EVENT: Defending Human Rights in Hebron and Area C of the Occupied West Bank. 23 Sep

Details below of a free event at Amnesty International UK. It's very short notice so please share with your networks and on social media. Below the event details are some brief details of new Amnesty reports coming up on Israel / Palestine and our new ICC action. Thanks.

Amnesty International UK invites you to: 

Defending Human Rights in Hebron and Area C of the Occupied West Bank

With Hamed Qawasmeh

Chair -  Haya Al-Farra

Monday, 23rd September 2013, 7:00pm – 8.30pm 

At Amnesty International UK, The Human Rights Action Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA 

Discussion followed by Q&A and reception

The event is free and will start at 7.00pm - please register here

How do Palestinian human rights activists and international and local organisations support Palestinian communities at risk in the occupied West Bank? How do Palestinians continue to assert their rights to their homes and land when entire communities are threatened with forced eviction? What does Israel's expansion of illegal settlements mean for Palestinians on a daily basis? What role can the international community play, including people in the UK? 

Hamed Qawasmeh will address these and other questions with a focus on the Hebron region in the southern West Bank, as a window onto Israel's continuing violations in the 60 per cent of the West Bank under full Israeli military control, known as Area C. 

Hamed directs the Hebron International Resources Network, is an activist In the Villages Group , and also works for the UN documenting human rights violations in the southern West Bank. He will share his experiences and those of the communities he works with, and discuss the impact of Israel's policies on the ground. 

Hamed is from Hebron and previously worked for 6 years for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitiarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. 

Amnesty International reports coming up in 2013

1.        Briefing on excessive use of force by Palestinian Authority security forces. (23 Sep) It will deal with incidents during June/July 2012 and thereafter; lack of adequate investigations into abuses and continuing impunity enjoyed by security forces officers. 

2.        Report on human rights violations against civilians during Operation Pillar of Defence (Gaza and Israel): This will be produced in the week beginning 11 November (for the anniversary of the attacks). 

3.        Report on use of excessive force against Palestinian protestors by Israeli forces: this will be produced during December 

Finally, here is our new web action addressing President Abbas and urging him to accede to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) 

Kristyan Benedict is on Twitter as @KreaseChan