The Independent Commission for Human Rights - ICHR 13 are ready-made allegations, which the Israeli occupying authorities use to label any Palestinian who exposes Israeli crimes. A financial crisis has crippled the government as a result of Israel’s piracy of Palestinian clearance revenues, declining foreign aid, and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the government’s capability of providing basic services and fulfilling its obligations. The impact of the financial crisis was particularly evident on the most vulnerable groups and impoverished households. Despite financial constraints, the ICHR demanded that the government not disrupt the Cash Assistance to Poor Households programme with any austerity measures. The government will be committed to pay allowances to beneficiary households. Growing demands and mounting trade union protests were other implications of the financial crisis. In particular, the Medical Association sometimes went beyond the limits of the lawful strike in the health sector, putting patients at risk and driving an ICHR intervention. ICHR efforts culminated in the signing of an agreement in May 2021, putting an end to the dispute between the government and Medical Association in the West Bank. The Palestinian public was gravely disappointed by the decision that called off legislative elections. Earlier, a presidential decree had been promulgated, inspiring optimism about promoting freedoms and reaching understandings between the Fatah and Hamas movements. Subsequently, political prisoners and persons detained against the background of the internal Palestinian political divide were released. Still, the first and second phases of local elections were professionally and successfully held across the West Bank. Elections were also organized by several trade unions. That is why we should continue to call for holding Palestinian general (legislative, presidential, and Palestinian National Council) elections as soon as practicable. We further call on Hamas to allow the holding of elections in the Gaza Strip. The ICHR has not seen that the declared state of emergency was taken advantage of for purposes other than its stated objectives, namely, to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ICHR is of the opinion that continued extension of the state of emergency is unjustified. If special measures are needed to confront the pandemic, the state of emergency can be addressed in accordance with operative laws, such as the Public Health Law and Civil Defence Law. To this avail, the ICHR sent letters to the President and Prime Minister, stressing the need to lift the state of emergency, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. On another note, the ICHR continued to monitor citizens’ cases. Some issues stirred great controversy in public opinion, including the vaccine swap deal with Israel, murder of activist Nizar Banat, subsequent protests, arms chaos, and return to some semblance of insecurity, primarily in Hebron and Jenin. The ICHR also took part in the commission of inquiry established by the Council of Ministers to follow up on the swap of Pfizer vaccines. As the swap deal was uncovered, a heated community debate ensued. The ICHR immediately called for establishing a commission of inquiry to unveil the truth about the incident. The commission would bring together medical experts, human rights activists, and members of the legal community to review the supply contracts for vaccines. The commission of inquiry wound up its operation and submitted the report to the Prime Minister. The report was published in full for public view. From the moment the death of Nizar Banat was announced, the ICHR initiated investigations. Through a forensic examiner, the ICHR took part in the autopsy. On the same day, the results of the autopsy were declared in a press conference. Jointly with Al-Haq, the ICHR published a fact-finding report on the incident. The ICHR attended and monitored the court hearings of the military personnel accused in this case. The ICHR continues to work with professionalism on this case, taking into account of relevant reTwenty Seventh Annual Report 2021