wfn.org | WCC calls on Israel to observe its responsibilities under

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

Fourth Geneva Convention

World Council of Churches
Update, Up-01-43
For Immediate Use
5 December 2001

WCC calls on Israel to observe its responsibilities under Fourth
Geneva Convention

cf. WCC Press Release, PR-01-34, of 14 September 2001

The World Council of Churches' Commission of the Churches on
International Affairs (WCC/CCIA) has released a statement on the
occasion of the Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the
Fourth Geneva Convention, being held in Geneva today.  

As a depositary of the Geneva Conventions, the Swiss government
has called this  conference to discuss the implementation of the
Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Fourth
Geneva Convention (1949) governs the treatment of civilians in
armed conflict and under occupation, and is a cornerstone of
international humanitarian law. The convention is binding upon
the 189 states or High Contracting Parties (HCP), including
Israel, which, along with the United States, has stated that it
is boycotting the conference. Throughout its 34-year occupation
of the West Bank, Gaza strip and East Jerusalem, Israel has been
alone amongst the HCP in refusing to recognize the legal
applicability of the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories.   

Salpy Eskidjian, programme executive for WCC International
Relations, noted the importance of the conference particularly in
light of the escalating violence in the region. "The recent
vicious cycle of violence should be a painful reminder to the
international community about the absolute necessity that they
abide by international humanitarian and human rights law, as the
only credible basis for a just and durable peace for both
Israelis and Palestinians," she noted. "The churches have an
obligation in this as well to speak out against violence in all
its forms. How many more lives should be lost before we break
this conspiracy of silence and the persistent culture of
impunity? Israel must be held accountable to its own
responsibilities as a High Contracting Party and as an occupying
power," she stated.  

WCC/CCIA, while welcoming the conference, says the declaration
under consideration "falls short by failing to recommend concrete
measures" to ensure the protection of civilian populations under
occupation and believes that there are immediate moves available
to fulfill this obligation.  

The statement calls on Israel to "abide scrupulously" by its
legal responsibilities as a signatory to the Fourth Geneva
Convention. WCC/CCIA also notes that "Israel's repeated defiance
of international law, its continuing occupation and the impunity
it has so long enjoyed are the fundamental causes of the present
violence and threaten peace and security of both peoples."  

"As people of faith we uphold and defend the sanctity of all
life, both Palestinian and Israeli, and cannot remain silent in
the face of suffering, insecurity and fear of both peoples," the
statement reads.  

WCC/CCIA highlights recent decisions of the WCC Executive
Committee to "focus attention in 2002 on intensive efforts to end
the illegal occupation of Palestine, and to participate actively
in coordinated ecumenical efforts, among others, to support the
newly established Ecumenical Monitoring Programme in Palestine
and Israel (EMPPI); to join in non-violent acts of resistance to
the destruction of Palestinian properties, and to forced
evictions of people from their homes and lands; an international
boycott of goods produced in the illegal Israeli settlements in
the occupied territories; and in international prayer vigils to
strengthen the "chain of solidarity" with the Palestinian people,
and for a just peace in the Middle East."  

The text of the statement follows: 

The Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the
World Council of Churches (hereinafter WCC/CCIA) welcomes today's
conference of the High Contracting Parties (hereinafter HCP) to
the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention (hereinafter the Convention)
"on measures to enforce the Convention in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and to ensure respect
thereof in accordance with common Article 1" (UNGA RES/ES -10/3,
July 1997; 10/4 November 1997; 10/5 March 1998; 10/6 February
1999).  

While the WCC /CCIA believes that the reaffirmation by the HCP
of the principles defined for the protection of civilian
populations under occupation is an important step, the
Declaration of December 5th, 2001 falls short by failing to
recommend concrete measures to ensure the respect of these same
principles.  

In view of the horrific escalation of the conflict, especially
in these last weeks, the WCC/CCIA reaffirms once again its
endorsement of the conclusions and recommendations of the Human
Rights Inquiry Commission of 16 March 2001, which, inter alia,
recommended that the reconvened "Conference  should establish an
effective international mechanism for taking urgent measures
needed ... to alleviate the daily suffering of the Palestinian
people flowing from the severe breaches of international
humanitarian law."  

The WCC /CCIA notes that the Convention is a cornerstone of
international humanitarian law and provides basic legal standards
for the treatment of civilians during armed conflict or under
occupation. It bans, among other things; indiscriminate use of
force against civilians, wanton destruction of property, torture,
collective punishment, the annexation of occupied territory, the
establishment of settlements on occupied land and requires
judicial accountability for those who commit war crimes.  

Most importantly WCC/CCIA reiterates that the Convention
requires that all HCP ensure that the Convention is respected in
all circumstances. In this context the WCC /CCIA believes that
there are immediate moves available to fulfill this obligation,
and a meeting of the HCP is the first effective step towards
achieving that goal.  

The WCC/CCIA reaffirms previous statements of its governing
bodies, where it highlighted grave breaches of the Convention by
Israel against civilians, including repressive forms of
collective punishments, restriction of freedom of movement
including access to the Holy sites, the bombing and shelling of
civilian neighborhoods and the destruction of property including
tens of thousands of olive trees and the denial of access to
timely medical assistance.  

The WCC/CCIA once again calls upon Israel to abide scrupulously
by its legal obligations and responsibilities as a signatory to
the Fourth Geneva Convention to put an end to the ongoing
violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the
military occupation itself. In addition, it restates its position
that Israel's repeated defiance of international law, its
continuing occupation and the impunity it has so long enjoyed are
the fundamental causes of the present violence and threaten peace
and security of both peoples.  

The WCC/CCIA appeals to the international community to fulfill
its obligations under international humanitarian law. This it
should do by ensuring that Israel complies with the requirements
of international law so that the international community is not
complicit in its violations of human rights but is instrumental
in ensuring the protection of all civilians.  

As people of faith we uphold and defend the sanctity of all
life, both Palestinian and Israeli and can not remain silent in
the face of suffering, insecurity and fear of both peoples.  

Therefore we reiterate the WCC Executive Committee resolution of
September 14, 2001 which calls the WCC member churches,
ecumenical partners and Christians around the world, in the
context of the Decade to Overcome Violence: Churches Seeking
Reconciliation and Peace (2001-2010), to focus attention in 2002
on intensive efforts to End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine,
and to participate actively in coordinated ecumenical efforts,
among others, to support the newly established Ecumenical
Monitoring Programme in Palestine and Israel (EMPPI); to join in
non-violent acts of resistance to the destruction of Palestinian
properties and to forced evictions of people from their homes and
lands; an international boycott of goods produced in the illegal
Israeli settlements in the occupied territories; and in
international prayer vigils to strengthen the "chain of
solidarity" with the Palestinian people, and for a just peace in
the Middle East.  

For further information, please contact  Media Relations Office,
tel:  (+41.22) 791.64.21

**********
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches,
now 342, in more than 100 countries in all continents from
virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is
not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The
highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately
every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
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