Congress members urge removal of UN official for antisemitism exposed by ToI

11 House representatives call on UN chief to oust Palestinian rights official Francesca Albanese for comments, saying her anti-Jewish bias ‘undermines credibility

UNITED NATIONS — US Congress members on Monday called for the removal of a UN Palestinian rights official over antisemitic comments exposed by The Times of Israel.

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, who is tasked with investigating Israeli activities in the Palestinian territories, has a history of antisemitism but has not faced any repercussions from the UN or issued a clear apology.

Albanese said during a 2014 conflict between Israel and Gaza terror groups that the “Jewish lobby” was in control of the United States.
Israel’s Judiciary: Reform or Ruin?

She has also sympathized with terror organizations, dismissed Israeli security concerns, compared Israelis to Nazis, accused the Jewish state of potential war crimes, said Israel controlled the BBC, and claimed that the Jewish state started wars out of greed.

Albanese attempted to distance herself from the comments in a statement to The Times of Israel, but since the report exposing the comments last month, has denied that the comments are antisemitic and brushed off criticism as “yet another politically motivated attack.”

as NWRG Onlus we defend the rights and approach thriugh international law adopted by previousand specialtapporteur and bythe internal special commission of UNHR council on Israel Palestine

campagna ICE stop al commercio con gli insediamenti illegali

L’Unione Europea è contro l’annessione e considera gli insediamenti illegali nei territori occupati un ostacolo alla pace e alla stabilità internazionale. Ma sebbene gli insediamenti illegali costituiscano un crimine di guerra la UE permette il commercio con loro. Questo commercio favorisce i profitti derivanti dall’annessione e contribuisce all’espansione di insediamenti illegali nel mondo. Noi chiediamo una legge della UE che metta fine al commercio con insediamenti gli illegali una volta per tutte. Questa legge si applicherà ai territori occupati ovunque, tra questi il Territorio Occupato Palestinese e gli insediamenti illegali di Israele su di esso. La legge consentirà anche di inviare un forte segnale nel mondo che la UE non riconoscerà più aggressioni territoriali con profitti derivanti dal commercio.

Firma la petizione qui sotto per una storica legge che metta fine agli insediamenti illegali!

copia e incolla il link sul tuo browser
http://www.stopsettlements.org/

RAPPORTO SUI DIRITTI UMANI IN PALESTINA DELLA RELATRICE ONU FRANCESCA ALBANESE

“Per oltre 55 anni l’occupazione militare israeliana ha impedito la realizzazione del diritto all’autodeterminazione del popolo palestinese nei territori che Israele occupa dal 1967, comprendenti Cisgiordania, Gerusalemme e Gaza, violando ogni componente di tale diritto e perseguendo intenzionalmente la ‘de-palestinizzazione‘ del territorio occupato”. A sottolinearlo è stata Francesca Albanese, relatrice speciale delle Nazioni Unite sulla situazione dei diritti umani nei territori palestinesi occupati dal 1967, durante la presentazione alla sala Zuccari del Senato del suo primo rapporto, divulgato all’Assemblea Generale Onu lo scorso fine ottobre.

https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2023/01/13/palestina-il-rapporto-sui-diritti-umani-della-relatrice-onu-popolazione-vive-in-un-carcere-a-cielo-aperto-amnesty-regime-di-apartheid/6935712/

appello per campagna ICE stop al commercio con insediamenti illegali


La situazione in Palestina ed Israele è sempre più grave. Si susseguono omicidi e violazioni dei Diritti umani da parte della potenza occupante, senza che la cosiddetta “Comunità internazionale” si muova. Al contrario, anche da parte dell’Unione Europea si continuano ad avere 2 pesi e 2 misure nei confronti di uno Stato, quello israeliano, “in cui vige l’Apartheid”, secondo Amnesty International.
Di fronte a questi fatti, c’è bisogno di un rinnovato impegno a fianco della popolazione palestinese e dei settori più avanzati della società israeliana. Un impegno che rompa il silenzio, le complicità e gli affari degli insediamenti illegali dei coloni israeliani.

Tra le tante iniziative internazionali, vi segnaliamo questa importante Iniziativa dei Cittadini Europei (ICE) per chiedere una legge che metta fine “al commercio con gli insediamenti” da parte dell’Unione Europea. Come dice lo stesso appello delle forze che lo promuovono, si tratta di “regolare le transazioni commerciali con soggetti di Paesi occupanti basati o operanti in territori occupati impedendo l’entrata nel mercato dell’UE di prodotti provenienti da tali luoghi.

Infatti, sebbene gli insediamenti illegali costituiscano un crimine di guerra, la UE permette il commercio con loro. Questo commercio favorisce i profitti derivanti dall’annessione e contribuisce all’espansione di insediamenti illegali nel mondo. Noi chiediamo una legge della UE che metta fine al commercio con gli insediamenti illegali una volta per tutte”.

Il nostro Partito, da sempre impegnato in battaglie internazionaliste, appoggia la petizione.

L’Italia ha l’obiettivo di raccogliere 55.000 firme entro la fine dell’anno. Vi chiediamo quindi di firmare e fare firmare questa Iniziativa dei Cittadini Europei (ICE) nel più breve tempo possibile, nonché di diffonderla.

Si firma cliccando su questo link

Regarding Ahmad Manasra, aged 20.  Currently held in Beersheva prison

His Excellency Isaac Herzog,
President of the State of Israel,
The President’s Residence,
3 HaNasi Street,
23rd December 2022                                                                Jerusalem, Israel.
                                                                                                    
Regarding Ahmad Manasra, aged 20.  Currently held in Beersheva prison
 
Dear Mr. President,
.
We, the undersigned medical practitioners, are writing to ask you to urgently intervene in the case of Ahmad Manasra, who has been held in Israeli prisons since his arrest in 2015 at the age of thirteen.  We are deeply shocked by the violent and unlawful treatment this young man has been subjected to for the past seven years by the Israeli judicial system, including the manner of his arrest, his illegal interrogation without lawyers or family present, his long periods held in solitary confinement and, now that he has served two thirds of his sentence, the refusal of the courts to even consider the weighty medical and psychiatric evidence which argues for his early release on compassionate and health grounds.

Ahmad Manasra was arrested at the age of 13, for being armed with a knife in the company of his cousin Hassan aged seventeen, who allegedly stabbed and seriously injured a thirteen year old Jewish Israeli boy. Hassan was killed on the spot. Ahmad suffered a skull fracture, having been hit by a car and was severely mistreated by the mob surrounding him. He was later seen being handcuffed in an Intensive Care Unit whilst in an induced coma. He was detained in a closed institution for criminal youths, and then transferred to another prison. A video, accessed by local and international media showed an interrogator bullying and insulting the terrified young prisoner who was completely alone and unrepresented. Ahmad at thirteen year old had not reached the age of criminal responsibility; yet his trial was delayed until he was fourteen years old. He was sentenced to twelve years in prison (subsequently reduced to nine years). It is important to emphasise that the judge at his trial recognised that Ahmad did not participate in any attack on a Jewish civilian.

During his lengthy imprisonment Ahmad Manasra has been deprived of visits from his parents and other relatives. He has been held in solitary confinement which is illegal under international law in the case of minors. All medical and psychiatric experts agree that solitary confinement has devastating and sometimes irrecoverable impacts on the neuro- development and mental health of adolescents. Under international law, solitary confinement for more than fourteen days is considered torture. The Israeli court has recently imposed a further four months of solitary confinement on the basis of ‘secret evidence’. Ahmad’s mental health has progressively deteriorated to the point that he is delusional and suicidal. His condition is worsening but, instead of considering the compelling psychiatric evidence that he can only be effectively treated in a psychiatric facility separate from a prison service, the courts have retrospectively applied anti-terrorist laws to his case, enabling them to refuse to even consider the application for early release to which he would otherwise be entitled. We find it hard to understand the cruelty and vindictiveness that these decisions appear to reveal.

There has been a powerful international campaign for the release of this young man. His case has been taken up by Amnesty International, by the UN Special Rapporteur and questions have been put to UK Government Ministers by Members of Parliament. All of this has been to no avail. We now turn to you.

We join our efforts with all those who have denounced these practices which are unworthy of a government purporting to abide by the rule of law. We ask you to urgently intervene to ensure that Ahmad Manasra is immediately freed and released to the care of his family and to the health professionals who can treat him.

We look forward to your response
Yours sincerely
 Dr Derek Summerfield
Full list of signatories attached:
 
Prof. Dr. Eia Asen, M.D., FRCPsych,  Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families University College London
 
Dr Ragnhild Aarrestad, Psychiatrist, Norway
 
Dr Diab Ahmed Hamid Aburish, PhD, General Director of the Palestine Center for Community Mental Health
 
Dr Hasanen Al –Taiar, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist; Vice Chair RCPsych South Eastern Division; Chair of the South of England MHA Approvals Panel
 
Dr Mustafa Alachkar, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Osman Ali, MRCGP, Gough Walk GP Practice
 
Dr Norbert Andersch, Consultant Psychiatrist, Italy
 
Dr Swee Ang, MBBS, MSc, FRCS, Consultant orthopaedic Surgeon, London, UK
 
Dr Jackie Applebee, MBBS, BSc, FRCGP, Tredegar Practice, London
 
Mr Nadeem Ashraf MD FRCS
Consultant Laparoscopic, General and Colorectal Surgeon
Basildon University Hospital
 
Dr Luce Bardagi, Physical Rehabilitation Specialist, St Blancard, France
 
Dr Hadi Bedran
Consultant Anaesthetist, Enfield
 
Dr Trude Bennett, Dr PH, Associate Prof. Emerita, UNC Chapel Hill School of Pubic Health, USA
 
Dr Elizabeth C. Berger, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, George Washington University School of Medicine, USA
 
Dr Richard Bischoff, Paediatrician, Germany
 
Dr Frank Boyce, Physician, Canada
 
Dr Patrick Bracken, Consultant Psychiatrist, Eire
 
Dr Tamar Lydia Brown, Centre Hospitalier de Montfavet, Avignon, France
 
Dr Dorothy Burlage, PhD,
 
Dr Tim Calton, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Maria Canete, Consultant Psychotherapist and Group Analyst
 
Dr Filiz Capar, General Practitioner, Barkantine Practice, London
 
Sir Iain Chalmers, MD, DSc., James Lind Library, Oxford
 
Dr Martine Charlery, Psychiatrist, Angers, France
 
Dr David Church, MB, ChB, T, General Practitioner, Wales
 
Dr Miles Clapham, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Alan Cooklin, MB, ChB, FRC Psych,
 
Dr Jack Czauderna MB.ChB.  Retired Family Doctor          
 
Dr Nadia Taysir Dabbagh, MBBS, BSc, MSc, PhD, FRCPsych, CCT, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, UK
 
Mr Rhodri Daniel BSc(Hons), FRCS(Ed), DO RCS(Lon), FRCOphth.
 
Dr S E Daniel BSc(Hons), MD, FRCPath.
 
Dr Veena deSouza, MBBChir, FFPH,
 
Dr James Deutsch, University of Toronto, Canada
 
Dr Moira Dick, Consultant Paediatrician (retired), London
 
Dr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini, MB, BChir, MCEM, FRCA, Anaesthetic Consultant, Oxford University Hospitals
 
Dr Flavia Donati, Specialist in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Rome, Italy
 
Dr Mike Downham, BA, BCh, MRCP, DHC,
 
Dr Gary Duffield, MBChB, MRCPsych,
 
Dr Katrin Edelman, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Morry El-Badry, MD, Rochester, New Hampshire, USA
 
Dr Kamilla El-Farra, Consultant Gynaecologist, UK
 
Sir Terence English, KBE, FRCP, FRCS, Cardiothoracic Transplant surgeon; Former President of the Royal College of Surgeons (retired)
 
Lady Judith English, MB, BChir, MRCP, FRCPsych, Consultant Psychiatrist; Former Chief of Staff, Boston VA Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA (retired)
 
Dr Ruth Erskine, D. Clin. Psych, QiCN, AFBPS, CQSW, (BA, BSc), Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Paediatric Neuropsychologist, London
 
Dr Arturo Ezquerro, Consultant Psychiatrist and Group Analyst
 
Dr Premila Fade, MB BS, MA, FRCP, Consultant Physician, Southern Health Foundation Trust
 
Dr Suman Fernando, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Ann Finkelstein, MD, MPH, La Clinica de la Raza, Vallejo, California
 
Dr Brian Fisher, MBBCh, MSc, MBE, London
 
Dr Jonathan Fluxman MRCGP (retired GP)
 
Dr Tim Fox, BSc, MB, BS, MRCP, Member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation, UK
 
Dr P.H. Gasser, Psychiatrist, Uzes, France
 
Dr Tom Gilberthorpe, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr John Gleisner, FRCPsych, FRANZCPsych, (retired)
 
Dr Yves Glock, MD, PhD, Member of the European Board of cardiovascularand thoracic Surgery. Former Head of the Department of CV Surgery, University Hospital Rangueil, Toulouse, France
 
Dr Anya Gopfert, MBBS, BSChons, MSc Oxon, MFPH,
 
Dr Michael Gopfert, MD, formallyFRCPsych,
 
Prof Peter Gotzsche, Physician and Researcher, Denmark
 
Dr Elizabeth Greenhall, MB,BS , FFPH.  Retired consultant in Public Health, Oxfordshire 
 
Professor Colin Green, B. Vet. Med; PhD (Med); DSc (Med); FRC Path; FRCS England
(Hon). Royal Free Hospital, University College London
 
Dr Marta Guttenberg, MD, Philadelphia, USA
 
Dr David Halpin, Consultant Surgeon, UK
 
Dr Dougal Hargreaves, MA, MSc, FRCPCH, MD(Res), Imperial College, London
 
Dr Ben Hart, General Practitioner, Crisp Street Health Centre, London
 
Dr Deirdre Haslam, Chelmsford, Essex
 
Dr Rukyya Hassan, MBChB, MSc, MRCPsych,
 
Dr Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet, UK
 
Prof Sushrut Jadhav, University College, London, UK
 
Dr Bob Johnson, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Lynne Jones, OBE, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Francois Journet, Psychiatrist, Villefontaine, France
 
Prof Jon Jureidini, University of Adelaide, Australia
 
Dr Ghada Karmi, Physician and Academic
 
Dr Lynne Kavin, LCSW,
 
Dr Ian Kerr, Consultant Psychiatrist, New Zealand
 
Dr Gaby G Kevorkian, MD, Old City, Jerusalem
 
Dr Asad Khan, Consultant Physician, UK
 
Dr Rajiv Khushu, Psychiatrist, Halifax, UK
 
Dr Abha Khushu, Senior Reg, Paediatrics, London, UK
 
Dr David Kirby, MA, MB, BChir, MSc, MRCP, MRCGP, General Practitioner (retired)
 
Dr Emmanuel Kosadinos, Psychiatrist, Marseilles, France
 
Dr Sebastian Kraemer, FRCP, FRCPsych, FRCPCH, Hon Consultant, Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust
 
Dr Vicky Lavy, MB, BCh, MRCGP, Retired
 
Dr Dianne Lefevre, Consultant psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Anna Livingstone, MA, MSc, DipLSHTM, MB BS, FRCGP,DrCOG, DCH, DFSRH, London
 
Dr Ann Lorek, Consultant Paediatrician, London
 
Dr Sally MacLennan, MB BS, DO,
 
Dr Neil MacLennan, MB BS, MRCGP, DCH, DCROG,
 
Dr Brooke Maddux, MD, MPhil, Psychiatrist, France
 
Prof Paola Manduca, Prof of Genetics, Italy
 
Dr Mona Mange MD   Xavier Clinic,Tulsa OK USA
 
Dr Ruchama Marton, Founder of Physicians for Human Rights, Israel
 
Dr Rebecca Mather, BM, BCh, FRCPsych,
 
Dr Rob Mather, BM, BCh, FRCGP,
 
Prof Klim McPherson, PhD, FMed Sci,
 
Dr Tess McPherson, MA, MBBS, FRCP, MD,
 
Dr Claire Mestre, Psychiatrist and Anthropolist, CHU, Bordeaux, France, Association Ethnotopies
 
Dr Alan Meyers, MD, MPH, Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, USA
 
Prof Steven Miles, Prof Emeritus of Medicine and Bioethics, UK
 
Dr Pedro Molina,
 
Dr Ann Morris, MB, ChB, Member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation, London, UK
 
Dr Jan Willem Mulder, MD, PhD, Consultant Physician, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (retired)
 
Dr Loretta Mussi, MD,
 
Dr Mudasir Nazir, Academic Fellow, UK
 
Dr Julia Nelki, MA Oxon, MBChB, formally FRCPsych,
 
Dr Golda Ninan, MB, BCh, MRCGP,
 
Dr Anne Noonan, Psychiatrist, Australia
 
Dr Kingsley Norton, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Brendan O’Brien, MB DCH. Retired General Practitioner, Edmonton, London
 
Dr Peadar O’Grady, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, Eire
 
Dr Tony O’Sullivan, MRCP, DCH, Consultant Paediatrician (retired)
 
Dr Tomasz Piercionek, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Pino Pini, Psychiatrist, Italy
 
Dr Elinor Price MB BS MRCGP
 
Dr John W. L. Puntis, BM(Hons), DM, FRCP, FRCPCH, Consultant Paediatrician, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK (Retired)
 
Dr Cheryl Qamar, LCSWR, Hudson Valley, New York,USA
 
Dr Michael Radford, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr Saroop Raja, UK
 
Dr Nicholas Rose, MB, ChB, FRCPsych,
 
Dr Alice Rothschild, MD,
 
Dr Rachel Rubin, MD, MPH, Chicago, USA
 
Prof Andrew Samuels, DHL, Former Chair UK Council for Psychotherapy
 
Dr Benedetto Saraceno, Ornex, France
 
Prof Lara Sheehi, PsyD, George Washington University, USA
 
Prof Stephen Sheehi, PhD, William and Mary College, USA
 
Dr Gillian Shepherd, UK
 
Dr Ann Marisa Silverman, FRCPsych,
 
Dr Philip Smith, UK
 
Dr Cecile Spieser, Psychiatrist, France
 
Dr Peter Sporn,MD Chicago, Illinois 
 
Dr Derek Summerfield, BSC(Hons), MBBS, MRCPsych, Kings College, London, UK
 
Dr Gabriel Symons, UK
 
Dr Philip Thomas, MPhil, DPM, FRCPsych, MD, Consultant Psychiatrist (retired)
 
Dr Jane Thomas, MB, ChB, MRCPsych,
 
Prof Sami Timimi, Consultant Child Psychiatrist, UK
 
BaronessDr Jenny Tonge, House of Lords, UK
 
Dr Christine van Duuren, Member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation London, UK (retired)
 
Dr Maria van Hove, MD, MSc, MFPH,
 
Dr Sebastiao Viola, Consultant Psychiatrist, UK
 
Dr  Athena Viscusi, LICSW,  Washington  DC
 
Dr Rivka Warshawsky, Clinical Psychologist, Jaffa, Israel
 
Dr Petra Wempe, General Practitioner, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (retired)
 
Dr Judith Whale, MRCPsych, UK
 
Dr Cathy Wield, Specialist Physician, UK
 
Dr James H Williams, PhD, MSW, Tacoma, Washington, USA
 
Dr Richard Williams, General Practitioner (retired), London
 
Dr Pam Wortley, MBBS, MRCGP, General Practitioner (retired)
 
Dr Bernadette Wren, C Psychol, MSc Syst Psych,
 
Dr Venetia Young, General Practitioner, UK
 

Statement on EU Parliament’s resolution on two-state solution
Dec 17, 2022
|
Statements

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas vehemently deplores the fallacies and positions included in the EU Parliament’s most recent resolution, titled “The Prospects of Two-State Solution in Israel and Palestine”.

This move reflects an appalling bias towards the Israeli occupation and disregard for the rights of the Palestinians, who are suffering from the terrorism practiced by the Israeli occupation and fascist Israeli colonial settlers.

The EU Parliament’s resolution ignores the facts on the ground. As it commits to the so-called two-state solution, it shows disregard for the Israeli occupation’s policies which have undermined it by accelerating settler-colonial projects and stealing Palestinian land and resources. All that takes place in a blatant violation of international law and the UN resolutions reaffirming the illegality of Israeli settlements and the terrorism and violence practiced by Israeli settlers on a daily basis under the nose of the whole world.

It is not fair for the EU Parliament to lament the Israeli occupation soldiers who were held captive by the Palestinian resistance during the Israeli aggression on Gaza while ignoring the plight of thousands of Palestinian detainees who are languishing in Israeli prisons, where they are subjected to the most heinous forms of physical and psychological torture and are denied their most basic rights. This reflects the EU’s double standard policy towards the Palestinian people.

We reject the EU Parliament’s insistence to label the legitimate Palestinian resistance as “terrorism” while recognising the so-called Israeli “security concerns”.

This move will give the Israeli occupation the green light to commit further crimes against the Palestinian people and children.

We call on the EU to immediately backtrack on this resolution and not to align with the Israeli occupation, whose crimes have not ceased, the latest of which was the execution of Palestinian child Jana Zakarneh in her home in Jenin.

We stress that the Palestinian people will continue their struggle and legitimate resistance to defend themselves and their rights until ending the occupation, restoring their right to self-determination, and establishing their state with Jerusalem as its capital.

State of Palestine says EU Parliament’s resolution on two-state solution does not take into account Israel’s crimes


RAMALLAH, Thursday, December 15, 2022 (WAFA) – The State of Palestine takes note of the passing of the European Parliament resolution on the prospects for the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. The State of Palestine recognizes the European Parliament’s firm stance on the importance of realizing the international consensus of two-States, including through the convening of an international conference.

The State of Palestine deeply regrets and is concerned about efforts by certain quarter in the European Parliament to inject false claims and attacks against Palestinian children, institutions, and UNRWA. We regret that the resolution does not take into account Israel’s grave violations and crimes, including Israel’s apartheid regime.

The State of Palestine is also troubled by the politicization of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people and warns that such politicization sets a dangerous precedent, undermines the independence and humanitarian work that the European Union is a champion of, and discriminates against the Palestinian people.

The European Union Parliament missed yet another opportunity to help salvage the two-State solution by calling for the recognition of the State of Palestine, labeling of settlements products, and pursuing accountability for Israel’s ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people.

Israel’s illegal occupation and its apartheid regime remain a grave threat to international peace and security. The European Union should not be complicit in Israel’s oppression nor reward or accommodate it, including by suspending Association Agreement and labeling of settlement products, in accordance with the European Union’s obligations under international law.

This is critically important not just for Palestine but for the validity and continued viability of the rules-based international order, of which the European Union plays an instrumental role in preserving it.

Finally, the Palestinian people have been under Israel’s occupation and oppression for over 55 years. Indeed, it is the duty and the obligation of the European Union and its Parliament to work towards ending Israel’s injustice and ensuring human rights, freedom, and independence for the Palestinian people.

M.N