The statement, “The Silent Annexation of the Jordan Valley,”explains how Israel’s annexationist policies in the Jordan Valley are adversely affecting the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.A comprehensive factual and legal analysis of these policies and their effects will be the focus of a new Al-Haq report to be published soon.In the statement Al-Haq urges the Human Rights Council the following:

• To call on Israel, the Occupying Power, to comply with its international legal obligations by ending the appropriation of Palestinian land and natural resources, thus allowing the Palestinian people to fully exercise their right to self-determination free from occupation; 
• To urge the Occupying Power to halt the transfer of its civilian population and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank with particular emphasis on the Jordan Valley and East Jerusalem, with a view to dismantling all the settlements in the OPT; 
• To urge the Occupying Power to lift all the restrictions on freedom of movement and the discriminatory policies against Palestinians in order to improve the general human rights situation in the OPT;
• To promote practical steps to induce all States to respect their ergaomnes obligations and refrain from condoning or rendering any support to Israeli policies denying the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination; and
• To recommend to the General Assembly that it request, according to its authority under Article 96 of the UN Charter, that the International Court of Justice render an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of a regime of prolonged occupation resulting in defacto annexation.

On 14 June, a representative of Al Haq will present a joint oral statement to the Council under Item 7 of the session. The statement will address the illegal policies of the Israeli government in East Jerusalem.

At noon on the following day, a side event  in the form of a panel discussion will be held at the Palais de Nations in Geneva on topics relating to the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. The event will be the hosted jointly by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) together with Al-Haq, BADIL (Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights), the Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre (JLAC) and the Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights.

Signatories to the statement:

• Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
• Aldameer Association for Human Rights
• Al-Haq
• Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights
• Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
• Defence for Children International
• Ensan Center for Human Rights and Democracy
• Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center
• Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies
• Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling.

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