Ref: 88/2011
Upon invitation of the European External Action Service (EAAS) and the
European Commission (EC), the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR)
participated in the 13th EU-NGO Forum on Human Rights, held on 8-9
December in Brussels.
The two-day forum brought together leading international human rights
organizations, international organizations, EU institutions and member States. It intended to contribute to the ongoing review
process of the EU human rights policy by suggesting possible actions and
strategies for a more effective EU human rights approach.
Mr. Davide Tundo, a member of PCHR’s International Unit, participated in
the Forum, in the place of Mr. Raji Sourani, PCHR Director, who was unable to
attend. Mr. Tundo participated as a panelist in a workshop entitled Boosting the Implementation of the EU
Guidelines on International Humanitarian Law. The EU Guidelines were
created in 2005 and specifically intended to shape EU policies and practices regarding
its relations with third countries.
Speaking about the key topic of the protection of civilians in the frame
of the long-standing Israeli occupation of the oPt, Mr. Tundo conveyed PCHR’s
belief that international law provides a set of tools which, if applied fully
and in good faith, and enforced in the event of a violation, enables the
international community, including EU bodies and member states, to safeguard
civilians.
However, PCHR notes that this required respect for, and enforcement of,
international law is absent in the Israeli-Palestinian context. In failing to
activate international law instruments, including universal jurisdiction, to
demand Israel’s compliance with its legal obligations, EU institutions and
member states have become complicit in Israel’s violations of international
law, and its illegal policies and practices against civilians, the “protected
persons” of international humanitarian law.
The full text of Mr. Tundo’s presentation is available here.
