Ref: 59/2007
Date: 23 October 2007
PCHR and Women’s Affairs Center Meet an Official Swedish Delegation
On 23 October 2007 representatives from PCHR and the Women’s Affairs Center (WAC) met an official Swedish delegation from the Consulate General in Jerusalem and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). Raji Sourani, Hamdi Shaqoura, and Mona El-Shawwa represented PCHR; and Na’ela Ayesh and Rima Rikhawi represented WAC. The Swedish delegation included Anna-Klare Berglund (Consul – Development Cooperation), Anders Ohrstrom (Consul/Counsellor, Head of Development Cooperation), and Elisabet Hellsten (SIDA Country Programme Coordinator in SIDA’s Department fro Asia, Middle East and North Africa).
The meeting discussed the human rights situation in the OPT, especially in the Gaza Strip, including the impact of Israel’s policy of besieging the Gaza Strip and closing all its borders for the movement of persons and goods on the civilian population. PCHR and WAC stressed that the civilian population is the party suffering from the siege that is leading to further deterioration in the humanitarian and human rights situation in the Gaza Strip, especially economic and social rights. They pointed that the issue has gone beyond transforming the Strip into an animal farm by allowing only food and medicine into the Strip; and that the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation has been the bloodiest and worst year of occupation.
PCHR and WAC stressed the moral and legal responsibilities of Europe towards what is happening in the OPT.
The meeting also discussed the bloody internal clashes of June 2007 and subsequent developments that have had a great impact on the Palestinian psyche. PCHR and WAC pointed that these internal clashes included numerous serious violations of human rights, and have resulted in a vertical split in the Palestinian political system. They stressed that dialogue is the only way out of this unprecedented crisis.
The meeting also focused on the suffering of woman from the Israeli occupation and from discrimination and violence at the internal level.
It is noted that PCHR and WAC have long-standing relationships with SIDA.
