• Human Rights in Israel/Palestine

     Israel

    Israeli authorities demolished homes and property under discriminatory policies in the Israeli Negev and the West Bank, and harassed non-violent protesters and built unlawful settlements in occupied territory. Unlawful Israeli attacks in Gaza killed dozens of civilians, and the Israeli blockade, which Egypt tacitly supported, harmed Gaza’s economy.

    Palestine

    In the West Bank, the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority carried out arbitrary detentions and allegedly tortured detainees. In Gaza, Hamas committed similar violations, as well as executions after unfair trials. Armed groups in Gaza launched indiscriminate rockets into Israel, killing civilians, and summarily executed Palestinians accused of spying for Israel.

  • Israel: Strengthen White Phosphorus Phase-Out
    Israel should strengthen an announced reduction of its military use of white phosphorus munitions by banning all use of “air-burst” white phosphorus munitions in populated areas without exception. Human Rights Watch has also urged all countries to make white phosphorus illegal when used as an incendiary weapon.
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Israel/Palestine

  • Israel: Strengthen White Phosphorus Phase-Out
    May 18, 2013
    Israel should strengthen an announced reduction of its military use of white phosphorus munitions by banning all use of “air-burst” white phosphorus munitions in populated areas without exception. Human Rights Watch has also urged all countries to make white phosphorus illegal when used as an incendiary weapon.
  • Gaza: ‘Collaborator’ Murders Go Unpunished
    Apr 11, 2013
    The Gaza government has apparently not even begun a promised investigation more than four months after gunmen killed seven Palestinian prisoners accused of collaboration with Israel. Meanwhile, the Hamas government has set a deadline of April 11, 2013, for suspected collaborators to turn themselves in, promising them an amnesty.
  • US: Obama Should Press Mideast Leaders on Abuses
    Mar 21, 2013
    US President Barack Obama should press Israeli and Palestinian leaders to tackle persistent human rights abuses during his visit to the region. Obama is visiting the Middle East from March 20 to 22, 2013.
  • UN Human Rights Council: Report of the Fact Finding Mission on Israeli settlements should prompt Israel to respect human rights obligations
    Mar 18, 2013
    The Report of the Fact Finding Mission on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories should prompt the Israeli government to respect its human rights obligations to Palestinians in the West Bank, where Israel is the occupying power. In particular, Israel should end policies that not only transfer its civilians into the occupied territory, in violation of the laws of war, but that harshly discriminate against Palestinians with no legitimate security or other justification.
  • Israel: Detained Asylum Seekers Pressured to Leave
    Mar 13, 2013

    Israeli authorities are threatening detained Eritrean and Sudanese nationals, including asylum seekers, with prolonged detention to pressure them to leave Israel, Human Rights Watch and the Hotline for Migrant Workers said today.

  • Israel: End Abusive Detention Practices
    Feb 24, 2013
    Israel should immediately charge or release Palestinians detained without charge or trial for prolonged periods and stop denying them and their lawyers access to evidence of their alleged crimes.
  • Israel/Palestine: New Abuses, No Justice
    Feb 14, 2013

    Israel engaged in discriminatory practices and other rights violations against Palestinians during 2012, while Palestinian authorities committed abuses against their own population, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2013.  

  • Israel: Gaza Airstrikes Violated Laws of War
    Feb 12, 2013
    At least 18 Israeli airstrikes during the fighting in Gaza in November 2012 were in apparent violation of the laws of war, Human Rights Watch said today after a detailed investigation into the attacks. These airstrikes killed at least 44 Palestinian civilians, including 12 children.
  • Gaza: Palestinian Rockets Unlawfully Targeted Israeli Civilians
    Dec 24, 2012
    Palestinian armed groups in Gaza violated the laws of war during the November 2012 fighting by launching hundreds of rockets toward population centers in Israel.
  • A Letter to the Italian Prime Minister about Palestine and the ICC
    Dec 21, 2012
    We write to express Human Rights Watch’s deep concern regarding your December 17 statement made during a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, in which you call on the Palestinian Authority not to use Palestine's new non-member observer-state status at the United Nations to pursue the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
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