RIGHTS ORGANIZATION CONDEMNS ESTABLISHING SHU’FAT INTERNATIONAL CROSSING

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) Monday condemned, in the strongest terms, the ongoing policies adopted by Israeli occupation authorities aimed at creating a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem, the latest of which has been establishing Shu’fat checkpoint as an international crossing, which was officially opened this Monday morning.

According to a press release published on PCHR website, PCHR emphasized that the opening of this crossing, deep in Palestinian territory, is part of Israeli policies aimed at cutting Jerusalem off from the West Bank, and perpetuating Israel’s annexation of the city in violation of international humanitarian law and the international legitimacy resolutions.

PCHR called upon the international community to immediately act to stop the policies adopted by Israel in occupied Jerusalem, and reiterated its call for the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to fulfill their obligation under Article 1 of the Convention to respect the Convention in all circumstances including pressuring other parties to respect the Convention, the release said.

It said PCHR stressed that the establishment of this crossing is designed to impose a total closure on occupied Jerusalem from the other major centers of Palestinian life in the West Bank, and expel as many of its Palestinian population as possible, with the ultimate aim of creating a strong Jewish majority in the city.