Wednesday , November 27,2019, LRC held “the Palestinian Right to land and housing Conference” in Palestine Ahliya University in Bethlehem , the conference was attended by number of officials, researchers and others interested.

The conference activities were opened by the national anthem and a moment of silence on the souls of martyrs.

Dr. ‘Awni Al-Khattib , Palestine Ahliya University rector,  welcomed the attendants , and thanked  the conference organizers , and pointed out the importance of knowledge raising on the Palestinian Right to Land and Housing in Palestinian Universities.

Bethlehem governor, General Kamil Hamid pointed out on government role on protecting the Palestinian right to land and housing, and the importance of such conferences , and that the Palestinian authorities and the civil society institutions unit efforts for this particular right . The Palestinian authorities has a great interest on the Palestinian right to land and housing, which is reflected in establishing Colonization and Wall Resistance commission for this purpose  , Hamid also mentioned the security apparatuses’ role in protecting Palestinian lands from illegal selling deals to Israelis.

Central-committee member of Fatah, Dr.Nasser Al-Qudwa , and head of the Yasser Arafat Foundation, talked about the Palestinian right to land and housing in international conventions and treaties and implementation methods, and stressed on the fact that we as Palestinians have on our hands International Humanitarian Law, Security council resolutions , international court of Justice resolutions to combat the Israeli crimes , and put the Israeli occupation under accounting for their war crimes.

LRC general director , Jamal Talab Al-Amleh presented a presentation on Israeli violation of land and housing right – facts and numbers -, starting from the first Zionist conference convened by Theodor Herzl in 1897 to the imperial conference in 1907 to the Sykes – picot agreement .

During the presentation, Al-Amleh presented a comparison between the Balfour Declaration in 1917 who gave what he does not own to someone who does not deserve , and the recent decisions by the United states Secretary of foreign affairs  that US will no longer abide by 1978 State Department opinion that settlements are against international law.

Al-Amleh also talked about Israeli policies of house demolitions, lands confiscations and closure of Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, he also praised Palestinian farmers and Bedouins’ steadfast in threatened areas , and urged everyone to support them.

Mr. Joseph Shakla , an expert in international law and Habitat international coalition coordinator talked about people’s right of land ownership, and explained the basis on which states were formed, and methodology of formulating rules to protect people’s rights , and reviewed conventions and agreement signed by the Palestinian authorities , and how to get advantage of them, and Hough court recommendation on the Expansion and Annexation wall in Palestine , in addition to measurements should be taken regarding this subjects, Shakla also confirmed that the Palestinian people are indigenous and deep rooted in the land of Palestine , and Israeli aggression should be stopped by the international community.

General Director of the applied research institution in Jerusalem, Dr.Jad Ishaq gave several suggestions on what should be done to combat Israeli violations on the Palestinian right to land and Housing , most importantly, a popular movement to impose reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, and composing a new Palestinian political system that is not governed by narrow partisan and personal interests , expanding resistance activities and involving Palestinian citizens in decision making ,    policy formulating and strengthening Palestinian steadfastness in C area and occupied Jerusalem , and finally preparing the colonization file to refer it to International Criminal Court.

Dr . Nafe’a Hassan Dean of Faculty of Law in Palestine Ahliya University talked about universities’ role in raising knowledge on the Palestinian right to land and Housing, stressing on the importance of asserting land law courses in Law programs in Palestinian Universities, and forming students’ comities to gain more knowledge from other sources, it is also important for universities to conduct tours for students and instructors in C area , and areas close to the Apartheid wall , and reviewing Palestinian right of land and housing defense techniques, Hassan also confirmed on social and political roles that Universities, instructors and students should be playing besides their academic well-known role.

Secure Palestinians Land & Housing Rights (SPLHR)