A report by Amnesty International published today (Tuesday) accuses Israel of carrying out apartheid against Palestinians throughout its territory – both in the West Bank and Gaza, and within the Green Line against Arab citizens of Israel.
The organization calls on the International Criminal Court to consider including the crime of apartheid in its current investigation against Israel, and the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Israel, mainly due to the shooting at protesters in front of the fence in Gaza. Israel operates a brutal system of control and crime against humanity, which includes massive takeover of pillars, land and Palestinian property, illegal killing, forced transfer, drastic movement restrictions and denial of citizenship and residents to Palestinians – all elements that are considered apartheid under international law.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid strongly opposed the report published by the British branch of the organization. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated: “The report combines and recycles lies, biases and unfounded arguments that stem from well-known anti-Israel hate organizations. All with the aim of selling defective goods in new packaging. Repeating the lies of hate organizations over and over again does not make the lie a reality, but makes Amnesty illegitimate.”
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Click to read the report in the Hebrew translation
“In publishing the false report, Amnesty Britain uses a double standard and demonization to delegitimize Israel. These are exactly the elements that modern anti-Semitism is made of. The report denies the right to exist of the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. Israel and pouring fuel into the engines of anti-Semitism. “
“A few days after International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we learn again that anti-Semitism is not only part of history but unfortunately also part of reality today. Only last weekend were Jews attacked in London just because they were Jews. Not only in Israel but also in Jews around the world. “
“The State of Israel is a strong and vibrant democracy that gives all its citizens equal rights, regardless of religion and race. The State of Israel was established as the national home of the Jewish people with broad international support, even in light of the lessons of the Holocaust. Amnesty International criticizes the very existence of the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people and in fact denies its right to exist at all. “
“It is not surprising that the report is published in the British branch of Amnesty International and under the auspices of the organization’s secretary general. “A serious and baseless accusation that took Amnesty organization 8 years to return from.”
“We call on Amnesty International to withdraw from the forthcoming report. “This is a report that would have been better not published at all, because it does not respect those whose human rights are truly dear to their hearts and which they are trying to protect. The State of Israel will continue to promote the values of democracy and the connection to them has been established and continues to exist.”
Mamnesty Britain responded: “We are aware of the Foreign Ministry statement, and yet we will publish our report describing how the State of Israel goes out against the Palestinians. Any statement that we are anti-Semitic is intended to distract from the crimes committed against the Palestinians.”
It should be noted that according to the Treaty of Rome, apartheid is defined as a crime against humanity and its definition consists of three legs. One is the intention of the state, or the ruler, to maintain control of a racial group over another group. The second – systematic repression of a group and the third – non-human acts.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry refused, in principle, to deal with the specific allegations raised in the report and also did not deny the credibility of some of the reports that appear in it. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Hayat said that Israel and delegitimize it. This is not a critique of the occupation, but a critique of the very existence of Israel as the state of the Jewish nation. “
The human rights organization B’Tselem welcomed the report that calls the Israeli regime by its name – the apartheid regime.
“This report, which adds a significant tier to the previous series of reports on the subject, marks a new consensus recognizing the fact that Israel maintains a regime of Jewish supremacy between the Jordan and the sea. For equality and respect for their human rights. “
B’Tselem rejects the foreign minister’s claims, saying that “panic voices voiced by Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, as well as claims made by various propaganda organizations, as if they were attempts to deny the right to exist of the State of Israel, reveal their perception that a regime of Jewish supremacy is justified and should be perpetuated. “But a demand for equality and the protection of human rights only threatens those who oppose these values. Anyone who says that this demand harms him – makes it clear which side he has chosen.”
“The accusation of ‘anti-Semitism’ towards anyone who criticizes the Israeli regime – including human rights organizations – is a manipulative claim, which reduces the vital fight against anti-Semitism around the world and harms the memory of its victims throughout history.”
MK Ofer Kasif (Hadash Joint List) responded: “Not since today has the State of Israel been conducting an apartheid regime against the Palestinian people. In this sense, the Amnesty report published today is not renewed and is not surprising. We will continue to fight, Jews and Arabs together, for the end of this regime, against the occupation and for an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, for true justice and democracy. “
MK Aida Toma-Suleiman responded: “The report is a serious indictment against the State of Israel – and against the project of occupation, dispossession, and discrimination against the Palestinian people. The report marks the emergence of a consensus among the world’s leading human rights organizations that Israel is guilty of the crime of apartheid – “an institutionalized regime of control and oppression perpetrated by one ethnic group against another.”
“The report thoroughly details the variety of human rights violations that Israel is taking in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem – but also within Israel’s borders. And in the Palestinian territories, it is up to the Israeli government. “
“Contrary to the description of the Israeli ‘propaganda’ that tries to undermine Amnesty International’s position as biased and even worse, it is clear to those who read the report that its purpose is to call on the State of Israel to change direction urgently, believing that the injustices can be corrected.”
“To achieve this change, the international forces must mobilize for justice and stop granting immunity to Israel’s crimes. But at the end of the day – the role of the international community is partial, and those who can bring about the occupation, exploitation, oppression and discrimination – are the two peoples living here. “Israel and Palestine, together with partners in the international community, can still lead to a more just future.”
MK Sami Abu Shehadeh, chairman of the Joint List faction, tweeted on the Twitter account about the publication of the report: “H proves his worth. The joint will continue to fight with all its might against occupation, oppression and apartheid.”