Ref: 25/2008

Date: 09 July 2008

 

 

PCHR Director Meets Several International Delegations

On Wednesday morning (9 July), Sourani met Duncan McLean, the Head of Mission, of MSF-France (Doctors without Borders) and the directors of MSF offices in Jerusalem and Gaza. Sourani briefed the delegation on the human rights situation in the OPT in general and the health situation in the Gaza Strip in particular. Sourani informed the delegation that the health sector has been affected in an unprecedented manner by the hermetic siege Israeli imposes on the Gaza Strip. He noted that the siege includes restrictions on the movement of medical supplies and preventing patients from traveling for treatment abroad.

On Tuesday, 8 July, Sourani met a Parliamentary French delegation from the International Information Group on the Palestinian Territories that included:

-       Ms. Monique Creisier – Ben Guiga (MP)

-       Ms. Bernadette Dupont (MP)

-       Ms. Delphine Mancel (administrator)

-       Ms. Jacquiline Coulon-Lascaux, the Attaché for Social and Humanitarian Cooperation in the French Consulate General in Jerusalem

Sourani discussed the human rights situation in the OPT with the delegation, with emphasis on the catastrophic impact of Israeli siege of Gaza on the civilian population. He noted that the 60^th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba has been the worst on all fronts with regards to the Israeli Occupation. During the meeting, Sourani also condemned the European position regarding the siege and the crimes perpetrated against the Palestinian civilian population, stressing the importance of Europe’s fulfillment of its obligations under the 4^th Geneva Convention. Finally, Sourani stated that dialogue and reconciliation between Palestinian factions is the best solution out of the raging crisis and schism in the Palestinian political pyramid.

Last Sunday, 6 July, Sourani met Ms. Grietje Baars, the Legal Advisor in Diakonia’s Regional Middle East Office. The meeting discussed an upcoming conference in Brussels next September. The conference is planned to gather Palestinian and European lawyers and activists to discuss increasing the utilization of Universal Jurisdiction and pursuit of Israeli war criminals through joint action in international courts. The conference is organized based on a request by several parties for PCHR to talk about its experience in the prosecution of Israeli war criminals.