Ref: 3/2010

On Monday, 18 January 2010, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
(PCHR) welcomed Mr. Jerome Gordon, a political official in the European
Commission, and Nadia Kourani, a member of the EU Representative Office, in its
head offices in Gaza city.

Lawyer Raji Sourani, Director PCHR, Mr. Hamdi Shaqoura, Deputy Director
for Programs Affairs, and lawyer Eyad al-‘Alami, Deputy Director for
Administrative and Legal Affairs, welcomed the guests. Sourani briefed them on the unprecedented
deterioration of the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian
Territory (OPT), especially in the Gaza Strip, one year after Israel’s
offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The recommendations of the Goldstone Report were addressed in the
meeting. Sourani pointed out that he is
disappointed because “no progress has been made concerning opening
required investigations by the concerned parties. On one hand, Israel has not opened
any serious investigations nor has it formed an independent civil committee to
investigate crimes committed by Israel during its offensive on the Gaza
Strip. Israel has only opened limited
and incredible military investigations, which are routine attempts that do not
meet at all to the requirements of the Goldstone Fact-Finding Mission. On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority
has not made any progress in this regard either.” Sourani noted that PCHR had earlier welcomed
an announcement by the Palestinian government in Gaza, declaring its intent to
form an investigation committee pursuant to the recommendations of the
Goldstone Report. He also indicated the
actions that have been taken so far have been disappointing and that nothing
has actually been achieved, adding that the government in Ramallah has also not
taken any serious actions in this regard.

In addition, the discussion during the meeting revolved around the human
rights situation in the OPT, in light of the internal fragmentation and the
ongoing internal Palestinian conflict. It
was reiterated that the internal fragmentation is the main reason for the
majority of violations currently perpetrated in the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip. Human Rights violations,
including violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the
right to peaceful assembly, and the right to freedom of association, were
addressed in the meeting. The PCHR team
also explained PCHR’s position towards the issue of elections, stating that
while PCHR strongly supports the organization of presidential, parliamentary,
and local elections in accordance with legal requirements, it stresses that
national reconciliation is a precondition to the organization of fair elections
that reflect the will of the electorate. PCHR accordingly noted that the Centre
will not support or encourage the organization of elections unless necessary
preconditions are met, reiterating that PCHR will not support the organization
of elections in only one part of the OPT, either the Gaza Strip or the West
Bank.

During the meeting, the PCHR team highlighted the blockade imposed on
the Gaza Strip in view of the recent crisis on the border between Egypt and
Gaza. PCHR reiterated that the Gaza
Strip is an occupied territory and that Israel is the occupying power that
imposes the siege, adding that Israel is obliged, in accordance with
international law, to protect civilians and to open crossings. It was emphasized that it is necessary for
Europe to exert pressure on the occupying power in order to put an end to the
collective punishment of the Gaza Strip and open the crossings.

In a second meeting on Monday, PCHR also received Ms. Sara Hammod,
Policy Advisor on Israel and the OPT for Oxfam-Novib. In the meeting, PCHR reviewed the human
rights situation in light of the continued siege, and the impact this situation
has had on PCHR’s activities. PCHR
stressed the importance of the role played by international organizations in
the OPT, expressing the hope that international organizations would further
pursue efforts to offer services to Palestinian civilians, especially in light
of the deteriorating living conditions in the Gaza Strip.