The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine welcomes the decision of the President of the Human Rights Council to appoint independent experts

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine welcomes the decision of the President of the Human Rights Council to appoint independent experts to the independent and ongoing International Commission of Inquiry to investigate grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem on the basis of Human Rights Council Resolution S-30/1 of 27 May 2021.

This decision reflects the commitment of the international community to ensuring accountability for Israel’s grave violations and crimes committed and highlights the urgent need for effective mechanisms to protect Palestinian civilians and enforce the principles of international law.

The Ministry affirms its full support to the work of the Commission and to the newly appointed experts, Mr. Srinivasan Muralidhar, Ms. Florence Mumba, and Mr. Chris Sidoti. The Ministry commends the previous members, Ms. Navi Pillay and Mr. Miloon Kothari for fulfilling their mandate in monitoring, documenting, and investigating Israeli grave violations and crimes in accordance with international standards and international law.

Their work contributed significantly to uncovering the truth and strengthened the international trajectory toward legal accountability, paving the way to ending the policy of impunity and identifying the correct avenues for doing so.

The Ministry emphasizes the need to enable the Commission to enter the State of Palestine, access facts without restriction, and provide it with the necessary resources to effectively and independently fulfill its mandate.

The Ministry reiterates that respect for international law and principle of accountability is the only path to ensuring the protection of human rights and achieving justice, and that the continued work of fact-finding commissions until the end of the Israeli illegal occupation constitutes a pivotal step in confronting Israeli crimes and ending the ongoing injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people.