Earlier today The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions gave a press conference releasing its new report on Israeli housing demolition policy in East Jerusalem, and announcing that it will submit complaints to the U.N. A press release accompanying the report reads in part:
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) will submit complaints to the UN’s Special Rapporteurs – claiming that Israel’s policy in East Jerusalem violates international law and may constitute a war crime.
ICAHD will submit three complaints tomorrow morning to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights of IDPs (internally displaced persons), the Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, and the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Occupied Palestinian Territories. ICAHD will demand to open an investigation into the legality of Israeli policy in East Jerusalem.
The complaints are based on a report, to be launched Monday October 31st, that states that Israel is committing severe violations of international law in East Jerusalem. The report, written by Advocate Emily Schaeffer and edited by Advocate Michael Sfard, analyzes Israeli policy and practice in East Jerusalem under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. The report concludes that Israel is perpetrating serious violations of these laws by denying the right to adequate housing, development, and self-determination, as well as violating the prohibition on residency revocation.
Furthermore, the report states that demolition of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem is, in the majority of cases, a war crime of destruction of property. By destroying homes, limiting the possibility to build legally, and denying permanent residency status of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Israel is forcing the migration process on the basis of ethnicity – which violates international law, and is possibly a war crime.
The report also states that there is evidence that the actions and policies implemented by Israel in East Jerusalem are designed to preserve a demographic balance in the city of a Jewish majority – a motive that is forbidden by international law.
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions is setting a precedent by turning to the UN. This is the first time that an Israeli organization has requested the opening of an investigation into Israeli practices.
Zach Resnick is living for a year in Israel/Palestine and blogging at Thoughts from Jerusalem. He recently graduated high school and is spending a year before Oberlin College interning for the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions, studying jazz music at Shtriker Conservatory, and taking in life in Israel/Palestine.
Can Israel “preserve a demographic balance in the city of a Jewish majority” without ALSO VIOLATING I/L by settling the occupied place with settlers?
Israel seems to want to have it two ways: [1] it recovered its own land which Jordan had occupied 1948-1967. The land is no longer “occupied” having been restored to its proper owner and sovereign. In that case, it should have extended citizenship to the people living there. It did not. It has two laws. etc. [2] it occupied someone else’s land in 1967, and therefore need not make citizens of the residents.
[2] is the generally understood view, but settlements and settlers are forbidden in this view.
New reports, really?
How about all those reports for years saying the same?
Bravo UNESCO, the zionist wall is fallig apart, may it bury Niniyahoo and the rest of those bloody zionists under itself.
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions is setting a precedent by turning to the UN.
ICAHD is made up of saints.
Well we all know that the ICAHD is chock full of anti-Semites, right? No one’s going to take them seriously, especially at the UN!
Ow, sorry, I think I just gave myself a sarcasm migraine.