Ref: 26/2012
On Tuesday, 06 March 2012, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights
(PCHR) received a Canadian diplomatic delegation comprised of: Hussein Hirji,
Political Officer, Representative Office of Canada in Ramallah; Nathan Heiberg,
Coordinator, Representative Office of Canada in Ramallah; and Kierstin Heiberg,
First Secretary, Embassy of Canada in Tel Aviv.
The visitors were received in PCHR’s head office in Gaza City by
Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, and Hamdai Shqqura, PCHR Deputy Director for
Program Affairs.
The meeting discussed the human rights situation in the occupied
Palestinian territory, particularly the ongoing Israeli closure imposed on the
Gaza Strip and its impact on all aspects of life. Members of the delegation were particularly
interested in knowing the extent to which the population of the Gaza Strip
enjoys the right to have access to religious sites. In this context, PCHR’s representatives
highlighted the complete denial of access of Moslems from the Gaza Strip to
religious sites in Jerusalem for several years, pointing out that Israeli
occupation authorities allow a few number of people to travel via Beit Hanoun
(Erez) crossing. These people include
business people, patients and workers of international organizations. Israeli occupation authorities do not allow
anyone from the Gaza Strip to travel to the West Bank to visit religious sites.
PCHR’s representatives briefed the visitors on the difficulties that
faced Christians living in the Gaza Strip during celebrations of Christmas and
the new year. They indicated that
information available to PCHR refutes the misleading Israeli media campaign
that Christians from the Gaza Strip were offered permits to travel to the West
Bank, as in fact only a few hundreds of Christians were offered permits to
travel to religious sites in the West Bank.
A number of those who obtained permits faced extreme difficulties and
obstacle that made them unable to travel to the West Bank.
Additionally, the meeting discussed denial of family visitation to
Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip who are detained in Israeli prisons
and detention facilities. PCHR’s
representatives pointed out that Israel has stopped the program of family
visitation to Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip since June 2007. They stressed that there is no security
reasons that can justify depriving children, wives and mothers of Palestinian
prisoners from visiting them over years.
The meeting further discussed restrictions imposed by Israel on commercial
transaction, includes banning exportation, excluding limited agricultural
exports, and importation, especially of raw construction materials.
In the end, the meeting addressed the internal Palestinian
situation. PCHR’s representatives called
for intensified international efforts to achieve and support Palestinian
reconciliation, which is a crucial step to end the deterioration in public
liberties in the occupied Palestinian territory. They pointed out that the deterioration in
the human rights situation at the Palestinian level is mainly attributed to the
ongoing political split.
