“SHAMS” Center commemorates the steadfastness of the Palestinian people on their land and their continuous demand for their just and inalienable rights, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which the United Nations General Assembly called for in 1977, in Resolution (40/32 B), which constitutes an opportunity to remind the world that The Palestinian people have not yet obtained their rights, as guaranteed by international laws. “SHAMS” Center recalls the moment of raising the Palestinian flag in front of the United Nations headquarters and offices around the world in 2015, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to raise the flags of the participating countries as non-member observers in the United Nations, including the flag of the State of Palestine.
“SHAMS” Center calls on the international community to empower the Palestinian people to determine their destiny, to help them establish their independent state on their national soil, to enable Palestinian refugees to return to their homes from which they were displaced, and to take serious action in that, and not wait any longer. Since 1947, The Palestinians are still waiting for a serious move from the international community, away from rhetoric and titillating feelings, diagnosis and solidarity, without there being any real action on the ground. Today, Palestine only lacks recognition by the international community as a sovereign state. Hence, the international community is required of it today more than ever before to align itself with international law, resolutions of international legitimacy, and the United Nations Charter, especially its goals and objectives. it is also required from him to be bias towards truth, logic and reality. Today what does the Palestinian people lack in order for them to have independent states on their national soil, just like the peoples of the earth?! For a people whose civilization extends to the depths of history, and whose sons reached the highest levels of knowledge, and preserved their existence and being, and was always present, and was not cut off his connection to his land throughout history, as he built, constructed, added and laid landmarks that still bear witness to his greatness, does he not deserve a state!
“SHAMS” Center reminds on this occasion that Palestinian human rights conditions are still being systematically and continuously violated by the violent Israeli colonial system. As the Israeli colonial machine continues to carry out acts of killing against Palestinian civilians, the occupation soldiers easily shoot at civilians on the roads, at checkpoints, or during operations to storm Palestinian cities, villages and camps, which results in killing or wounding civilians, whether young men, girls, children, or other age groups, and in some cases victims with disabilities. “SHAMS” Center reminds on this occasion that Palestinian human rights conditions are still being systematically and continuously violated by the violent Israeli colonial system. As the Israeli colonial machine continues to carry out acts of killing against Palestinian civilians, the occupation soldiers easily shoot at civilians on the roads, at checkpoints, or during operations to storm Palestinian cities, villages and camps, which results in killing or wounding civilians, whether young men, girls, children, or other age groups, and in some cases victims with disabilities. The occupation forces also use excessive force in dealing with peaceful demonstrations, which is what happened in the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip and in other cases in the West Bank. Armed settlers participate in these violations of the right to life or on the physical level.
“Israel”, the occupying power, is still practicing numerous violations against Palestinian installations and property, most notably demolition, eviction, confiscation, annexation, and settlement expansion, which is a war crime under international law. Israeli arrests of Palestinian civilians continue, accompanied by cases of beatings and abuse, house raids and searches without a warrant, and torture, including detention of children and women, administrative detention without charge or trial, and the continued detention of the sick and elderly. The number of prisoners and detainees in the occupation prisons reached nearly (4,500) prisoners, of whom (40) were female prisoners, while the number of child detainees reached about (170) children, and the administrative detainees reached about (370) detainees. The right to freedom of movement continues to be restricted, and the tight blockade on the Gaza Strip continues also, which has led to the failure to provide life services from the authorities. The situation continues to become more dangerous with the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus in the besieged sector, in addition to the prosecution of farmers and fishermen, harassment and shooting, and procrastination in granting Treatment permits for residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
“SHAMS” Center stresses that the Israeli violations have moved from the level of targeting Palestinian civilians as their victims, to the level of besieging, persecuting and defaming those in solidarity with the Palestinian people and human rights defenders, intimidating international civil institutions and UN institutions, obstructing the work of investigation committees and preventing them from entering the occupied territory in More than once. As “Israel” the occupying power withdrew the residence permits of a number of human rights defenders, and refused to process requests for renewal or granting residency visas for UN employees, in addition to the pressure exerted by the Israeli colonial system and its partners on the International Criminal Court and its judges to obstruct the investigation of war crimes that were or are being committed by “Israel”, the occupying Power in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It is nothing but a scheme to commit more atrocities against the Palestinian people, far from the eyes of international organizations.
On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Shams Center renews its call for the international community to find practical and urgent solutions to the suffering of the Palestinian people based on the principle of their right to protection. It also calls for redoubling efforts aimed at holding Israeli officials accountable for human rights violations and supporting the efforts of the International Criminal Court in this trend. The international community is also required to provide a protection umbrella for those in solidarity with the Palestinian people, human rights defenders, local and international civil institutions, and international institutions operating in or for the State of Palestine, and to support the Palestinian people’s struggles for liberation and independence within their inalienable right to self-determination.