Ref:110/2018
Date: 18 Nov 2018
Press Release
The International Commission condemns the continuing Israeli aggression on the participants of the maritime march, as part of the events of the return and siege breaking march
The International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) strongly condemns the Israeli occupation naval forces aggression against the citizens participating in the events of the 17th maritime march at the shore of the North Gaza, as part of the return and siege breaking peaceful activities, which according to the information of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, led to injuring 25 civilians, including the photographer journalist/ Rashid Rasheed, from AP international, as a result of targeting them with live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas canisters
ICSPR renews its condemnation of the Israeli crimes committed against the participants in the events of the maritime march, considering that the continued targeting of peaceful participants by the Israeli naval forces an act of piracy against peaceful Palestinian civilians, aiming to deprive the Palestinians of their internationally recognized rights, ICSPR affirms the illegality of the Israeli siege imposed on the population of Gaza Strip for more than 12 years, which makes breaking the siege and ending it a legal and moral duty on all international parties, therefore, ICSPR demands the following:
• ICSPR considers the seriousness of the escalation of targeting the Palestinian civilians participating in the events of return marches and calls upon the international community to intervene urgently to stop the crimes of the occupation authorities against innocent civilians.
• ICSPR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to shoulder their responsibilities to protect Palestinian civilians, including the prosecution of the Israelis accused of committing acts of piracy, which is war crimes in accordance with Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.
• ICSPR calls upon the Palestinian leadership and diplomacy to exert all possible efforts with the International Criminal Court in order to urge it to move forward towards opening a serious international investigation into the crimes committed by the occupation forces in accordance with the principle of international justice.
Regards
