Does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Apply to Palestine?
Four articles from the UDHR, and the reality Palestinians face under each one — from arbitrary detention to the right to education and to move freely and return home.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) sets out the rights every person is meant to hold simply by being human — regardless of where they live. It has no borders written into it, and no exceptions carved out for any country or people. So we wanted to ask a simple question: does it apply to Palestine? Here is what four of its articles promise, and what the reality looks like for Palestinians today.
Article 3: Right to Life, Liberty and Security of Person
“Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”
The Reality: Since October 2023, over 75,000 Palestinians in Gaza — including more than 21,000 children — have been killed. Over 175,000 have been injured, and these figures are likely higher still, with thousands missing and bodies trapped under rubble. Starvation has been deliberately used as a weapon of war. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces and settlers during the same period.
In Gaza, the vast majority of the population remains internally displaced. In the West Bank, settler colonialism is the primary driver of displacement: on average, there are six settler attacks per day against Palestinians, resulting in casualties, property destruction, and the theft of land and agricultural assets.
Article 9: Right to Liberty and Security of Person
“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.”
The Reality: Almost 10,000 Palestinians are currently being held in Israeli prisons. Around 3,500 of these individuals are held in “administrative detention” — a legal status that permits indefinite imprisonment without charge, trial, or evidence.
Article 13: Freedom of Movement
“Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.”
“Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.”
The Reality: The two million residents of Gaza are currently contained within the territory, with no mechanism for civilian exit — the territory has become a closed prison. The military now controls 60% of the land, with plans to extend this to 70%, systematically shrinking the population’s living space. This eliminates all freedom of movement, trapping even those in critical need of medical care inside a war zone.
The West Bank functions as an open-air prison. Its population is trapped in fragmented, isolated enclaves, separated by 925 physical barriers — including checkpoints, road gates, and earth mounds. Every civilian movement is subject to military authorisation: Palestinians do not have freedom of movement, and they must obtain permission to travel, work, or access basic services.
The Palestinian right of return is systematically blocked through absolute control over population registries and border crossings. These tools are used to strip residency rights and physically prevent displaced people from returning home. By denying entry and erasing names from official records, displacement is made permanent.
Article 26: Right to Education
“Everyone has the right to education.”
The Reality: Over 84,000 students in the West Bank have had their education violently interrupted by settler attacks, military raids, and school demolitions, and more than 80 schools face imminent demolition. This is not just about lost classroom time — it is a systematic campaign to make Palestinian life unsustainable and to erase communities from the map.
In Gaza, more than 97% of schools have been damaged or destroyed, and 91.8% of all education facilities will require reconstruction or rehabilitation. Over three academic years, approximately 658,000 school-age children have been denied face-to-face learning in the Strip.
Why We Share This
Ramzunā Languages exists to give Palestinian students access to something the world has made harder and harder to reach: consistent, quality education, delivered by volunteers who show up every week regardless of what else is happening. We cannot undo the gap between what the UDHR promises and what Palestinians are living through. But we can keep showing up for the students on the other side of that gap, one free lesson at a time.
