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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element" dir="ltr"> <font
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href="http://www.addameer.org/news/phroc-condemns-israel%E2%80%99s-denial-entry-un-special-rapporteur-mr-michael-lynk">http://www.addameer.org/news/phroc-condemns-israel%E2%80%99s-denial-entry-un-special-rapporteur-mr-michael-lynk</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">PHROC Condemns Israel’s Denial of Entry
to UN Special Rapporteur, Mr. Michael Lynk</h1>
July 3, 2019<br>
<br>
The Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)
condemn Israel’s deliberate denial of entry to Professor Michael
Lynk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on the
situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
(OPT) since 1967. Israel has denied UNSR Lynk entry to the OPT
to carry out his mission between 8-12 July, 2019.</div>
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<p>Israel has continuously
denied Mr. Lynk access to the
OPT since his appointment in
2016, in a clear attempt to
frustrate and impede his role
as <a
data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/sp/countriesmandates/ps/pages/srpalestine.aspx&source=gmail&ust=1562235426456000&usg=AFQjCNFPYWpEpUbPUJdBLqwy6M_vKOe4Rw"
href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/sp/countriesmandates/ps/pages/srpalestine.aspx"
target="_blank">mandated</a> by
the UN Human Rights Council to
“investigate Israel's
violations of the principles
and bases of international
law” in the OPT. As a result,
the Special Rapporteur (SR)
has been unable to directly
monitor the human rights
situation on the ground in the
OPT. The denied entry, follows
a pattern of non-cooperation
from Israel regarding the
Special Rapporteur’s mandate,
an issue that both of his <a
data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/targets/united-nations/205-denial-of-entry-to-un-special-rapporteur-demonstrates-once-again-israels-duplicity-in-its-relations-with-the-un&source=gmail&ust=1562235426456000&usg=AFQjCNEclk22hW4JQGt4n2-ivsYJWn99xA"
href="http://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/targets/united-nations/205-denial-of-entry-to-un-special-rapporteur-demonstrates-once-again-israels-duplicity-in-its-relations-with-the-un"
target="_blank">predecessors</a> had
also encountered. In light of
Israel’s consistent dismissal
of its fundamental duties
under the Charter of the
United Nations, Mr. Lynk will
once again be forced to
conduct his annual regional
investigation between the 8<sup>th</sup> and
12<sup>th</sup> of July 2019
from Amman, Jordan where he
will endeavour to carry out
his mandate to the fullest
extent possible.</p>
<p>Over the past three years,
Mr. Lynk has worked distinctly
from the OHCHR Country Office
with the aim of investigating
and documenting Israel’s
alleged violations of
international law and
international humanitarian
law, including the Fourth
Geneva Convention, in the OPT.
In order to achieve this in
the most effective way
possible, it is necessary for
the Special Rapporteur to
undertake regular missions or
visits to the OPT to ensure
that the annual report he is
tasked with presenting to the
Human Rights Council is
accurate and authentic.
However, Israel’s persistent
refusal to allow him to enter
the OPT means that Mr. Lynk
has no choice but to rely on
communications from civil
society organisations and on
statements from people present
in the OPT, such as witnesses,
victims, Palestinian
government officials, and
other UN representatives. The
SR has repeatedly expressed
his disappointment at Israel’s
refusal to engage in an open
dialogue, which he believes is
crucial to ensure the
protection and promotion of
human rights.<a
href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_2592705891958522357__ftn1"
name="m_2592705891958522357__ftnref1" title=""
id="m_2592705891958522357__ftnref1">[1]</a></p>
<p>Israel has denied Mr. Lynk
access to the OPT since his
appointment three years ago,
epitomising Israel’s blatant
disregard for its obligations
as United Nations Member State
to comply with the mechanisms
and committees of the United
Nations. Israel’s strategy of
non-cooperation has been
continuously condemned by the
international community and
branded as an obstacle to the
peace process.<a
href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_2592705891958522357__ftn2"
name="m_2592705891958522357__ftnref2" title=""
id="m_2592705891958522357__ftnref2">[2]</a>During
Mr. Lynk’s mission to Amman,
Jordan in June 2018, he
described the human rights
situation in the OPT as the ‘<a
data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/06/1013552&source=gmail&ust=1562235426456000&usg=AFQjCNF7GCO3nXGSOKGrFmi9yn1OBn2jyg"
href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/06/1013552" target="_blank">bleakest
period yet’</a>, with
particular emphasis being
placed on the accelerating
advancement of the Israeli
annexation project in the West
Bank and the deteriorating
state of the Gaza strip.</p>
<p>PHROC considers that Israel’s
policy of non-compliance and
non-cooperation is having
detrimental effects on the
implementation and protection
of human rights in the OPT. It
is therefore critical for the
SR to be granted official
access at this time in order
to fulfil his duties mandated
by the UN Human Rights Council
and to conclusively
communicate to the Council,
pressing human rights issues
in the OPT. The aim is not
only to prevent further
deterioration of the human
rights situation in the OPT,
but to ensure overall
improvement.</p>
<p>In light of these concerns,
PHROC calls on the
international community,
particularly UN member states
to take measures to ensure
Israel’s compliance with UN
procedures and mechanisms as a
member state, and particularly
with regards to the special
procedures of the UN, and
access for SRs, most crucially
the SR on the OPT, Mr. Michael
Lynk. </p>
____<br>
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