ICJP statement on Israeli military escalation in Jenin
London, 3 July 2023- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) deplores the recent Israeli military escalation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. ICJP demands immediate international diplomatic intervention to put to an end the deadly attacks against Palestinians in Jenin.
Around 2am last night, Israel launched its biggest large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank in nearly two decades against the Palestinian city of Jenin. The lethal aerial and ground offensive resulted in the killing of at least eight Palestinians with over fifty injured, and a death toll likely to increase, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Disturbing footage circulated on social media showed the piled-up bodies of dead Palestinians targeted with indiscriminate Israeli forces fire. Both reporters and medics were denied access to certain areas, and in one instance, Israeli soldiers blocked paramedics from reaching a pregnant woman inside the refugee camp
The use of military bulldozers to plough through narrow streets is a thinly veiled effort by Israel to continue its campaign of property and infrastructure destruction against Palestinians. This wide scale destruction of roads has had deadly consequences, with medical crews unable to access those injured.
Israeli occupying forces also deliberately targeted journalists covering the offensive on Jenin, in an attempt by Israel to cover the unfolding massacre being committed in Jenin. Al-Arabi TV crews were amongst those targeted by Israeli fire. This forms part of a pattern of a wider systematic targeting of journalists.
This alarming escalation against Jenin comes at a time where the UK government seeks to grant Israel absolute impunity for its crimes and violations of international law through the newly introduced anti-BDS bill, showing utter disdain towards the lives and rights of innocent Palestinians.
ICJP Director Tayab Ali said:
“The deteriorating situation in the city of Jenin has been ongoing since March 2022, with ongoing calls upon the international community to intervene and provide protection for the Palestinian population.
This prolonged massacre of Palestinians demonstrates the ongoing failure of the international communities and countries around the world including the UK to uphold the very norms they have all pledged to protect and enforce.
The ongoing virtual impunity granted to Israel highlights the hypocrisy and double standards in applying the norms of international law and will only lead to more drastic and tragic consequences for Palestinians.”
ENDS
Notes to editor:
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- ICJP’s statement on the UK government’s anti-BDS bill can be read here.
- For more information, or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson please contact: Jonathan Purcell, Public Affairs and Communications Officer, at [email protected]