Gaza: The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Human Rights and Civil Society Department has launched the Palestinian National Observatory for Documenting Israeli Violations of International Law, International Humanitarian Law, and Human Rights. The launch event brought together Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, members of the PLO Executive Committee and Fatah Central Committee, ministers, security officials, ambassadors, representatives of diplomatic missions, and delegates from Palestinian human rights and national institutions.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Prime Minister Mustafa, representing President Mahmoud Abbas, emphasized the need for national mechanisms to preserve the truth and strengthen legal and institutional efforts in defending human rights and international law. He acknowledged the contributions of the PLO's Human Rights and Civil Society Department and partner institutions in establishing the observatory, highlighting the involvement of trained Palestinian professionals.
Mustafa detailed recent attacks on West Bank villages such as Tell, Beit Furik, Al-Mughayyir, and Deir Dibwan, as well as ongoing aggression in Masafer Yatta and the Gaza Strip, stressing that these are parts of a systematic pattern targeting Palestinian people, land, holy sites, and national existence. He stated that colonist violence is now part of a broader policy that promotes impunity and undermines the potential for an independent Palestinian state.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of documenting violations professionally to transform facts into credible evidence, counter disinformation, and compel the international community to uphold its responsibilities. He called for the application of international law without selectivity or double standards.
Ahmad Al-Tamimi, a member of the PLO Executive Committee and Head of the Human Rights and Civil Society Department, stated that the observatory will document Israeli violations, safeguard evidence, and preserve Palestinian national memory through a professional national system for monitoring and verification. The observatory aims to promote justice and accountability by producing human rights reports, legal case files, and studies to support international legal actions against perpetrators.
Deputy Head of the Human Rights and Civil Society Department Qassem Awwad explained that the observatory includes a documentation system, a database for incidents, a reporting center, and a geospatial mapping platform. It also features a digital archive for documents and evidence, enhancing the preservation of evidence and supporting legal case preparation.
The observatory will be a key resource for the national team handling crimes within the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction. It will support evidence collection and legal case file preparation to meet international standards of proof and accountability. Awwad emphasized that justice relies on the integrity of evidence and the accuracy of its documentation.