Introduction

Our organisations welcome the efforts of the Commission and its Special Rapporteur to address environmental protection in situations of occupation as part of its ongoing study into the Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts (PERAC). The PERAC study should be viewed in the context of the growing international interest in the environmental impact of armed conflicts, and its consequences for communities, ecosystems and for sustainable development.

Date: 11 October 2018,

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been protesting for 28 weeks as part of the Great Return March that commenced on 30 March 2018. Since then, the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) have resorted to excessive and lethal force against peaceful protestors, including children, paramedics and journalists. The IOF’s persistent suppression of the Great Return March protests violate the rights of the occupied Palestinian population to peaceful assembly and expression, as well as their right to life. Thus far, the IOF has killed 154 Palestinians in the context of the march[1]. During the march, soldiers are shielded by earth mounds and armoured vehicles along the fence.

In August 2018, several Palestinian human rights organizations attended The Red Nation’s annual conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We, the undersigned Palestinian human rights and community organizations, state as follows:

JOINT NGO POSITION PAPER

The undersigned human rights organisations stress the utmost importance of European Union (EU) and Member States supporting the United Nations (UN) Database on businesses operating in Israeli settlements (the Database), as a necessary and proportionate measure to promote greater transparency, accountability and respect by both states and businesses of international law.