The Palestinian National Council (PNC) mourned the captive prisoner Faris Baroud, who was martyred in Israeli prison because of the intentional medical negligence by the Israeli prisons authorities.

The Speaker of PNC Saleem Al-Za’anoon, in a press statement issued on 6 Wednesday said that the Israeli occupation authorities deliberately exercise medical negligence against the Palestinian prisoners and the lack of required health conditions and medical care, as stipulated in Articles 13, 30, 31, 32 of Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

PNC pointed out that because of Israel's non-compliance with the provisions of Geneva Convention and the Additional Protocol thereto, which applies to Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons, last year five prisoners joined the convoy of martyrs, they are: (Yasir Al-Saradih, Mohammad Anbar, Aziz Awaisat, Mohammad Marshoud, and Mohammad Zaghloul Al-Khatib) The number of martyrs of the Palestinian Prisoners Movement reached to 218 prisoners in Israeli prisons.

PNC holds the Israeli occupation government responsible for the lives of all prisoners and detainees in its prisons. Mr. Al-Za’anoon called on the high signatories’ parties of the Third Geneva Convention to act urgently to abide by Israel's provisions, especially in light of the repression and persecution of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.

The Speaker of the Palestinian National Council, Mr. Saleem Al-Za’anoon welcomed the ratification by the Irish Parliament in the second reading of the bill of resolution on boycotting settlement products in the countries under occupation.

In a press release on Sunday, Al-Zanoon praised the courage of the Irish House of Representatives, who passed the bill by 78 votes in a victory for international law and the rights of peoples under occupation, such as in Palestine.

Mr. Al-Za’anoon called on all parliaments of the world, especially the European parliaments, to follow the proponents of rights, justice and the international law principles that should be protected by the parliaments, which have a duty to pressure their governments to apply these principles to the Palestinian people and its resources in occupied territories.

Mr. Al-Za’anoon demanded that the Palestinian institutions related to the implementation of the decisions of the Palestinian National Council and the Palestinian Central Councils, which approved the adoption of the international boycott movements of the occupation, along with boycotting the products of the occupation settlements at the local Palestinian level, in addition to the economic disengagement from the occupying state.

The Palestinian National Council notified the different international and regional parliamentary federations with the Israeli occupation plans that target ending UNRWA schools in occupied Jerusalem city.

The speaker of the Palestinian National Council Saleem Al Za’noon explained in identical letters that were sent to a number of international, Islamic, Arab, African, Asian and European parliament federations, on top of it the International parliament federation and the European parliament , the objectives and the risks resulted from applying the recommendations of what is so called the Israeli National Security Council that adopted the plan of the ex-mayor of the occupation in Jerusalem Nir Barakat who announced in October 2018 the closure of UNRWA schools in Jerusalem, and substituting it with schools affiliated to the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian National Council called in all of its letters, all the parliaments in the world, the international and regional parliament federations and all the related parties for:

Firstly: refusing prejudicing the UNRWA agency, and insisting on maintaining the continuation of its mission, as well as connecting always between ending its work and the implementation of resolution 194 of return and compensation according to its establishment resolution.

Secondly: Developing a global campaign to denounce the decision of the occupation state to end the mandate of the UNRWA and its educational, health and other institutions in Jerusalem.

Thirdly: Maintaining the work of UNRWA agency, and developing its incomes by stimulating and encouraging Arab and international contributions, considering that the international community bears full responsibility regarding the tragedy and the calamity of the Palestinian people, and it is incumbent upon it the task of providing care, relief, health and education for Palestinian refugees until they return to their homeland , as well as urging the donor countries and financiers to fulfill its financial commitments to support the UNRWA budget in order to fulfill the needs of Palestinian refugees.

The Palestinian National Council pointed out in its letters that there are five UNRWA schools in Jerusalem, in Shu’fatt, Sour Baher, Silwan and Wadi El Joz, in addition to a major medical center in the city and children related services centers. The number of registered Palestinian refugees at the UNRWA in Jerusalem reached a hundred thousand.

Since years, the Israeli authorities prevent renewing and building additional rooms or schools for Palestinian students, and following to this decision, it closed two historical schools, one of them is Al Qadisieh school, of which the intention is to hand them over to settlement associations.

The Palestinian National Council warned in its letters that these steps come within the context of the attempts of the occupation State to end the UNRWA and the cause of the Palestinian refugees, and to Judaize the Palestinian curricula and to control the buildings that are used as schools in order to Judaize it, as part of the major judaization process of the occupied city of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian National Council re-assured that it is necessary for the United Nations, especially the UNRWA Agency, which was established under the General Assembly resolution no. 302 dated 8th December 1949 to confront these policies.

The Palestinian National Council considered that President Mahmoud Abbas chairing of the group of 77 and China solidifies Palestine's international legal identity, enhances its status in the international order and is an appreciation to Palestine and its President amongst the countries and people of the world.

The spaeker of the Palestinian National Council, Salim Al-Zanoon, said in a press release on Wednesday that the presidency of the Palestinian state of this group, which includes two-thirds of the world's population, came as a result of the great sacrifices made by the Palestinian people and the fruit of Palestinian diplomacy led by President Abbas.

Mr. Al-Zanoon added, that the group's chairmanship would emphasize the recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to live in an independent state with the city of Jerusalem as its capital, and to promote its demands for full membership in the United Nations.

The National Council asserted that the chairmanship of the Group, which includes 134 countries at this particular time, is a new slap from the international community to the Trump administration, the settler government of Israel led by Netanyahu, and their denial of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to freedom and self-determination living in an independent Palestinian state according to the resolutions of international legitimacy.

He expressed his confidence in the capability of the State of Palestine, its president, diplomats and experts to successfully lead this group and open new horizons for the Palestinian people and the people of this group.

The projected number of Palestinians in the world is 13.05 million, of whom 4.91 million are in State of Palestine, 1.57 million in 1948 Territory, 5.85 million in Arab countries and around 717 thousand in foreign countries.
More than one-third of population in Gaza Strip
The projected number of Palestinians living in State of Palestine at the end of 2018 is 4.915 million: around 2.954 million reside in the West Bank and 1.961 million in Gaza Strip. Palestinian refugees make up 42% of the Palestinian population in State of Palestine: 26% of them in the West Bank and 66% in Gaza Strip.

Decline in fertility rate
The total fertility rate declined during (2011-2013) to 4.1 births (compared to 5.9 births in 1999). In Gaza Strip the rate was 4.5 births compared to 3.7 births in the West Bank during 2011-2013.

Total Fertility Rate in State of Palestine, Selected Years

Decrease in average household size
The average household size in State of Palestine was 5.1 persons in 2017 (compared to 6.1 in 2000): 4.8 persons in the West Bank and 5.6 persons in Gaza Strip.

Average Household Size in State of Palestine by Region in 2000 and 2017

Decrease in crude birth and death rates
The crude birth rate is 30.5 births for every 1000 of population in State of Palestine 2018: 28.0 in the West Bank compared to 34.4 in Gaza Strip. The crude death rate is 3.8 deaths for every 1000 of population in State of Palestine 2018: 4.0 in the West Bank compared to 3.5 in Gaza Strip.

High fertility rate among Palestinians in Jordan compared to Palestinians in Syria and Lebanon
The total fertility rate for the Palestinian women living in Jordan was 3.3 births in 2010 compared to 2.5 in Syria in 2010 and 2.8 in Lebanon in 2011.

Selected Demographic Indicators by Country of Residence, Selected Years

Country of Residence Average Household Size Total Fertility Rate
Jordan 5.1** 3.3*
Syria * 4.1* 2.5**
Lebanon 4.4** 2.8**

* Data represent for 2010
**Data represent for 2011

The Palestinian population in 1948 Territory is a young population
The number of Palestinians living in 1948 Territory is 1.568 million in the end of 2018, of whom the percentage of individuals under 18 years was about 40% for males and 39% for females, while the percentage of individuals 65 years and above was 4% for males and 5% for females at the end of 2017.

Population growth rate for Palestinians is higher than the growth rate of the Jewish population in historic Palestine
The population growth rate of Palestinians in the State of Palestine reached about 2.5% in 2018. In addition, the growth rate of the Palestinian population in the 1948 territories reached about 2.3% in 2017, while the rate of Jews in historical Palestine was about 1.7% in 2017.

The National Council called on the international community to translate its broad solidarity with our people into actions ending the Israeli occupation, enabling our people to exercise their self-determination and return to homeland, embody their national sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The National Council , on the occasion, of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, adopted by UN General Assembly, on 2 December 1977 to commemorate partitioning of Palestine into two states, expressed its appreciation to all states, institutions, and world movement, commemorating the occasion, rejecting injustice, occupation and supporting our people’s right to self-determination.
The National Council stressed that the primary responsibility in implementation of decisions related to the Palestinian issue since 1947 till now is the responsibility of the United Nations and its institutions. It is no longer acceptable that Israel” the occupying state “ remains in violation of international laws, with full support and care of Trump administration, which is encouraging it to practice terrorism, murder, detention, and building settlements on the territory of the Palestinian state recognized by UN General Assembly in 2012.
The Council stressed the ability of our people and their leadership to overcome the stage, confront all projects and plans aimed at liquidating the national cause, undermining their rights to return and the state, and find references to settlement, which Israel and United States are trying to impose them as a substitute for the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy.
The National Council on this occasion called on to punish the Israeli occupation state and its parliament “ the Knesset” for its racist decisions and laws that legitimized this system of racial discrimination against all non-Jews, which is reflected in the nation-state law and dozens of laws contrary to international laws, conventions and human rights’ principles.
The National Council stressed that there will be no peace, no security, no stability in the Middle East with the continuation of the Israeli occupation. The occupying state can not enjoy security as long as the Palestinian people have been subjected to injustice and oppression. The only solution is to implement the two-state solution with the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders, calling on the countries of the world that have not recognized the state of Palestine yet to recognize it and help to achieve its independence.
The National Council on this occasion, saluted our people’s steadfastness at home, in the refugee camps and diaspora, calling for uniting ranks and ending the division. The Council also saluted world solidarity movement, first and foremost the world boycott movement, B.D.S which rejects racial Israeli occupation and racial discrimination practiced against the Palestinian people.
The National Council recalls the 71st anniversary of resolution 181(11) adopted on November 1947 partitioning Palestine into two states, stressing that this unjust decision was issued against the will of the Palestinian people because of international equations biased in time.