UN official voices concern over Israel’s human rights violations in Palestine

UN official voices concern over Israel’s human rights violations in Palestine

AMMAN, (PIC)– Prasad Kariyawasam, the head of the special UN committee on human rights in Palestine, voiced deep concern about the ongoing Israeli violations against human rights in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, pointing out that the Israeli siege increased poverty and destroyed economy in the Strip.



Kariyawasam, the representative of Sri Lanka in the three-member committee, warned against the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the Palestinian lands occupied in 1967, the grave situation in the Gaza Strip, the impact of the separation wall on the lives of Palestinian people, and the continuing settlements policy.



The UN official told a press conference in the Jordanian capital Amman on Tuesday that the committee, which also includes representatives of Malaysia and Senegal, relies on testimonies of those who come from the occupied Palestinian lands because the IOA does not allow the members to visit the occupied lands.



The UN official said that witnesses including a number of Israeli citizens confirmed to the committee that the situation in the Palestinian lands is very bad and deteriorating further in comparison to last year 2007 because of the Israeli practices.



The UN official also underlined that the committee has the support of all UN member states except for US which uses its veto against the recommendations issued by the committee against the Israeli violations.



“The international community has a moral and legal obligation to ensure that all international human rights and humanitarian law standards are fully implemented at all times,” the UN official underscored.



The UN special committee is embarking on investigating Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people and will submit a report to the UN general assembly later this year.