Following an
official visit to Israel that extended from January 29 to February 14, the
Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on
Sexual Violence in Conflict issued a report accusing elements in the
Palestinian national liberation movements of committing acts of sexual violence
on October 7th.
Based on a thorough analysis of the report, the Palestinian Association
for Human Rights (Witness) communicated with the Office of the Special
Representative, Ms. Pramila Patten, and the Office of the Secretary-General of
the United Nations, requesting clarifications for uncertainties and oversights in the
conclusions and assumptions presented in the report which raises significant
concerns and necessitates immediate clarifications to ensure compliance with
international standards.
The 23-page
report significantly relies on official Israeli sources as established facts, which
warrants significant consideration as a substantial threat to the reliability
of the information provided, particularly since Israel is a party to the
ongoing conflict and possesses a vested interest in influencing the report's
outcomes. The dubious conduct exhibited by the Israeli government in terms of
cooperation, particularly given the time-sensitive nature of establishing
accurate and verified information, gives rise to concerns regarding potential
tampering with facts and undue pressure on witnesses, potentially arranged by
the governing authorities.
The mission initially engaged with 33 high-level
political figures at the onset, which is equivalent to the number of interviews
with relevant parties conducted during the mission including the President of
Israel, the First Lady, the Israeli Defense Forces, and the Israeli Security
Agency (Shin Bet).
The thorough
review submitted by (Witness) highlighted the inconsistencies with established
standards and proof methods that have led to unclear and inconsistent
determinations on the alleged accusations.
This
examination delves into the credibility of sourced information, the vagueness
of the methodology employed, the report's focus on the conflict, its apparent
one-sided perspective, indications of politicization, the process of reaching
determinations, and concludes with recommendations.
In light of
the above, the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) urged the
United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on
Sexual Violence in Conflict to provide an explanation for the omissions and methodological
errors contained in the report.
Considering
the significant errors, the Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness)
requested the Office to withdraw the report as it violates international
standards and undermines the neutrality and credibility of the special
representative's role.
The Palestinian
Association for Human Rights (Witness)
Beirut,
3/22/2024