On 23 March 2023, Al-Haq delivered an oral intervention under Item 4 during the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council, urging Member States to address the continued oppression and colonisation of Palestine, including through Israel’s increase in the use of excessive force and extrajudicial killings against Palestinians. Al-Haq urged the international community to acknowledge the root causes of the prolonged denial of Palestinian rights, inherent in Israel’s settler-colonialism and apartheid. Finally, the statement called on Member States to support the International Criminal Court and the ongoing UN Commission of Inquiry on Palestine and to exercise universal jurisdiction over responsible Israeli officials for these international crimes.

The full statement reads as follows:

Mr. President,

Israel continues to maintain its institutionalised domination and oppression of the Palestinian people and the colonisation of Palestine, including through its systematic utilisation of excessive force and extrajudicial killings against Palestinians, which serve to undermine Palestinian resistance to Israeli suppression.

While 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2005, the scale of crimes committed by the Israeli occupying forces (IOF) since the beginning of 2023 suggests that it is set to be even worse, as the IOF have killed 80 Palestinians, including 16 children in the West Bank, as of March 20th. Of these, the IOF killed ten in a military attack against Jenin on January 26th; five in a military attack against Aqbet Jaber refugee camp in Jericho on February 6th; and ten in a military attack against Nablus on February 22nd.

Just a few days ago, undercover Israeli occupying soldiers, driving a civilian vehicle, raided the crowded centre of Jenin city in broad daylight, killing four Palestinians, including a 14-year-old child. In a video that was circulated online, an Israeli occupying solider was seen firing a bullet directly at Nidal Khazim’s head, while lying injured on the ground.

Mr. President,

It is high time that the international community acknowledges the root causes of the prolonged denial of Palestinian rights – inherent in Israel’s settler-colonialism and apartheid, and takes effective steps to end Israel’s impunity

We call on member states to support the efforts of the International Criminal Court and the ongoing UN Commission of Inquiry on Palestine, and to exercise universal jurisdiction over responsible Israeli officials for these international crimes.

Thank you.