NEW YORK CITY: A report by the UN Human Rights Office published on Wednesday details the “asphyxiating impact” of Israeli laws, policies and practices on nearly every aspect of Palestinian life in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
It warns that Israel is violating obligations under international law that require states to prohibit and eradicate racial segregation and apartheid.
The report describes systemic discrimination against Palestinians in the territory as a “long-standing concern,” but notes that the conditions have sharply deteriorated since at least December 2022. It presents extensive examples showing how the daily lives of Palestinians have become increasingly constrained and insecure.
“Israeli authorities treat Israeli settlers and Palestinians residing in the West Bank under two distinct bodies of law and policies, resulting in unequal treatment on a range of critical issues, including movement and access to resources such as land and water,” it states.
“Palestinians continue to be subjected to large-scale confiscation of land and deprivation of access to resources. This has had the effect of dispossessing them of their lands and homes, alongside other forms of systemic discrimination, including criminal prosecution in military courts during which their due process and fair trial rights are systematically violated.”
