Ref: 47/2006

Date:  20 August 2006  

PCHR Hold a Meeting with International and Palestinian NGO’s

On Sunday, 20 August 2006, PCHR organized an open meeting with representatives of Palestinian and international non-governmental organizations working in the Gaza Strip. The meeting was organized to discuss the recent developments in the Gaza Strip and the continuous deterioration of the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) in general and the Gaza Strip in particular.

 The participants included representatives of the World Health Organization, International Committee of the Red Cross, Terre Des Homme, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Food Programme, Mezan Centre for Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Independent Commission against War Criminals.

The Director of PCHR’s Democratic Development Unit, Mr. Hamdi Shaqoura, stressed the importance of the meeting as a continuation of periodic meetings organized by PCHR with other NGO’s. He criticized the international response to the serious human rights violations against Palestinian civilians by Israeli Occupation Forces, especially in the aftermath of the Palestinian resistance operation on 25 June 2006.

The key points raised during the meeting included:

1. The importance of the meeting is in bringing about a conscious understanding and awareness of the situation in the OPT in light of the continuous crimes against civilians and the cutting of international aid to Palestinians.
2. Although NGO’s alone cannot meet the needs arising from this tragic situation, they should exert serious efforts to confront the situation.
3. The importance of effective political action at the international level to put an end to the deterioration of the situation in the OPT.
4. The need for additional work by NGO’s in the OPT with governments and international forums, to lobby for effective international action.