Since 1967, Israel’s settlement enterprise has expanded throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), in violation of international law, resulting in the establishment of more than 250 settlements and outposts, with more than 600,000 settlers illegally residing therein.^[1] Settlements obstruct the realisation of human rights for the Palestinian population, including inter alia, the right to self-determination and freedom of movement. In addition, settlements are often situated close to Palestinian villages and communities, resulting in increased incidents of settler violence and attacks against Palestinians.^[2]

On 30 March 2019, during the One-Year Commemoration of the Great Return March (GRM), the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) shot and killed Adham Nidal Omara, 17, a resident of Al-Sha’af neighbourhood, east of Gaza city, with a 40 mm explosive green cylindrical grenade. The grenade hit Adham in the lower face, completely destroying and disfiguring his face and eventually killing him.

Between 6 and 10 May 2019, Al-Haq carried out a series of meetings and briefings, along with partner organisations in the United States (U.S.), with the United Nations (UN) offices, diplomats and U.S. Congressional offices. On Monday, 6 May 2019, Al-Haq, along with the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), briefed approximately 20 Member States of the European Union (EU) Delegation to the UN in New York on the continued violations committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including in regards to the Great Return March, the prolonged closure and continued military offensives carried out against Palestinians therein. Al-Haq highlighted the plight of Palestinians in realising their basic rights, including the right to life, dignity, and an adequate standard of living, persistently denied as a result of Israel’s prolonged military occupation. Al-Haq also highlighted the role that the EU should take in ensuring accountability, particularly for acts committed by Israel during the Great Return March which may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A year ago, the United States (U.S.) opened its embassy in occupied Jerusalem after moving it from Tel Aviv. The move was preceded by U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017, running counter to decades of established U.S. policy and peremptory rules of international law. Since that time, and as the international community anticipates the upcoming release of a new U.S. Middle East peace plan, the U.S. has also recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan, and has remained silent[1] as to possible action should Israel annex the occupied West Bank, as threatened by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during the 2019 election campaign.