By Left Horizons
The ACRI (Association for Civil Rights in Israel) represents a relative small voice in an Israeli society where for decades racist and anti-Arab sentiment has become part of the political mainstream. Driven for decades by right wing parties, and with the quiescence of ‘left’ parties too much imbued with the zionist project to object, the logical development of this process is the government of Israel that we have today – the most right wing in its 75-year history.
However, despite the apparently bleak political landscape of modern day Israel, socialists can take some comfort from the fact that some Israelis – even if a small minority at present – are actively promoting an agenda that is based on the common interest of Jewish and Arab peoples. Theirs may not be a socialist perspective, but it is an important seed crystal around which new ideas can develop in the future.
When the one-sided war on Gaza is over, the population of Israel will have to come to terms with huge changes in opinion across the whole globe, a shift to the detriment of Israeli apartheid and occupation, and in support of the rights of Palestinians. Like a drunk waking up to a stark and sobering hangover, Israelis will have to face a new world reality, in which international support and sympathy will no longer be taken for granted.
Left Horizons has argued specifically for a labour movement and a socialist response to the crisis in Israel/Palestine, not just as a ‘preferred option’, but as the only means of moving the region towards peace and security for the whole population. This is not the view of most human rights organisations.
However, it is important give some publicity to Israeli human rights groups, if for no other reason than to show that there are other voices in Israel besides the strident racism of Netanyahu and his Cabinet. The following, for example, is the latest Newsletter from the ACRI.
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Since October 7, the unfolding war has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza strip, encompassing mass eviction of protected residents, large-scale destruction of civilian buildings and medical facilities, destruction of roads, electricity and water infrastructure, the siege and disruptions to the supply of humanitarian aid as well as the combination of severe weather on all of the above factors. In response to the crisis, ACRI’s Attorney Roni Pelli has written a letter to prominent heads of the government entitled Israel’s Obligations towards the Protected Population in the Gaza strip, outlining the responsibilities of Israel, according to international law, towards the civilian population as the military assumes control over parts of the Gaza strip. To read the full letter please click here.
According to the definitions outlined in international law, ‘protected persons’ is a legal term that only applies in situations of international armed conflict. This refers to specific protections afforded to people who have fallen into the hands of or are under the control of the adversary. When the protected persons are in their own territory some of the key protections include respect for their family rights, religious convictions and practices and customs; they shall be humanely treated; prohibition on collective punishment and more (Diakonia). In ACRI’s letter, Attorney Pelli outlines some of the most significant humanitarian issues in the Gaza strip:
Uprooted persons without shelter: Over recent weeks, 1.3 million uprooted persons have fled to Rafah, where they are living in conditions of appalling congestion, many of them on streets flooded with mud and sewage, exposed to the cold and rain, without warm clothing and without any shelter. Israel is obligated to provide the protected population with adequate shelter amidst armed conflict to keep them safe from the conditions of war, including protecting civilian infrastructure from destruction.
Insufficient electricity in Gaza: Until the temporary ceasefire in November 2023, the supply of fuel to the power station in the Gaza Strip was completely suspended. Since then, due to international pressure, the quantity of fuel entering the Gaza Strip has increased, but it is still inadequate to ensure the proper functioning of the electricity system and of vital facilities, including hospitals, desalination plants, heating and cooking equipment.
The electricity infrastructure has also been severely damaged: according to the UN (January 28, 2024), about 60% of the electricity infrastructure in Gaza has been damaged in the bombardments. As a result, Israel is required to provide the proper amount of fuel to supply electricity for the entire population in the Gaza strip and their infrastructure, in such a state of emergency, including protecting electricity infrastructure as a means of distribution.
Lack of access to clean water: 87% of the water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in Gaza have been completely destroyed or damaged. According to figures published by UNICEF, each child in the Gaza Strip has access to just 2.5 litres of water a day. Humanitarian standards state that the minimum quantity of water required in a state of emergency is 15 liters per person, including water for drinking, bathing, and cooking. Israel must provide the Gazan protected population with the proper amount of clean and accessible water that meets the humanitarian standards.
Lack of access to food: According to reports by the World Food Programme, and based on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Index, the entire population is classified as Phase 3 or above, defined as “crisis or worse” and requiring immediate intervention. Approximately half the population (1.17 million persons) are classified as Phase 4 (emergency), and over one-fourth of households (over half a million people) are facing catastrophic conditions (Phase 5).
This is one of the highest rates of people facing acute levels of food insecurity ever recorded anywhere in the world. Within international law, Israel is obliged to provide the protected population with enough food and access to the proper amount of food to curb such catastrophic conditions.
Lack of access to health services: WHO states that as of January 24, only 14 of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are operational, and even these are only functioning on a partial basis. According to the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, average occupancy rates at hospitals are 206% in in-patient departments and 250% in intensive care units. Moreover, Israel must provide adequate access to healthcare resources via protecting health related infrastructure and providing medical services to the protected population.
We demand that Israel must act immediately to meet its obligations in accordance with international law. It must increase the supply of humanitarian aid and attend to the needs of protected residents in Gaza. As part of this obligation, it must permit the safe return of residents to their homes in areas where there is no longer intensive combat; provide suitable accommodation solutions for those whose homes were damaged and those who cannot yet return to their homes due to the fighting; provide clean drinking water, food in adequate amounts, electricity, medicine, warm clothing, and everything necessary for the survival of the population; ensure that aid reaches all civilians; and ensure that every protected person has access to medical treatment.
The human rights crisis in Gaza is the worst human rights crisis within Israeli control in decades. ACRI is determined to make every effort to respond to the crisis. We are preparing for organizational changes that will permit us to work more extensively and effectively on the myriad of issues that will arise. Join us in these crucial endeavors now.
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The ACRI has also published an appeal in the following terms.
“We call for the immediate release of all hostages and an end to the bombardment of civilians in Israel and in Gaza. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach civilian populations, medical facilities and places of refuge must not be harmed, and vital resources such as water and electricity must not be cut off. The killing of additional civilians will not bring back those who were lost. Indiscriminate destruction and a siege harming innocents will not bring relief, justice, or calm.
“As individuals working to promote human rights and who believe in the sanctity of life, we urgently call for an end to all indiscriminate harming of civilian lives and infrastructure. We call for negotiations and all possible action to be taken to bring about the release of the hostages – while prioritizing the civilians held by Hamas. It is the only humane and rational thing to do, and it must be done now”.
It is signed by these organisations in Israel:
Mothers Against Violence | Itach Ma’aki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice | Amnesty International Israel | BIMKOM – Planners for Planning Rights | B’Tselem | Gisha | The Association for Civil Rights in Israel | Public Committee Against Torture in Israel | Parents Against Child Detention | Hamoked – Center for the Defence of the Individual | Zazim – Community Action | Haqel – In Defense of Human Rights | Yesh Din | Combatants for Peace | Mehazkim | Machsom Watch | Women Wage Peace | Akevot Institute for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Research | Standing Together | Ir Amim | Emek Shaveh | The Parents Circle-Families Forum | Rabbis for Human Rights | Physicians for Human Rights–Israel | Breaking the Silence | Torat Tzedek | A Land for All – Two States One Homeland | Academia for Equality | Your Neighbor As Yourself | Kerem Navot | Other Voice
