E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP - Getty Images
A Palestinian activist fixes a flag near a proposed new encampment in the West Bank on Jan 20.
Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank violate Palestinian human rights and must be withdrawn, United Nations investigators said Thursday — a move described by observers as "unprecedented."
An international report by the U.N. Human Rights Council said Israel is "committing serious breaches of its obligations under the right to self-determination and under humanitarian law."
All settlers must begin to withdraw from the occupied territories, the report said. It echoed the earlier claim of Palestinians that the the practices of settlers could be considered possible war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Israel, which did not cooperate with the investigation, dismissed the document as "biased" and said it would "only hamper efforts to find a sustainable solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict."
Tel Aviv-based Haaretz said the "unprecedented" conclusion was the U.N.’s "harshest condemnation of Israeli policy in West Bank since 1967."
About 250 settlements in the West Bank have been established since 1967 and they hold an estimated 520,000 settlers, the U.N. said.
Palestinians claim the settlements hamper Palestinian access to farm lands.
The report [PDF link], led by French judge Christine Chanet and summarized in a news release in Geneva on Thursday, said:
"Israel must, in compliance with article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, cease all settlement activities without preconditions. It must immediately initiate a process of withdrawal of all settlers from the OPT (occupied Palestinian territories).
These violations are all interrelated, forming part of an overall pattern of breaches that are characterised principally by the denial of the right to self-determination and systemic discrimination against the Palestinian people which occur on a daily basis.
Since 1967, Israeli governments have openly led, directly participated in, and had full control of the planning, construction, development, consolidation and encouragement of settlements, the report states."
Asma Jahangir, one of the authors of the report, said: "We are today calling on the government of Israel to ensure full accountability for all violations, put an end to the policy of impunity and to ensure justice for all victims."
Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement refuting the findings, according to the Jerusalem Post. "The Human Rights Council has sadly distinguished itself by its systematical, one-sided and biased approach towards Israel. This latest report is yet another unfortunate reminder of such approach," the newspaper quoted the ministry as saying.
Hanan Ashrawi, a top official with the Palestinian Liberation Organization, told Reuters: "This is incredible. We are extremely heartened by this principled and candid assessment of Israeli violations...This report clearly states the Israel is not just violating the 4th Geneva Convention, but places Israel in liability to the Rome Statute under the jurisdiction of the ICC."
Related:
Israel faces European backlash over decision to expand settlements
US slams Israel's decision to expand settlements
Israeli court throws out family's lawsuit over death of US activist Rachel Corrie
Leave a Comment:
Okay U.N - I will make a deal with you. Since you claim to be a legitimate organization with some sort of power and influence - I will support your resolution (against my better judgement) to have Israel withdrawl from the West Bank - if you get a spine and acknowlegde with a resolution (or at least a panel report) to the media and everyone else on this planet - the existence of extraterrestrials, contact with E.T.s, why this has taken so long to be officially confirmed, and what this implies for the future of humanity.
I can see Blue Berets moving in to Palestine to establish borders real soon, finally.
That will never happen.
So naive.
Mark your calendar. I will give it a year , tops.
Palestinians will apply for full membership in September. This time, US will abstain. Israel may save face (And a lot of aid dollars) by listening to US requests.
US is no longer lead by senile right wing dumbf*cks who cannot figure out what US interests are..
If Israel wants to stay our "Ally", it better listen to what US says and do it.
Millions of people now asking the question; "Why the f*ck hagel needs to answer a question of how cozy he is with jew/Israeli interests?", "We are choosing a US secretary of defense who must eliminate threats to US".
US must shorten the leash on Israel and it will. Israel better prove to US that there is no need for leash.
No Sick, the US is now under the control of you ignorant, moronic lefties who think that "US interests" include pissing away our children's future. I am sure you voted for the clown obama; welcome to the circus.
It's about time
You can bet that the US Government will fall in line with Israel even though the departure of West Bank residents is the essetial first step to the commencement of any meaningful process to peace.
I'm so sick and tired of the UN. Let's change the story to "UN must leave NYC and the USofA NOW!" We fund a HUGE portion of this bogus entity - and get the blunt end of any/every stick they can get their hands on. If we ever had true LEADERS in this country, the HQ for this rag-tag outfit would've been in Brussels or somewhere else long ago. With 17% (or 30%...or whatever it is) LESS FUNDING and NO military support to speak of. Get US out of the UN! Have a nice day! :))
Who the heck is the U.N. to tell Israel what to do?
Do they ever dictate policy to Hezbollah?
I hope the US doesn't ever get into a position where we will be ruled by the U.N.
The U.N. definitely has it' own agenda.
I think I can come close to what Israel and I both would tell the UN - Go f*** yourself
Will UN also rule that portions of koran, that offend Jews, must be removed by muslims?
brought to you by such human rights luminaries as Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar... notice anything wrong with this picture?
Next the UN will say that the American people need to give the USA back to the native American Indians.
Screw the UN.
Let me be the first to reply to the UN by giving the time honored middle finger solute!
Majority of Palestinians are Sunni Muslims, not Shia.
I totally agree that Israel needs to get out of the west bank. They are not allowed there, by the (Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention). By, doing so they are escalating the tensions of the, Palestinians who then retaliate. This leads to the attacks from Palistians for obvious reasons, they're the Israelies are stealing the Palistians land. And in doing so they, the Palestinians are all but prevented Palistians access to farm lands.
How would anyone else react, in the same situation. Furthermore when the do react they get bombed to ashes by an overpowering nation that shouldn't be there in the first place. This is withdraw needs to be taken into effect and stop this Palestinian human rights violation.
As far as the Israeli's developmentes, they should be turned over to the Palestinians intact for violating the agreement established long ago. The squatters need to be kicked out, and punished severely if they choose not to.
You my friend, should be on the "Tonight Show".
You are a comedic Genius!
I agree, no need to demolish buildings, infrastructure. They should be left clean and neat for Palestinans.
It can be counted as down payment for eventual Israeli payment to palestine for past thefts, robberies, scams, and massacres.
Hey Sick, you could have a new place to live. Home Sweet Home.
If you do the research, you will find that Israel have been in defiance of over 60 previous UN Resolutions already and will very likely add this latest one to the scrap paper box. But isn't it odd that the United States takes such a dim view of any other nation defying UN mandates (Iran, Iraq, PRC, etc.) yet Israel gets special exemption from us? Kinda makes you wonder if those West Bank settlements are financed with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages. When Iraq moved into Kuwait, we intervened. If China were to move against Taiwan, we have pledged to intervene. We intervened in Korea and in Vietnam. Strange that when Israel moves past its legal borders, we look the other way.
Well, you know it's "just in case" - just in case the Judeo-Christian god is the right one, we want to be on his good side.
Israel is in their legal borders. They were attacked (while in their "legal" borders in 1967), they won the war, you would have supported that if the shoe was on the other foot.
Well Jim, our fearless "leaders" made Fannie and Freddie take on all kinds of bogus (and the vast majority never repayable) "minority" and "targeted areas" mortgages HERE for decades (actually, still do!... and the R/E industry is gonna pay for it again fairly soon!)..... so why not bogus developments in other countries? Have a nice day! :))
@angryguy.............. TRUE!
I would have supported an Israeli withdrawal, had it not been for the fiasco that palestinians made out of Gaza. Israel withdrew fron Gaza in 2006 and the paslestinians turned the place into a hell hole of violence and military weapons stashed in schools and mosques, when they could have made a start of vivilized palestinian nation.
I expect the same will happen if Israel withdrws from the West Bank, another border with enemies shooting rockets at them.
The UN is nowhere to be seen in Syria massacres, or Iranian murders and mistrious disappearnces, or SA oppressions. UN can go to hell.
I'm sure our government (aka, the united states of israelica) will have something to say about this.
Prior to 1967 there weren't any settlers or settlements. Then the Palestinians joined with other arab nations in a war of aggression against Israel. They tried to destroy Israel so they could have it all.
They lost that war (and another war of aggression they played a part in in 1973), and with it their territory.
SINCE WHEN DO THE LOSING AGRESSORS IN A WAR GET TO DICTATE THE TERMS OF THE PEACE?
The UN and the Palestinians (many of whom you may recall were seen cheering about the 9/11 attack on CNN) can go Phuck themselves!
Well, If you bleeding idiots think Israel should give back lands they won thru armed conflict then I guess we need to do the same here:
Got to give Florida, Texas & the entire southwestback to Mexico since we got all that thru conflict. Might as well give the original 13 colonies back to Bristain since we acquired that thru armed conflict & then we can petition the UN to Force Britain to give the entire east coast back to the American Indians since they came & thru conflict took all the land to begin with.
Sorry, but Israel beat it's pathetic little neighbors in multiple armed conflicts & if they want to keep the land, THEY SHOULD! If the loosers don't like it tough!
Isreal like aparthied South Africa, could hold out to any sanctions for a long time. But their action in regard to settlement activity is just wrong. They steal the best land in a hostile environment and force the Palestinians onto "reservations" or maybe in 20th century parlance, "ghettos".
I am flummoxed that the U.S. didn't veto this censure of our "tail", as has happened so often in the past.
Maybe this will start a real process leading to justice for a people under vicious subjugation.
"justice for a people under vicious subjugation"
Really? Palestinians own homes and businesses in Israel (go there and see it), go to schools and universities, get health care, hold office in the political and legal system, including a supreme court justice.
Subjugation? yes, of course, if you read "other" news sources, but have you ever visited there to see how many lies and propaganda are fed to the world by arab propaganda machines?
AAJJ,
Please do some research before you write. The West Bank got their first 5 star hotel last year. The building boom in Ramat is something to see and their GDP growth of 8% is much better than most of the world. The land there is anything but a ghetto.
Please check the Christian population in Bethlehem to see how the Palestinians treat people of other religions. It has gone from 50% of the city to 10%
Who really gives a flying @!$%# what the U.N. thinks. That is like Michael Moore giving Taylor Swift dieting advice
This is good news for the Palestinians. Hooray for the UN. The whole world has known for a long time about the illegality of Israel's settlements in the West Bank. Yes, the Israels should remove the settlements because they are illegal and a violation of the rights of the Palestinians, but, let's face it, the Israels will not comply because they have no problem with their illegal behavior and care nothing for the rights of the Palestinians. America should withdraw it's funding for this illegal behavior.
The Israeli's will not comply because the Palestinians were part of a war that was made against them in 1967 and 1973. Despite being attacked by surprise, the Israelis not only repelled the attack, they conquered their attackers.
Since when does someone who starts a war and loses get to tell the winner what they get to keep and what they have to give back?
What planet are you from anyway?
Well, Well. It's about time, someone had to balls to tell the Jews, to do the right thing, and give back the land they stole from their neighbors. The US, has asked the Jews, to do this sense 1967, and they have refused to give the land back, and just asked the US for more money to think about it, then just do the same thing over, and over, again, like the US, never stopped giving the Jews money to do the right thing to have peace in their part of the world. Seems like the Jews, just wanted the money, and didn't care about peace, or their own people.
Agreed. Stop giving terrorist Israel money, period.
Just exactly HOW is it stealing when your neighbor starts a war against you (starting with a surprise attack) in hopes of wiping you off the face of the earth and taking your country?
Screw the war mongering Palestinians who refused to be satisfied with what they had, and chose to side with Egypt and Syria in starting a war of aggression that they were too inept to win!
They lost and now have to live with the conseqeunces.
The people at the UN need to study their history books..ALL of "Palestine" belongs to the Jews..and with the exception of the Arabian peninsula..ALL the so-called "Muslim" lands were Christian or Jewish..including Egypt,"Turkey" (Asia Minor) Syria and North Africa....the Muslims want to keep all the lands they have stolen..and disposes the rest of us!!!
NO FREE TRADE WITHOUT FULL EMPLOYMENT!!
Israel stole it more recently.
Jock..how do u steal ur own birthrite???
Deport ALL Muslims from the Western World!!!
This was a good read but... terrorist Israel will not comply.
I think you meant terrorist Palestine, but if you are a lefty everything is backwards.
The UN is an idea that will never work...it's time to dissolve the UN and converted the UN Building into an apartment building...
Yeah, how dare they suggest that a country shouldn't be able to conquer and occupy adjacent territory.
If the Palestinians had not been part of the attacks against Israel in 1967 and 1973 then there wouldn't be any settlements or settlers now.
They made a bad choice (siding with those who promised to take all of Israel and give it to them). They lost and now have to live with the consequences of their choices!
In plain English: The Israeli's will not be giving the West Bank back to anyone, EVER!