The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights United Nations Economic and Social Council E/C.12/PSE/CO/1 Distr.: General 1 November 2023 Original: English Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concluding observations on the initial report of the State of Palestine12* 1. The Committee considered the initial report of the State of Palestine13 at its 35th and 37th meetings,14 held on 27 September 2023 and 28 September 2023, and adopted the present concluding observations at its 60th meeting, held on 13 October 2023. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the submission by the State party of the initial report and the supplementary information provided in the replies to the list of issues.15 The Committee expresses its appreciation for the constructive dialogue that it held with the State party’s delegation. 3. The Committee recognizes that the ongoing Israeli occupation and partial annexation of the territory of the State party, the expansion of settlements and the continued blockade of the Gaza Strip, which are illegal under international law,16 pose severe challenges for the State party in fully implementing its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and lead to grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinians, including forced displacement and evictions, 12 13 14 15 16 * Adopted by the Committee at its seventy-fourth session (25 September–13 October 2023). E/C.12/PSE/1. See E/C.12/2023/SR.35 and E/C.12/2023/SR.37. E/C.12/PSE/RQ/1. See Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) and other relevant Council resolutions, including resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003), 1850 (2008) and 1860 (2009). See also International Court of Justice, Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Advisory Opinion, I.C.J. Reports 2004, p. 136; and Human Rights Council resolutions S-9/1 and S12/1. 25