20
in Palestine, the post sector was affected by the Israeli violations and continued
domination of transportation and delivery of postal correspondence to the
Palestine Post. The Israeli occupying authorities controlled Palestinian mail
transfer channels post and receipt of postal correspondence and parcels. In spite
of resolutions made by the Universal Postal Union and relevant conventions,
Israel prevented the entry of post from Jordan. It also seized items inside parcels
under the pretext of dual use of unauthorised materials. The Israeli occupying
authorities obstructed, searched and tampered with mail directed to the Gaza
Strip. Palestinians were also deprived of sending mail beyond Gaza.
Aimed at crippling the ICT sector, Israeli policies took several forms, including
Blocking and removing Palestinian content that exposed Israeli practices on social
media site. In 2022, the Israeli occupying authorities restricted 1,276 accounts and
blocked another 356. In the context of placing constraints on the right to freedom
of opinion and expression and criminalising critics of Israeli policies, Israel blocked
256 and 192 social media accounts of journalists and human rights defenders
respectively.
The majority of Palestinian governorates have suffered from significant water
shortages as the Israeli occupying authorities continue to seize control of more than
(85%) of Palestinian water sources in the West Bank. Shortfalls are compounded
ever year due to growing water demand driven by natural population growth
and increasing water needs for development across economy sectors. The Israeli
occupying authorities continued to exclusively benefit from the economic value
and natural resources of the Jordan River and Dead Sea. Because they prevent
the construction of dams and rain collection pools in the West Bank, on an annual
basis, the Israeli authorities constrain the exploitation of more than 165 million
cubic metres of rainwater, which go to waste in the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan
River.3
Israeli violations and practices precluded many interventions that should have
been implemented by the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD). These included
delayed issuance of birth certificates for children of unknown parentage, who
missed the opportunity of being assigned to foster families. The MoSD was denied
access to child labourers and beggars near Israeli military checkpoints across the
West Bank, disrupting work on this group of children. As it was unable to identify
these children and their families, the Ministry could not conduct social studies on
or provide services to affected children. Israel obstructed the execution of court
decisions entered against children in conflict with the law. Relocation of these
children to care homes requires police escort and prior coordination with the
Israeli occupying authorities.
Ending and dismantling the apartheid and settler colonial regime are a
prerequisite for Palestinians to fully exercise their right to self-determination and
enjoy fundamental rights. Against this backdrop, the ICHR recommends that the
State of Palestine continue to exercise pressure on the international community
3
Letter from the Palestinian Water Authority (PWA), February 2023.
The Status of Human Rights in Palestine