Right to Stay
oAdvancing reconstruction efforts while
holding Israel accountable as an occupying power for the destruction it has
caused.
oUpholding firm international and Arab
rejection of any forced displacement schemes and ensuring that reconstruction
does not serve as a pretext for altering Palestinian demographics.
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