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Mrs. Mary Robinson
0041-22-917-9016 Dear Ms. Robinson, WE DEMAND INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION FOR PALESTINIANS Israel's recent unleashing of military forces, including tanks and helicopter gunships, against unarmed or lightly armed Palestinian civilians has underscored the Palestinians' urgent need for international protection. Evidence from various hospitals indicates that Israeli forces have been using lethal ammunition since the first day of the conflict, and are targeting civilians' heads and chests. Clearly, this implies that soldiers have been given "shoot to kill" orders, a contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Unlike all other refugee groups in the world today, Palestinians--the world's largest and oldest refugee population--are not accorded legal protection under existing international conventions, nor by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Furthermore, Israel has consistently refused to recognize its obligations under the Geneva Conventions, particularly those clauses that protect civilians under military occupation. To date over 100 Palestinians have been killed, half of them children under the age of 15, while more than 3,000 have been wounded, any suffering serious and incapacitating injuries, such as loss of eyes, limbs and grave damage to internal organs. In addition, Israel continues to bombard Palestinian towns and villages; and settlers rampage in Palestinian towns with the protection of the Israeli army. Israeli Prime Minister Barak threatens further violence. Even if demonstrations subside, it is certain that intransigent Israeli policies will lead to more confrontation, and more slaughter, in the weeks and months to come. This dangerous and violent situation continues because U.S. diplomatic, economic, and military backing allows Israel to behave like a "rogue state" without suffering the penalties other states so termed have been subjected to. Permitting Israel to continue to kill and maim civilians without being submitted to a UN commission of inquiry makes a mockery of international law and undermines UN resolutions. We, the undersigned associations and individuals, submit this petition to the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, requesting that he dispatch, without delay, UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson to Jerusalem, Gaza, the West Bank, and Arab communities in Israel to write a report on the recent events. We call on the UN Human Rights Commission to extend the same levels and types of protection to Palestinians as is extended to other refugees. Failing this, we call for the formation of a special subcommittee within the UN Commission for Economic and Social Rights to maintain a permanent monitoring function in relation to abuses of the inalienable rights of Palestinians. Palestinian refugees' rights must be considered no different than the rights and needs of any other refugee group under the terms of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Furthermore, the rights and needs of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, who remain stateless seven years after the inception of the Oslo Accords, must also receive special consideration. Sincerely yours, Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj
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