PRESS RELEASE

Raji Sourani, director of PCHR, visits Berlin, Germany

Ref: 87/2000

Date: 2nd July, 2000

Mr. Raji Sourani, accompanied by a staff member of PCHR based in Germany, had

meetings from 27th June till 1st July in the German capital. His visit was intended to

strengthen coordination and cooperation between German institutions and PCHR as

part of the civil society in Palestine.

At a critical moment of the Middle East Peace Process, the director of PCHR talked

about the facts and realities of human rights in the Palestinian Territories vis-a-vis

international standards as well as the development of the Peace Process in this

context. He expressed his deep concern about the continuous deterioration of the

human rights situation in the Palestinian Territories since the signature of the Oslo

Accords six years ago.

Specificly, he criticized the ongoing systematic policy of closures by Israel which

suffocates Palestinian society and strongly affects its economic development,

worsening the geographical disconnection inside the Palestinian Territories.

Regarding the establishment of democracy in the Gaza Strip and the Westbank, he

stated a lack of independence of the judiciary and a deficit of accountability of the

Palestinian National Authority.

According to Raji Sourani words, human rights of Palestinians are also affected by afurther build-up of the securtiy bodies in the autonomous territories due to international pressure, namely by the US, as well as systematic limitations of the freedom of speech. With regard to a possible final status agreement between Israel

and the Palestinian National Authority, Raji Sourani was sceptical because a functioning Palestinian state was not yet existing on the ground. Therefore, a declaration of such a state on 13th September might create serious internal problems in the Palestinian Territories.

During his stay, Mr. Sourani met the vice-president of the Parliament and the MPs speakers of the different political fractions in the Committe for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid of the Parliament. Regarding government officials, the director of PCHR met the Commissioner for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid and other members of the Human Rights Department of the Foreign Ministry. He also met the head of the Regional Division for Palestine in the Ministry for Econonomic Cooperation and Development.

In the NGO arena, Mr. Sourani exchanged views with amnesty international, Reporter ohne Grenzen, and the International League for Human Rights.

Moreover, he met members of the representative offices of the Protestant and Catholic Churches to the German government.

Further meetings were convened with political foundations and other organisations as the German Foundation for International Development, the German Society for Foreign Politics and the German-Palestinian Association.

Aside his agenda of consultations, Raji Sourani gave interviews to the “Berliner Zeitung” and several radio stations.

“END”