Palestinian Civil Society Calls for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel Until it Complies with International Law and Universal Principles of Human Rights 9 July 2005
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English:
One year after the historic Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which found Israel’s Wall built on occupied Palestinian territory to be illegal; Israel continues its construction of the colonial Wall with total disregard to the Court’s decision. Thirty eight years into Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan Heights, Israel continues to expand Jewish colonies. It has unilaterally annexed occupied East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights and is now de facto annexing large parts of the West Bank by means of the Wall. Israel is also preparing – in the shadow of its planned redeployment from the Gaza Strip – to build and expand colonies in the West Bank. Fifty seven years after the state of Israel was built mainly on land ethnically cleansed of its Palestinian owners, a majority of Palestinians are refugees, most of whom are stateless. Moreover, Israel’s entrenched system of racial discrimination against its own Arab-Palestinian citizens remains intact.
In light of Israel’s persistent violations of international law; and
Given that, since 1948, hundreds of UN resolutions have condemned Israel’s colonial and discriminatory policies as illegal and called for immediate, adequate and effective remedies; and
Given that all forms of international intervention and peace-making have until now failed to convince or force Israel to comply with humanitarian law, to respect fundamental human rights and to end its occupation and oppression of the people of Palestine; and
In view of the fact that people of conscience in the international community have historically shouldered the moral responsibility to fight injustice, as exemplified in the struggle to abolish apartheid in South Africa through diverse forms of boycott, divestment and sanctions; and Inspired by the struggle of South Africans against apartheid and in the spirit of international solidarity, moral consistency and resistance to injustice and oppression;
We, representatives of Palestinian civil society, call upon international civil society organizations and people of conscience all over the world to impose broad boycotts and implement divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era. We appeal to you to pressure your respective states to impose embargoes and sanctions against Israel. We also invite conscientious Israelis to support this Call, for the sake of justice and genuine peace.
These non-violent punitive measures should be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by:
1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall
2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.
Endorsed by:
The Palestinian political parties, unions, associations, coalitions and organizations below represent the three integral parts of the people of Palestine: Palestinian refugees, Palestinians under occupation and Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Unions, Associations, Campaigns
Council of National and Islamic Forces in Palestine (Coordinating body for the major political parties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory) • Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizen’s Rights (PICCR)
Union of Arab Community Based Associations (ITTIJAH), Haifa
Forum of Palestinian NGOs in Lebanon
Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)
General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW)
General Union of Palestinian Teachers (GUPT)
Federation of Unions of Palestinian Universities’ Professors and Employees
Consortium of Professional Associations
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC)
Health Work Committees – West Bank
Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC)
Union of Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC)
Union of Health Work Committees – Gaza (UHWC)
Union of Palestinian Farmers
Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI)
General Union of Disabled Palestinians
Palestinian Federation of Women’s Action Committees (PFWAC)
Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)
Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign
Union of Teachers of Private Schools
Union of Women’s Work Committees, Tulkarem (UWWC)
Dentists’ Association – Jerusalem Center
Palestinian Engineers Association
Lawyers’ Association
Network for the Eradication of Illiteracy and Adult Education, Ramallah
Coordinating Committee of Rehabilitation Centers – West Bank
Coalition of Lebanese Civil Society Organizations (150 organizations)
Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR), Network of Student-based Canadian University Associations
Refugee Rights Associations/Organizations
Al-Ard Committees for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Al-Awda Charitable Society, Beit Jala
Al Awda – Palestine Right-to-Return Coalition, U.S.A
Al-Awda Toronto
Aidun Group – Lebanon
Aidun Group – Syria
Alrowwad Cultural and Theatre Training Center, Aida refugee camp
Association for the Defense of the Rights of the Internally Displaced (ADRID), Nazareth
BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Bethlehem
Committee for Definite Return, Syria
Committee for the Defense of Palestinian Refugee Rights, Nablus
Consortium of the Displaced Inhabitants of Destroyed Palestinian Villages and Towns
Filastinuna – Commission for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Handala Center, ‘Azza (Beit Jibreen) refugee camp, Bethlehem
High Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, Jordan
(including personal endorsement of 71 members of parliament, political parties and unions in Jordan)
High National Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return , Ramallah
International Right of Return Congress (RORC)
Jermana Youth Forum for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Laji Center, Aida camp, Bethlehem
Local Committee for Rehabilitation, Qalandia refugee camp, Jerusalem
Local Committee for Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Deheishe refugee camp, Bethlehem
Palestinian National Committee for the Defense of the Right of Return, Syria
Palestinian Return Association, Syria
Palestinian Return Forum, Syria
Palestine Right-of-Return Coalition (Palestine, Arab host countries, Europe, North America)
Palestine Right-of-Return Confederation-Europe (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden)
Palestinian Youth Forum for the Right of Return, Syria
PLO Popular Committees – West Bank refugee camps
PLO Popular Committees – Gaza Strip refugee camps
Popular Committee – al-‘Azza (Beit Jibreen) refugee camp, Bethlehem
Popular Committee – Deheishe refugee camp, Bethlehem
Shaml – Palestinian Diaspora and Refugee Center, Ramallah
Union of Women’s Activity Centers – West Bank Refugee Camps
Union of Youth Activity Centers – Palestine Refugee Camps, West Bank and Gaza
Women’s Activity Center – Deheishe refugee camp, Bethlehem
Yafa Cultural Center, Balata refugee camp, Nablus
Organizations
Abna’ al-Balad Society, Nablus
Addameer Center for Human Rights, Gaza
Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association, Ramallah
Alanqa’ Cultural Association, Hebron
Al-Awda Palestinian Folklore Society, Hebron
Al-Doha Children’s Cultural Center, Bethlehem
Al-Huda Islamic Center, Bethlehem
Al-Jeel al-Jadid Society, Haifa
Al-Karameh Cultural Society, Um al-Fahm
Al-Maghazi Cultural Center, Gaza
Al-Marsad Al-Arabi, occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, Gaza
Al-Nahda Cultural Forum, Hebron
Al-Taghrid Society for Culture and Arts, Gaza
Alternative Tourism Group, Beit Sahour (ATG)
Al-Wafa’ Charitable Society, Gaza
Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ)
Arab Association for Human Rights, Nazareth (HRA)
Arab Center for Agricultural Development (ACAD)
Arab Center for Agricultural Development-Gaza
Arab Educational Institute – Open Windows (affiliated with Pax Christie International)
Arab Orthodox Charitable Society – Beit Sahour
Arab Orthodox Charity – Beit Jala
Arab Orthodox Club – Beit Jala
Arab Orthodox Club – Beit Sahour
Arab Students’ Collective, University of Toronto
Arab Thought Forum, Jerusalem (AFT)
Association for Cultural Exchange Hebron – France
Association Najdeh, Lebanon
Authority for Environmental Quality, Jenin
Bader Society for Development and Reconstruction, Gaza
Canadian Palestine Foundation of Quebec, Montreal
Center for the Defense of Freedoms, Ramallah
Center for Science and Culture, Gaza
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ramallah- Al-Bireh District
Child Development and Entertainment Center, Tulkarem
Committee for Popular Participation, Tulkarem
Defense for Children International-Palestine Section, Ramallah (DCI/PS)
El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe
Ensan Center for Democracy and Human Rights, Bethlehem
Environmental Education Center, Bethlehem
FARAH – Palestinian Center for Children, Syria
Ghassan Kanafani Society for Development, Gaza
Ghassan Kanafani Forum, Syria
Gaza Community Mental Health Program, Gaza (GCMHP)
Golan for Development, occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Halhoul Cultural Forum, Hebron
Himayeh Society for Human Rights, Um al-Fahm
Holy Land Trust – Bethlehem
Home of Saint Nicholas for Old Ages – Beit Jala
Human Rights Protection Center, Lebanon
In’ash al-Usrah Society, Ramallah
International Center of Bethlehem (Dar An-Nadweh)
Islah Charitable Society-Bethlehem
Jafra Youth Center, Syria
Jander Center, al-Azza (Beit Jibreen) refugee camp, Bethlehem
Jerusalem Center for Women, Jerusalem (JCW)
Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC )
Khalil Al Sakakini Cultural Center, Ramallah
Land Research Center, Jerusalem (LRC)
Liberated Prisoners’ Society, Palestine
Local Committee for Social Development, Nablus
Local Committee for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, Nablus
MA’AN TV Network, Bethlehem
Medical Aid for Palestine, Canada
MIFTAH-Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Ramallah
Muwatin-The Palestinian Institute for the Study of Democracy
National Forum of Martyr’s Families, Palestine
Near East Council of Churches Committee for Refugee Work – Gaza Area
Network of Christian Organizations – Bethlehem (NCOB)
Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace, Jerusalem
Palestinian Counseling Center, Jerusalem (PCC)
Palestinian Democratic Youth Union, Lebanon
Palestinian Farmers’ Society, Gaza
Palestinian Hydrology Group for Water and Environment Resources Development-Gaza
Palestinian Prisoners’ Society-West Bank
Palestinian Society for Consumer Protection, Gaza
Palestinian University Students’ Forum for Peace and Democracy, Hebron
Palestinian Women’s Struggle Committees
Palestinian Working Women Society for Development (PWWSD)
Popular Art Centre, Al-Bireh
Prisoner’s Friends Association – Ansar Al-Sajeen, Majd al-Krum
Public Aid Association, Gaza
Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies
Saint Afram Association – Bethlehem
Saint Vincent De Paule – Beit Jala
Senior Citizen Society – Beit Jala
Social Development Center, Nablus
Society for Self-Development, Hebron
Society for Social Work, Tulkarem
Society for Voluntary Work and Culture, Um al-Fahm
Society of Friends of Prisoners and Detainees, Um al-Fahm
Sumoud-Political Prisoners Solidarity Group, Toronto
Tamer Institute for Community Education, Ramallah
TCC – Teacher’s Creativity Center, Ramallah
Wi’am Center, Bethlehem
Women’s Affairs Technical Committee, Ramallah and Gaza (WATC)
Women’s Studies Center, Jerusalem (WSC)
Women’s Center for Legal Aid and Counseling, Jerusalem (WCLAC)
Yafa for Education and Culture, Nablus
Yazour Charitable Society, Nablus
YMCA-East Jerusalem
Youth Cooperation Forum, Hebron
YWCA-Palestine
Zakat Committee-al-Khader, Bethlehen
Zakat Committee-Deheishe camp, Bethlehem
The Palestinian Center for Rapprochement between People (PCR)
Alternative Voice in the Galilee (AVIG)
9 juillet 2005 | Appel au Boycott, aux Désinvestissements et aux Sanctions contre Israël jusqu’à ce qu’il applique le droit international et les principes universels des droits humains.
Un an après l’avis consultatif historique de la Cour Internationale de Justice (CIJ), qui a jugé illégal le mur qu’Israël construit sur le territoire palestinien occupé, Israël continue la construction du mur colonial, au mépris total de la décision de la Cour. Après trente huit ans d’occupation par Israël de la Cisjordanie palestinienne (y compris Jérusalem-Est), de la bande de Gaza et des Hauteurs du Golan syrien, Israël continue d’accroître les colonies juives. Il a unilatéralement annexé Jérusalem-Est Occupé et les Hauteurs du Golan et annexe maintenant de facto de grandes parties de la Cisjordanie à l’aide du mur. Israël se prépare également – à l’ombre de son retrait prévu de la Bande de Gaza – à construire et étendre les colonies en Cisjordanie. Cinquante sept ans après que l’État d’Israël ait été établi principalement sur la terre ethniquement nettoyée de ses propriétaires palestiniens, une majorité de Palestiniens sont des réfugiés, dont la plupart sont apatrides. D’ailleurs, le système bien établi de discrimination raciale contre ses propres citoyens Arabes-Palestiniens demeure intact.
À la lumière des violations persistantes du droit international par Israël et,
Étant donné que, depuis 1948, des centaines de résolutions de l’ONU ont qualifié d’illégales et condamné les politiques coloniales et discriminatoires d’Israël et ont appelé à des solutions immédiates, proportionnées et efficaces,
Étant donné que toutes les formes d’intervention internationale et de processus de paix ont échoué à convaincre ou à forcer Israël à se conformer au droit humanitaire, à respecter les Droits humains fondamentaux et à mettre fin à son occupation et à son oppression du peuple de la Palestine,
En raison du fait que les gens de conscience au sein la communauté internationale ont historiquement souscrit à la responsabilité morale de combattre l’injustice, comme la lutte pour abolir l’Apartheid en Afrique du Sud par diverses formes de boycott, de retrait d’investissement et de sanctions l’a illustré et,
Inspirés par la lutte des Sud-Africains contre l’Apartheid et dans l’esprit de la solidarité internationale, de la cohérence morale et de la résistance à l’injustice et à l’oppression.
Nous, représentants de la société civile palestinienne, invitons les organisations des sociétés civiles internationales et les gens de conscience du monde entier à imposer de larges boycotts et à mettre en application des initiatives de retrait d’investissement contre Israël semblables à ceux appliqués à l’Afrique du Sud à l’époque de l’Apartheid. Nous vous appelons à faire pression sur vos États respectifs afin qu’ils appliquent des embargos et des sanctions contre Israël. Nous invitons également les Israéliens scrupuleux à soutenir cet appel dans l’intérêt de la justice et d’une véritable paix.
Ces mesures punitives non-violentes devraient être maintenues jusqu’à ce qu’Israël honore ses obligations de reconnaître le droit inaliénable du peuple palestinien à l’autodétermination et se conforme entièrement aux préceptes du droit international, en :
1. Mettant fin à son occupation et à sa colonisation de tous les terres arabes et en démantelant le Mur
2. Reconnaissant les droits fondamentaux des citoyens arabo-palestiniens d’Israël à une complète égalité; et
3. Respectant, protégeant et favorisant les droits des réfugiés palestiniens à recouvrer leurs maisons et leurs biens comme le stipule la résolution 194 de l’ONU.
Approuvé par : Les partis politiques, les syndicats, les associations, les coalitions et les organisations palestiniennes ci-dessous représentent les trois parties intégrales du peuple de la Palestine : réfugiés palestiniens, Palestiniens sous occupation et citoyens palestiniens d’Israël.