The Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC) called on the international community to ensure Israel’s cooperation with UN missions in a statement released last Saturday.
PHROC in a press release, PHROC beckoned the international community to take effective measures aimed at ensuring Israel’s cooperation with mechanisms of the United Nations (UN), including its missions.
PHROC condemned the continued prevention of entry for the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.
We condemn the continued prevention of entry for UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the OPThttps://t.co/3YqvZKPJD2
— Al-Haq الحق (@alhaq_org) June 24, 2017
The council reported that current mandate holder, Mr. S. Michael Lynk, was appointed in 2016 and has not received any responses from the Israeli government for his requests to conduct official visits. Israel has prevented the entry of the mandate holder into the OPT since 2008.
PHROC noted that Lynk’s predecessor, Makarim Wibisono, resigned due to lack of access to the OPT. He was quoted as saying that, “my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way.”
Due to lack of access, mandate holders and the aforementioned bodies have had to conduct meetings with victims, organizations, and other stakeholders outside of the OPT, said the release.
Horror for the people of #Gaza: PHROC denounces decision to reduce power supply and warns of a humanitarian disaster https://t.co/ODsmREjwDg pic.twitter.com/5TRtun7ssb
— IPSC (@ipsc48) June 21, 2017
“While such meetings serve to convey the impacts of Israel’s violations of international law, having direct access to the territory and seeing first-hand, the reality of Israel’s occupation, is essential.”
Under the Charter of the United Nations, Israel is obliged to allow the UN, including mandate holders, to access to its territory as “may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment of its purposes.
(IMEMC, PC, Social Media)
