AOHR UK closely monitors UAE’s investments in settlements and Jerusalem
Files are being prepared to be submitted to the ICC
Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) said that it is closely monitoring the UAE investment projects in the settlements and in the occupied city of Jerusalem which clearly violates the international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions, which consider settlement as a war crime.
AOHR UK said it is documenting all these activities and preparing files to be submitted before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute and hold accountable UAE leaders and businessmen involved in various actions in settlements and in Jerusalem.
In October 20, 2020, the establishment of the Abraham Investment Fund was announced. Through this fund, the International Development Finance Corporation of the US, the UAE and Israel is scheduled to allocate more than $3 billion in private sector-led investment and development initiatives to promote regional economic cooperation and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond.
According to Israeli officials, “massive” agreements have been reached between the Israeli occupation authorities and the UAE to enhance trade cooperation between the two sides. It will also modernised military checkpoints in the West Bank, and open various offices representing the occupation in UAE’ , AOHR UK added.
The UAE repealed the 1972 Israel Boycott Act by a presidential decree issued by Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, UAE President, at the end of August 2020. The decree allows commercial or financial agreements with entities, individuals residing in Israel, nationals or those working for Israel anywhere. The decision was absolute and did not impose any restrictions.
AOHR UK stated that the Israeli occupation authorities expressed happiness with this unconditional cooperation, which supports settlements, ends the Palestinian cause and violates the international law.
Netanyahu’s spokesman Ofir Gendelman wrote to the Arab media “Israeli farmers will be able to export their crops to the UAE”, while Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council, a settler body in the occupied West Bank said “A strong and well-established economy equals a strong and well-established settlement”.
Such agreements strengthen the occupation and help aggravate the suffering of the Palestinian people, who are deprived of their right to manage their natural resources as the occupation forces confiscate their land and limit the exchange of goods and services between the Palestinian areas and with the outside world as well, added AOHR UK.
AOHR UK called on the UAE rulers to stop the normalisation process with the occupation entity, given that the rights of the Palestinian people have been violated for decades and supporting the occupation will only encourage it to continue killing, arresting people, demolishing houses, and building settlements.
