The Israeli occupation forces have deported thirteen Palestinians to Cyprus Friday May 10, 2002 to be transferred to several countries in the EU later.
Twenty-six other Palestinians have been transferred to the Gaza Strip.
The deported persons were among over two hundred Palestinians who were holed up in the Nativity Church in Bethlehem since April 2, 2002.
It should be mentioned that the deportation is only a part of many Israeli violations of Palestinians' human rights in the OPTs.
After 38 days of siege inside the Church without food, water and medical supplies, the Israeli forces prevented all the deported persons from meeting with their families, who grouped near the Church.
Eight Palestinians were killed and about 25 others were wounded inside the Church during the siege.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights views the deportation of Palestinians as a war crime, one of many that has been perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilians since 1967.
The position of the international community is unjustified in spite of the fact that deporting Palestinians violates basic principles of international law, especially the Covenant on Civil and Political Human Rights which provides that “everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country”.
In addition, the deportation constitutes a violation of the 4th Geneva Convention, which prohibits the deportation of protected persons from the occupied territory to the occupying state or any other state.
Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the deportation of Palestinians and is highly concerned for their lives and their personal safety.
As such, the Center calls upon the international community to intervene immediately and put an end to the continued Israeli policy of deportation and to return back the thirteen Palestinians to their homes.
Not doing so, the international community allows Israel to continue its violations of the international humanitarian law.
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