Ref: 08/2018
On Wednesday, 21 February 2018, a delegation from Grassroots organization visited the Palestinian Center for Human rights (PCHR). Coordinator of PCHR’s office in Ramallah, Samih Mohsen, received the delegation and praised the organization’s role in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and supporting PCHR’s activities and positions.
In the meeting, Mohsen gave a detailed review on the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) following the U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the U. S. embassy to it. Mohsen stressed that this declaration violates the international legitimacy resolutions relevant to the Palestinian cause; most of them were upheld by the U. S. Administration, and has encouraged Israel to seize more lands in the West Bank, particularly occupied East Jerusalem, in favor of its settlement projects. Mohsen pointed out to a number of Israeli measures taken following the declaration.
Moreover, PCHR’s coordinator mentioned the Israeli excessive use of force against Palestinian civilian protestors, mostly children, in addition to direct targeting them whether in protests organized along the Gaza Strip borders or in the West Bank in protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision, the Israeli closure imposed on the Gaza Strip for 11 years and settlement activities in the West Bank. Mohsen reviewed in detail the most prominent violations and war crimes committed by the Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians and their property and their escalation after the abovementioned decalration.
Following that, the coordinator discussed the Israeli closure imposed on the Gaza Strip for 11 years, which resulted in tragic and inhuman contidtions on the economic, health, educational and social levels, increasing the rates of extreme poverty and reducing the hopes to end the closure crime and improving people’s live conditions. Mohsen indicated the ongoing Israeli policy of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza sea, farmers and shepherds in the border areas and their livelihoods, causing further deterioration of human and living conditions.
Mohsen also talked about targeting UNRWA and about the significant reduction of the U. S. Government’s funds to the UNRWA budget, and inciting the UNRWA for its humanitarian role. He also said that the UNRWA provides its assistance and services to three quarters of the Gaza Strip’s population, which will lead to the deterioration of humanitarian and living conditions of those benefiting from these services. He pointed out to the failure of efforts to achieve the internal reconciliation and its impact on the Palestinian civilians’ lives in the Gaza Strip and increasing their suffering.
Mohsen also provided a detailed explanation on the work of PCHR, its units, various aspects of its activities and services to promote the human rights situation in the oPt.
At the end of the meeting, the delegation thanked PCHR for the well reception and review on the latest developments in the oPt. The delegation also appreciated PCHR’s role and work in various fields and activities, in addition to its services.
The PCHR’s coordinator accompanied the delegation on a field visit to Bil’in village, west of Ramallah, where they were acquainted with the imapct of the annexation wall on the area. The delegation also listened to a number of farmers explaining the negative effects of the annexation wall construction on their lives and saw with their own eyes the establishment and expansion of settlements in “Modi’in” and “Kiryat Sefer” settlements, which both are established on parts of the village lands.
