The Palestinian NGO’s Network PNGO considers the meeting of Ad Hoc Special Liaison Committee (AHLC) for developmental assistance to the Palestinian people, convening on January 31st and chaired by Norway, to be extremely important as it comes amid difficult and complex circumstances befalling the Palestinian people and their national cause.
The Committee will be convening in the wake of US President Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as a capital of Israel and to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and the serious consequences of such decisions, not to mention the US decision to reduce funds going to UNRWA which will certainly perpetuate and enlarge the Palestinian refugee crisis.
The US recent measures encouraged the Israeli right-wing government to build more thousands of settlement units and confiscate large areas of Palestinian land, besides the ongoing Judaization of Jerusalem, blockade of Gaza Strip, and imposing Israeli sovereignty over West Bank and Jordan Valley settlements in addition to the annexation of Jerusalem and the Israeli death penalty bill which allow Israel to execute Palestinian prisoners.
The United States can no longer be considered an honest broker and sponsor for the peace process. It has encouraged the Israeli occupation to commit further violations of human rights by turning a blind eye to the occupation’s practices against the Palestinian people in general and against children in particular including arresting them or killing them in cold-blood. This led to increased tension between Israel and the Palestinians as Israeli practices have undermined the likelihood of the two-state solution and the chances for peace.
The lack of accountability for Israel's systematic violations of human rights conventions and treaties at the forefront of which the Fourth Geneva Convention, requires you to develop mechanisms to deter Israel; the "Occupying Power'', and compel it to respect the international law.
Over the past decade, the Israeli occupation has imposed a strict blockade on the Gaza Strip, where 2 million Palestinians have been sealed and were exposed to three military operations that have resulted in the death of thousands of people, destroyed tens of thousands of homes, severely damaged the infrastructure and the economic infrastructure, and raised the unemployment rate to 46% of the labor force and 60% among youth; the highest in the world. It also increased food insecurity rate to more than 50%.
The Committee will be convening in the wake of an accelerated deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip which affects and threatens the lives of our people, especially children, women and patients. At the same time the Israeli occupation continues to impose its blockade on the Gaza Strip, tighten restrictions on the movement of people particularly patients and traders and hinder the reconstruction process prolonging the sufferings of 20.000 homeless Palestinians whose houses were destroyed by the Israeli occupation's war machine.
At a time, we continue witness the Israeli occupation violations and the increasing need of people in the Gaza Strip for various essential humanitarian services, there has been a decrease in the aid provided to the people and the institutions that provide services on the various humanitarian and developmental levels.
PNGO eagerly looks forward to seeing real pressure imposed by you on Israel to lift the unjust blockade and allow the movement of individuals and goods through crossings in both directions. We also look forward to an increase your financial support in order to alleviate the suffering of our people, provide opportunities for the youth to live a decent life and provide employment opportunities for young people and graduates whose numbers are increasing daily.
PNGO believes that your role to progress in achieving reconciliation is urgently needed to ease the burden and alleviate the suffering of our people of different social classes caused by the state of internal division.
Your role towards achieving reconciliation is urgently needed. If achieved, reconciliation will help alleviate burdens and suffering of the various groups of the people which have resulted from the state of fragmentation. This includes encouraging all parties to uphold and commit to partnership principles and collective democratic action through the rebuilding of the Palestinian representative body on electoral and democratic basis to ensure the implementation of the principles of the rule of law and respect for public freedoms and human rights principles.
Stability is a common interest between the neighboring countries that will contribute to creating an atmosphere of peace and prosperity. Stability cannot be achieved without guaranteeing the rights of our people based on international law. Thus, you are obligated to exert the necessary effort to end the injustice and support our just cause.
Advocating for the cause of our people and facing the challenges that beset them, require all to draw on the values of justice that we lack in our country because of the occupation and its practices which deny the guarantee of the rights of our people and impose isolation, Bantustans system and apartheid regime.