بيان صادر عن مؤسسات بريطانية عديدة ضد خطة الضم

Statement on annexation plans, published on 11th September 2020

As charities, trade unions, religious groups, and civil society organisations, we urgently call on public bodies to uphold their ethical and legal responsibilities to ensure human rights and international law are respected.

As the Israeli government moves towards illegally annexing additional Palestinian land, the necessity for accountability and collective responsibility in maintaining an international rules based system of law becomes paramount. The actions of the Israeli government are not only an attack on the rights and futures of Palestinians, but also against the very foundations of international law.

Official annexation would culminate years of gradual de facto annexation – which has been taking place through the appropriation of land, forcible displacement of Palestinians, and the transfer of an Israeli settler population to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

We echo UN Special Rapporteur, Professor Michael Lynk, in calling on the international community to ensure there is a cost to defying international law in the context of settlement expansion. This mirrors Palestinian civil society calls for effective measures to stop annexation and Israel’s ongoing infringements on their human rights.

Local authorities, churches, Local Government Pensions Schemes, universities, and businesses all have a clear responsibility to ensure they are not aiding or sustaining violations of international law. We call on all such bodies and organisations to guarantee they are not complicit in further entrenching Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian people, and that their practices of investment and procurement reflect their ethical and legal responsibilities to uphold an international system of law.

Signed:
Archbishop of Wales, The Most Rev’d John D E Davies, Amos Trust
Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union
Bishop of Bangor, The Right Rev’d Andy John
Bishop of St Davids, The Right Rev’d Dr Joanna Penberthy Campaign Against the Arms Trade
Communication Workers Union
Fire Brigades Union
GMB Union
Iona Community
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
Muslim Association of Britain
National Education Union
Pax Christi England & Wales
Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK

Public and Commercial Services Union
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Sabeel-Kairos
Scottish Palestinian Forum
Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association
University and College Union
UNISON
Unite the Union
War on Want