In light of the upcoming 2013 European Neighbourhood Progress Reports, Al-Haq would like to draw the attention of the European Union (EU) to Israel’s implementation of the EU-Israel Action Plan (Action Plan) over the past year. In doing so, Al-Haq seeks to strengthen the international law component of the progress report on Israel.

In the currently valid 2005 Action Plan, the EU and Israel agreed to prioritise the enhancement of political dialogue and co-operation, including the promotion of protection of human rights. The parties further committed themselves to “[w]ork together to promote the shared values of democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law”.

As a Palestinian organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq is gravely concerned by Israel’s failure to fulfil, and indeed its disregard of this commitment in relation to the rights of the occupied Palestinian people. In 2013, Israel further entrenched its illegal policies and practices in the occupied territory, including by increasing the number of demolitions of Palestinian homes and the consequent forcible transfers of Palestinians from East Jerusalem; failing to bring to account settlers who commit acts of violence against Palestinians and their property; continuing to construct the Annexation Wall; expanding the number of settlements and settlers in the OPT; and continuing to exploit Palestinian natural resources, especially through the appropriation of land in Area C.

In this submission, Al-Haq sets out its concerns regarding the structure and language of the 2012 progress report on Israel. It also lists some key Israeli violations of international law committed during 2013 that contribute towards the fragmentation of the occupied territory and the Palestinian people, thus violating the Palestinians’ right to exercise self-determination in a unified territory. We respectfully request that the concerns highlighted in this submission are reflected in the 2013 progress report on Israel. 

• Click here to read full version of Al-Haq Submission to the EU on its 2013 ENP Progress Report on Israel