5 jan 2018
Al-Aqsa Mosque preacher, Sheikh Mohammed Husein, on Friday condemned the decisions made recently by the Israeli occupation and the US on Jerusalem and said they are null and void.
Sheikh Husein stressed that the Israeli unjust laws passed lately fall in line with Israel's attempts to legitimize its occupation of the Palestinian land and the crimes committed against the Palestinian people.
Husein slammed the Knesset's approval of a bill that allows imposing death penalty on Palestinian prisoners and described it as "racist par excellence".
He also criticized the Arab countries' procrastination in implementing the resolutions of the previous Arab summits and closing their embassies in all countries that plan to move their embassies in Israel to Jerusalem.
Thousands of Palestinian worshipers from Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied Palestine performed Friday prayer at al-Aqsa Mosque despite the cold weather, heavy rain, and tightened Israeli security measures.
Sheikh Husein stressed that the Israeli unjust laws passed lately fall in line with Israel's attempts to legitimize its occupation of the Palestinian land and the crimes committed against the Palestinian people.
Husein slammed the Knesset's approval of a bill that allows imposing death penalty on Palestinian prisoners and described it as "racist par excellence".
He also criticized the Arab countries' procrastination in implementing the resolutions of the previous Arab summits and closing their embassies in all countries that plan to move their embassies in Israel to Jerusalem.
Thousands of Palestinian worshipers from Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied Palestine performed Friday prayer at al-Aqsa Mosque despite the cold weather, heavy rain, and tightened Israeli security measures.
By Ramzy Baroud
The Israeli government is planning a series of measures aimed at fully denying Palestinians their legal rights in Jerusalem and precluding any future peace settlement based on sharing the city between Israel and a future Palestinian state.
One of the most aggressive measures to date is a bill that was approved by the Israeli Knesset on Tuesday, January 2.
The bill, which passed with the support of Israel’s ruling rightwing and far-right coalition has several dangerous stipulations.
According to the bill, two thirds of the Knesset majority is required for Israel to relinquish sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem. International law insists that Israel has no sovereignty over East Jerusalem, illegally occupied and annexed in 1967 and 1980 respectively.
An equally disturbing stipulation in the bill is that it removes two Palestinian neighborhoods from the municipal jurisdiction of the city.
The two affected neighborhoods are Kufr Aqab and the Shufat refugee camp.
By doing so, the Israeli government would have achieved another milestone in its demographic war on Palestinians.
It is important to note that the two Palestinian areas are located on the other side of what Israel refers to as the ‘Separation Wall’.
This move confirms the assumption that the Wall was built around Palestinians areas that Israel plans to annex in the future.
Now, that the wall construction is at an advanced stage, the process of annexation seems to have begun.
But the latest bill – dubbed by Palestinians as the ‘race law’ for it aims at vacating Jerusalem from Palestinian Arabs and increasing the number of the city’s Jewish settlers – is a rewritten version of an earlier bill.
‘The Greater Jerusalem Law‘, which was poised to win a majority vote at the Knesset was only shelved temporarily.
The delayed bill called for expanding the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem to include major illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, including Ma’aleh Adumim and the Gush Etzion settlement cluster.
Moreover, it endeavored to bring 150,000 Jewish settlers into Jerusalem as eligible voters, who would naturally tip the political scene more to the right.
Concurrently, the law would further demote the status of 100,000 Palestinians, who would find themselves in a politically gray area.
That bill was cast aside only weeks before the United States government agreed to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
While many in the international community were focused on what the American move would mean for the future of the region and the so-called peace process, few paid heed to the fact that the US and Israel had something far more consequential in mind.
News agencies at the time reported that Israel agreed to shelf a popular bill “under US pressure.” But that ‘pressure’ only aimed at giving President Donald Trump the needed time to formulate his own strategy and make the troubling announcement.
Since then, many Palestinians were killed, hundreds wounded and more detained as Palestinians and their allies around the world displayed outrage by the US decision.
A symbolic but telling vote at the United Nations on December 21 showed that the US and Israel stood alone in their fight to deny Palestinians their rights in their unlawfully occupied city.
Wasting no time, Israeli lawmakers are now pushing forward with designs to further isolate Jerusalem and to empty it from its Palestinian inhabitants.
They understand that the unparalleled US support must be exploited to the maximum, and that any delay on these bills would certainly be missed opportunities.
The nature of the US-Israel coordination is indeed unprecedented. Just as the Knesset voted to approve the bill, the US moved quickly to cap any strong Palestinian reactions.
That job was entrusted to US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, who has gone further than any other US official in her attempt to intimidate, and even bully Palestinians.
Haley declared that the US will cut off US funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and will only resume funding when the Palestinians agree to return to the negotiations.
UNRWA is the main channel for support for Palestinians refugees. That decision will further tighten the noose on a struggling Palestinian economy and the Palestinian Authority which relies mostly on international aid to survive.
Haley, of course, understands that no Palestinian leadership can engage politically with Israel and the US when the two countries refuse to accept international law as a frame of reference in the negotiations.
Now, the Palestinian leadership has to choose between its existing humiliation or further humiliation.
But Haley’s threat is also aimed at changing the conversation, and taking the focus away from the racist Israeli bill that will surely lead to further annexation in Jerusalem itself and throughout the West Bank.
The US and Israel are now actively invested in a system of political Apartheid in Palestine, and are twisting the arm of the PA to facilitate such a dreadful regime.
PA officials have made many threats so far, including the exclusion of the US from the peace process and changing their demand to a one state solution.
But there is nothing concrete so far regarding that coveted Palestinian strategy; one that is predicated on a united Palestinian leadership that truly explores new options, allies and future outlook.
It is that lack of vision that compromises the Palestinian position even further, emboldening Israel to push forward with its racist laws and apartheid walls.
– Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. Baroud has a Ph.D. in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a Non-Resident Scholar at Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara.
The Israeli government is planning a series of measures aimed at fully denying Palestinians their legal rights in Jerusalem and precluding any future peace settlement based on sharing the city between Israel and a future Palestinian state.
One of the most aggressive measures to date is a bill that was approved by the Israeli Knesset on Tuesday, January 2.
The bill, which passed with the support of Israel’s ruling rightwing and far-right coalition has several dangerous stipulations.
According to the bill, two thirds of the Knesset majority is required for Israel to relinquish sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem. International law insists that Israel has no sovereignty over East Jerusalem, illegally occupied and annexed in 1967 and 1980 respectively.
An equally disturbing stipulation in the bill is that it removes two Palestinian neighborhoods from the municipal jurisdiction of the city.
The two affected neighborhoods are Kufr Aqab and the Shufat refugee camp.
By doing so, the Israeli government would have achieved another milestone in its demographic war on Palestinians.
It is important to note that the two Palestinian areas are located on the other side of what Israel refers to as the ‘Separation Wall’.
This move confirms the assumption that the Wall was built around Palestinians areas that Israel plans to annex in the future.
Now, that the wall construction is at an advanced stage, the process of annexation seems to have begun.
But the latest bill – dubbed by Palestinians as the ‘race law’ for it aims at vacating Jerusalem from Palestinian Arabs and increasing the number of the city’s Jewish settlers – is a rewritten version of an earlier bill.
‘The Greater Jerusalem Law‘, which was poised to win a majority vote at the Knesset was only shelved temporarily.
The delayed bill called for expanding the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem to include major illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, including Ma’aleh Adumim and the Gush Etzion settlement cluster.
Moreover, it endeavored to bring 150,000 Jewish settlers into Jerusalem as eligible voters, who would naturally tip the political scene more to the right.
Concurrently, the law would further demote the status of 100,000 Palestinians, who would find themselves in a politically gray area.
That bill was cast aside only weeks before the United States government agreed to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
While many in the international community were focused on what the American move would mean for the future of the region and the so-called peace process, few paid heed to the fact that the US and Israel had something far more consequential in mind.
News agencies at the time reported that Israel agreed to shelf a popular bill “under US pressure.” But that ‘pressure’ only aimed at giving President Donald Trump the needed time to formulate his own strategy and make the troubling announcement.
Since then, many Palestinians were killed, hundreds wounded and more detained as Palestinians and their allies around the world displayed outrage by the US decision.
A symbolic but telling vote at the United Nations on December 21 showed that the US and Israel stood alone in their fight to deny Palestinians their rights in their unlawfully occupied city.
Wasting no time, Israeli lawmakers are now pushing forward with designs to further isolate Jerusalem and to empty it from its Palestinian inhabitants.
They understand that the unparalleled US support must be exploited to the maximum, and that any delay on these bills would certainly be missed opportunities.
The nature of the US-Israel coordination is indeed unprecedented. Just as the Knesset voted to approve the bill, the US moved quickly to cap any strong Palestinian reactions.
That job was entrusted to US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, who has gone further than any other US official in her attempt to intimidate, and even bully Palestinians.
Haley declared that the US will cut off US funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and will only resume funding when the Palestinians agree to return to the negotiations.
UNRWA is the main channel for support for Palestinians refugees. That decision will further tighten the noose on a struggling Palestinian economy and the Palestinian Authority which relies mostly on international aid to survive.
Haley, of course, understands that no Palestinian leadership can engage politically with Israel and the US when the two countries refuse to accept international law as a frame of reference in the negotiations.
Now, the Palestinian leadership has to choose between its existing humiliation or further humiliation.
But Haley’s threat is also aimed at changing the conversation, and taking the focus away from the racist Israeli bill that will surely lead to further annexation in Jerusalem itself and throughout the West Bank.
The US and Israel are now actively invested in a system of political Apartheid in Palestine, and are twisting the arm of the PA to facilitate such a dreadful regime.
PA officials have made many threats so far, including the exclusion of the US from the peace process and changing their demand to a one state solution.
But there is nothing concrete so far regarding that coveted Palestinian strategy; one that is predicated on a united Palestinian leadership that truly explores new options, allies and future outlook.
It is that lack of vision that compromises the Palestinian position even further, emboldening Israel to push forward with its racist laws and apartheid walls.
– Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. Baroud has a Ph.D. in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a Non-Resident Scholar at Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara.
The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) has condemned the Knesset’s death penalty bill that targets Palestinian prisoners as a “new Israeli crime.”
In a press release on Thursday, the PPS accused Israel of committing crimes through enacting laws that derogate from the dignity and human freedom of the Palestinians.
The PPS pointed out that this legislation aims to impose the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners alone, without the Israelis.
PPS director Qaddura Fares accused the Israeli occupation state of inventing new fascist methods to use them against Palestinian prisoners.
In a press release on Thursday, the PPS accused Israel of committing crimes through enacting laws that derogate from the dignity and human freedom of the Palestinians.
The PPS pointed out that this legislation aims to impose the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners alone, without the Israelis.
PPS director Qaddura Fares accused the Israeli occupation state of inventing new fascist methods to use them against Palestinian prisoners.
4 jan 2018
The European Union (EU) condemned Israel’s death penalty bill, saying it is "incompatible with human dignity".
The death penalty “constitutes inhuman and degrading treatment, does not have any proven deterrent effect and allows judicial errors to become irreversible and fatal,” a statement released by the EU read on Wednesday.
The statement came hours after the Israeli Knesset in a narrow 52-49 vote approved the first draft of a bill that would make it easier for military courts to impose a death sentence against those involved in murders or “terrorist operations.”
At the moment, the death penalty in Israel can only be imposed if a panel of three military judges passes sentence unanimously. However, if the amendment is adopted, a majority verdict would be sufficient to carry out the death penalty.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favor of the motion.
The death penalty “constitutes inhuman and degrading treatment, does not have any proven deterrent effect and allows judicial errors to become irreversible and fatal,” a statement released by the EU read on Wednesday.
The statement came hours after the Israeli Knesset in a narrow 52-49 vote approved the first draft of a bill that would make it easier for military courts to impose a death sentence against those involved in murders or “terrorist operations.”
At the moment, the death penalty in Israel can only be imposed if a panel of three military judges passes sentence unanimously. However, if the amendment is adopted, a majority verdict would be sufficient to carry out the death penalty.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favor of the motion.
3 jan 2018
Israeli Knesset on Wednesday gave a preliminary approval for a bill allowing the death penalty against Palestinian attackers whose anti-occupation operations led to the death of Israeli soldiers and settlers.
Following a heated debate, the bill passed a preliminary reading. The new legislation is sponsored by the far-right party of Israel Our Home (Yisrael Beiteinu), which is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.
Under the bill, military and civil courts could sentence to death a person who was convicted of killing, with a simple majority. Israel's military law already allows the death penalty against Palestinian anti-occupation attackers but only in military court and if the entire judges in the panel reach the decision unanimously.
Israel's security system has not endorsed the new legislation as an assessment by the Shin Bet security apparatus said that such a penalty might have a counterproductive effect.
First Reading of Death Penalty Bill for Palestinian Prisoners Approved
The Israeli Knesset approved, on Wednesday, a first reading of death penalty bill, which would allow Israel to execute Palestinian prisoners accused of taking part in “operations” against an Israeli target.
Right-wing leader of the Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett proposed the bill, which was approved by a vote of 52 to 49 but needs a second and third reading before it becomes law.
Extremist Avigdor Lieberman, Israeli Moldovan-born defense minister, endorsed the bill, which he said would increase Israel’s deterrence effect.
In televised comments last week, Lieberman said that the law would specifically target Palestinians convicted of attacking Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Last year, at a rally following the death of three Israeli police officers, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his support for the death penalty for Palestinians, whom he described as “terrorists with blood on their hands.”
Israel applies civilian law to illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestinians, however, face military courts and military law.
The proposed death penalty would only be applicable in military courts. In the already unlikely event of an Israeli being convicted for killing a Palestinian, the accused would never face the death penalty.
“The fact that Israel lacks a constitution allows its prime ministers to enact legislation that serves the interests of their respective racist governments,” explained Mohammed Dahleh, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs.
“Israel refuses to adopt a constitution. This also allows it to create laws — or modify them — to suit its expansionist tendencies,” he added.
According to international lawyer Yasser al-Amouri, the proposed Israeli law violates basic international legal tenets.
“The conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis is not criminal in nature but nationalist,” he pointed out. “This means Israel cannot sentence Palestinian prisoners to death under the provision of the Fourth Geneva Convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war.”
One commentator in London suggested that this legal nicety would not make any difference. “Israel already treats international laws and conventions with contempt,” said MEMO’s senior editor Ibrahim Hewitt, “so why would it sit up and take notice of this point?”
Hewitt added: “The state is guilty of the crime of apartheid, and this bill demonstrates that fact.”
Following a heated debate, the bill passed a preliminary reading. The new legislation is sponsored by the far-right party of Israel Our Home (Yisrael Beiteinu), which is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition.
Under the bill, military and civil courts could sentence to death a person who was convicted of killing, with a simple majority. Israel's military law already allows the death penalty against Palestinian anti-occupation attackers but only in military court and if the entire judges in the panel reach the decision unanimously.
Israel's security system has not endorsed the new legislation as an assessment by the Shin Bet security apparatus said that such a penalty might have a counterproductive effect.
First Reading of Death Penalty Bill for Palestinian Prisoners Approved
The Israeli Knesset approved, on Wednesday, a first reading of death penalty bill, which would allow Israel to execute Palestinian prisoners accused of taking part in “operations” against an Israeli target.
Right-wing leader of the Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett proposed the bill, which was approved by a vote of 52 to 49 but needs a second and third reading before it becomes law.
Extremist Avigdor Lieberman, Israeli Moldovan-born defense minister, endorsed the bill, which he said would increase Israel’s deterrence effect.
In televised comments last week, Lieberman said that the law would specifically target Palestinians convicted of attacking Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Last year, at a rally following the death of three Israeli police officers, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his support for the death penalty for Palestinians, whom he described as “terrorists with blood on their hands.”
Israel applies civilian law to illegal Jewish settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Palestinians, however, face military courts and military law.
The proposed death penalty would only be applicable in military courts. In the already unlikely event of an Israeli being convicted for killing a Palestinian, the accused would never face the death penalty.
“The fact that Israel lacks a constitution allows its prime ministers to enact legislation that serves the interests of their respective racist governments,” explained Mohammed Dahleh, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs.
“Israel refuses to adopt a constitution. This also allows it to create laws — or modify them — to suit its expansionist tendencies,” he added.
According to international lawyer Yasser al-Amouri, the proposed Israeli law violates basic international legal tenets.
“The conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis is not criminal in nature but nationalist,” he pointed out. “This means Israel cannot sentence Palestinian prisoners to death under the provision of the Fourth Geneva Convention relating to the treatment of prisoners of war.”
One commentator in London suggested that this legal nicety would not make any difference. “Israel already treats international laws and conventions with contempt,” said MEMO’s senior editor Ibrahim Hewitt, “so why would it sit up and take notice of this point?”
Hewitt added: “The state is guilty of the crime of apartheid, and this bill demonstrates that fact.”
The Israeli Knesset intends to vote on Wednesday, 03 January 2018, to amend the Penal Code in order to legalize the use of death penalty against those involved in murders while carrying out “terrorist operations”.
The bill was presented before the Knesset on 30 October 2017 by three Israeli extremist parliamentarians: Robert Eltov, Oded Forer and Yuli Leminovsky.
The bill stipulates that “the Minister of Defense orders the commander of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the division to give orders to: 1- the Military Court in the division to have the power to sentence death penalty without requiring the consensus of the Military Court, but only the ordinary majority; 2- No other court in the division has the right to commute a final death sentence issued by the military court in the division.”
The explanation for the amendment says, “Releasing terrorists following a period of their imprisonment (in reference to prisoner exchange deals with the Palestinian armed groups) due to carrying out terrible operations sends a reverse message that does not contribute to fighting terrorism and strengthening the Israeli deterrence capability. The bill aims at creating a meaningful deterrence and showing Israel is tightening up its policies and no longer tolerates such crimes.”
PCHR emphasizes that such repeated bills are an attempt to legitimize a current status, which is the policy of assassinations and extra-judicial executions carried out according to direct orders directly from the highest decision makers in the Israeli forces against the Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). PCHR has followed many statements which stressed use of assassinations and lethal force when dealing with any danger threats the Israeli soldiers. PCHR and media also documented scenes of extra-judicial executions and assassinations, which undoubtedly confirm the existence of an extra-judicial executions policy practiced by the Israeli forces.
While following up the bill which legitimizes the Israeli killing, the Palestinian memory recalls the killing scene of young man Ibrahim Abu Thurayah, who was killed twice by the Israeli forces. The first time when the Israeli bombing caused the amputation of his legs during the Israeli offensive on Gaza in 2008 while the second was when he was shot dead by the Israeli snipers to the head during his participation in a protest near the border fence in December 2017.
The cruel scenes of dozens of cold-blooded killings by Israeli soldiers continue to haunt the Palestinian memory, such as the scene of the Israeli soldier Eleazar Azariah, who in cold blood killed the Palestinian civilian Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif in March 2016. Abed al-Fattah was directly hit with a live bullet to the head while lying on the ground motionless.
It should be noted that the policy of assassinations and extra-judicial executions are adopted by the Israeli forces as PCHR has monitored the implementation of hundreds of assassinations that claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Moreover, PCHR monitored dozens of extra-judicial executions since 2014, most of them were killed without posing any real threat to the Israeli soldiers, and some were killed on mere suspicion.
It is noteworthy that tabling the bill was one of the election promises by the Israeli War Minister, Knesset Member and Leader of the extremist “Yisrael Beiteinu” Party, Avigdor Lieberman. According to the Israeli media, this racist law is supported by a number of extremist ministers in the Israeli government: Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, Minister of Agriculture Uri Yehuda Ariel, Minister of Culture Miri Regev, Minister of Science Danny Danon and Minister of Immigration Ze’ev Elkin.
The above-mentioned facts reveal two things; First, Israel never stopped using death penalty but extra-judicially through summary executions and what Israel is now trying to do is to legitimize such crime. It should be noted that the idea of codifying crimes is an Israeli systematic policy. This idea is used by Israel legitimize the settlement activities, house demolitions, and confiscation of civilians’ properties.
All of these practices are war crimes but legalized by Israel against Palestinians according to applicable laws and upheld by Judicial rulings.
Second, this attempt confirms that Israel is an apartheid state ruled by racists. Moreover, the submitted bill, which is supported by the government ministers, has worked on applying death penalty on Palestinians only and not Israelis, even if this was not mentioned in text, it is seen on the ground as this amendment shall be applied within the military courts in the oPt. This scene recalls the laws of the apartheid state in South Africa.
A similar bill was previously rejected by the Israeli Knesset in 2015. At that time, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who recommended his Party Members in the Knesset not to vote for the bill, which only received 6 votes, commented that the bill needed an amendment and prolonged discussions. He added then that he and his extremist (Likud) party accepted the bill in principle and the disagreement was only about details.
It should be noted that the death penalty is codified in the Israeli military laws and decisions, but is optional and not mandatory for the judge. Following the occupation of the oPt in 1967, the Israeli authorities issued 2 decisions (268 and 159) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967 and 1968 respectively. According to the decisions, the death penalty becomes optional and not mandatory for the judge. Therefore, death penalty can be replaced by life imprisonment or hard labor for life.
The Israeli judiciary has applied life imprisonment instead of death penalty, constituting a stable precedent over the past decades. Those who presented this bill are attempting to cancel this precedent, bring the death penalty to life, and facilitate sentencing it without requiring the consensus of the judicial body to issue the death sentence.
It should be noted that the death penalty was officially applied once upon a decision by an Israeli court in 1962 against Adolf Eichmann, a senior officer in the Nazi German Army during World War II.
PCHR raises the alarm about the legitimization of the Israeli killing because it paves the way towards committing more murders and will be used as a display justified in the name of strengthening “deterrence” as called by the bill. PCHR confirms that the suggested amendment violates Israel’s obligations under Article (6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which sets conditions to apply the death penalty not available in the Israeli military courts such as: the fair trial conditions, to be presented before natural judge and the endorsement of the death penalty by the consensus of the judicial body and not only by majority (as suggested by the amendment submitted to the Knesset.)
Thus, PCHR calls upon the UN and High Contracting Parties and Signatory Parties to the human rights conventions, particularly the ICCPR, to ensure that Israel respects human rights in the oPt and ends its interference and racist actions against Palestinians.
PCHR also calls upon the European Union (EU) to take serious steps to prevent enacting such law based on Israel’s obligations under the Israel-EU Association Agreement.
Moreover, PCHR calls upon all anti-death penalty groups and organizations to work to prevent enacting such law and emerge summary execution and assassination crimes into its focus circle for constituting a de facto acknowledgment of death penalty that is way dangerous than the legal acknowledgment as it grants an absolute power to the soldiers to issue and apply the death sentence.
The bill was presented before the Knesset on 30 October 2017 by three Israeli extremist parliamentarians: Robert Eltov, Oded Forer and Yuli Leminovsky.
The bill stipulates that “the Minister of Defense orders the commander of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the division to give orders to: 1- the Military Court in the division to have the power to sentence death penalty without requiring the consensus of the Military Court, but only the ordinary majority; 2- No other court in the division has the right to commute a final death sentence issued by the military court in the division.”
The explanation for the amendment says, “Releasing terrorists following a period of their imprisonment (in reference to prisoner exchange deals with the Palestinian armed groups) due to carrying out terrible operations sends a reverse message that does not contribute to fighting terrorism and strengthening the Israeli deterrence capability. The bill aims at creating a meaningful deterrence and showing Israel is tightening up its policies and no longer tolerates such crimes.”
PCHR emphasizes that such repeated bills are an attempt to legitimize a current status, which is the policy of assassinations and extra-judicial executions carried out according to direct orders directly from the highest decision makers in the Israeli forces against the Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). PCHR has followed many statements which stressed use of assassinations and lethal force when dealing with any danger threats the Israeli soldiers. PCHR and media also documented scenes of extra-judicial executions and assassinations, which undoubtedly confirm the existence of an extra-judicial executions policy practiced by the Israeli forces.
While following up the bill which legitimizes the Israeli killing, the Palestinian memory recalls the killing scene of young man Ibrahim Abu Thurayah, who was killed twice by the Israeli forces. The first time when the Israeli bombing caused the amputation of his legs during the Israeli offensive on Gaza in 2008 while the second was when he was shot dead by the Israeli snipers to the head during his participation in a protest near the border fence in December 2017.
The cruel scenes of dozens of cold-blooded killings by Israeli soldiers continue to haunt the Palestinian memory, such as the scene of the Israeli soldier Eleazar Azariah, who in cold blood killed the Palestinian civilian Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif in March 2016. Abed al-Fattah was directly hit with a live bullet to the head while lying on the ground motionless.
It should be noted that the policy of assassinations and extra-judicial executions are adopted by the Israeli forces as PCHR has monitored the implementation of hundreds of assassinations that claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinian civilians. Moreover, PCHR monitored dozens of extra-judicial executions since 2014, most of them were killed without posing any real threat to the Israeli soldiers, and some were killed on mere suspicion.
It is noteworthy that tabling the bill was one of the election promises by the Israeli War Minister, Knesset Member and Leader of the extremist “Yisrael Beiteinu” Party, Avigdor Lieberman. According to the Israeli media, this racist law is supported by a number of extremist ministers in the Israeli government: Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, Minister of Agriculture Uri Yehuda Ariel, Minister of Culture Miri Regev, Minister of Science Danny Danon and Minister of Immigration Ze’ev Elkin.
The above-mentioned facts reveal two things; First, Israel never stopped using death penalty but extra-judicially through summary executions and what Israel is now trying to do is to legitimize such crime. It should be noted that the idea of codifying crimes is an Israeli systematic policy. This idea is used by Israel legitimize the settlement activities, house demolitions, and confiscation of civilians’ properties.
All of these practices are war crimes but legalized by Israel against Palestinians according to applicable laws and upheld by Judicial rulings.
Second, this attempt confirms that Israel is an apartheid state ruled by racists. Moreover, the submitted bill, which is supported by the government ministers, has worked on applying death penalty on Palestinians only and not Israelis, even if this was not mentioned in text, it is seen on the ground as this amendment shall be applied within the military courts in the oPt. This scene recalls the laws of the apartheid state in South Africa.
A similar bill was previously rejected by the Israeli Knesset in 2015. At that time, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who recommended his Party Members in the Knesset not to vote for the bill, which only received 6 votes, commented that the bill needed an amendment and prolonged discussions. He added then that he and his extremist (Likud) party accepted the bill in principle and the disagreement was only about details.
It should be noted that the death penalty is codified in the Israeli military laws and decisions, but is optional and not mandatory for the judge. Following the occupation of the oPt in 1967, the Israeli authorities issued 2 decisions (268 and 159) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967 and 1968 respectively. According to the decisions, the death penalty becomes optional and not mandatory for the judge. Therefore, death penalty can be replaced by life imprisonment or hard labor for life.
The Israeli judiciary has applied life imprisonment instead of death penalty, constituting a stable precedent over the past decades. Those who presented this bill are attempting to cancel this precedent, bring the death penalty to life, and facilitate sentencing it without requiring the consensus of the judicial body to issue the death sentence.
It should be noted that the death penalty was officially applied once upon a decision by an Israeli court in 1962 against Adolf Eichmann, a senior officer in the Nazi German Army during World War II.
PCHR raises the alarm about the legitimization of the Israeli killing because it paves the way towards committing more murders and will be used as a display justified in the name of strengthening “deterrence” as called by the bill. PCHR confirms that the suggested amendment violates Israel’s obligations under Article (6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which sets conditions to apply the death penalty not available in the Israeli military courts such as: the fair trial conditions, to be presented before natural judge and the endorsement of the death penalty by the consensus of the judicial body and not only by majority (as suggested by the amendment submitted to the Knesset.)
Thus, PCHR calls upon the UN and High Contracting Parties and Signatory Parties to the human rights conventions, particularly the ICCPR, to ensure that Israel respects human rights in the oPt and ends its interference and racist actions against Palestinians.
PCHR also calls upon the European Union (EU) to take serious steps to prevent enacting such law based on Israel’s obligations under the Israel-EU Association Agreement.
Moreover, PCHR calls upon all anti-death penalty groups and organizations to work to prevent enacting such law and emerge summary execution and assassination crimes into its focus circle for constituting a de facto acknowledgment of death penalty that is way dangerous than the legal acknowledgment as it grants an absolute power to the soldiers to issue and apply the death sentence.
Israeli Knesset is set to vote on Wednesday on a proposed amendment to the Penal Code to legalize the use of death penalty against the Palestinians involved in anti-occupation attacks.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) said in a statement on Tuesday that the bill was presented before the Knesset by three Israeli MKs on 30th October 2017.
The amended bill stipulates that if a Palestinian is convicted of carrying out an attack that has resulted in killing Israelis, Israel's minister of war can order the military court to impose death penalty on him/her. The ruling does not require a consensus of opinion among judges but only an ordinary majority with no possibility to commute the sentence.
The Israeli MKs who filed the bill claim that releasing Palestinian detainees following a certain period of imprisonment (in reference to the prisoner exchange deals) after they have carried out "terrible attacks" will weaken Israel's deterrence capability.
The PCHR affirmed that this bill is only an attempt to legitimize the status quo and the policy of assassination and extra-judicial execution already pursued against the Palestinian citizens based on direct orders from the highest decision makers in the Israeli army.
The Palestinian Center pointed out that the proposed amendment violates Israel's obligations under Article (6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which sets certain conditions for imposing death penalty not available in the Israeli military courts.
A similar bill was rejected by the Knesset in 2015. At that time, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu recommended his party's MKs not to vote on the bill saying that it needed amendments and prolonged discussions, which indicates that Netanyahu and his extremist party, Likud, accepted the bill in principle.
The PCHR warned that this Israeli move will open the door for further crimes against the Palestinian civilians and called on the United Nations and signatories to human rights conventions to work to put an end to Israel's racist policies.
According to the Israeli media, the bill is supported by a number of extremist ministers in the Israeli government including Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel, Minister of Culture Miri Regev, Minister of Science Danny Danon and Minister of Immigration Ze’ev Elkin.
The Israeli occupation authorities issued two decisions, (268) and (159), in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967 and 1968 respectively. Using death penalty, under those decisions, became optional for the judge not mandatory; therefore, it could be replaced by life imprisonment or hard labor for life.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) said in a statement on Tuesday that the bill was presented before the Knesset by three Israeli MKs on 30th October 2017.
The amended bill stipulates that if a Palestinian is convicted of carrying out an attack that has resulted in killing Israelis, Israel's minister of war can order the military court to impose death penalty on him/her. The ruling does not require a consensus of opinion among judges but only an ordinary majority with no possibility to commute the sentence.
The Israeli MKs who filed the bill claim that releasing Palestinian detainees following a certain period of imprisonment (in reference to the prisoner exchange deals) after they have carried out "terrible attacks" will weaken Israel's deterrence capability.
The PCHR affirmed that this bill is only an attempt to legitimize the status quo and the policy of assassination and extra-judicial execution already pursued against the Palestinian citizens based on direct orders from the highest decision makers in the Israeli army.
The Palestinian Center pointed out that the proposed amendment violates Israel's obligations under Article (6) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which sets certain conditions for imposing death penalty not available in the Israeli military courts.
A similar bill was rejected by the Knesset in 2015. At that time, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu recommended his party's MKs not to vote on the bill saying that it needed amendments and prolonged discussions, which indicates that Netanyahu and his extremist party, Likud, accepted the bill in principle.
The PCHR warned that this Israeli move will open the door for further crimes against the Palestinian civilians and called on the United Nations and signatories to human rights conventions to work to put an end to Israel's racist policies.
According to the Israeli media, the bill is supported by a number of extremist ministers in the Israeli government including Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel, Minister of Culture Miri Regev, Minister of Science Danny Danon and Minister of Immigration Ze’ev Elkin.
The Israeli occupation authorities issued two decisions, (268) and (159), in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in 1967 and 1968 respectively. Using death penalty, under those decisions, became optional for the judge not mandatory; therefore, it could be replaced by life imprisonment or hard labor for life.
The Israeli Knesset approved, on Monday night, the second and third readings of the so-called United Jerusalem Bill, which takes occupied Jerusalem from any future deal with Palestinians.
Sources said, according to Days of Palestine, that 64 extremist Jewish MKs voted in favour of the bill, while 51 voted against it, including the Arabs, and one abstained.
The bill was proposed by the chairman of the extremist Jewish Home party and the Education Minister Naftali Bennett, and was submitted by MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli.
It stipulates that a majority of 80 MKs will be required to change the status of Jerusalem or for any transfer of territories from Jerusalem within the framework of a future diplomatic agreement.
Previously, a majority of only 61 MKs was required.
Israeli Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin welcomed the approval of the bill. “I congratulate the Knesset on the approval by a large majority of the amendment to the Basic Law,” he said.
He wrote on Twitter: “Jerusalem, which strengthens the defensive wall against those on the left who may try to harm Israeli sovereignty in united Jerusalem in the future.”
Bennett, meanwhile, welcomed the approval and wrote on Facebook: “Just now we ensured that Jerusalem will be united forever. We initiated the law that guards Jerusalem so that it cannot be divided without a huge majority of 80 MKs.”
Zionist Jewish gangs occupied the Western part of Jerusalem 1948 along with most of Palestine’s area. In 1967, they occupied the Eastern part along with the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula.
Challenging the international community, in 1980, Israel announced united Jerusalem as its capital, arousing a UN Security Council resolution calling any Israeli measure that changes the legal status of Jerusalem city is “null and void.”
However, on 6 December, 2017, the US President Donald Trump recognized united Jerusalem as the “eternal capital of the state of Israel” and announced plan to relocated the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Sources said, according to Days of Palestine, that 64 extremist Jewish MKs voted in favour of the bill, while 51 voted against it, including the Arabs, and one abstained.
The bill was proposed by the chairman of the extremist Jewish Home party and the Education Minister Naftali Bennett, and was submitted by MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli.
It stipulates that a majority of 80 MKs will be required to change the status of Jerusalem or for any transfer of territories from Jerusalem within the framework of a future diplomatic agreement.
Previously, a majority of only 61 MKs was required.
Israeli Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin welcomed the approval of the bill. “I congratulate the Knesset on the approval by a large majority of the amendment to the Basic Law,” he said.
He wrote on Twitter: “Jerusalem, which strengthens the defensive wall against those on the left who may try to harm Israeli sovereignty in united Jerusalem in the future.”
Bennett, meanwhile, welcomed the approval and wrote on Facebook: “Just now we ensured that Jerusalem will be united forever. We initiated the law that guards Jerusalem so that it cannot be divided without a huge majority of 80 MKs.”
Zionist Jewish gangs occupied the Western part of Jerusalem 1948 along with most of Palestine’s area. In 1967, they occupied the Eastern part along with the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula.
Challenging the international community, in 1980, Israel announced united Jerusalem as its capital, arousing a UN Security Council resolution calling any Israeli measure that changes the legal status of Jerusalem city is “null and void.”
However, on 6 December, 2017, the US President Donald Trump recognized united Jerusalem as the “eternal capital of the state of Israel” and announced plan to relocated the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
2 jan 2018
Israel's Attorney General on Monday issued a decision stating that all new laws from now on will include the West Bank settlements.
Jewish Home party leader, Naftali Bennett, welcomed the Attorney General's decision, as quoted by Madar website, but no further details were disclosed on this decision.
Bennett stressed that they will no longer approve the passage of any law unless it is applied to the West Bank settlers.
For her turn, Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked hailed the decision and said that the Israelis living in the West Bank are not "second class citizens" and that she will work to develop new measures to make sure that the new legislations will be applied to them too.
This move followed Likud party's vote on Sunday in favor of a draft resolution to annex the West Bank and Jerusalem settlements to Israel.
The vote was held during the general conference of the 3700-member Likud Central Committee and the resolution is expected to be passed to the Knesset for its approval.
Jewish Home party leader, Naftali Bennett, welcomed the Attorney General's decision, as quoted by Madar website, but no further details were disclosed on this decision.
Bennett stressed that they will no longer approve the passage of any law unless it is applied to the West Bank settlers.
For her turn, Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked hailed the decision and said that the Israelis living in the West Bank are not "second class citizens" and that she will work to develop new measures to make sure that the new legislations will be applied to them too.
This move followed Likud party's vote on Sunday in favor of a draft resolution to annex the West Bank and Jerusalem settlements to Israel.
The vote was held during the general conference of the 3700-member Likud Central Committee and the resolution is expected to be passed to the Knesset for its approval.
The "unified Jerusalem" bill which provides for separating Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem and prohibits relinquishing any part of the city under any future agreement has passed its second and third readings at the Israeli Knesset.
Any decision relating to Jerusalem, the bill stipulated, will require the consent of 80 MKs—even in the case of a peace agreement.
64 MKs supported the bill and 51 objected. MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid) ended up abstaining, despite his intention of voting against it.
The bill, filed by the Jewish Home party, requires the approval of 80 MKs for any decision to hand over parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority in the future.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation ratified the bill several months ago, and it was amended later to settle differences of opinion in the government coalition.
Initiated by Israeli ministers Naftali Bennett and Ze'ev Elkin, the bill is aimed at preparing for future steps to cut off Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem and establish a new Israeli local council for them. The project mainly targets Kafr Aqab and Shu'fat neighborhoods.
The "unified Jerusalem" bill was set to face a vote earlier but Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had decided to postpone the vote following the U.S. president Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Any decision relating to Jerusalem, the bill stipulated, will require the consent of 80 MKs—even in the case of a peace agreement.
64 MKs supported the bill and 51 objected. MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid) ended up abstaining, despite his intention of voting against it.
The bill, filed by the Jewish Home party, requires the approval of 80 MKs for any decision to hand over parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority in the future.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation ratified the bill several months ago, and it was amended later to settle differences of opinion in the government coalition.
Initiated by Israeli ministers Naftali Bennett and Ze'ev Elkin, the bill is aimed at preparing for future steps to cut off Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem and establish a new Israeli local council for them. The project mainly targets Kafr Aqab and Shu'fat neighborhoods.
The "unified Jerusalem" bill was set to face a vote earlier but Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had decided to postpone the vote following the U.S. president Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
1 jan 2018
The Knesset is set on Monday to vote on the "unified Jerusalem" bill which provides for separating Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem and prohibits relinquishing any part of the city under any future agreement.
The bill, filed by the Jewish Home party, requires the approval of 80 MKs for any decision to hand over parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority in the future. The Ministerial Committee for Legislation ratified the bill several months ago, and it was amended later to settle differences of opinion in the government coalition.
Initiated by Israeli ministers Naftali Bennett and Ze'ev Elkin, the bill is aimed at preparing for future steps to cut off Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem and establish a new Israeli local council for them. The project mainly targets Kafr Aqab and Shu'fat neighborhoods.
The "unified Jerusalem" bill was set to face a vote earlier but Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had decided to postpone the vote following the US president Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The bill, filed by the Jewish Home party, requires the approval of 80 MKs for any decision to hand over parts of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority in the future. The Ministerial Committee for Legislation ratified the bill several months ago, and it was amended later to settle differences of opinion in the government coalition.
Initiated by Israeli ministers Naftali Bennett and Ze'ev Elkin, the bill is aimed at preparing for future steps to cut off Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem and establish a new Israeli local council for them. The project mainly targets Kafr Aqab and Shu'fat neighborhoods.
The "unified Jerusalem" bill was set to face a vote earlier but Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had decided to postpone the vote following the US president Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The Israeli army refused, Sunday, a court order for the release of Nour Tamimi, 21, on a 5000 Israeli Shekels bail, and decided to hold her for additional 100 days, after filing a new indictment against her.
Nonviolent activist, Mohammad Tamimi, said the army decided not to release Nour on bail, although an Israeli court allowed her release, and filed a new indictment to keep her detained.
Nour Tamimi was abducted along with world-renowned teen journalist ’Ahed Tamimi, 17, and ‘Ahed’s mother, Nariman, 43, after a video recording surfaced, showing them removing Israeli soldiers from their yard, especially when the soldiers used it to fire on Palestinian protesters, in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.
On December 24th, an Israeli court denied an appeal for the release of ‘Ahed, who stands accused of “assaulting soldiers.”
|Court Orders Tamimi Under Further Interrogation For Four More Days|
When Ahed was 12, her mother’s cousin, Mustafa Tamimi, was killed before her eyes during a protest, shot in the head by a gas canister. One year later, she witnessed the army shoot and kill her uncle Rashadi.
Approximately two weeks ago, her cousin Mohammed, nearly her age, was shot in the face by a rubber-coated bullet that penetrated his skull.
He remains unconscious.”
Also Read: |Bassem Tamimi: Israeli Occupation Won’t Break Us|
Nonviolent activist, Mohammad Tamimi, said the army decided not to release Nour on bail, although an Israeli court allowed her release, and filed a new indictment to keep her detained.
Nour Tamimi was abducted along with world-renowned teen journalist ’Ahed Tamimi, 17, and ‘Ahed’s mother, Nariman, 43, after a video recording surfaced, showing them removing Israeli soldiers from their yard, especially when the soldiers used it to fire on Palestinian protesters, in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah.
On December 24th, an Israeli court denied an appeal for the release of ‘Ahed, who stands accused of “assaulting soldiers.”
|Court Orders Tamimi Under Further Interrogation For Four More Days|
When Ahed was 12, her mother’s cousin, Mustafa Tamimi, was killed before her eyes during a protest, shot in the head by a gas canister. One year later, she witnessed the army shoot and kill her uncle Rashadi.
Approximately two weeks ago, her cousin Mohammed, nearly her age, was shot in the face by a rubber-coated bullet that penetrated his skull.
He remains unconscious.”
Also Read: |Bassem Tamimi: Israeli Occupation Won’t Break Us|
Page: 2 - 1
