25/10/2020

42/2020

ICHR condemns Israeli occupation restrictions against OHCHR’s staff

The Independent Commission for Human Rights ICHR condemns the Israeli occupation’s prevention of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (OHCHR) staff from exercising their duties, restricting them, and refusing to grant them visas or visa extension

The Independent Commission for Human Rights ICHR condemns the ongoing Israeli violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws in occupied Palestinian territory and Israel’s attempts to cover up their crimes. The latest of such attempts was the rejection of the Israeli occupation government to extend entry to most of OHCHR’s staff. Israeli restrictions took place after OHCHR published a black list of 112 active companies in Israeli settlements in February.

According to the spokesman of the OHCHR, Robert Colville, 9 out of 12 foreign employees of this UN body have left Israel since last August due to Israel’s refusal to extend their visas, while 3 employees have been refused entry.

This is not the first time that representatives from the United Nations have been prevented from visiting occupied Palestinian territory. The special rapporteur on torture, members of fact-finding committees formed by the Human Rights Council, many other UN delegations, and international figures have been denied entry in recent years. Banning employees of OHCHR, who have been working in the occupied Palestinian territory for many years, is considered a new and reprehensible policy.

ICHR stresses the importance of its partnership with OHCHR in occupied Palestinian territory to strengthen human rights in Palestine, as well as the important and fundamental role OHCHR plays in providing expertise, training and technical support to governmental and civil society institutions, with the aim of improving the human rights situation and monitoring violations committed against Palestinian citizens.

Whereas ICHR condemns Israeli attempts to obscure facts and obstruct justice, the restriction and prevention of the work of UN employees would negatively affect the human rights situation in Palestine and undermine the work of international institutions. ICHR demands permission for staff to return to their work, in order to be able to carry out necessary duties in Palestinian territories.