Independent Council for Human Rights condemns passage of law deducting terror salaries from tax payments Israel transfers to the PA as violation of international law
Headline: "The Independent Council [for Human Rights]: The deduction of the prisoners' allowances is robbery and collective punishment"
"The Independent Council for Human Rights condemned the ratification of the law to deduct the prisoners’ and Martyrs' (Shahids') allowances (mukhassasat) from the Palestinian tax money by the 'Israeli Parliament.' (refers to law to deduct terror salaries from taxes collected for the PA; see note below –Ed.). The council said in a statement yesterday [July 4, 2018] that 'The Israeli law constitutes an illegal blow to both the money owed to the Palestinians according to the agreements signed between the PLO and the occupation government, and a blow to the rights of these groups in the Palestinian society, and a blow to the right of the prisoners and their family members to live in dignity.' The council also emphasized that ‘There is no contradiction between the clauses of international law and international humanitarian law regarding giving support or salaries (rawatib) to the families of the detained, the prisoners, and the released prisoners - whose families completely depend on them financially in order to manage their lives and to allow them to live with dignity - and the obligation to give them the monetary allowances (mukhassasat) and their right to this.' The council also noted that the occupation is continuing to violate the principles of international law and the UN resolutions, to harm the prisoners, and to add to their suffering. This begins with Palestinians being held in detention within the occupation state itself, thus violating Article 76 of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention that deals with protection of citizens during wartime (see note below –Ed.)."
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Law to deduct terror salaries from PA tax money - A law to deduct the amount of money the PA pays imprisoned terrorists and families of "Martyrs" from the tax money Israel collects for the PA, which was passed by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018. The law freezes the deducted money and has Israel hold it indefinitely. Should the PA not pay terrorists' salaries or allowances to families of "Martyrs" for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
During the vote on the law, Israeli Parliament Member and Chairman of the Israeli Parliament Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Avi Dichter said: “The [Israeli Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations - from the families of terror victims and those wounded by terror attacks who came to the discussions and shared their views with us, and with them were people from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
PA claim that holding Palestinian prisoners in facilities in Israel breaches article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention - The legality of holding Palestinians in prisons in Israel has been adjudicated twice in the Israeli Supreme Court. In both instances, the court rejected the claim explaining that, in accordance with international law, the Israeli legislation, which authorized this practice, supersedes the provisions of article 76 of GCIV.
"The Independent Council for Human Rights condemned the ratification of the law to deduct the prisoners’ and Martyrs' (Shahids') allowances (mukhassasat) from the Palestinian tax money by the 'Israeli Parliament.' (refers to law to deduct terror salaries from taxes collected for the PA; see note below –Ed.). The council said in a statement yesterday [July 4, 2018] that 'The Israeli law constitutes an illegal blow to both the money owed to the Palestinians according to the agreements signed between the PLO and the occupation government, and a blow to the rights of these groups in the Palestinian society, and a blow to the right of the prisoners and their family members to live in dignity.' The council also emphasized that ‘There is no contradiction between the clauses of international law and international humanitarian law regarding giving support or salaries (rawatib) to the families of the detained, the prisoners, and the released prisoners - whose families completely depend on them financially in order to manage their lives and to allow them to live with dignity - and the obligation to give them the monetary allowances (mukhassasat) and their right to this.' The council also noted that the occupation is continuing to violate the principles of international law and the UN resolutions, to harm the prisoners, and to add to their suffering. This begins with Palestinians being held in detention within the occupation state itself, thus violating Article 76 of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention that deals with protection of citizens during wartime (see note below –Ed.)."
Click to view bulletin
Law to deduct terror salaries from PA tax money - A law to deduct the amount of money the PA pays imprisoned terrorists and families of "Martyrs" from the tax money Israel collects for the PA, which was passed by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018. The law freezes the deducted money and has Israel hold it indefinitely. Should the PA not pay terrorists' salaries or allowances to families of "Martyrs" for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
During the vote on the law, Israeli Parliament Member and Chairman of the Israeli Parliament Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Avi Dichter said: “The [Israeli Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations - from the families of terror victims and those wounded by terror attacks who came to the discussions and shared their views with us, and with them were people from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
PA claim that holding Palestinian prisoners in facilities in Israel breaches article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention - The legality of holding Palestinians in prisons in Israel has been adjudicated twice in the Israeli Supreme Court. In both instances, the court rejected the claim explaining that, in accordance with international law, the Israeli legislation, which authorized this practice, supersedes the provisions of article 76 of GCIV.
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