PRESS RELEASE

March 18, 2004

Sharon does not Intend to Evacuate

On February 2^nd, 2004, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel announced the evacuation of all Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. The PHRMG is gravely concerned about this decision, which has only brought immeasurable damage to Palestinian lives. The decision to evacuate has only increased friction and conflict, instead of reducing them.

So far it’s all talk. Sharon has only managed to deflect international public attention. Since Sharon’s announcement on February 2^nd, 2004, (101) Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli Occupying Forces in the Occupied Territories, among then (79) in the Gaza Strip. In fact, they have escalated their belligerent practices in several areas of Gaza city. The Israeli military attacks on Palestinian civilian residential areas did not stop.

In addition, the Israeli Occupying Forces destroyed the Educational Studies Campus of al-Aqsa University, located in the South of Gaza city. Attacks on Palestinian educational institutions do not reflect an intention to withdraw, but constitute a violation of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law.

Moreover, extra-judicial assassinations were committed by the Israeli Occupying Forces and sanctioned by their government. The PHRMG is gravely concerned about the continuous escalation of war crimes, and wonders if Sharon is really serious to evacuate. The PHRMG believes that extra-judicial and willful killings perpetrated by the Israeli Occupying Forces against Palestinian civilians prove Israel’s disregard for international and humanitarian law.  The PHRMG asserts that the policy of extra-judicial assassinations, officially adopted by the Israeli government, serves only to increase tension in the region and creates more casualties among Palestinian civilians. 

Other violations of international law committed by the Israeli Occupying Forces are concerning Palestinian civilians and property. They destroyed dozens of commercial shops in Gaza city. The PHRMG strongly condemns these daily Israeli war crimes against Palestinian civilians and their properties in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Israeli Occupying Forces are destroying the Palestinian economic infrastructure, which has impacted disastrously on thousands of Palestinian civilians who have lost their sources of income and livelihood. 

The PHRMG is concerned by this escalation of force by the Israeli government and its occupying forces against Palestinian civilians.  The PHRMG calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their obligations and to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.