Ref:
81/2011

On Wednesday, 23 November 2011, the
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) received three delegations in its
head office in Gaza City from the Office of the European Union
Representative, the Representative Office of Norway
to the Palestinian Authority and the UNRWA Office in New York.

In the morning, PCHR’s Deputy Director,
Jaber Weshah, and PCHR’s Deputy Director for Program Affairs, Hamdi Shaqqoura,
received Joris Van Winckel, Officer of Political Affairs at the Office of the
European Union Representative.

During their meeting with Mr. Winckel,
Weshah and Shaqqoura reviewed the situation of human rights in the occupied
Palestinian territory (oPt) and particularly in the Gaza Strip, in view of the
continued imposition of the closure and collective punishment on the Gaza
Strip. Weshah and Shaqqoura stressed that it is important to put an end to the
ongoing closure, especially as the pretext which Israel has used to justify the
collective punishment imposed on the Gaza Strip has ceased by the ending of Shalit’s
captivity. They also stressed the importance of taking immediate action in
order to lift the closure and put and end to the people’s suffering.

The meeting also addressed the
Palestinian internal situation, especially the issue of reconciliation, and the
support needed for the efforts aimed at restoring respect for Palestinian
institutions. During the meeting, PCHR urged the European Union to support the
efforts exerted to achieve the Palestinian reconciliation and paving the way
for organizing free and fair elections in accordance with Cairo Agreement which
was reached in last May.

In the second meeting, PCHR received a
delegation from the Representative Office of Norway to the Palestinian
Authority, including Jan Dybfest, Deputy Representative, Erik Berggrav, second Secretary,
and Tale Kvalvaag, Counselor.

Mr. Weshah and Mr. Shaqqoura received
the delegation from the Representative Office of Norway to the Palestinian
Authority. The meeting discussed war crimes that the Israeli occupation forces
continue to commit against Palestinian civilians in the oPt, the continued
closure of the Gaza Strip, and the tragic impacts of the ongoing closure on the
different aspects of Palestinians’ life in the Gaza Strip.

During the meeting Mr. Weshah and Mr.
Shaqqoura reviewed PCHR’s activities and the work conducted by PCHR’s different
units as well as efforts exerted by PCHR to defend and protect human rights.
They appreciated the visit of the Norwegian Representative Office to PCHR and
requested the members of the Norwegian delegation to continue in closely monitoring
the situation in the Gaza Strip.

In the third meeting, Mr. Shaqqoura
received Mr. Richard Wright, Director of UNRWA operations in New York. This meeting addresses the
continued deterioration of the human rights situation in the oPt, especially in
the Gaza Strip, in view of the escalation of crimes committed by Israel against
Palestinian civilians and in view of the continued closure of the Gaza Strip.

Mr. Wright was told about PCHR’s legal
work during the last Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip between 27 December
2008 and 18 January 2009. In particular, Mr. Shaqqoura talked about the cases
from this last offensive which were filed at Israeli courts and the subsequent
responses, which are mostly negative, that PCHR has received in connection with
these cases, stressing that Palestinians are deprived from achieving justice
through Israeli courts.