The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCPRJ) and the Palestinian Human Rights Organisations Council (PHROC) are deeply concerned about the ongoing escalation of violence against civilians in occupied East Jerusalem and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) at-large. This paper will illustrate that the driving force of this escalation is Israel's belligerent occupation and continued violations of international law, which have undermined fundamental human rights of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and elsewhere in the OPT for the past 47 years. Whereas these Israeli violations have been a source of political and inter-communal tension and conflict for decades, the renewed Israeli effort for increased control of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem threatens to transform a political conflict into a "religious war". Accordingly, immediate action by the international community is necessary to hold Israel accountable for violating its duty to protect and safeguard the human rights of the civilian population within the OPT, particularly within occupied East Jerusalem.

Click to Download Full report of " The dangers of decontextualising East Jerusalem: CCPRJ and PHROC urge the international community to address Israel's responsibility as an Occupying Power "