Reference: 108/ 2008
On Sunday 14 December 2008, Israel detained Professor Richard Falk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as he arrived at the airport in Jerusalem. Professor Falk deported to the United States on Monday morning.
Professor Falk was scheduled to visit the OPT for one week starting tomorrow to assess the human rights situation in the OPT, acting on his mandate by the UN General Assembly. The Special Rapporteur's visits usually involve an assessment of the situation, meeting with the authorities and civil society in OPT, and reporting to the UN Human Rights Council and/or the UN General Assembly.
Al Mezan strongly condemns the Israel's decision to ban Professor Falk's access to the OPT. The Center emphasizes that this conduct reflects Israel's consistent refusal to cooperate with the Human Rights Council and other human rights mechanisms.
Al Mezan points out that the denial of Prof. Falk's entry to the OPT reflects an attempt to weaken human rights mechanisms and procedures; including the Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur, for their criticism of its systematic violations of human rights in the OPT. The HRC and OHCHR had recently issued statements condemning the Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip as a form of unlawful collective punishment.
Al Meza views Israel's decision within a context of continuous Israeli disregard of its legal obligations under international law, including obligations owed to the United Nations. This is not the first time that Israel bans free access of UN experts and missions dispatched to the OPT by the UN. Al Mezan believes that such impartial missions would confirm the perpetration by Israel of grave breaches of international law, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity in the OPT.
Al Mezan expresses deep concern by the detention and mistreatment of Professor Falk and reiterates its calls on the international community to ensure respect and protection of human rights and human rights defenders in the OPT.