Archives for 05 January 2018

Excellency,

The Palestinian people living in the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, have begun yet another year under Israel’s belligerent military occupation and the prospects to end Israel’s illegal occupation and decades-long injustice remain as bleak as ever. This year the holiday season along with the first couple days of the new year were significantly subdued, with spirits dampened by a new wave of violence directed at the Palestinian people by Israeli occupying forces, which was sparked by a decision on 6 December 2017 by the current administration of the United States of America recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

In fact, in the wake of the US Administration’s decision mentioned above, violations by Israel have only intensified, as the occupying Power clearly felt emboldened to carry out its illegal practices and measures with complete impunity.  Over the past few weeks, killings, injuries, imprisonment of Palestinian civilians and attacks against the occupied Gaza Strip have continued unabated.  Just yesterday, a seventeen-year-old child was killed after being shot in the chest by Israeli occupying forces in the village of Tuqu, south of Bethlehem.  This latest death marks the 16^th Palestinian killed by Israeli occupying forces since the US Administration’s decision on 6^th of December and comes only days after, Musab Firas Al-Tamimi, also age 17, from the village of Deir Nitham was killed after being shot in the neck by Israeli occupying forces. [Read more…]