Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Amnesty International –

Responding to the arrest in Norway of humanitarian worker and founder of the NGO Aegean Boat Report, Tommy Olsen, who is being prosecuted in Greece alongside fellow human rights defender Panayote Dimitras, of the NGO Greek Helsinki Monitor, on charges related to their work defending the rights of refugees and migrants, Dinushika Dissanayake Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe said:

“Tommy Olsen’s arrest in Norway is appalling and stems from an alarming escalation of Greece’s crackdown on human rights defenders. Based on information available to Amnesty International, Tommy Olsen and Panayote Dimitras are being prosecuted for their human rights work documenting serious human rights violations committed by the Greek authorities, including pushbacks at sea and land borders.   

“The charges against Olsen and Dimitras are not backed by evidence and are a misuse of anti-smuggling legislation. They should be dropped.  In the absence of any credible efforts from the Greek authorities to stop pushing back refugees and migrants and ensure accountability at its borders, Olsen and Dimitras’s work has proven vital in ensuring that these violations do not go unnoticed.

“It is no surprise that the Greek authorities are seeking Olsen’s extradition. These are the same authorities that pursued an unfounded prosecution against Seán Binder and 23 human rights defenders, leading to seven years of agonizing legal uncertainty. Greece should stop harassing people who report and document violations of refugee and migrants’ rights.

“The Norwegian authorities must immediately release Tommy Olsen and resist attempts by the Greek authorities to extradite him. If he is extradited to Greece, he is likely to be held in pre-trial detention for up to 18 months on baseless criminal charges. Accepting the Greek authorities’ request for extradition is tantamount to accepting that human rights work can be criminalized.” 

Background

Tommy Olsen, a Norwegian national, started Aegean Boat Report as a Facebook page in 2017 sharing information on new arrivals to Greece and cases of distress. It has been an NGO since 2018.

On 11 February, Olsen was informed by the Norwegian authorities of the European arrest warrant issued against him. The warrant follows an investigation opened by the Greek authorities in 2022 against Olsen and Dimitras, on charges including forming and joining a criminal organization, smuggling and facilitation of irregular entry and residence.

In 2020, Amnesty International documented how Greek authorities have misused smuggling charges against human rights defenders. Greek law is inconsistent with the international law definition of smuggling and does not sufficiently protect human rights defenders, rescue workers and others acting with humanitarian aims from punishment or prosecution.

Source: Amnesty International –

Austrian authorities’ responses to people expressing solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza have resulted in a chilling effect on the right to freedom of expression, said Amnesty International in a new report. Their actions have also resulted in violations of the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

‘Freedom of expression is highly selective’: Austria limits expressions of solidarity with Palestinians identifies multiple factors – including undue restrictions on expression, and fear caused by broad allegations of antisemitism against the backdrop of racism, including Islamophobia – that have combined to negatively impact the freedom of expression in Austria for Palestinian solidarity among activists, NGOs, academic institutions and beyond.

In Austria, as in other parts of Europe, there is a risk that antisemitism is being instrumentalized and politicized. 

_{^{Shoura Hashemi, Executive Director of Amnesty International Austria}}

“A significant chilling effect has taken hold and has seriously impacted people’s ability and willingness to express solidarity with the Palestinian people or criticize the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza,” said Shoura Hashemi, Executive Director of Amnesty International Austria.  

“In Austria, as in other parts of Europe, there is a risk that antisemitism is being instrumentalized and politicized. Equating criticism of the Israeli state with antisemitism can result in violations of freedom of expression and shrinking space for critical civil society, and also undermines efforts to combat genuine antisemitism.”     

The report, which included 19 interviews with activists, journalists, NGO representatives and academics, noted how many of these individuals and civil society organizations risked being branded “antisemitic” when they criticized Israel’s violations of international law.   

While anti-Muslim racism has been a long-standing concern in Austria, governmental sources and civil society organizations report that, after October 2023, racist incidents have increased across the country, particularly anti-Palestinian racism. An Austrian-Palestinian person described the shift after October 2023, saying: “There was a huge change with 7 October [2023]…I always have a sense that I have to justify myself when someone talks to me.” Despite recommendations by UN experts, Austria has not established a national action plan to combat racism, including anti-Muslim racism.

Crackdown on protest  

Since the start of Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, people in Austria who peacefully protested against the genocide have faced multiple challenges and serious restrictions on their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.   

For instance, the authorities have imposed unlawful restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly in connection with the widely used chant ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’, and police authorities prohibited at least seven assemblies in Vienna on the grounds that this chant was likely to be used. Furthermore, the chant is subject to a non-public decree issued by the Ministry of Justice. According to the ministry, use of the chant is enough to warrant an initial suspicion of “approval of terrorist offences” and anyone using it could be liable for investigation. Although the chant is used by different groups and has various meanings, the National Strategy against Antisemitism equates the chant with the call to deny the existence of the State of Israel. 

Under international human rights law, any restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly must comply with certain criteria, including be provided in a law that is accessible to the public and sufficiently clear and precise. Prohibitions of speech also require demonstrating that it reaches a high threshold and constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence against a target group. 

Over several years, there have been a number of non-binding resolutions passed by the Austrian National Council, as well as the city councils of Vienna and Graz, against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, some of which have labelled it as antisemitic. However, the European Court of Human Rights has found that a call for a boycott is protected under the right to freedom of expression.   

Although not legally binding, these resolutions are supported by all political parties in parliament and are widely interpreted as authoritative guidance. By labelling BDS antisemitic, the resolutions have negatively impacted the right to freedom of expression, as activists and civil society organizations told Amnesty International that they fear court proceedings, smear campaigns or loss of state funding if they express their support for the BDS movement.    

The instrumentalization of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism  

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism (IHRA WDA) is not consistent with international human rights law and has been used to restrict legitimate criticism of Israeli government violations of Palestinians’ rights.  

The IHRA WDA has been criticised by UN experts, academics and civil society groups, including Amnesty International, for not being consistent with international human rights law. Amongst other concerns, reliance on the IHRA WDA conflates legitimate criticism of Israel with antisemitism. This risks creating a chilling effect and suppressing freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. There is a danger that it also limits Austria’s policies and efforts to combat antisemitism within the country.  

Although the definition is not legally binding in Austria, it has a significant influence on policy and practice. It is, for example, the applicable understanding of antisemitism in several governmental documents, including policies to address antisemitism in the country. 

Seven of the people interviewed by Amnesty International, including Jewish activists, explicitly identified Austria’s adoption of the IHRA WDA as part of the reason why expressions of solidarity with Palestinians were limited.  

“The fight against antisemitism is essential and must be in line with international human rights law. Only then can there be a shared understanding of the problem, its causes, and effective measures to eliminate it. If not, we risk replacing discrimination against one group with discrimination against another, and fuelling hatred instead of addressing it,” said Shoura Hashemi.  

Shrinking space for expression of solidarity with Palestinians 

The report highlights a shrinking space for expression of solidarity with Palestinians among civil society organizations and academics. Two civil society organizations told Amnesty International that they feared losing state funding if they spoke out against human rights violations committed by Israeli authorities against Palestinians. There have also been several cases of politicians publicly questioning the eligibility of NGOs for state funding as a result of positions that they have taken.    

Equating criticism of the Israeli state with antisemitism can result in violations of freedom of expression.

_{^{Shoura Hashemi}}

“Austrian authorities must adopt a national action plan against racism and end the dissemination of the IHRA WDA through policies and practices.  The decree regulating the ‘From the river to the sea’ chant must be repealed and any restrictions on the right to freedom of expression must comply with international human rights law. Austrian authorities must respect and protect the right to advocate for BDS as legitimate forms of political expression,” said Shoura Hashemi.

Background 

In April 2023, Amnesty International was one of more than 100 organizations calling on the United Nations not to endorse or adopt the IHRA WDA.  

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

SYDNEY, Wednesday 18 March 2026 — Greenpeace Australia Pacific has slammed gas corporations and lobby groups including Australian Energy Producers (AEP) for exploiting the illegal war on Iran to price gouge, profiteer and push for new gas projects, while Australian households pay the price with soaring bills and rising ‘warflation’.

Greenpeace has challenged misleading claims by lobby group AEP that gas corporations will not reap windfall war profits from long term gas contracts — an assertion that selectively ignores the fact most Gas exports are on contracts that automatically see prices move with Asian and global benchmarks, not with their real costs.

Almost all long‑term gas export deals the ACCC examined last year are tied to international price indices instead of fixed prices, and in key Asian markets around two‑thirds or more of long-term LNG volumes are still oil‑linked, with most of the rest tied to gas benchmarks. In the East Coast domestic market nearly half (48%) of the gas volume contracted for 2027 is also ‘commodity‑linked’, meaning it will rise and fall with those same Asian benchmark prices that are now spiking because of the war on Iran, instead of staying at a stable agreed price.

AEP members not only include fossil fuel giants like Woodside, Shell, Santos, and Exxon-Mobil, but also major Australian organisations like UNSW, Curtin University, ANZ, PwC, EY, Deloitte and KPMG. Greenpeace Australia Pacific considers these corporations complicit in AEP’s lobbying.

Joe Rafalowicz, Head of Climate and Energy at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “It is disturbing to see the gas lobby exploit the illegal war on Iran to peddle its propaganda and to push for more gas, when the fastest path to lower household bills and energy security is to break free from fossil fuel chokehold as quickly as possible.

“The only “misleading and opportunistic” calls here are attempts by AEP to block recent proposals to tax gas war profits, which could provide much needed relief for Australian households bearing the brunt of warflation, and fund the rollout of clean, secure and stable wind and solar energy. 

“Big Gas sees conflict as a business opportunity — cynically using the illegal war on Iran to push for gas extraction, when we already have more than enough gas to transition to renewable energy.

“Our reliance on fossil fuels leaves us overexposed to the whims of tyrants like Trump, gas corporations and lobbyists, seeking to profit while everyday people pay the price. 

“The fastest path towards long term energy security and a safe climate is to unhook from volatile, expensive, polluting gas and accelerate the shift to homegrown wind and solar energy.”

-ENDS-

Images available for download via the Greenpeace Media Library

Media contact: 

Lucy Keller on 0491 135 308 or [email protected]

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

Following the appointment of Liz Westcott as Woodside’s new Chief Executive, the following comments can be attributed to David Ritter, Chief Executive of Greenpeace Australia Pacific:

“Incoming Woodside CEO Liz Westcott has a unique opportunity to steer Woodside away from the path of climate, environmental and economic destruction set by her predecessor Meg O’Neill, and position Woodside as a true ally to Australia’s clean energy future instead. 

“One of Liz Westcott’s first orders of business should be to put an end to the most controversial, ill-advised fossil fuel projects in Australia’s history: drilling the Browse basin at Scott Reef for gas, to export overseas.

“More than half a million Australians have called for Woodside to call off this incredibly destructive project. Liz Westcott should not ignore them.

“Scott Reef is Australia’s largest freestanding oceanic reef, home to endangered species such as green sea turtles, pygmy blue whales, and dusky sea snakes. Liz Westcott must abandon Woodside’s plans to industrialise this pristine, precious ecosystem. 

“Woodside’s current plans leave the company exposed to major reputational, social and economic risks, not to mention the immense climate and environmental harm they perpetuate. By leading a pivot away to genuine, proven clean energy solutions, Liz Westcott can position Woodside as a constructive, socially responsible player in Australia’s clean energy transition. 

“The commitment Greenpeace Australia Pacific expressed in 2023 to Woodside to engage in constructive talks still stands. My door is open to meet with Liz Westcott and her team at any time.”

-ENDS-

Notes: 

• During Woodside’s 2023 AGM, former Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill and Woodside Chair Richard Goyder invited David Ritter for a meeting. Despite Greenpeace accepting the offer, there has yet to be any meeting.
• Photos and videos can be found here.

For more information or interviews contact Vai Shah on [email protected] or +61 452 290 082

Source: Amnesty International –

In response to the Algerian police sealing the Algiers office of SOS Disappeared, a human rights organization advocating for accountability for the thousands forcibly disappeared in the 1990s conflict, on 16 March 2026, Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International said: 

“The forced closure of SOS Disappeared is a devastating blow to the fight for truth, justice and reparations in Algeria. By sealing the offices of the main organization advocating for accountability for enforced disappearances -an ongoing crime under international law-  Algerian authorities are once again using the draconian Law 12-06 to stifle human rights work. While the Algerian authorities have tolerated the presence of SOS Disappeared in Algiers for over two decades, since 2024 they intensified their crackdown on the organization. 

The forced closure of SOS Disappeared is a devastating blow to the fight for truth, justice and reparations in Algeria.

Diana Eltahawy, MENA Deputy Regional Director

 “Under international law, the right to freedom of association protects both registered and unregistered groups, and no association should be sanctioned or shuttered for operating without formal recognition, especially one that provides the only glimmer of hope for families seeking answers and accountability for the thousands who vanished after being taken by security forces or militias during the 1990s internal armed conflict. The authorities must immediately reverse this decision and end the climate of blanket impunity that has left relatives in mental anguish and distress.” 

Background

SOS Disappeared was established in 2001 in Algiers as a branch of the Committee for the Families of the Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA), an association founded in France in 1999 by mothers seeking justice for their loved ones who were subjected to enforced disappearance during Algeria’s internal armed conflict in the 1990s. The failure to provide accountability for the thousands of people forcibly disappeared during the conflict is an enduring and agonizing legacy of the conflict. 

As one of the main organizations advocating for truth and justice regarding the internal armed conflict, SOS Disappeared has faced persistent legal hurdles, with Algerian authorities denying their registration since their operations began. The current closure, ordered by the governorate of Algiers on 12 March 2026 on the grounds that it was unregistered. It follows two incidents in 2024 where police prevented them from organizing events at their premises. In May 2025, the organization’s website became inaccessible in Algeria. In July 2025, police arbitrarily denied the organization’s founder and president Nassera Dutour entry to Algeria 

The use of Law 12-06 to close the association’s office violates international human rights law and standards, which provide that an association does not require formal registration to be protected. Instead of forcibly closing the office of SOS Disappeared, the Algerian authorities should uphold freedom of association and create a safe and enabling environment for NGOs. 

Source: Amnesty International –

Reacting to the summoning of former Public Defender (ombudsman) Ucha Nanuashvili by Georgia’s State Security Service over his communication with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, said:

“The summoning of prominent human rights defender Ucha Nanuashvili over his reported cooperation with an OSCE expert is yet another example of the Georgian authorities engaging in a witch-hunt, targeting those who expose human rights violations. Instead of addressing the violations themselves, the authorities send a chilling message by targeting those who report them. This kind of harassment only serves to confirm the very conclusions of the OSCE report.”

“Authorities in Georgia must end the intimidation of all human rights defenders and uphold their right to engage freely with international human rights mechanisms without fear of reprisals.”

Authorities in Georgia must end the intimidation of all human rights defenders and uphold their right to engage freely with international human rights mechanisms without fear of reprisals

Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director

Background

On 17 March, Ucha Nanuashvili was summoned by Georgia’s State Security Service for questioning regarding his communication with an expert involved in the OSCE Moscow Mechanism, a procedure that allows participating states to commission independent experts to investigate and report on serious human rights concerns in another member state without that state’s consent.

The summons followed the publication on 12 March of a report by the OSCE rapporteur highlighting “marked democratic backsliding” in Georgia since spring 2024, including concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, alleged ill-treatment of protesters and the unlawful detention of individuals on political grounds.

The report recommended the immediate release of all those detained or imprisoned on politically motivated grounds and the repeal of legislation deemed incompatible with Georgia’s international human rights obligations. Georgian authorities, including senior government officials, have rejected the findings, dismissing them as biased.

The summoning of Ucha Nanuashvili is the latest in a worrying pattern whereby researchers and human rights defenders who provide information or comments on the human rights situation in Georgia are subjected to questioning under criminal proceedings. It also comes amid stepped up pressure on civil society actors and organizations operating in an increasingly restrictive environment, which has most recently seen the cessation of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association’s legal aid programme and laws arbitrarily restricting foreign funding for civic activity.

Source: Chatham House –

Brexit was ‘a colossal mistake’, says President Stubb of Finland – but Europe should build a flexible partnership with the UK
News release
jon.wallace
17 March 2026

During a speech at Chatham House the president outlined why the EU must embrace ‘flexible integration’ to forge closer relations with the UK and countries like Ukraine.

President Alexander Stubb visited Chatham House on 17 March 2026 to discuss EU–UK relations, EU enlargement, ‘flexible integration’, Brexit and other issues. Describing a world in which Europe is squeezed between an aggressive Russia and a US in transition, he addressed the impact of Brexit and the opportunities for Europe and the UK.

After outlining his personal links to the UK, President Stubb said:

‘I think Brexit was a colossal mistake… I do think it’s not only shooting yourself in the foot,’ he said, ‘but it’s like amputating your leg without a medical reason for doing it’.  

But, he added, there was ample space to forge a more flexible partnership between the EU and the UK.

‘We need to get out of the mindset which I quite often see on extremes on the continent and here –  whereby you need to continue to punish the UK for having this self-inflicted pain.’  

He said there was a need for a pragmatic closening of ties in areas such as security, technology and the economy, including customs and the internal market.

‘Get out of the mindset that the UK should not be part of the customs union or the UK should not be part of the internal market. Think about a flexible way of dealing with it,’ he added.  

‘The world is changing, our interests in Europe and the UK are the same. Our values in Europe and the UK, are the same. We need a UK voice in Europe – we really miss you guys, I’m serious, we really do. On the internal market, on competition, on reform, all on these things – on climate change. That’s why I think we should be pragmatic.’

During his speech, President Stubb also discussed the end of an era of peace in Europe, the weaponization of trade, energy and currency, Ukraine peace negotiations – and how best to exploit the EU’s changing economic and political power.

Watch the event in full here.

Source: Greenpeace Statement –

Calls on Multibillion Dollar Industry to End Isolation at Sea

BOSTON (March 16, 2026) — Today, Greenpeace USA activists unfurled a banner at the Boston Seafood Expo that reads “Big Seafood Kills Oceans and Workers.” ¹ Big Seafood—the large corporations that dominate the global seafood supply chain, from industrial fishing fleets and traders to major brands and retailers—has consistently been linked to overfishing, destructive fishing methods, and widespread labor abuses, including forced labor and deaths at sea. 

At least 128,000 fishers worldwide are victims of forced labor, which is strongly connected to other fisheries-related crimes, such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. These activities significantly contribute to the worsening of the ocean and climate crises. The industry has been shaken by exposés, investigations, and reports detailing systemic abuse over the years.

The Greenpeace network is calling on Big Seafood to end isolation at sea by:

1. Ensuring fishers have free, accessible, and secure Wi-Fi 
2. Limiting time at sea to three months; and
3. Mandating 100% human observer or electronic monitoring coverage on fishing vessels. 

Today, the activists called on corporations in the multi-billion-dollar industry to protect oceans and protect workers by ending isolation at sea. The banner reveal occurred at the sector’s largest gathering in North America, coinciding with the launch of Greenpeace USA’s fourth edition of the High Cost of Cheap Tuna report. The report finds that most of the 16 supermarkets evaluated in the latest review period are failing on labor rights and on sustainability.

Sari Heidenreich, Senior Human Rights Advisor, Global Fisheries, Greenpeace USA, who attended the Expo said: “Big Seafood is fueling multiple crises at sea. They are denying fishermen fundamental human rights, draining our oceans of fish, and destroying ecosystems, all while reaping the profits from their devastation. Cheap tuna should never come at such a high cost. Modern slavery cannot be business-as-usual—and neither should the killing of thousands of sharks, turtles, and seabirds as bycatch. This industry, earning over $350 billion annually, has known these realities and has done too little for too long. Big Seafood must act now to end isolation at sea.”

The banner included a giant pair of fishermen’s boots symbolic of the thousands of workers in the industry trapped in conditions of modern slavery or who suffer fishing-related deaths and injuries each year. Life-size models of turtles and sharks, representing the thousands of sea creatures that are frequently killed as bycatch by the industry’s destructive fishing practices, were also exhibited at the protest.

Multiple other Greenpeace campaigners who registered for the event were denied entry to the venue. Greenpeace USA has traditionally attended the convention, which is a key convening space for stakeholders in the seafood industry. 

In Greenpeace USA’s retailer scorecard, Whole Foods emerged at the top for the first time, largely due to its new Seafood Code of Conduct, which takes several key steps to address forced labor issues within its supply chain. Aldi and Hy-Vee, which previously held top rankings, slipped in this assessment due to decreased federal & local advocacy during this evaluation period than in previous years. 

Heidenreich continued: “Whole Foods’ new seafood code of conduct takes promising steps to address forced labor risks, and we are eagerly watching to see how Whole Foods will monitor and enforce it. Yet, the policy itself still falls short of the systemic change needed. Limiting time at sea to 3-months is one of the most effective ways to protect workers, yet Whole Foods’ policy still allows for an extensive 11 months.

“Big Seafood’s problem isn’t a lack of awareness or tools—it’s a lack of action. For too long, companies have relied on distance and complex supply chains to avoid accountability for the crises they have created. That era is ending. Big Seafood should take this moment as a wake-up call to prioritize protecting workers and oceans, not lining their pockets with blood money.”

Freedom of association and access to unions for workers are key enabling rights to ensure a strong worker voice and protections across the various stages of the supply chain. It is essential to have accessible, secure, and responsive grievance mechanisms, including those available at sea. 

---

Notes: 

¹ “Big Seafood” refers to the large corporations that dominate the global seafood supply chain—from industrial fishing fleets and traders to major brands and retailers. Through their market power, these companies shape fishing practices and labor conditions across a seafood industry worth more than $350 billion globally, which has been linked to overfishing, destructive fishing methods, and widespread labor abuses, including forced labor at sea.

Contacts:

Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA, +1 703 342 9226. [email protected]  

Greenpeace USA Press Desk: [email protected] Greenpeace USA (inc.) is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

Source: Amnesty International –

Responding to the killing on 15 March of a Palestinian couple, Waed Bani Owda, her husband Ali Bani Owda and two of their young children Othman, 7, and Mohammed, 5, in Tammoun in the occupied West Bank after a special Israeli military unit – posing as Palestinians and driving a car with a Palestinian number plate – riddled their car with bullets, Heba Morayef, Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International said:

“This horrific incident is the latest in a pattern of increasing use of deadly force by Israeli forces against Palestinians and tragically we continue to see families and children paying the price. The Israeli military has failed to show that the family posed any threat when it was shot. We are deeply concerned that initial information and testimonies suggest the attack may amount to an extrajudicial execution. 

“Their two other children who were in the car at the time of the attack were injured and will live with the trauma of witnessing the killing of their family for the rest of their lives. 

“There must be an urgent thorough independent and impartial investigation into this appalling attack on the Bani Owda family and all other unlawful killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces or settlers. Wilful killings of Palestinians by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) are grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and constitute war crimes. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable; Palestinian victims must have justice and redress.”

Since the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February, Israeli soldiers or state-backed settlers have killed 11 unarmed Palestinians across the occupied West Bank. According to OCHA, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank reached 1071 since 7 October 2023, including 233 children. States with influence over Israel must adopt tangible measures to demonstrate that they will no longer grant Israel impunity for its institutionalized violence against Palestinians and to bring an end Israel’s unlawful occupation of the OPT and its cruel system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.  

Israel has a long history of failing to protect Palestinians across the Occupied Palestinian Territory or to independently investigate and prosecute offences against despite its legal obligations as an occupying power. Impunity for the human rights violations, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, committed by Israeli forces and authorities against Palestinians is part of Israel’s cruel system of apartheid. This also includes Israel’s appalling and consistent failure to protect Palestinians from settler attacks, and in some cases the direct involvement of Israeli forces in such brutal attacks.