Introduction
The human rights situation in Palestine during the year 2022 has witnessed the most dramatic deterioration in almost two decades. Palestinians in the West Bank witnessed an increase in human rights violations, as well as Palestinians in the Gaza Strip who were subject to an Israeli military offensive. Moreover, attacks and targeting of Palestinian human rights movements and organizations continued during this year, as part of Israel’s settler colonialism regime manifested in increased repression and violent practices against the Palestinian people.
The prolonged occupation of the Palestinian Territories occupied in 1967, including Jerusalem, continues to be manifested in killings, land appropriation, home demolitions, expansion of settlements, violating the right of opinion and expression, imposing travel and movement restrictions, violating the right to health, education and family reunification and other violations of economic and social rights. The year 2022, witnessed an increased level of incitement and hate speech against Palestinians in the West Bank and inside the green line, especially through election campaigns leading up to Israel’s recent Knesset elections. The far-right Israeli government, with all its parties and ministries, that came into place at the end of December 2022, reflects how the situation of human rights will be during this year. 2022 marked a significant increase in killings and field executions, making it the bloodiest year since 2005. This was accompanied by large-scale raids in the West Bank and wide attacks on Palestinian human rights movements and organizations.
Based on Al-Haq field documentation, this report showcases the main Israeli human rights violations committed during 2022 against Palestinians, with a special focus on a number of violations that capture the transformation of the colonial policies that were evident throughout recent years. The report mainly addresses Israeli violations committed against the Palestinian people including killings and demolitions of private and public structures. It also, incomprehensively, includes other violations like those targeting the human rights movement in Palestine, raids, arrests and movement restrictions.
On the other hand, no change can be seen at the Palestinian internal level, i.e., the human rights violations by both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the de facto government in the Gaza Strip. This report presents some human rights violations committed on this level, including arbitrary detention, violating the rights of adequate detention conditions, fair trial and freedom of opinion and speech.
Read the full report here.