Israel/OPT
23.10.02
Urgent Interventions
Israel and Palestinian Territory Occupied: farmers prohibited from picking olives in the West Bank
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCERN
Case ISR 231002. ESCRC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Palestine Occupied Territories.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by LAW, a member of the OMCT network, that the Israeli army issued on October 22 a new directive forbidding Palestinians from picking olives in the West Bank, knowing that October and November are the main months for olive harvesting.
According to the information received, the Israeli army issued a new directive prohibiting gathering olive harvesting, allegedly because Israeli troops, who are fortifying positions in Palestinian cities, could not protect olive pickers from Jewish settlers.
It is reported that Israeli forces have been implementing this order from the early hours of the day. Indeed, in the morning of October 22, Israeli forces allegedly took away for two hours the ID cards of 25 farmers who were picking olives in the ‘Ayoun al-Haramiyyeh area’, west of Ramallah. Moreover, it is reported that the forces ordered the farmers to return home and threatened to shoot them if they came back to pick up olives.
Background Information
According to the information received, this directive was issued against the background of a series of attacks perpetrated during October by Israeli settlers against Palestinian farmers and their lands.
Indeed, on October 10, it is reported that settlers fired at Hani Bani Murra (26) from ‘Agraba village near Nablus’, and that due to the continuous fire, Hani Bani Murra’s companions were only able to take him to the local health center two hours after he was wounded. According to the information received, he died shortly after reaching the center, after severe bleeding. The same settler group was allegedly responsible for killing Farid Nasasrah (28) on October 17, when they opened fire at a group of Palestinian harvesters.
Moreover, on Saturday October 12, it is reported that settlers opened fire on Palestinian olive pickers in Beit Forkik, near Nablus and that when Israeli troops arrived to the area, they arrested 6 Palestinian farmers and prevented others from harvesting their olive trees. Settlers allegedly carried out similar attacks on Palestinian farmers in Orif, Kfar Kalil, Deir al-Hatab, and Salem in the district of Nablus on the same day. Finally, on Saturday October 17 2000, it is reported that Israeli settlers set fire to olive groves in Silwad and al-Mizra’s al-Shargiyya, east of Ramallah. According to the information received, the fire destroyed approximately 200 olive trees belonging to Palestinian families.
This directive constitutes a harsh blow to the Palestinian economy. Indeed, it was issued during the months for olive harvesting, knowing that olives and olive products, such as oil and soap, form the main means of livelihood for many Palestinians, who are already suffering from more than two years severe economic depression and destruction. In this respect, this directive threatens the right of Palestinian to an adequate standard of living, including the right to adequate food, which is enshrined in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Action Requested
Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
ii. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the persons mentioned and guarantee adequate reparation to all victims and their families;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards such as the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 651 2631 / 566 48 38
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or + 972 2 628 8618
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411
· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704, E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il
· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country
Geneva, October 23, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Case ISR 231002. ESCRC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in the Palestine Occupied Territories.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by LAW, a member of the OMCT network, that the Israeli army issued on October 22 a new directive forbidding Palestinians from picking olives in the West Bank, knowing that October and November are the main months for olive harvesting.
According to the information received, the Israeli army issued a new directive prohibiting gathering olive harvesting, allegedly because Israeli troops, who are fortifying positions in Palestinian cities, could not protect olive pickers from Jewish settlers.
It is reported that Israeli forces have been implementing this order from the early hours of the day. Indeed, in the morning of October 22, Israeli forces allegedly took away for two hours the ID cards of 25 farmers who were picking olives in the ‘Ayoun al-Haramiyyeh area’, west of Ramallah. Moreover, it is reported that the forces ordered the farmers to return home and threatened to shoot them if they came back to pick up olives.
Background Information
According to the information received, this directive was issued against the background of a series of attacks perpetrated during October by Israeli settlers against Palestinian farmers and their lands.
Indeed, on October 10, it is reported that settlers fired at Hani Bani Murra (26) from ‘Agraba village near Nablus’, and that due to the continuous fire, Hani Bani Murra’s companions were only able to take him to the local health center two hours after he was wounded. According to the information received, he died shortly after reaching the center, after severe bleeding. The same settler group was allegedly responsible for killing Farid Nasasrah (28) on October 17, when they opened fire at a group of Palestinian harvesters.
Moreover, on Saturday October 12, it is reported that settlers opened fire on Palestinian olive pickers in Beit Forkik, near Nablus and that when Israeli troops arrived to the area, they arrested 6 Palestinian farmers and prevented others from harvesting their olive trees. Settlers allegedly carried out similar attacks on Palestinian farmers in Orif, Kfar Kalil, Deir al-Hatab, and Salem in the district of Nablus on the same day. Finally, on Saturday October 17 2000, it is reported that Israeli settlers set fire to olive groves in Silwad and al-Mizra’s al-Shargiyya, east of Ramallah. According to the information received, the fire destroyed approximately 200 olive trees belonging to Palestinian families.
This directive constitutes a harsh blow to the Palestinian economy. Indeed, it was issued during the months for olive harvesting, knowing that olives and olive products, such as oil and soap, form the main means of livelihood for many Palestinians, who are already suffering from more than two years severe economic depression and destruction. In this respect, this directive threatens the right of Palestinian to an adequate standard of living, including the right to adequate food, which is enshrined in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Action Requested
Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:
i. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
ii. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the persons mentioned and guarantee adequate reparation to all victims and their families;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards such as the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Addresses
· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 651 2631 / 566 48 38
· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or + 972 2 628 8618
· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411
· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704, E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il
· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18
Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country
Geneva, October 23, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.