to that is enshrined within international law. The indirect consequences result in the singling out of human rights organizations, UN agencies, and other instruments mandated to protect human rights, as well as a growing Palestinian frustration and disillusionment in international law and its ability to implement effective protection mechanisms. For international law to be applied effectively, certain mechanisms have been established to monitor and assist in their implementation including UN Special Rapporteurs and fact finding missions. As the cooperation of states with these mechanisms is necessary for them to function properly, there are several stipulations within international law referencing their obligations to do so. Former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory, Richard Falk, stated that Israel’s non-cooperation represents “a breach of the legal duty of States Members of the United Nations to facilitate all official undertakings of the organization” and it also “deprives the mandate of direct interaction, including the receipt of testimony bearing on international law grievances from representatives of the Palestinian people.”314 All UN member states must abide by the Charter of the UN which states in Article 105 that “Representatives of the Members of the United Nations and officials of the Organization shall similarly enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the Organization.” Israel, as a member state of the UN, is therefore obligated to comply with this article. It is also obligated to uphold treaties and covenants to which it is a signatory, such as the ICCPR, and therefore, to cooperate with bodies such as the UN Human Rights Council. Israel has ignored these responsibilities by consistently denying entry to representative officials, which constitutes a serious breach of international law. For example, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory, Richard Falk, was detained when attempting to access the oPt to fulfill his duties in 2008 and subsequently deported.315 All requests to visit the oPt made by his successor Makarim Wibisono from 2014 to 2016 were denied. In January 2016 Wibisono resigned his position, stating that he was unable to fulfill his mandate without access to the oPt; “unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of 314 UN Special Rapporteur Richard Falk, Report on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 (A/HRC/25/67), UN Human Rights Council, 13 January 2014. Available at: https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G14/101/98/pdf/G1410198. pdf?OpenElement 315 UN News Centre, Israel’s detention of UN expert ‘unprecedented’ – rights chief, 16 December 2008. Available at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=29326#.WE_Rw7J96Uk 87

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents