A/HRC/10/29
recommendation in paragraph 100, subparagraph 22. The Organization welcomed the
State’s indication in its introductory remarks that it was planning to introduce an alternative
civilian service for conscientious objectors to military service. The Organization
encouraged Israel to bring in legislation consistent with international standards as set out in
Commission on Human Rights resolution 1998/77 and in the jurisprudence of the Human
Rights Committee. The Organization called on Israel to ensure in particular that
arrangements be put firmly under civilian control, compatible with the nature of the
objections, not punitive in nature by comparison with military service, and that it should
accept declarations of conscience without inquiry. The Organization stated that it would
follow with interest the progress of bringing forward relevant legislation.
481. The Women’s International Zionist Organization, while noting the steps taken to
promote human and women’s rights, stated that barriers remained to the full realization of
human and civil rights. It noted the establishment of the Commission on Equal
Employment Opportunities and the Commission of Equal Rights for Persons with
Disabilities, and that the commissions ensured active participation of non-governmental
organizations. It called upon Israel to continue in this positive direction and to remove or
narrow down its reservations to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, particularly on equality in public representation and on
gender equality in family life. It noted as unjustified the reservation to article 16 and urged
Israel to provide for civil marriage and divorce. It said more than 300,000 Israeli citizens
with no religious affiliation could not marry in Israel. The introduction of civil marriage
would provide them with one of the most basic civil rights. It would also introduce an
egalitarian divorce law, replacing the existing discriminatory religious laws that currently
held exclusive jurisdiction over marriage and divorce in Israel.
482. The Organization for Defending Victims of Violence referred to the Israeli military
operation launched against the Gaza Strip and to the death, injuries and displacement of
Palestinians and the blockaded population. The Organization noted the destruction of
Government and other buildings as well as the United Nations aid distribution to refugee
centres. The Organization indicated that Israel had committed genocide according to the
Geneva Conventions and Protocols; war crimes according to the Charter of the Nuremberg
International Military Court Tribunal; crimes against humanity according to the Rome
Statute and the Charter of the Nuremberg International Military Court Tribunal; and a crime
of aggression, according to General Assembly resolution 3314 (XXIX).
483. The Society Studies Centre expressed concern that the outcome of the review only
addressed the rights of Israeli people, ignoring the gross violations of human rights in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory. Israel had tried to avoid its responsibility as an occupying
State with regard to the violations committed in Gaza and the West Bank and other
occupied lands in the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon. The Centre stated that the most
prominent violation committed by the State was to deny the self-determination of a nation
by occupying the Palestinian lands, which had caused atrocities against the civilian
population. It noted that 10,000 Palestinians were imprisoned, including Members of
Parliament, and that a few days after the review, Israel had committed a massacre in Gaza.
The Centre stated that Israel must be reminded and made accountable for what it had
committed in Gaza and other parts of Palestine, and that it was unfair for Israel to destroy
facilities and have European nations and other donors pay for rebuilding them.
484. The African American Society for Humanitarian Aid and Development said it
followed with alarm the tragedy of the Palestinian people as the Israeli occupation
committed the worst human rights violations, ignoring all international laws and
international humanitarian law. It appealed to the Council to stop immediately all violations
contrary to all international laws and to oblige the occupying Power to comply with
international resolutions in this regard. It said that the lack of respect for these resolutions
164
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