the Disclosure of the Fate of Those Missing

2017 witnessed a series of developments involving cases of Palestinians’ withheld remains. After

returning to its policy of detaining the bodies of those extra-judicially killed in 2015, occupation forces buried four bodies in military graves. The Israeli cabinet also issued a decision to not extradite the bodies of five victims back to the Gaza Strip who were killed during Israeli shelling of a tunnel.Where over the past year, the Israeli occupation authorities issued extreme decisions against this issue through the decisions of the Capitan that the bodies of the martyrs were not handed over to their families and

used as a negotiating file with Hamas to determine the fate of the soldiers detained in Gaza. This was stated publicly in responses made by the Israeli prosecution to the Israeli Supreme Court during various hearings held involving cases filed by JLAC throughout the year. Procrastinations in holding hearings and pleadings before the Israeli Supreme Court were also experienced, contributing to delays in handing over the bodies in question and the detention of a number

new victims’ bodies over the year and a half.

In regards to the remains of victims withheld and buried in cemeteries of number prior to 2015, the

year began with the process of undertaking DNA testing of victims’ families. Two victims’ families

have been tested thus far out of the 116 families (the family of the late Hanadi Jaradat from Jenin

and Anwar al-Sukkar from the Gaza Strip). JLAC, however, has yet to receive a response from the

prosecution regarding the results of the tests. JLAC is also awaiting a response from the Israeli Supreme Court regarding a pending hearing involving victims withheld in the cemetery of numbers. JLAC in 2017,

as has been the case each year prior, has continued to be made aware of new cases of victims remains

being withheld for decades, adding to the growing numbers of victims yet to receive dignified burials.

On the occasion of the national day honoring victims whose remains continue to be withheld

(August 27), 8 simultaneous public events were held throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip

during which demands were raised for their retrieval and the Israeli Cabinet’s decision and punitive demolitions were denounced.

Campaign to Ensure Handicap Accessibility of Public Facilities

Under the Slogan “Nablus is Handicap Friendly”

This campaign was launched at the end of 2016, towards emphasizing the need to apply Palestinian

and international laws concerning persons with disabilities on the ground. Chapter 3 of Law No. 4 of 1999 concerning the rights of persons with disabilities stipulates that public places should accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities as to ensure their ease, independence of movement, safe use of public facilities. Such is also confirmed by Article 9 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. During 2017, the campaign carried out a number of activities, which ranged from efforts to publicize the campaign through; the dissemination of publications, field visits to a number of public institutions, and media interviews. Legal consultations to a number of

persons with disabilities were also provided. A number of community awareness sessions and trainings for campaign volunteers were also held.

The most prominent campaign achievements in the city of Nablus included the accommodation of several city sidewalks with ramps (Al-Adl Street, Al-Barid Street, Al-Alul Street and Abu Salha, the entrance to the Nablus Municipality Library). Several public facilities were also accommodated, such as schools, places of worship, the Al-Quds Open University campus, and more recently JLAC is consulting the Arab Bank in their plan to accommodate their Al-Duwar branch.The campaign seeks decentralize its efforts to include efforts in villages falling outside of city plans, with efforts underway to accommodate facilities in the village of Beit Dajan, for instance at the local school. Preliminary interviews have been held with persons with disabilities and their families from the community towards determining needs and priorities.