Thank you to all those who supported with donations that allowed the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem attend the 40th Session in March and 42nd Session in September of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights in Geneva.

An international campaign that Just Peace Advocates has partnered with the Civic Coalition on Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem to call for action in light of the US Embassy move to Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, and the draconian actions being taken to take the Palestine people out of the Jerusalem/Al Quds through annexation, legislation and other actions. Just Peace Advocates is committed to efforts to ensure Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, and to bring these forward to civil society and decision makers in Canada.

An international campaign with a call by the Civic Coalition on Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem to action in light of the US Embassy move to Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, and the draconian actions being taken to take the Palestine people out of the Jerusalem/Al Quds through annexation, legislation and other actions. The Civic Coalition on Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem  is committed to efforts to ensure Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, and to bring these forward to civil society and decision makers around the world.

With several strokes of a pen, the Israeli government is set to change the demographics of Jerusalem from 40 percent Palestinian, to over a 80 percent Jewish.

These include:

1. the Annexation of illegal settlements resulting in an addition 176K Jewish residents of Jerusalem, through the Greater Jerusalem Bill.
2. the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel *passed January 2, 2018 approved the removal of Palestinian communities with an approximate population of 150 K  from the Jerusalem municipality, keeping them under Israeli sovereignty but without clarity to their status

*The Law requires a ⅔ majority for change which will make it impossible for the future division of Jerusalem, making the possibility of a future State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital essentially impossible.

** Population of Jerusalem 900 K

This includes:

1. Annexation

The Separation Wall extends over 200 km to the east and west around Jerusalem and occupies more than 40,000 square km of the City’s land. Only 3% of the Wall in the Jerusalem area follows the 1967 Green Line, and it annexes 12 settlements with a population of more than 176,000 Jewish settlers to Jerusalem.

2. Removal of communities from the Jerusalem Municipality

The Bill takes neighbourhoods outside of Jerusalem municipality, and keeps them under Israeli sovereignty. Palestinian Jerusalemites from these areas will keep Israeli residency or ID but will no longer be a part of Jerusalem.  This bars the transfer portions of the city from Israeli sovereignty to Palestinian jurisdiction.

The International Criminal Court decision regarding the Wall

These policies are part of a deliberate plan with the declared purpose of altering the demographic composition of the population in Jerusalem and asserting Jewish Israeli domination, such that Jerusalem becomes not only the capital of the occupier but can not be at any point the capital of Palestine.

Accountability Under The Fourth Geneva Convention

All High Contracting Parties of the Fourth Geneva Convention are accountable under Article 1 that the Convention is upheld in ALL circumstances.  This  This means holding any state that is acting in contravention to the Fourth Geneva Convention accountable using whatever means necessary.  Given sanctions are the tool countries use to hold other states accountable, Canada by not naming and taking action through whatever means available itself could be in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The Call to the International Community

The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem along with other groups in Jerusalem, across Palestine and around the the world call for:

The United Nations and Member States to:

• adopt practical measures, including sanctions, in order to ensure that Israel rescinds its policies of acquisition of occupied East Jerusalem by force or law changes, population transfer, and in violation of the Palestinian right to self-determination.
• terminate all recognition, aid or assistance in the maintenance of the unlawful situation created by these Israeli violations.
• condemn the Nation State, Basic Law, and Greater Jerusalem law and invoke sanctions until these are repealed.
• in its policy reflect that  East Jerusalem is under occupation, and that international humanitarian law applies.
• assume their international responsibility to cooperate to end colonialism and apartheid.

Application in Canada

International Responsibility

Canada as a high signatory of the Fourth Geneva Convention is responsible under Article 1 to ensure the Convention is upheld in all circumstances.

Domestic Law

The Canadian Special Economic Measures Act   requires sanctions to be put in place when systemic human rights violations by a foreign country.

#Sanctions

Thus Canada is called to uphold its international responsibility and own domestic law including:

1. To condemn specific Knesset Legislation that are discriminatory to Palestinians in Jerusalem; and call for Sanctions until specific Legislation impacting Jerusalem, such as the Basic Law, Greater Jerusalem Law, and Nation State Law are repealed
2. To rename all programs for Palestine from Gaza-West Bank to “Palestine” or at least Gaza-East Jerusalem-West Bank.
3. To make statement that denounces American Embassy in Jerusalem (since Canada abstained on Dec 21/18 in the United Nations General Assembly vote)