Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

oPt

In the Context of Efforts to Create Jewish Majority in Occupied East Jerusalem, IOF Transform Shu’fat Checkpoint into International Crossing

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns, in the strongest terms, the ongoing policies adopted by Israeli occupation authorities aimed at creating a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem, the latest of which has been establishing Shu’fat checkpoint as an international crossing, which was officially opened this morning. PCHR emphasizes that the opening of this crossing, deep in Palestinian territory, is part of Israeli policies aimed at cutting Jerusalem off from the West Bank, and perpetuating Israel’s annexation of the city in violation of international humanitarian law and the international legitimacy resolutions. PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately act to stop the policies adopted by Israel in occupied Jerusalem, and reiterates its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligation under Article 1 of the Convention to respect the Convention in all circumstances including pressuring other parties to respect the Convention.

According to information available to PCHR, on Sunday evening, 11 December 2011, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) closed Shu’fat checkpoint, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, and forced vehicles traveling to and from Jerusalem to turn to the tracks of a new crossing established between Shu’fat refugee camp and the occupied city. Later, hundreds of Palestinian civilians gathered to protest the measure, and IOF closed the crossing temporarily. The opening of the new crossing came after IOF completed the construction of cement sections of the annexation wall in Shu’fat refugee camp and its vicinity, in implementation of Israeli plans to isolate the city.

According to local sources in Shu’fat refugee camp, due to the completion of the annexation wall in the area and the opening of the new crossing, more than 50,000 Palestinians living in Shu’fat refugee camp; in the suburbs of Ras Shihada, Ras Khamis and al-Salam, and a part of ‘Anata village, who hold Jerusalemite identity cards, will be completely isolated from occupied Jerusalem. IOF had started to build the crossing at the entrances of Shu’fat refugee camp in 2009, in anticipation of the completion of the annexation wall around Jerusalem.

PCHR stresses that the establishment of this crossing is designed to impose a total closure on occupied Jerusalem from the other major centers of Palestinian life in the West Bank, and expel as many of its Palestinian population as possible, with the ultimate aim of creating a strong Jewish majority in the city.

PCHR strongly condemns the transformation of Shu’fat checkpoint into an international crossing, and all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in East Jerusalem, and:

1.) Calls upon the international community to intervene to compel Israel to stop all settlement activities in the OPT, especially in East Jerusalem.

2.) Confirms that East Jerusalem, which has been occupied since 05 June 1967, is an integral part of the OPT, and that procedures taken by Israel following the occupation of the city do not change its legal status.

3.) Asserts that all Israeli settlement activities in East Jerusalem constitute a war crime according to international humanitarian law.

4.) Calls for the application of the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 08 July 2004, which considers the annexation wall being built by Israel in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, illegal and calls for the dismantlement of such parts of it that had been built.

5.) Calls upon The High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their legal obligations, and ensure that Israel's respect for the Fourth Geneva Convention in the OPT, in accordance with article 1 of the Convention. PCHR believes that the conspiracy of silence practiced by the international community encourages Israel to act as a state above law and to commit more violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including efforts to create a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.

6.) Calls upon The European Union (EU) and/or its Member States to activate article 2 of the Euro-Israeli Association Agreement, which puts Israel's respect for human rights as a condition for economic cooperation, and to act to ensure Israel's respect for human rights. PCHR also calls upon the EU Member States to stop all forms of dealing with the Israeli goods, particularly those produced by the Israeli settlements in the OPT.