PRESS RELEASE

September 29, 2003

Three Years of “Al Aqsa Intifada”

Three years of the "Al Aqsa" Intifada have passed. 2865 Palestinians and 885 Israelis were killed. During all that time, several political initiatives have failed to stop violence and improve the humanitarian situation. Until today, many innocent people lose their lives. Closure and curfew still prevent thousands of Palestinians to move freely within the west bank and Gaza strip.

Violations of human rights perpetrated by Israeli occupying forces have continued against Palestinian Civilians. The human rights violations against Palestinian Civilians is related to house demolitions, assassinations, killings, tortured, arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, prison conditions, land confiscation, settler violence, restrictions on free movement, and the destruction of private property.

Assassinations of Palestinians’ leaders and activists of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah continue. Since “Al Aqsa” Intifada, 149 Palestinians were assassinated by the Israeli forces, in addition to 61 bystanders. Assassinations do absolutely nothing for Israeli security except buy them time before the next attack. PHRMG is always against assassination and always condemns the act of assassination that Israel flaunts in the face of the world.

Since the start of this Intifada, 449 Palestinian children under age 18 were killed by the Israeli Forces and 93 Israeli children were killed by the Palestinians. Killing children is always illegal and is always a crime. It is a violation to human rights and to the International Law and conventions to kill children. PHRMG calls both sides; the Israeli and the Palestinian to stop killing children and to stop violence against them.

Since “Al Aqsa Intifada”, 144 suicide bombers were killed in suicide bombing attacks. PHRMG condemns the suicide bombing attacks that murder innocent people and calls on stopping killing innocent civilians of both sides.

Checkpoints, gates, earth mounds, ditches and concrete roadblocks daily obstruct and humiliate West Bank Palestinians in their normal lives. Since “Al Aqsa Intifada”, 77 Palestinians were killed at checkpoints. This situation increases the frustration of the Palestinians and never builds the foundation of peace. This closure humiliates, complicates and hardens the way of the Palestinians’ lives.

Moreover, the building of the Wall, is confiscating Palestinians’ lands and barring Palestinians from basic services. Because of its routing, some 120,000 Palestinians in the West Bank will be trapped on the Israeli side of the Wall, and some 200,000 Jerusalem Arab residents will also be cut off from any access to the rest of the West Bank once the barrier is completed.

Currently, 4771 Palestinian prisoners are in Israeli jails. The Palestinian prisoners' cause has become a major part of the daily life of the Palestinian people. It has its distinguished features expressed in its struggle within prison walls for proper human conditions and freedom. While Israeli occupying forces released some prisoners due to the agreements, from one side, they arrest other Palestinian civilians from another side. PHRMG points to and reveals the various aspects of the inhumane treatment that Palestinian prisoners are subjected to, and the unacceptable conditions and situations that Palestinian prisoners still face in most, if not all, Israeli jails.

The latest political initiative was the “Road Map to peace”. Unfortunately, it has not improved the situation and has not helped in normalizing the Palestinians’ lives. The “hudna” that was announced in June 29, 2000 was broken out in August 21, 2003. PHRMG finds this situation unacceptable and calls on the Government of Israel to respect applicable International Law. PHRMG also calls on the International Community to uphold the laws and regulations agreed upon, and to increase their efforts to ensure the full application of the International Law.

The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG) is a Palestinian, independent, non-governmental organization working to end human rights violations committed against Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem, regardless of those responsible.  The members of the Monitoring Group believe that the strength of democracy and civil society in Palestinian society will be determined by the Palestinian people, through their defense or neglect of human rights.

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