Ref:
42/2013

Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and
lawyer, Raji Sourani, has expressed his appreciation before the UN Human Rights
Council for the report presented by Richard Folk, Special Rapporteur for the
Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt),

Sourani stated that the report was objective and highly
professional. He added that it accurately and honestly revealed the Israeli
violations and crimes committed in the oPt. 
He also stated that the report confirms and reflects the conclusions
reached by Palestinian and international organizations and UN human rights
bodies. Sourani praised Folk’s intellect and morality and appreciated his
insistence not to submit to threats and attacks by international and Zionist
organizations.

Sourani also highlighted the support offered by Palestinian and
Arab human rights organizations to the Special Rapporteur in defending Folk and
their continuing defence of righteousness and justice.

Additionally, Mr. Sourani met with Mr Tristan Ferraro, Legal
Advisor to the ICRC Legal Division in Geneva. They discussed a number of basic
issues related to international humanitarian law, such as the prisoners,
Jerusalem, settlements, the annexation wall, the Israeli-imposed closure on the
Gaza Strip and the impunity granted to Israel against crimes committed against
Palestinians.  Furthermore, they addressed
the ICRC’s programs in the oPt. They also discussed the position relating to
the signing and ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal
Court (ICC) and the four Geneva Conventions following the recognition of
Palestine as a non-member state in the UN last November.  It was obvious from their reflective opinions
to different topics addressed in the meeting that the perspectives of both
Sourani and Ferraro are greatly similar. They also agreed to continuing
cooperation and coordination between the organizations.

Furthermore, Sourani participated in a press conference organized
by the Press Club in the Palais des Nations, where he addressed Israeli
violations committed against Palestinian civilians. During the conference,
Sourani in particular highlighted Israeli legal amendments which give Israeli
soldiers impunity against war crimes and violations they have committed in the
oPt. Mr Sourani strove to emphasize that these amendments enhance the culture
of impunity and penalization of the victim. 
He encouraged the use of international instruments of justice to
penalize these crimes, namely international legislation and the ICC, so as to
insure that war criminals will be prosecuted and held accountable for the
crimes they have committed in the oPt.