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On the anniversary of the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, the suffering of Palestinian women continues in the West Bank and doubles in the Gaza Strip

Today, 25 November, 2009, the world celebrates the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women. Adopted by the UN in 1999, this day forms part of the overall effort to eliminate violence against women, and to urge countries to take actions necessary to ensure women's rights.

This year, on the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, the suffering of the Palestinian women continues due to the actions of the Israeli Occupation Forces and internal Palestinian violence. Palestinian women living in the Gaza Strip in particular continue to suffer from the repercussions of the latest Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip as these affect living conditions, as well as from other practices by IOF, including the illegal blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2006.

According to PCHR's documentation, Between 25 November 2008 and 25 November 2009, 116 Palestinian women were been killed by Israeli forces operating in the Gaza Strip. In numerous cases Israeli forces violated the two fundamental principles of international humanitarian law - proportionality and distinction in the use of force - and many of these killings amounted to war crimes and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions.

Two major factors have emerged over the past year impacting Palestinian women and increasing their suffering from Israeli violations of human rights: the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip and its repercussions; and the illegal Israeli blockade that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip for more than three years.

In the course of the Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip, between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, 114 Palestinian women were killed. Hundreds of other women experienced horrific tragedies that included witnessing their sons or husbands being killed by Israeli forces, and others were forced to leave homes that were subsequently demolished by. Such practices have added more complications to the already deteriorating living conditions of women, especially in light of the impossibility of reconstructing the Gaza Strip.

Also during the period 25 November 2008 - 25 November 2009, the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip by IOF led to the death of 4 women. These victims were denied their right to travel for advanced medical treatment outside Gaza that lacks adequate health services and suffers from shortages of medicine and equipment. Under the siege, Palestinian women are also deprived of access to basic needs, including drinking water and electricity power. The siege has also violated many of women's rights that are ensured under international human rights instruments, including their right to life, right of health, right education, and right to adequate living conditions.

As a result of the siege, hundreds of young women have been denied their right of education, as their have not been able to travel to attend universities outside the Gaza Strip. Women have been also died their right to adequate living conditions, as Israel has imposed severe restrictions on the flow of goods into the Gaza Strip, causing a humanitarian crisis reflected in higher levels of poverty and employment.

In the West Bank, the suffering of Palestinian women have continued due to Israeli practices, including killing, house raids and demolitions, land confiscation, arbitrary arrests and humiliating and demeaning actions on checkpoints positioned at the entrances of the Palestinian towns and villages. Since 25 November 2008, Israeli forces have killed 21 Palestinian civilians, including 9 children, in the West Bank.

Israel is still imprisoning dozens of Palestinian women, who are subject to forms of humiliating treatment applied by Israeli prisons administrations. These practices include maltreatment, torture, degrading treatment and bad living conditions inside the prisons.

In relation to the Palestinian internal situation, Palestinian women are still vulnerable to and victims of internal violence in different contexts. According to PCHR's documentation, since 25 November 2008, PCHR has documented the so-called 'honor killing' of 9 Palestinian women, 6 in the Gaza Strip and 3 in the West bank.

In view of the deterioration of the conditions of the Palestinian Women, denial of their rights and continued systemic violence against them, PCHR reiterates the importance of the role that is supposed to be played by the international community to ensure putting an end to the cruel conditions of the Palestinian women, and:

1) Calls upon the international community to fulfill its responsibilities to ensure the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the Israeli military offensive to end the suffering of homeless families.

2) calls upon the international community to force Israel to put an end to its violation of the Palestinian civilians' rights, including the policy of siege imposed on the Gaza Strip as a collective punishment that denies the enjoyment of the Palestinian civilians, including women, of their rights guaranteed under international humanitarian and international human rights law.

3) Calls upon the Palestinian National Authority to take necessary measurements and actions to put an end to the internal violence against women in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, especially 'honor' crimes.