Israel’s Atrocious Acts of Colonialism, Ethnic Cleansing, Genocide, and Apartheid: A Call to Action by Medical Student Associations in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Americas, the European, the Asia Pacific and the African Regions. Summary: On May 16th with heavy, aching hearts on the celebratory days following the Holy Month of Ramadan, from Nations Across the World, we are writing in remembrance of the day when more than 750,000 Palestinians forcefully fled or were forced to flee from their homes, during the 1948 Palestine war. The Nakba marks the beginning of injustice and crimes committed against Palestinians, which continues to this day, resulting in approximately 7 million displaced Palestinian refugees. During the month of Ramadan, Palestinians were living through distress, combating atrocious attacks by Israeli forces on children, elderly, worshipers, healthcare workers, and innocent unarmed civilians. Violence worsened early on during the month of Ramadan when Israeli forces decided to increase the limitation of access to Al-Aqsa Mosque and set blockades on gates. Tensions in East Jerusalem, in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood particularly, were also rising as Palestinian families are threatened to be displaced. The escalation of events led to the human losses witnessed among Palestinians as of today May 16th. As we follow closely the ongoing events in Palestine, our concern grows immensely at the continued escalation of violence and terrorism. Ongoing tactics in Palestine are clear acts of oppression, colonialism, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid as per International laws. As Medical Student Associations, we firmly believe in the entitlement of every individual to their basic human rights, we cannot meet such injustice and suffering with silence. As such, we must each play our role in educating ourselves, spreading awareness, amplifying the voices of Palestinians, and shedding light on the vicious atrocities being committed against them.
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Background & Current day events: The Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah has witnessed and is still witnessing multiple human rights violations against its inhabitants, in addition to the continuous assaults repetitively threatening the safety and security of its Palestinian civilians. The identified catalyst to these events was the planned decision of the Israeli Central Court to forcibly displace families from Sheikh Jarrah, a neighborhood in East Jerusalem, in favor of Israeli settlers after court battles with the Palestinian citizens. This happens despite Israeli authorities having no legal jurisdiction over Sheikh Jarrah, a geographical area recognized as Palestinian territory under International Law; violating multiple international humanitarian laws and conventions. These events unfold as Israeli authorities are expanding their control over Palestinian land and displacements of Palestinians from the homes and neighborhoods of their indigenous land, disregarding and continuously violating basic human rights in the process.[5] The atrocities conducted by the Israeli forces have been called out by many international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International[6] and the Human Rights Watch, which stated: “The Israeli government continued to enforce severe and discriminatory restrictions on Palestinians’ human rights”,[7] also pushing the UN’s human rights office to call to “Stop evictions in East Jerusalem neighbourhood immediately” on May 7th 2021, all to no avail. Below is the background and basic facts on the origin of Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood crisis: Since the forcible displacement of Palestinians during the Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948 by Zionist settler-colonial forces, Israel issued a number of discriminatory practices, laws, and policies, ensuring racial domination and oppression over the Palestinian people as a whole, including Palestinian citizens, Palestinians in the historical Palestine-1948, and Palestinian refugees, through the 1950 Absentees' law. Since the early 1970s, Israel enacted the Legal and Administrative Matters Law in 1970, which exclusively allows Israelis to pursue claims to land and property ownership[16] resulting in multiple attempts being made by Israeli authorities to forcibly displace the residents of the neighborhood. In July of 1972, two Israeli associations filed eviction lawsuits against Palestinians in Israeli courts to evict four families from their homes in the neighborhood; however, the Palestinian families appointed a lawyer to defend their rights, and in 1976 a verdict 2 was issued by Israeli courts in their favor.
In 1982, the Committees initiated legal proceedings for eviction against a further 23 of the families. Fourteen of the families were represented by an Israeli lawyer, who did not challenge the ownership claims that were asserted and instead reached an agreement a decade later signing without prior knowledge of the families that the land is owned by the settlement associations.[17] In November 2008, eviction of families in Sheikh Jarrah started. Since then, 4 families have been forcibly displaced from their homes and rendered homeless while 8 others are at imminent risk for forced eviction. In 2021, Palestinan Families residing in Sheikh Jarrah continued the fight over the ownership of their homes, and the Israeli court planned to decide to evict the families. They were then forcibly notified of the eviction notices[1]. In response to the Israeli settlers’ decisions, the families in Sheikh Jarrah that bought their land, built their homes, and lived there for decades following their expulsion from other parts of the country in 1948, decided to protest for their right to live. As a result, national and international mobilization and peaceful protests were conducted to support the families, which were met with harassment, physical violence, abuse, and threats by Israeli forces. We denounce the coercive practice known as ethnic cleansing used to forcibly remove and displace civilians in Sheikh Jarrah, which includes the use of violence, intimidation, and deliberate military attacks or threats of attacks on civilians and civilian areas.
Current attack by israeli Forces over the previous 2 weeks: The atrocities also extend to the Palestinians living inside of Israel (Arab 1948) who remained at their houses during the Nakba in 1948. In what is reminiscent of some of the darkest times in their histories, they have been witnessing lynch mobs descending on cities with a significant Arab population, such as Lyd, Ramleh, Haifa, and Akka, to name a few, where armed Israeli settlers, with aid from and under the protection of Israeli police, mark houses where Palestinians live so that mobs chanting “Death to Arabs” can later target the families living in those houses, often with violence and arson against men, women, and children, with complete impunity.
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Friday, May 7th, Al Aqsa Mosque, one of the three holiest sites in Islam, was raided by Israeli forces as they attacked worshippers resulting in multiple injuries. On the same day, three Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances were detained for over 30 minutes and were prevented from reaching Lion’s Gate to evacuate the injured from the Al Aqsa Mosque. Over the next days, the attacks continued to worsen resulting in missiles and airstrikes directed at civilian areas in Gaza, a besieged enclave, as muslims globally were celebrating the Eid festivities, killing and wounding thousands, including children and women. Palestinian protests against the illegal eviction order of Palestinian families in the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah and the attacks on Gaza Strip have gathered in Historic Palestine-1948 and West Bank. The demonstrations have been met with tear gas, rubber-coated bullets, and violence by the Israeli forces. Thousands, including children and women, had been arrested, injured, and killed. This is clear deprivation of civilian rights and freedom of expression, which was not only met with government violent interference but also included Media Censorship, affecting the narrative of the cause. On May 15th, a house in a Gaza refugee camp, the Shati Camp, was struck by Israeli airstrike overnight killing at least 10 Palestinians from the same extended family including eight children, and a 5-month-old infant was pulled out alive from the rubble. On May 16th, Israeli airstrikes targeting the Gaza Strip killed at least 42 Palestinians, injuring dozens, and flattening at least three residential buildings[21].
As the right to health remains central in this cause, attacks on medical units and health personnel are still being reported, with the most recent on May 12th, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society has reported being targeted with live fire, and Emergency Medical Teams were attacked at the entrance of the Fawar refugee camp near Hebron. In addition, two hospitals in Gaza and Jerusalem were attacked and two medical doctors with their families and one medical student have passed away. As Medical Students, we condemn the attacks on healthcare facilities and healthcare workers, as well as the obstruction of health services delivery and the provision of care through preventing medical personnel and vehicles from accessing injured Palestinian victims. Preventing medical care assistance during its greatest need is a grave act against humanity and a direct breach of medical neutrality.
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Palestinians hold the right to defend themselves and rightful lands using force in order to seek protection as per UN Charter, Article 51 -“Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of collective or individual selfdefense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations'- in face of the violent attacks they are subjected to from the oppressor, which has an allocated budget of 17 Billion Dollars dedicated to military forces providing them with strong military quantitative and qualitative advantage. Giving them the power to fire hundreds of airstrikes and bombs in Gaza Strip, some of which contain phosphorus compounds prohibited by the International Humanitarian Law. These attacks are targeting civilians in residential buildings, densely populated areas, refugee camps, hospitals, and educational facilities such as UNRWA schools. Based on what has been mentioned above and the discrepancy in power between the parties, we should refrain from using the terms ‘’conflict’ or “war” when discussing the Palestinian cause, as it implies equal power between parties. The previously mentioned violent attacks have resulted in extensive damage to 28 residential and commercial buildings which house Media and News agencies and clinics, schools and univiersities, in which one of PMSA-Palestine’s local committees, Al Quds University, was attacked by gas tanks and infrastructure such as roads, electricity network, and water installations, desalination plants and agricultural lands, leaving about 250,000 people with undermined access to drinking water and reduced power supply disrupting the provision of basic services, including health care.[14] According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the death toll as of May 15th in Gaza strip is estimated to be over 188 people, including 55 children and 33 women, while 1230 are estimated to be injured. Over 17,000 people are estimated to be displaced seeking safety in 41 UNRWA schools across Gaza until the moment [21]. We heavily condemn the targeting and killing of innocent civilians, particularly children, who continue to be victims of violence and reiterate that children should not be put in harm's way and must always be protected. This is a grave violation of the Security Council’s Resolutions on Children and Armed Conflict. Moreover, we further condemn attacks on infrastructure, which not only affect access to healthcare facilities but also disrupt the provision of medical services in times of need, endangering the Palestinian health system, which is strained after 15 years under siege further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, to collapse.
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Violations of Human Rights Standards: Over the last month alone, Israel has repeatedly violated a number of international conventions and international laws in its targeting of Palestinians. Active ethnic cleansing according to the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention,[19] and the clear violations of the Palestinians’ right to shelter, security, and a decent life. In violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international laws:[10] Article 9 “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile” Article 12 “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation.” Article 17: No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property. Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression Article 20: Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly Article 25 ‘’Right to Medical Care” Article 26: Everyone has the right to education In violation of the fourth Geneva Convention including Article 49, which states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” It also prohibits the “individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory”.[11] And Article 18 ‘’Civilian Hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.’’ In violations of international humanitarian law which provide access to healthcare during international armed conflicts.[12]
Call for Action: We urge every person worldwide to thoroughly evaluate the ongoing events and think of what is currently happening in Palestine.
This is not a religious cause, but rather a humanitarian one.
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Involved parties to: 1. Respect, adhere, and act in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law and relevant regional, national and international treaties and conventions. 2. Immediately stop current attacks on Palestinian lands. 3. Take all measures to protect civilians, especially youth and children. 4. Ensure impartial access to basic services including food, water, healthcare and adequate shelter. 5. Not prohibit, obstruct, delay, paralyze nor by any means prevent medical and humanitarian aid from reaching people in need. 6. Halt the Israeli Court proceedings against the Palestinian families under the imminent threat of forced eviction. Governments to: 1. Refrain from engaging in acts of violence and manage all forms of war through peaceful resolution while advocating for peace through prevention and removal of threats to peace. 2. Hold Israeli government accountable for the crimes committed and the violations of the International Humanitarian Law, Geneva Conventions and the Universal Human Rights Declaration 3. Mitigate agreements to stop current attacks on Palestinian lands and escalation of hostility and violence. 4. Stand in universal solidarity with Palestinian Citizens, by providing the medical and financial aid necessary for recovery. 5. Condemn Israel’s illegal evictions of Palestinian families. International organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to: 1. Call for international action against Israel’s discriminatory policies. 2. Call to immediate end violence and cease fire. 3. Raise awareness about the human rights and legal obligations of the communities they serve. 4. Advocate for and collaborate with governments to achieve effective human rights legislative mechanisms. 5. Ensure that all medical and humanitarian assistance is impartial, neutral and independent from political agendas. 6. Conduct research and data collection on the accessibility of medical and humanitarian aid 7. Develop the accountability mechanisms and ensure full cooperation of countries where humanitarian aid is needed.
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What can we do though? Fuel your feelings of helplessness into standing in solidarity with our families in Palestine through: Spread awareness and talk about ongoing events by creating a regional and international space for discussion, and conduct awareness campaigns on the human rights violations by the Israeli forces.
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Amplify the voices of Palestinians by sharing social media posts on your personal platforms: While some may not recognize the power this has, by posting, sharing, and using hashtags on social media, we portray the realities of what is happening as hashtags trend and prevent mainstream media from changing the narrative. This also serves as a way to fight the misinformation and disinformation circulating on these platforms.[13] Donate To medical aids, children relief funds, and organizations that are trusted, including: Palestinian Red Crescent Islamic Relief UNRWA International Medical Corps Medical Aid for Palestinians
With this, we, the signatories, stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine and stand against the atrocious acts of genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and colonialism being committed by the Israeli forces and government. We urge everyone to take action in their respective capacities.
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Signatures Associa-Med
IFMSA-Bahrain
Khouloud Bnouni
IFMSA-Jordan
Ala Rawashdeh
KuMSA-Kuwait
Mohammad Abdulwahed
MedSCO-Oman
Riham Khalid Al-Zadjali
IMSA-Iran
Fereshteh Bagheri
Lemsic Lebanon
Karim Jaber
PMSA-Palestine
Feras A. Zaqout
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Signatures QMSA-Qatar
Ghada Abdelaziz
IFMSA-Egypt
Menna Yasser Zohny
LIMSA-Libya
SOFMSA Somaliland
A'Nazir A'Wahab Hussein
BoHeMSABosnia and Herzegovina
Bakir Kudić
CIMSA-Indonesia
Hamdan Hilan
Muhammad Orri Baskoro
IFMSA-Kurdistan
BMSSBangladesh
Shajwan Kadir Salih
Tasnia Noor Salim
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Signatures DENEM-Brazil
Victória Taveira de Castro
IFMSA-Iraq
Balsam Ahmed
BeMSA Belgium
Laure-Elise Seghers
IFMSA-Québec
Maria Alexandra Rosca
IFMSA-Spain
Elizabeth A. McGarr
FNESSSENEGAL
Nada Bouazizi
IFMSA Morocco
Omar HALLI
IFMSA-Pakistan
Aliezeh Fatima Rai
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Signatures IFMSA-The Netherlands
Johara Oemar & Bram Kisteman
AECS Catalonia
Núria Singh
ANEM Portugal
André Fontoura
MedSIN - Sudan
Zainab M. Elyas
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References: [1] https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/what-ishappening-in-sheikh-jarrah-of-east-jerusalem-past-and-present [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/11/sheikh-jarrahresidents-speak-out-on-israels-forced-expulsions [3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/05/12/youngpeople-are-leading-palestinian-protests-israel-they-arent-goingaway/ [4] https://thetab.com/uk/2021/05/12/this-is-how-to-show-support-and-help-forthose-in-palestine-205049 [5] https://www.dw.com/en/with-jerusalem-on-edge-palestinian-families-faceeviction/a-57471530 [6] https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/israel-andoccupied-palestinian-territories/report-israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/ [7] https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/israel/palestine [8] https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/05/1091492 [9] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/14/several-palestinians-killed-by-israelifire-in-west-bank-protests [10] https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/udhr.pdf [11] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-3-israelisettlements-and-international-law/ [12] https://www.icrc.org/en/download/file/1056/health-care-law-factsheet-icrceng.pdf [13]https://www.palestinercs.org/index.phppage=post&pid=26571&catid=4&parentid= 67&y=&langid=1 [14] https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/occupied-palestinianterritory-opt-flash-update-4-escalation [15] https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/ethnic-cleansing.shtml [16] https://www.nevo.co.il/law_html/law01/319_009.htm [17] https://www.asf.be/wpcontent/publications/ASF%20Housing%20Rights%20Report%20(May%202011).pdf [18] https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/occupied-palestinianterritory-opt-flash-update-5-escalation [19] https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.shtml [20] an-israeli-airstrike-killed-at-least-10-members-of-a-family-in-a-gaza-refugeecamp.html [21] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/16/more-deaths-gaza-israel-launchesmost-intense-raids-yet
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