ICSPR Organizes a Human Rights Meeting Calling for Urgent International Action to Protect Palestinians from Annexation and Forced Displacement Plans

Date: 10 Feb 2025

Press Release
ICSPR Organizes a Human Rights Meeting Calling for Urgent International Action to Protect Palestinians from Annexation and Forced Displacement Plans

On the evening of Sunday, February 9, the International Commission to Support Palestinians’ Rights (ICSPR) organized a dialogue session titled “Ways to Confront Forced Displacement and Colonial Annexation Plans and Protect Palestinian Rights.” The event was attended by dozens of human rights advocates, journalists, researchers, and representatives of political forces and civil society organizations from Palestine and the Arab world.

Warnings About the Dangers of Displacement and Annexation

The session was opened by Dr. Salah Abd Al-Ati, Chairman of ICSPR, who warned about the escalating threats facing Palestinians amid the ongoing genocidal war and colonial annexation and displacement plans. He strongly condemned U.S. statements supporting the forced displacement of Gaza residents and colonial control over the area, describing such actions as ethnic cleansing and a blatant violation of international law and United Nations resolutions. He also highlighted the escalation of Israeli crimes in the West Bank, aimed at solidifying Israeli sovereignty over Palestinian land.

Dr. Abd Al-Ati emphasized the importance of Arab and international rejection of these plans, calling for a unified national plan to confront Israeli-American projects and strengthen Palestinian resilience through popular, diplomatic, and legal engagement. He also stressed the need to leverage the upcoming Arab Summit, the Reconstruction Conference, the Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention, and the Palestinian State Conference chaired by Saudi Arabia and France to establish a strong Palestinian, Arab, and international stance.

Consensus on Confronting Israeli Plans

Participants discussed the implications of the U.S. President’s statements and the increasing Israeli crimes, which threaten the Palestinian cause and Arab national security. Speakers asserted that the plan to annex more than 60% of the West Bank and displace residents to Jordan and Egypt is not inevitable and can be thwarted through popular resistance and international diplomacy.

Participants expressed concern over the continued blockade on Gaza and the obstruction of reconstruction efforts, which effectively leads to gradual displacement of Palestinians. They urged human rights institutions to take international action to expose Israeli violations and called for resorting to the UN General Assembly under the “Uniting for Peace” principle in case the U.S. veto is used to block any resolutions.

Condemnation of U.S. Policies Supporting the Occupation

Participants condemned U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing them as an attack on international justice and a blatant violation of international law. They also denounced U.S. policies that support Israeli settlement expansion and impose sanctions on South Africa for its stance on the Palestinian issue, arguing that these actions are aimed at weakening global governance mechanisms and supporting Israeli occupation.

The participants stressed that absolute U.S. support for Israel will only escalate the conflict and increase anti-American sentiment. They called on the international community to counter forced mass displacement plans and ensure their prevention, as such actions constitute crimes against humanity.

Concerns About Exploiting Normalization to Bolster Annexation

Some participants pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s priority is to annex the West Bank and strengthen normalization with Saudi Arabia through undisclosed agreements with the United States. They called for accelerating efforts to form a Palestinian national unity government and intensify popular resistance and international diplomacy to expose Israeli policies.

Palestinian Division as an Obstacle to Resistance

Participants unanimously agreed that the division between Fatah and Hamas is a major obstacle to confronting existential threats. They called for ending internal conflicts, rebuilding the Palestinian national project, and halting security coordination that facilitates Israeli settlement expansion.

Necessary Arab and International Actions

Participants emphasized that escalating U.S. and Israeli policies require a long-term confrontation, including forming an Arab and international front against the occupation and mobilizing the Arab street against forced displacement plans.

They urged the upcoming Arab Summit to take practical steps to implement boycott decisions, activate popular resistance, and refer Israel and the U.S. to the International Court of Justice for war crimes. They also called for establishing an Arab and international fund to support Palestinian resilience and strengthening diplomatic efforts to create global pressure against Israeli policies.

Conclusion and Recommendations of the Meeting

At the conclusion of the meeting, participants emphasized the necessity of:

• Unifying the Palestinian ranks and ending internal division.
• Activating popular resistance and reviving the Great March of Return as a strategy to confront settlement expansion and Judaization.
• Strengthening the Arab and international stance through a united front against displacement and annexation.
• Holding the occupation accountable for its crimes through the International Criminal Court and supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
• Enhancing popular and international mobilization to counter U.S. and Israeli plans.

Attendees affirmed that Palestinian strength lies in unity and resilience, stressing the need to continue struggling through political, diplomatic, and popular means to thwart Israeli-American schemes and safeguard Palestinian national rights.