Published Friday, October 15th, 2004
World Crisis Web
A United Nations human rights Special Rapporteur yesterday called on the European Union (EU) to suspend its trade ties with Israel, saying they were the only lever available to stop violations of the Palestinians’ right to food.
Jean Ziegler, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, said that the four year-old association agreement between Israel and the EU laid out respect for human rights as an “essential condition” for the deal.
“There is only one possible weapon to fight for the right to food. That’s article two of the contract of association between Israel and the European Union,” he told journalists.
“States should be taken by their word,” Ziegler added. “Grave violations of the right to food have been recorded, they are clear, this accord must be suspended.”
Ziegler, a Swiss Jew, said that house demolitions, land expropriations and restrictions on access imposed by the Israeli military were “producing a humanitarian food crisis”.
Ziegler is due to present a report next week to the UN General Assembly, in which he will say that almost a quarter of all children in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories are gravely malnourished, and half of the Palestinians are dependent on food aid.
Thursday, October 14, 2004 · Last updated 4:01 p.m. PT
U.N. rips Israel for rights violations
By MARK LAVIE
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
JERUSALEM — Israel is guilty of severe human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including “wanton destruction” of Palestinian homes, according to a U.N. report obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday.
The 18-page report was prepared by John Dugard, the U.N. representative for human rights and charges that while some of Israel’s actions can be explained by security concerns, many cannot.
During operations in the Gaza Strip, Israel engaged in “massive and wanton destruction of property,” the report said. “Bulldozers have destroyed homes in a purposeless manner and have savagely dug up roads, including electricity, sewage and water lines.”