<div dir="ltr">

    <div class="gmail-top-anchor"></div>

    <div id="gmail-toolbar" class="gmail-toolbar-container">
      </div><div class="gmail-container" lang="en" dir="ltr">
      <div class="gmail-header gmail-reader-header gmail-reader-show-element">
        <a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://www.addameer.org/news/5241">addameer.org</a>
        <div class="gmail-domain-border"></div>
        <h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Palestinian Human Rights Organisations 
urge UN Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and 
Responsibility to Protect, that Immediate and Effective Measures are 
Needed as Genocide is Unfolding in the Gaza Strip</h1>
        <div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits"></div>
        <div class="gmail-meta-data">
          <div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">December 2, 2023<br></div>
        </div>
      </div>

      <hr>

      <div class="gmail-content">
        <div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><div><p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>It
 is with great urgency that we, the undersigned Palestinian civil 
society organisations, address this letter to the Special Adviser on the
 Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu and the Special Advisor 
on the Responsibility to Protect, George Okoth-Obbo, with regards to 
Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including and 
especially in the Gaza Strip. We alarmingly take note of the </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/2023-10-15_Statement_SAPG_situation_Middle_East.pdf"><span><span><span>statement</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 of Ms Nderitu issued on 15 October 2023, as further elaborated below, 
which has not alerted the international community to the risk of 
genocide against the Palestinian people. We  urge you to take all 
measures at your disposal, as required by </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/atrocity-crimes/Doc.49_Framework%20of%20Analysis%20for%20Atrocity%20Crimes_EN.pdf"><span><span><span>your mandate</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 to prevent the unfolding genocide in Gaza, including by mobilising the 
international community, particularly Third States, to uphold their 
legal obligations and urgently intervene for this end. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>For the past eight weeks, 
Israel has carried out a revengeful military campaign against the 
besieged Gaza Strip—one of the most densely populated areas in the world
 with over two million inhabitants, half of whom are children—on an 
unprecedented scale. According to the Palestinian Government Media 
Office, the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since 7 October as of 1
 December 2023 has reached at least 15,000 Palestinians—almost 70% of 
whom are children and women—and at least 37,000 more injured. Given the 
thousands of unretrieved bodies still trapped under the rubble in Gaza, 
we have reason to believe that these figures will drastically rise. In 
the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, 245 Palestinians have been 
killed and over 3,300 injured by Israeli occupying forces and settlers, 
since 7 October and the ‘deaths’ of six detainees were announced by the 
Israeli occupying authorities. In Gaza, there has been extensive 
targeting of civilian objects and the massive widespread and systematic 
destruction of infrastructure—it is </span></span><a href="https://www.ochaopt.org/sites/default/files/Gaza_casualties_info-graphic_22_Nov_2023%20final.pdf"><span><span><span>estimated</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 that at least 60% of all housing units in the Gaza Strip have been 
completely destroyed or partially damaged. At present, the number of </span></span><a href="https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-flash-update-56"><span><span><span>internally displaced</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> Palestinians in Gaza is estimated at more than 1.8 million—nearly 80% of the population. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Against this backdrop, 
your silence on the risk of genocide in Palestine, Ms. Nderitu and Mr. 
Okoth-Obbo, is deafening. Meanwhile in that same time, your office has 
issued warnings on the rights of </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/Statement_Armenia_Azerbaijan_10%20October_2023.pdf"><span><span><span>Armenian refugees</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> to return, on the </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/UNOSAPG/status/1711756567748481209"><span><span><span>heightened risk</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> of genocide and atrocity crimes in <span><span>Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Oromi</span></span> and on the risk of genocide in </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/UN_Special_Adviser_statement_Sudan_14_Nov_2023.pdf"><span><span><span>Darfur, Sudan</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>.
 For the past 56 days, there has been an absence of decisive diplomatic 
measures to uphold international law and to end the genocide unfolding 
against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Indeed, the deliberate failure 
of the international community to hold Israel responsible for its 
75-year-long settler colonialism, 56-year illegal occupation of 
Palestinian territory, and 16-year-long closure of Gaza, and its 
impunity over decades for its international crimes, including apartheid,
 has culminated in the past weeks of horrific violence—including war 
crimes, crimes against humanity, and incitement to genocide. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>We, Palestinian civil 
society organisations, have, as early as 13 October 2023—two days prior 
to the day you issued your statement—</span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/21898.html"><span><span><span>warned</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> and </span></span><a href="https://mezan.org/en/post/46315/PHROC-Calls-on-the-State-of-Palestine-and-Third-States-to-Intervene-Taking-Concrete-Measures-and-Legal-Action-to-Prevent-Genocide-in-Gaza"><span><span><span>urged</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 States to intervene to protect the Palestinian people against impending
 genocide. On 15 October 2023, some 800 scholars and practitioners of 
international law and genocide studies, including prominent Holocaust 
scholars, </span></span><a href="https://twailr.com/public-statement-scholars-warn-of-potential-genocide-in-gaza/"><span><span><span>signed</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 a public statement warning of the possibility of genocide being 
perpetrated by Israeli forces against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. 
The warning was echoed on 19 October 2023 by UN Special Rapporteurs </span></span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/gaza-un-experts-decry-bombing-hospitals-and-schools-crimes-against-humanity"><span><span><span>stating</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 “We are sounding the alarm […] there is also a risk of genocide against
 the Palestinian People”. That alarm has been sounded by the UN Special 
Rapporteurs on two more occasions since, with </span></span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/11/gaza-running-out-time-un-experts-warn-demanding-ceasefire-prevent-genocide"><span><span><span>increasing severity</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> that the risk has escalated beyond a risk of genocide to that of a genocide in the making, as </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/unispal/document/gaza-un-human-rights-experts-call-on-international-community-to-prevent-genocide-against-the-palestinian-people-ohchr-press-release/"><span><span><span>alerted</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 by a full cohort of 36 UN human rights experts. On 27 October, the UN 
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination triggering its 
early warning urgent action procedure, </span></span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/occupied-gaza-strip-un-committee-calls-immediate-ceasefire-and-urges-end"><span><span><span>warned</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 that it was “Highly concerned about the sharp increase in racist hate 
speech and dehumanization directed at Palestinians since 7 October, 
particularly on the Internet and in social media, including by senior 
officials, politicians, members of the Parliament, and public figures, 
particularly the statement of 9 October made by the Israeli Minister of 
Defense, Yoav Gallant, in which he <span>referred to Palestinians as ‘human animals’, language which could incite genocidal actions”.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span><span>On 20 November, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence on Women and Girls issued in a </span></span></span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/11/women-bearing-brunt-israel-gaza-conflict-un-expert"><span><span><span><span>statement</span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span><span>
 that: “reproductive violence inflicted by Israel on Palestinian women, 
newborn babies, infants, and children could be qualified as violations 
of the human right to life under Article 6 of the International Covenant
 on Civil and Political Rights and as acts of genocide under Article 2 
of the Convention on the Prevention of Genocide, several articles of the
 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against 
Women and Article 6 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal 
Court, including “imposing measures intended to prevent births within a 
group””.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span><span>Craig Mokhiber, your former colleague and Director of the New </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, </span></span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24103463-craig-mokhiber-resignation-letter"><span><span><span>wrote</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 that what is currently ongoing in Gaza “is a text-book case of 
genocide.” Since then, we, as well as other civil society organisations 
and human rights defenders, including the </span></span><a href="https://www.icj.org/gaza-occupied-palestinian-territory-states-have-a-duty-to-prevent-genocide/"><span><span><span>International Commission of Jurists</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>, have repeatedly warned that the </span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/22188.html"><span><span><span>dehumanising and genocidal rhetoric openly shared by Israeli officials</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 in recent weeks would lead to even more atrocities and loss of civilian
 life if left unchecked, and made public statements, calling upon the 
international community to act on their responsibility to prevent 
atrocity crimes, including genocide, in Gaza. The exponentially climbing
 death toll and internal displacement; civilian infrastructure under 
constant attack, including homes, hospitals, and UN facilities; and 
complete siege have only confirmed our worst fears. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>As you certainly know, 
genocide means any of the following enumerated acts committed with 
intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or 
religious group, such as (a) killing members of the group; (b) causing 
serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) deliberately 
inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its
 physical destruction in whole or in part; and (e) forcibly transferring
 children of the group to another group. It is clear that Israel is 
deliberately inflicting on the Palestinian people conditions of life 
calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Our organisations have already </span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/22188.html"><span><span><span>warned</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 that the cutting off of water, electricity, and internet in Gaza, and 
the denial and restrictions of entry of humanitarian convoys of food, 
medicine, and other supplies necessary for the survival of the 
population, are all evidence that Israel is taking steps to act on its 
inciteful genocidal statements. At the same time, Israel has attacked 
“safe passage routes”, killing and maiming Palestinians seeking refuge, 
such as the 70 Palestinians killed on </span></span><a href="https://www.dci-palestine.org/724_palestinian_children_killed_in_gaza_as_israel_targets_civilians"><span><span><span>Salah-al-Din street</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> on 14 October 2023. Israel has bombed the </span></span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/10/israeloccupied-palestinian-territory-un-experts-deplore-attacks-civilians"><span><span><span>Rafah crossing</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>, bombed </span></span><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/11/1143237"><span><span><span>UNRWA-run shelters</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>, and failed to establish humanitarian corridors and quarters for civilians. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>On 24 October 2023, a document produced by the Israeli Ministry of Intelligence was </span></span><a href="https://www.calcalist.co.il/local_news/article/rj2mplngp"><span><span><span>revealed</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 detailing a plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza, forcibly transfer its 
inhabitants and deport them to Egypt’s Sinai peninsula. Notably, Omer 
Bartov, one of the world's top scholars on holocaust and genocide 
studies, </span></span><a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2023/11/10/bartov_genocide_apartheid"><span><span><span>warned</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 that forced displacement and ethnic cleansing usually precede genocide.
 Similarly, 36 UN independent experts have pointed to the forced 
displacement of Palestinians in Gaza as one of the main indicators of “</span></span><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/11/gaza-un-experts-call-international-community-prevent-genocide-against"><span><span><span>genocide in the making</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>” in Gaza. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>The plan for the </span></span><a href="https://mezan.org/en/post/46319/Urgent-action-is-needed-to-stop-the-forced-displacement-and-transfer-of-Palestinians-within-Gaza-and-prevent-mass-deportation-to-Egypt"><span><span><span>ethnic cleansing of Gaza</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 embodying Israeli annexationist aspirations, squarely aligns with 
Israel’s settler-colonial project. Indeed, the ongoing displacement of 
Palestinians and the dispossession of Palestinian land on both sides of 
the Green Line serve as quintessential evidence of Israel’s decades-long
 desire to expel Palestinians and replace them with Jewish-Israelis—as 
is exactly what Palestinians mean by ‘an ongoing <i>Nakba</i>’. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>In the past 12 months alone, for example, this was manifested by the Israeli government's explicit </span></span><a href="https://www.adalah.org/uploads/uploads/37_govt_position_paper_Eng_100123.pdf"><span><span><span>declar</span></span></span></a><u><span lang="EN-GB"><span><span>ation</span></span></span></u><span lang="EN-GB"><span> of their intent to annex the occupied West Bank, culminated into its <i>de facto</i> </span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/21265.html"><span><span><span>annex</span></span></span></a><u><span lang="EN-GB"><span><span>ation</span></span></span></u><span lang="EN-GB"><span>; by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, </span></span><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-brandishes-map-of-israel-that-includes-west-bank-and-gaza-at-un-speech/"><span><span><span>brandishing</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 a map that showed the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the occupied 
Syrian Golan as part of Israel, during his speech at the UN General 
Assembly in September 2023; and Israeli officials—across the entire 
Israeli political spectrum—calling for the forcible transfer of 
Palestinians in Gaza, including by </span></span><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-west-should-welcome-gaza-refugees-asylum-seekers-hamas-terrorism-displacement-5d2b5890#cxrecs_s"><span><span><span>stating</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> “[w]e simply need a handful of the world’s nations to share the responsibility of hosting Gazan residents”.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>In the midst of Israeli 
attacks against Gaza, since 7 October 2023, various Third 
States—particularly the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and 
several European States—and international officials—including those 
representing European institutions, including the European 
Commission—have not only failed to uphold their legal obligation to 
prevent genocide but further enabled and encouraged the unfolding 
genocide, through, <i>inter alia</i>, repeatedly reiterating their 
unwavering support for Israel, despite ample evidence of international 
crimes being committed in Gaza; wrongfully </span></span><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/17/does-israel-have-the-right-to-self-defence-in-gaza#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIsrael%20does%20not%20claim%20it,belligerent%20occupation%2C%E2%80%9D%20Albanese%20said."><span><span><span>invoking</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> Israel’s right to self-defence; publicly </span></span><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142507#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20on%20Wednesday,aid%20to%20millions%20in%20Gaza."><span><span><span>objecting</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> to a ceasefire; and </span></span><a href="https://www.alhaq.org/advocacy/22123.html"><span><span><span>continuing</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 to supply additional military equipment or ‘fast-track’ the supply of 
military equipment to Israel, in spite of Israel’s decades-long record 
of human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian 
law. These States utterly ignored the moral and legal imperatives to 
prevent the commission of genocide and end impunity for genocide. 
Regrettably, instead of resorting to indispensable preventive diplomacy,
 they actively took part in fanning the flames, and by doing so, they 
may even be directly complicit in the ongoing genocide Israel is 
committing.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>With this said, we are also deeply alarmed by the analysis, approach and rhetoric </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/2023-10-15_Statement_SAPG_situation_Middle_East.pdf"><span><span><span>expressed</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 in the sole statement you issued on 15 October 2023, Ms Nderitu. 
Failing to contextualise seventy-five years of oppression and domination
 by the State of Israel over the Palestinian people as a whole, the 
statement exclusively placed the onus of condemnation on Palestinian 
armed groups. Excluding any condemnation of Israel’s actions in 
Gaza—despite the fact that at the time the Israeli senior leadership had
 already made several statements inciting genocide of the Palestinian 
people in Gaza and that at least 2,000 Palestinians had already been 
killed as of 15 October 2023—reveals two truths: first, that the 
international political double-standards penetrated the UN system 
inadvertently; second, that the UN and your mandate remain oblivious to 
the root causes of the Palestinian struggle: decades of Israel’s 
settler-colonialism, apartheid, and occupation. This, in combination 
with the failure to acknowledge Israel’s sixteen-year blockade and 
closure of Gaza—an illegal form of collective punishment, an act of 
persecution and apartheid, and a potential act of </span></span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzAtGThgZ1r/"><span><span><span>genocide</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>— signifies that your statement utterly failed to properly contextualise the operation  that took place on 7 October 2023.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>We would also like to remind both your respective mandates Ms Nderitu and Mr Okoth-Obbo, that in July 2014, your predecessors </span></span><a href="https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/media/statements/2014/English/2014-07-24-Special%20Advisers%27%20Statement%20on%20the%20situation%20in%20Israel%20and%20the%20occupied%20Gaza%20strip.pdf"><span><span><span>issued</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 a public warning in response to Israel’s conduct against the protected 
Palestinian population which was accompanied by inciteful and 
dehumanising language against them. We are deeply alarmed that at this 
point, with stronger evidence and a significantly more desperate and 
severe humanitarian situation in terms of human suffering than in 2014, 
you have not issued a single statement publicly condemning Israel’s 
genocidal rhetoric, along with the continued infliction of atrocities on
 the Palestinian population of Gaza. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>By the time you had 
published your statement on 15 October, the world heard Israeli 
officials publicly dehumanising Palestinians and proudly expressing 
genocidal rhetoric. Some of the remarks of Israeli officials have 
included Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, stating “We are 
imposing a complete siege on [Gaza]. No electricity, no food, no water, 
no fuel – everything is closed. We are fighting human animals, and we 
act accordingly”. Gallant was further recorded, rallying the troops and </span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCo1UXbvOc"><span><span><span>promising</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 “Gaza won’t return to what it was before. We will eliminate 
everything”. The Coordinator of the Government in the Territories 
(COGAT) Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/cogatonline/status/1711718883323752586?t=UAM2bzjS-PRdJv1hIQY-Wg&s=09"><span><span><span>announced</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>
 that “Israel has imposed a total blockade on Gaza, no electricity, no 
water, just damage. You wanted hell, you will get hell”. Similarly, 
Israel Katz, Israel’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/Israel_katz/status/1712083122227909116?t=nd9aPqyMtpUXy4A0HhqFMw&s=09"><span><span><span>warned</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 “For years we supplied Gaza with electricity, water and fuel. Instead 
of saying thank you, they sent thousands of human animals to slaughter, 
murder, rape and kidnap babies, women and the elderly - that’s why we 
decided to stop the flow of water, electricity and fuel and now their 
local power station has collapsed and there is no electricity in Gaza”.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Since then, Israel’s 
intent was only made clearer by both further genocidal statements as 
well as the actions of the Israeli military. Notably, the dehumanisation
 of Palestinians, and describing them as “human animals” continued, as 
the Palestinian people were further </span></span><a href="https://www.newarab.com/news/netanyahu-deletes-palestinian-children-darkness-tweet"><span><span><span>described</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span> as “children of darkness”, by Prime Minister Netanyahu. The Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, </span></span><a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2023/10/30/you_need_to_choose_dr_mads"><span><span><span>observed</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 “It’s an entire nation out there that is responsible. It’s not true, 
this rhetoric about civilians not aware, not involved. It’s absolutely 
not true. They could have risen up against that evil regime, which took 
over Gaza in a coup d’etat. But we are at war. We are at war. We are 
defending our homes. We are protecting our home. That’s the truth. And 
when a nation protects its homes, it fights. And we will fight until we 
break their backbone”. Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar 
Ben Gvir, </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/QudsNen/status/1723784790682358189?s=20"><span><span><span>urged</span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span>,
 “To be clear, when we say that Hamas should be destroyed, it also means
 those who celebrate, those who support, and those who hand out candy– 
they’re all terrorists, and they should also be destroyed!”. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Now, it is an inescapable 
fact that the root causes of the current reality must be recognised, 
acknowledged, and meaningfully addressed to disrupt this cycle of 
violence. Following seventy-five years of displacement, dispossession 
and deprivation of the Palestinian people’s rights of self-determination
 and return, we implore the international community to adopt a paradigm 
shift in its approach to the Palestinian struggle: Stability through 
Accountability.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Our shock and 
disappointment with the past inaction, which constituted a missed 
opportunity to try to halt the accelerating loss of civilian life, does 
not diminish our hope that you, as the UN Special Advisor on the 
Prevention of Genocide, will fulfil your moral and legal duty to prevent
 the unfolding genocide. It is our genuine belief that the Genocide 
Convention is neither disingenuous nor discriminatory in its 
implementation. </span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>As such, we implore you to
 acknowledge this genocide for what it it and to promptly exert all 
means at your disposal to act accordingly. Specifically, we call on your
 respective mandates, as Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, 
Ms Nderitu and Special Advisor on the Responsibility to Protect, Mr 
Okoth-Obbo, to:</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<ol><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Acknowledge and publicly 
recognise that Israel’s conduct in the Gaza Strip is tantamount to an 
unfolding genocide; condemn the genocidal rhetoric of Israeli officials,
 which has increased in the past weeks, and remind the international 
community of the danger such rhetoric carries;</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Condemn the accompanying 
atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza and the resulting massive loss of
 civilian life and destruction of civilian infrastructure;</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Call on Third States to 
act in line with their obligations under the Genocide Convention, in the
 face of a serious risk that Israeli occupying forces are perpetrating 
genocidal conduct against Palestinians in Gaza, by unilaterally and 
collectively taking all feasible action to urgently and definitively 
ensure that Israel refrains from further incitement to genocide and from
 the perpetration of conduct prohibited under Article II of the 
Convention;</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Call upon the competent 
organs of the UN (including the General Assembly, the Security Council, 
the Economic and Social Council, and the International Court of Justice)
 to take the necessary action under the UN Charter to prevent and 
suppress acts of genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in Article
 III of the Convention; </span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Call on Third States to 
investigate, arrest and prosecute persons on their territory or 
nationals who may have committed or contributed to acts of genocide 
against the Palestinian people; and</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Call upon States to take 
all available measures to avoid complicity in Israeli conduct through 
the provision of materials, arms, economic and diplomatic support to a 
regime responsible for ongoing and persistent widespread and systematic 
violence and abuse of the Palestinian population amounting to genocide.</span></span></span></span></span></li></ol>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Yours Sincerely,</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<ol><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCPRJ)</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>The Community Action Center / Al-Quds University</span></span></span></span></span></li></ol>
<p><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC)</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<ol start="3"><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Association</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Aldameer Association for Human Rights</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Al-Haq</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Al Mezan Center for Human Rights</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Defence for Children International-Palestine</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Hurryyat Defense for Civil Liberties and Human Rights</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Independent Commission for Human Rights (Observer)</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Muwatin Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (Observer)</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies</span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span><span><span><span lang="EN-GB"><span>The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights</span></span></span></span></span></li></ol>

</div></div></div>
      </div>

      <div>
        
      </div>
      <div></div>
    </div>
  



</div>