'}}

Britain, Netherlands and Ireland condemn violations of international law by Israel in the Occupied Syrian Golan

December 15, 2016

Britain, Netherlands and Ireland have condemned ongoing violations of international law by Israel in the Occupied Syrian Golan that include illegal settlement expansion, natural resource exploitation, land appropriation and home demolition.

Last week, Tobias Ellwood, the British Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and Africa, on the subject of home demolitions, settlement expansion and land appropriation in the Occupied Syrian Golan / Golan Heights, reiterated that the British government regards the Golan Heights ‘to be Occupied Territory’ and continues ‘to call on Israel, as the Occupying Power, to uphold its obligations under international law. This includes abiding by UN Security Council Resolution 497 (1981).’ Minister Ellwood stated that the British government has ‘been clear that Israel must comply with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.’

In November, Bert Koenders, the Dutch Foreign Minister, said that the Dutch government has taken serious notice of signals that Israel is planning to expand on the Golan Heights and to drill for oil. Minister Koenders explained that the Netherlands and the EU consider Israeli settlements in occupied territory to be in violation of international law and are speaking to Israel regarding its settlement policy.

Responding to concerns about the implementation of a new policy of home demolitions in the Occupied Syrian Golan by the Israeli authorities, Charles Flanagan, the Irish Foreign Minister, stated that he has ‘repeatedly made clear my concerns about demolition of homes and seizures of land by the Israeli occupation authorities’ and that ‘all people living under occupation are entitled to respect and protection from occupation authorities.’

On the issue of the planned expansion of the largest illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Syrian Golan by 1600 settlement units, Foreign Minister Flanagan declared the settlement process illegal and described the ‘relentless expansion of illegal Israeli settlements’ as a ‘major impediment to the achievement of peace’ in the region, that ‘call into serious question the intentions of the Israeli Government.’

This condemnation of violations of international law by Israel follow statements earlier in the year from the United States and the European Union rejecting Israel’s illegal claims to the Occupied Syrian Golan.

In response to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s comments during an Israeli government cabinet meeting held in an illegal settlement in the Occupied Syrian Golan, that ‘the Golan Heights will always remain under Israeli control’ the U.S. State Department spokesperson, John Kirby, stated ‘that the U.S. position on the status of the Golan Heights is longstanding and is unchanged. Every administration on both sides of the aisle since 1967 has maintained that those territories are not part of Israel’.

European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini reiterated this message the following day, stating that ‘the EU recognises Israel within its pre-1967 borders, whatever the government's claims on other areas […] and this is a common consolidated position of the European Union and its Member States’.

Al-Marsad welcomes these recent statements from Britain, the Netherlands and Ireland and looks forward to the international community taking concrete action to ensure that Israel complies with its obligations under international law and stops its illegal and discriminatory policies in the Occupied Syrian Golan.

Background information about recent illegal settlement expansion, natural resource exploitation, land appropriation and home demolition is available here and here.

ENDS
Al-Marsad is an independent, not-for-profit, legal human rights organisation – it is the only human rights organisation operating in the Occupied Syrian Golan. For additional information, please contact marsad@golan-marsad.org or researcher@golan-marsad.org.

Releated Posts

'}}
Al-Marsad publishes book on forgotten occupation of the Syrian Golan
The book describes how Syrians have witnessed the forcible transfer and displacement of friends and family; the destruction of homes; the appropriation of land and the arrival of a foreign occupier.
READ MORE
'}}
Proposed Irish Bill would ban goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan
In July, the Irish parliament will consider a Bill banning the import of goods and services from Israeli settlements. The Irish parliament (the Seanad) debated the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 on Tuesday 30 of January, but decided to postpone a vote until later in the year.
READ MORE
'}}
Elections in Syrian villages in occupied Golan
Earlier this year, the Israeli authorities announced the decision to hold local elections on 3 October 2018 in the Syrian villages in the occupied Golan. These elections would be the first of their kind since the occupation just over fifty years ago.
READ MORE
'}}
EU diplomats visit the occupied Syrian Golan
Yesterday, 23 deputy ambassadors and senior diplomats from EU countries, and the EU delegation, visited Majdal Shams, one of the five remaining Syrian villages in the occupied Golan. The visit was to learn about the serious human rights situation of the Syrian population in the occupied Golan due to the Israeli occupation and the conflict in Syria.
READ MORE
'}}
2018 Universal Periodic Review of Israel
Al-Marsad calls on UN Human Rights Council members to raise human rights violations committed by Israel in the occupied Syrian Golan during Israel’s upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2018. Since Israel’s last Universal Periodic Review in 2012, it has continued to implement policies that violate the basic human rights of the Syrian population in the occupied Syrian Golan. Al-Marsad's submission for Israel’s UPR covers six categories of Israeli violations during this period: (1) Illegal settlements and exploitation of natural resources; (2) Discriminatory housing and planning policies, and home demolition; (3) Landmines; (4) Revocation of residency; (5) Family separation; and (6) Education. Al-Marsad’s full submission is available here. In brief, it highlights that: Illegal settlements and exploitation of natural resources 95% of the occupied Golan is controlled by Israeli settlers and the Israeli military, with only 5% controlled by the remaining Syrian population. In 2017, for the first time, the number of Israeli settlers (26,000) overtook the number of Syrians (25,000) living in the occupied Golan. Note - this is a revised figure since the submission was made. In 2016, the Israeli government approved the construction of 1600 new settlement units in the illegal Israeli settlement of Katzrin. This follows announcements by Israeli government ministers in 2015 to encourage 100,000 new settlers to move to the occupied Golan. In 2015, an Israeli company, Afek Oil & Gas, commenced oil exploration in the occupied Golan. In addition to natural resource exploitation, tourism is a staple of the settlement economy. Tourism to illegal settlements is promoted by the Israeli government and tourism industry, which market the occupied Golan as ‘Northern Israel’. Discriminatory housing and planning policies, and home demolition Discriminatory land and housing policies have led to severe overcrowding in the remaining Syrian villages in the occupied Golan. Syrians are forced to build homes without building permits to meet their housing needs. They risk fines of up to tens of thousands of dollars, potentially doubling the cost of construction, and the full or partial demolition of their homes. In 2016, a home in Majdal Shams was illegally demolished by the Israeli authorities. Another 80-90 Syrian home owners have been issued with demolition orders. Under the 'Hermon National Park' plan, the Israeli authorities are currently seeking to designate 82 km2 of land around two of the remaining Syrian villages as a national park. This would further impede the expansion of these already overcrowded villages. Landmines The equivalent of over 6000 football pitches are suspected to be mined in the occupied Golan. The Israeli military has laid minefields in and adjacent to Syrian villages on the pretext of security – often within just a few metres of people’s houses and where their children play. New anti-personnel mines were laid by Israel as recently as 2011. It is estimated that at least 66 Syrians have been victims of landmines in the occupied Syrian Golan. Among them, 16 died, half of whom were children. Minefield clearance by the Israeli authorities prioritises locations around Israeli settlements and agricultural land over Syrian residential and agricultural zones, despite the higher concentration of landmines in these areas. Revocation of residency The majority of Syrians hold a form of permanent residency status similar to Palestinians living in occupied East Jerusalem. However, whilst Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem are permitted to have Jordanian nationality, Israel categorises the nationality of Syrians in the occupied Golan as ‘undefined’. The permanent residency status can be revoked if an individual’s ‘centre of life’ changes or if citizenship of another country is obtained. Around 100 Syrians from the occupied Golan have had their permanent residency status revoked. Holders of the permanent residency status cannot vote in the Israeli Knesset and therefore have no political representation. Family separation It is estimated that those forcibly transferred or displaced from the occupied Golan following the occupation and their descendants amount to approximately 500,000 people. Given the conflict in Syria, many have become internally displaced persons (IDPs) for a second time in their lifetime, or refugees. Education Under an imposed Israeli curriculum, Syrian school children in the occupied Golan receive little instruction of Syrian and Arab history, geography, literature and culture. Schools do not observe Syrian national holidays. Syrians have little say in how their schools are run and what their children are taught. Many schools have building deficiencies and do not meet basic safety standards. ENDS Al-Marsad is an independent, not-for-profit, legal human rights organisation – it is the only human rights organisation operating in the occupied Syrian Golan. For additional information, please contact marsad@temp.local or researcher@temp.local
READ MORE