According to media reports, the Israeli Government considers implementing various illegal sanctions against the Palestinian population in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in addition to the military operation initiated in response to the abduction of the three Israelis. Among the sanctions listed are deportation from the West bank to Gaza, punitive house demolitions, and harsher incarceration conditions of Palestinian prisoners.
HaMoked wrote to the Attorney General demanding he prevent deportations and punitive-house demolitions. HaMoked stressed that deportation is contrary to international law, and serves to punish Palestinians based on their political affiliation; that punitive-house demolition is also contrary to international law, and that the military itself had determined some years ago that it was a failing policy, more harmful than beneficial.
Concurrently,
HaMoked wrote to the Minister of Public Security, and attached
a legal expert opinion concerning the proposal to aggravate the conditions of incarceration of Palestinian prisoners affiliated with Hamas. In its expert opinion, HaMoked held that aggravating the prisoners' conditions was unacceptable for four main reasons: the fact that the prisoners' rights are guaranteed to them under both Israeli and international law; the discrimination in aggravating conditions of only Hamas-affiliated prisoners; the collective nature of such punishment; and the turning of prisoners into bargaining chips.
HaMoked demands that Israel refrain from imposing sanctions that involve collective punishment against Palestinians who are completely unrelated to the abduction.
