Ref: 16/2023
Date: 03 March 2023
Madrid, upon an invitation from the Association for Human Rights for Spain (The Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España- APDHE), Workers Commissions (Comisiones Obreras CCOO) and the Arab Cause Solidarity Committee (Comité de Solidaridad con la Causa Árabe), Lawyer Raji Sourani, Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, visited Madrid for four days.
The first stop was attending a seminar at the CCOO headquarter, where Sourani was a speaker joining Ms. Paloma Lopez, General Secretary of CCOO; Ms. Teresa Aranguren Amézola, a journalist and Member of APDHE’s Board of Directors; Mr. Santiago Gonzalez Vallejo, Co-founder of CSCA; and Ms. Alejandra Ortega Fuentes, the officer responsible for Arab countries, Africa, Asia and International LAbour Organization (ILO) at CCOO, Spain.
Sourani also held a meeting at the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) headquarter with Ms. Hana Jalloul, Secretary of International Political Cooperation at PSOE parliamentary group, Vice President of the Socialist International and Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Sourani criticized the party for amending the Spanish law and thereby closing the door at the time on the prosecution of Israeli war criminals, especially after the Spanish National Court issued a decision to investigate with six Israeli military and security leaders. Sourani also denounced the Party’s position on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the daily crimes committed by the occupation against Palestinian civilians. Sourani emphasized that Spain and Europe’s inaction and not criticizing or holding Israel accountable for its crimes over a quarter of a century have encouraged Israel to commit more crimes and establish an apartheid system.
Moreover, Sourani visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he held a meeting with Head of the Middle East Department and responsible for the Palestinian file. During the meeting, Sourani criticized Europe and Spain’s recent negative votes in the United Nations General Assembly, as well as the negative change in the historical position of Spain and its support for the Palestinian people.
Sourani had a long interview with the Spanish News Agency (EFE), where he addressed the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt), and the Israeli occupation’s war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of persecution and apartheid against the Palestinian people in addition to the politicization and selectivity at the ICC. Sourani affirmed that what the ICC prosecutor’s is doing is not acceptable at all, as there has been no tangible progress in the investigations in the situation into Palestine since prosecutor Kareem Khan took office 2 year ago due to pressures practiced on him particularly from Britain, Germany and U.S.. Sourani also emphasized that using double standards while dealing with the Palestinian and Ukrainian files will jeopardize the rule of law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and this position has raised outrage among the defenders for justice and the rule of law in Palestine and the world. He stressed that the Palestinian people will never be good victims and will fight for their rights to dignity, justice, and self-determination. Sourani added despite the hard moments and heavy burden, the Palestinian people will not lose hope and will never be good victims to the Israeli war criminals, and the strategic optimism of victory, end of occupation and apartheid, and exercising the right to self-determination will prevail.
Sourani also had interviews with the Spanish Radio, the Communist Party Gazette, El Periódico, ElDiario.es and, EL PAÍS Newspapers and all of them published long articles with Sourani.
Sourani also held a meeting at the headquarter of the Spanish Parliament with Mr. Enrique Fernando Santiago, Secretary General of the Spanish Communist Party and President of the United Spanish Left Alliance, and his office staff. During the meeting, they reaffirmed their support for the struggle of the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights and criticized the position of the Spanish government and Europe on the Palestinian cause, stressing that the European-American position encourages Israel and grants it political and legal immunity, enjoying impunity and being above the law. They also emphasized that Palestine and its people have friends who will always support them and remain in solidarity until fulfillment of their right to self-determination and independence.
Meanwhile, Sourani met with many committees, activists, writers, artists, and academics in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
It is worth noting that in December 2022, APDHE awarded Raji Sourani the International Award in Human Rights, which is the most important Award in Spain, for his record and work in the human rights field.