The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
The Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, concluded today a first series of public hearings held during the past week at the United Nations in Geneva. These hearings were part of the Commission’s ongoing investigative work, including for upcoming reports.
“This week, we looked at two particular subsets or categories within this broad framework”, said Chris Sidoti, Commission Member. “The first dealt with the designations of seven Palestinian non-government organizations, human rights organizations, as unlawful organisations and six of them as terrorist organisations,” he explained.
Mr. Sidoti added that “the second thing that we looked at was the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh. So, these are not the sole focus of our investigation at all, but rather we see them as particularly significant in giving us a better understanding of the overall situation of civic space, civil society and throughout that region, throughout the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.”
During the past week, 13 witnesses and victims of civil society organizations and legal representatives provided relevant testimony to the three Commissioners Navi Pillay, Chris Sidoti and Miloon Kothari in this forum. One of them is Lina Abu Akleh who has been seeking justice and accountability for the killing of her aunt, the Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, on 11 May 2022.
“Lina Abu Akleh talked about the events at the funeral of her aunt Shireen Abu Akleh, and that gave us a great deal of additional insight into how the family related to the Israeli authorities and what occurred on the day of the funeral”, reported Mr. Sidoti. “I am hearing directly from Ali Sammoudi, who was the second journalist who was shot, not killed but shot on the same day, was very important to get a better understanding of what occurred during those terrible hours when Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and died.”
The public hearings provided not only the Commission with important insights, but they also gave a public voice to those who have been suffering and haven’t been heard in the past.
“It is really important for these public hearings to be held because it allows us the space to share our testimonies, the experience and the suffering we had to endure over the past six months, but also it allows our voices to get across and our messages and our demands. It’s because it’s unfortunate that the Commission of Inquiry cannot access the territories”, said Lina Abu Akleh.
Shireen’s death sparked outrage and condemnation as the journalist had been covering an Israeli security operation in the city of Jenin in the Palestinian territories when she was killed.
“The lack of accountability, the lack of justice is what pushed me to advocate for my aunt Shireen”, said Lina Abu Akleh. “It’s the importance of getting justice and getting her message across, is what continues to push me towards our pursuit”,
In May 2021, the Commission of Inquiry was mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law leading up to and since 13 April 2021.
-ends-
Commission of Inquiry on the OPT and Israel - Public Hearings
STORY: Wrap-up Commission of Inquriy on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel – Public Hearings
TRT: 2 mins 31s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 11 November 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Wide shot, UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide shot, UN conference room with panel of speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)-Chris SIDOTI, Member of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel: “This week, we looked at two particular subsets or categories within this broad framework. The first dealt with the designations of seven Palestinian non-government organizations, human rights organizations, as unlawful organisations and six of them as terrorist organisations.”
- Medium shot, Commissioner Chris Sidoti and Commissioner Miloon Kothari.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)-Chris SIDOTI, Member of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel: “And the second thing that we looked at was the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh. So, these are not the sole focus of our investigation at all, but rather we see them as particularly significant in giving us a better understanding of the overall situation of civic space, civil society and throughout that region, throughout the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.”
- Close-up shot, photographer taking photos.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH)-Chris SIDOTI, Member of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel: “Lina Abu Akleh talked about the events at the funeral of her aunt Shireen Abu Akleh, and that gave us a great deal of additional insight into how the family related to the Israeli authorities and what occurred on the day of the funeral. I am hearing directly from Ali Sammoudi, who was the second journalist who was shot, not killed but shot on the same day, was very important to get a better understanding of what occurred during those terrible hours when Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and died.”
- Medium shot, Lina Abu Akleh speaking.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Lina Abu Akleh, Advocate for justice and accountability for the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh: “It is really important for these public hearings to be held because it allows us the space to share our testimonies, the experience and the suffering we had to endure over the past six months, but also it allows our voices to get across and our messages and our demands. It’s because it’s unfortunate that the Commission of Inquiry cannot access the territories.”
- Medium shot, conference room with media representatives.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) - Lina Abu Akleh, Advocate for justice and accountability for the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh: “The lack of accountability, the lack of justice is what pushed me to advocate for my aunt Shireen. It’s the importance of getting justice and getting her message across, is what continues to push me towards our pursuit.”
- Close-up shot, man taking photos.
- Medium shot, Lina Abu Akleh speaking.
- Wide shot, conference room, screen showing Lina Abu Akleh speaking.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘A disease you get when you care for someone’: on the frontlines of the Ebola crisis with WHO
Two weeks into the latest Ebola outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) is estimating that there are 906 suspected cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including 223 suspected deaths.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on 29 May called for more robust measures by both states and tech companies to make online platforms safer for children, insisting on effective regulation, oversight and accountability. The digital world that connects children to learning, community and creativity also expose them to real risks, to their safety, to their privacy, and to their well-being. Online harms to kids’ safety, privacy, and well-being are not innate or inevitable.
See High Commissioner video: https://media.un.org/unifeed/en/asset/d357/d3579089
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , WHO
Gaza: Life-saving medicines blocked as killing continues, disease gains ground
In Gaza, a dire humanitarian situation marked by continuing violence, rodent infestations and the spread of diseases is being made worse by blockages of essential medical supplies, UN agencies warned on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokesperson Shabia Mantoo, warned against the continuing trend of involuntary returns of Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers from host countries to Afghanistan, in violation of international human rights and refugee law, at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , OHCHR
Lebanon's first responders face high risks amid conflict, with 116 killed since March.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC Ebola outbreak: hundreds of suspected cases, no vaccine
A fast-spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has health workers rushing to stop transmission while the roll out of any potential vaccine is months away, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
A UN Human Rights Office report released today covers 19 months of large-scale violations of international law including atrocity crimes, from October 2023 to the end of May 2025.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
At least six million people in Somalia are going days without enough food, UN aid teams warned on Friday, highlighting that nearly two million of this number are young children “at high risk of illness or death”.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO
Children shot, stabbed and pepper-sprayed in occupied West Bank; scores of Gaza amputees denied prosthetics, aid teams warn
Israeli military operations and surging settler attacks in the occupied West Bank are killing and maiming Palestinian children, while in Gaza tens of thousands with life-changing injuries lack access to treatment and rehabilitation, UN agencies warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The risk of hantavirus spreading to the general population is “absolutely low”, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) stressed on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , IFRC
Death and destruction have continued unabated in Lebanon while communities are still unable to return to their homes despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April, humanitarians said on Tuesday.