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This newsletter informs about recent and upcoming activities of Civil Society Organizations working on the question of Palestine. The Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the UN Secretariat provide the information “as is” without warranty of any kind, and do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in the websites linked in the newsletter.

Middle East

• On 14 May, issued the press release “The Nakba is Ongoing”, explaining how the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948 is not only an event of the past but an ongoing process that continues today. It links historical events to current developments, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank. Current Israeli policies and military actions represent a continuation of this process, in highlight of the situation in the OPT since October 2023.
• On 14 May, the issued a new policy paper presenting a forward-looking vision for the future of persons with disabilities in the context of recovery and reconstruction pathways in the Gaza Strip. This paper comes within the framework of cooperation and partnerships with the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and Christian Aid, as part of partnership projects aimed at enhancing resilience and building the capacities of Palestinian civil society organizations.
• On 13 May, the welcomed the recent decision by the European Union, which imposes targeted sanctions – including travel bans and asset freezes – on individuals and entities involved in settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. This step reflects a long-overdue acknowledgement by the EU of the escalating and systematic nature of attacks perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians, amid growing international concern over the sharp rise in such attacks. PHROC calls on the European Union and its member states to move beyond symbolic measures and adopt a more robust and principled approach grounded in international law.
• On 13 May, published the update “Between the Yellow and Orange Lines”, reporting on expanding Israeli control over areas in Gaza and its humanitarian implications.
• On 12 May, issued the article “The Families of Gaza: Sumud as Collective Endurance”. It argues that Gaza’s survival since October 2023 cannot be understood through simple narratives of either heroic resistance or total victimhood. Instead, it proposes a more nuanced concept of sumud (steadfastness) as a collective, relational, and evolving form of endurance shaped by extreme conditions of violence and dispossession. It emphasizes that sustaining life in Gaza depends on material support and collective systems – not just individual strength.
• On 11 May, reported that the European Union had decided to impose sanctions on four Israeli settler organizations – Amana, HaShomer Yosh, Regavim and Nachala – as well as several individuals linked to them. The EU justified the sanctions on the grounds that these groups and individuals are associated with settler violence and the dispossession of Palestinians in the West Bank. Peace Now frames the EU decision as a serious warning signal, arguing that growing settler violence and state-supported settlement activity are damaging Israel’s international standing and moral position. The NGO calls for ending settlement expansion and returning to a political process aimed at peace.
• On 8 May, expressed its grave concern regarding Israel’s advancing the de facto annexation of the West Bank. Israel had and still has to cease all new settlement activities and evacuate all settlers as rapidly as possible. Al-Haq calls on Member States to enact legislation prohibiting the trade of all goods and services with Israeli settlements, and to sanction companies within their jurisdiction that have failed to divest from or cease to cooperate with Israel’s settlement enterprise.
• On 7 May, the reported continued civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, highlighting concerns regarding attacks affecting civilian objects and the strain on medical and emergency services. PCHR calls for the immediate cessation of all attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip, the lifting of all restrictions on the movement of persons, and the full respect for the rules of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and military necessity.

Africa, Asia and Europe

• On 14 May, the issued the statement “Nakba 2026 Not Just a Memory”. The NGO states that the Nakba is not merely a historical event remembered on 15 May, but an ongoing reality shaped by continuing violations of Palestinian rights and international law. ECCP calls for action rather than remembrance, underlining that the Nakba persists today and that international law must be actively enforced to address ongoing injustices and ensure Palestinian rights.
• On 12 May, issued a statement condemning Israel’s unlawful and wanton destruction of civilian high-rise buildings in Gaza. The latter continues to have devastating consequences for displaced Palestinian families in the occupied Gaza Strip, where reconstruction remains a distant dream amid ongoing genocide and air strikes despite the October 2025 ceasefire. Amnesty International warned that the widespread destruction of life-sustaining infrastructure, including homes, either through bombardment or demolitions with explosives, combined with Israel’s ongoing restrictions on the entry of shelter material into Gaza and the prohibition on the return to the areas east of the yellow line, have inflicted catastrophic suffering on Gaza’s population.
• On 5 May, and six other civil society organizations called on Swedish political parties to clearly state their positions on Israel–Palestine ahead of Sweden’s September 2026 elections. The organizations argue that while Sweden supports international law in principle, it has not taken sufficient concrete measures, such as restricting trade linked to settlements and enforcing accountability mechanisms.

North America

• On 12 May, the issued an article explaining the Nakba through six key facts that outline its history, scale, and ongoing impact. The article presents the Nakba as both a historical turning point and an ongoing condition, highlighting its lasting demographic, political, and humanitarian consequences for Palestinians.

麻豆APP

• On 15 May, the UN Palestinian Rights Committee convened an event marking the anniversary of the Nakba to continue drawing attention to this tragic historical event and the enduring plight of the Palestinian people, as requested by the General Assembly (Res 79/82 of 3 December 2024). In his speech, the Chair reaffirmed that that the right of return, the right to self-determination, and the right to independence are not symbolic claims and reiterated the commitment to the two-State solution as the only path to a sustainable peace.
• On 13 May, the called for the repeal of the recently adopted Israeli law creating a special military court to prosecute Palestinians accused of links to the 7 October 2023 attacks. The law allows further erosion of fair trial guarantees through its introduction of mass trials, which undermine the presumption of innocence by their premise of collective guilt rather than evidence of an individual’s criminal acts.
• On 6 May, the UN Palestinian Rights Committee held consultations with European civil society organizations in Brussels, Belgium, against the backdrop of growing public mobilization across Europe in support of Palestinian rights and accountability under international law. The consultations reflected increasing advocacy efforts by civil society, academic institutions, trade unions, and legal organizations calling for an end to the war in Gaza, compliance with international law, and measures addressing Israeli settlements and arms transfers. They also took place amid a series of actions by several European governments, including restrictions on arms exports and trade measures linked to the occupied Palestinian territory. In the margins of the consultations, the Committee Delegation held bilateral meetings with the European Union and Belgium in Brussels, with France in Paris, and with Spain in Madrid.