Ref: 36/2009
Date: 22 July 2009
PCHR Meet with Irish Foreign Affairs Committee
On 21 July 2002, Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) Deputy Director, Mr. Jaber Wishah, met with the Irish Foreign Affairs Committee at the UNRWA Field Office in the Gaza Strip. The Foreign Affairs Committee was lead by Mr. Michael Woods, and included Mr. Bernard-Joseph Durkan, Mr. Jospeh Costello, Mr. Rory O’Hanlon, Mr. Ronon-Edward Gargan, and Mr. Michael-Daniel Higgins. Ms. Clare Brosnan of the Irish representatives office accompanied the delegation. UNRWA Commissioner, Karen Abu Zeid, and General Director of Operations John Ging were also in attendance, as were three Palestinian doctors who graduated from university in Ireland.
Mr. Wishah began the meeting by noting the long-standing relationship between PCHR and Irish Aid ,Trocaire and Frontline.
The main item of discussion was the general human rights situation in the Gaza Strip, particularly in light of the recent Israeli offensive. Of particular concern was the impact of the Israeli imposed closure, an illegal form of collective punishment which violates Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. The impact of the closure on the health sector, including patients denied access to external medical treatment, was discussed in detail.
After recalling the Irish experience during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, Mr. Wishah raised the issue of activating Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. This issue was directed at the Irish Foreign Affairs Committee for consideration at the EU level.
The possibility of a political solution, building on the Irish experience in Northern Ireland was also discussed. Mr. Wishah stressed that in order to be both just and sustainable, any solution must be firmly anchored in the principles of international human rights law. He emphasized that political considerations cannot be placed above individuals legitimate rights, illustrating his point with reference to the Oslo peace process.
The potential influence of Irish Americans on U.S. foreign policy was also discussed.
