At least 192 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in airstrikes launched by Israel since 10 May while many others have been critically injured. Once again, in this new round of escalation of violence in the besieged strip, medical facilities and staff are targeted in violation of the international rules. According to the news, most of the victims on both sides are civilians.

In the Arab world condemnation is growing as the decision of the Supreme Court of Israel is considered illegal

The clashes began on 6 May between Palestinian protesters, Israeli settlers and police forces over a planned decision of the Supreme Court of Israel regarding evictions of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem [1]. On the occasion, civilians were injured in the peaceful demonstrations against the forced evictions of Palestinian families by the Israeli settlers and police forces. Trade union leaders have been hurt too.

Two days later, Dr. Ashraf Al-A’war, General Secretary of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, was detained by Israeli security forces and subjected to questioning about his trade union activities until late that night - an Israeli court then prohibited him from taking part in any trade union or political gathering for a period of one month.

On 10 May, Anan Qadri, former president of the GTU of Health Services in the West Bank, who was the MENA representative in PSI WOC for many years, was also wounded during a peaceful protest.

On the same day, confrontations with the police took place at the Al-Aqsa Mosque - just 3 kilometres away from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood - in the heart of Jerusalem's walled Old City, disrupting Ramadan celebrations. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said more than 300 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police.

The unacceptable violence perpetrated against Palestinian civilians over a week, prompted a reaction from Gaza with rockets fired over the border - that were met with disproportionate force.

Illegal action

In the Arab world condemnation is growing as the decision of the Supreme Court of Israel is considered illegal under international humanitarian law and meant to fuel tensions on the ground.

Neighbouring Jordan, which made peace with Israel in 1994 and is the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, has also condemned Israel’s actions, as has the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, which normalized relations with Israel last year as part of the US-brokered deal (Deal of the Century) - which, in fact, seems to be exacerbating violence and abuse over Palestinians rather than pacifying the region.

PSI, therefore,

• Condemns these attacks and calls for the immediate cessation of aggression as the necessary step to stop violence on both sides;

• Considers the evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem a violation to the resettlement agreement and International Law;

• Believes that the protection of civilians and health service workers should be ensured in respect of the Convention of Geneva, especially those who are in the field;

• Calls for the respect of the right of freedom of belief, that in modern society, can only be guaranteed by a secular state;

• Expresses solidarity to the trade union members and to the civilians that are suffering because of the aggression;

• Calls on the international community to make serious efforts to establish an independent Palestinian State, free of violence and aggression, and to work toward “The two States' solution” based on United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital city. Efforts should be deployed for the respect of International Humanitarian Law, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention, which guarantees the protection of civilians in time of war.

[1] The Sheikh Jarrah district is home to the descendants of refugees who were expelled or displaced during the 1948 war in what became known by Palestinians as the Nakba (catastrophe). In 1956, 28 refugee families were given housing units in an agreement between the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) and the Jordan government, to help provide shelter for the families as part of a resettlement agreement. Unfortunately, families have never received the legal titles and ownership of the land as stated in the resettlement agreement - which has led to an ongoing legal battle. Following the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967, settlers have claimed ownership of the land, despite international law stating that they have no legal authority over the population it occupies. Since 2002, more than 45 families have been evacuated.